MLB Power Rankings: Where All 30 Teams Stand on Memorial Day
For many, Memorial Day weekend is the official start of summer. The baseball season is no different, as teams are really starting to hit their stride two months into the year.
Once again, we have a new No. 1 club in this week's MLB power rankings, as the top three teams in our previous rankings each posted a losing record last week.
When putting together these rankings, we considered the following factors:
- Last week's record
- Quality of opponent
- Key injuries/trades
- Recent performance beyond the last week
The goal is to be as objective as possible, but a certain amount of subjectivity will always come into play with something like this.
Just remember: This is a fluid process. Teams will rise and fall on a weekly basis relative to where they ranked previously. You keep winning, you keep climbing—it's as simple as that.
30. Oakland Athletics (16-30, Previous: 28)
1 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
It's not even June yet, but it may be time to start taking inventory on whom the Oakland Athletics could potentially move once the trade season rolls around, as they now have the worst record in baseball.
Scott Kazmir (9 GS, 2-3, 3.09 ERA) appears to be the most likely player to move locations as a valuable veteran arm set to hit free agency. Ben Zobrist and Tyler Clippard are also in the final year of their contracts, but they have some work to do rebuilding their value.
Selling high on catcher Stephen Vogt (.306 BA, 1.013 OPS, 10 HR, 33 RBI) is also not out of the question, as the 30-year-old's value is probably as high as it's ever going to get.
Hitter of the Week
- CF Billy Burns (7-for-25, 1 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 R, 4 SB)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Kendall Graveman (W, 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K)
29. Colorado Rockies (17-25, Previous: 30)
2 of 30
Last Week: 4-4
A pair of series splits with the Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants is enough to pull the Colorado Rockies out of the bottom spot in these rankings, but their outlook is still grim at best.
The rotation's 5.17 ERA remains the worst in baseball, and the staff's managed just 11 quality starts on the season, or in roughly 26.2 percent of its games.
Chad Bettis helped that number with a pair of quality starts last week, including 8.1 innings of six-hit, two-run ball against the San Francisco Giants on Sunday. The team recalled the 26-year-old from the minors May 14, and he's turned some heads for a pitching-starved franchise so far.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B D.J. LeMahieu (10-for-25, 1 3B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 8 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Chad Bettis (W, ND, 14.1 IP, 14 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 12 K)
28. Cincinnati Reds (18-25, Previous: 23)
3 of 30
Last Week: 0-5
After a solid push to climb above .500 at 18-17, the Cincinnati Reds have now lost eight games in a row. And it may not be long before manager Bryan Price finds his head on the chopping block.
"The time to act—if the Reds want to act—is now," wrote Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. "But some familiar with the thinking of owner Bob Castellini would be surprised if he made an immediate move, saying that the owner is fond of both Price and general manager Walt Jocketty, and that he is wary of negative publicity as the ASG approaches."
The offense managed just seven runs in five games last week, and the team is averaging just 3.72 runs per game on the season. This year, however, the pitching has been just as much to blame for the team's struggles, as it ranks 26th in the league with a 4.39 ERA.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Jay Bruce (6-for-16, 2 2B, 2 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Anthony DeSclafani (ND, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K)
27. Miami Marlins (18-27, Previous: 21)
4 of 30
Last Week: 2-5
After a 2-5 showing last week, the Miami Marlins are now 2-6 since firing manager Mike Redmond, and that has dropped them to a half-game behind the Philadelphia Phillies for last place in the NL East.
Henderson Alvarez (shoulder) and Mat Latos (knee) both landed on the disabled list last week, joining Jarred Cosart and the rehabbing Jose Fernandez. That leaves a rotation of Dan Haren, Tom Koehler, David Phelps and a pair of TBD spots for this coming week.
