MLB Power Rankings: An Updated Look at Where All 30 Teams Stand
The dog days of summer are here, and we have reached crunch time in the 2015 MLB season.
Getting hot at the right moment can go a long way in August and September, and even with so many games already in the books, teams continue to shuffle up and down in these rankings on a weekly basis.
So let's take an updated look at how all 30 clubs 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. If you keep winning, you keep climbing—it's as simple as that.
30. Colorado Rockies (49-73, Previous: 29)
1 of 30
Last Week: 1-5
Losers of four straight series and just 2-11 in their last 13 games, the Colorado Rockies slide to the No. 30 spot, and they may very well stay there the rest of the way.
As usual, pitching or a lack thereof is the big issue, as their 5.20 team ERA is by far the worst in baseball. That number has climbed to 6.31 here in August, and that's with Jorge De La Rosa (4 GS, 1-1, 2.55 ERA) pitching well.
Now that the team finally pulled the trigger on dealing Troy Tulowitzki, it figures to be a busy offseason to come. One big decision will be whether or not to move what is now its top trade chip in right fielder Carlos Gonzalez.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Carlos Gonzalez (7-for-21, 1 2B, 3 HR, 4 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Yohan Flande (W, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K)
29. Cincinnati Reds (51-71, Previous: 26)
2 of 30
Last Week: 0-6
The Cincinnati Reds have lost nine straight heading into the week, marking the second time this season they've dropped nine in a row.
After a busy trade deadline in which it moved Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake, the team also managed to find a taker for veteran outfielder Marlon Byrd, dealing him to the San Francisco Giants last week, which saves the club some money.
The roster turnover has allowed the Reds to get a long look at some young arms, and one that has thrived is Cuban defector Raisel Iglesias. The 25-year-old signed a seven-year, $27 million deal last year, and he's gone 2-3 with a 2.64 ERA in seven starts since the All-Star break.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Joey Votto (5-for-18, 2 2B, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Raisel Iglesias (L, ND, 14.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 16 K)
28. Miami Marlins (50-74, Previous: 28)
3 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
"We need a lot of changes, and that’s as much as I’ll get into that," slugger Giancarlo Stanton told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald last week.
Currently working his way back from a hand injury, Stanton committed himself to the organization last offseason when he signed a massive 13-year extension, and now he's counting on the front office to surround him with a contender.
It did a nice job cutting its losses at the trade deadline and saving some money on guys like Dan Haren and Mat Latos, and it could still look to deal Martin Prado before the Aug. 31 waiver trade deadline.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Derek Dietrich (8-for-22, 3 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Brad Hand (W, 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K)
27. Philadelphia Phillies (50-74, Previous: 30)
4 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
After going a shockingly bad 29-62 during the first half, the Philadelphia Phillies have surprised more than a few people in going 21-12 since the All-Star break.
It's obviously not going to climb back into contention, but finishing the season strong with a young group of up-and-coming talent in place is the type of thing the team can really build off heading into next year.
Unfortunately, standout rookie Maikel Franco may be done for the season after a wrist injury he suffered back on Aug. 11 went from bad to worse. The Phillies haven't officially ruled his campaign to be over, according to Steve Wilaj of MLB.com, but there's really no reason to rush him back and risk further injury.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Andres Blanco (9-for-21, 4 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Aaron Nola (W, ND, 13.0 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 6 BB, 11 K)
26. Milwaukee Brewers (53-72, Previous: 25)
5 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
The remainder of the season will be all about player evaluation for the Milwaukee Brewers, as a number of young pieces figure to join the team when rosters expand in September.
One player who got that call a bit early is outfielder Domingo Santana, one of the players acquired from the Houston Astros in the Carlos Gomez/Mike Fiers trade. The 23-year-old hit .333/.426/.573 with 23 doubles and 18 home runs in 354 at-bats at the Triple-A level this year, and he homered in his first game in a Brewers uniform Friday.
