MLB Power Ranking: An Updated Look at Where All 30 Teams Stand
The month of May has arrived, and while there is still a ton of baseball to be played in 2015, teams are already laying the groundwork for a shot at contending.
For the third week in a row, we have a new No. 1 club in our power rankings, as a relatively small sample size of games continues to lead to a lot of movement throughout the rankings.
When putting together these rankings, we considered the following factors:
- Last week's record
- Quality of opponent
- Key injuries/trades
- Recent performance beyond the last week
The goal 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. Texas Rangers (8-16, Previous: 29)
1 of 30
Last Week: 1-5
It was a rough week for the Texas Rangers while squaring off against AL West competition, as the Seattle Mariners swept them in a three-game set. They then dropped two of three to the Oakland A's over the weekend.
First baseman Mitch Moreland joined the ever-growing list of players to hit the disabled list, undergoing elbow surgery to remove bone chips. In his absence, Kyle Blanks has earned the start at first base for the past four games and has provided some solid production.
Someone finally got to starter Nick Martinez, as he surrendered seven hits and five runs (two earned) in six innings against the Athletics on Saturday for a no-decision. While that still qualifies as a quality start, his fifth straight to begin the season, it did raise his ERA from 0.35 to 0.84.
Top Hitter of the Week
- 1B Kyle Blanks (5-for-15, 1 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Colby Lewis (ND, 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K)
29. Milwaukee Brewers (7-18, Previous: 30)
2 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
A 3-3 week was enough to nearly double the Milwaukee Brewers' win total on the year, but it was not enough to save manager Ron Roenicke's job, as the team officially fired him Sunday night.
General manager Doug Melvin issued a statement to reporters following the team's game in Chicago:
"This has been a difficult start to the season, something that we certainly didn't anticipate. Over roughly the last 100 games, we have not performed at the level that we should. It's all about wins and losses, and after the first month of play this year we didn't see the progress and improvement we had hoped for.
We appreciate all that Ron has done for our organization, and he has handled his duties with great professionalism and dedication. The reasons for our disappointing start are many, but we determined that it's in the best interests of the club to make this move.
"
Carlos Gomez returned to the lineup over the weekend, and the starting pitchers turned in four quality starts in six games last week, so perhaps better days are in fact ahead in Milwaukee.
Top Hitter of the Week
- RF Ryan Braun (5-for-22, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 4 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Mike Fiers (W, 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 12 K)
28. Philadelphia Phillies (9-17, Previous: 28)
3 of 30
Last Week: 2-5
It was another long week for the Philadelphia Phillies, as they managed to squeak out one win each in series against the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins.
Freddy Galvis (82 AB, .341 BA), Odubel Herrera (92 AB, .304 BA) and Cody Asche (85 AB, .271 BA) are all off to solid starts, but no one else is hitting over .240, and Chase Utley (.108 BA, .398 OPS) has been particularly awful.
On the pitching side of things, the team's starters posted a 7.75 ERA on the week, and that number was helped out by a solid start from Severino Gonzalez (5 IP, 2 ER) on Sunday or it would have been even worse. All in all, there's just not much going right for the Phillies so far.
Top Hitter of the Week
- CF Odubel Herrera (10-for-26, 1 2B, 6 RBI, 2 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Cole Hamels (W, L, 13.0 IP, 14 H, 7 ER, 7 BB, 15 K)
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27. Chicago White Sox (8-14, Previous: 17)
4 of 30
Last Week: 0-5
A rough week for the Chicago White Sox started with the team stuck in Baltimore during last week's riots, saw a midweek game played in front of an empty stadium and ended with a four-game sweep at the hands of the Minnesota Twins.
All told, opponents outscored Chicago a whopping 39-10 on the week, and it squandered its one good pitching performance when the bats went silent in a 1-0 defeat Friday.
Jose Quintana turned in his best start of the season in that one, but the rest of the rotation gave up a staggering 32 hits and 23 earned runs in 14.2 innings (14.11 ERA) in the week's other four games.
