MLB Power Rankings: Where All 30 Teams Stand Pre-Trade Deadline
The 2015 MLB trade deadline is this Friday, so it's put-up-or-shut-up time for teams around the league as far as deciding whether they will be buyers or sellers this time around.
While a number of teams have already established themselves as one or the other, for a few clubs, what happens in the next few days will ultimately determine how they approach the remainder of the season.
For now, let's take an updated look at how all 30 teams currently stack up.
When putting together this list, we considered the following factors:
- Last week's record
- Quality of opponent
- Key injuries/trades
- Recent performance beyond the last week
The goal, as always, 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.
Note: We'll have a special edition of our MLB power rankings as soon as the deadline passes Friday, so keep an eye out for that to see how all the wheelings and dealings shook up the MLB landscape.
30. Philadelphia Phillies (37-63, Previous: 30)
1 of 30
Last Week: 5-1
The Philadelphia Phillies are an impressive 8-1 since the All-Star break, capping off a solid showing last week with a three-game sweep of the Cubs in Chicago.
That said, they were far enough behind the rest of the league that it's not quite enough to pull them out of the No. 30 spot in these rankings just yet, especially with the other teams near the bottom also playing well of late.
They could move up in the very near future if they keep playing well, but that could be tricky with a handful of pieces expected to be on the move before the trade deadline. The most notable is ace Cole Hamels, who threw a no-hitter Saturday in what may well have been his final start in a Phillies uniform.
He was an easy choice for Pitcher of the Week honors, but a tip of the cap to his potential long-term replacement at the top of the staff in Aaron Nola. The 22-year-old debuted with two starts last week and went 1-1 with a 3.29 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 13.2 innings of work.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Maikel Franco (6-for-17, 3 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Cole Hamels (W, 9.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 13 K)
29. Miami Marlins (41-58, Previous: 28)
2 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
The Miami Marlins have been obvious sellers for some time now, and they made their first move last week when they shipped former closer Steve Cishek to the St. Louis Cardinals for a pitching prospect.
More guys figure to be dealt before the deadline, with starters Mat Latos and Dan Haren topping the list of potential chips, according to Joe Frisaro of MLB.com.
Infielder Derek Dietrich has also drawn interest, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. The 26-year-old is hitting .291/.378/.557 with six doubles and five home runs in 79 at-bats on the year.
It won't be another complete teardown, as the Marlins are now committed to building a winner around Giancarlo Stanton, Jose Fernandez, Christian Yelich and others, but they do have a chance to do some restocking down on the farm in what's adding up to a lost season.
Hitter of the Week
- C J.T. Realmuto (9-for-23, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Tom Koehler (W, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 7 K)
28. Cincinnati Reds (43-53, Previous: 27)
3 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
As expected, the Cincinnati Reds pulled the trigger on trading ace and free-agent-to-be Johnny Cueto, with the move coming Sunday when they dealt him to the Kansas City Royals.
The 29-year-old wraps up his career in Cincinnati at 92-63 with a 3.21 ERA, 1.165 WHIP and 1,115 strikeouts in 1,339 innings of work.
In exchange, the Reds received a trio of left-handed pitchers in Brandon Finnegan, John Lamb and Cody Reed. Those three are all capable of seeing time in the majors before the year is up, with Finnegan the highest-rated among the three but both Lamb and Reed taking steps forward this year.
Now the question is: Who else will be packing their bags?
Aroldis Chapman, Jay Bruce, Mike Leake, Marlon Byrd and Manny Parra could all be on the move ahead of Friday's deadline, as it figures to be a busy week in Cincinnati.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Joey Votto (12-for-24, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 9 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Johnny Cueto (W, 8.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K)
27. Colorado Rockies (42-54, Previous: 29)
4 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
The Colorado Rockies exploded for 17 runs Sunday en route to picking up a series win against the Cincinnati Reds, but it's the performance of Carlos Gonzalez that carries the most significance.
Gonzalez was 3-for-4 with two home runs and six RBI on Sunday, and he's now hitting .393/.452/.964 with five home runs and 12 RBI in seven games since the All-Star break.
