MLB Power Rankings: Where All 30 Teams Stand with 1 Month Left in 2023 Season
The Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves are in a tier of their own right now when it comes to World Series contenders, and they continue to battle for the top spot in our weekly power rankings.
Behind them, the field of postseason contenders continues to take shape, and the Milwaukee Brewers and Seattle Mariners have done the most to improve their standing over the last few weeks.
On the flip side, the Texas Rangers have stumbled at the worst possible time, while the Los Angeles Angels, New York Yankees and San Diego Padres have all fallen far enough out of the wild-card race to be considered also-rans at this point.
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.
No. 30-29
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30. Kansas City Royals (41-91)
Previous Rank: 29
Last Week: 1-2 @ OAK, 0-3 @ SEA
The Royals have six series losses and a two-game split over their last seven matchups, and dropping two of three to the Oakland Athletics earned them a quick ticket to the bottom of the rankings. Left-hander Cole Ragans struck out 11 over six scoreless innings on Wednesday, and he now has a 2.08 ERA in six starts since he was acquired from the Texas Rangers in exchange for Aroldis Chapman on June 30.
29. Oakland Athletics (38-93)
Previous Rank: 30
Last Week: 2-1 vs. KC, 2-2 @ CWS
It came against two of the worst teams in baseball, but last week marked just the second time all season that the A's won more than three games in a calendar week. They also matched a season high with 12 runs scored against the Chicago White Sox on Friday, with Nick Allen (4-for-5, HR, 5 RBI) and Ryan Noda (3-for-5, HR, 3 RBI) leading the charge.
Nos. 28-27
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28. Colorado Rockies (49-81)
Previous Rank: 27
Last Week: 0-3 @ TB, 1-2 @ BAL
All things considered, the Rockies played competitive baseball last week on the road against a pair of playoff-bound AL East foes. After getting blown out 12-4 on Tuesday, they lost their next four games by a combined five runs before avoiding a sweep with a 4-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday. Reports of mutual interest between veteran Charlie Blackmon and the team on a new deal made headlines on Friday.
27. Chicago White Sox (52-79)
Previous Rank: 28
Last Week: 1-2 vs. SEA, 2-2 vs. OAK
On Tuesday, the White Sox fired executive vice president Kenny Williams and general manager Rick Hahn, and the moves they make to fill those vacancies will go a long way in revamping the organization's maligned culture. It looks like newly acquired catcher Korey Lee and second baseman Lenyn Sosa will get an extended look over the final month to try to make their case for a spot in the 2024 lineup.
Nos. 26-25
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26. St. Louis Cardinals (56-75)
Previous Rank: 25
Last Week: 1-2 @ PIT, 0-3 @ PHI
The Cardinals are limping to the finish line on a disappointing 2023 season, and the final month will be about giving young players such as Jordan Walker, Masyn Winn and Alec Burleson a chance to gain valuable experience in preparation for everyday roles in 2024. Veteran Adam Wainwright is 0-8 with a 12.56 ERA in his last nine starts, and he continues to sit two victories away from 200 for his career.
25. Pittsburgh Pirates (58-73)
Previous Rank: 26
Last Week: 2-1 vs. STL, 1-3 vs. CHC
The Pirates improved to 7-3 against the Cardinals with a series win last week, and while they still have three games remaining head-to-head, they have already clinched their first winning season against the Redbirds since 2013. Ace Mitch Keller tossed eight shutout innings against a good Chicago Cubs offense in a win on Friday.
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Nos. 24-23
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24. New York Mets (60-71)
Previous Rank: 24
Last Week: 1-2 @ ATL, 1-2 vs. LAA
After going 5-2 last week and showing some signs of life, the Mets crawled back into their shell with a pair of series losses last week, and they are now 3-10 with a minus-42 run differential against the rival Atlanta Braves on the year. Can Kodai Senga, who has a 2.89 ERA in eight starts since the All-Star break, make a late run at Corbin Carroll in the NL Rookie of the Year race?
23. Detroit Tigers (59-71)
Previous Rank: 22
Last Week: 1-2 vs. CHC, 1-2 vs. HOU
The Tigers are 20-21 since the All-Star break despite a pair of series losses last week. They have the easiest remaining schedule of any team, according to Tankathon, and they need just eight more wins to improve on last year's finish, so there is still time for some positive takeaways in another rebuilding season. The New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox await this week.