Top Hitter of the Week
- RF Avisail Garcia (10-for-17, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jose Quintana (L, 7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K)
26. Cleveland Indians (9-15, Previous: 27)
5 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
It was a solid week for the Cleveland Indians' offense, as they tallied 38 runs in seven games, including 10 in a win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday to secure a four-game series split.
However, the starting pitching continued to be inconsistent at best, turning in just one quality start on the week and posting a combined 7.36 ERA.
With T.J. House landing on the disabled list with shoulder inflammation, the No. 5 starter job is again up for grabs this coming week, but the way the schedule lines up, the team technically won't need a fifth starter until May 9. Either way, with House posting a 13.15 ERA in four starts, the job might not be waiting when he returns.
Top Hitter of the Week
- 2B Jason Kipnis (11-for-28, 2 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 8 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Danny Salazar (W, 6.0 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 7 K)
25. Colorado Rockies (11-13, Previous: 15)
6 of 30
Last Week: 1-5
The Colorado Rockies entered last week with a 10-8 record, which had them tied for second in the NL West with the San Diego Padres. However, they dropped two of three to the Arizona Diamondbacks before being swept by those same Padres over the weekend, and they are now five games out of first place.
It should come as no surprise that starting pitching was the issue, as the staff failed to record a quality start and combined for an 8.90 ERA.
The team has now lost 11 of its last 15 games.
"We need to hit better and pitch better. All around, we just aren't very good right now. Losing gets contagious ... so we have to turn this around," third baseman Nolan Arenado told Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post.
Top Hitter of the Week
- CF Charlie Blackmon (10-for-23, 2 2B, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 5 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Tyler Matzek (W, 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K)
24. Arizona Diamondbacks (10-14, Previous: 24)
7 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
After taking two of three from the Colorado Rockies to start the week, the Arizona Diamondbacks lost three to the Dodgers in Los Angeles over the weekend, as they remain in the NL West cellar entering the first full week of May.
Josh Collmenter took some flak for being a less-than-impressive Opening Day option for the team, but he's been terrific in his last three starts, allowing just 15 hits and three earned runs in 23 innings of work. The 29-year-old finished last season strong and looks to be a legitimate front-line option for a pitching-starved team.
Rookie right-hander Archie Bradley suffered a sinus fracture when he took a liner off his face last week, and that landed him on the 15-day disabled list. Fellow rookie Robbie Ray, whom the team acquired in the Didi Gregorius trade this past offseason, will start in his place on Tuesday, according to the team's Twitter page.
Top Hitter of the Week
- 1B Paul Goldschmidt (15-for-27, 4 2B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 5 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Josh Collmenter (W, 8.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K)
23. Minnesota Twins (13-12, Previous: 26)
8 of 30
Last Week: 5-2
The Minnesota Twins finished the week strong, winning five of six contests, including a four-game sweep of the Chicago White Sox. Sunday's victory gave them a winning record for the first time since June 4 of last season, when they were 31-30 overall.
Ricky Nolasco, who signed a four-year, $49 million deal prior to last season, returned from the disabled list on Saturday to make his second start of the campaign. He picked up the win, allowing eight hits and three runs in five innings, and perhaps he can give the rotation a boost.
After posting the worst starter's ERA in baseball each of the past two seasons, the rotation has posted a respectable 4.30 ERA so far this year, good for 21st overall.
Top Hitter of the Week
- 3B Trevor Plouffe (10-for-27, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 5 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Kyle Gibson (W, 8.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K)
22. Seattle Mariners (10-15, Previous: 22)
9 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
Nelson Cruz continued to rake, but the Seattle Mariners continue to spin their tires, as they followed up a three-game sweep of the Texas Rangers by getting swept in a four-game tilt with the red-hot Houston Astros.
