MLB Power Rankings: Where All 30 Teams Stand at the Start of July

We've reached roughly the midway point of the 2017 MLB season as the calendar flips to July and we get set for the All-Star break.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros remain the class of their respective leagues, but there's still a ton of baseball to be played.

The Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians have looked strong of late, and the Kansas City Royals have been as hot as any team in baseball and no longer look like a sure-fire seller ahead of the non-waiver trade deadline.

That said, teams on the fringe of contention will be monitored closely in the weeks leading up July 31 as they decide which path to take: buyer or seller.

As always, these rankings are fluid, and teams will rise and fall based on where they were ranked the previous week. If a team keeps winning, it will keep climbing—it's as simple as that.

With that in mind, here's a look at where all 30 teams stand:

	Updated Rankings
1	Dodgers (55-29)
2	Astros (56-27)
3	D-backs (52-31)
4	Red Sox (47-35)	2
5	Indians (44-37)	5
6	Rockies (48-36)	2
7	Nationals (48-34)	2
8	Brewers (44-40)
9	Royals (41-40)	5
10	Rays (43-41)	3
11	Twins (41-40)	4
12	Yankees (43-37)	1
13	Cubs (41-41)	1
14	Rangers (40-42)	5
15	Braves (40-41)	2
16	Angels (43-43)	1
17	Mariners (41-42)	1
18	Orioles (40-41)	2
19	Cardinals (39-42)	5
20	Mets (38-43)	3
21	Pirates (37-45)	3
22	Blue Jays (37-44)	3
23	Padres (34-48)	2
24	White Sox (36-45)	2
25	Marlins (36-44)	4
26	Reds (35-46)	2
27	Giants (33-51)	2
28	Tigers (36-45)	1
29	Athletics (35-47)	7
30	Phillies (27-53)

     

Biggest Risers

Tony Dejak/Associated Press

Cleveland Indians (Up 5 Spots)

Slowly but surely, the Indians are starting to look like the team everyone expected them to be in 2017.

A .500 club at 31-31 on June 14, they've gone 13-6 with a plus-48 run differential in their past 19 games to overtake the Minnesota Twins and build a three-game lead in the American League Central.

The pitching staff posted an AL-best 3.71 ERA in June, and at the same time, the offense produced an .808 OPS and averaged 5.3 runs per game.

Jose Ramirez (.367 BA, 1.066 OPS, 20 XBH) and Edwin Encarnacion (.322 BA, 1.042 OPS, 7 HR, 20 RBI) led the way offensively during that span, while Corey Kluber (6 GS, 43 IP, 4-0, 1.26 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, 64 K) propped up a somewhat shaky rotation that continued to be backed by a dominant bullpen (3.28 ERA, third in MLB).

Series wins over the Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers and their overall impressive play of late catapulted Cleveland into the top five in these rankings for the first time since the first week of the season.

The Astros and Red Sox are the best teams in the AL, but this Indians team is charging hard.

Kansas City Royals (Up 5 Spots)

The Royals have made steady improvements as the season has progressed:

• April: 7-16, -37 run differential
• May: 15-14, -16 run differential
• June: 17-9, +22 run differential

They moved into second place in the AL Central for the first time since April 19 after taking three of four from the Twins over the weekend, and they're just three games back in the division and a half-game back in the wild-card standings.

Is that enough, or will Kansas City be an aggressive seller at the deadline?

With Eric Hosmer, Lorenzo Cain, Mike Moustakas, Jason Vargas and Alcides Escobar all headed for free agency at season's end and standout reliever Mike Minor due a massive raise with a $10 million mutual option, there are no shortage of trade chips.

How the Royals perform over the next few weeks will have a major impact on the summer trade market as a whole.

St. Louis Cardinals (Up 5 Spots)

The St. Louis Cardinals bottomed out at No. 25 in these rankings two weeks ago, but they're back on the upswing after picking up series wins over the Arizona Diamondbacks and Washington Nationals.

Randal Grichuk has come back strong after a demotion to the minors, and the team will be hoping for a similar turnaround from 2016 All-Star Aledmys Diaz, who was shipped to Triple-A on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, St. Louis continued to dip into its minor league talent pool for contributions, most recently adding slugger Luke Voit and middle infielder Alex Mejia.

The relief corps remains the biggest question mark, though.

The bullpen ranks 21st in the majors with a 4.41 ERA and also has blown 11 saves. And it's been a revolving door all season trying to find a consistent bridge to closer Seung Hwan Oh.

Brett Cecil (13 G, 2.84 ERA, 0.71 WHIP) and call-up John Brebbia (10 G, 2.92 ERA, 0.65 WHIP) threw the ball well in June, but counting on either as a consistent setup option is a risky proposition.

For now, the Cardinals will look to maintain their upward trend. Welcoming the Miami Marlins and New York Mets to Busch Stadium this week gives them a good chance to do just that.

Biggest Fallers

Ben Margot/Associated Press/Associated Press

Oakland Athletics (Down 7 Spots)

The Oakland Athletics are 8-12 in their past 20 games, with those eight victories coming in a pair of four-game winnings streaks surrounded by three-, four- and five-game losing skids.

The youth movement is in full swing, as shortstop Franklin Barreto, center fielder Jaycob Brugman and right fielder Matt Olson have stepped into starting roles, while veterans Trevor Plouffe and Stephen Vogt were designated for assignment.

Paul Blackburn became the 11th different starting pitcher the team has used this season when he worked six strong innings in his MLB debut Saturday in place of Jesse Hahn, who was optioned to the minors.

