MLB Power Rankings: An Updated Look at Where All 30 Teams Stand
The dog days of summer are here, as we have reached crunch time in the 2015 MLB season.
Getting hot at the right time can go a long way in August and September, and even with so many games already in the books, teams continue to shuffle up and down in these rankings on a weekly basis.
So let's take an updated look at how all 30 teams currently stack up.
When putting together this list, we considered the following factors:
- Last week's record
- Quality of opponent
- Key injuries/trades
- Recent performance beyond the last week
The goal, as always, 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 previously. If you keep winning, you keep climbing—it's as simple as that.
30. Philadelphia Phillies (46-72, Previous: 29)
1 of 30
Last Week: 1-5
With series losses to the Arizona Diamondbacks and Milwaukee Brewers last week, the Philadelphia Phillies drop back down to the bottom spot in these power rankings.
The biggest story surrounding the team right now is if and when veteran second baseman Chase Utley, who has cleared waivers, will be traded.
Jon Heyman of CBS Sports lists the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Angels as the most likely landing spots for the 36-year-old.
Utley has gone 13-for-26 with five doubles and a home run since returning from an extended stay on the disabled list with right ankle inflammation.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Chase Utley (9-for-16, 2 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jerome Williams (ND, 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K)
29. Colorado Rockies (48-68, Previous: 27)
2 of 30
Last Week: 1-6
A four-game sweep to the New York Mets and a series loss to the San Diego Padres has the Colorado Rockies seriously challenging for the dreaded No. 30 spot in these rankings.
As usual, pitching has been the problem, as they rank dead last on the year with a 5.01 ERA and have seen things get worse since the All-Star break with a 5.62 ERA during that span.
However, the Rockies did get a terrific start from Chris Rusin on Sunday, helping to snap a six-game losing streak.
The 28-year-old lefty threw the first complete-game shutout of the season for the team, allowing five hits and one walk while striking out four over 106 pitches. Rusin is now 4-5 with a 3.99 ERA in 16 appearances (14 starts) on the year.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B DJ LeMahieu (8-for-24, 3 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Chris Rusin (W, L, 15.0 IP, 13 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 9 K)
28. Miami Marlins (47-70, Previous: 30)
3 of 30
Last Week: 3-2
A quick two-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox and a win against the St. Louis Cardinals was enough to jump the Miami Marlins up to the No. 28 spot in this week's rankings.
An injury to left fielder Christian Yelich opened the door for the team to recall Marcell Ozuna from the minors, following a 33-game stint in Triple-A that did not sound fun according to the 24-year-old outfielder.
"I was in the jail over there. It's like a jail," Ozuna told Adam Zuvanich of the Miami Herald of his time in the minors. "But it's OK. I'm back, and I'm going to help the team, help Miami."
The Marlins demoted Ozuna after a 1-for-36 slump, and he hit .317/.379/.558 with 12 doubles and five home runs in 120 at-bats for Triple-A New Orleans.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Dee Gordon (9-for-22, 1 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Tom Koehler (L, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K)
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27. Oakland Athletics (51-68, Previous: 25)
4 of 30
Last Week: 0-6
The Oakland Athletics have struggled to a 7-16 record in their last 23 games, but after selling off some significant pieces at the trade deadline, that shouldn't come as much of a surprise.
That makes the potential Cy Young push of ace Sonny Gray that much more compelling, seeing as the club doesn't have much to play for from a win-loss standpoint.
The 25-year-old currently leads the American League in ERA (2.06), WHIP (0.959) and WAR among pitchers (6.5), and he has to be considered one of the front-runners for the award alongside Dallas Keuchel and David Price.
Gray was scratched from his last start with back spasms but will take the ball Monday against Chris Tillman and the Baltimore Orioles as the A's look to avoid a four-game sweep.
