MLB Power Rankings: Where All 30 Teams Stand After Week 3
Three weeks are now in the books here in the 2016 MLB season, and a few teams are starting to separate themselves from the pack here in the early going.
The Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals have gotten off to terrific starts on the National League side of things, while the defending champion Kansas City Royals still look like the team to beat in the American League.
The Chicago White Sox have impressed early, though, and were the biggest risers in this week's edition of our MLB power rankings.
As we dive into another week of analyzing how all 30 teams stack up, it's important to remember this exercise is not meant to simply be a mirror of the current standings.
Instead, it's a fluid process, with teams rising and falling based on where they were ranked the previous week. If a team keeps winning, it will keep climbing—it's as simple as that.
This early in the season, preseason expectations and long-term outlook still play a role in where a team falls, though the farther we get into the season, the less of a factor that becomes.
So three weeks into the 2016 season, here is a look at where all 30 MLB teams stand.
30. Atlanta Braves (4-14, Previous: 29)
1 of 30
Last Week: 1-5
After losing their first nine games of the season, the Atlanta Braves briefly looked like a baseball team when they rattled off four straight wins. That success proved to be short-lived, though, and they're now working on another five-game losing streak.
They carry a .593 team OPS into the week and have somehow only managed three home runs on the year. A complete lack of offensive punch figures to be an issue all season.
Big picture: It's all about evaluating their young talent here in 2016. Another high-profile prospect made his debut when right-hander Aaron Blair started on Sunday.
One of the key pieces of the Shelby Miller trade, Blair was 3-0 with a 1.42 ERA in three Triple-A starts before earning the call. He allowed six hits and three earned runs in 5.1 innings to take the loss, but he showed enough potential that he should earn another start.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Daniel Castro (10-for-28, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Matt Wisler (ND, 6.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K)
29. Minnesota Twins (5-14, Previous: 27)
2 of 30
Last Week: 2-5
If there's one positive takeaway from what was another rough week for the Minnesota Twins, it's that Miguel Sano (9-for-28, 3 HR) and Eddie Rosario (7-for-23, 2 HR) finally showed signs of life offensively after dreadful starts.
Unfortunately, that didn't mean much in the win-loss column, as they split a four-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers before being swept by the Washington Nationals.
Bright spots have been few and far between, but Ricky Nolasco finally starting to live up to his four-year, $49 million deal has been nice to see.
The 33-year-old is 1-0 with a 2.66 ERA and 0.984 WHIP through his first three starts, justifying his spot in the rotation with more than just his salary.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Miguel Sano (9-for-28, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Ricky Nolasco (W, 6.1 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K)
28. Milwaukee Brewers (8-11, Previous: 28)
3 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
What kind of trade value is Ryan Braun going to have if he keeps hitting the way he has over the first few weeks of the season?
The 32-year-old had a five-year, $105 million extension that kicked in this season, so he still has a ton of money on the books, but so far he's batted .364/.432/.636 with five home runs and 15 RBI.
The Brew Crew's other big storyline is the impending arrival of shortstop prospect Orlando Arcia, who could get the call as soon as the Super Two deadline passes.
Arcia is hitting .295/.338/.393 with three extra-base hits in 16 games for Triple-A Colorado Springs, while the shortstop position has produced a .219/.333/.313 line so far in Milwaukee.
Hitter of the Week
- LF Ryan Braun (13-for-25, 2 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 7 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Wily Peralta (W, ND, 11.0 IP, 12 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 7 K)
27. San Diego Padres (7-12, Previous: 30)
4 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
After tumbling to the bottom of these rankings a week ago, the San Diego Padres climb back up a few spots thanks to a series win against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Wil Myers is off to a promising start at the plate with a .316 average and four home runs as he looks to get back on track after wrist issues last year, but his 25 strikeouts against just four walks are a bit troubling.
On the pitching side of things, former first-round pick and thrice-traded Drew Pomeranz might finally be putting it all together. He's 2-1 with a 2.04 ERA in three starts, and he fanned a career-high 10 batters last time out.
"He’s been really impressive, putting the ball where he wants to, getting outs, striking guys out, getting the ground ball," teammate Matt Kemp told Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune. "He’s done everything he’s needed to do to stay in the game, to win ballgames."
