MLB Power Rankings: Where All 30 Teams Stand Post-2016 World Series
With the 2016 World Series in the books and the offseason officially underway, let's put a bow on the 2016 season with one final edition of MLB power rankings.
Each team's spot in the following rankings reflects its overall performance in 2016, so the 10 postseason teams will be at the top, and the further they advanced in the playoffs, the higher they will be ranked.
As for the 20 non-playoff teams, record was not the only factor that went into their placement. How well they finished the season, their performance in key areas and how 2016 affects the franchise moving forward all played a role as well.
We'll put together fresh versions of these power rankings throughout the offseason, with teams shifting based on their wheelings and dealings.
For now, this serves as a wrap-up.
On a personal note, I want to say thanks to everyone for reading along all season. This was my fifth year authoring our weekly MLB power rankings here at Bleacher Report, and it remains my favorite part of the job. I hope you've enjoyed reading as much as I've enjoyed writing.
30. Minnesota Twins (59-103, 5th in AL Central)
1 of 30
Team Stats
| -167 | .251 | .738 | 4.46 | 5.08 | 5.39 | 4.63 |
| 29th | 21st | 13th | 16th | 29th | 30th | 26th |
2016 Wrap-Up
After a surprising 83-79 finish in 2015, the Minnesota Twins looked like a team on the rise.
Not so much.
A middle-of-the-road offensive attack was unable to prop up an abysmal pitching staff that finished dead last in quality starts (59) and converted just 26 of 46 save chances.
Highly regarded pitching prospect Jose Berrios didn't seize a rotation spot as hoped, Miguel Sano fell short of matching his impressive rookie performance and All-Star closer Glen Perkins missed most of the season with a shoulder injury.
A monster season from second baseman Brian Doizer (.886 OPS, 42 HR, 99 RBI) and a strong finish from Byron Buxton (113 PA, .287/.357/.653, 17 XBH in Sept.) were among the bright spots, but those were few and far between.
Keep an eye on veteran Ervin Santana (7-11, 3.38 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 181.1 IP) as a possible trade chip. He's owed $27 million over the next two years, but there will be interested teams in a thin market for starting pitching.
29. Arizona Diamondbacks (69-93, 4th in NL West)
2 of 30
Team Stats
| -138 | .261 | .752 | 4.64 | 5.09 | 5.19 | 4.94 |
| 27th | 7th | 11th | 11th | 30th | 29th | 27th |
2016 Wrap-Up
The Arizona Diamondbacks are an easy choice as the most disappointing team of 2016, after a busy offseason had them eyeing a potential playoff run.
Instead, big-ticket free-agent signing Zack Greinke (13-7, 4.37 ERA, 158.2 IP) regressed from his 2015 numbers, and blockbuster trade acquisition Shelby Miller (3-12, 6.15 ERA, 101.0 IP) struggled to the point that he found himself pitching in Triple-A.
Meanwhile, injuries made outfielders A.J. Pollock and David Peralta—two of the team's most productive players in 2015—non-factors with just 60 games of action combined.
Jean Segura was the biggest bright spot, as he led the NL with 203 hits while posting a .319/.368/.499 line that included 41 doubles, 20 home runs, 64 RBI, 102 runs scored and 33 stolen bases.
First baseman Paul Goldschmidt was rock solid once again, Yasmany Tomas showed improvement in his second season with 31 home runs and left-hander Robbie Ray led the team in innings pitched (174.1) while finishing fourth in the NL in strikeouts (218).
When the dust settled, the poor performance from a win-loss standpoint brought about a shake-up of both the coaching staff and the front office, and it will be an interesting offseason to come for the D-Backs.
28. Cincinnati Reds (68-94, 5th in NL Central)
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Team Stats
| -138 | .256 | .724 | 4.42 | 4.91 | 4.79 | 5.09 |
| 27th | 14th | 23rd | 18th | 27th | 25th | 29th |
2016 Wrap-Up
The Cincinnati Reds continued their rebuilding efforts this season, with a number of young players getting extended looks and another veteran trade chip cashed in when Jay Bruce was sent to the New York Mets at the trade deadline.
