MLB Power Rankings 2024: Orioles Falling, Mets and Padres Rising Entering Final Week

Zachary D. RymerSep 23, 2024

As MLB's 2024 regular season heads into its final week, the pieces for the playoffs are beginning to fall into place.

Five teams have punched their tickets, with the Milwaukee Brewers and Cleveland Guardians having sewn up division titles. The Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and Houston Astros are next in line to do the same.

There's still drama aplenty in the wild-card races, however.

The Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins and Seattle Mariners are within 2.0 games of each other for the last two spots in the American League. The same applies to the New York Mets, Arizona Diamondbacks and Atlanta Braves in the National League.

As for the major award races, only the Rookie of the Year is unsettled in both the AL and the NL.

There isn't a clear favorite for the former, while the latter is a three-man standoff worthy of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Paul Skenes remains good for one dominant start per week, but Jackson Merrill and Jackson Chourio are still chasing him anyway.

Let's explore all this in the latest rendition of B/R's MLB Power Rankings.

Nos. 30-21: The 'End Can't Come Soon Enough' Tier

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Elly De La Cruz

30. Chicago White Sox (36-120)

29. Miami Marlins (57-99)

28. Colorado Rockies (60-96)

27. Los Angeles Angels (63-93)

26. Washington Nationals (69-87)

25. Oakland Athletics (67-89)

24. Pittsburgh Pirates (73-83)

23. Toronto Blue Jays (73-83)

22. Texas Rangers (74-82)

21. Cincinnati Reds (76-81)

The White Sox have tied the 1962 Mets for the most losses in a season in MLB's modern history. With just one more, the record will be all theirs.

In case anyone's wondering whether it's really that bad on the South Side of Chicago, "damning" is a good word to describe the report on the organization that Brittany Ghiroli and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic published last Thursday.

The Marlins endured their second 20-4 defeat of the season at the hands of the Dodgers last week, but a tip of the ol' hat is owed to manager Skip Schumaker for not deliberately raining on Shohei Ohtani's parade in that one.

The Rockies also get a hat-tip for playing solid baseball of late. They're in a 9-7 stretch that has seen them take series from several contenders, including the Diamondbacks last week.

By contrast, the Angels' series win over the White Sox last week was only their second since August 9. They should be thinking ahead to 2025, and specifically about whether to take Mike Trout up on his willingness to move off center field.

Brent Rooker needs just two more home runs to become the first Athletics hitter to reach 40 since Khris Davis in 2018. The last A's hitter to go there before him was Jason Giambi in 2000.

The Nationals snapped a five-game skid with a win over the Cubs on Saturday, but it wasn't a good day for the organization. It's the same day they demoted All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams following his all-nighter in a Chicago-area casino.

The Pirates are now 18-31 dating back to July 31, but at least they got 11 innings of one-run ball from Paul Skenes last week. His 1.99 ERA is the lowest for a rookie starter ever in the live-ball era.

The Blue Jays and Rangers also showcase exciting rookies as they otherwise stumble to the finish. For the former, infielder Spencer Horwitz has a 1.006 OPS since August 30. For the latter, Kumar Rocker has fanned 12 of the 34 batters he's faced in two starts.

Though David Bell is now officially their ex-manager, the Reds are putting together a strong September to the tune of a 12-8 record. Elly De La Cruz will lead MLB in strikeouts, but he also has a shot to finish with over 70 extra-base hits and 70 stolen bases.

Nos. 20-16: The 'We Gave It a Good Shot' Tier

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Blake Snell

20. San Francisco Giants (77-79)

19. Boston Red Sox (78-78)

18. Tampa Bay Rays (78-78)

17. St. Louis Cardinals (79-77)

16. Chicago Cubs (80-76)

The Giants played spoiler last week, taking two of three from the Orioles and then sweeping the Royals. And did you know that Blake Snell's 2.32 ERA after the All-Star break for his career is the second-best of all-time? It's true.