Nos. 22-21
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22. New York Yankees (62-68)
Previous Rank: 20
Last Week: 1-2 vs. WAS, 1-2 @ TB
A brutal 7-17 month of August is nearly over for a Yankees team that was four games above .500 and still in the thick of the AL wild-card race when July came to a close. It's been over a month since its last series win, which came when it swept the lowly Kansas City Royals in a three-game series from July 21-23. How will the Yankees overhaul an overpaid, underperforming roster this winter?
21. San Diego Padres (61-70)
Previous Rank: 19
Last Week: 2-1 vs. MIA, 0-3 @ MIL
A three-game sweep in Milwaukee over the weekend might be the final nail in the coffin for the Padres, who are now tied with the Washington Nationals for seventh in the NL wild-card standings. The big storyline over the final month will be whether Blake Snell can become the seventh pitcher in MLB history to win a Cy Young in both leagues, joining Gaylord Perry, Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Pedro Martínez, Roy Halladay and Max Scherzer.
No. 20: Cleveland Guardians
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Record: 62-69
Previous Rank: 23
Last Week: 1-2 vs. LAD, 2-1 @ TOR
We have arrived at the make-or-break portion of the Guardians' season, with a pair of series against the AL Central rival Minnesota Twins sandwiched around a three-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays.
It's division title or bust, and Cleveland enters play on Monday trailing the Twins by six games in the standings. If that number grows by week's end, it will likely prove to be an insurmountable deficit.
Right-hander Tanner Bibee has pitched his way into the AL Rookie of the Year conversation with a 2.40 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 71.1 innings over his last 12 starts going back to mid-June.
No. 19: Washington Nationals
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Record: 61-70
Previous Rank: 21
Last Week: 2-1 @ NYY, 2-1 @ MIA
"It will be an upset if they avoid 100 losses."
That's what I wrote about the Nationals back on Feb. 15 in my first power rankings of the new year.
With two more series wins last week, they are now 25-16 since the All-Star break and making a legitimate push for a winning record. They already have six more victories than they did a year ago, and this strong second-half performance will serve as an excellent springboard into 2024 for the young roster.
No. 18: Los Angeles Angels
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Record: 63-68
Previous Rank: 18
Last Week: 0-3 vs. CIN, 2-1 @ NYM
News that Shohei Ohtani has a tear in his UCL and is finished pitching for the remainder of the 2023 season overshadowed anything the Angels did on the field last week, and now it's a waiting game to see if the best player on the planet is headed for a second Tommy John surgery.
With six of their final 10 series against teams currently in the postseason hunt, it's going to take a miracle for them to avoid missing the playoffs for the ninth consecutive year, and an offseason of transition awaits with Ohtani hitting the open market.
No. 17: Miami Marlins
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Record: 66-65
Previous Rank: 16
Last Week: 1-2 @ SD, 1-2 vs. WAS
The Marlins' postseason hopes are hanging by a thread following four straight series losses, and the fifth-toughest remaining schedule of any team does not provide an optimistic path ahead.
Rookie phenom Eury Pérez recorded another quality start against the Washington Nationals last week. The 20-year-old now has a 2.68 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 90 strikeouts in 74 innings, and he could be one of baseball's best pitchers for the next decade.
No. 16: San Francisco Giants
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Record: 67-63
Previous Rank: 15
Last Week: 1-2 @ PHI, 1-2 vs. ATL
The Giants were in the driver's seat atop the NL wild-card standings at the end of July, but seven straight series losses have sent them tumbling down the standings. They are now on the outside looking in for a postseason berth.
They kick off the upcoming week with a huge three-game series at home against the Cincinnati Reds, who are also battling for a wild-card berth, and top prospect Kyle Harrison will make his second career start on Monday opposite fellow rookie southpaw Andrew Abbott.
No. 15: Boston Red Sox
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Record: 69-62
Previous Rank: 13
Last Week: 2-2 @ HOU, 1-2 vs. LAD
The Red Sox went 6-4 on their recent 10-game road trip against the Washington Nationals, New York Yankees and Houston Astros to keep their postseason hopes alive, though their return to Fenway Park was soured by a weekend series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Outfielder Adam Duvall went 14-for-29 with five doubles, five home runs and 12 RBI last week, and he has proved throughout his career that he can carry an offense for weeks at a time when he catches fire at the plate.
