MLB Power Rankings 2013: Where Each Team Stands Heading into Trade Deadline

July 31 is almost here.

For those who don’t know, that’s the last day where a Major League Baseball team can complete a trade without the player or players included having to pass through waivers. It’s a very past-faced and exciting day if you’ve never been around or paid attention to it in the past. This year surely won’t disappoint.

As the deadline approaches, it’s important to know how your favorite team has played this season and, more importantly, recently. The next week could determine whether a team is a buyer or a seller, if it adds a veteran for the last stretch of the year or if it starts a complete rebuild of the franchise.

With less than a week until the trade deadline, here’s where every team in the league currently stands, with analysis on each club’s current situation.

*Teams that are italicized have additional analysis on their current situations.

1. St. Louis Cardinals (60-37) 

The Cardinals are the most dangerous team in baseball right now, and they’re the one team you could call a lock to make the postseason. St. Louis should look into adding a shortstop before the deadline, as that’s the only true weakness on the team. Pete Kozma is hitting .241/.283/.298 this year with 29 runs in 89 games.

2. Pittsburgh Pirates (59-39)

The second-most dangerous team in the game, the Pirates, should make the playoffs as well. They haven’t played well this month, though. In 17 games in July, the Pirates have only won eight. Pittsburgh must get a new first baseman. Gaby Sanchez is only hitting .225 and Garrett Jones is hitting just over .250. A change is needed.

3. Boston Red Sox (61-41)

If the Red Sox don’t acquire a starting pitcher to replace the injured Clay Buchholz, it will be tough to fight off the other teams in the AL East. Boston holds a slim lead over the Rays entering Wednesday, but that lead might not be safe for much longer. Boston cannot make it through the remainder of the season with a random starter every fifth day.

4. Tampa Bay Rays (59-42)

The Rays have been outstanding throughout the month of July, and their strong play has gotten them back into the playoff hunt. Tampa Bay has played 19 games in one of the craziest months of the year, and it’s only lost three times. Entering July, the team was more than five games back in the AL East. Now, the deficit is at 1.5 games.

Tampa Bay has gotten great production from Desmond Jennings as of late. In his last 18 games, the outfielder is hitting .333/.407/.493 with two home runs, 11 RBI and 17 runs. The Rays have also gone on this run without Evan Longoria doing much of anything. In his last 18 games, he’s hitting below the Mendoza Line.

The team wouldn't be so close to the top of the division without it’s starting pitching in July. Matt Moore, David Price, Chris Archer, Jeremy Hellickson and Roberto Hernandez are a combined 13-2 this month, and Hernandez is the only one of the five with an ERA higher than 3.00. Watch out for the surging Rays.

5. Cincinnati Reds (57-44)

The Reds shouldn’t have many problems making the playoffs, but Cincinnati might not finish in the top two of the NL Central. The team may look to add some pitching depth—either a starter or reliever—toward the deadline, but nothing is absolutely necessary. Cincinnati will likely be fine with the 25 guys it has right now.

6. Oakland Athletics (58-42)

Adding a veteran second baseman in the next few days should be a priority for general manager Billy Beane and the Athletics. The team hasn’t gotten great production from the position this year, as Oakland ranks 23rd in WAR, per FanGraphs. Grant Green, one of the team's best prospects, may help the problem.

7. Baltimore Orioles (57-44)

There might not be three playoff teams coming out of the AL East this season, and if there aren’t, the Orioles may be the odd team out. The team added Scott Feldman to the rotation recently, but that might not be enough to stay in contention. The offense is fine, but acquiring another pitcher would help the team’s postseason hopes.

8. Detroit Tigers (55-44)

I want to see Miguel Cabrera win the Triple Crown again this season. How incredible would that be? He currently leads the league in hitting, but he's six home runs and one RBI behind Chris Davis. There’s still a lot of baseball to be played, though. He needs to get and stay healthy, but Detroit will make the playoffs even if he misses some time.

9. Atlanta Braves (56-44)

The Braves have the biggest lead of any of the divisional leaders, but that’s primarily because the rest of the NL East has been so bad. Atlanta still has a good team, but a lack of left-handed bullpen options could pose a problem down the stretch. Trading for a lefty should be the priority for the Braves before August is here.