All-Star Yonder Alonso, who's playing on a one-year, $4 million contract, looks like a valuable trade chip, though an extension is not out of the question.

Jed Lowrie, Rajai Davis, Matt Joyce and Ryan Madson could be on the move as well, and Oakland will almost certainly listen to offers for ace Sonny Gray.

Texas Rangers (Down 5 Spots)

After two weeks back in the top 10, the Rangers fell following series losses to the Indians and Chicago White Sox.

There's reason for optimism, though.

Cole Hamels was terrific Saturday in his second start since returning from the disabled list, allowing just two hits and two earned runs over 6.2 innings and retiring the final 19 batters he faced.

Fellow southpaw starter Martin Perez is also on the comeback trail, and he will take the ball Monday against Rick Porcello and the Red Sox after missing time with a fractured thumb.

With those two back healthy and Tyson Ross a potential X-factor as he shakes off the rust after missing over a year of action, the rotation (4.36 ERA, 12th in MLB) has a chance to be a strength going forward.

"A lot of it is getting guys healthy," Hamels told reporters. "I think when you can get the full lineup intact, and then you get guys into a rhythm, that establishes that confidence right there."

As Texas looks to right the ship, the Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels come to town this week.

MVPs of the Week

AL MVP: Mookie Betts, Boston Red Sox

Stats: 14-for-29, 2 2B, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 10 R, 3 SB

Mookie Betts tied an MLB record Sunday when he drove in eight runs out of the leadoff spot, sparking the Red Sox to a 15-1 win to close out a sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays.

He finished the day 4-for-6 with a pair of home runs, and that propelled him to top honors among AL players.

"When you get to the plate, you're just expecting a good pitch to hit and you're ready for it," Betts told reporters. "Today I was just more ready than other days."

The 24-year-old is hitting .286/.364/.509 with 27 doubles, 15 home runs and 51 RBI and earned his second straight All-Star nod as a result. He wasn't voted to start the game, though, as Mike Trout, Aaron Judge and George Springer headlined the AL outfield.

NL MVP: Mike Foltynewicz, Atlanta Braves

Stats: 1 GS, W, 8.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 8 K

Mike Foltynewicz has always had electric stuff, and he's beginning to develop into a more consistent starter for the rebuilding Atlanta Braves.

The 25-year-old authored the best start of his young career Friday, taking a no-hitter into the ninth inning against the Athletics before surrendering a towering home run to Olson.

Still, it was an impressive outing, and Foltynewicz has been a bright spot for a club on the rise.

"Been through a lot with that kid the past couple of years," manager Brian Snitker told reporters. "This is really cool to watch him grow up. Just proud of him. Proud that he went after him right there and didn't give in. If he gets a hit, he gets a hit."

Foltynewicz is 6-5 with a 3.83 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 87 innings.

Stats of the Week

Let's dive into some of the better nuggets from around the league.

We'll start with an interesting note from Saturday, as four starting pitchers made their MLB debut on the same day for the first time since 1914, per Elias Sports Bureau (via ESPN.com).

Those pitchers: Blackburn, the Royals' Luke Farrell, the Twins' Felix Jorge and the Cincinnati Reds' Jackson Stephens.

Also worth noting: Stephens was the eighth different pitcher and fifth different starter to debut for the Reds this season, according to C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Meanwhile, the New York Yankees received another impressive debut, as the 22-year-old Clint Frazier homered in his first MLB game to join exclusive company.

Max Scherzer took the mound Sunday night and turned in another stellar outing...and the debate raged on about whether he's surpassed Clayton Kershaw as the game's top pitcher.

A quick note to back his case:

By comparison, Kershaw's last eight starts: 53.2 IP, 15 ER, 38 H, 73 K, 12 BB, 2.52 ERA.

And finally, some All-Star Game tidbits.

The Chicago Cubs became the first team to have its starters total in the Midsummer Classic drop by four since the 1986 San Diego Padres.

The Padres' 1985 All-Star starters:

• C Terry Kennedy
• 1B Steve Garvey
• 3B Graig Nettles
• LF Tony Gwynn
• P LaMarr Hoyt

And in 1986:

• LF Tony Gwynn

Aaron Judge continued to etch his name in the Yankees record book.

Giancarlo Stanton is building a strong case as the best player in Marlins history.

And Jose Altuve may well be doing the same thing for the Astros.

Finally, for all that has been made of this season's home run explosion, strikeouts have been equally prevalent.

Scherzer vs. Sale to start the All-Star Game, anyone?

Must-See Upcoming Matchup

Gregory Bull/Associated Press/Associated Press/Associated Press

Kansas City Royals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (Friday-Sunday)

The Dodgers churned out the best record in baseball in June, going 21-7 with a plus-61 run differential to climb to the top of the National League West as well as the No. 1 spot in these rankings for the first time last week.

The best team in the AL during that span was a bit of a surprise.

After a 22-30 start to the season, things fell into place for the Royals, who went 17-9 with a plus-22 run differential.

Many expected Kansas City to be aggressive sellers at the trade deadline, but it's back in the race.

And these two teams are set to meet for a big interleague series at Dodger Stadium.

Kershaw will take the ball Sunday against Ian Kennedy in what figures to be the best pitching matchup. The Dodgers won't have to face Vargas, an All-Star, in the series or Danny Duffy, who is expected to return from a strained oblique Tuesday.

The two teams last matched up in 2014, when Los Angeles took two of three in a late-June series in Kansas City.

All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted and accurate through Sunday.

Looking for someone to yell at about where your favorite team was slotted in the latest rankings? I'll meet you in the comments section.