MLB Power Rankings: Rays Remain No. 1, While Braves, Mets Battle for NL Supremacy
The Tampa Bay Rays remained No. 1 in our weekly MLB power rankings after starting the year with 13 straight wins, but several other top-tier teams are ready to make their case for the top spot.
The Atlanta Braves and New York Mets went a combined 11-1 last week, while the Toronto Blue Jays snapped the Rays' winning streak and took two of three from them in a weekend series.
Further down the rankings, the Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs and Miami Marlins each climbed several spots after a pair of series wins last week, while the Chicago White Sox and San Francisco Giants slipped to the bottom tier with a pair of series losses.
As the season progresses, the rankings will look distinctly different from the standings, as hot and cold streaks play major roles in where teams land. But for now, each club's placement is largely reflective of its record. Run differential was also key in determining where teams fell.
Note: Statistics and analysis reflect games through Sunday. Team records have been updated to include Monday's results.
Nos. 30-26
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30. Oakland Athletics (3-14)
Previous Rank: 30
The Athletics had a minus-63 run differential through their first 16 games and could be on their way to one of the worst seasons in baseball history. Outfielder Brent Rooker (11-for-33, 4 HR, 11 RBI) has been an early bright spot offensively, but the pitching staff has a 7.60 ERA that is nearly two runs worse than any other team.
29. Kansas City Royals (4-13)
Previous Rank: 28
The Royals finished 1-5 last week, including a weekend sweep at the hands of the Braves, though the offense did score a season-high 10 runs against the Rangers on Wednesday. Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. went 12-for-27 with four straight multihit games, and his continued development is a focal point.
28. Washington Nationals (5-11)
Previous Rank: 27
The Nationals have avoided being swept in all but one series, and they did it twice last week with a win apiece against the Angels and Guardians. That might be what a successful week looks like this year for a team in the early stages of rebuilding. Reclamation project Jeimer Candelario (112 OPS+, 3 HR) is off to a nice start.
27. Colorado Rockies (5-12)
Previous Rank: 23
The Rockies wrapped up last week with a five-game losing streak, and they were held to just five runs in a three-game weekend series against the Mariners. With an offense that ranks 22nd in the majors with a .699 OPS and starting rotation that has struggled mightily behind left-hander Kyle Freeland, it's going to be a long year.
26. Chicago White Sox (6-10)
Previous Rank: 22
The White Sox are still searching for their first series win, and they have dropped four straight three-game series since splitting a four-game set with the Astros to open the year. The pitching staff ranks 28th in the majors with a 5.72 ERA. That will need to improve drastically if Chicago is going to right the ship.
Nos. 25-21
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25. San Francisco Giants (5-10)
Previous Rank: 19
The Giants suffered back-to-back walk-off losses to the Tigers on Friday and Saturday before a postponement Sunday gave them an opportunity to reset. The offense has been productive, and the starting rotation has been solid, but the bullpen is a dumpster fire with a 6.08 ERA in 53.1 innings.
24. Detroit Tigers (5-9)
Previous Rank: 29
With an offense that ranks last in batting average (.208) and OPS (.600) and is averaging just 3.5 runs per game (28th), it's a small miracle the Tigers have won even five games. They're 3-1 in extra innings, with two of those wins coming in walk-off fashion Friday and Saturday, but this looks like a team destined to settle near the bottom of the rankings.
23. Philadelphia Phillies (6-10)
Previous Rank: 24
After a series loss to the Marlins and a four-game split with the Reds, the Phillies are still trying to build momentum. The offense exploded for 15 runs last Monday and 14 runs Sunday, but in between it managed just 16 runs in five games, so consistency is the next step. A bullpen that ranks 29th in the majors with a 6.83 ERA is a major issue.
22. Cincinnati Reds (7-9)
Previous Rank: 20
The Reds were swept by the Braves last week before splitting a four-game series with the Phillies, but there have been promising takeaways. Rookie Spencer Steer is swinging it well, bounce-back candidate Jonathan India is off to a strong start, and the young trio of Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo and Graham Ashcraft could front the rotation for years to come. The rest of the pitching staff is a mess, though.