That certainly boosts his stock on the trade market, though it remains to be seen just how interested teams will be considering he's still owed $37 million over the next two seasons.
First baseman Ben Paulsen also continues to be a pleasant surprise, as he finished a double short of the cycle Monday. The 27-year-old rookie is now hitting .293/.350/.512 with nine doubles, seven home runs and 26 RBI in 164 at-bats.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Carlos Gonzalez (10-for-21, 5 HR, 11 RBI, 9 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Eddie Butler (ND, 6.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K)
26. Milwaukee Brewers (43-56, Previous: 22)
5 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
The Milwaukee Brewers tumble back down the rankings a few spots after a strong start to the second half, and it's still full speed ahead on selling at the deadline.
First baseman Adam Lind (.865 OPS, 16 HR) and outfielder Gerardo Parra (.317 BA. .861 OPS) have long looked like the most obvious players to be on the move, and their strong performances have only further boosted their stocks and the Brewers' asking price.
However, a somewhat surprising name that has come up often in rumors of late is right-hander Mike Fiers, according to Tom Haudricourt of MLB.com. The Toronto Blue Jays are one team showing strong interest, per Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.
While the market is flush with starting pitching options, it's relatively thin on controllable arms, and Fiers is just that. Despite being 30 years old, Fiers is under team control through 2019, and he's posted a 3.94 ERA (3.88 FIP) in 20 starts so far this season.
Hitter of the Week
- LF Gerardo Parra (8-for-21, 2 3B, 1 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jimmy Nelson (W, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 K)
25. Arizona Diamondbacks (46-51, Previous: 26)
6 of 30
Last Week: 4-3
The Arizona Diamondbacks have been better than expected to this point, sitting just five games below the .500 mark. While they're not in a position to contend, a run at a winning record could be a positive step for a rebuilding club.
Even if they did decide to sell, there's not much in the way of movable parts, with reliever Brad Ziegler easily ranking as their top trade chip. The 35-year-old replaced a struggling Addison Reed in the closer's role earlier this season, and he's gone 17-of-19 on save chances with a 1.21 ERA.
According to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN, the team would have to be "overwhelmed" to move Ziegler, who carries a team-friendly $5.5 million team option for next year.
Right-hander Zack Godley, one of the pitchers acquired from the Chicago Cubs in the Miguel Montero deal, made his big league debut Thursday with six scoreless innings of four-hit, seven-strikeout ball.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Ender Inciarte (11-for-26, 5 2B, 2 RBI, 1 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Rubby De La Rosa (2 W, 15.0 IP, 9 H, 1 ER, 7 BB, 7 K)
24. Cleveland Indians (45-52, Previous: 18)
7 of 30
Last Week: 1-5
With the starting rotation performing very well heading into the break, the Cleveland Indians appeared to be poised for a potential second-half run if they could find some consistent offense.
Instead, they are now 3-6 after the break following a four-game sweep at the hands of the Chicago White Sox. It's a small sample, but their pitching staff has a 5.33 ERA, and the offense is averaging 3.11 runs per game.
They are willing to listen to trade offers on their controllable starters, notably Carlos Carrasco, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo. It would take a significant return for them to pull the trigger, though, and in the end, simply trading someone like David Murphy could be the extent of their deadline action.
At any rate, last place in the AL Central and 6.5 games back for a wild-card spot is not where most expected to see the Indians in the days leading up to the deadline.
Hitter of the Week
- LF Michael Brantley (8-for-23, 3 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Danny Salazar (2 L, 12.2 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 6 BB, 16 K)
23. Oakland Athletics (44-56, Previous: 17)
8 of 30
Last Week: 1-5
After wrapping up the first half with a plus-44 run differential, there was some hope that the Oakland Athletics could turn things around and make a legitimate run in the second half.
However, a 3-6 record since the break, including a three-game sweep by the San Francisco Giants over the weekend, has cemented their place as at least partial sellers at the deadline.