The team recalled Andre Rienzo (7 GS, 3.15 ERA in Triple-A) from the minors, and he could fill one spot. Top prospects Justin Nicolino (9 GS, 4-1, 2.15 ERA) and Jose Urena (6 GS, 4-0, 1.21 ERA) have also pitched well at the Triple-A level.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Martin Prado (10-for-32, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Tom Koehler (W, ND, 13.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 6 BB, 6 K)
26. Philadelphia Phillies (19-27, Previous: 26)
5 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
With a series loss last week to the Washington Nationals, the Philadelphia Phillies are now 10-18 against NL East opponents, compared to 9-9 against the rest of the league.
An MLB-worst minus-53 run differential may be the more telling stat, as they have had an awfully hard time scoring runs (3.17 per game) behind a pitching staff that has been as good as anyone could have hoped (3.99 ERA, 15th in MLB).
Don't look now, but Ryan Howard just might have some useful baseball left in the tank. The slugger is hitting .338/.378/.675 with six doubles, six home runs and 13 RBI in May, after a dismal .194/.247/.417 line in April.
"The more extra-base hits Howard accumulates, the more convinced American League teams will be that he's worth acquiring," wrote Corey Seidman of CSN Philly.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Ryan Howard (10-for-26, 3 2B, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Cole Hamels (2 W, 15.1 IP, 11 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 12 K)
25. Milwaukee Brewers (16-29, Previous: 29)
6 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
The Milwaukee Brewers showed last week that they still have some talent despite their slow start, as they took two of three on the road from a Detroit Tigers team that had climbed to No. 1 in these rankings last Monday.
Of course, the club followed that by dropping three of four to the Atlanta Braves. But at the very least, the Brewers are no longer the lowest-ranked NL Central team, as they check in ahead of the struggling Cincinnati Reds.
Despite an inconsistent group around him, Ryan Braun ranks second in the league in RBI (24) this month, and he is in the middle of a solid bounce-back season after a disappointing 2014.
Could that make him a trade candidate come July? The $90-plus million he is owed over the next five years means probably not.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Ryan Braun (8-for-21, 3 2B, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jimmy Nelson (W, L, 13.2 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 9 BB, 9 K)
24. Toronto Blue Jays (20-26, Previous: 22)
7 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
It's too bad MLB teams can't just fire an entire starting rotation and hire a new one. Instead, manager John Gibbons finds himself on the hot seat as a result of the Toronto Blue Jays' poor start.
The team's starters have posted a 5.09 ERA on the year, worst in the American League, and rookie Aaron Sanchez (4-4, 3.98 ERA) is currently the only member of the rotation with an ERA south of 5.00.
That has effectively undercut an offense that ranks among the best in the league, even with slow starts from Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion and shortstop Jose Reyes on the DL.
To his credit, Encarnacion has started to pick things up of late, slugging seven home runs and driving in 14 over his last 14 games.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Edwin Encarnacion (7-for-24, 1 2B, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP R.A. Dickey (W, 9.0 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 7 K)
23. Chicago White Sox (19-22, Previous: 16)
8 of 30
Last Week: 2-5
The Chicago White Sox climbed eight spots in last week's rankings after a pair of series wins, but they come tumbling back down this week after they managed to win just one game each against the Cleveland Indians and Minnesota Twins.
Despite the results, there were some positives. Most notably, strong starts from Chris Sale and the best outing of the year from Jeff Samardzija (8 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 9 K), who has now gone eight innings in consecutive appearances.
The offensive struggles continued, though, and at 3.59 runs per game, Chicago remains by far the lowest-scoring team in the American League.
Hitter of the Week
- CF Adam Eaton (7-for-27, 2 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Chris Sale (L, ND, 16.0 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 17 K)
22. New York Yankees (22-22, Previous: 13)
9 of 30
Last Week: 0-5
Is this just a rough patch, or has luck finally run out on a New York Yankees team that climbed as high as the No. 4 spot in these rankings a few weeks back?
The team is now 1-10 in its last 11 games, and its 4.86 ERA in May is the worst in the American League.