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Wil Myers (9-for-24, 1 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Drew Pomeranz (W, 6.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 10 K)
26. Miami Marlins (6-11, Previous: 26)
5 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
Hitting coach Barry Bonds and his return to San Francisco stole the headlines this past week for the Miami Marlins, while the team split a four-game series with the Washington Nationals before dropping two of three to the Giants.
Christian Yelich has been one of the biggest early-season standouts, hitting .379/.507/.552 with seven doubles, 10 runs scored and more walks (15) than strikeouts (12).
"I think he's maturing all the time. He's going to become better," manager Don Mattingly told Craig Davis of the Sun Sentinel. "He's got more in there than this—not necessarily [hitting] .400, but I think there's different things, parts of his game, that will keep maturing."
Meanwhile, starting pitching remains the big issue for the Marlins. They rank 25th in the league with a 5.30 starter's ERA and have gotten just two wins from their rotation.
Hitter of the Week
- LF Christian Yelich (10-for-24, 4 2B, 3 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Tom Koehler (W, 5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K)
25. Cincinnati Reds (9-10, Previous: 25)
6 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
The Cincinnati Reds managed to pick up a series win against the Colorado Rockies last week, and while they avoided being swept by the Chicago Cubs in a four-game series, that still left them with a losing record for the week.
The low point of the week came on Thursday when they were no-hit by Jake Arrieta, but the highlight came two days earlier when Robert Stephenson threw the first gem of his young career.
The 23-year-old pitched seven innings and allowed three hits and one earned run against a good Rockies offense. However, he was sent back to Triple-A following the start, as the team made it clear from the start that his call-up was only temporary.
"Coming into this year, our goal was to increase his overall strike percentage, increase his ability to command the zone with his breaking ball and change-up and improve his fastball command," manager Bryan Price told C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer. "I don’t want to be critical of his game yesterday, because he pitched beautifully. But he does have areas of his game to work on."
Hitter of the Week
- SS Zack Cozart (6-for-21, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Robert Stephenson (W, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K)
24. Houston Astros (6-13, Previous: 18)
7 of 30
Last Week: 1-5
What's wrong with the Houston Astros?
A 5.31 ERA from the starting rotation and a struggling ace in Dallas Keuchel is probably a good place to start. The reigning AL Cy Young winner was knocked around on Thursday to the tune of 13 hits and six earned runs over six innings.
Getting young right-hander Lance McCullers back should help the rotation immensely. McCullers is still rehabbing a sore shoulder and is headed to extended spring training after another successful bullpen session on Friday, though there's not a clear timetable for his return.
Jump-starting the bats of Carlos Gomez (.194 BA, .471 OPS), Evan Gattis (.188 BA, .462 OPS) and Jason Castro (.116 BA, .434 OPS) wouldn't hurt either, and an MLB-worst .180 batting average with runners in scoring position will need to change.
Hitter of the Week
- LF Colby Rasmus (6-for-19, 1 2B, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Doug Fister (L, 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K)
23. Los Angeles Angels (8-11, Previous: 22)
8 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
It's all about offense for the Los Angeles Angels—or the lack thereof, as the case may be.
So far in 2016, they're hitting an MLB-worst .217 as a team and averaging 3.00 runs per game, and they've topped five runs just once this year.
Just like last season, Mike Trout (.299 BA, .893 OPS) and Kole Calhoun (.294 BA, .801 OPS) have been the lone standouts, while Albert Pujols (.153 BA, .520 OPS) and C.J. Cron (.153 BA, .463 OPS) have struggled to drive in runs in the middle of the lineup.
All of that has undermined a starting rotation that ranks ninth in the league with a 3.57 ERA, and Hector Santiago is once again pitching like an All-Star at 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA, 0.938 WHIP and 9.1 K/9 in four starts.
Hitter of the Week
- CF Mike Trout (10-for-24, 1 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Hector Santiago (2 W, 13.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 5 BB, 17 K)
22. Philadelphia Phillies (9-10, Previous: 23)
9 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
At 9-10 on the season and with another series win under their belt after taking two of three from the Milwaukee Brewers, the Philadelphia Phillies continue to play competitive baseball here in 2016.
