MLB Power Rankings: Where All 30 Teams Stand 2 Weeks From Trade Deadline
With the All-Star break in the rearview mirror and the trade deadline now just two weeks away, the line between buyer and seller will finally be drawn.
That makes the next few weeks of games extremely important in shaping the MLB landscape, and that importance will be reflected in the next few versions of our weekly power rankings.
To that point, there are 11 teams that closed out last week with between 50 and 53 wins, and they occupy the No. 5 to No. 15 spots in this week's rankings. Since that group is so closely clustered, there will be some major swings within that range in the coming weeks until teams start to separate themselves from the pack in one direction or the other.
Keep in mind, these rankings are a fluid process, with teams rising and falling based on their recent performance relative to where they landed in the previous week's rankings.
Note: Statistics and analysis reflect games through Sunday. Team records have been updated to include Monday's results.
Nos. 30-28
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30. Oakland Athletics (25-71)
Previous Rank: 29
Last Week: 0-3 vs. MIN
The Athletics were swept for the 13th time this season when they dropped three in a row to the Minnesota Twins to start the second half, and they are currently on pace for 119 losses. That would be the second-highest single-season total of the modern era, behind only the expansion 1962 New York Mets, who lost 120 games.
29. Kansas City Royals (27-68)
Previous Rank: 30
Last Week: 1-2 vs. TB
The focus for the Royals during the second half will be the continued development of their young players. Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. is hitting .308/.354/.514 with 16 extra-base hits and 10 steals in 38 games since the beginning of June and could make a run at the first 30/30 season in Royals history.
28. Washington Nationals (38-56)
Previous Rank: 27
Last Week: 1-2 @ STL
The Nationals are 13-24 with a minus-60 run differential since the start of June, and with standout third baseman Jeimer Candelario a lock to be traded at the deadline, it could be a long second half. On a positive note, young shortstop CJ Abrams is hitting .368/.415/.579 in his last 21 games.
Nos. 27-25
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27. Colorado Rockies (36-58)
Previous Rank: 28
Last Week: 2-1 vs. NYY
Catcher Elias Díaz hitting the game-winning home run in the All-Star Game may very well end up being the highlight of the season for the Rockies. With an NL-worst 5.66 ERA as a team, it's the same old story for a Rockies team that year-in and year-out can't find a way to field a competent pitching staff.
26. Pittsburgh Pirates (41-53)
Previous Rank: 23
Last Week: 0-3 vs. SF
With top prospects Quinn Priester, Endy Rodriguez and Liover Peguero all called up from Triple-A on Monday, the Pirates now have eight rookies on the current 26-man roster. The youth movement is in full swing, and while the tease of potential contention during the first half was short-lived, the future is bright in Pittsburgh.
25. St. Louis Cardinals (41-53)
Previous Rank: 25
Last Week: 2-1 vs. WAS
The Cardinals are going to be sellers at the deadline.
"Right now, I can tell you that we're going to trade people," Cardinals team president John Mozeliak told Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. "I just don't know if it's going to be household names or more of guys that just aren't likely going to be here next year."
At the very least, expect Jordan Montgomery and Jack Flaherty to both be playing elsewhere on Aug. 2, as both starters are headed for free agency at season's end.
Nos. 24-22
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24. Chicago White Sox (40-55)
Previous Rank: 26
Last Week: 2-1 @ ATL
The White Sox are open for business, and the only players off-limits in trade talks are Luis Robert Jr., Dylan Cease, Andrew Vaughn and Eloy Jimenez, according to MLB insider Jon Heyman. Starters Lucas Giolito and Lance Lynn appear to be locks to move, while Yasmani Grandal also has an expiring contract. The big question mark is what will happen with shortstop Tim Anderson, who has a player option for next year and is in the midst of the worst season of his career.
23. Detroit Tigers (42-51)
Previous Rank: 24
Last Week: 2-1 @ SEA
Despite their record, the Tigers sat just six games back in the AL Central standings entering play on Monday. How they perform this week against the Kansas City Royals and San Diego Padres could ultimately determine what they do at the deadline. Buying is unlikely, but if they slip further back in the standings, they could sell rental starter Michael Lorenzen and likely opt-out candidate Eduardo Rodríguez for a decent prospect return.
22. New York Mets (43-50)
Previous Rank: 22
Last Week: 1-2 vs. LAD
Another series loss to begin the second half dropped the Mets to 14-23 since the beginning of June, and a soft sell at the deadline now seems likely. Closer David Robertson and outfielder Tommy Pham are both rentals that should appeal to contending teams, while the X-factor will be whether they shop Max Scherzer. The future Hall of Famer will have roughly $15.2 million remaining on his 2023 salary on deadline day, and his contract carries a $43.3 million player option for 2024, so there are significant financial hurdles in getting a deal done.
