MLB Power Rankings: Where All 30 Teams Stand as April Winds Down
The first month of the 2015 MLB season is nearly over, and already there has been no shortage of surprises around the league.
That includes our new No. 1 team in these rankings, the New York Mets, who rattled off an 11-game winning streak to knock the Detroit Tigers out of the top spot.
When putting together these rankings on a weekly basis, the following factors will be considered:
- Last week's record
- Quality of opponent
- Key injuries/trades
- Recent performance beyond the last week
The goal here is to be as objective as possible, but a certain amount of subjectivity will always come into play with something like this.
Just remember: This is a fluid process. Teams will rise and fall on a weekly basis, relative to where they ranked the previous week. You keep winning, you keep climbing—it's as simple as that.
30. Milwaukee Brewers (4-15, Previous: 30)
1 of 30
Last Week: 2-5
The Milwaukee Brewers stormed out of the gates to a 20-7 start last season, but it's been the polar opposite in 2015, and they are an easy choice to occupy the bottom spot in these rankings.
The pitching staff enters play Monday with an NL-worst 4.63 ERA overall and a 3-12 record, to go along with a 5.12 ERA from the starting rotation.
It's obviously still early, but with a thin farm system, the Brewers could sell aggressively when the summer months roll around in an effort to better position the team long term.
Top Hitter of the Week
- 1B Adam Lind (9-for-26, 3 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 3 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jimmy Nelson (ND, 8.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K)
29. Texas Rangers (7-11, Previous: 28)
2 of 30
Last Week: 2-3
The Texas Rangers have yet to win consecutive games in 2015, and they currently find themselves tied with the disappointing Seattle Mariners in the AL West cellar.
Nick Martinez continues to be one of the few bright spots, as the 24-year-old has gone 2-0 with an 0.35 ERA over his first four starts. In 24 starts and five relief appearances last season, he was 5-12 with a 4.55 ERA and 4.94 FIP.
The big story of the week, though, was the upcoming reunion with Josh Hamilton. The team is set to acquire the outfielder from the Los Angeles Angels for what will amount to about a $2 million-$3 million-per-year commitment over the next three years, according to T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com.
Top Hitter of the Week
- 1B Prince Fielder (5-for-20, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Nick Martinez (2 ND, 12.0 IP, 12 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K)
28. Philadelphia Phillies (7-12, Previous: 29)
3 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
The Philadelphia Phillies picked up their second series win of the season over the weekend, taking two of three from the Atlanta Braves at home. Now they get set to begin a 10-game road trip that starts with four games against the St. Louis Cardinals.
The team's decision to sign Aaron Harang to a one-year, $5 million deal at the beginning of January received little fanfare at the time, but it's looked like one of the better bargains of the winter through the first month of the season.
The 36-year-old has gone 2-1 with a 1.37 ERA through his first four starts. If he can keep it up, he should be able to net the team a solid prospect or two come July.
Top Hitter of the Week
- 1B Ryan Howard (4-for-17, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 4 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Aaron Harang (ND, 8.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K)
.png?w=256)
27. Cleveland Indians (6-11, Previous: 22)
4 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
The Cleveland Indians have not won a series since taking two of three from the Houston Astros to start the season. And they dropped two of three against the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers last week.
With Yan Gomes and Nick Swisher sidelined and Michael Brantley still not right after dealing with back issues early on, the offense is not yet where it needs to be. Meanwhile, the pitching staff that was expected to be among the best in baseball currently ranks 23rd in the league with a 4.19 ERA.
After a somewhat surprising demotion to the minors to start the season, Danny Salazar has looked terrific in his two starts since being recalled. That, coupled with the continued success of Trevor Bauer, could yet make this one of the best rotations in baseball.
Top Hitter of the Week
- DH Brandon Moss (6-for-17, 2 2B, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 3 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Danny Salazar (W, 7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 11 K)
26. Minnesota Twins (8-10, Previous: 25)
5 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
With a series win against the Seattle Mariners over the weekend, the Minnesota Twins are now 7-4 in their last 11 games after a 1-6 start to the season.
The starting rotation, which has ranked last in ERA each of the past two seasons, has a respectable 4.49 ERA. All five starters currently have an ERA south of 5.00. Minnesota should also get Ricky Nolasco back in the mix sometime soon after he made his first rehab start Sunday afternoon.
