MLB Power Rankings: Where All 30 Teams Stand After 2023 Opening Weekend

Joel ReuterApr 4, 2023

Trigger warning: This article contains massive overreactions to the opening weekend of the 2023 Major League Baseball season.

This is now my 12th year authoring our weekly MLB power rankings here at Bleacher Report, and it's always a struggle deciding how to handle the first update of the season following the opening weekend of games.

I've tried a variety of different approaches over the years, from leaning heavily on preseason expectations to limiting how far teams can rise or fall to a certain number of spots, but I think the best way to handle things is to simply wash the slate clean and rank teams based solely on what they have done on the field to begin the year.

These rankings are updated on a weekly basis, so why not reward a team that got off to a better-than-expected start while also dropping a likely contender that stumbled out of the gates? We're not ranking teams on potential; we're ranking them on production.

After a few weeks, the line between contenders and non-contenders will start to take shape, but for now just sit back and enjoy the chaos!

Note: All statistics and analysis in this article reflect MLB action through Sunday's games. Records have been updated to include Monday's results.

Nos. 30-26

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Jasen Vinlove/Miami Marlins/Getty Images

Luis Arraez

30. Philadelphia Phillies (0-4)

Previous: 5

It was an inauspicious start for the defending NL pennant winners to say the least as they were swept by the Texas Rangers, including blowing a 5-0 lead on Opening Day. The pitching staff was lit up for 29 runs in 24 innings, and the bullpen group of Craig Kimbrel, Seranthony Domínguez, Gregory Soto and Yunior Marte allowed 12 earned runs while recording only six outs across five combined appearances.

29. Miami Marlins (1-4)

Previous: 22

The Marlins went 4-for-27 with 10 strikeouts with runners in scoring position in their opening series against the New York Mets, and nine of their 29 hits in that four-game tilt came off the bat of newcomer Luis Arraez. The Marlins pitching staff is going to be fine, but they have to find a way to get more consistent middle-of-the-lineup production.

28. Seattle Mariners (1-4)

Previous: 9

Like many teams during baseball's opening weekend, the Mariners struggled to get things going at the plate, posting a .176 average in their four games against the Cleveland Guardians. The All-Star duo of Julio Rodríguez and Ty France combined for 12 of the team's 26 hits and tallied both of their home runs, so others will need to step up going forward.

27. Oakland Athletics (1-3)

Previous: 30

The Athletics scored a pair of runs in the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Angels to pull out a 2-1 victory on Opening Day, but they were outscored 19-1 the next two games to drop the series. Left-hander Kyle Muller tossed five innings of four-hit, one-run ball on Opening Day, and he'll be one to watch this year as the centerpiece of the Sean Murphy trade.

26. Washington Nationals (1-3)

Previous: 29

The Nationals avoided getting swept by the Atlanta Braves on Sunday behind a strong start from MacKenzie Gore (5.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER) and four first-inning runs off rookie left-hander Jared Shuster. This could prove to be the high-water mark for a team that seems destined for a 100-loss season.

Nos. 25-21

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Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Justin Steele

25. Detroit Tigers (1-3)

Previous: 27

The Tigers were outscored 21-3 while getting swept by the Tampa Bay Rays to start the year, hitting just .147 as a team with a .198 on-base percentage. A solid start at the plate from Austin Meadows (4-for-10, 2B, RBI) was one of the few bright spots as he looks to rebound from an injury-plagued 2022 campaign.

24. Kansas City Royals (1-3)

Previous: 25

The Royals went 7-12 with a minus-26 run differential against the Minnesota Twins last year, and it was more of the same to begin the 2023 season as they were swept at home. Despite the end result, starters Zack Greinke (5.1 IP, 6 H, 2 ER), Jordan Lyles (5.1 IP, 5 H, 1 ER) and Brad Keller (4.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER) all threw the ball fairly well in their season debuts.

23. Chicago Cubs (1-3)

Previous: 21

Justin Steele (6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K) and Marcus Stroman (6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 8 K) both threw the ball extremely well against the Milwaukee Brewers, but the Cubs only managed to come away with one victory in the series. Prized free-agent signing Dansby Swanson went 7-for-12 in his first three games in a Cubs uniform.

22. Toronto Blue Jays (1-3)

Previous: 6

The Blue Jays won a 10-9 slugfest against the St. Louis Cardinals on Opening Day, but they lost the next two and Chris Bassitt (3.1 IP, 10 H, 9 ER) was shelled in his Blue Jays debut, allowing four home runs. My preseason pick for the AL batting title Bo Bichette went 6-for-14 to start the year as he looks to pick up where he left off after an otherworldly September last year.

21. Colorado Rockies (2-3)

Previous: 28

The Rockies got a quality start in each of their first three games with Germán Márquez (6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER), Kyle Freeland (6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER) and Austin Gomber (6.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER) all throwing the ball well. On the offensive side, C.J. Cron (7-for-15, 2 2B, 3 HR) had a huge series and Charlie Blackmon (7-for-16) also swung it well.