21. St. Louis Cardinals (7-10)
Previous Rank: 26
Following a 1-6 stretch, the Cardinals went 4-2 to close last week and finally seem to be headed in the right direction. A healthy Lars Nootbaar is a welcome addition to the lineup, though there's an outfield logjam since Jordan Walker has staked a claim to the right field job. St. Louis will set off on a 10-game West Coast road trip following its series with the Diamondbacks.
Nos. 20-16
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20. San Diego Padres (8-10)
Previous Rank: 10
Fernando Tatis Jr. is eligible to rejoin the Padres on Thursday. His return can't come soon enough for a team that was shut out twice last week and ranks 26th in the majors with a .231 batting average. San Diego finished 2-5 last week in a tough draw against the Mets and Brewers.
19. Los Angeles Angels (8-8)
Previous Rank: 14
The Angels made a big move Saturday, promoting 2022 first-round pick Zach Neto to take over as the team's starting shortstop after he hit .444/.559/.815 in 34 plate appearances at Double-A. Despite their record, they had a plus-11 run differential that ranked fifth among American League teams entering Monday.
18. Seattle Mariners (8-9)
Previous Rank: 21
The rise of Jarred Kelenic has given the Mariners offense a huge boost. The former top prospect is hitting .362/.423/.723 with nine extra-base hits in 52 plate appearances. Meanwhile, the pitching staff ranks fifth in the majors with a 3.44 ERA in 146.2 innings, and the bullpen has again been a strength. A 1-0 victory Sunday finished a sweep of Colorado and ran Seattle's winning streak to four.
17. Houston Astros (8-9)
Previous Rank: 18
The Astros have still not put together a winning streak longer than two games, and they suffered their third series loss by dropping two of three at home against the Rangers over the weekend. The pitching staff has done its part with a 3.48 ERA that ranks sixth in the majors, but Houston has struggled to come up with timely hits, batting .234 with runners in scoring position (25th).
16. Boston Red Sox (8-9)
Previous Rank: 15
It has already been a season of highs and lows for the Red Sox, and last week was no different, as they were swept by the Rays in a four-game series before winning three straight against the Angels. Boston shook up the roster Monday, activating Brayan Bello from the injured list and recalling Jarren Duran from the minors.
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Nos. 15-11
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15. Los Angeles Dodgers (8-9)
Previous Rank: 11
The Dodgers lead the National League with 27 home runs, but they rank 25th in the majors with a .231 batting average. That all-or-nothing approach has led to their scoring two or fewer runs in six of their first 16 games. They lost two of three to the Cubs over the weekend after a series win over the Giants to start the week.
14. Miami Marlins (9-8)
Previous Rank: 25
The Marlins moved up to the middle of the pack following series wins over the Phillies and Diamondbacks, and the starting rotation looks like a clear strength once again. Meanwhile, offseason pickup Luis Arraez, who hit for the cycle last Tuesday, leads the majors in batting average (.471) and on-base percentage (.526).
13. Pittsburgh Pirates (10-7)
Previous Rank: 7
The Pirates slid down the rankings following a 3-4 week that was capped by an extra-innings loss against the Cardinals, but they have yet to lose more than two in a row. Right-hander Johan Oviedo turned in his second straight quality start Friday, allowing six hits and one earned run with 10 strikeouts in seven innings. He is one to watch going forward.
12. Chicago Cubs (9-6)
Previous Rank: 16
The starting rotation has been a strength for the Cubs with Marcus Stroman and Justin Steele leading a group that ranks third in the majors with a 3.11 ERA. Left fielder Ian Happ is hitting .308/.429/.538 for a 161 OPS+ and signed a three-year, $61 million extension last week to secure his place as a piece of the offensive core.
11. Baltimore Orioles (9-7)
Previous Rank: 17
The Orioles scored series wins over the Athletics and White Sox last week, and the offense has been one of the best in baseball with an .807 OPS (fourth) and 5.9 runs per game (second). That production has helped offset a starting rotation that ranks 29th in the majors with a 6.75 ERA, but Baltimore will need to sort out its pitching staff to contend.