10. Los Angeles Dodgers (52-47)

How about the Dodgers? Los Angeles had been horrible throughout the bulk of the season, but the team has caught fire recently. It's only lost four times since the end of June.

Most of the credit has to go to Hanley Ramirez, who has only played in 44 games this season due to injury. Ramirez is hitting .389/.446/.705 on the season with 10 home runs and 31 RBI. Talk about coming back and making a major impact.

Adrian Gonzalez has been good for most of the year, as he’s hitting a cool .300 in 2013 with 15 homers and 62 RBI. In Andre Ethier’s last 18 games, he’s hitting .333/.418/.515.

The Dodgers currently hold a slim lead in the NL West, and it’s crazy that they’ve managed to come all the way back to compete for a playoff spot. If Los Angeles can stay healthy for the remainder of the season, there’s no question that this team will be a tough opponent come playoff time.

11. Texas Rangers (55-45)

The Rangers are quickly fading, and if they fail to start winning some games soon, the A’s could start to run away with the AL West. Sure, Texas has won 55 games this season, but it has also lost eight of its last 10 and now sits three games behind Oakland. Before you know it, Seattle could be in second place.

Texas is hoping that Matt Garza, whom the team just acquired from Chicago, can aid the starting rotation and take the team to new heights. Yu Darvish is back from an injury now too, so maybe those two stars can get the Rangers back on track. But the offense and bullpen need to do their job as well.

Texas’ offense doesn’t rank in the top 15 this season in terms of WAR, according to FanGraphs. Adding a bat at the deadline may be necessary to make the playoffs. The Rangers have made the postseason the last three seasons, but in order to make it four in a row, they need to start playing considerably better overall.

12. New York Yankees (53-47)

Time is not on New York’s side this season. The Yankees are only six games above .500 and really need to get hot in order to avoid missing the playoffs. The Bronx Bombers need to make some moves at the deadline and stay healthy for the remainder of the season to have a shot. The team’s chances aren’t great right now.

13. Arizona Diamondbacks (52-48)

Arizona must acquire a starting pitcher in order to stay within a few games of the Dodgers in the NL West. Either that, or the Diamondbacks have to bring up someone like Archie Bradley. The rotation ranks 17th in baseball in terms of WAR, per FanGraphs, and it’s highly advised that the team do something to improve quickly.

14. Seattle Mariners (48-52)

Can the Mariners make a huge comeback? Seattle has been great as of late, as the team has won eight of its last 10 games. The organization should refrain from trading anyone important, because there’s a chance the 2013 Mariners could be the 2012 Athletics. Anything is possible, and Seattle is a team to watch down the stretch.

15. Cleveland Indians (52-48)

If the Indians are going to try to knock off the Tigers in the AL Central, they need to upgrade their bullpen at the deadline. Cleveland’s relievers rank 26th in baseball in terms of WAR, according to FanGraphs. The team has the talent on offense, but the bullpen needs to be able to preserve late-game leads to make the playoffs this year.

16. Philadelphia Phillies (49-51)

The Phillies are seven games behind the NL East-leading Braves, but the team hasn’t begun selling its stars just yet. This week should be a large factor in whether general manager Ruben Amaro decides to be a buyer or a seller. At the moment, it looks like the Phillies might just stand pat at the deadline passes.

17. Colorado Rockies (48-53)

While the Rockies are just five games back in the NL West, it’s going to be tough to catch the Dodgers. Colorado has the fifth-best pitching staff in baseball in terms of WAR, per FanGraphs, and the starters and relievers will need to be flawless the rest of the season for the franchise to make the postseason.

18. Washington Nationals (48-52)

Washington has completely fallen apart the last few weeks, and it now seems very unlikely that the Nationals will be playing meaningful baseball down the stretch. July has been the team's worst nightmare, as it's won just 7-of-19 games, and it's also lost eight of its last 10. That’s not going to help one bit.

The biggest problem for Washington this season has been the offense. Entering Wednesday, the team’s offense ranks 26th in the game in terms of WAR, per FanGraphs. Only the Marlins have had a worse offense than the Nationals among teams in the National League. None of the regulars are hitting .300.