Nos. 20-16

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AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith

Yoán Moncada

20. Chicago White Sox (2-3)

Previous: 18

Strong opening series performances from Yoán Moncada (8-for-18, 3 XBH) and Yasmani Grandal (5-for-12, 2 XBH) at the plate is a promising sign for the White Sox after both veterans slumped badly in 2022. Their four starting pitchers combined for a 2.05 ERA and 0.95 WHIP with a 30-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 22 innings.

19. Arizona Diamondbacks (2-3)

Previous: 17

The D-backs pulled out a pair of 2-1 wins in their four-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but they were outscored 18-3 in their two losses. The offense had 29 strikeouts and just one walk in four games en route to a .197/.214/.299 line, so they will need to get things going at the plate.

18. Houston Astros (2-3)

Previous: 1

The starting pitcher did not factor into the decision in each of the Astros' first three games before Luis García took a loss on Sunday, though it's worth mentioning that Framber Valdez did throw five shutout innings on Opening Day. New first baseman José Abreu went 6-for-18 with two RBI in his first series with the team while hitting cleanup in every game.

17. Pittsburgh Pirates (2-2)

Previous: 24

The Pirates bullpen allowed just three earned runs in 10.2 innings of work in their opening series against the Cincinnati Reds, and that's worth monitoring after their relief corps ranked 29th in the majors with a 4.72 ERA in 2022. Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds both hit their first home runs of the season, but the Pirates batted just .196 as a team.

16. San Francisco Giants (2-2)

Previous: 23

The Giants were shut out twice in their opening series against the New York Yankees, though they did avoid getting swept with a 7-5 victory on Saturday. They tallied just seven total hits in the two games in which they were blanked on the scoreboard, and finding consistent offense could be an issue all season.

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Nos. 15-11

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Megan Briggs/Getty Images

Kodai Senga

15. Boston Red Sox (2-2)

Previous: 20

The Red Sox stole a victory on Saturday thanks to an Orioles error and then came away with a series win when they jumped on Baltimore starter Cole Irvin for eight hits and six earned runs in four-plus innings. The offense has looked great with a .325 average, 14 extra-base hits and 27 runs scored through three games, with newcomer Adam Duvall delivering a walk-off home run on Saturday.

14. Baltimore Orioles (2-2)

Previous: 19

Adley Rutschman had a huge game on Thursday, becoming the first catcher since at least 1901 to record five hits or reach base six times on Opening Day, according to Jake Rill of MLB.com. The Orioles were one out away from starting the year 2-0, but Ryan McKenna dropped a routine fly ball in left field and two pitches later Adam Duvall launched a walk-off home run.

13. St. Louis Cardinals (2-2)

Previous: 12

The Cardinals took two of three from the Toronto Blue Jays to start the year while plating 22 runs in three games. Nine different players had at least three hits in the series, including rookie phenom Jordan Walker who went 4-for-12 with a double and two RBI. Jack Flaherty threw five no-hit innings in his first start of the year, but he walked seven batters in the process.

12. Los Angeles Dodgers (3-2)

Previous: 7

With a 1.75 ERA and 0.72 WHIP through their first four games, the Dodgers pitching staff appears to be in midseason form, and while they were held to just one run offensively in their two losses, they did score 20 total runs in the four-game set. Outfielder Trayce Thompson had a three-homer game on Saturday.

11. New York Mets (3-2)

Previous: 4

The Mets took three of four from the Miami Marlins thanks to some brilliant work from the bullpen, which allowed just one run in 13.2 innings of work. Japanese League star Kodai Senga (5.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 8 K) made a strong first impression on Sunday after signing a five-year, $75 million deal during the offseason.

Nos. 10-6

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Sarah Stier/Getty Images

Jhony Brito

10. San Diego Padres (3-2)

Previous: 3

The Padres managed to split their four-game series with the Colorado Rockies despite Juan Soto and Jake Cronenworth going a combined 2-for-28 at the plate. Strong starts from Seth Lugo (7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER) and Nick Martinez (7.0 IP, 6 H, 4 ER) were a positive sign for the outlook at the back of the starting rotation, while Xander Bogaerts went 6-for-14 with two doubles and two home runs in his first series in a Padres uniform.

9. Cincinnati Reds (3-1)

Previous: 26

The Reds went 2-1 against the Pittsburgh Pirates behind strong starts from Nick Lodolo (5.0 IP, 7 H, 2 ER) and Graham Ashcraft (7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER), and that duo alongside Opening Day starter Hunter Greene will be the X-factor for this team. Jonathan India went 5-for-11 with one double and one home run as he looks to rebound from a disappointing sophomore campaign.

8. Milwaukee Brewers (3-1)

Previous: 15

The Brewers avenged an Opening Day loss and came away with a series win over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field following back-to-back wins on Saturday and Sunday. Brandon Woodruff (6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER) and Eric Lauer (5.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER) both looked sharp on the mound, while rookies Brice Turang and Joey Wiemer jumped right into the mix with their MLB debuts.