Nos. 10-6
5 of 10
10. Cleveland Guardians (9-7)
Previous Rank: 4
The Guardians played .500 ball last week with a series loss to the Yankees and a series win against the Nationals as they continued to navigate a banged-up starting rotation with Triston McKenzie (shoulder) and Aaron Civale (oblique) on the injured list. Right-hander Peyton Battenfield made his MLB debut Wednesday and tossed 4.2 strong innings. Cleveland's ability to develop arms will continue to be put to the test.
9. Arizona Diamondbacks (10-7)
Previous Rank: 5
The D-backs finished 3-3 last week behind a pair of overpowering starts from Zac Gallen, who outpitched reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara on Sunday. Rookies Corbin Carroll (123 OPS+, 7 XBH, 6 SB), Ryne Nelson (3 GS, 3.71 ERA, 17.0 IP) and Drey Jameson (4 G, 1.46 ERA, 12.1 IP) have all made an impact to help lead the team's strong start.
8. Texas Rangers (10-6)
Previous Rank: 13
Since Corey Seager (hamstring) landed on the injured list last Tuesday, the Rangers have gotten little production from Josh H. Smith at shortstop. Despite that significant loss to the lineup, Texas picked up series wins over Kansas City and Houston last week to move into the top 10. Its new-look pitching staff ranks 10th in the majors with a 3.86 ERA, up from 22nd with a 4.22 ERA a year ago.
7. Minnesota Twins (10-6)
Previous Rank: 9
The Twins held on to their spot inside the top 10 with a series win over the White Sox and a four-game split with the Yankees. The starting rotation entered Monday leading the majors with a 2.58 ERA, and the front office was putting the finishing touches on a four-year, $73.5 million extension for Opening Day starter Pablo López.
6. New York Yankees (10-6)
Previous Rank: 6
With Giancarlo Stanton joining Carlos Rodón, Luis Severino, Josh Donaldson, Harrison Bader and others on the injured list, the Yankees continued playing short-handed. They still haven't lost a series, though they did split a four-game set with the Twins over the weekend during a 4-3 week. Top prospect Oswald Peraza was recalled from the minors Sunday.
Nos. 5-1
6 of 10
5. Toronto Blue Jays (10-7)
Previous Rank: 8
The Blue Jays stumbled out of the gate with a 1-3 record, but they have been rolling in the weeks since, handing the Rays their first two losses of the year over the weekend to make it four straight series wins. The starting rotation ranks 25th in the majors with a 5.53 ERA and will need to round into form for Toronto to be a top-tier contender.
4. Milwaukee Brewers (12-5)
Previous Rank: 2
The Brewers suffered their first series loss of the season last week when they dropped two of three to the Diamondbacks on the road, but they bounced back to take three of four from the Padres. The pitching staff ranks third in the majors with a 2.94 ERA, and the offense checks in ninth with a .763 OPS, making Milwaukee one of the most well-rounded teams in baseball.
3. New York Mets (11-6)
Previous Rank: 12
The Mets have won three straight series since getting swept by the Brewers, and they wrapped up last week on a four-game winning streak with the help of a sweep against the Athletics. Top prospect Brett Baty was set to be recalled from the minors Monday after hitting .400/.500/.886 with five home runs through nine games at Triple-A, and he could replace Eduardo Escobar (6-for-48, 12 K) as the starting third baseman.
2. Atlanta Braves (13-4)
Previous Rank: 3
The Braves ripped off a six-game winning streak last week by sweeping the Reds and Royals, and young shortstop Vaughn Grissom returned to the majors after Orlando Arcia suffered a fractured wrist. Ace Max Fried returned from the injured list Monday, and Bryce Elder has separated himself from the pack as the team's No. 5 starter.
1. Tampa Bay Rays (14-3)
Previous Rank: 1
The Rays lead the majors in OPS (.897), home runs (36), runs (114) and ERA (2.54), and they started 13-0 before dropping two of three to the Blue Jays over the weekend. The starting rotation was dealt a major blow with left-hander Jeffrey Springs expected to be out at least two moths because of an arm issue, but the organization churns out quality pitching year in and year out. Top prospect Taj Bradley will likely be asked to step up in his absence.
