MLB Power Rankings: An Updated Look at Where All 30 Teams Stand
The final weeks of the 2015 MLB season are upon us, and with a number of playoff spots still far from decided, it's shaping up to be an exciting finish once again.
For now, let's take an updated look at how all 30 clubs 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. Atlanta Braves (54-83, Previous: 28)
1 of 30
Last Week: 0-7
The Atlanta Braves continued their recent struggles by being swept by the Miami Marlins and Washington Nationals last week, bringing their record to 1-19 in their last 20 games.
The debut of Hector Olivera, who figures to be a major piece of the team's 2016 plans, finally came last week as he went 2-for-15 in his first five games. However, he was scratched from the lineup on Sunday with a bruised foot that could wind up costing him more time.
The Braves are now just one game ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies overall, and subsequently one game behind the worst record in baseball and the No. 1 pick in next year's draft. At this point, that's really all they're playing for.
Hitter of the Week
- LF Nick Swisher (6-for-14, 1 2B, 4 RBI, 2 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Julio Teheran (ND, 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 4 K)
29. Philadelphia Phillies (53-84, Previous: 27)
2 of 30
Last Week: 1-5
A series loss to the New York Mets and a sweep at the hands of the Boston Red Sox leave the Philadelphia Phillies in line for the No. 1 overall pick next June, as the race at the bottom of the NL East division will be one to watch as well.
Growing pains are to be expected, but it was a rough week for the starting rotation no matter how you look at it. In six games, the starters combined to go 0-5 with a 9.71 ERA and just one quality start.
With a .302 average, Odubel Herrera is one of just two rookies with 300 at-bats and an average over .300 this year (Matt Duffy, .303). He may not be a future star, but the Rule 5 pick has continued to surprise here in 2015.
Hitter of the Week
- CF Odubel Herrera (9-for-21, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- RP Hector Neris (2 G, 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K)
28. Cincinnati Reds (56-79, Previous: 29)
3 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
The Cincinnati Reds picked up a nice series victory against the Chicago Cubs to kick off last week, but then lost their weekend matchup with the Milwaukee Brewers as the two teams continue to battle to avoid the NL Central cellar.
With another strong start on Wednesday, Raisel Iglesias is now 2-3 with a 2.31 ERA since the beginning of August, putting together an impressive string of seven straight quality starts. He also has double-digit strikeouts in each of his last three starts, and 97 punch-outs overall in 87 innings.
Meanwhile, Joey Votto continues to play out of his mind in the second half, putting up a .401/.581/.730 line and 64/35 BB/K ratio since the break.
Hitter of the Week
- SS Eugenio Suarez (9-for-23, 2 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Raisel Iglesias (ND, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 10 K)
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27. Oakland Athletics (58-79, Previous: 23)
4 of 30
Last Week: 1-5
Losers of four of their last five series, the Oakland Athletics take over as the lowest-ranked team in the American League after being swept by the Seattle Mariners over the weekend.
Chris Bassitt, who had posted a 2.73 ERA in 10 starts since joining the starting rotation, was scratched from his last start with shoulder soreness.
Bassitt, along with fellow starters Sean Nolin and Felix Doubront, as well as a number of players up and down the roster, will be auditioning for their role with the 2016 club over the final month as another busy offseason figures to lie ahead.
Hitter of the Week
- DH Billy Butler (10-for-20, 3 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Felix Doubront (W, 6.0 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 5 K)
26. Miami Marlins (57-80, Previous: 30)
5 of 30
Last Week: 5-1
After slipping to the bottom spot in these rankings last week, the Miami Marlins responded well with series wins over the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets.
Slugger Giancarlo Stanton experienced some discomfort in the hand he had surgery on back in June during his first rehab game on Tuesday. He's been sidelined ever since, and that setback could mean the end of his 2015 campaign.
On the subject of rehabbing stars, right-hander Jose Fernandez is currently expected to return to the Marlins rotation sometime between Sept. 12 and Sept. 17.