Dan Straily (14-8, 3.76 ERA, 191.1 IP) turned out to be one of the best bargain signings of the offseason and left-hander Brandon Finnegan (10-11, 3.98 ERA, 172.0 IP) showed intriguing potential alongside him in the rotation.
In the bullpen, former starters Raisel Iglesias (37 G, 2.53 ERA) and Michael Lorenzen (35 G, 2.88 ERA) formed a solid one-two punch for an otherwise awful relief corps.
Joey Votto turned in a monster second half (314 PA, .408/.490/.668), after getting off to the worst start of his career.
As for the youngsters, speedy infielder/outfielder Jose Peraza (256 PA, .324/.352/.411, 21 SB) looks to have earned himself a shot at an everyday role next year, and Robert Stephenson got his feet wet with eight starts.
Unloading Brandon Phillips would be nice, but a more likely trade candidate this offseason appears to be shortstop Zack Cozart, and dealing him would open up a spot for the aforementioned Peraza.
Manager Bryan Price will be back for another year in 2017, and the Reds will continue building from within for the time being.
27. Oakland Athletics (69-93, 5th in AL West)
4 of 30
Team Stats
| -108 | .246 | .699 | 4.03 | 4.51 | 4.84 | 4.01 |
| 25th | 25th | 28th | 28th | 24th | 27th | 20th |
2016 Wrap-Up
In need of some significant help on the pitching side of things, the Oakland Athletics added the likes of Rich Hill, Henderson Alvarez, Ryan Madson, John Axford, Liam Hendriks and Marc Rzepczynski during the offseason.
That wasn't enough to avoid another last-place finish in the AL West, though.
Hill exceeded even the wildest of expectations, even while missing time to injury, and was flipped along with Josh Reddick at the trade deadline for three quality pitching prospects from the Los Angeles Dodgers.
As good as Hill was, the biggest addition proved to be slugger Khris Davis, who was acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers and went on to post an .831 OPS with 42 home runs and 102 RBI in his first season in Oakland.
Kendall Graveman (10-11, 4.11 ERA, 186.0 IP) looks like he has a chance to be a rotation staple, and top prospect Sean Manaea (7-9, 3.86 ERA, 144.2 IP) enjoyed a largely successful first full season in the majors.
One of the biggest breakout prospects of the year was third baseman Ryon Healy, who beat more widely recognized prospects Matt Chapman and Renato Nunez to the majors and wound up posting an .861 OPS with 20 doubles and 13 home runs in 283 plate appearances.
Expect more young talent to arrive on the scene in the years to come, and for a similar strategy to the offseason with mid-level talent the likely target.
26. San Diego Padres (68-94, 5th in NL West)
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Team Stats
| -84 | .235 | .689 | 4.23 | 4.43 | 4.61 | 4.18 |
| 24th | 30th | 29th | 20th | 23rd | 21st | 23rd |
2016 Wrap-Up
The 2015 San Diego Padres were a popular pick to contend for a postseason spot after a busy offseason under new general manager A.J. Preller.
When those playoff hopes didn't come to fruition, the 2016 season was largely spent undoing what was done the previous offseason, as the focus turned to restocking the farm system and positioning the team for the future.
That farm system figures to play prominently into the team's 2017 plans, as outfielders Hunter Renfroe and Manuel Margot and infielder Carlos Asuaje could all be vying for significant roles.
As for the incumbent MLB talent, Wil Myers finally stayed healthy and turned in a breakout offensive season with a .797 OPS, 29 doubles, 28 home runs, 94 RBI and 28 stolen bases.
Tyson Ross took the ball on Opening Day and wasn't seen again the remainder of the season as he nursed an injured shoulder. That cost the team its top starter and most valuable trade chip, and they'll be hoping for a return to health.
Meanwhile, Drew Pomeranz turned into one of the most sought-after arms of the summer, and he ended up netting the team uber-prospect Anderson Espinoza in a trade with the Boston Red Sox.