7. New York Yankees (3-1)

Previous: 10

Aaron Judge picked up right where he left off to begin the 2023 season, homering in his first at-bat and going 6-for-13 with two long balls in three games against the San Francisco Giants. A strong MLB debut from Jhony Brito (W, 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER) gave the starting rotation a nice boost while they navigate multiple injuries, and ace Gerrit Cole (W, 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 11 K) came out firing on Opening Day.

6. Los Angeles Angels (3-1)

Previous: 13

If their opening series against the Oakland Athletics is any indication, the Angels rotation is going to be a strength this year with Shohei Ohtani (6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 10 K), Tyler Anderson (6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER) and Patrick Sandoval (5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER) all dealing. Mike Trout, Ohtani and Taylor Ward each hit their first home run of the season in the series.

Nos. 5-1

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Byron Buxton

5. Atlanta Braves (3-1)

Previous: 2

Despite losing ace Max Fried to a hamstring injury after just 3.1 innings, the Braves came out on top on Opening Day and clinched a series win over the Washington Nationals on Saturday behind a gem from Spencer Strider (6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 9 K). Matt Olson got off to a strong start at the plate with one double and two home runs a year after he racked up 78 extra-base hits.

4. Texas Rangers (3-1)

Previous: 16

Despite an ugly debut for Jacob deGrom (3.2 IP, 6 H, 5 ER), the Rangers swept the Philadelphia Phillies to begin the year, outscoring the reigning NL champions by a 29-11 margin. The Texas offense hit .343/.407/.559 and scored 27 runs through the first two games before left-hander Martin Pérez won a 2-1 pitchers' duel on Sunday.

3. Cleveland Guardians (4-1)

Previous: 8

The Guardians started the season in impressive fashion by taking three of four from the Seattle Mariners, and their pitching staff led the way with a 2.75 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and a .197 opponents' batting average. With Triston McKenzie sidelined with a shoulder injury, they will need Aaron Civale (7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER) to continue pitching at a high level after he was brilliant in his season debut.

2. Minnesota Twins (4-0)

Previous: 14

Don't sleep on the Twins pitching staff this year, as it looked awfully good in its opening series against the Kansas City Royals. Pablo López (5.1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER), Sonny Gray (5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER) and Joe Ryan (6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER) picked up victories, while Jhoan Duran and Jorge López nailed down one save each. Byron Buxton was the offensive standout, going 6-for-13 with one double and one triple.

1. Tampa Bay Rays (4-0)

Previous: 11

The Rays were nothing short of dominant in their season-opening sweep of the Detroit Tigers, outscoring them 21-3 as the pitching staff allowed just 14 hits in 21 innings over the three-game series. Wander Franco (7-for-11, 3 2B, HR, 4 RBI) and Jeffrey Springs (6.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 12 K) both got off to terrific starts, and regardless of how long they stay there, the Rays have earned the No. 1 spot in these rankings after the opening weekend.

Complete Rankings

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AP Photo/Chris O'Meara

Tampa Bay Rays' Wander Franco celebrates with teammates after defeating the Detroit Tigers during a baseball game Sunday, April 2, 2023, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Complete Rankings

1. Tampa Bay Rays
2. Minnesota Twins
3. Cleveland Guardians
4. Texas Rangers
5. Atlanta Braves
6. Los Angeles Angels
7. New York Yankees
8. Milwaukee Brewers
9. Cincinnati Reds
10. San Diego Padres
11. New York Mets
12. Los Angeles Dodgers
13. St. Louis Cardinals
14. Baltimore Orioles
15. Boston Red Sox
16. San Francisco Giants
17. Pittsburgh Pirates
18. Houston Astros
19. Arizona Diamondbacks
20. Chicago White Sox
21. Colorado Rockies
22. Toronto Blue Jays
23. Chicago Cubs
24. Kansas City Royals
25. Detroit Tigers
26. Washington Nationals
27. Oakland Athletics
28. Seattle Mariners
29. Miami Marlins
30. Philadelphia Phillies

Highlight of the Week: The Stolen Base Is Back!

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Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images

Anthony Volpe

Major League Baseball made a handful of rule changes for the 2023 season, and while the pitch clock and elimination of the shift have grabbed headlines, a move to larger bases might be having the most dramatic initial impact.

The size of the first base, second base and third base bag has increased from 15 square inches to 18 square inches, and coupled with the new rule limiting pickoff attempts, it has led to an explosion in stolen bases across the league:

Jorge Mateo (BAL) entered Monday's action leading the majors with four steals, while Corbin Carroll (ARI), Chas McCormick (HOU), Cedric Mullins (BAL) and Anthony Volpe (NYY) had three apiece.

There has not been a 50-steal season in the majors since 2017 when Billy Hamilton (59 SB) and Dee Strange-Gordon (60 SB) both reached that mark, but it looks like that could change in 2023.