Speaking of home runs, who outside of Milwaukee knows that Khris Davis is tied for second in the National League with 10 long balls since the All-Star break?
Hitter of the Week
- LF Khris Davis (6-for-22, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 7 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jimmy Nelson (W, 5.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K)
25. Atlanta Braves (53-71, Previous: 23)
6 of 30
Last Week: 0-7
Believe it or not, the Atlanta Braves were a .500 team as recently as July 7 when their record stood at 42-42.
Since that time, they've gone an MLB-worst 11-29 and slid from four games back to 14.5 games back in the NL East standings.
The offense has been the big issue, as the Braves are the lowest-scoring team in the league at 3.67 runs per game. Those issues have gone from bad to worse since the All-Star break, with that number dropping to a paltry 3.09 runs per game.
Hitter of the Week
- LF Nick Swisher (7-for-15, 1 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 2 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Julio Teheran (ND, 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K)
24. Oakland Athletics (54-71, Previous: 27)
7 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
The Oakland Athletics avoided a sweep from the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday thanks to a seven-run seventh inning that included a bases-clearing triple from Mark Canha.
Not since the Chicago Cubs plucked Josh Hamilton from the ashes in 2006 (subsequently trading him to Cincinnati on the same day) has a position player selected in the Rule 5 draft made as big an impact as Canha has for the A's this season. He's not going to win AL Rookie of the Year, but he could show up on some ballots thanks to a .746 OPS, 10 home runs and 46 RBI.
There have been a lot of positive individual performances in an otherwise trying season in Oakland, and it will be interesting to see what general manager Billy Beane has up his sleeve this coming winter as the team looks to make a push back toward contention.
Hitter of the Week
- LF Mark Canha (13-for-24, 3 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jesse Chavez (W, 8.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K)
23. Seattle Mariners (57-67, Previous: 22)
8 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
The Seattle Mariners enter the week with the worst run differential in the American League at minus-92; they were plus-80 in that category a year ago.
That's despite the addition of Nelson Cruz to the offense, as he is tied for second in the AL batting-title race with a .320 average and tops in the league with 37 home runs.
On the pitching side of things, it's been a great month for Hisashi Iwakuma. He followed up his no-hitter with another strong start Tuesday, and he's now 3-0 with a 1.71 ERA in four starts here in August, lowering his season ERA from 5.10 to 3.74 in the process.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Nelson Cruz (7-for-24, 3 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Hisashi Iwakuma (W, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K)
22. Boston Red Sox (56-68, Previous: 24)
9 of 30
Last Week: 4-3
It's been a rough season for the Boston Red Sox, but if there's a glass-half-full take on the current state of the franchise, it's that it is loaded with young talent, and more is on the way.
Look no further than the hitter and pitcher of the week listed below, as slugging first baseman Travis Shaw and left-hander Henry Owens both have a chance to be key pieces of the team's future.
Shaw in particular has really kicked off his big league career with a bang, hitting .350/.398/.638 with five doubles and six home runs in his first 80 at-bats.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Travis Shaw (11-for-26, 3 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 7 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Henry Owens (W, 8.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K)
21. Chicago White Sox (58-64, Previous: 19)
10 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
Despite a plus-18 run differential in the second half, the Chicago White Sox have been unable to claw their way back into contention with a 17-19 record since the break.
Take away a two-start hiccup at the end of July/beginning of August that saw him allow 14 earned runs in 10.1 innings of work, and Chris Sale has a 2.74 ERA. Even at his current 3.34 mark, he may find his way into the AL Cy Young discussion thanks to a league-high 222 strikeouts in 164.1 innings.
He remains the one consistent bright spot on an otherwise disappointing team this season, but the White Sox have a good young core in place and still look to have some legitimate potential in the years to come.