Rule 5 pick Luis Perdomo went 8-9 with a 4.85 ERA in 20 starts after injuries forced him into the rotation, and left-hander Christian Friedrich flashed some potential, but the starting rotation is still very much a work in progress.
The building from the ground up will continue in 2017.
25. Tampa Bay Rays (68-94, 5th in AL East)
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Team Stats
| -41 | .243 | .733 | 4.15 | 4.20 | 4.26 | 4.09 |
| 22nd | 28th | 16th | 24th | 16th | 11th | 21st |
2016 Wrap-Up
The Tampa Bay Rays were the lone also-ran in a tight AL East battle, as they lost 90-plus games for the first time since the 2007 season.
After finishing sixth in the majors with a 3.63 starters ERA in 2015, the rotation struggled to find that same level of consistency, and ace Chris Archer failed to replicate his breakout performance from a year ago.
The team pulled the trigger on moving one of their controllable arms when they sent Matt Moore to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for Matt Duffy and a pair of prospects. Don't be surprised if another starter is on the move this winter, with Jake Odorizzi and Drew Smyly the most likely candidates to be dealt.
Top prospect Blake Snell debuted in impressive fashion, going 6-8 with a 3.54 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 89 innings of work, and he figures to fill a prominent role in next year's rotation.
Alex Colome was thrust into the closer's role when Brad Boxberger was sidelined in the spring, and he went on to post a 1.91 ERA over 57 appearances while converting 37 of 40 save chances.
Offensively, Evan Longoria (.840 OPS, 36 HR, 98 RBI) led the way with the best numbers he's posted in years, while offseason addition Brad Miller (.786 OPS, 30 HR, 81 RBI) gave the team its best secondary power source since the days of Carlos Pena.
The Rays have done well maximizing their talent during their recent run of success, and they'll need to do that again next season if they hope to contend.
24. Atlanta Braves (68-93, 5th in NL East)
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Team Stats
| -130 | .255 | .705 | 4.03 | 4.51 | 4.87 | 3.95 |
| 26th | 18th | 27th | 28th | 24th | 28th | 19th |
2016 Wrap-Up
That 68-93 record doesn't tell the full story of an Atlanta Braves team on the rise.
Not only does the organization boast one of the deepest farm systems in all of baseball, but it finished the 2016 season on a high note, going 12-2 over the final 14 games.
Julio Teheran (7-10, 3.21 ERA, 188.0 IP) bounced back from a rough 2015 season and looks like a long-term piece of the puzzle, while Matt Wisler and Mike Foltynewicz showed enough to think they can hold down rotation spots going forward.
The rest of the rotation was a revolving door, though, and they could look to add a veteran innings-eater or two in the offseason similar to the Bud Norris signing last winter.
Dansby Swanson arrived on the scene earlier than expected and held his own, hitting .302/.361/.442 over 145 plate appearances to seize the everyday shortstop job. He'll soon be joined by fellow prospect Ozzie Albies to form an exciting middle infield.
Matt Kemp (241 PA, .855 OPS, 15 2B, 12 HR) thrived after coming over in a trade with the San Diego Padres, and he'll join Freddie Freeman to form a solid veteran duo in the middle of the lineup.
There's still significant work to be done filling out the roster, and many of the team's top prospects still reside in the lower levels of the minors, but things are trending in the right direction as the Braves get set to open their new stadium.
23. Philadelphia Phillies (71-91, 4th in NL East)
8 of 30
Team Stats
| -186 | .240 | .685 | 3.77 | 4.63 | 4.41 | 5.05 |
| 30th | 29th | 30th | 30th | 26th | 28th | 28th |
2016 Wrap-Up
Expected to once again be also-rans as they continued to rebuild, the Philadelphia Phillies stormed out of the gates with a 24-17 start to the season that left them just a half-game out of first place on May 18.
Things went south fairly quickly from there, as the starting pitching came back to earth and an anemic offense was unable to pick up the slack.
Still, it was a better-than-expected season for a team that lost 99 games the previous year, and the fanbase has plenty of reason for optimism going forward.