Hitter of the Week
- C Stephen Vogt (5-for-16, 2 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Chris Bassitt (ND, 8.0 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 K)
26. Cincinnati Reds (51-65, Previous: 28)
5 of 30
Last Week: 2-5
The remainder of the season will be all about player evaluation for the Cincinnati Reds, as they remain a talented roster capable of turning things around quickly thanks to the young talent they've added via trade.
Raisel Iglesias (5 GS, 2-2, 3.56 ERA), Keyvius Sampson (4 G, 3 GS, 2-1, 3.18 ERA) and Anthony DeSclafani (6 GS, 2-2, 3.89 ERA) have all thrown the ball well in the second half, and John Lamb joined them in the rotation Friday.
The Reds acquired the 25-year-old Lamb from the Kansas City Royals in the Johnny Cueto deal. The left-hander rated as the No. 18 prospect in the league according to Baseball America prior to the 2011 season, but he had been sidetracked by injury before a strong performance in Triple-A (20 GS, 10-2, 2.67 ERA) this year.
Cincinnati is also getting a breakout performance from shortstop Eugenio Suarez, picked up in the trade that sent Alfredo Simon to the Detroit Tigers in the offseason. Suarez stepped into everyday playing time when Zack Cozart went down, and he's hitting .296/.333/.472 with 12 doubles and seven home runs in 199 at-bats.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Joey Votto (11-for-27, 4 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Raisel Iglesias (W, 6.0 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 8 K)
25. Milwaukee Brewers (51-68, Previous: 26)
6 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
The Milwaukee Brewers managed to bounce back from being swept by the Chicago Cubs to do some sweeping of their own over the weekend, taking three games from the Philadelphia Phillies.
Standout rookie Taylor Jungmann was hit hard (2.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 2 ER) by the Cubs in his first start last week, but he rebounded with 6.1 scoreless innings Sunday.
The 25-year-old is now 7-4 with a 2.23 ERA in 13 starts and could sneak his way into the NL Rookie of the Year conversation if he keeps it up.
Meanwhile, Ryan Braun continued his strong season with two home runs and seven RBI last week. He's now hitting .272/.340/.491 with 22 doubles, 21 home runs and 70 RBI on the year after the worst season of his career in 2014.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Ryan Braun (7-for-20, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Wily Peralta (W, 7.0 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K)
24. Boston Red Sox (52-65, Previous: 23)
7 of 30
Last Week: 2-3
The Red Sox picked up a series win against the Seattle Mariners over the weekend, and the offense was on full display, as they piled up a ridiculous 45 runs in three games.
A foot injury to Hanley Ramirez has sidelined him for the past six games and in the process opened the door for Jackie Bradley Jr. to see regular at-bats for the first time this year. He responded with a huge week, including a seven-RBI game Saturday.
The former top prospect had been relegated to the minors for much of the season with a crowded outfield in Boston, hitting .305/.382/.472 with 18 doubles and nine home runs in 282 at-bats for Triple-A Pawtucket.
The 25-year-old is obviously head and shoulders above Ramirez defensively, and if he keeps hitting this way it will be awfully hard to justify putting Ramirez back in the lineup, even with his bloated contract.
Hitter of the Week
- CF Jackie Bradley Jr. (12-for-24, 5 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 10 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Joe Kelly (W, 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K)
23. Atlanta Braves (53-64, Previous: 24)
8 of 30
Last Week: 2-3
The Atlanta Braves managed to win their three-game set against the Arizona Diamondbacks over the weekend, but while they won in extra innings Sunday, they failed to get Shelby Miller a victory despite another terrific start.
Although he has a 2.43 ERA on the season, Miller carries a record of just 5-9, as there is no better example of why wins and losses are a poor gauge of a pitcher's performance than the 25-year-old.
His 2.71 average runs of support ranks second-lowest behind Aaron Harang (2.67) among all qualified starters, and as a result, he has somehow not recorded a win since all the way back on May 17, a stretch spanning 16 starts.
In other news, Hector Olivera began a rehab assignment with the team's Gulf Coast League affiliate Thursday, and it may not be long before he makes his debut with the team and takes over at third base on an everyday basis. Freddie Freeman is also on the road back from a strained oblique, joining him in starting a rehab assignment Thursday.