Even Michael Pineda, who had been the team's best starter with Masahiro Tanaka and Chase Whitley both sidelined, has allowed 18 hits and nine earned runs in 11.1 innings over his last two starts.
Tanaka threw a bullpen session Sunday, and he will make another minor league rehab start Wednesday. Barring any setbacks, he's on pace to return June 2, according to Greg Logan of Newsday.
Also of note, 2014 second-round pick Jacob Lindgren had his contract purchased Sunday. The lefty reliever has a 1.74 ERA and 14.8 strikeout-per-nine rate in 34 career minor league appearances.
Hitter of the Week
- SS Didi Gregorius (5-for-15, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- 1B Garrett Jones (0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K)
Sorry, couldn't resist.
- SP Adam Warren (L, 6.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 K)
21. Texas Rangers (21-23, Previous: 25)
10 of 30
Last Week: 5-1
Dead last in these rankings just a few weeks ago, the Texas Rangers continue to climb after series wins against the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.
One can't help but question what year it is when the two most productive first basemen in the league last week were Ryan Howard and Prince Fielder.
With another 11-hit, three-homer week, Fielder is now hitting an AL-best .358 with eight home runs and 32 RBI, as he appears to be all the way back from the neck issue that ended his season last year.
On the pitching side of things, Phil Klein looked sharp in his first big league start, after his first 23 appearances in the majors all came in relief. The 6'7" right-hander allowed five hits and one run in 5.1 innings, and that should be enough to earn him another start in place of the injured Ross Detwiler.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Prince Fielder (11-for-25, 2 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Wandy Rodriguez (W, 6.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K)
20. San Diego Padres (21-24, Previous: 15)
11 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
The San Diego Padres avoided a sweep from the Los Angeles Dodgers with a win Sunday. But they have gone just 4-9 in their last 13 games, and they have not won a series since they swept the Colorado Rockies to begin May.
Despite the team's struggles, Justin Upton has been on an absolute tear this month, hitting .309/.385/.580 with six home runs and 21 RBI in 22 games. The free-agent-to-be would be a huge trade chip if the Padres fall out of contention, but locking him up long-term may be the better approach.
"Right now, it doesn't seem as though any MLB squad can keep Justin Upton from leaving the yard," wrote Matt Calkins of the San Diego Union-Tribune. "Which is why the Padres' front office has to do everything possible to keep him from leaving San Diego."
Hitter of the Week
- LF Justin Upton (5-for-22, 1 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP James Shields (W, ND, 14.0 IP, 11 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 18 K)
19. Arizona Diamondbacks (21-22, Previous: 27)
12 of 30
Last Week: 6-1
With a four-game sweep of the Miami Marlins and a series win over a good Chicago Cubs team, the Arizona Diamondbacks are now just one game under .500 and five games back in the NL West standings.
The Diamondbacks hold the No. 1 pick in the upcoming amateur draft, and there is still no clear-cut choice at the top. The latest mock draft from Baseball America had them selecting University of Illinois left-hander Tyler Jay, who is expected to move as quickly through the minors as anyone in the class.
As for the current roster, right-hander Chase Anderson is quietly having a fantastic season, going 1-1 with a 2.54 ERA and 1.027 WHIP through his first eight starts. The 27-year-old went 9-7 with a 4.01 ERA to finish 10th in NL Rookie of the Year voting last season, and a 3.27 FIP this year is a promising sign.
Hitter of the Week
- CF A.J. Pollock (12-for-30, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 8 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Chase Anderson (W, 8.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K)
18. Seattle Mariners (20-23, Previous: 20)
13 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
The Seattle Mariners have yet to win back-to-back series this year, and it was more of the same last week as they dropped two of three to the Baltimore Orioles but then took two of three from the Toronto Blue Jays over the weekend.
Nelson Cruz enters the week leading the league in home runs (17), second in RBI (34) and sitting fourth in the AL in batting average (.343). Side note: Who predicted Prince Fielder, Jimmy Paredes, Cruz and Jason Kipnis to all be in the top five in batting average on Memorial Day?