"I think that's realistic. That probably gives him a chance to have three to four starts. It gives him and all of us, us peace of mind going into the offseason," manager Dan Jennings told Craig Davis of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Martin Prado (12-for-26, 3 2B, 6 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Justin Nicolino (W, 7.0 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K)
25. Colorado Rockies (56-80, Previous: 26)
6 of 30
Last Week: 4-4
The Colorado Rockies don't have anything to play for from a win-loss standpoint, but the home run battle brewing between Nolan Arenado and Carlos Gonzalez should be fun to watch.
With six long balls from Arenado and five from CarGo last week, the two are currently tied for the NL home run lead with 36 on the season. Arenado also leads the league with 105 RBI, as this has been an impressive coming-out party for the 24-year-old.
Now if only one or both of them could pitch, the Rockies and their MLB-worst 5.08 team ERA might actually have a chance of contending.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Nolan Arenado (15-for-34, 2 2B, 6 HR, 12 RBI, 9 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jorge De La Rosa (W, 7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K)
24. Detroit Tigers (62-74, Previous: 24)
7 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
The Detroit Tigers slipped under the .500 mark for the first time this season on July 23, and since that date they've gone 15-26 and fallen completely out of the postseason picture.
A strong second half from Justin Verlander (10 GS, 3-5, 2.60 ERA) has been a positive sign looking to the future, as the club is still on the hook for $112 million over the next four years for the former ace.
An injury to Jose Iglesias (fractured finger) and the trade of Yoenis Cespedes have freed up playing time for prospects Dixon Machado and Tyler Collins, who are both working to cement their potential place on the 2016 squad.
Hitter of the Week
- LF Tyler Collins (9-for-22, 3 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Alfredo Simon (W, 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 5 K)
23. Milwaukee Brewers (60-76, Previous: 25)
8 of 30
Last Week: 5-1
With a respectable 26-30 record against the rest of the NL Central, the Milwaukee Brewers continue to be a thorn in the side of their division mates, and last week was no different as they started things off with a three-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
He won't win Rookie of the Year honors in a stacked class, but the team really looks to have something special in right-hander Taylor Jungmann, who is now 9-5 with a 2.42 ERA in 16 starts this season.
If he can continue his development as a front-line arm alongside Jimmy Nelson and Wily Peralta, the Brewers have a chance to turn things around quicker than some might expect on the strength of their pitching staff.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Adam Lind (6-for-14, 3 2B, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 7 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Taylor Jungmann (W, 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K)
22. Baltimore Orioles (65-71, Previous: 19)
9 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
A 3-14 record in their last 17 games has all but eliminated the Baltimore Orioles from the playoff picture, as it has left them 6.5 games back for the second wild card with seven teams to pass.
That hasn't stopped Chris Davis from raking, though, as he became the first player this season to reach 40 home runs with a two-homer game on Friday. An impressive 21 of those home runs have come in 48 games since the All-Star break.
Mediocre starting pitching remains the team's biggest issue, and it's something that will have to be addressed in the offseason if it has any intentions of contending in 2016.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Chris Davis (8-for-23, 1 2B, 5 HR, 8 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Ubaldo Jimenez (W, 5.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 6 BB, 4 K)
21. San Diego Padres (65-72, Previous: 18)
10 of 30
Last Week: 2-5
With the postseason no longer in sight, the San Diego Padres find themselves playing for third place in the NL West and a winning record as we head into the final weeks of the season.
Justin Upton is the upcoming free agent everyone has been talking about, but keep an eye on Ian Kennedy. The 30-year-old has gone 6-7 with a 2.63 ERA in 17 starts since the beginning of June, and he may pitch his way into a qualifying offer if he keeps it up.