With another monster week at the dish, Cruz is now hitting .343/.387/.788 with 13 home runs and 25 RBI in his first 25 games with the Mariners. However, Robinson Cano (.255 BA, .669 OPS) has yet to take advantage of the protection Cruz is providing in the lineup.
Young right-hander Taijuan Walker finally looked as if he'd turned a corner with seven shutout innings last Monday, but he followed that with his shortest outing of the year, allowing nine hits and seven runs over three innings on Saturday.
Top Hitter of the Week
- RF Nelson Cruz (12-for-28, 1 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 5 RBI, 6 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Felix Hernandez (W, 6.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K)
21. Cincinnati Reds (12-13, Previous: 25)
10 of 30
Last Week: 4-3
The Cincinnati Reds flexed their muscles at the plate last week, launching 14 home runs in seven games. They were shut out on Sunday, though, squandering a chance to pull their record back over the .500 mark.
That six-year, $105 million extension the team gave Homer Bailey prior to last season looked like a potential mistake from the start, and now the right-hander is out for the season and set for Tommy John surgery.
"It's absolutely crushing to Homer personally, to our ballclub," manager Bryan Price said, per The Associated Press (via ESPN.com). "We were really looking forward to a healthy Homer Bailey this year and that type of influence on our club."
Prospect Michael Lorenzen (5 IP, 8 H, 3 ER) started in his place last week and pitched well enough to get another look.
Top Hitter of the Week
- RF Jay Bruce (5-for-21, 2 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 5 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Mike Leake (W, 8.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K)
20. Oakland Athletics (11-15, Previous: 20)
11 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
While a number of players are having strong individual seasons for the Oakland Athletics, the team has won consecutive games just once. That's not exactly a recipe for success.
Josh Reddick (.391 BA, 1.107 OPS, 4 HR, 20 RBI) and Stephen Vogt (.356 BA, 1.126 OPS, 6 HR, 20 RBI) have been the studs offensively, while Sonny Gray (4-0, 1.67 ERA) and Scott Kazmir (2-0, 1.62 ERA) might be the best one-two punch in baseball right now.
After taking two of three from the Rangers in Texas over the weekend, the team stays on the road this coming week with series against the Minnesota Twins and Seattle Mariners as it looks to string together some victories.
Top Hitter of the Week
- RF Josh Reddick (11-for-23, 1 2B, 3 HR, 12 RBI, 8 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Sonny Gray (2 W, 14.2 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 8 BB, 16 K)
19. Atlanta Braves (12-13, Previous: 18)
12 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
After starting the season 8-4, the Atlanta Braves are just 4-9 over the past two weeks, though a win on Sunday was enough for them to split a four-game series with the Cincinnati Reds.
The starting pitching has slowly fallen off after a strong start, and the team finally decided to shake things up last week. The Braves moved Trevor Cahill (3 GS, 9.42 ERA) to the bullpen, and prospect Mike Foltynewicz (5 IP, 6 H, 2 ER) joined the rotation.
Foltynewicz may have to be the answer for the time being, as the team announced there has been no "measurable improvement" in left-hander Mike Minor's progress as he continues to deal with rotator cuff inflammation, according to Michael Cunningham of the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Top Hitter of the Week
- LF Kelly Johnson (8-for-26, 1 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 5 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Julio Teheran (W, ND, 11.2 IP, 13 H, 7 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 10 K)
18. Toronto Blue Jays (12-14, Previous: 16)
13 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
The Toronto Blue Jays have won just one of their last six series, a sweep of the Baltimore Orioles two weeks ago, and they have been slowly sliding down these rankings as a result.
After attempting to play through a cracked rib for roughly a week, shortstop Jose Reyes finally landed on the disabled list last week. In his absence, the team will go with the light-hitting Ryan Goins, who was unseated at second base this spring by rookie Devon Travis.
On the pitching side, the team optioned rookie Daniel Norris to Triple-A after he failed to make it out of the fourth inning in his last start. Marco Estrada (6 G, 10.2 IP, 0.84 ERA), who has been terrific out of the bullpen, will start in his place Tuesday.