Hitter of the Week
- CF Cameron Maybin (9-for-21, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Shelby Miller (ND, 7.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 10 K)
22. Seattle Mariners (55-63, Previous: 22)
9 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
As the Seattle Mariners' playoff hopes continue to dwindle, the fanbase will be looking more and more to individual performances.
Hisashi Iwakuma led the way in that department last week, as he no-hit the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday. It was the fourth no-hitter of the season, and the first by a Mariners pitcher and by an American League pitcher in general since Felix Hernandez's perfect game back in 2012.
On the offensive side of things, Nelson Cruz launched three more home runs last week and is now hitting .321/.389/.611 with 36 home runs and 74 RBI. He's the classic "if he were on a contender" MVP candidate.
Speaking of awards, how about Franklin Gutierrez as a dark horse for AL Comeback Player of the Year?
The oft-injured outfielder returned to the Mariners on a minor league contract during the offseason after missing all of the 2014 season. Seattle called him up from the minors in June, and he has hit .313/.348/.651 with seven doubles and seven home runs in 83 at-bats.
Hitter of the Week
- CF Franklin Gutierrez (6-for-16, 2 2B, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Hisashi Iwakuma (W, 9.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K)
21. Cleveland Indians (54-62, Previous: 21)
10 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
The Cleveland Indians managed to win their series against the New York Yankees last week but dropped two of three to the Minnesota Twins over the weekend as they continue to spin their tires in the AL Central cellar.
It's fitting that they slot alongside the Seattle Mariners in these rankings, as those two teams are arguably the most disappointing in baseball this season, with many picking one of the two to capture the AL pennant.
On the plus side, Cleveland looks to have a good one in rookie shortstop Francisco Lindor.
Long praised for his glove work, Lindor slowly progressed offensively during his time in the minors, and after a big week last week he's now hitting .292/.328/.403 with nine doubles and five home runs in 216 at-bats.
Hitter of the Week
- SS Francisco Lindor (11-for-24, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Corey Kluber (W, 9.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K)
20. Detroit Tigers (56-61, Previous: 17)
11 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
The Detroit Tigers are now 6-8 with a minus-18 run differential in August on the heels of trading off the likes of David Price, Yoenis Cespedes and Joakim Soria at the deadline.
They did welcome Miguel Cabrera back to the lineup Friday, and he proceeded to go 4-for-10 with a double and a home run during the team's three-game series with the Houston Astros.
Meanwhile, Justin Verlander continued his resurgence on the mound with seven shutout innings Saturday, and he's now pitched to a 1.75 ERA over his last five starts.
"I think I did a lot of work this offseason to get myself and my body in a position to be able to pitch well again. I look at this as more the norm than an aberration," Verlander told Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press about his recent run of success.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Miguel Cabrera (4-for-10, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Justin Verlander (ND, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K)
19. Chicago White Sox (55-60, Previous: 19)
12 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
The Chicago White Sox swept the Los Angeles Angels to begin last week and closed things out with another gem from Chris Sale to avoid being swept by the crosstown rival Chicago Cubs.
Sale was nothing short of dominant Sunday, snapping the Cubs' nine-game winning streak with seven shutout innings in which he allowed just one hit and struck out 15.
"Not too many times he's been better than that," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said of his ace.
The team also got a terrific start from rookie Carlos Rodon on Tuesday, as he also twirled seven shutout innings while walking just one and striking out a career-high 11.
Envisioning those two atop the White Sox rotation for the foreseeable future should give White Sox fans plenty of reason for optimism.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Jose Abreu (7-for-22, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Chris Sale (2 W, 14.1 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 22 K)
18. San Diego Padres (56-62, Previous: 20)
13 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
With series wins over the Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies last week, the San Diego Padres are playing some good baseball right now.
File this one under too little, too late.