Nos. 21-19
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21. Cleveland Guardians (46-48)
Previous Rank: 18
Last Week: 0-3 @ TEX
The Guardians have not been more than 5.5 games back in the AL Central standings at any point this season, and a pitching staff that ranks 10th in the majors with a 3.92 ERA has helped prop up a middling offense all year. Shane Bieber landing on the injured list with elbow inflammation clouds his status as a potential trade candidate.
20. San Diego Padres (44-50)
Previous Rank: 20
Last Week: 1-3 @ PHI
The Padres are a distant fourth in the NL West standings, and they fell to 19-27 on the road after losing three of four to Philadelphia over the weekend. With six more games on the road this week, they could be clear sellers by this time next week. If that's the case, red-hot starter Blake Snell and All-Star closer Josh Hader will both be hot commodities at the deadline.
19. Chicago Cubs (43-50)
Previous Rank: 17
Last Week: 1-2 vs. BOS
An 11-2 stretch of games in June had the Cubs looking like potential sleepers to contend in the NL Central, but a 6-11 record since that point has them once again looking like deadline sellers. Starter Marcus Stroman and center fielder Cody Bellinger rank among the market's top trade chips if they decide to sell high on them.
Nos. 18-16
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18. Los Angeles Angels (47-48)
Previous Rank: 21
Last Week: 1-2 vs. HOU
With a 2-11 record in their last 13 games following a series loss to the Houston Astros, the Angels appear ready to waive the white flag once again while staring down missing the playoffs for the 14th time in 15 years. The front office is reportedly ready to listen to offers for AL MVP front-runner Shohei Ohtani and is looking for two top 100 prospects to begin the conversation.
17. Seattle Mariners (47-46)
Previous Rank: 16
Last Week: 1-2 vs. DET
An 8-4 record and plus-20 run differential to begin July has the Mariners trending toward contention after a disappointing start to the year. The collection of young starters behind ace Luis Castillo—George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo—will be the key to the team's second-half success. They lead the majors with a 2.21 ERA as a team in July.
16. Minnesota Twins (48-47)
Previous Rank: 19
Last Week: 3-0 @ OAK
The Twins currently have a 72.7 percent chance to win the AL Central title, according to FanGraphs. A starting rotation that ranks third in the majors with a 3.76 ERA gives them an upper hand, but they could use a bit more offensive firepower at the deadline with just 4.26 runs per game, a total that ranks 21st in the majors.
Nos. 15-13
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15. New York Yankees (50-45)
Previous Rank: 15
Last Week: 1-2 @ COL
The Yankees fell to the bottom of the AL East standings with a walk-off loss against the Colorado Rockies on Sunday, and an upcoming eight-game stretch against the Los Angeles Angels, Kansas City Royals and New York Mets will be a golden opportunity to make up some ground. A poor showing in the coming weeks could make it difficult to justify buying at the deadline.
14. Arizona Diamondbacks (52-42)
Previous Rank: 6
Last Week: 0-3 @ TOR
The D-backs have stumbled to a 2-8 record in their last 10 games, going from two games up to three games back in the NL West standings in the process. The offense is hitting a paltry .210/.297/.326 in July and averaging only 2.91 runs per game, and finding another quality bat should be a priority at the deadline.
13. Miami Marlins (53-43)
Previous Rank: 4
Last Week: 0-3 @ BAL
The Marlins steadily climbed the rankings during a 19-8 month of June, but they have stumbled in July and were swept by the Baltimore Orioles to begin the second half. Adding another quality bat to help Luis Arraez and Jorge Soler shoulder the load could be the move that pushes them over the top in pursuit of just the fourth playoff berth in franchise history.
Nos. 12-10
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12. Cincinnati Reds (50-44)
Previous Rank: 5
Last Week: 0-3 vs. MIL
The Reds are part of that large group we mentioned in the introduction with a ton of fluidity between No. 5 and No. 15 in these rankings, and getting swept by the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers at home was enough to send them tumbling several spots. Slugger Christian Encarnacion-Strand is the latest high-profile prospect to be promoted from the minors after he hit .331/.405/.637 with 21 doubles, 20 home runs and 62 RBI in 67 games at Triple-A.