A minus-26 run differential is probably a good indication this is not a .500 team for the long haul, but this is undoubtedly a better Phillies team than the one that lost 99 games a year ago. With plenty of young talent on the way, they should be fun to watch regardless of their eventual record.
The starting rotation in particular has impressed, and the trio of Vincent Velasquez, Aaron Nola and Jerad Eickhoff has the potential to be a big part of the team's future plans.
With Charlie Morton hitting the disabled list with a strained hamstring, they'll need to decide on a starter for Friday. Adam Morgan looks like the early favorite to get the nod, according to Matt Gelb of Philly.com.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Maikel Franco (9-for-26, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Aaron Nola (W, 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K)
21. New York Yankees (7-10, Previous: 17)
10 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
After being swept by the Oakland Athletics, the New York Yankees managed to salvage their weekend series with the Tampa Bay Rays, but that doesn't stop them from dropping into the bottom third of these rankings for the first time.
The Yankees' big question entering the year was the boom-or-bust starting rotation, and a 3-7 record and 5.14 ERA from the starters to this point have done nothing to ease those concerns.
Things look even worse when you remove Masahiro Tanaka (4 GS, 1-0, 2.92 ERA, 0.973 WHIP) from the equation, as the other four starters have gone a combined 2-7 with a 5.90 ERA, 1.577 WHIP and just five quality starts in 13 games.
With the Yankees' offensive production down from 4.72 runs per game in 2015 to 3.88 this season, the offense has not been able to offset the struggles on the mound.
Hitter of the Week
- LF Brett Gardner (4-for-16, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Masahiro Tanaka (ND, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K)
20. Colorado Rockies (9-9, Previous: 16)
11 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
After climbing up to No. 16 in the rankings a week ago, the Colorado Rockies slide back down after series losses to the Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Trevor Story's inevitable regression has begun, as he went 4-for-24 last week and added eight more strikeouts to his MLB-leading total of 30. The question now is where he'll level off, but the tools are still there for him to be a solid everyday shortstop.
Chad Bettis (4 GS, 2-0, 3.33 ERA) and Tyler Chatwood (4 GS, 2-2, 3.47 ERA) have given the team a pair of solid starting pitchers, but the rest of the rotation has gone 2-4 with an 8.20 ERA in 10 starts.
Is it too early to start Carlos Gonzalez's trade watch? After an impressive season a year ago, the 30-year-old is hitting .342 with five doubles, four home runs and 12 RBI.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Ben Paulsen (5-for-15, 2 2B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 2 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Chad Bettis (ND, 6.0 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 5 K)
19. Tampa Bay Rays (8-10, Previous: 20)
12 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
After taking two of three from the Boston Red Sox, the Tampa Bay Rays lost two of three to the New York Yankees over the weekend. But all things considered, it was a decent road trip and good enough to move them up a spot in the rankings.
Ace Chris Archer continues to struggle, as he allowed eight hits and six earned runs on Wednesday, but the rest of the rotation has looked strong. Drew Smyly in particular has thrown the ball very well, posting a 2.51 ERA to go along with a pristine 0.733 WHIP and 10.4 K/9.
Blake Snell—the 2015 Minor League Player of the Year—made his MLB debut on Saturday, allowing two hits and one run over five innings.
He was optioned back to the minors following that start, as he was filling in for Erasmo Ramirez after he was used in relief earlier in the week. Expect to see the 23-year-old Snell up for good at some point in 2016, though.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Logan Forsythe (11-for-25, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 7 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Drew Smyly (W, ND, 15.0 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 17 K)
18. Oakland Athletics (10-9, Previous: 24)
13 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
The Oakland Athletics rattled off a six-game winning streak before dropping back-to-back games to the Toronto Blue Jays to close out the week.
An undefeated 7-0 start on the road was also snapped in Toronto on Saturday, but at the very least this looks like an Oakland team with the potential to be relevant in a wide-open AL West race.
Danny Valencia landed on the disabled list with a strained hamstring last week, with Chris Coghlan taking over as the team's starting third baseman in his absence. Coghlan enjoyed a nice week at the plate, so perhaps he can provide a spark to an offense that has averaged 3.47 runs per game.