Hitter of the Week
- DH Adam LaRoche (5-for-15, 2 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Chris Sale (W, 7.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 14 K)
20. Cleveland Indians (58-65, Previous: 21)
11 of 30
Last Week: 4-3
The Cleveland Indians closed out last week by taking three of four from a good New York Yankees team, putting them at 5-5 on their current road trip.
They are still just six games back for an AL wild-card spot with 39 games left to play, but they need to mount a serious push very soon if they're going to have any shot at the postseason.
Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar continue to form a three-headed monster no team wants to run into during a three-game series, but they simply haven't gotten enough help from the rest of the roster.
Hitter of the Week
- LF Michael Brantley (11-for-30, 3 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Carlos Carrasco (W, 6.2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 11 K)
19. Detroit Tigers (59-64, Previous: 20)
12 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
The Detroit Tigers are still hanging around in the AL wild-card race at five games back, but losing three straight to the Texas Rangers to wrap up last week didn't help their cause.
Randy Wolf made his Tigers debut Saturday, as the team acquired the 39-year-old from the Toronto Blue Jays in hopes he could eat some innings after Daniel Norris (oblique) landed on the disabled list last week. The veteran lefty allowed four runs (three earned) in seven solid innings and will be an interesting story to follow the rest of the way.
The performance of the week, however, goes to fellow starter Alfredo Simon, who twirled a one-hit shutout against the Texas Rangers on Thursday. Simon was 3-4 with an 8.19 ERA in his previous 10 starts prior to the shutout.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Ian Kinsler (12-for-28, 3 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 7 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Alfredo Simon (W, 9.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K)
18. Los Angeles Angels (63-61, Previous: 13)
13 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
A 17-3 stretch in July brought the Los Angeles Angels to a season-best 14 games over .500 on July 22 when their overall record stood at 54-40 and they had a two-game lead over the Houston Astros in the AL West standings.
Since then, they have the worst record in the American League at 9-21, and they've slipped behind the Texas Rangers and into third place in the division standings as a result.
Their run differential during that rough patch stands at minus-63, and that number certainly grew when the Toronto Blue Jays outscored them 36-10 in a sweep over the weekend.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B C.J. Cron (7-for-27, 2 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jered Weaver (W, 6.1 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K)
17. Baltimore Orioles (62-61, Previous: 12)
14 of 30
Last Week: 2-5
The Baltimore Orioles had been slowly but surely climbing up these rankings over the past month or so, but a four-game sweep at the hands of the Minnesota Twins sends them tumbling back down.
That being said, they are still just two games back in the hunt for the No. 2 wild-card spot. They have a tough week ahead of them, though, as they go on the road to face the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers.
Chris Tillman continues to pitch well with a 2.50 ERA in six second-half starts. But the rest of the rotation has been inconsistent at best and will need to fall into place for them to have a chance at reaching the postseason.
Hitter of the Week
- C Steve Clevenger (8-for-23, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Chris Tillman (W, L, 13.2 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 5 BB, 9 K)
16. San Diego Padres (61-63, Previous: 18)
15 of 30
Last Week: 5-1
The San Diego Padres are playing good baseball right now, going 9-3 in their last 12 games, including taking two of three from the St. Louis Cardinals over the weekend.
They still have a ways to go if they're going to pull off a stunner and sneak into the playoffs, though, as they are 6.5 games back in the NL West standings and 11 games behind the Chicago Cubs for the No. 2 wild-card spot.
Ian Kennedy has really boosted his free-agency stock here in the second half at 4-2 with a 2.27 ERA in seven starts. The 30-year-old is looking more and more like a potential qualifying-offer candidate, which could make the team's decision to hold on to him at the deadline pay off.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Yangervis Solarte (8-for-25, 1 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Ian Kennedy (W, 6.0 IP, 7 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 K)
15. Arizona Diamondbacks (62-61, Previous: 17)
16 of 30
Last Week: 5-2
Since the inception of the second wild-card spot, if you can find a way to hover around the .500 mark into the second half of the season, you have a chance to contend down the stretch. That's exactly what the Arizona Diamondbacks have done.