Another strong start from James Paxton (6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER) gives him five quality starts in a row, as he's gone 3-0 with a 1.59 ERA during that stretch. Now the team desperately needs Taijuan Walker to follow suit and round into form.
Hitter of the Week
- DH Nelson Cruz (8-for-22, 2 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Roenis Elias (W, 7.2 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K)
17. Baltimore Orioles (19-22, Previous: 18)
14 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
The Baltimore Orioles took two of three from the Seattle Mariners to open last week, but they dropped a series to the Miami Marlins over the weekend. That leaves them in fourth place but just three games back in the AL East standings.
Jimmy Paredes now officially has enough at-bats to qualify for the batting title, and he is currently tied for second in the league with a .344 mark. Add in seven doubles, six home runs and 25 RBI, and he's undoubtedly one of the biggest breakout stars of 2015.
However, a .407 BABIP, 24 percent HR/FB ratio and 4.5 percent walk rate, per FanGraphs, are all red flags for regression to come.
On the pitching side, Mike Wright followed up his terrific debut (7.1 IP, 4 H, 0 ER) with another strong start (7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER), and he's certainly making a case to hold on to his spot with Bud Norris currently rehabbing in the minors.
Hitter of the Week
- DH Jimmy Paredes (9-for-26, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 2 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Mike Wright (ND, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K)
16. Los Angeles Angels (22-22, Previous: 10)
15 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
The Los Angeles Angels flashed some impressive power last week with 10 home runs in seven games, but that didn't stop them from sliding out of the top 10.
L.A. followed a four-game split with the Toronto Blue Jays by dropping two of three to the Boston Red Sox, leaving them at .500 on the year with a minus-four run differential. The middle of the pack seems like the perfect spot for them.
Chris Iannetta and David Freese each had two doubles and two home runs last week, and getting some sort of production out of those two guys would go a long way in solidifying the team's offense.
The Angels kick off a 10-game homestand this week with three games against the San Diego Padres, as they look to make up some ground on the first-place Houston Astros.
Hitter of the Week
- CF Mike Trout (10-for-29, 2 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Hector Santiago (W, L, 13.2 IP, 11 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 11 K)
15. Boston Red Sox (21-23, Previous: 19)
16 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
Five quality starts in one week out of the Boston Red Sox rotation? That can't be right.
Unfortunately, the team squandered a pair of those outings as Clay Buchholz and Joe Kelly both walked away from their starts as tough-luck losers, but it's nonetheless a positive sign for a club that has struggled mightily on the mound.
It bears mentioning that at minus-32, the Red Sox have the second-worst run differential in the American League, so they should be thankful that they're only two games under .500 and 2.5 games back in the AL East standings.
They have a tough week ahead, as they face two hot teams in the Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers, both on the road.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Mike Napoli (9-for-21, 1 2B, 5 HR, 10 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Wade Miley (2 W, 15.0 IP, 11 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 9 K)
14. Cleveland Indians (20-23, Previous: 24)
17 of 30
Last Week: 6-1
The Cleveland Indians entered the season with some lofty expectations, and after a disappointing start, they are finally starting to play up to their potential.
After dropping to as low as No. 28 in these rankings, the team is now pushing for a spot in the top 10 after taking care of business against the Chicago White Sox and Cincinnati Reds last week.
Corey Kluber has caught fire of late, but he's not the only one figuring things out in the rotation. The team's starters went 5-0 with a 1.42 ERA, 0.888 WHIP and 51 strikeouts in 50.2 innings in their seven games last week.
The Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners await this coming week, as the Indians look to climb over .500 for the first time since they opened the year at 2-1.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Jason Kipnis (9-for-27, 3 2B, 1 3B, 3 RBI, 7 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Corey Kluber (W, ND, 17.0 IP, 14 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 19 K)
13. Atlanta Braves (22-21, Previous: 17)
18 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
The Atlanta Braves are quietly playing some really good baseball right now, as they've gone 7-2 in their last nine games and are now just 3.5 games back in the NL East standings.