Scott Kazmir was one of three upcoming free agents to be dealt, as Oakland traded him to the Houston Astros last week for a pair of prospects. Expect second baseman Ben Zobrist and reliever Tyler Clippard to follow a similar path in the days to come.
Clippard could be dealt as early as Monday, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.
She lists the Washington Nationals, New York Mets and New York Yankees as possible landing spots for Clippard, while the Cubs, Nationals and Royals are the teams said to be in on Zobrist.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Ben Zobrist (8-for-22, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Sonny Gray (ND, 7.0 IP, 9 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K)
22. Boston Red Sox (44-55, Previous: 19)
9 of 30
Last Week: 2-6
The Boston Red Sox picked up a series win over the Detroit Tigers this past weekend, but only after they started the second half on a seven-game losing streak.
That leaves them 12 games back in the AL East standings and 8.5 out for the second AL wild-card spot, and their chances of climbing back into the race appear slim at best.
While they are not necessarily buyers, the Red Sox could certainly still be active on the trade market in search of controllable starting pitching. Improving the rotation will undoubtedly be atop the to-do list this offseason, and getting a jump on that now, if possible, makes sense.
As for pieces they could look to move, veterans Mike Napoli and Shane Victorino have both drawn interest from the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Hitter of the Week
- DH David Ortiz (10-for-28, 2 2B, 4 HR, 11 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Rick Porcello (ND, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K)
21. San Diego Padres (47-52, Previous: 25)
10 of 30
Last Week: 4-3
The San Diego Padres took three of four from the Miami Marlins over the weekend, but it doesn't appear that will be enough to stop them from selling ahead of the trade deadline.
Jon Heyman of CBS Sports provided the following overview of the team's current situation:
"Rivals suggest the Padres are "pushing hard" to trade some of their bigger stars.
Of course, they may just be gauging interest after a disappointing start to the season following a very interesting winter, but rivals say pitchers James Shields and Andrew Cashner as well as reliever Craig Kimbrel are being mentioned prominently in trade talks as the July 31 trade deadline closes in.
"
Add to that list upcoming free agents Justin Upton, Ian Kennedy and Will Venable and reliever Joaquin Benoit, who has a team option for next season, and the Padres could wind up being the busiest sellers of the deadline.
It's a far cry from where most expected the Padres to be, but it may be necessary damage control for a team with an unprecedented payroll and a somewhat depleted farm system.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Matt Kemp (7-for-22, 2 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Andrew Cashner (W, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K)
20. Chicago White Sox (46-50, Previous: 24)
11 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
The Chicago White Sox capped off last week with a four-game sweep of the Cleveland Indians, and while they are still 12.5 games behind the Kansas City Royals in the AL Central standings, they are now just five games back of the second AL wild-card spot.
Though they have not yet committed to selling, the team is fielding trade offers, according to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.
Their most obvious potential trade chip is starter Jeff Samardzija, and he's boosted his stock significantly after a shaky first two months, going 3-1 with a 2.55 ERA and 0.967 WHIP over his last eight starts.
The Toronto Blue Jays have been the team most often linked to Samardzija, most recently by Jon Morosi of Fox Sports.
Hitter of the Week
- LF Melky Cabrera (10-for-24, 3 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jose Quintana (W, 9.0 IP, 7 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K)
19. Atlanta Braves (46-52, Previous: 20)
12 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
In what many expected to be a rebuilding season, the Atlanta Braves have performed better than expected, and they held their own last week matched up against the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals.
The Braves shipped out two of their trade chips last week, dealing veterans Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson to the New York Mets for a pair of prospects, and they may not do much else between now and the deadline.
Closer Jim Johnson (9-of-12 SV, 2.11 ERA) and catcher A.J. Pierzynski (.286 BA, .758 OPS) could also be of use to a contender, but the player to watch might be outfielder Cameron Maybin.