After winning just 64 contests last year, this was expected to be a rebuilding year of sorts. But instead, they've already reached 62 wins with 39 games left to play.
Center fielder A.J. Pollock continues to be one of the more underrated, or at least overlooked, players in the league, and he's hit .388/.444/.574 since the All-Star break.
Hitter of the Week
- CF A.J. Pollock (14-for-29, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 8 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Rubby De La Rosa (W, 7.0 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K)
14. Tampa Bay Rays (62-62, Previous: 16)
17 of 30
Last Week: 4-3
After a pair of tough walk-off losses against the Houston Astros, the Tampa Bay Rays were able to rebound to take two of three from the Oakland Athletics over the weekend and remain in the wild-card hunt at 2.5 games out.
They now head home after a 10-game road trip to face the Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins, with ace Chris Archer slated to take the ball Wednesday.
After throwing a one-hit shutout Thursday against the Astros, Archer is now 11-9 with a 2.77 ERA and 205 strikeouts in 169 innings. He's a notch below Sonny Gray, David Price and Dallas Keuchel in the AL Cy Young race, but he's still very much in the running.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Logan Forsythe (8-for-26, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 7 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Chris Archer (W, 9.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 11 K)
13. Minnesota Twins (63-61, Previous: 14)
18 of 30
Last Week: 4-3
A 5-16 stretch of games at the end of July and beginning of August looked like the end of the Minnesota Twins' surprise push toward contention, but they've recovered to go 8-5 in their last 13 games.
After sweeping a four-game series from the Baltimore Orioles to wrap up last week, they are now just 1.5 games behind the Texas Rangers for the No. 2 wild-card spot.
A red-hot Miguel Sano has provided a much-needed spark for the offense, and the 22-year-old slugger is making a serious run at Carlos Correa for top AL rookie honors. In 44 games, he's hit .288/.397/.582 with 12 doubles, 11 home runs and 34 RBI.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Miguel Sano (9-for-28, 2 2B, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 8 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- RP Casey Fien (2 W, 5.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K)
12. Washington Nationals (62-61, Previous: 15)
19 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
The Washington Nationals took advantage of a favorable slate of games last week, taking two of three each from the Colorado Rockies and Milwaukee Brewers.
They'll have a chance to do more of the same this coming week as they square off against the San Diego Padres and Miami Marlins at home.
A healthy Stephen Strasburg may yet be the X-factor the team needs to right the ship, as he's now gone 2-1 with a 1.35 ERA in three starts since returning from the disabled list. He was 5-5 with a 5.16 ERA in his 13 starts prior.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Bryce Harper (8-for-22, 4 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 7 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Stephen Strasburg (W, 7.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K)
11. Los Angeles Dodgers (67-56, Previous: 6)
20 of 30
Last Week: 0-5
It's lucky for the Los Angeles Dodgers that the San Francisco Giants also had a subpar week. The L.A. club only gave up two games in the standings, but its NL West lead has nonetheless been trimmed to a meager 1.5 games.
The two teams still have seven head-to-head contests left, with three of those coming at the beginning of next week. But first the Dodgers will have to deal with the Chicago Cubs, who come to town this weekend.
With Howie Kendrick sidelined with a hamstring injury, the team pulled off a trade for veteran Chase Utley last week, as he rejoins longtime teammate Jimmy Rollins in the middle infield. Utley is 2-for-13 with a pair of doubles in his first three games with the club.
Hitter of the Week
- SS Jimmy Rollins (3-for-22, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Clayton Kershaw (2 ND, 15.0 IP, 12 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 17 K)
10. San Francisco Giants (66-58, Previous: 7)
21 of 30
Last Week: 2-5
The San Francisco Giants had as tough a draw as any team in baseball last week, facing the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates on the road, so their 2-5 record is really not a cause for concern.