On the pitching side of things, Ryan Madson is now a perfect 7-for-7 on save chances with a 1.86 ERA and .194 opponent batting average. His three-year, $22 million deal looked excessive when he signed it this offseason, but the 35-year-old has lived up to his price tag so far.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Chris Coghlan (5-for-21, 1 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Kendall Graveman (W, 6.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 8 K)
17. Seattle Mariners (9-9, Previous: 19)
14 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
Looking to keep pace with the Oakland Athletics, the Seattle Mariners enjoyed a strong week of their own as they picked up series wins against the Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Angels.
It's obviously still early, but that breakout season we've been waiting on from Taijuan Walker may finally be here. The 23-year-old is 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA and 0.944 WHIP in three starts, and he's looked the part of a front-line starter.
"He's growing up, maturing before our eyes here. He has a chance to have a big year for us," manager Scott Servais told Adam Lewis of SeattlePI.com.
Offensively, the team still has just two regulars—Nelson Cruz (.286) and Adam Lind (.260)—who are hitting better than .240 on the year, so it's fair to assume there's improvement coming at the plate once a few more guys get things going.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Nelson Cruz (7-for-23, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Taijuan Walker (W, 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K)
16. San Francisco Giants (9-11, Previous: 8)
15 of 30
Last Week: 2-5
Despite taking two of three from the Miami Marlins over the weekend, the San Francisco Giants still fall to well outside the top 10 after suffering a four-game sweep at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Matt Cain (4 GS, 0-2, 6.43 ERA) and Jake Peavy (4 GS, 1-1, 6.86 ERA) are both off to rough starts in the rotation, but Peavy turned in a promising outing on Saturday when he earned the win with seven innings of seven-hit, two-run ball.
The offense also got a boost from Matt Duffy, who went 10-for-24 (.417) last week after a 9-for-52 (.173) start to the season.
The Giants will look to get back on track with three games at home against the San Diego Padres before heading on the road for what should be an exciting three-game series with the New York Mets.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Matt Duffy (10-for-24, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 1 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jeff Samardzija (W, 7.2 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K)
15. Arizona Diamondbacks (10-10, Previous: 21)
16 of 30
Last Week: 5-2
With a 5-2 week that included a four-game sweep of the San Francisco Giants, the Arizona Diamondbacks climb six spots to enter the upper half of the rankings this week.
The offense has been clicking all season. The Diamondbacks enter the week with a .785 OPS as a team and putting up a solid 4.85 runs per game.
It's the starting pitching that has been the issue, as the rotation has tallied just four wins on the year and checks in 24th in the majors with a 5.19 ERA.
Multiple early exits from the starters have led to the bullpen working an MLB-high 84.2 innings, and while the players pitched well with a 3.40 ERA, they'll be burned out before summer rolls around at this rate.
Hitter of the Week
- C Welington Castillo (8-for-21, 5 HR, 9 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Rubby De La Rosa (2 W, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 9 K)
14. Boston Red Sox (9-9, Previous: 11)
17 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
Considering their starting rotation's ongoing struggles, a 9-9 start is about the best the Boston Red Sox could have hoped for to begin the 2016 season.
A 5.48 starter's ERA puts the club 28th in the league in that category, and now they'll be without Joe Kelly after he was placed on the disabled list with a shoulder impingement.
Left-hander Henry Owens took his place in the rotation, allowing five hits, four walks and three runs in 3.1 innings in his season debut on Sunday. His next start is scheduled for Friday, when he'll square off against Masahiro Tanaka and the New York Yankees.
On a positive note, Mookie Betts finally broke out at the plate with an 11-for-34 (.324) performance last week that included five extra-base hits. Prior to that, he was hitting .240 with just four extra-base hits in his first 50 at-bats.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Mookie Betts (11-for-34, 1 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 10 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Rick Porcello (W, 7.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 9 K)
13. Detroit Tigers (8-9, Previous: 5)
18 of 30
Last Week: 1-5
The Detroit Tigers plummet eight spots in these rankings after dropping two of three to the Kansas City Royals and then getting swept by the Cleveland Indians over the weekend.
Not exactly the statement they were trying to make against a pair of AL Central rivals.
Jordan Zimmermann twirled 6.1 more scoreless innings, and he's now 3-0 with 19.1 scoreless innings under his belt to begin his tenure in Detroit. The rest of the rotation has been wildly inconsistent, though, and that looks like the biggest concern for this team right now.