Essentially a throw-in in the Craig Kimbrel trade, Maybin has hit .282/.346/.399 with 11 doubles, eight home runs, 47 RBI and 17 stolen bases. He's due a reasonable $8 million next season, but given his inconsistent track record, now may be the time to sell high.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Nick Markakis (7-for-24, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Shelby Miller (L, 7.1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K)
18. Seattle Mariners (46-53, Previous: 21)
13 of 30
Last Week: 4-3
The Seattle Mariners are still 6.5 games back of the second AL wild-card spot, but with their offense showing signs of life, a late push is not out of the question.
After hitting .236 and averaging just 3.51 runs per game during the first half, they've stepped their production up to a .263 average and 4.7 runs in 10 games since the break.
Most notably, Robinson Cano is finally hitting like he's capable of, posting a .350/.409/.725 line with four home runs, 11 RBI and 10 runs scored so far in the second half.
As a result, it appears they'll stand pat at the deadline as opposed to shopping their upcoming free agents.
"We're hearing they want to play it out with the group they have. It's strange, but they really don't seem interested in seeing what they can get for [Hisashi] Iwakuma or [J.A.] Happ," one rival official told Bob Dutton of the News Tribune.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Nelson Cruz (12-for-32, 2 2B, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 7 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Felix Hernandez (W, 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K)
17. Tampa Bay Rays (49-51, Previous: 15)
14 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
With series losses to the Philadelphia Phillies and Baltimore Orioles last week, the Tampa Bay Rays are now 7.5 games back in the AL East race.
They are still very much in the wild-card picture, trailing by four games for the second spot, but it appears some of the magic has worn off in going 3-6 since the All-Star break.
Finding consistent offense has been a challenge all season, but it's been a different level of bad so far in the second half, as they are hitting .212 as a team and averaging just 2.11 runs per game.
As a result of their drop in the standings, there's a good chance they at least deal a bullpen arm before the deadline. Kevin Jepsen (45 G, 2.88 ERA) appears to be the most likely candidate to go, according to Jon Morosi of Fox Sports.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Logan Forsythe (6-for-17, 2 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Nathan Karns (W, 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K)
16. Detroit Tigers (48-50, Previous: 16)
15 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
With a series loss to the Boston Red Sox over the weekend, the Detroit Tigers are now 20-30 in their last 50 games, and they've slipped 11.5 games behind the Kansas City Royals in the AL Central standings as a result.
Still just four games back in the wild-card race, their upcoming three-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays could ultimately determine whether they decide to sell before the deadline.
If they do deal, the availability of David Price and Yoenis Cespedes would be a huge shakeup to the trade market, and moving both players could go a long way toward restocking what is widely considered the worst farm system in baseball.
With Johnny Cueto already moved and the asking price for Cole Hamels still incredibly high, Price could wind up being the prize of the deadline for the second straight year.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Nick Castellanos (8-for-25, 1 2B, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Justin Verlander (ND, 8.0 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K)
15. Texas Rangers (47-50, Previous: 23)
16 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
Don't look now, but the Texas Rangers are again climbing up these rankings after series wins over the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Angels last week.
That series with the Angels kicked off a tough stretch of games that sees them face the New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants and Houston Astros, though all of those games will come at home.
At any rate, the Rangers are perhaps the only team that could wind up both buying and selling at the deadline.
Starter Yovani Gallardo appears to be available in his walk year, but at the same time, Texas is targeting controllable starting pitching. Cole Hamels tops that list of targets, which also includes Tyson Ross and Andrew Cashner of the Padres, tweeted Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Rougned Odor (10-for-26, 3 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 9 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Matt Harrison (W, 6.0 IP, 7 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K)
14. Baltimore Orioles (48-49, Previous: 13)
17 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
After being swept by the New York Yankees, the Baltimore Orioles managed to salvage their week by taking two of three from the Tampa Bay Rays over the weekend.
That leaves the O's seven games out in the AL East and 3.5 back for the second AL wild-card spot, but they are giving "serious consideration" to selling at the deadline, according to Jon Morosi of Fox Sports.
If that is in fact the case, the team has some intriguing free-agents-to-be, including catcher Matt Wieters, slugger Chris Davis and left-hander Wei-Yin Chen.