That being said, it won't get any easier going forward, as their next three series are against the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals and rival Los Angeles Dodgers.
The club acquired Marlon Byrd from the Cincinnati Reds after Hunter Pence landed on the disabled list with an oblique injury, but this is simply a different team without Pence. It's 34-18 (.654) this year when he's in the lineup, compared to 32-40 (.444) without him.
Hitter of the Week
- SS Brandon Crawford (6-for-26, 3 2B, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 1 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Mike Leake (ND, 6.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K)
9. Texas Rangers (64-59, Previous: 11)
22 of 30
Last Week: 5-2
The Cole Hamels trade obviously stole the headlines for the Texas Rangers, but getting Martin Perez and Derek Holland back healthy has been a huge reason why the team has been able to make a solid push here in August.
The Rangers are 14-7 in the month, and at the start of play Monday, they held a 1.5-game lead over the Los Angeles Angels and Minnesota Twins for the second AL wild-card spot.
There are plenty of players who could be highlighted as X-factors on a roster that injuries decimated a year ago, but how about the job Shawn Tolleson has done stepping into the closer's role? He's converted 25 of his 26 save chances with a 2.70 ERA and 9.9 K/9.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Rougned Odor (9-for-25, 3 2B, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Colby Lewis (W, 7.0 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K)
8. New York Yankees (68-55, Previous: 10)
23 of 30
Last Week: 4-3
After losing three of four to the Cleveland Indians last week, the New York Yankees now trail the Toronto Blue Jays by a half-game in the AL East standings.
They may not have made a splash at the trade deadline, but the Yankees have been able to find some roster help in the form of top prospects Greg Bird (33 AB, .799 OPS, 2 HR, 6 RBI) and Luis Severino (4 GS, 1-2, 2.74 ERA).
The team will welcome back Michael Pineda on Wednesday, as he's been sidelined with a forearm strain, last pitching July 24. His return comes just as knee pain forced CC Sabathia from his start Sunday, with a DL trip likely.
"As unkind as it may be to say, it is addition by subtraction," wrote Andrew Marchand of ESPN.com.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Greg Bird (8-for-24, 1 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Luis Severino (W, 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 6 K)
7. Houston Astros (69-56, Previous: 9)
24 of 30
Last Week: 5-2
The Houston Astros have spun their tires a bit at 11-10 here in August, but that's really all they've needed to do with the Los Angeles Angels sinking like a rock in the standings.
The Texas Rangers are coming on strong, though, so their performance this coming week on the road against the New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins will be big.
Carlos Gomez (80 AB, .188 BA, .476 OPS) hasn't provided the offensive production the team was hoping for when it acquired him July 30. But the man who joined him in making the jump from Milwaukee to Houston, Mike Fiers, made his mark on the team with a no-hitter against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Jose Altuve (13-for-30, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Mike Fiers (W, 9.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 10 K)
6. New York Mets (67-56, Previous: 8)
25 of 30
Last Week: 4-1
After a three-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies over the weekend, New York is now 14-6 in the month of August.
The team was averaging just 3.56 runs per game through the end of July, but with a handful of additions to the lineup, led by Yoenis Cespedes, that number is a significantly more impressive 5.75 runs per game this month.
The Mets' lead in the NL East now stands at five games, and they'll look to further pad that number with a favorable slate of upcoming series against the Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, Phillies again and Miami Marlins.
Hitter of the Week
- LF Yoenis Cespedes (8-for-23, 1 2B, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jacob deGrom (W, 7.2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K)
5. Toronto Blue Jays (69-55, Previous: 5)
26 of 30
Last Week: 4-1
The Toronto Blue Jays have lost just one series this month, and after sweeping the Los Angeles Angels over the weekend, they now hold a half-game lead over the New York Yankees in the AL East.
With the Angels in a free fall and Mike Trout hitting just .258 since the All-Star break, it appears we have a new front-runner for AL MVP honors in Josh Donaldson.