No. 14: Cincinnati Reds
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Record: 68-64
Previous Rank: 17
Last Week: 3-0 @ LAA, 1-3 @ ARI
Considering they rank 25th in the majors with a 5.28 ERA in August, the Reds could be in a lot worse shape than the 9-15 record they have posted this month.
This will be a crucial week for their playoff outlook as they take on a pair of fellow NL wild-card hopefuls in the San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs.
With Nick Lodolo suffering a setback on his rehab assignment and Hunter Greene allowing 15 hits, eight walks and 13 earned runs over 6.2 innings in his first two starts back from his own IL stint, optimism is in short supply right now surrounding the starting rotation.
No. 13: Toronto Blue Jays
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Record: 71-60
Previous Rank: 10
Last Week: 1-2 @ BAL, 1-2 vs. CLE
The Blue Jays lost consecutive series for just the second time since the All-Star break last week, and they now sit 2.5 games back for the third AL wild-card spot as the first team on the wrong side of the cut line.
A streaking Washington Nationals team awaits this week before they play nine straight games against the Colorado Rockies, Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals, so there will be ample opportunity for them to build some momentum as the calendar flips to September and the wild-card race hits a fever pitch.
No. 12: Texas Rangers
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Record: 73-57
Previous Rank: 5
Last Week: 0-2 @ ARI, 1-3 @ MIN
The Rangers have not occupied a spot outside the top 10 in these rankings since the second week of the season, and they have spent 12 of the last 13 weeks ranked inside the top five. However, they have hit a major bump in the road just as postseason races are heating up.
With a 7-6 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Sunday, they slipped to 1-9 in their last 10 games, and Monday marks the first time since April 8 that they won't hold at least a share of the AL West division lead at the beginning of the day. Can they right ship before the wheels fall off what has been a fantastic season to this point?
No. 11: Minnesota Twins
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Record: 68-63
Previous Rank: 12
Last Week: 0-2 @ MIL, 3-1 vs. TEX
The Twins have built their AL Central lead to a season-high six games, and with six of their next nine contests against the second-place Cleveland Guardians, they have a golden opportunity to put things out of reach.
Right-hander Joe Ryan made his first start since Aug. 2 on Saturday and limited the Texas Rangers to five hits and one earned run over five innings. Getting him back alongside Pablo López, Sonny Gray and Bailey Ober gives Minnesota a four-man staff that could pose a real problem in the postseason.
No. 10: Arizona Diamondbacks
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Record: 69-62
Previous Rank: 14
Last Week: 2-0 vs. TEX, 3-1 vs. CIN
It looked like the D-backs' season was slipping away when they lost nine in a row to begin August, but they have since gone 12-3 in their last 15 games and are again staked to a wild-card spot with a 1.5-game cushion for third in the standings.
Ace Zac Gallen enters Monday's outing on a run of five straight quality starts, during which time he has posted a 2.01 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 36 strikeouts in 31.1 innings. In the process, he narrowed the gap considerably to NL Cy Young front-runner Blake Snell after finishing fifth in the balloting a year ago.
No. 9: Philadelphia Phillies
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Record: 72-58
Previous Rank: 11
Last Week: 2-1 vs. SF, 3-0 vs. STL
With two more series wins last week and a 15-9 record in August, the Phillies have moved to the top of the NL wild-card standings and have a 3.5-game cushion for a postseason berth. Bryce Harper went 12-for-23 with three home runs and 10 RBI last week, and this is a perfect time for one of his scorching hot streaks.
Their final 10 games are against what's left of the New York Mets and the Pittsburgh Pirates, so if they can avoid losing any ground in the standings over the next couple weeks, they will be in a prime position to coast into October.
No. 8: Chicago Cubs
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Record: 69-61
Previous Rank: 9
Last Week: 2-1 @ DET, 3-1 @ PIT
The Cubs were a late-July hot streak away from selling at the trade deadline, and now they sit second in the NL wild-card standings thanks to a 27-14 record since the All-Star break that trails only the Los Angeles Dodgers for the best mark in the National League during that span.
Javier Assad has a 2.86 ERA in four starts since moving into the rotation at the beginning of August, while 2021 first-round pick Jordan Wicks allowed two hits and one earned run while striking out nine over five innings in his MLB debut on Saturday. Those two rookies will be major X-factors over the final month.