But third baseman Nick Castellanos deserves some love. He's struggled to live up to expectations since breaking into the league a few years ago, but he's off to a great start with a .328/.344/.483 line that includes three doubles, two home runs and 10 RBI.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Ian Kinsler (8-for-25, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jordan Zimmermann (W, 6.1 IP, 7 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K)
12. Cleveland Indians (9-7, Previous: 15)
19 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
With a three-game sweep of the Detroit Tigers over the weekend, the Cleveland Indians move up three spots in the rankings and are now knocking on the door of being a top-10 team if they can put together another strong week.
After posting a 6.16 ERA over his first three starts, Corey Kluber was "Klubot" once again his last time out when he struck out 10 and allowed just two hits and one run in eight innings of work.
However, just as their ace is finally rounding into form, the Indians were dealt a blow when Carlos Carrasco suffered a hamstring injury on Sunday and was obviously in a good deal of pain.
"It's going to be a DL situation, but we're just hoping it isn't terrible,'' manager Terry Francona told the Associated Press (via ESPN). "We sent him back to Cleveland because without an MRI, we're not going to know anything."
Hitter of the Week
- SS Francisco Lindor (9-for-22, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Corey Kluber (W, 8.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 10 K)
11. Toronto Blue Jays (10-10, Previous: 12)
20 of 30
Last Week: 4-3
The Toronto Blue Jays managed to halt the streaking Oakland Athletics with wins on Saturday and Sunday, and in the process they pulled back to .500 on the year.
With the offense looking downright average at 4.25 runs per game, the starting rotation has stepped up to go 10-4 with a 3.66 ERA that ranks 11th in the majors.
It's the relief corps that's been an issue. Its 3.25 ERA is solid, but it's blown four saves and suffered six losses so far this year. The setup duo of Brett Cecil and Drew Storen has been the biggest culprit.
In an under-the-radar move, the team signed Michael Bourn to a minor league deal last week. With Michael Saunders battling a hamstring injury and the team lacking a prototypical leadoff hitter, he's worth keeping an eye on as he gets into game shape at extended spring training.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Josh Donaldson (7-for-26, 2 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 7 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP J.A. Happ (2 W, 14.0 IP, 11 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 5 K)
10. Pittsburgh Pirates (10-9, Previous: 9)
21 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
The Pittsburgh Pirates drop a spot for losing a series to the lowly San Diego Padres, but they managed to salvage their week with a series win against an Arizona Diamondbacks team that was fresh off a sweep of the San Francisco Giants.
It was a rough week for Andrew McCutchen (3-for-23, 11 K), but others picked up the slack. The middle infield duo of Josh Harrison (9-for-21) and Jordy Mercer (10-for-22) and utility man Sean Rodriguez (6-for-18, 2 HR) all enjoyed strong weeks at the plate.
Jung Ho Kang watch continues as the Korean slugger works his way back from last year's season-ending leg injury. He began a rehab assignment last week, but he has gone just 1-for-15 with six strikeouts in five games with Triple-A Indianapolis.
Top prospect Tyler Glasnow could get the call as soon as the Super Two deadline passes, as No. 5 starter Jeff Locke has a 7.24 ERA through three starts and was awful last time out when he allowed 11 hits and eight earned runs over three innings.
Hitter of the Week
- SS Jordy Mercer (10-for-22, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Gerrit Cole (W, 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K)
9. Baltimore Orioles (11-6, Previous: 10)
22 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
The good: The Orioles have a 2.5-game lead in the AL East, an offense averaging 4.76 runs per game and perhaps the American League's best player right now in Manny Machado.
The bad: The Orioles' starting rotation is still an absolute dumpster fire. They rank 27th in the majors with a 5.32 starter's ERA, and they've only tallied three quality starts in 17 games.
For now they've managed to tiptoe around their pitching issues, and they picked up a nice series win against the Toronto Blue Jays last week to protect their standing atop the division and in the top 10 of these rankings.
Their position is a precarious one, though, and sustained success simply isn't possible if the rotation continues to be one of the worst in baseball.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Manny Machado (9-for-24, 4 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Chris Tillman (ND, 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K)
8. New York Mets (10-7, Previous: 14)
23 of 30
Last Week: 5-1
One week after dropping out of the top 10, the New York Mets shoot back up to No. 8 after taking care of business against the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves last week.