Then again, they could opt to hold on to all three players with an eye on potential draft-pick compensation, as Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reported the Orioles intend to extend a qualifying offer to all three players at the end of the season.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Chris Davis (7-for-23, 2 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Miguel Gonzalez (W, 7.2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K)
13. Toronto Blue Jays (50-50, Previous: 14)
18 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
The Toronto Blue Jays managed to split the week, taking a series from the Oakland Athletics before dropping two of three to the Seattle Mariners over the weekend.
That leaves them trailing the New York Yankees by 6.5 games in the AL East but just three games behind the Minnesota Twins for the second AL wild-card slot.
There is no question the Blue Jays have the offensive firepower to make some serious noise, but they are still in serious need of a quality starting pitcher or two and some help in the bullpen.
Among the names they've been linked to are David Price (per Jon Morosi of Fox Sports), Mike Fiers (via Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports), Jeff Samardzija (per Morosi) and Jonathan Papelbon (according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com), as they continue to cast a wide net.
Hitter of the Week
- C Russell Martin (8-for-18, 2 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP R.A. Dickey (W, 8.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K)
12. Minnesota Twins (52-46, Previous: 12)
19 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
The Minnesota Twins currently hold the No. 2 wild-card spot in the American League, but it's been a season of hot and cold streaks to this point, and they are currently batting through a 2-6 cold streak after series losses to the Los Angeles Angels and New York Yankees last week.
The team's focus at the deadline is on power relievers, according to Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Jon Morosi of Fox Sports reports Minnesota has spoken with the San Diego Padres, who could be willing to move Joaquin Benoit (45 G, 17 HLD, 2.27 ERA) and Shawn Kelley (31 G, 3.09 ERA), among others.
Regardless of what the Twins wind up doing, it will be hard to top the impact Ervin Santana has made since returning from suspension. Through his first four starts, he's gone 2-0 with a 2.60 ERA and 0.98 WHIP, and opponents are hitting just .196 against him.
Hitter of the Week
- CF Aaron Hicks (7-for-21, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Ervin Santana (W, 8.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K)
11. New York Mets (51-48, Previous: 11)
20 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
The New York Mets ended the week on a high note, as they snapped Zack Greinke's scoreless streak and Jacob deGrom outdueled his fellow NL Cy Young candidate in a 3-2 victory.
However, in the big picture, they did not make up any ground on the Washington Nationals in the NL East standings after dropping two of three to them to begin the week.
In their search for offense, the Mets acquired veterans Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson from the Atlanta Braves. Uribe will give the team another option at third base, while Johnson brings useful versatility and some pop, whether it's as a starter or coming off the bench.
While those are solid additions to the roster, this team still appears to be one impact bat away, and that could mean a trade for someone like Justin Upton or Jay Bruce before all is said and done.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Daniel Murphy (8-for-26, 1 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jacob deGrom (W, ND, 13.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 16 K)
10. Chicago Cubs (51-46, Previous: 8)
21 of 30
Last Week: 2-5
It was a week to forget for the Chicago Cubs, capped off by a sweep at the hands of the lowly Philadelphia Phillies and a no-hitter from Cole Hamels on Saturday afternoon.
For a young team that has not endured many prolonged rough patches this season, this coming week will be an important one as they get set to take on the Colorado Rockies and Milwaukee Brewers.
Pitching and bench depth remain the two big areas of need, according to general manager Jed Hoyer (via Jesse Rogers of ESPN). The No. 5 spot in the rotation is still up for grabs at this point, while another late-inning reliever and a right-handed bat off the bench would also make sense.
Were it not for a number of other teams around them in the rankings also struggling, the Cubs likely would have slipped much further in the rankings after easily the worst week of the season.
Hitter of the Week
- C Kyle Schwarber (8-for-20, 1 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jon Lester (ND, 7.0 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K)
9. Washington Nationals (52-45, Previous: 10)
22 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
The Washington Nationals managed to take care of business against the division-rival New York Mets at the beginning of last week, but they followed that up by dropping three of four to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
As a result, the Mets remain just two games back from the Nats in the NL East standings, and the two teams are set to meet up again this coming weekend for a three-game set in New York.