Julio Teheran turned in his best start of the season last week, and if he can regain his front-line form alongside breakout star Shelby Miller, the Braves could boast one of the best one-two punches in baseball.
Williams Perez made his first big league start last week, going five innings and allowing six hits and one run while striking out seven. He's earned at least one more start and could wind up being a the long-term replacement for Eric Stults.
Hitter of the Week
- CF Cameron Maybin (6-for-20, 2 2B, 4 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Julio Teheran (W, 7.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K)
12. Tampa Bay Rays (24-21, Previous: 12)
19 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
Series splits with the Atlanta Braves and Oakland Athletics keep the Tampa Bay Rays in the No. 12 spot for the time being, though another rough week from the New York Yankees was enough to move them into first place in the AL East standings.
One player who has not received enough attention this year is outfielder Brandon Guyer.
The 29-year-old is hitting .287/.370/.415 with six doubles, two home runs and 12 RBI, and he's posted a 20.5 UZR/150, per FanGraphs, while seeing time at all three outfield positions.
The offense will need to continue to come from unexpected places, as this team has the pitching to be a legitimate threat in the AL East, even with Alex Cobb and Drew Smyly likely lost for the season.
Hitter of the Week
- DH David DeJesus (6-for-19, 2 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Alex Colome (W, 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K)
11. New York Mets (24-21, Previous: 9)
20 of 30
Last Week: 2-5
A four-game split with the St. Louis Cardinals and a sweep by the Pittsburgh Pirates bumps the New York Mets out of the top 10 for the time being, but they still look to be the real deal in 2015.
Jacob deGrom was absolutely dominant in his last start against the Cardinals, allowing only a first-inning single to Matt Carpenter before retiring 23 in a row and striking out 11 over eight scoreless innings.
That added up to a 91 game score, which ranks as the second-best pitching performance of the season, trailing only the 18-strikeout game Corey Kluber put up against that same Cardinals team.
Injured starter Dillon Gee (groin) will make one more rehab start before rejoining the big league club, and from there the team is expected to go with a six-man rotation, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Lucas Duda (6-for-21, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jacob deGrom (W, 8.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 11 K)
10. Pittsburgh Pirates (21-22, Previous: 14)
21 of 30
Last Week: 3-2
Despite their losing record, the Pittsburgh Pirates climb into the top 10 after a three-game sweep of the New York Mets over the weekend.
However, perhaps the biggest takeaway from the week is the fact that Josh Harrison (10-for-22) finally seems to be hitting his stride at the plate.
GM Neal Huntington, who gave Harrison a four-year, $27.3 million extension in the offseason, talked about his third baseman's recent turnaround with Stephen J. Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
"It looks like a guy that’s having fun playing the game again. Just showing up with energy every day and trying to do everything in his power to help a club win versus trying to justify. It’s fun to watch him get back out there and be the guy he is.
"
Also set to "get back out there" is right-hander Charlie Morton, who will make his first start of the season Monday after offseason hip surgery sidelined him to begin the year. Vance Worley (2-3, 4.17 ERA) will move to the bullpen.
Hitter of the Week
- CF Andrew McCutchen (9-for-20, 2 2B, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Gerrit Cole (W, 8.1 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 K)
9. Minnesota Twins (25-18, Previous: 11)
22 of 30
Last Week: 4-1
This is now my fourth season authoring the MLB power rankings here at Bleacher Report, and to the best of my recollection, this is the first time I've penciled the Minnesota Twins into a spot in the top 10.
Many expected the AL Central to be a four-team dog fight this year, with the Twins all but assured of a fifth straight 90-loss season and another last-place finish.
Instead, a largely unheralded group of players just keeps winning. The Twins have gone 19-8 in their last 27 games and have not lost a series to anyone other than the Detroit Tigers during that span.