Top Hitter of the Week
- C Russell Martin (8-for-23, 3 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 6 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Aaron Sanchez (W, ND, 11.1 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 8 BB, 12 K)
17. Tampa Bay Rays (13-12, Previous: 13)
14 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
The Tampa Bay Rays climbed eight spots in last week's rankings with a 5-1 performance but come tumbling back down this week after dropping two of three each to the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles.
After dealing with visa issues during spring training and then pneumonia to start the year, right-hander Alex Colome finally made his first start of the season Friday. It was a good one, as he allowed just three hits and fanned six in five scoreless innings, and he could give the staff a real shot in the arm.
Infielder Nick Franklin, who has been sidelined since the start of the season with a strained oblique, is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment on Tuesday. He's one of a number of key pieces currently on the disabled list, and, all things considered, the team has done a nice job keeping its head above water to this point.
Top Hitter of the Week
- 2B Logan Forsythe (8-for-21, 3 2B, 1 3B, 2 RBI, 1 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Alex Colome (W, 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K)
16. Los Angeles Angels (11-14, Previous: 10)
15 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
Swept by the San Francisco Giants over the weekend, the Los Angeles Angels finally tumbled out of the top 10 and slide down to the No. 16 spot this week.
The trio of Mike Trout (.318 BA, 1.015 OPS), Kole Calhoun (.309 BA, .854 OPS) and Johnny Giavotella (.288 BA, .716 OPS) has been solid, but the drop-off from there offensively is steep. No other regular has a batting average over .240 or an OPS over .700.
The biggest concern has to be the ongoing struggles of Jered Weaver (0-4, 6.29 ERA), who was touched up for 10 hits and five runs in five innings of work Sunday.
His average fastball velocity is down over two miles per hour (86.8 to 84.3, per FanGraphs) and his 5.81 FIP does not exactly speak to positive things to come.
Top Hitter of the Week
- CF Mike Trout (7-for-22, 3 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 6 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Garrett Richards (W, 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K)
15. Boston Red Sox (12-13, Previous: 11)
16 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
The week ended on a sour note for the Boston Red Sox, as the New York Yankees swept the club at Fenway Park over the weekend. The team now sports a losing record on the year and sits four games back of the Yankees in the AL East standings.
If there is a positive takeaway from the week, it's that Rick Porcello (7 IP, 2 H, 1 ER), Justin Masterson (6 IP, 6 H, 2 ER) and Wade Miley (7 IP, 7 H, 3 ER) each recorded a quality start. As a result, their starter's ERA no longer ranks dead last, as their 5.66 mark puts them just ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays (5.70).
The other big story of the week was the call up of top catching prospect Blake Swihart, a move that became necessary when Ryan Hanigan landed on the DL with a fractured hand. The 23-year-old has gone 1-for-7 with a walk and four strikeouts in his first two games.
Top Hitter of the Week
- 3B Pablo Sandoval (11-for-23, 2 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 4 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Rick Porcello (W, 7.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K)
14. Washington Nationals (12-14, Previous: 21)
17 of 30
Last Week: 5-2
The Washington Nationals fell all the way to 21st in the rankings after opening the season in the No. 1 spot, but they make a nice climb back up this week after taking three of four from last week's No. 1 team, the New York Mets.
Aside from A.J. Cole (2 IP, 9 H, 9 R, 4 ER), who was making a spot start in place of Max Scherzer, the starting pitching was terrific last week, and Scherzer returned strong on Friday with seven innings of one-run, 10-strikeout ball.
Meanwhile, the rehab trail remains a bumpy one for Anthony Rendon, as he was scratched from the Double-A lineup for the second time in a week on Saturday when he couldn't get his left side loose. The side issue has now cost him a total of four games and has halted his return from a spring knee injury.