This team still has a ways to go as it looks to return to relevance in the AL Central, but the Twins won't make things easy on the rest of the division if they can keep playing at a respectable level.
Top Hitter of the Week
- 1B Joe Mauer (5-for-23, 2 2B, 1 3B, 5 RBI, 2 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Mike Pelfrey (W, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K)
25. Cincinnati Reds (8-10, Previous: 24)
6 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
The Cincinnati Reds have played exclusively against NL Central foes so far this season, and that will continue with a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers to kick off this coming week as they look to climb over the .500 mark.
With a 7.20 ERA through his first three starts, one can't help but wonder how many starts veteran Jason Marquis will have to figure things out. On the other hand, fellow newcomer Anthony DeSclafani has been brilliant, going 2-1 with a 1.04 ERA through four starts.
DeSclafani's changeup was viewed as an X-factor heading into the season. To this point, opponents are hitting .214 with a .286 slugging percentage against the pitch, according to Brooks Baseball.
Top Hitter of the Week
- SS Zack Cozart (6-for-24, 1 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 5 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Johnny Cueto (W, 8.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K)
24. Arizona Diamondbacks (8-10, Previous: 20)
7 of 30
Last Week: 1-4
Prior to being swept by the Pittsburgh Pirates over the weekend, the Arizona Diamondbacks were sitting a game over .500 and ranked as one of the bigger surprises of the first few weeks of the season.
The starting rotation currently ranks 11th in the league with a 3.73 ERA, with rookie Archie Bradley leading the way at 2-0 with a 1.45 ERA though his first three starts. Last season, their starters ranked 27th with a 4.44 ERA, and the eventual return of Patrick Corbin could make this year's group even better.
Despite third baseman Jake Lamb landing on the disabled list with a foot injury, the team is still not giving Cuban slugger Yasmany Tomas regular at-bats. He's splitting time with Aaron Hill at the hot corner, and Tomas is currently 4-for-14 with two walks and two strikeouts.
Top Hitter of the Week
- SS Chris Owings (6-for-21, 1 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Chase Anderson (ND, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K)
23. San Francisco Giants (8-11, Previous: 26)
8 of 30
Last Week: 4-1
An eight-game losing streak sent the defending champion San Francisco Giants free-falling down these rankings, but they've recovered to go 5-2 over their last seven games, and they move up a few spots this week as a result.
With Hunter Pence moving ever closer to returning, one can't help but wonder where this team would be without offseason additions Justin Maxwell (1.015 OPS, 3 HR, 9 RBI) and Nori Aoki (.303 BA, .391 OBP, 8 R, 5 SB).
On the pitching side of things, Tim Lincecum fired another quality starts his last time out, and he now has a 2.00 ERA over his first three games.
"He's got his command back with his weapons, it's just a different guy. He's throwing with confidence...it looks to me like he's having fun again," Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow told CSN Bay Area.
Top Hitter of the Week
- RF Justin Maxwell (7-for-20, 1 3B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 5 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Tim Lincecum (W, 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K)
22. Seattle Mariners (7-11, Previous: 14)
9 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
With two more series losses at the hands of the Houston Astros and Minnesota Twins, the Seattle Mariners tumble out of the upper half of the rankings and into the bottom 10 as we get set to close out the month of April.
The starting rotation, which had high expectations coming in, ranks 26th in the league with a 4.81 ERA. Remove Felix Hernandez (4 GS, 3-0, 1.61 ERA) from the equation, and the rest of the staff has gone 1-6 with a 6.00 ERA.
Losing Hisashi Iwakuma to a strained lat won't help matters any. Roenis Elias is set to step into his spot in the rotation, but he's pitched to an 8.04 ERA and 1.787 WHIP in three Triple-A starts so far this year.
Top Hitter of the Week
- 2B Robinson Cano (7-for-23, 3 2B, 2 RBI, 5 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Felix Hernandez (W, 9.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 K)
21. Washington Nationals (7-12, Previous: 9)
10 of 30
Last Week: 1-5
The benefit of the doubt had kept the Washington Nationals clinging to a spot inside the top 10 heading into last week. But with a series loss to the St. Louis Cardinals and a sweep at the hands of what had been a struggling Miami Marlins team, they have to drop.