With six more games against the San Franciso Giants and three with the Los Angeles Dodgers to close out the year, this is a team that could still play the role of spoiler here in September.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Matt Kemp (9-for-28, 3 2B, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Ian Kennedy (ND, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 12 K)
20. Chicago White Sox (65-70, Previous: 22)
11 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
When everything is clicking, the Chicago White Sox are a talented team, and that was evident over the weekend when they swept a three-game series with the Royals in Kansas City.
John Danks picked up his second complete game of the year on Friday, making him one of just 18 pitchers with multiple complete games this season. He's not the same pitcher that landed that $65 million extension back in 2011, but he's been quietly effective at the back of the rotation this year.
With 239 strikeouts on the year, ace Chris Sale is just 30 away from tying the franchise record set back in 1908 by Ed Walsh, so that will be worth keeping an eye on down the stretch.
Hitter of the Week
- CF Adam Eaton (13-for-24, 3 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP John Danks (W, 9.0 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K)
19. Arizona Diamondbacks (65-72, Previous: 17)
12 of 30
Last Week: 2-5
After wrapping up a four-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds on Aug. 23, the Arizona Diamondbacks were one game over .500 and playing well enough that it looked like they might be able to at least nose their way into the wild-card conversation.
However, they are just 3-11 since then, and following a three-game sweep at the hands of the Chicago Cubs, their playoff hopes have evaporated.
That doesn't take anything away from a team that has already far exceeded expectations this year, though, as all signs point to the Diamondbacks regaining relevancy sooner than originally thought.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Jake Lamb (7-for-19, 2 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Patrick Corbin (W, 6.1 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K)
18. Boston Red Sox (64-72, Previous: 20)
13 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
It's far too little, far too late for the Boston Red Sox, but the team has been playing significantly better baseball of late at 17-13 in their last 30 games.
With Hanley Ramirez expected to either move to first base or be traded this offseason, Jackie Bradley Jr. is playing for a chance at an everyday spot in the outfield next year, and he has relished the opportunity to this point with a .361/.432/.753 line since the beginning of August.
It's guys like Bradley Jr. and right-hander Joe Kelly, who has also turned things around dramatically in the second half, who could help get things going back in the right direction in 2016 by providing an in-house boost in production.
Hitter of the Week
- LF Jackie Bradley Jr. (10-for-21, 4 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 9 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Eduardo Rodriguez (2 W, 12.0 IP, 15 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 11 K)
17. Seattle Mariners (66-71, Previous: 21)
14 of 30
Last Week: 5-1
The Seattle Mariners have been the most disappointing team in the American League this season after kicking off the year as a trendy pick to win the AL pennant, yet they are not quite dead just yet at six games back for the second wild card.
With Robinson Cano remembering how to hit in the second half and Hisashi Iwakuma back to providing the team with a second front-line arm alongside Felix Hernandez, it's not hard to see why so many were so high on this team when they're playing well.
However, instead of heading to the playoffs for the first time since 2001, it instead looks like the team will just be hoping to finish strong and use that as a springboard into next season.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Kyle Seager (10-for-21, 3 2B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Felix Hernandez (W, 8.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 9 K)
16. Tampa Bay Rays (67-69, Previous: 15)
15 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
Since suffering through a 1-11 stretch in early July, the Tampa Bay Rays have been a .500 team at 24-24 in their last 48, and they've managed to hang around in the AL wild-card picture as a result.
Chris Archer has scuffled a bit of late with just two quality starts in his last five games, but a terrific start from Drew Smyly on Tuesday was a positive sign.
With rookie Curt Casali sidelined with a hamstring strain, former Toronto Blue Jays backstop J.P. Arencibia is once again getting a chance at regular playing time behind the plate. As a result, he is coming off of a nice week in which he had two doubles and two home runs in 14 at-bats.
Hitter of the Week
- C J.P. Arencibia (6-for-14, 2 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Drew Smyly (W, 7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 K)
15. Cleveland Indians (66-69, Previous: 14)
16 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
Despite dropping a series to the Toronto Blue Jays last week, the Cleveland Indians have still been playing very good baseball of late with an 11-5 record in their last 16 games.