Kyle Gibson (4-3, 2.72 ERA), Glen Perkins (16/16 SV, 1.33 ERA), Trevor Plouffe (.807 OPS, 6 HR, 22 RBI), Brian Dozier (.841 OPS, 9 HR, 24 RBI) and Torii Hunter (.800 OPS, 7 HR, 26 RBI) have all played a pivotal role in the hot start.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Trevor Plouffe (6-for-17, 3 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Kyle Gibson (W, 8.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K)
8. Los Angeles Dodgers (26-17, Previous: 3)
23 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
The San Francisco Giants swept the Los Angeles Dodgers to begin last week, but L.A. managed to right the ship to take two of three from the San Diego Padres over the weekend. It remains two games up in the NL West standings.
The team still figures to look for starting pitching help at some point, but it may have struck gold with the offseason addition of Mike Bolsinger.
Purchased from the Arizona Diamondbacks in November, the 27-year-old Bolsinger has gone 3-0 with a 0.71 ERA (2.76 FIP) and 0.789 WHIP in four starts since being called up from Triple-A.
"Going into AAA, I told myself, pitch well and good things are going to happen," Bolsinger told Ken Gurnick of MLB.com. "You're given an opportunity to come up here, go out there and do what you know you can do. If you pitch well, then obviously good things are going to happen."
The Dodgers kick off this coming week against the Atlanta Braves before a big weekend series with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Hitter of the Week
- CF Joc Pederson (6-for-23, 2 2B, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Mike Bolsinger (W, 8.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K)
7. Chicago Cubs (24-19, Previous: 7)
24 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
After a terrific 6-1 homestand two weeks ago, the Chicago Cubs managed to split a six-game west-coast road trip last week, and they currently sit 3.5 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central standings.
The team finally pulled the trigger on trading catcher Welington Castillo last week, shipping him to the Seattle Mariners for reliever Yoervis Medina. While Medina has had some control problems this year, he was lights-out last season (66 G, 21 HLD, 2.68 ERA, 9.5 K/9) and could play a big role in the pen at some point.
Kyle Hendricks was the star of the week, as the threw his first career shutout against the San Diego Padres on Thursday.
Perhaps that will be a turning point for the young right-hander, as he was 0-1 with a 5.15 ERA in his first seven starts.
Hitter of the Week
- LF Chris Coghlan (5-for-17, 1 2B, 3 HR, 4 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Kyle Hendricks (W, 9.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K)
6. St. Louis Cardinals (28-16, Previous: 2)
25 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
A weekend series loss to the Kansas City Royals bumps the St. Louis Cardinals down a few spots in the rankings, but they remain 3.5 games up in the NL Central standings.
Jaime Garcia made his first start of the season Thursday, allowing five hits and two runs in seven innings of work. Unfortunately, that earned him a loss, as he was matched up against an absolutely dominant Jacob deGrom.
If Garcia can stay healthy and shore up the rotation, while Michael Wacha (9 GS, 7-0, 1.87 ERA) continues his emergence as a bona fide ace, this Cardinals team should be in good shape.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Kolten Wong (10-for-30, 2 2B, 4 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Michael Wacha (2 W, 14.0 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 9 K)
5. Detroit Tigers (26-19, Previous: 1)
26 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
The curse of the No. 1 spot in these rankings continued last week, as the Detroit Tigers lost a series to the lowly Milwaukee Brewers before splitting a four-game set with the upstart Houston Astros.
While Miguel Cabrera continues to rake, the future of Victor Martinez is cloudy at best. The 36-year-old has struggled mightily this season, and things got worse last week when the team placed him on the DL with soreness in his surgically repaired left knee.
His four-year, $68 million contract extension in November seemed like a no-brainer after his MVP-caliber season last year, but it's beginning to look like a big mistake.