Top Hitter of the Week
- CF Denard Span (8-for-22, 5 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 7 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Gio Gonzalez (W, 7.0 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 K)
13. San Francisco Giants (12-13, Previous: 23)
18 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
The San Francisco Giants are now 9-4 in their last 13 games, as they bounced back from losing two of three to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the beginning of last week to sweep the Los Angeles Angels over the weekend.
Madison Bumgarner turned in his best start of the season last Tuesday, while Chris Heston and Tim Lincecum continued to be a surprisingly effective one-two punch at the back end of the rotation. Now it's just a matter of the starters finding some consistency.
As for the offense, one can't help but wonder how much longer the team can continue to pencil in Brandon Belt (.217 BA, .575 OPS) and Casey McGehee (.188 BA, .519 OPS) at the corner infield spots on an everyday basis.
Top Hitter of the Week
- C Buster Posey (9-for-23, 1 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Madison Bumgarner (W, 8.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K)
12. Pittsburgh Pirates (12-13, Previous: 6)
19 of 30
Last Week: 1-5
Challenging for a spot in the top five in these rankings heading into last week, the Pittsburgh Pirates instead drop down to No. 12 after losing two of three to the Chicago Cubs and then getting swept by the St. Louis Cardinals over the weekend.
While the pitching staff has been terrific, ranking second in the league with a 2.79 ERA, slow starts from the likes of Josh Harrison (.188 BA, .533 OPS) and Andrew McCutchen (.193 BA, .598 OPS) have left the offense as something of a weakness.
Three straight walk-off defeats at the hands of the Cardinals was a rough way to close out last week, but they'll have a chance for quick revenge with a three-game series in Pittsburgh this coming weekend.
Top Hitter of the Week
- LF Starling Marte (8-for-27, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Gerrit Cole (W, 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K)
11. Miami Marlins (12-13, Previous: 19)
20 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
The Miami Marlins bottomed out at the No. 27 spot in these rankings after a 3-10 performance through the first two weeks, but at 8-2 over their past 10 games, they have rapidly climbed back toward a spot in the top 10.
Second baseman Dee Gordon continues to pile up the hits, as he already has 44 through his first 100 at-bats out of the leadoff spot in the lineup. His .494 BABIP, as relayed by FanGraphs, is ridiculous, so there is some regression to come, but he's been fun to watch over the first month-plus.
Left fielder Christian Yelich, who has been sidelined since April 20 with a lower back strain, is expected to return this coming Thursday when the team opens a four-game series with the San Francisco Giants, according to Christina De Nicola of Fox Sports.
Top Hitter of the Week
- 2B Dee Gordon (12-for-18, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 5 R, 3 SB)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Dan Haren (W, 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K)
10. Chicago Cubs (13-10, Previous: 8)
21 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
The Chicago Cubs had a prime opportunity to establish their spot inside the top 10 after kicking off last week by taking two of three from Pittsburgh Pirates, but they followed that up by dropping two of three to the lowly Milwaukee Brewers at home.
The week did provide a handful of firsts, most notably the first win in a Cubs jersey by offseason addition Jon Lester (7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER) and the first big league home run from Addison Russell in that same game.
The Cubs claimed reliever Anthony Varvaro off waivers from the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, as the team continues to mix and match in the middle innings with Justin Grimm and Neil Ramirez both sidelined.
Varvaro, 30, had a 4.09 ERA in nine appearances for the Red Sox this season but posted a 2.63 ERA and 1.079 WHIP with 13 holds in 61 games with the Atlanta Braves in 2014.
Top Hitter of the Week
- CF Dexter Fowler (9-for-24, 2 RBI, 2 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jon Lester (W, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K)
9. Baltimore Orioles (12-11, Previous: 14)
22 of 30
Last Week: 3-1
It was an abridged week for the Baltimore Orioles, as the team postponed games against the Chicago White Sox on Monday and Tuesday due to the riots going on in Baltimore.
The club managed to make the best of a tough situation, taking two of three from the Tampa Bay Rays over the weekend in a series that was moved from Baltimore to St. Petersburg, and the O's enter the week trailing the New York Yankees by three games in the AL East standings.