At 56-62 overall, the team is currently 11 games back in the NL West standings and 12 games behind the Chicago Cubs for the No. 2 wild-card spot. As it stands, MLB.com gives the Padres a 0.1 percent chance to reach the playoffs.
Top prospect Colin Rea made his big league debut Tuesday, allowing seven hits and three runs in five innings of work, and he'll be one to watch down the stretch. He'll make his second start Monday against Williams Perez and the Atlanta Braves.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Matt Kemp (9-for-23, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 7 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Ian Kennedy (W, L, 11.2 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 7 BB, 12 K)
17. Arizona Diamondbacks (57-59, Previous: 16)
14 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
It was a split week for the Arizona Diamondbacks, as they took two of three from the Philadelphia Phillies but dropped their weekend series with the Atlanta Braves.
Paul Goldschmidt and A.J. Pollock tend to get a ton of attention, and rightfully so as the stars of the offense, but David Peralta is quietly having a fantastic season of his own.
The 28-year-old, whom Arizona signed out of the independent leagues in 2013, is hitting .304/.371/.526 on the year with 21 doubles, 12 home runs and 63 RBI while being tasked with protecting Goldschmidt out of the cleanup spot in the lineup.
An outfield of Peralta, Pollock and Yasmany Tomas has a chance to be awfully good for the next several years as the Diamondbacks continue to climb back toward relevance.
Hitter of the Week
- CF A.J. Pollock (11-for-23, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 9 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jeremy Hellickson (W, 8.0 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K)
16. Tampa Bay Rays (58-59, Previous: 15)
15 of 30
Last Week: 2-3
The Tampa Bay Rays quietly climbed to within 1.5 games of the No. 2 American League wild-card spot after a quick two-game sweep of the Atlanta Braves last week, and even after a weekend sweep by the Texas Rangers, they are still just 2.5 games back.
The trouble is, in a clustered AL playoff picture, a 2.5-game deficit means they have four teams to pass to climb into that second wild-card slot.
Desmond Jennings (5-for-10, 3B) and Drew Smyly (1 GS, 4.0 IP, 7 H, 5 ER) were both activated from the disabled list last week, and they are capable of providing the team with a real spark going forward.
The Rays' current 10-game road trip is off to a shaky start following those three losses to the Rangers, but they'll look to right the ship against the Houston Astros and Oakland Athletics this coming week.
Hitter of the Week
- SS Asdrubal Cabrera (9-for-18, 2 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Erasmo Ramirez (W, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K)
15. Washington Nationals (58-59, Previous: 12)
16 of 30
Last Week: 1-6
With a 5-0 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday, the Washington Nationals were not only swept, but they also slipped under .500 for the first time since they were 14-15 back on May 6.
Their 1-6 performance last week puts them at 10-20 since the All-Star break and 4-12 in August. There may be no team in baseball trending more sharply downward right now.
The pitching staff that was expected to be so good has been the biggest culprit, as they've posted a 4.43 ERA in the second half and a 5.23 mark this month.
If there is one thing working in their favor, though, it's the schedule.
Their next 12 games and 33 of their final 45 games are against teams with a losing record, and for that simple reason, it's too soon to completely count them out just yet.
Hitter of the Week
- SS Ian Desmond (8-for-24, 3 HR, 4 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jordan Zimmermann (L, 7.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K)
14. Minnesota Twins (59-58, Previous: 18)
17 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
The Minnesota Twins entered last week riding a 3-12 cold streak that had seen them slip under the .500 mark for the first time since May 1, but they appear to have righted the ship, at least for the time being.
With series wins over the Texas Rangers and Cleveland Indians, they now sit just 1.5 games back for the second AL wild-card spot.
Not much has gone right this month, as the offense is hitting an MLB-worst .212 and averaging 3.93 runs per game, while the pitching staff has posted a 5.50 ERA that ranks 28th in the league, so the fact that the Twins are still in the mix is a bonus.