No. 7: Houston Astros
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Record: 74-58
Previous Rank: 7
Last Week: 2-2 vs. BOS, 2-1 @ DET
The Astros have been treading water the past few weeks with an 8-8 record in their last 16 games, and they have not had a winning streak of more than three games since before the All-Star break. But FanGraphs still gives them an 85.6 percent chance of making the playoffs.
They have the easiest remaining schedule of the three AL West title contenders by a wide margin, including six games with the Royals and three games with the Athletics. That could be enough to vault them to their sixth division title in the last seven years.
No. 6: Milwaukee Brewers
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Record: 73-57
Previous Rank: 8
Last Week: 2-0 vs. MIN, 3-0 vs. SD
The Brewers have won eight in a row since getting swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium earlier this month, and their lead over the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central standings has climbed from two to four games during that hot streak.
They rank in the top 10 in ERA (3.55, seventh) and runs scored (130, eighth) in August, and that is the type of balanced production that has been lacking for much of the year as the offense has scuffled at times and the pitching staff has battled injury.
Right-hander Freddy Peralta is on quite the roll right now with a 1.75 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 59 strikeouts in 36 innings over his last six starts.
No. 5: Seattle Mariners
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Record: 74-56
Previous Rank: 6
Last Week: 2-1 @ CWS, 3-0 vs. KC
The Mariners have gone an AL-best 19-5 with a plus-62 run differential in August, finally turning potential into production after spending most of the year hovering around the .500 mark. Sunday's victory over the Kansas City Royals gave them their first outright lead atop the AL West standings since they won on Opening Day.
Julio Rodríguez (22 G, 1.139 OPS, 15 XBH, 27 RBI, 11 SB), Teoscar Hernández (23 G, 1.050 OPS, 15 XBH, 17 RBI) and Cal Raleigh (24 G, .890 OPS, 9 HR, 21 RBI) have been three of the hottest hitters in baseball this month.
No. 4: Tampa Bay Rays
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Record: 80-52
Previous Rank: 4
Last Week: 3-0 vs. COL, 2-1 vs. NYY
The Rays have effectively rebounded from an 8-16 month of July, rattling off five straight series wins to stay within striking distance of the Baltimore Orioles for the AL East division lead. Their run differential (+174) is still tops in the AL and second in baseball behind the Atlanta Braves (+222).
Right-hander Tyler Glasnow tossed six scoreless innings of one-hit ball against the New York Yankees on Saturday, and he has a 3.12 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 114 strikeouts in 86.2 innings over 15 starts this year. With Shane McClanahan sidelined, he is poised to be the ace of the staff in October.
No. 3: Baltimore Orioles
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Record: 81-49
Previous Rank: 3
Last Week: 2-1 vs. TOR, 2-1 vs. COL
The Orioles have not lost more than two consecutive games since July 1, and with a 7-2 record in their last nine games, they enter play on Monday with a two-game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East race.
The offense is averaging 6.2 runs per game during that nine-game span, and the pitching staff ranks third in the majors with a 3.50 ERA in August. Breakout ace Kyle Bradish recorded another quality start on Saturday, and he now has a 3.03 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 130 strikeouts in 133.2 innings in his second season in the big leagues.
No. 2: Atlanta Braves
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Record: 84-45
Previous Rank: 1
Last Week: 2-1 vs. NYM, 2-1 @ SF
The Braves didn't do anything to warrant falling out of the No. 1 spot this week, they were simply overtaken by a red-hot Los Angeles Dodgers team that is playing the best baseball of any team in the league right now.
The Braves still have the best record in the majors and a massive 13-game cushion in the NL East standings, and with a 17-8 mark in August, they are still playing as well as anyone outside of the Dodgers.
Veteran Charlie Morton is working on an 18-inning scoreless streak, and getting him pitching at a frontline level alongside Max Fried and Spencer Strider makes the rotation that much more dangerous for October.
No. 1: Los Angeles Dodgers
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Record: 80-49
Previous Rank: 2
Last Week: 2-1 @ CLE, 2-1 @ BOS
With a 21-4 record in their last 25 games, the Dodgers are the hottest team in baseball, and their lead in the NL West standings has swelled from two games to 12 games during that span.