Shortstop J.J. Hardy and utility infielder Ryan Flaherty will both begin minor league rehab assignments on Monday with Double-A Bowie, according to the Associated Press (via ESPN.com). They will play at least three games each and could conceivably rejoin the team prior to the weekend.
Top Hitter of the Week
- 3B Manny Machado (5-for-13, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 6 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Miguel Gonzalez (W, 7.2 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K)
8. San Diego Padres (14-12, Previous: 5)
23 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
Swept by the Houston Astros to begin the week, the San Diego Padres did some sweeping of their own over the weekend with three wins over the Colorado Rockies.
Ian Kennedy returned from the disabled list Friday and picked up his first win of the season, allowing four hits and two earned runs in six innings against a good Rockies offense. If he can round into form, the Padres could have a scary rotation at their disposal.
They face the San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks on the road this coming week as they look to cut into the Los Angeles Dodgers' three-game lead atop the NL West standings.
Top Hitter of the Week
- LF Justin Upton (8-for-24, 2 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 6 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Andrew Cashner (L, 7.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 10 K)
7. New York Mets (16-10, Previous: 1)
24 of 30
Last Week: 2-5
Heavy is the head that wears the crown...or something to that effect.
After climbing to the No. 1 spot in these rankings last week, the New York Mets dropped two of three to the Miami Marlins to start the week and then three of four of the Washington Nationals over the weekend.
That doesn't undo what has been a terrific start to the season, but it's enough to bump them out of the top five with a number of other top teams having big weeks.
With off days on Monday and Thursday this coming week, they'll have a chance to recharge heading into a weekend series with the Philadelphia Phillies that should provide them with an opportunity to rebuild some momentum.
Top Hitter of the Week
- 2B Daniel Murphy (8-for-28, 2 2B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 1 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Matt Harvey (W, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K)
6. Kansas City Royals (16-9, Previous: 7)
25 of 30
Last Week: 4-3
The Kansas City Royals had a chance to establish themselves as top dogs in the AL Central with four-game series against the Detroit Tigers at home to close out last week, but they wound up settling for a split with consecutive losses on Saturday and Sunday.
That puts them at an even 9-9 since their red-hot 7-0 start to the season.
Closer Greg Holland is on the mend after a pectoral strain landed him on the 15-day DL, and he is expected to return on Tuesday, according to Andy McCullough of The Kansas City Star.
A rematch with the Tigers awaits this coming weekend in Detroit, but they can't ignore a Cleveland Indians team that is looking to get things going after a disappointing start to the season.
Top Hitter of the Week
- 1B Eric Hosmer (10-for-29, 3 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 7 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Danny Duffy (W, 7.0 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K)
5. New York Yankees (16-9, Previous: 9)
26 of 30
Last Week: 5-1
With a sweep of the Boston Red Sox over the weekend, the New York Yankees have now won 13 of their last 16 games after a 3-6 start to the season.
Keeping the veteran lineup healthy has been a big part of their early success, but the sheer dominance of Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller at the back of the bullpen may be the single biggest factor.
Betances (3-0, 14.2 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 8 BB, 25 K) is again thriving in the eighth inning, while Miller (10-of-10 SV, 13.1 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 6 BB, 23 K) has been worth every penny of that $36 million deal so far while stepping into the closer role.
Long term, the starting rotation is still a cause for concern, but this team is playing great baseball right now, and it'll look to extend its division lead with series against the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles upcoming.
Top Hitter of the Week
- CF Jacoby Ellsbury (14-for-26, 1 RBI, 5 R, 5 SB)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- RP Andrew Miller (3-of-3 SV, 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K)
4. Detroit Tigers (17-9, Previous: 2)
27 of 30
Last Week: 4-3
The Detroit Tigers salvaged their weekend series against the Kansas City Royals with back-to-back wins on Saturday and Sunday, and for the time being, at least they remain a half-game up in the AL Central standings.