This is still a really good team, one capable of living up to the tremendous preseason expectations, but we've reached a point where there are enough on-field results that expectations no longer play as significant a role.
The Nationals continue their current road trip with series against the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets this coming week, and they could have third baseman Anthony Rendon back at some point after he began a rehab assignment last week.
Top Hitter of the Week
- 3B Yunel Escobar (7-for-23, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Max Scherzer (L, 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K)
20. Oakland Athletics (8-12, Previous: 18)
11 of 30
Last Week: 2-5
A plus-11 run differential gives the Oakland Athletics the best plus/minus of any team with a losing record. When they've been good, they've been really good, but consistency still eludes the team at this point in the season.
The starting rotation has been Oakland's biggest strength to this point, as it leads the American League with a 3.08 starters' ERA. That despite Kendall Graveman posting an 8.27 ERA in his four starts before being demoted to the minors.
Losing Ben Zobrist for an extended period of time hurts. The versatile veteran is expected to miss four to six weeks following arthroscopic surgery to trim the meniscus in his left knee, according to ESPN.
Top Hitter of the Week
- DH Billy Butler (8-for-28, 2 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Sonny Gray (W, 7.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K)
19. Miami Marlins (8-11, Previous: 27)
12 of 30
Last Week: 5-1
After a rough 3-11 start to the year, the Miami Marlins finally appear to be getting their season on track. They enter the week having won five straight, including a weekend sweep of the Washington Nationals.
A lower back strain sent Christian Yelich to the disabled list a week ago, and veteran Ichiro Suzuki did a terrific job stepping into his starting spot with a 9-for-23 (.391 BA) week.
Mat Latos finally turned in a quality start his last time out, and the starting rotation as a whole looked sharp last week despite being without Henderson Alvarez and of course Jose Fernandez. This team is capable of making some legitimate noise, and last week could be the first step in a big climb up these rankings.
Top Hitter of the Week
- SS Adeiny Hechavarria (12-for-24, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 10 RBI, 8 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP David Phelps (W, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K)
18. Atlanta Braves (9-9, Previous: 12)
13 of 30
Last Week: 1-5
The Atlanta Braves jumped out to a nice 6-1 start to open the season, but they've gone just 3-8 over the past two weeks. They wrapped up their recent road trip at 3-6 by losing a series to the Philadelphia Phillies over the weekend.
The key to early success was solid work from their starting rotation, but their starters' ERA has climbed to 4.05. The Braves simply don't have offensive firepower to pick up the slack.
They square off against two of the better pitching teams in the league this coming week in the Washington Nationals and Cincinnati Reds. They will have their work cut out for them to snap out of their recent funk.
Top Hitter of the Week
- SS Andrelton Simmons (7-for-23, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Eric Stults (ND, 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K)
17. Chicago White Sox (8-9, Previous: 23)
14 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
The Chicago White Sox enjoyed a solid homestand last week, claiming series victories over the Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Royals to pull within one win of the .500 mark.
The starting pitching has been the big issue early on, as the White Sox currently rank 25th in the league with a 4.56 ERA. That despite solid starts to the season from Chris Sale (2-0, 2.37 ERA) and Jeff Samardzija (1-1, 3.33 ERA). They need Jose Quintana to pitch like he's capable of and someone else to perform well behind those three.
Some help offensively for Jose Abreu (1.010 OPS, 5 HR, 14 RBI) would also go a long way, as no other everyday player has an OPS over .700 to this point.
Top Hitter of the Week
- 1B Jose Abreu (10-for-24, 2 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 3 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jeff Samardzija (W, 6.0 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K)
16. Toronto Blue Jays (9-10, Previous: 15)
15 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
After sweeping the Baltimore Orioles to kick off last week, the Toronto Blue Jays were swept themselves by the Tampa Bay Rays, as their inconsistent start to the 2015 season continues.
It was a good week for the team's young starters. Daniel Norris had by far his best start of the season, and both Drew Hutchison and Aaron Sanchez were strong as well. Unfortunately, veterans Mark Buehrle and R.A. Dickey went in the opposite direction and were hit hard.
Considering Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion and Russell Martin are all hitting below .200, the offense has been as good as anyone could have hoped. Rookie second baseman Devon Travis' early contributions (1.102 OPS, 5 HR, 16 RBI) have certainly helped.