They begin a 10-game road trip this coming week against the AL East, facing the New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays in what may very well be the tipping point in their season.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Miguel Sano (7-for-19, 1 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Mike Pelfrey (W, 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K)
13. Los Angeles Angels (60-57, Previous: 6)
18 of 30
Last Week: 1-6
Things have not gone particularly well for the Los Angeles Angels of late, as they've gone 12-17 since the All-Star break and 5-10 in the month of August with a minus-22 run differential.
Mike Trout has hit just .175/.299/.281 in what has been perhaps the worst month of his career, and outside of C.J. Cron and newcomer David Murphy, no one is really hitting right now.
That's led the team to make a rather aggressive push to acquire Chase Utley, as noted by MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez, and that's still a trade that could happen at any time.
The pitching staff is also headed for some change after Matt Shoemaker was optioned to the minors following another rough start, according to Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times. Nick Tropeano is the most likely candidate to replace him in the rotation.
Hitter of the Week
- DH C.J. Cron (6-for-17, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Hector Santiago (ND, L, 12.1 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 9 K)
12. Baltimore Orioles (60-56, Previous: 14)
19 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
Riding a three-game winning streak and looking to close out a sweep of the Oakland Athletics, the Baltimore Orioles enter the week with a half-game lead over the Los Angeles Angels for the second AL wild-card spot.
No one has more home runs (15) or RBI (37) since the All-Star break than Chris Davis, who is also hitting .336/.413/.794 and again looking like the impact slugger we saw during a huge 2013 season.
Davis and Adam Jones both smacked five home runs last week, and at this point the offense is firing on all cylinders.
The question is whether or not the Orioles have the pitching to make a serious run, and the continued inconsistency of Chris Tillman and Ubaldo Jimenez is troubling to say the least.
Hitter of the Week
- CF Adam Jones (10-for-25, 1 2B, 5 HR, 10 RBI, 8 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Wei-Yin Chen (2 W, 13.1 IP, 11 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 12 K)
11. Texas Rangers (59-57, Previous: 13)
20 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
Despite the fact that Cole Hamels has been something of a disappointment in his two starts with the team, the Texas Rangers have managed to go 9-5 since the trade deadline came and went.
That leaves them just one game back in the hunt for an wild-card berth, and assuming Hamels settles in and pitches well down the stretch, this is a team with the potential to surprise some people.
The offense has averaged an impressive 5.43 runs per game this month, while the trio of Martin Perez, Yovani Gallardo and Colby Lewis have all thrown the ball well, so there's some serious dark-horse potential here.
This coming week will be important, as the Rangers need to take full advantage of facing a pair of non-contenders in the Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Shin-Soo Choo (7-for-20, 3 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Colby Lewis (W, 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K)
10. New York Yankees (64-52, Previous: 11)
21 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
After watching their division lead evaporate and being swept by the Toronto Blue Jays two weeks ago, the New York Yankees pulled out a big series win over that same Blue Jays team on the road this past weekend.
That puts them back up a half-game in the AL East race, but more importantly puts at least a temporary stop to the tremendous momentum Toronto had been building since the trade deadline.
The Blue Jays still look like the team to beat in the division after all of their deadline additions, but this Yankees team isn't going anywhere, and at the very least they should walk away with a wild-card berth.
A complete game from Masahiro Tanaka and strong outings from CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova and rookie Luis Severino last week were a great sign, as the Yankees rotation remains the big question mark heading into the final month and a half of the season.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Carlos Beltran (7-for-18, 2 2B, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Masahiro Tanaka (W, 9.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 8 K)
9. Houston Astros (64-54, Previous: 10)
22 of 30
Last Week: 3-2
It wasn't the best week for the Houston Astros offense, but they managed to walk away with a 3-2 record thanks to some terrific starting pitching.
Their starters combined to allow just seven runs (four earned) in 31 innings of work, and after a weekend series win over the Detroit Tigers, Houston's lead over the sliding Los Angeles Angels is now 3.5 games in the AL West standings.
In injury news, George Springer was finally cleared to resume baseball activities Friday, six weeks after he suffered a fractured hand on a hit-by-pitch.