Jordan Zimmerman and the pitching staff have tried to keep the team competitive, but some of the guys just aren’t holding their own. Dan Haren, for example, has just four wins in 18 starts, and he also has a 5.79 ERA. Washington might not even finish the season in third place in the NL East.

19. Los Angeles Angels (46-52)

Los Angeles has the talent to compete for a playoff spot, but nothing has clicked well for the Angels this season. They've won just three of their last 10 games and are now 11 games behind the A's in the AL West. One has to hope that Josh Hamilton and Albert Pujols will be much better in their second season together in 2014.

20. Kansas City Royals (46-51)

The Royals are still within striking distance of the Tigers in the AL Central, but it’s going to take a big run from them in the coming weeks to make the playoffs. Jeremy Guthrie is the only pitcher on the team with more than six wins, but he also has the worst WAR on the team, per FanGraphs. The pitching staff could use a boost.

21. San Francisco Giants (46-54)

The Giants have been one of the most disappointing teams in the league this season, as the defending World Series champions aren’t even playing .500 baseball. They still have the sixth-best offense in baseball in terms of WAR, per FanGraphs, but the pitching staff has been a real disaster. It ranks 27th in WAR in 2013, per FanGraphs.

22. New York Mets (44-52)

You aren’t doing yourself many favors if you don’t watch Matt Harvey pitch every fifth day. The kid is 8-2 on the season with a 2.23 ERA in 20 starts. He’s striking out 10.3 batters and walking just 1.8 per nine innings in 2013. Even though the Mets won’t be playing in the playoffs, at least the righty has stayed healthy all year.

23. Chicago Cubs (44-54)

Chicago likely won’t finish last in its division for the first time since 2009, when the Cubs were the second-best team in the NL Central. But it could be close depending on how many other trades the club makes in the next week. Scott Feldman and Matt Garza are already gone. Who is the next Cub to get dealt this summer?

24. Toronto Blue Jays (45-54)

The Blue Jays looked as if they were going to make a run toward the top of the AL East, but poor play lately has them back in the cellar of the division. Toronto has dropped eight of its last 10 games and only has five victories in July. Jose Reyes missing so much time this year really hurt the offense—he’s played 33 games.

25. Minnesota Twins (43-54)

The Twins will likely break their streak of finishing fifth in the AL Central this season. They’ve done it the last two seasons, but the White Sox probably have them beat this year. It will be interesting to see if Minnesota makes any deals in the next week, especially any that include Glen Perkins or Justin Morneau.

26. San Diego Padres (45-56)

Only the Astros have been worse than the Padres this month. San Diego has only won 5 of its 19 games in July and has been outscored by 31 runs. The team needs to commit to a full rebuild and finally trade Chase Headley to another team in return for some prospects. Jedd Gyorko can handle the third base duties.

27. Milwaukee Brewers (41-58)

The Brewers are going to be tough to watch in the coming weeks. Sure, Carlos Gomez and Jean Segura will still be around, but Milwaukee will likely trade someone big—likely Yovani Gallardo—and Ryan Braun is suspended for the rest of the season, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. It’s only downhill from here.

28. Chicago White Sox (39-58)

In terms of win percentage, the White Sox haven’t been this bad since 1976, when the team finished the season at 64-97. This year, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Chicago lose 100 games for the fourth time in the franchise’s history. Deadline trades will make the active roster even worse than it is right now.

29. Miami Marlins (37-61)

This might sound a bit crazy, but it should be fun to see what the Marlins can do for the rest of the season. They aren’t going to be contenders or anything, but the future outfield is now all in the majors. The team recently promoted its two top prospects, Christian Yelich and Jake Marisnick, and they will join Giancarlo Stanton.

30. Houston Astros (34-65)

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Houston is the last team on this list. The Astros have the fewest wins in the league and have only been victorious in July four times. The only thing Houston will do going forward, besides lose, is trade Bud Norris. There’s no way the team hangs on to him past July 31.

All statistics in this article were obtained via FanGraphs unless otherwise noted and are current through July 23. All information pertaining to the standings through July 23 was obtained via ESPN. All injury information was obtained via Baseball Prospectus and all contract information was obtained via Cot’s Contracts.