In his first season with the Blue Jays, he's hitting .302/.370/.585 with 34 doubles, 34 home runs and 100 RBI. That's a really good season's worth of numbers with a month left to play, and he's showing no signs of slowing down.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Josh Donaldson (11-for-21, 4 2B, 3 HR, 13 RBI, 9 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP David Price (W, 8.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 9 K)
4. Chicago Cubs (71-51, Previous: 4)
27 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
There was bound to be a period when all of the Chicago Cubs' young hitters got hot at the same time, and it finally came last week as they clubbed an impressive 17 home runs in six games, with nine of them coming off the bats of rookies.
With their victory Sunday, they completed a four-game sweep of the Atlanta Braves and climbed to 20 games over .500. They are now 13-3 in their last 16 games and have built their lead over the San Francisco Giants to six games for the No. 2 wild-card spot.
Now that the offense is firing on all cylinders, the focus will be on getting starters who aren't named Jake Arrieta to string together some quality outings and take some pressure off the bullpen.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Kris Bryant (9-for-23, 2 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 8 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jake Arrieta (W, 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K)
3. Kansas City Royals (75-48, Previous: 2)
28 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
In a season ripe with parity around the league, the Kansas City Royals enter the week with a 12.5-game lead over the Minnesota Twins in the AL Central, by far the biggest division cushion in baseball.
Despite their success and the acquisition of Johnny Cueto, the starting rotation still ranked as something of a question mark, so getting three straight quality starts out of Yordano Ventura is huge. Those two and Edinson Volquez figure to make up three-fourths of the playoff rotation, with the final spot still up in the air.
The franchise has only topped the 100-win mark once, when it won 102 games back in 1977. The Royals are currently on pace for 99 wins.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Ben Zobrist (8-for-29, 3 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Yordano Ventura (W, 6.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K)
2. Pittsburgh Pirates (74-48, Previous: 3)
29 of 30
Last Week: 5-2
The Pittsburgh Pirates picked up a pair of quality series wins last week over the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants. They also trimmed the St. Louis Cardinals' lead in the NL Central to 3.5 games in the process.
Their next three series are against the Miami Marlins, Colorado Rockies and Milwaukee Brewers, so they'll have a great opportunity to cut into that deficit even further ahead of a huge three-game series in St. Louis from Sept. 4 to Sept. 6.
With Josh Harrison and Jordy Mercer back from the disabled list, the team is now fully healthy, sans A.J. Burnett (elbow). Now that Harrison is back, we may see Aramis Ramirez slide over to play first base for the first time in his career this coming week, so that will be worth keeping an eye on.
Hitter of the Week
- LF Starling Marte (12-for-32, 3 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 8 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP J.A. Happ (W, 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K)
1. St. Louis Cardinals (78-45, Previous: 1)
30 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
If there is one clear-cut weakness with the 2015 St. Louis Cardinals, it's their mediocrity on the road, as they've gone 32-26 away from Busch Stadium this year.
They began their current road trip by dropping two of three to the San Diego Padres, and they'll now meet the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants before heading home again.
Randal Grichuk joined a number of other key players on the disabled list last week with an elbow strain, and a combination of Tommy Pham and Brandon Moss has filled the void so far.
In a lineup lacking a real power threat, Grichuk had been huge. Stephen Piscotty has done his best to pick up the slack, hitting three home runs last week and stepping into the No. 2 spot in the lineup in the process.
He's somewhat quietly hit .324/.354/.562 with nine doubles and four home runs in 105 at-bats since being called up July 21, and he figures to play a significant role down the stretch.
Hitter of the Week
- LF Stephen Piscotty (7-for-24, 2 3B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Michael Wacha (W, ND, 13.0 IP, 11 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 9 K)
All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted. Hitter and pitcher of the week stats refer to games played between Monday, Aug. 17 and Sunday, Aug. 23.