Top Hitter of the Week
- 2B Devon Travis (7-for-19, 2 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 4 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Drew Hutchison (W, 8.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K)
15. Colorado Rockies (10-8, Previous: 19)
16 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
The Colorado Rockies enter the week with a 4.06 team ERA. If they can maintain that level of production from their pitching staff, they have the offensive firepower to legitimately contend. That remains a big if, though.
Veteran Jorge De La Rosa was shelled in his first start of the season last Monday, but he bounced back with a solid second start. He should be able to help the rotation moving forward.
Meanwhile, that aforementioned offense currently leads the NL with a .279 batting average while scoring a steady 4.28 runs per game. It's a safe guess that no one predicted DJ LeMahieu (.419 BA) would be leading all of baseball in batting average through three weeks.
Top Hitter of the Week
- LF Corey Dickerson (6-for-16, 3 HR, 4 RBI, 4 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jordan Lyles (W, 6.2 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K)
14. Baltimore Orioles (9-10, Previous: 6)
17 of 30
Last Week: 2-5
After climbing into the top 10 last week, the Baltimore Orioles drop down eight spots following a 2-5 week that included a three-game sweep at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays. They did rebound to take two of three from the Boston Red Sox over the weekend, though.
It was a big week for Jimmy Paredes, who has stepped into the primary designated hitter role of late. He went 10-for-25 with three doubles, a triple and three home runs. The 26-year-old had a big spring, and he could wind up making a real impact for this team.
Pitching is the big concern at this point, as a 5.04 ERA puts the team dead last in that category. That includes a 5.42 mark from the starting rotation, a group that ranked 12th in the league last year with a 3.61 ERA.
Top Hitter of the Week
- DH Jimmy Paredes (10-for-25, 3 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 5 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Wei-Yin Chen (L, 12.1 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 6 BB, 8 K)
13. Tampa Bay Rays (11-8, Previous: 21)
18 of 30
Last Week: 5-1
Anyone who pegged Chris Archer as a breakout candidate heading into the season is looking pretty smart so far. The 26-year-old has looked dominant with a 0.84 ERA, 0.74 WHIP and 37 strikeouts in 32.1 innings.
The Tampa Bay Rays also welcomed back left-hander Drew Smyly last week, as he allowed four hits and two runs in 4.2 innings of work in his first start of the year.
The Rays currently find themselves tied atop the AL East standings with the New York Yankees, and those two teams meet up for a three-game series to kick off this coming week. Another strong week could have the surprise Rays challenging for a spot in the top 10 in these rankings.
Top Hitter of the Week
- 3B Evan Longoria (11-for-22, 3 2B, 2 RBI, 5 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Chris Archer (W, L, 12.2 IP, 9 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 16 K)
12. Houston Astros (11-7, Previous: 16)
19 of 30
Last Week: 5-1
Don't look now, but the Houston Astros are legitimately challenging for a top-10 spot in these rankings. That's after another solid week that included a series win over the Seattle Mariners and a three-game sweep of the Oakland Athletics.
A 3.18 ERA places them fifth in the league, while their middle-of-the-pack offense has flashed enough power to consistently put runs on the board, even though the Astros are hitting just .226 as a team.
Another strong start by Dallas Keuchel has him ranked second in ERA in the American League. He's now 2-0 with a 0.62 ERA and 0.83 WHIP through his first four starts. Suffice to say his breakout season last year is looking more and more legitimate.
Top Hitter of the Week
- CF Jake Marisnick (6-for-13, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 6 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Dallas Keuchel (ND, 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K)
11. Boston Red Sox (10-9, Previous: 8)
20 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
Despite a 5.00 ERA overall and an MLB-worst 5.75 mark from their starters, the Boston Red Sox still enter the week with a winning record thanks almost entirely to their offense.
While they are hitting just .234 as a team, they've managed to average 5.00 runs per contest, flashing some good power with 23 home runs on the season.
They face off against the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees at home this coming week, two teams with capable but inconsistent pitching staffs. It could be a big week for the Red Sox if the bats are working.