11. San Francisco Giants (52-41)
Previous Rank: 13
Last Week: 3-0 @ PIT
Any thoughts of the Giants potentially selling guys like Alex Cobb and J.D. Davis at the deadline went out the window when they used an 18-8 month of June to climb back into the NL West race. With rookie Casey Schmitt hitting .109 in his last plate 62 appearances and Thairo Estrada sidelined with a fractured hand, finding some middle infield depth should be a priority at the deadline.
10. Boston Red Sox (51-44)
Previous Rank: 14
Last Week: 2-1 @ CHC
With an 8-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday, the Red Sox moved out of the AL East cellar for the first time since May 28, and a 10-2 record in their last 12 games makes them one of the hottest teams in baseball. Trevor Story could begin a rehab assignment as early as this week, with an eye on potentially returning in August as he continues to work his way back from January elbow surgery. His return could prove as impactful as any outside addition.
Nos. 9-7
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9. Philadelphia Phillies (51-42)
Previous Rank: 12
Last Week: 3-1 vs. SD
The Phillies might be a corner infield bat and a quality bullpen arm away from making another series postseason run. Their 26-12 record since the beginning of June is bested only by the Atlanta Braves (28-8), and they have a plus-55 run differential during that stretch. Left-hander Cristopher Sánchez has helped shore up the rotation with a 3.26 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in 30.1 innings over six starts.
8. Houston Astros (52-42)
Previous Rank: 10
Last Week: 2-1 @ LAA
The Astros improved to 19-11 against the rest of the AL West with a series win over the Angels. With José Urquidy on a rehab assignment and slugger Yordan Alvarez poised to start one of his own once he gets over an illness, the Astros' biggest summer additions could come in the form of in-house talent getting healthy.
7. Milwaukee Brewers (52-42)
Previous Rank: 11
Last Week: 3-0 @ CIN
The Brewers played the Cincinnati Reds on both ends of the All-Star break and went 5-1 against them to move back into first place in the NL Central race. Will the front office finally make a push to improve at the trade deadline? With Rowdy Tellez and Brian Anderson on the injured list, the team is sorely lacking in impact bats outside of Christian Yelich, Willy Adames and William Contreras.
Nos. 6-4
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6. Los Angeles Dodgers (54-39)
Previous Rank: 8
Last Week: 2-1 @ NYM
The Dodgers won six in a row before suffering a 2-1 loss in extra innings against the New York Mets on Sunday. A starting shortstop and a proven starting pitcher or two should be on their summer shopping list, and with baseball's No. 2-ranked farm system, they have plenty of ammunition to swing multiple impact trades before the deadline.
5. Toronto Blue Jays (53-41)
Previous Rank: 9
Last Week: 3-0 vs. ARI
With a sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks over the weekend, the Blue Jays improved to 26-18 at the Rogers Centre, but they have stumbled on the road at times this year. The pitching staff ranks fourth in the majors with a 3.12 ERA in July, and the bullpen has been a major strength all season with Jordan Romano, Erik Swanson, Tim Mayza and Yimi García anchoring the relief corps.
4. Texas Rangers (56-39)
Previous Rank: 7
Last Week: 3-0 vs. CLE
The Rangers outscored the Cleveland Guardians 20-9 in a three-game sweep coming out of the All-Star break, and they now lead the majors with a plus-159 run differential. A rough upcoming stretch of games against the Tampa Bay Rays, Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros awaits in the coming days.
Nos. 3-1
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3. Baltimore Orioles (57-36)
Previous Rank: 3
Last Week: 3-0 vs. MIA
Entering Monday, the Orioles were working on a season-high eight-game winning streak after sweeping the Miami Marlins over the weekend, and a huge four-game series against the Rays in Tampa Bay awaits later this week. There may be no team that would benefit more from adding someone like Lucas Giolito or Marcus Stroman at the trade deadline.
2. Tampa Bay Rays (60-37)
Previous Rank: 2
Last Week: 2-1 @ KC
The Rays seem to have righted the ship after a seven-game losing streak just before the start of the All-Star break, but now they are in a stretch of 15 games against teams with a winning record. Finding a durable veteran starting pitcher who can chew up some innings and take some pressure off the bullpen while also providing depth in case of injury should be a deadline priority.
1. Atlanta Braves (61-31)
Previous Rank: 1
Last Week: 1-2 vs. CWS
The Braves had an impressive stretch of 11 straight series wins snapped when they lost two of three to the Chicago White Sox, but they remain baseball's best team heading into the second half. Starting pitching depth and a quality bench bat might be all they need to shore things up for the stretch run.