The pitching staff leads the majors with a 3.00 ERA in August, and the bullpen has converted 12 of 14 save chances this month.
The idea of anyone catching Ronald Acuña Jr. in the NL MVP race seemed highly unlikely just a few weeks ago, but with a .464/.514/.814 line that includes 10 doubles, eight home runs and 25 RBI in August, Mookie Betts now looks like the front-runner for the award.
On top of his stellar offensive numbers, the 30-year-old has also been invaluable defensively in his first season seeing regular action as a middle infielder.
Complete Rankings
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Complete Rankings
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. Atlanta Braves
3. Baltimore Orioles
4. Tampa Bay Rays
5. Seattle Mariners
6. Milwaukee Brewers
7. Houston Astros
8. Chicago Cubs
9. Philadelphia Phillies
10. Arizona Diamondbacks
11. Minnesota Twins
12. Texas Rangers
13. Toronto Blue Jays
14. Cincinnati Reds
15. Boston Red Sox
16. San Francisco Giants
17. Miami Marlins
18. Los Angeles Angels
19. Washington Nationals
20. Cleveland Guardians
21. San Diego Padres
22. New York Yankees
23. Detroit Tigers
24. New York Mets
25. Pittsburgh Pirates
26. St. Louis Cardinals
27. Chicago White Sox
28. Colorado Rockies
29. Oakland Athletics
30. Kansas City Royals
Highlight of the Week: Freddie Freeman Reaches 50 Doubles
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With a pair of doubles on Sunday, Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman raised his MLB-leading total to an even 50, and he claimed a spot in the team record book in the process.
The single-season franchise record belongs to Johnny Frederick, who had 52 doubles as a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1929. With 33 games left on the schedule, Freeman should blow past that total, and he could make a run at a rare 60-double season.
Only six times in MLB history has a player reached 60 doubles, and no one has done it since Joe Medwick and Charlie Gehringer both reached the mark in 1936. Todd Helton (59 in 2000) and Nick Castellanos (58 in 2019) have come the closest in recent years.
AL Award Rankings
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AL MVP
- Shohei Ohtani, LAA
- Kyle Tucker, HOU
- Julio Rodríguez, SEA
- Luis Robert Jr., CHW
- Corey Seager, TEX
- Yandy Díaz, TBR
- Marcus Semien, TEX
- José Ramírez, CLE
- Adolis García, TEX
- Bobby Witt Jr., KC
AL Cy Young
- Gerrit Cole, NYY
- Luis Castillo, SEA
- Kevin Gausman, TOR
- Framber Valdez, HOU
- Kyle Bradish, BAL
AL Rookie of the Year
- Gunnar Henderson, BAL
- Tanner Bibee, CLE
- Josh Jung, TEX
NL Award Rankings
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NL MVP
- Mookie Betts, LAD
- Ronald Acuña Jr., ATL
- Freddie Freeman, LAD
- Matt Olson, ATL
- Corbin Carroll, ARI
- Cody Bellinger, CHC
- Juan Soto, SD
- Luis Arraez, MIA
- Sean Murphy, ATL
- Ha-Seong Kim, SDP
NL Cy Young
- Blake Snell, SDP
- Zac Gallen, ARI
- Justin Steele, CHC
- Spencer Strider, ATL
- Logan Webb, SFG
NL Rookie of the Year
- Corbin Carroll, ARI
- Kodai Senga, NYM
- Matt McLain, CIN
What to Watch for This Week
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Key Series for 1st Half of the Week
- Aug. 28-30: Houston Astros @ Boston Red Sox
- Aug. 28-30: Milwaukee Brewers @ Chicago Cubs
- Aug. 28-30: Cincinnati Reds @ San Francisco Giants
- Aug. 28-30: Arizona Diamondbacks @ Los Angeles Dodgers
- Aug. 28-30: Cleveland Guardians @ Minnesota Twins
Key Series for 2nd Half of the Week
- Aug. 31-Sept. 3: Atlanta Braves @ Los Angeles Dodgers
- Sept. 1-3: Chicago Cubs @ Cincinnati Reds
- Sept. 1-3: Minnesota Twins @ Texas Rangers
- Sept. 1- 3: Philadelphia Phillies @ Milwaukee Brewers
- Sept. 1-3: Baltimore Orioles @ Arizona Diamondbacks
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