Seeing Daniel Murphy lead the majors with a .397 batting average would be tough, if not for the fact his replacement Neil Walker has posted a .904 OPS with seven home runs and 12 RBI.
He's not the only one raking for the Mets this year either, as Yoenis Cespedes (.991 OPS) and Michael Conforto (.919 OPS) are both off to great starts as well. Curtis Granderson has also really picked things up of late after struggling early.
The starting rotation is still waiting on Matt Harvey (4 GS, 1-3, 5.24 ERA) to round into form, but Steven Matz has looked sharp since getting shelled in his first start, and Jacob deGrom seems to have moved past the lat issue that was bothering him. Oh, and that Noah Syndergaard guy is pretty good too.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Neil Walker (10-for-25, 4 HR, 4 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Noah Syndergaard (W, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K)
7. Texas Rangers (10-9, Previous: 6)
24 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
The Texas Rangers followed up a series sweep of the Houston Astros with getting swept by the Chicago White Sox, costing them a spot in these rankings and leaving them in need of some momentum heading into the week.
That boost won't come from Cole Hamels, who has been scratched from his scheduled start on Monday with groin soreness. Cesar Ramos will get a spot start in his place as the team takes on the New York Yankees. Hamels is only expected to miss one start, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.
Meanwhile, fellow ace Yu Darvish was supposed to begin a rehab assignment on Tuesday, but he'll now push that back to May 1. The right-hander is not happy with how his off-speed stuff is progressing as he continues to work his way back from Tommy John surgery. Instead he will throw a 60-pitch batting-practice session on Tuesday, according to Rangers pitching coach Doug Brocail, via Grant.
Reliever Keone Kela underwent surgery to remove a bone spur from his elbow last week, and he'll be sidelined for three months, according to the Associated Press, via ESPN. Offseason additions Tony Barnette and Tom Wilhelmsen will be counted on to pick up the slack in the setup role.
Hitter of the Week
- LF Ian Desmond (8-for-19, 2 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 7 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Cole Hamels (W, 6.2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 7 K)
6. St. Louis Cardinals (10-8, Previous: 4)
25 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
A series loss to the rival Chicago Cubs hurts, but the St. Louis Cardinals bounced back to take two of three from the San Diego Padres over the weekend.
Their plus-40 run differential is currently second-best in the majors, and they've done it on the strength of an offense that was something of a question mark to begin the year.
They are one of two teams that has topped 100 runs on the year already and are currently averaging 6.17 runs per game entering play on Monday.
It's been a team effort, but rookie shortstop Aledmys Diaz has really turned heads. He's hitting .480/.509/.860 with eight doubles, three home runs and 11 RBI in 53 plate appearances.
Diaz has been shaky at times defensively, but he's making it impossible to keep his bat out of the lineup in favor of light-hitting Ruben Tejada.
Hitter of the Week
- SS Aledmys Diaz (11-for-18, 3 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Carlos Martinez (W, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K)
5. Chicago White Sox (13-6, Previous: 13)
26 of 30
Last Week: 5-2
The Chicago White Sox were probably a bit under-ranked at No. 13 last week. They charge into the top five this week after sweeping the Texas Rangers over the weekend to become the first AL team to 13 wins.
Pitching has been the story for the South Siders.
They rank second in team ERA (2.28) and third in starter's ERA (2.63). Closer David Robertson has converted seven of of eight save chances with a 1.08 ERA, 0.600 WHIP and 11.9 K/9.
Chris Sale and Jose Quintana have both been terrific once again, but the big story has been Mat Latos' resurgence. He's 4-0 with a 0.74 ERA and 0.822 WHIP. The 28-year-old signed a one-year, $3 million deal in the offseason after a rough 2015 campaign.
The White Sox will be without Alex Avila for at least the next few weeks after he was placed on the DL with a hamstring injury. Dioner Navarro will be the everyday guy in his absence, while Kevan Smith was promoted from Triple-A to be the backup.