After a rough start to the season, Anibal Sanchez seems to be rounding into form, as he's turned in three straight quality starts and lowered his ERA from 7.71 to 5.11 in the process. Despite good starts from Alfredo Simon and Shane Greene, the team is counting on Sanchez to be that No. 2 guy.
The rotation lines up for David Price, Sanchez and Greene to take the ball this coming weekend in another three-game tilt against the Royals, as the Tigers look to put some daylight between themselves and the rest of the division.
Top Hitter of the Week
- 1B Miguel Cabrera (8-for-24, 1 2B, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 3 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP David Price (2 W, 15.1 IP, 11 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 10 K)
3. Los Angeles Dodgers (16-8, Previous: 4)
28 of 30
Last Week: 5-1
There were a handful of standouts among the position players and starting pitchers, but there is little question the Los Angeles Dodgers' bullpen was the star last week.
Nine different relievers combined for the following line:
- 25.0 IP, 3-0, 1 SV, 3 HLD, 0.00 ERA, 0.840 WHIP, 6 BB, 22 K
That's about as good as it gets for a relief corps. And for a Dodgers team with significant questions in the bullpen entering the year and that is still without All-Star closer Kenley Jansen (foot), it's a huge plus.
It's not all good on the pitching side of things, though, as the search continues for who will replace Brandon McCarthy (Tommy John surgery) in the rotation after the team designated Scott Baker (4 IP, 7 H, 4 ER) for assignment after his spot start.
Top Hitter of the Week
- CF Joc Pederson (5-for-19, 1 2B, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 5 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Clayton Kershaw (L, 7.0 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 8 K)
2. St. Louis Cardinals (18-6, Previous: 3)
29 of 30
Last Week: 6-1
Calling the St. Louis Cardinals' weekend "dramatic" would be underselling it, as they tallied three straight extra-inning, walk-off wins against the Pittsburgh Pirates, including a 14-inning marathon Sunday.
Matt Carpenter continued his terrific start to the season with six more extra-base hits and eight runs scored, and he's now hitting .365/.431/.656 with 14 doubles and 22 runs scored.
Tim Cooney (2.1 IP, 7 H, 3 ER) took the first turn replacing Adam Wainwright in the rotation, and it will be another left-hander in Tyler Lyons who gets the start Tuesday.
The 27-year-old Lyons has a 4.62 ERA (3.70 FIP) in 89.2 career big league innings spanning 12 starts and 11 relief appearances.
Top Hitter of the Week
- 3B Matt Carpenter (9-for-25, 4 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 8 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Lance Lynn (ND, 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 10 K)
1. Houston Astros (18-7, Previous: 12)
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Last Week: 7-0
Let the screenshots commence folks, the Houston Astros are officially the No. 1 team in this week's MLB power rankings thanks to a 10-game winning streak.
If the season ended today, Dallas Keuchel (3-0, 0.73 ERA, 0.73 WHIP) would likely be your American League Cy Young Award winner, and if nothing else, he's put any questions about the legitimacy of last year's breakout in the rearview mirror.
Meanwhile, slugger Evan Gattis entered last week hitting .156/.194/.250 with one home run and five RBI, but he exploded for five home runs and 12 RBI to spark an offense that is now averaging 5.00 runs per game on the year.
"It's been the most fun personally I've ever had on a team, and I think we might have something special," Gattis told Brian McTaggart and Greg Johns of MLB.com after the club ran its win streak to 10 on Sunday.
The Astros have the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels up next as Houston looks to push that streak even further and maintain the No. 1 spot.
Top Hitter of the Week
- DH Evan Gattis (7-for-22, 5 HR, 12 RBI, 7 R)
Top Pitcher of the Week
- SP Dallas Keuchel (W, 8.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K)
All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com, unless otherwise noted. Pitcher and hitter of the week stats reflect games from Monday, April 27, through Sunday, May 3.
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