That leaves them five games out of the second wild card and 3.5 games behind the Minnesota Twins for second place in the AL Central standings.
The No. 5 starter has been a revolving door for the team all season, so a complete-game four-hitter from Josh Tomlin last week represented long-overdue production out of that spot.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Jerry Sands (4-for-15, 1 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Josh Tomlin (W, 9.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K)
14. Minnesota Twins (70-66, Previous: 13)
17 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
If nothing else, the Minnesota Twins have been resilient this season, as just when it looks like they are headed for a downswing, they manage to string together some wins and keep pace in the push for a wild-card spot.
The enter play on Monday 1.5 games behind the Texas Rangers for the second AL wild card, making them the first team on the outside looking in on the AL side of things.
Even if they are unable to close the gap and reach the playoffs, the future looks very bright thanks at least in part to Miguel Sano, who has been an absolute beast since being called up with a .969 OPS, 15 home runs and 42 RBI in 55 games. He's quickly making the AL Rookie of the Year vote significantly harder than most expected it to be.
Hitter of the Week
- SS Eduardo Escobar (8-for-21, 2 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Ervin Santana (W, 8.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 11 K)
13. Los Angeles Angels (69-67, Previous: 16)
18 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
The Los Angeles Angels finally managed to stop the bleeding last week, as they put to rest a rough month of August that saw them go 10-19 by winning back-to-back series against the Oakland Athletics and Texas Rangers.
It's that same Rangers team that they're chasing for the second wild card, and with the series win, the deficit has been trimmed to just 2.5 games. Those two close out the season with a four-game series in Texas that could wind up being huge.
Consistent offensive production has been the big issue for most of the season, so 33 runs in six games and a strong showing from David Freese (7-for-18, 3 2B) as he works back into form from a fractured finger were both major positives last week.
Hitter of the Week
- CF Mike Trout (6-for-21, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 7 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Matt Shoemaker (W, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K)
12. San Francisco Giants (71-66, Previous: 11)
19 of 30
Last Week: 2-5
Last week did not go well for the San Francisco Giants, as they were swept by the rival Los Angeles Dodgers and saw their losing streak run to seven games before they managed to salvage their four-game series with the Colorado Rockies with a pair of wins over the weekend.
With a number of key bats missing significant time, Buster Posey has again stepped up huge with a .349/.389/.459 line since the All-Star break. That said, guys like Joe Panik and Hunter Pence can't return soon enough.
Starting pitching is still a significant question mark as well, so a strong outing from Mike Leake was a nice takeaway in an otherwise disappointing week.
Hitter of the Week
- C Buster Posey (13-for-27, 2 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Mike Leake (L, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K)
11. Washington Nationals (71-65, Previous: 12)
20 of 30
Last Week: 5-2
Much has been made about how favorable the Washington Nationals' schedule is down the stretch, and they've taken full advantage to this point with an 11-4 record in their last 15 games.
They kick off this coming week with a huge three-game series against the division-leading New York Mets, and after that, their only remaining games against a team with a winning record are another three-game set with the Mets to close out the year.
Bryce Harper has been at it all season, but the team has received a big boost from Ryan Zimmerman of late, as he's hitting .308/.371/.662 with 11 home runs and 39 RBI in the second half. Yunel Escobar (.303 BA, .837 OPS) and Ian Desmond (.282 BA, .860 OPS) have also been solid since the break.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Ryan Zimmerman (13-for-26, 4 2B, 4 HR, 14 RBI, 8 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Gio Gonzalez (W, ND, 12.0 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 6 BB, 14 K)
10. Texas Rangers (71-64, Previous: 9)
21 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
With a 16-7 record in their last 23 games, the Texas Rangers have played their way into the second wild-card spot, but with four teams within five games of them, they are far from assured a spot in the playoffs at this point.