Top Hitter of the Week
- LF Hanley Ramirez (9-for-23, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 5 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Clay Buchholz (ND, 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 10 K)
10. Los Angeles Angels (9-10, Previous: 10)
21 of 30
Last Week: 4-3
Finding a resolution to the ongoing Josh Hamilton situation should eliminate a major distraction for the Los Angeles Angels. They are looking to prove they're still the team to beat in an AL West division that has looked more and more wide-open with each passing day.
The team called up Nick Tropeano to make a spot start in place of Matt Shoemaker last week, and he picked up the win with six strong innings. He was optioned back to the minors after the start, but don't be surprised if the offseason addition makes a significant impact before the season is over.
The Angels head to the Bay Area this coming week for series against the Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants. With the Houston Astros charging hard, this could be the last week they rank as the top team in their division unless they take care of business.
Top Hitter of the Week
- LF Kole Calhoun (12-for-30, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 4 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Nick Tropeano (W, 6.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K)
9. New York Yankees (11-8, Previous: 17)
22 of 30
Last Week: 5-2
A quick look at the New York Yankees' offensive leaders could lead one to wonder what year it is, as Mark Teixeira (1.044 OPS, 8 HR, 18 RBI) and Alex Rodriguez (.989 OPS, 5 HR, 13 RBI) are both off to hot starts.
The offense has certainly done its part, averaging 5.21 runs per game to back a pitching staff that ranks seventh overall with a 3.49 ERA. That number has been made better by a dominant bullpen, but the 4.49 ERA put up by the Yankees' starters is as good as anyone could have hoped for at this point.
Series wins against two of the top teams in these rankings in the Detroit Tigers and New York Mets vault the Yankees up eight spots this week. They'll look to keep it going with series against the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox this coming week.
Top Hitter of the Week
- 1B Mark Teixeira (8-for-24, 1 2B, 5 HR, 10 RBI, 6 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Michael Pineda (W, 7.2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K)
8. Chicago Cubs (10-7, Previous: 13)
23 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
The Chicago Cubs picked up their third extra-inning win of the season Friday as they continue to find ways to win games late.
The fact that they have posted a 3.77 ERA as a team, despite ace Jon Lester's early-season struggles (0-2, 6.23 ERA), bodes well for the future. You have to think the veteran will put it together at some point.
A week after promoting Kris Bryant, the team called up another top prospect in Addison Russell to take over as the primary second baseman. He is just 3-for-22 with a pair of doubles and four RBI so far, but he has the tools to make an immediate impact in his own right.
Top Hitter of the Week
- 1B Anthony Rizzo (10-for-22, 2 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 7 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jake Arrieta (2 W, 13.0 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 13 K)
7. Kansas City Royals (12-6, Previous: 7)
24 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
Since starting the season 7-0, the Kansas City Royals have spun their tires a bit at 5-6 in their last 11 games, but that's enough for them to maintain their spot in the top 10 for the time being.
Whether teams are legitimately targeting them or they are simply playing with a chip on their shoulders, the Royals were in the middle of another bench-clearing incident last week.
This one resulted in suspensions for Yordano Ventura (seven games), Edinson Volquez (five), Lorenzo Cain (two) and Kelvin Herrera (two). Meanwhile, Alex Gordon is still really good defensively.
Top Hitter of the Week
- LF Alex Gordon (7-for-23, 1 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Edinson Volquez (W, L, 12.2 IP, 10 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 11 K)
6. Pittsburgh Pirates (11-8, Previous: 11)
25 of 30
Last Week: 5-2
Swept by the Cincinnati Reds to open the season, the Pittsburgh Pirates are 11-5 since. They enter the week riding a five-game winning streak after sweeping the Arizona Diamondbacks over the weekend.
Starling Marte has finally gotten things going offensively after a slow start, but the team is still waiting for Andrew McCutchen to do the same. The superstar center fielder enters the week hitting just .186/.315/.322 with four extra-base hits.
The pitching has been great so far, as the Pirates rank second in the league with a 2.91 ERA, and all five of their starters have an ERA of 4.00 or lower. Gerrit Cole (3-0, 2.19 ERA, 27 K, 24.2 IP) looks to finally be ready to take that next step to becoming a legitimate ace.