Between now and the deadline, the Nationals' top priority appears to be finding a late-inning reliever to plug into the eighth-inning role ahead of closer Drew Storen.
A trade for Jonathan Papelbon or a possible reunion with Tyler Clippard are two very real possibilities, while the team is also kicking the tires on Ben Zobrist, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Hitter of the Week
- SS Ian Desmond (11-for-23, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 8 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Gio Gonzalez (2 W, 11.0 IP, 11 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 9 K)
8. Los Angeles Dodgers (56-44, Previous: 3)
23 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
The Los Angeles Dodgers have been playing well over the past month or so, going 17-11 in their last 28 games, but their lead over the San Francisco Giants in the NL West stands at just one game heading into the week.
Despite already boasting the best one-two punch in baseball in Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke, the team appears to be a serious threat to add another front-line arm at the deadline.
Jayson Stark of ESPN.com lists the Dodgers alongside the Texas Rangers as the favorites to land Cole Hamels. They are also in the running for David Price if he's made available, with Yovani Gallardo checking in as a backup plan should they miss out on both, according to Jon Morosi of Fox Sports.
Shifting gears, is it weird to think Justin Turner might be a dark-horse NL MVP candidate?
He's hitting .323/.387/.563 with 20 doubles, 13 home runs and 44 RBI on the year, and with a number of key guys missing time, it's hard to imagine where the team would be without him.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Justin Turner (10-for-23, 4 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Clayton Kershaw (W, 9.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 11 K)
7. Houston Astros (55-45, Previous: 6)
24 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
The Houston Astros stumbled into the All-Star break as losers of eight of nine games, but they've gone 6-3 to begin the second half.
They currently trail the Los Angeles Angels by one game in the AL West standings but have a firm grasp on the No. 1 AL wild-card spot and still look to have a real chance of reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2005.
In need of another proven starter to pair with Dallas Keuchel atop the rotation, they opted not to wait until the trade deadline, instead moving quickly to acquire Scott Kazmir from the Oakland Athletics last week.
They may not be done dealing, either.
"I think there's a good chance that we'll be involved in one other deal, but you never know, you never know who else they're talking to," general manager Jeff Luhnow told Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Jose Altuve (10-for-24, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Scott Kazmir (W, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K)
6. San Francisco Giants (54-44, Previous: 9)
25 of 30
Last Week: 5-1
The San Francisco Giants may still trail the Los Angeles Dodgers by one game in the standings, but they are undoubtedly one of the hottest teams in baseball, as winners of 12 of 14 including five in a row entering the week.
That recent performance is impressive, but there are still some significant concerns surrounding the roster, most notably in the starting rotation behind Madison Bumgarner and Chris Heston.
Matt Cain, Jake Peavy and Tim Hudson have gone 4-1 in their six second-half starts, but they've combined for a 5.01 ERA and 1.361 WHIP in the process.
The Giants have been mentioned among the teams in the running for both David Price (via Jon Morosi of Fox Sports) and Cole Hamels (per Jayson Stark of ESPN), but if they miss out on those front-line arms, they'll still need to add a starter of some sort.
Hitter of the Week
- C Buster Posey (10-for-20, 2 2B, 4 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Chris Heston (W, 7.1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K)
5. Los Angeles Angels (55-43, Previous: 5)
26 of 30
Last Week: 5-3
The Los Angeles Angels were trailing the Houston Astros by four games when the calendar turned over to July, but they have gone 14-6 this month and now hold a one-game lead in the AL West standings as a result.
Their pitching staff has posted a 2.88 ERA this month, and, perhaps more importantly, the offense has exploded for a .288 team average and 6.05 runs per game after struggling for much of the season.
It doesn't hurt that Mike Trout is having a huge month, hitting .361/.459/.833 with 11 home runs and 21 RBI, but guys like C.J. Cron, Erick Aybar and Johnny Giavotella have also hit much better.