What once looked like a promising season for the Red Sox has gone full crash-landing. They're 25-35 since moving to 10 games over .500 on the last day of the first half, and now Rafael Devers is done for the year because of his persistent shoulder issues.

The Rays finishing ahead of Boston seemed like a long shot even a couple of weeks ago, but they're now 11-5 in their last 16 against AL opponents. Former top prospect Shane Baz is on a heater, racking up a 2.37 ERA over 38 innings in his last six starts.

Though the Cardinals aren't finishing strong, they can at least be reasonably satisfied with what they've seen from Jordan Walker this month. He has struck out 18 times in 19 games, but at least he's done so while slamming five home runs.

Elsewhere in the NL Central, the Cubs are 9-10 since a 20-8 run between July 31 and September 1 had them threatening to upend the NL wild-card race. But at least Jameson Taillon has a hot hand, turning in a 1.08 ERA with his four starts in September.

Nos. 15-11: The 'Trying to Catch the Playoff Bus' Tier

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Julio Rodríguez

15. Seattle Mariners (80-76)

14. Minnesota Twins (81-75)

13. Detroit Tigers (82-74)

12. Kansas City Royals (82-74)

11. Atlanta Braves (85-71)

Despite their stumble against the Yankees last week, the Mariners and Julio Rodríguez, in particular, aren't going quietly. They're 11-6 since September 4, in which J-Rod has a .977 OPS and six home runs.

The Tigers are likewise determined not to be denied in the AL wild-card race, as they're now 27-11 since August 11 and 11-3 in their last 14 games. With an .898 OPS in September, Riley Greene should have down-ballot AL MVP votes coming his way.

Thus, the question with the Twins seems to be whether they've already lost their grip on the AL's third wild-card for good. They've lost 22 out of their last 33, averaging less than four runs per game in the process.

It feels like the Royals should be safer, but they've likewise played themselves onto a precarious ledge with losses in nine out of 12. It's been a weird month for Bobby Witt Jr., who's batting just .282 in September despite only having four 0-fers in 18 games.

The Braves aren't dead yet, and they can hope that Ozzie Albies' return provides a spark. But what they need is more Chris Sales. They're 22-7 when he starts, compared to 63-64 when anyone else toes the rubber.

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Nos. 10-9

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Kyle Tucker

10. Baltimore Orioles (86-70)

Previous Rank: 6

Last Week: 1-2 vs. SFG, 1-2 vs. DET

Though their record is still good, it's been a minute since the Orioles truly felt like a good team. They had losing records in July and August, and an 8-11 record has them on track for more of the same in September.

This is not all one guy's fault, but it's still worth noting that Adley Rutschman has been cold for a while now. In 32 games since August 15, he's batting just .186 with two home runs.

9. Houston Astros (85-71)

Previous Rank: 9

Last Week: 1-2 @ SDP, 3-1 vs. LAA

The Astros are 52-31 since they started getting their act together back on June 19, during which time their starters rank second in MLB with a 3.32 ERA. And while he was initially cool upon coming off the IL, Kyle Tucker heated up with back-to-back four-hit games over the weekend.

The bad news, at least for now, is that Yordan Alvarez left Sunday's game against the Angels with right knee discomfort. It's never good to lose a key hitter this time of year, least of all one with a .949 OPS in the playoffs for his career.

Nos. 8-7

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Luisangel Acuña

8. New York Mets (87-69)

Previous Rank: 11

Last Week: 3-0 vs. WAS, 3-1 vs. PHI

"OMG," indeed. The Mets making the playoffs is becoming inevitable, as they're now tied for the NL's second wild card amid an 18-5 stretch since August 29. Their starters have a 2.26 ERA in this span.

Offense-wise, the Mets must hope that Francisco Lindor's bad back is good again in time for October. But they can also pump their fists about Luisangel Acuña, who's 9-for-22 with three homers in his last six games.