The Cole Hamels trade stole the headlines, and he's been solid after a shaky first couple of starts with the team, but Derek Holland has been the team's biggest second-half addition. After a terrific start last week, the left-hander is now 3-0 with a 2.15 ERA in four starts since returning from the disabled list.
Joey Gallo has seen a pair of starts and a pinch-hit opportunity since returning to the majors as a September call-up, going 0-for-7 with six strikeouts, so don't expect him to give the offense a big shot in the arm.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Shin-Soo Choo (8-for-22, 2 2B, 1 3B, 2 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Derek Holland (W, 8.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K)
9. Houston Astros (75-62, Previous: 10)
22 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
The Houston Astros managed to bounce back from a series loss to the Seattle Mariners to take two of three from the Minnesota Twins over the weekend, and their lead in the AL West stands at three games heading into the week.
With two more strong starts last week, Dallas Keuchel is now 17-6 with a 2.29 ERA, 0.992 WHIP and 185 strikeouts in 200.2 innings of work. His 7.1 WAR is already good for the fourth-best total by a pitcher in franchise history.
They are set to take on the Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Angels on the road this week, before a big series against the Rangers in Texas one week from now.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Jed Lowrie (10-for-22, 4 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 7 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Dallas Keuchel (2 W, 15.0 IP, 11 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 20 K)
8. New York Mets (75-61, Previous: 5)
23 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
The New York Mets finished up an impressive month of August at 20-8 with a plus-61 run differential, and since the end of July, they've gone from two games back in the NL East to four games up on the Washington Nationals.
It has been a completely different team offensively since Yoenis Cespedes was added at the trade deadline, as he's hit .301/.351/.636 with 12 home runs and 29 RBI in 33 games and sparked a number of others in the process.
The big news over the weekend was a Players's Tribune article from Matt Harvey in which he proclaimed that he fully intends on pitching in the playoffs, despite the likelihood of blowing past what was thought to be a 180-inning limit.
Hitter of the Week
- LF Yoenis Cespedes (10-for-27, 2 3B, 4 HR, 6 RBI, 9 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Bartolo Colon (2 W, 17.0 IP, 13 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 11 K)
7. New York Yankees (76-59, Previous: 8)
24 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
The New York Yankees refuse to let the Toronto Blue Jays pull away in the AL East standings, as they kept pace last week and remain just 1.5 games back. They have built a solid five-game cushion for the first wild-card spot, but avoiding the Wild Card Round altogether remains the goal.
With Mark Teixeira still battling a shin injury, rookie Greg Bird has stepped into a significant role as the everyday first baseman and No. 6 hitter in the lineup. He's held his own to this point, hitting .260/.337/.466 with four home runs and 14 RBI in 73 at-bats.
The Yankees begin this coming week with a three-game set against the Baltimore Orioles, before kicking off a huge four-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Hitter of the Week
- SS Didi Gregorius (10-for-23, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Michael Pineda (W, 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K)
6. Chicago Cubs (78-57, Previous: 7)
25 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
Between a rough West Coast road trip and a series loss to the Cincinnati Reds, the Chicago Cubs were just 2-6 in their last eight games heading into their weekend series with the Arizona Diamondbacks last week.
The offense exploded for 14 runs on Friday, though, and that appears to have snapped the team out of its temporary funk as it went on to sweep the Diamondbacks. That leaves it with a 7.5-game lead over the Washington Nationals for that second wild-card spot.
With another strong start on Saturday on the heels of his no-hitter a week ago, Jake Arrieta is now 18-6 with a 2.03 ERA, 0.921 WHIP and 197 strikeouts in 191 innings. He's working on a string of 15 consecutive quality starts heading into his next outing.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Kris Bryant (8-for-21, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jake Arrieta (W, 8.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K)
5. Kansas City Royals (82-54, Previous: 3)
26 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
The Kansas City Royals may have the AL Central locked up with a 12-game lead over the Minnesota Twins, but they are still playing for the best record in the AL with the Toronto Blue Jays just four games behind them in that category.