Springer put together a huge month of June (.321/.387/.518) prior to the injury and was an obvious catalyst out of the leadoff spot in the lineup. Getting him back healthy could be the final spark the Astros need to lock down the division title.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Jose Altuve (8-for-21, 2 RBI, 1 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Scott Feldman (W, 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K)
8. New York Mets (63-55, Previous: 7)
23 of 30
Last Week: 4-3
The New York Mets rode an 11-2 hot streak into their weekend series with the Pittsburgh Pirates but were turned away with a three-game sweep that included a pair of extra-inning losses.
Nonetheless, the Mets still hold a 4.5-game lead over the nose-diving Washington Nationals in the NL East standings.
While they appear to be in a great position to reach the playoffs, the Mets do need to concern themselves with the innings limits on their starting pitchers, namely Matt Harvey and Noah Syndergaard.
Harvey is in his first year back from Tommy John surgery and already at 154 innings, while the 22-year-old Syndergaard has already reached a new career high with 135.1 innings total this year.
The hope is that once Steven Matz finishes up his current rehab assignment, the team can go to a six-man rotation to spread things out over the final month.
Hitter of the Week
- CF Juan Lagares (8-for-20, 3 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jacob deGrom (W, 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 10 K)
7. San Francisco Giants (64-53, Previous: 9)
24 of 30
Last Week: 5-1
The San Francisco Giants used a four-game sweep of the Washington Nationals to pull within 3.5 games of the Chicago Cubs for the second NL wild-card spot, but they have their work cut out for them over the next couple of weeks.
This coming week they head on the road to face the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates. That's followed by a homestand against the Chicago Cubs and Cardinals again, before a big three-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers to open the month of September.
This will no doubt be a make-or-break stretch for a team that has statistically had the second-easiest schedule in baseball so far this season, according to ESPN.
Mike Leake is scheduled to return from the disabled list to start Tuesday, while Joe Panik and Angel Pagan are both kicking off their rehab work, so getting healthy could go a long way.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Brandon Belt (9-for-22, 2 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Madison Bumgarner (2 W, 18.0 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 26 K)
6. Los Angeles Dodgers (67-51, Previous: 8)
25 of 30
Last Week: 5-2
The Los Angeles Dodgers were able to maintain a 2.5-game lead in the NL West standings with series wins against the Washington Nationals and Cincinnati Reds, and they'll look to extend that during their upcoming road trip.
The road has not been kind to the Dodgers this season, as they've gone just 25-31 away from Chavez Ravine, but they'll look to turn things around with series against the Oakland Athletics, Houston Astros and Cincinnati Reds.
The questions about the back of the rotation heading up to the deadline remain, as Alex Wood (3 GS, 1-1, 5.09 ERA) and Mat Latos (3 GS, 0-2, 6.75 ERA) have not been the answer.
On the injury front, Kike Hernandez (9-for-27, 2B, HR last week) has done a terrific job filling in for the injured Howie Kendrick. The team also welcomed back Justin Turner from the disabled list Thursday, so that should help the middle of the order.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Yasiel Puig (7-for-25, 1 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Zack Greinke (2 W, 13.0 IP, 12 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 14 K)
5. Toronto Blue Jays (65-54, Previous: 4)
26 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
The Toronto Blue Jays may have had their 11-game winning streak snapped with back-to-back losses to the New York Yankees over the weekend, but they still look like the team to beat in the AL East.
The Yankees have returned to the top of the standings with a half-game lead, but with the Blue Jays set to take on the Philadelphia Phillies and a struggling Los Angeles Angels team this coming week, that may not last long.
The team that added so many big pieces at the trade deadline could welcome another one to the mix, with right-hander Marcus Stroman making "stunning" progress in his recovery from a torn ACL suffered during spring training.