Top Hitter of the Week
- LF Starling Marte (8-for-21, 1 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 6 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Gerrit Cole (ND, 7.2 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K)
5. San Diego Padres (11-9, Previous: 5)
26 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
To put it simply, the San Diego Padres are a complete team top to bottom after their busy offseason. Their balance of pitching and offense should make them legitimate contenders in 2015.
Their pitching staff has posted a 3.39 ERA, and their starters are tied for the league lead with 13 quality starts. Meanwhile, the new-look offense has generated an NL-best 4.80 runs per game.
The Padres had a chance to grab the top spot among NL West teams but dropped two of three against the Los Angeles Dodgers over the weekend. This week, the Houston Astros and Colorado Rockies come to town as San Diego looks to make another run at the division lead.
Top Hitter of the Week
- C Derek Norris (10-for-25, 6 2B, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 6 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP/RP Odrisamer Despaigne (W, 8.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K)
4. Los Angeles Dodgers (11-7, Previous: 3)
27 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
The Los Angeles Dodgers were swept by the rival San Francisco Giants last week, but they salvaged things with a weekend series win over the San Diego Padres.
Already without Hyun-jin Ryu and Kenley Jansen, the team will now be sans Yasiel Puig (hamstring) and Joel Peralta (sore shoulder) after both players were placed on the 15-day DL over the weekend. That likely means regular playing time for Andre Ethier as he looks to build some value.
At some point, the team is going to have to find more at-bats for Alex Guerrero, who hit three home runs in eight at-bats last week. He is now 11-for-22 with two doubles, five home runs and 13 RBI on the season.
"A guy that's swinging the bat, you're going to find a place to play him," manager Don Mattingly told Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times.
Top Hitter of the Week
- IF Alex Guerrero (6-for-8, 1 2B, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Zack Greinke (W, 7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K)
3. St. Louis Cardinals (12-5, Previous: 2)
28 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
Results-wise, it was another successful week for the St. Louis Cardinals, as they picked up series wins against the Washington Nationals and Milwaukee Brewers.
However, in the process, they lost ace Adam Wainwright to an Achilles injury that could wind up sidelining him for the rest of the season, according to Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Replacing him will be tough, but someone will need to step into the rotation, and it appears the in-house options will get a crack before the team considers making a move.
"If you get into May and early June and you don't feel like the internal options are the solution you were hoping for then you might have to look outside," GM John Mozeliak told Hummel. "It's not too early to look outside but I don't think we necessarily have to do that yet."
It's undoubtedly a huge blow to a pitching staff that enters the week with a 2.24 ERA, by far the best mark in baseball.
Top Hitter of the Week
- SS Jhonny Peralta (10-for-22, 2 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Carlos Martinez (W, 7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K)
2. Detroit Tigers (13-6, Previous: 1)
29 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
After a blistering 11-2 start to the season, the Detroit Tigers dropped four straight, including a pair of 13-run outbursts by the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians. That's enough to drop them from the top spot in the rankings, though they still look like the class of the American League by a wide margin.
Shane Greene was finally hit hard after a brilliant start, allowing nine hits and eight runs in four innings last time out. But alongside fellow newcomer Alfredo Simon, he's really helped ease the losses of Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello.
After a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins, the Tigers head to Kansas City for four games with the Royals in a big early-season series to temporarily determine AL Central supremacy.
Top Hitter of the Week
- CF Rajai Davis (7-for-13, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 7 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Alfredo Simon (2 W, 14.0 IP, 13 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 10 K)
1. New York Mets (14-5, Previous: 4)
30 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
Despite losing a series to the New York Yankees over the weekend, the New York Mets still earn the top spot in this week's rankings after rattling off an 11-game winning streak that was finally halted Friday.
Their early success comes despite the likes of David Wright, Travis d'Arnaud and Jerry Blevins all landing on the disabled list since the start of the season. That doesn't include Zack Wheeler's season-ending injury and Jenrry Mejia's 80-game suspension.
Over the course of a long season, having the depth to overcome injuries is often the difference between contending and falling by the wayside, and the Mets have proved early on that they have the pieces to legitimately contend.
Top Hitter of the Week
- RF Curtis Granderson (8-for-22, 2 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 5 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Matt Harvey (W, 8.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K)
All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference, unless otherwise noted. Pitcher and hitter of the week stats reflect games from Monday, April 20, through Sunday, April 26.
.png?w=480)