Landing Johnny Cueto at the trade deadline gave them the ace they needed atop their staff, but equally important has been a revitalized Yordano Ventura who has gone 4-0 with a 1.13 ERA in his last five starts.
Getting Alex Gordon back healthy will also be big for the stretch run and on into October, and he's gone 6-for-13 with two doubles in four games since being activated from the disabled list after missing nearly two months with a groin injury.
Hitter of the Week
- DH Kendrys Morales (11-for-25, 3 2B, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Yordano Ventura (W, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 11 K)
4. Los Angeles Dodgers (78-58, Previous: 6)
27 of 30
Last Week: 6-1
The Los Angeles Dodgers have gone 11-2 in their past 13 games, winning four consecutive series in the process and building their lead in the NL West to 7.5 games thanks to a sweep of the second-place San Francisco Giants.
Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke continue to dominate, while Alex Wood turned in his best start as a Dodger last week when he allowed just three hits over seven scoreless innings.
A shaky bullpen remains the biggest question mark, though closer Kenley Jansen has again been lights out, and figuring out who fills what role bridging the gap to him come October will be one of the biggest priorities of the final weeks of the season.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Chase Utley (8-for-23, 3 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Clayton Kershaw (W, 9.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 15 K)
3. Toronto Blue Jays (78-58, Previous: 4)
28 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
The Toronto Blue Jays continue to roll, as they picked up series wins against the Cleveland Indians and Baltimore Orioles last week. They were unable to create any separation between themselves and the New York Yankees in the AL East standings, though, as they remain just 1.5 games up.
The offense has scored 5.49 runs per game on the season, and that number climbed to an impressive 6.30 in August when they went 21-6 and outscored opponents 170-83.
They kick off a 10-game road trip against the Boston Red Sox on Monday, before a huge four-game series with the Yankees that could go a long way toward deciding the AL East. It's worth noting that the Jays are just 31-33 on the road this year, compared to 47-25 at home.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Jose Bautista (7-for-19, 2 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP R.A. Dickey (W, 9.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K)
2. Pittsburgh Pirates (81-54, Previous: 2)
29 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
Despite taking two of three from the No. 1-ranked St. Louis Cardinals over the weekend, the Pittsburgh Pirates remain in the No. 2 spot after being swept by the Milwaukee Brewers at the start of last week.
With A.J. Burnett sidelined, the addition of J.A. Happ has proved to be one of the better pickups of the trade deadline, as the left-hander has gone 4-1 with a 1.57 ERA in six starts since joining the team.
The series win over the Cardinals leaves the Pirates 5.5 back in the NL Central and three up on the Chicago Cubs for the right to host the Wild Card Round game.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Aramis Ramirez (5-for-15, 1 2B, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP J.A. Happ (W, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K)
1. St. Louis Cardinals (87-49, Previous: 1)
30 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
The St. Louis Cardinals dropped two of three to the Pittsburgh Pirates over the weekend, but with a 5.5-game lead in the division and a nice series win against the Washington Nationals to begin last week, they maintain their stranglehold on the No. 1 spot in these rankings.
After hitting .167/.286/.190 with one extra-base hit in his first 42 at-bats with the Cardinals, Brandon Moss has caught fire of late with a .389/.463/.806 line and six extra-base hits (four home runs) in his last 36 at-bats.
His emergence, along with the continued success of Stephen Piscotty, should allow the team to ease guys like Matt Adams, Randal Grichuk and Matt Holliday back into the mix once they are deemed healthy.
The Cardinals wrap up their current homestand with a three-game series against the rival Chicago Cubs beginning on Monday.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Brandon Moss (10-for-24, 1 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jaime Garcia (W, 7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K)
All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference unless otherwise noted. Hitter and pitcher of the week stats refer to games played between Monday, Aug. 31 and Sunday, Sept. 6.
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