Hitter of the Week
- LF Melky Cabrera (8-for-24, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 7 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Mat Latos (2 W, 12.1 IP, 9 H, 1 ER, 5 BB, 7 K)
4. Los Angeles Dodgers (12-7, Previous: 7)
27 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
The Los Angeles Dodgers were expected to have the front-runner for NL Rookie of the Year honors this season.
The thing is, it was supposed to be shortstop Corey Seager leading the charge for that award, not right-hander Kenta Maeda.
The Japanese right-hander has been nothing short of brilliant since signing an eight-year, $25 million deal in the offseason, going 3-0 with a 0.36 ERA and 0.868 WHIP in four starts.
"The good thing about him is that he is just going start-to-start, pitch-to-pitch," manager Dave Roberts told ESPN.com's Doug Padilla. "You look at this sample of four games, and he has obviously exceeded every expectation we have had."
With Alex Wood (6.00 ERA) and Scott Kazmir (6.63 ERA) both struggling, he's been hugely important to their early success in 2016.
After taking series against the Atlanta Braves and Colorado Rockies last week, the Dodgers have a chance to keep piling up wins as they take on the Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Adrian Gonzalez (10-for-23, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 2 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Kenta Maeda (W, 6.1 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K)
3. Kansas City Royals (12-6, Previous: 3)
28 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
The Chicago White Sox may have a half-game lead in the AL Central standings, but the Kansas City Royals are still the American League's best team here in the early going.
They picked up series wins against the Detroit Tigers and Baltimore Orioles last week, and three weeks into the season, they have just one series loss on their resume so far.
The starting rotation has been better than expected, and they currently rank sixth in the majors with a 3.25 starter's ERA. Chris Young had been the weak link, but he looked great in his last start, allowing two runs and striking out 10 over six innings.
Meanwhile, there's still plenty of room to improve offensively, as they're averaging 3.89 runs per game. Lorenzo Cain (.212 BA, .610 OPS) and Kendrys Morales (.242 BA, .682 OPS) in particular are capable of significantly more than they've shown.
Hitter of the Week
- C Salvador Perez (6-for-18, 2 2B, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Edinson Volquez (W, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K)
2. Washington Nationals (14-4, Previous: 2)
29 of 30
Last Week: 5-2
The Washington Nationals have admittedly not had the toughest schedule to start the 2016 season, but beating the teams you're supposed to beat is a big part of being a contender.
They continued doing just that last week when they split a four-game series with the Miami Marlins and then swept the Minnesota Twins.
The Nationals enter the week with an MLB-best 2.24 team ERA, while their starter's ERA is second to the Chicago Cubs by the slimmest of margins (2.36 to 2.38).
Even No. 5 starter Tanner Roark got in on the fun on Saturday, striking out a career-high 15 and allowing just two hits over seven shutout innings.
The Nationals take on the Philadelphia Phillies at home to begin the week before heading to St. Louis for a big weekend series with the Cardinals.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Bryce Harper (6-for-23, 3 2B, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Tanner Roark (W, L, 13.0 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 5 BB, 17 K)
1. Chicago Cubs (14-5, Previous: 1)
30 of 30
Last Week: 5-2
Another week, another pair of series wins for a Chicago Cubs team that is off to a phenomenal start.
The North Siders enter the week with an MLB-best plus-68 run differential. To put that into perspective, there are nine teams that have yet to score 68 runs total this season.
They lead the majors in runs scored (119) and runs per game (6.26), despite relatively unimpressive offensive starts from everyone not named Dexter Fowler.
On the mound, their starters have an MLB-best 2.36 ERA and have registered 16 quality starts in 19 games, including a no-hitter from Jake Arrieta last week.
If you want to shake your head at how ridiculously good Arrieta has been since the start of the second half last year, take a look at this piece from ESPN.com's Jayson Stark.
My favorite early-season stat for the Cubs, though?
Their pitchers have a .604 OPS and eight RBI.
That's a better OPS than the designated hitters have produced in Houston (.597), Oakland (.582), Chicago (.546), New York (.528), Texas (.522) and Los Angeles (.512). It's also more RBI than the DHs in Detroit (seven), New York (six), Tampa Bay (five), Oakland (four), Minnesota (three) and Houston (two).
Hitter of the Week
- CF Dexter Fowler (10-for-25, 6 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 8 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jake Arrieta (W, 9.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 4 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, April 18, through Sunday, April 24.