Complete Rankings
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Complete Rankings
1. Atlanta Braves
2. Tampa Bay Rays
3. Baltimore Orioles
4. Texas Rangers
5. Toronto Blue Jays
6. Los Angeles Dodgers
7. Milwaukee Brewers
8. Houston Astros
9. Philadelphia Phillies
10. Boston Red Sox
11. San Francisco Giants
12. Cincinnati Reds
13. Miami Marlins
14. Arizona Diamondbacks
15. New York Yankees
16. Minnesota Twins
17. Seattle Mariners
18. Los Angeles Angels
19. Chicago Cubs
20. San Diego Padres
21. Cleveland Guardians
22. New York Mets
23. Detroit Tigers
24. Chicago White Sox
25. St. Louis Cardinals
26. Pittsburgh Pirates
27. Colorado Rockies
28. Washington Nationals
29. Kansas City Royals
30. Oakland Athletics
Highlight of the Week: Elias Díaz Wins All-Star Game MVP
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Colorado Rockies catcher Elias Díaz has been one of the biggest breakout players of the 2023 season, and he was a deserving first-time All-Star.
The 32-year-old is hitting .269/.324/.423 with 15 doubles, nine home runs and 45 RBI in 83 games, and his two-run home run off Baltimore Orioles closer Félix Bautista in the eighth inning of the All-Star Game gave the National League a 3-2 victory.
Not a bad Midsummer Classic debut for the first catcher in Rockies history to be named to the NL squad.
"Obviously I was aware that I was the first Rockies catcher to be an All-Star; I took a lot of pride in that," Díaz told reporters. "I wanted to make the Rockies proud and put my name on the map, and now history is continuing to write itself with the MVP."
It's shaping up to be another long season for the Rockies as they sit at the bottom of the NL West standings, but Díaz has been one of the few bright spots.
He is in the second season of a three-year, $14.5 million deal that is shaping up to be a nice bargain extension.
Team of the Week
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C Jonah Heim, TEX
(4-for-11, 2B, HR, 4 RBI)
1B Triston Casas, BOS
(4-for-9, 3 HR, 5 RBI)
2B Adam Frazier, BAL
(4-for-8, 2 HR, 4 RBI)
3B Rafael Devers, BOS
(6-for-13, 2 2B, 3 HR, 3 RBI)
SS CJ Abrams, WAS
(6-for-13, 2B, 3B, HR, RBI)
OF Chas McCormick, HOU
(7-for-11, 3 HR, 5 RBI)
OF Kerry Carpenter, DET
(5-for-11, 3 HR, 6 RBI)
OF Kyle Schwarber, PHI
(5-for-18, 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI)
DH Bryce Harper, PHI
(6-for-13, 2 2B, HR, 3 RBI)
SP Corbin Burnes, MIL
(1 GS, W, 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 13 K)
SP Kyle Bradish, BAL
(1 GS, W, 7.1 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K)
SP Max Scherzer, NYM
(1 GS, ND, 7.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 6 K)
SP Charlie Morton, ATL
(1 GS, W, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K)
SP Julio Urías, LAD
(1 GS, W, 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K)
RP Devin Williams, MIL
(3 G, 3/3 SV, 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K)
AL Award Rankings
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AL MVP
1. Shohei Ohtani, LAA
2. Wander Franco, TB
3. Corey Seager, TEX
4. Bo Bichette, TOR
5. Luis Robert Jr., CWS
6. Adolis García, TEX
7. Yandy Díaz, TB
8. Randy Arozarena, TB
9. José Ramírez, CLE
10. Jonah Heim, TEX
AL Cy Young
1. Shane McClanahan, TB
2. Framber Valdez, HOU
3. Nathan Eovaldi, TEX
4. Gerrit Cole, NYY
5. Kevin Gausman, TOR
AL Rookie of the Year
1. Josh Jung, TEX
2. Masataka Yoshida, BOS
3. Gunnar Henderson, BAL
NL Award Rankings
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NL MVP
1. Ronald Acuña Jr., ATL
2. Corbin Carroll, ARI
3. Mookie Betts, LAD
4. Freddie Freeman, LAD
5. Sean Murphy, ATL
6. Juan Soto, SD
7. Luis Arraez, MIA
8. Matt Olson, ATL
9. Fernando Tatis Jr., SD
10. Christian Yelich, MIL
NL Cy Young
1. Blake Snell, SD
2. Clayton Kershaw, LAD
3. Marcus Stroman, CHC
4. Zac Gallen, ARI
5. Logan Webb, SF
NL Rookie of the Year
1. Corbin Carroll, ARI
2. Kodai Senga, NYM
3. Spencer Steer, CIN