Luckily, guys like Jose Iglesias (.333 BA, .811 OPS), Anthony Gose (.336 BA, .855 OPS) and James McCann (.300 BA, .774 OPS) have provided some unexpected production to help offset Martinez's struggles.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Miguel Cabrera (10-for-25, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Alfredo Simon (W, 7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K)
4. San Francisco Giants (25-20, Previous: 8)
27 of 30
Last Week: 5-2
With all due respect to Buster Posey and Madison Bumgarner, it's hard to argue for anyone but Hunter Pence being the most valuable player on the San Francisco Giants roster right now.
The Giants were a .500 team when Pence came off the disabled list May 16, and they proceeded to win their first seven games with him back in the lineup.
Improved pitching has obviously played a big part in the team's turnaround as well, with Bumgarner, Tim Lincecum and Ryan Vogelsong combining for 19.1 scoreless innings last week. But Pence's return provided a very obvious shot in the arm.
A three-game sweep of the rival Los Angeles Dodgers won't hurt the team's confidence, either, as it enters the week trailing in the standings by just two games.
Hitter of the Week
- C Buster Posey (9-for-22, 2 2B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Tim Lincecum (W, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K)
3. Washington Nationals (26-18, Previous: 6)
28 of 30
Last Week: 4-1
After falling to as low as No. 21 in these rankings, the Washington Nationals have steadily climbed back up the ladder. Now, they again stand as the top team in the National League heading into the week.
That's more by default than anything else, as the St. Louis Cardinals lost a series over the weekend and the San Francisco Giants split a four-game tilt with the lowly Colorado Rockies, but the Nationals took care of business against the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies.
Stephen Strasburg (3.2 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 5 ER) remains one of the biggest question marks of the first quarter of the season, and his struggles are something the Nationals have to get sorted out in the near future.
Meanwhile, Max Scherzer (5-3, 1.67 ERA, 72 K, 64.2 IP) is looking like a strong early candidate to become just the sixth pitcher in baseball history to win a Cy Young Award in both leagues.
Hitter of the Week
- SS Ian Desmond (6-for-19, 2 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Max Scherzer (W, 8.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K)
2. Houston Astros (29-16, Previous: 5)
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Last Week: 4-3
Facing off against another one of the top dogs in the American League, the Houston Astros managed to split a four-game series with the Tigers in Detroit, and that's enough to have them knocking on the door for the No. 1 spot in these rankings once again.
With another terrific start last week, ace Dallas Keuchel is now 6-0 with a 1.67 ERA, 0.974 WHIP and a 3.0 WAR that is tops among all American League players, pitcher or otherwise. He'd likely be your AL Cy Young winner if the season ended today.
Outfielder Preston Tucker (.324/.419/.595, 4 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI) has made some noise in 13 games of action since being called up from the minors, and he could wind up being the centerpiece of a trade to acquire more pitching.
"The Astros, looking for starting pitching, have plenty of prospects to peddle. Preston Tucker, who can't find room in the Astros' outfield, seems to be available," wrote Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
Hitter of the Week
- DH Evan Gattis (7-for-26, 2 3B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Dallas Keuchel (W, 7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K)
1. Kansas City Royals (28-15, Previous: 4)
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Last Week: 4-1
The Kansas City Royals have been hanging around the top five for much of the season, but a big series win against the St. Louis Cardinals over the weekend is finally enough for them to climb into the No. 1 spot.
Their plus-65 run differential is the best in baseball by 10 runs over the aforementioned Cardinals, and it's thanks in large part to a dramatically improved offensive attack.
They currently rank first in the league in team batting average (.287) and second in runs per game (4.91), with those numbers up from .263 and 4.02 a year ago.
The Royals hit the road to take on a struggling New York Yankees team this coming week, followed by a weekend series with the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
They currently hold a three-game lead over the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins.
Hitter of the Week
- DH Kendrys Morales (5-for-15, 1 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jeremy Guthrie (W, 6.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K)
All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com, unless otherwise noted. Pitcher and hitter of the week stats reflect games from Monday, May 18, through Sunday, May 24.