He'll begin a rehab assignment soon; barring any setbacks, he could make a real impact in some capacity during the final month.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Jose Bautista (6-for-22, 2 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Drew Hutchison (2 W, 13.2 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 11 K)
4. Chicago Cubs (67-49, Previous: 5)
27 of 30
Last Week: 5-1
The Chicago Cubs were unable to complete a sweep of the crosstown rival Chicago White Sox thanks to a gem from Chris Sale on Sunday, but they are still 15-2 in their last 17 games.
To put it simply, everything is just clicking right now.
The offense is averaging 5.07 runs per game in August with seemingly a different guy coming up big each game, while the pitching staff behind Jake Arrieta has pitched to a 2.81 ERA that ranks fourth in the majors during that same span.
The bullpen trio of Justin Grimm, Pedro Strop and Hector Rondon has helped solidify the late-inning situation, which was perhaps the biggest question mark, and even Travis Wood has become a useful arm out of the pen.
Their lead over the San Francisco Giants in the wild-card race stands at 3.5 games, and they'll look to extend that with series against the Detroit Tigers and Atlanta Braves this coming week.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Anthony Rizzo (6-for-19, 2 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jake Arrieta (W, 6.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K)
3. Pittsburgh Pirates (69-46, Previous: 2)
28 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
After taking three of four from the St. Louis Cardinals in Pittsburgh last time the two teams met in July, the Pirates dropped two of three in St. Louis last week.
The Pirates were able to bounce back with a sweep of the New York Mets, though, and they remain five games back in the NL Central and 2.5 games up on the Chicago Cubs for the No. 1 wild-card spot.
With A.J. Burnett sidelined with elbow inflammation, the decision to add J.A. Happ at the trade deadline looms large. After a rocky first start with the team, he pitched well last week, allowing one run and striking out seven in 5.1 innings for a no-decision.
While it's unclear if and when Burnett will return, infielders Josh Harrison and Jordy Mercer have both begun a rehab assignment in Triple-A. There is no timetable yet for their exact return, but it shouldn't be too far off.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Pedro Alvarez (10-for-21, 2 2B, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Charlie Morton (ND, 6.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 9 K)
2. Kansas City Royals (71-46, Previous: 3)
29 of 30
Last Week: 5-2
With the Toronto Blue Jays closing in quickly last week for the title of best team in the American League, the Kansas City Royals remain top dogs here after series wins over the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Angels.
Johnny Cueto continues to be exactly what the team needed atop the rotation, as he's now gone 2-1 with a 1.80 ERA in four starts since joining the team.
Figuring out the rest of the potential postseason rotation will be the biggest order of business over the final month, as Edinson Volquez looks like the clear No. 2 guy and Danny Duffy has also pitched well, but really no one but Cueto is a sure thing.
Offensively, Ben Zobrist has been an similarly big addition, as he's hit .345/.456/.564 over 55 at-bats while helping to ease the loss of left fielder Alex Gordon.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Eric Hosmer (10-for-27, 3 2B, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 8 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Johnny Cueto (2 W, 17.0 IP, 12 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 12 K)
1. St. Louis Cardinals (75-42, Previous: 1)
30 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
With series victories over the Pittsburgh Pirates and Miami Marlins last week, the St. Louis Cardinals are now on pace for 104 wins.
They still lead ]baseball by a wide margin in team ERA (2.60), starters ERA (2.76) and bullpen ERA (2.25), and a healthy Jaime Garcia has made them even better on the mound.
With Matt Holliday moving closer to returning from his latest quad injury and rookies Randal Grichuk and Stephen Piscotty both hitting well in everyday roles, the Cardinals will have some decisions to make down the stretch.
Piscotty has played some first base since being called up, and slotting him there on a more permanent basis is certainly one option. Big picture, it's a good problem to have for a team that continues to impress with its overall depth.
Hitter of the Week
- OF Stephen Piscotty (8-for-23, 3 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jaime Garcia (W, 8.1 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K)
All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference, unless otherwise noted. Hitter and pitcher of the week stats refer to games played between Monday, Aug. 10 and Sunday, Aug. 16.
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