Complete Rankings
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1. Tampa Bay Rays
2. Atlanta Braves
3. New York Mets
4. Milwaukee Brewers
5. Toronto Blue Jays
6. New York Yankees
7. Minnesota Twins
8. Texas Rangers
9. Arizona Diamondbacks
10. Cleveland Guardians
11. Baltimore Orioles
12. Chicago Cubs
13. Pittsburgh Pirates
14. Miami Marlins
15. Los Angeles Dodgers
16. Boston Red Sox
17. Houston Astros
18. Seattle Mariners
19. Los Angeles Angels
20. San Diego Padres
21. St. Louis Cardinals
22. Cincinnati Reds
23. Philadelphia Phillies
24. Detroit Tigers
25. San Francisco Giants
26. Chicago White Sox
27. Colorado Rockies
28. Washington Nationals
29. Kansas City Royals
30. Oakland Athletics
Highlight of the Week: Luis Arraez Hits for the Cycle
8 of 10
It took 4,700 games for the Marlins to finally have a player hit for the cycle, with Luis Arraez snapping the drought last Tuesday when he singled to left field in the eighth inning off Phillies reliever Andrew Bellatti.
He preceded that base hit with a double in the first inning, a triple in the sixth inning and a homer in the seventh inning, leaving the easiest task for last in his pursuit of history.
"A special day. It was a regular day, because we play baseball," Arraez said, per Christina De Nicola. "It's a beautiful sport for me and I think for everybody that plays baseball. I just come here to play baseball and then try to do my best and then help the team win."
Aside from being the first Marlin to hit for the cycle, Arraez also became the sixth Venezuelan player to accomplish the feat, according to De Nicola. He joined César Tovar (1972), Carlos Guillén (2006), Carlos González (2010), Pablo Sandoval (2011) and Eduardo Escobar (2022).
The 26-year-old entered Monday hitting .471/.526/.647 for a 219 OPS+ through 57 plate appearances.
Team of the Week
9 of 10
C Sean Murphy, ATL
(9-for-23, 6 2B, 3 HR, 11 RBI)
1B Rowdy Tellez, MIL
(8-for-25, 4 HR, 8 RBI)
2B Bryson Stott, PHI
(12-for-36, 3 2B, HR, 5 RBI)
3B Max Muncy, LAD
(7-for-20, 5 HR, 12 RBI)
SS Francisco Lindor, NYM
(7-for-23, 3 2B, 3 HR, 11 RBI)
OF Austin Hays, BAL
(14-for-30, 3 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 3 RBI)
OF Jarred Kelenic, SEA
(9-for-19, 2 2B, 4 HR, 6 RBI)
OF Ronald Acuña Jr., ATL
(12-for-25, 2 2B, HR, 6 RBI)
DH Brent Rooker, OAK
(10-for-24, 2B, 4 HR, 11 RBI)
SP Zac Gallen, ARI
(2 GS, 2 W, 13.2 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 18 K)
SP Luis Castillo, SEA
(2 GS, W, ND, 13.0 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 14 K)
SP Corbin Burnes, MIL
(1 GS, W, 8.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K)
SP Andrew Heaney, TEX
(2 GS, W, ND, 10.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 5 BB, 14 K)
SP Joe Ryan, MIN
(1 GS, W, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 10 K)
RP David Robertson, NYM
(4 G, 2/2 SV, HLD, 4.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K)
Way-Too-Early Award Rankings
10 of 10
AL MVP
1. Matt Chapman, TOR
2. Jorge Mateo, BAL
3. Wander Franco, TB
NL MVP
1. Luis Arraez, MIA
2. Ronald Acuña Jr., ATL
3. Pete Alonso, NYM
AL Cy Young
1. Luis Castillo, SEA
2. Gerrit Cole, NYY
3. Shohei Ohtani, LAA
NL Cy Young
1. Julio Urías, LAD
2. Anthony DeSclafani, SF
3. Kyle Freeland, COL
AL Rookie of the Year
1. Hunter Brown, HOU
2. Esteury Ruiz, OAK
3. Josh Jung, TEX
NL Rookie of the Year
1. James Outman, LAD
2. Corbin Carroll, ARI
3. Kodai Senga, NYM
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