Despite the increased offensive production, the team is still searching for a left-handed bat. David Murphy, Gerardo Parra, Ben Revere, Jay Bruce and Josh Reddick are among the names that could potentially be available in the days to come.
Hitter of the Week
- CF Mike Trout (11-for-27, 1 2B, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Matt Shoemaker (W, 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 10 K)
4. New York Yankees (55-42, Previous: 7)
27 of 30
Last Week: 5-1
The New York Yankees held just a half-game lead in the AL East at the beginning of July, but they've gone an impressive 14-5 this month to build that into a commanding 6.5-game lead over the second-place Toronto Blue Jays.
The big question all season has been the pitching, but the staff as a whole has posted a 3.38 ERA here in July, good for the fourth-best mark in the American League and more than enough to support their plus offense.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported that the team is kicking the tires on all major starting pitching candidates on the market but is not willing to give up top prospects. That presumably includes Luis Severino, Aaron Judge and Greg Bird.
The one-two punch of Masahiro Tanaka and Michael Pineda has the potential to be really good in the postseason, but the Yankees still appear to be lacking one more arm they can lean on in October.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Mark Teixeira (9-for-23, 4 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Masahiro Tanaka (W, 7.2 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 7 K)
3. Pittsburgh Pirates (57-41, Previous: 4)
28 of 30
Last Week: 4-3
After losing two of three to the Kansas City Royals and managing just two runs in the final two games of the series, the Pittsburgh Pirates bounced back nicely to take three of four from the Washington Nationals over the weekend.
While they still trail the St. Louis Cardinals by six games in the NL Central standings, they are firmly entrenched as the No. 1 wild card and still look to be the second-best team in the National League at this point.
With Josh Harrison and Jordy Mercer both on the disabled list, the main deadline focus will likely be on adding position-player depth. The Pirates already pulled the trigger on one deal, acquiring Aramis Ramirez from the Milwaukee Brewers.
The team is also reportedly interested in Red Sox veterans Mike Napoli and Shane Victorino, according to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Hitter of the Week
- LF Starling Marte (13-for-28, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Francisco Liriano (W, 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 11 K)
2. Kansas City Royals (59-38, Previous: 2)
29 of 30
Last Week: 4-3
Despite boasting the best record in the American League, the Kansas City Royals were obviously in need of an ace-caliber pitcher to front their rotation if they were going to be a serious threat to return to the World Series.
Enter Johnny Cueto.
The team acquired the Cincinnati Reds ace Sunday in exchange for Brandon Finnegan, John Lamb and Cody Reed, on the heels of Cueto throwing eight shutout innings against the Rockies in Colorado.
However, just as important as the Cueto acquisition is the performance of Yordano Ventura.
Many expected the 24-year-old to emerge as the staff ace, but he entered his start Sunday with a 5.19 ERA and fresh off a brief demotion to the minors. He responded with seven innings of one-run ball; similar production going forward would be huge.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Eric Hosmer (10-for-20, 1 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Edinson Volquez (W, 7.2 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K)
1. St. Louis Cardinals (63-35, Previous: 1)
30 of 30
Last Week: 5-1
Another week, another winning record for a St. Louis Cardinals team that just continues to roll here in 2015.
As of right now, they are on pace for 104 wins, which would be the most for the franchise since it won 105 in 2004 on the way to the NL pennant.
With Jaime Garcia and Marco Gonzales both on the mend, the team is not in the market to add a starting pitcher, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.
The Cards did acquire Miami Marlins reliever Steve Cishek last week and could look to add some bench help or another bullpen arm before the deadline, but don't expect things to be as busy in St. Louis as they were a year ago.
And really, if we learned anything from the Oakland Athletics last season, it's that sometimes you're better off not messing with a good thing.
Hitter of the Week
- LF Matt Holliday (5-for-17, 2 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 2 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Carlos Martinez (W, 8.0 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K)
All standard and advanced stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com, unless otherwise noted. Hitter and pitcher of the week stats reflect games played from Monday, July 20, through Sunday, July 26.