7. Arizona Diamondbacks (87-69)

Previous Rank: 7

Last Week: 1-2 @ COL, 3-1 @ MIL

The Diamondbacks caught the Brewers at the right time, getting them immediately after they had clinched the NL Central. But the Snakes only looked like they wanted it more until Sunday, when they had an 8-0 lead only to allow the Brewers to rally for a 10-9 win.

Whatever the case, Arizona badly needed Brandon Pfaadt to go off for 12 strikeouts on Thursday. Especially given Merrill Kelly's cramping issues, Pfaadt may be Arizona's best candidate for Zac Gallen's co-ace in the playoffs.

Nos. 6-5

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Tobias Myers

6. Cleveland Guardians (90-67)

Previous Rank: 8

Last Week: 3-1 vs. MIN, 1-2 @ STL

For the second time in the last three seasons, the Guardians are AL Central champions. Good on them for getting across the finish line by taking it directly to their competition, as they won each of their last three series against AL Central opponents.

Cleveland's offense will nonetheless be a question mark in the playoffs. Even amid a 13-8 showing in September, it has only scored 3.5 runs per game.

5. Milwaukee Brewers (89-67)

Previous Rank: 4

Last Week: 2-1 vs. PHI, 1-3 vs. ARI

The Brewers have likewise already added to a successful recent history, as they've now been NL Central champions in three out of the last four seasons. And this time, they began with only a 17.5 percent chance of getting it done.

If it's a well-kept secret you want, look no further than rookie righty Tobias Myers. In 18 starts dating back to June 7, he has a 2.44 ERA over 103.1 innings.

Nos. 4-3

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Gerrit Cole

4. San Diego Padres (90-66)

Previous Rank: 5

Last Week: 2-1 vs. HOU, 3-0 vs. CHW

There is no joy in Mudville, for Luis Arraez has struck out. It finally happened last Monday, snapping a string of 141 plate appearances without a K for the defending NL batting champion.

All the same, the Padres are 13-5 in September and winners of eight out of their last nine games. They're at least going to be a wild-card team, and stranger things have happened than them potentially erasing their 3.0-game deficit in the NL West.

3. New York Yankees (92-64)

Previous Rank: 3

Last Week: 2-1 @ SEA, 3-0 @ OAK

Was it a good week for the Yankees? You bet it was a good week for the Yankees. They clinched a playoff spot. Juan Soto looks just fine after a momentary injury scare. And on Friday in Oakland, Gerrit Cole tossed a two-hit complete game.

Maybe the only question now is whether Aaron Judge will hold on to capture the major league home run title. Unthinkable when he was on track for 60, but now Judge (55) only has a two-homer lead on Shohei Ohtani (53).

Nos. 2-1

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Shohei Ohtani

2. Philadelphia Phillies (92-64)

Previous Rank: 1

Last Week: 1-2 @ MIL, 1-3 @ NYM

The Phillies didn't have a great week, and they're now just 7-8 in their last 15 games overall. They have questions in their rotation, as Ranger Suárez is slumping and Taijuan Walker is a liability whenever he starts.

These are, nonetheless, minor issues in the scheme of things, and the fact remains that the Phillies have been sitting pretty for a long time now. Their lead in the NL East hasn't been smaller than 5.0 games since May 18.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (93-63)

Previous Rank: 2

Last Week: 2-1 @ MIA, 2-1 vs. COL

It's not all good in Chavez Ravine. The Dodgers already knew they wouldn't get Tyler Glasnow back this year, and they learned last week that Gavin Stone won't be returning either. Their rotation is a threat to trip them up in October for the second straight year.

On the plus side, Shohei Ohtani continues to make it impossible to sing his praises too loudly. To become the first 50-50 player ever with maybe the greatest game ever is something he would do, and ditto for spearheading a comeback win on Sunday with a game-tying homer in the bottom of the ninth.

Complete Rankings

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ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 21: Members of the Cleveland Guardians staff pose for a photo after winning the American League Central after playing against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on September 21, 2024 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)