Vincent Velasquez, Aaron Nola and Jerad Eickhoff all look like future rotation pieces, while Jeremy Hellickson pitched well enough after coming over in an offseason trade that he'll be extended a qualifying offer and net the team a draft pick.
Tommy Joseph (.813 OPS, 15 2B, 21 HR) and Cameron Rupp (.750 OPS, 26 2B, 16 HR) both put up strong offensive numbers while stepping into more prominent roles, while right-hander Jake Thompson gained some valuable experience in his push to earn a rotation spot.
Shortstop J.P. Crawford and outfielder Nick Williams figure to be next to arrive among the team's top prospects, while breakout minor leaguers Dylan Cozens and Rhys Hoskins have helped elevate the system.
The Phillies could make a play to sign a big-ticket free agent this winter, but they're still at least a year away from making a push up the standings.
22. Milwaukee Brewers (73-89, 4th in NL Central)
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Team Stats
| -62 | .244 | .729 | 4.14 | 4.08 | 4.40 | 3.61 |
| 23rd | 27th | 18th | 25th | 12th | 17th | 12th |
2016 Wrap-Up
The Milwaukee Brewers' rebuilding efforts kicked into full gear this season as the team shipped off All-Star catcher Jonathan Lucroy and relievers Jeremy Jeffress and Will Smith at the trade deadline.
Those two deals added more top-flight talent to a farm system that now ranks among the best in all of baseball; now it's just a matter of patience as those prospects develop.
As for the current MLB product, there are not a ton of current Brewers that look like long-term pieces of the puzzle.
Top prospect Orlando Arcia should take over as the everyday shortstop next season, despite hitting .219 with a .631 OPS over 216 plate appearances in his debut.
The team had the benefit of not rushing him thanks to the emergence of Jonathan Villar, who was acquired as little more than a cheap stopgap to Arcia but wound up hitting .285/.369/.457 with 38 doubles, 19 home runs and an NL-high 62 stolen bases.
Ryan Braun (.903 OPS, 30 HR, 91 RBI) continued his push back to superstardom as he's steadily improved in the years since his PED suspension. Now the question becomes when the team will move him for prospects.
Chris Carter (.821 OPS, 41 HR, 94 RBI) and Keon Broxton (244 PA, .784 OPS, 20 XBH, 23 SB) were also pleasant surprises for the offense.
The pitching staff was by far the biggest surprise, though, with 31-year-old rookie Junior Guerra (9-3, 2.81 ERA, 121.2 IP) coming out of nowhere to lead the way.
More young talent is on the way in 2017, as the Brewers will look to remain competitive while they rebuild.
21. Los Angeles Angels (74-88, 4th in AL West)
10 of 30
Team Stats
| -10 | .260 | .726 | 4.43 | 4.28 | 4.60 | 3.77 |
| 15th | 9th | 22nd | 17th | 21st | 20th | 18th |
2016 Wrap-Up
The good: Mike Trout.
The bad: Pretty much everything else.
The Los Angeles Angels finished with a nearly even run differential yet never really looked like legitimate contenders in what turned out to be a wide-open AL West race.
Trout was brilliant once again, hitting .315/.441/.550 with 32 doubles, 29 home runs and 100 RBI while leading the AL in runs scored (123) and walks (116) for a 10.6 WAR.
Albert Pujols (.780 OPS, 31 HR, 119 RBI) and Kole Calhoun (.786 OPS, 18 HR, 75 RBI) were solid in a supporting role, but the lineup simply wasn't deep enough, and the left field position (.204 BA, .584 OPS) was unfathomably bad.
The pitching staff was hit hard by injuries to Garrett Richards, Andrew Heaney and C.J. Wilson, among others, with Matt Shoemaker (9-13, 3.88 ERA, 160.0 IP) the only real standout of the remaining hurlers.
With Wilson ($20.5 million) and Jered Weaver ($20.2 million) both coming off the books, the Angels should have some money to spend this winter, and there are certainly needs to fill.
As for the trade market, don't be surprised if the team sells high on relievers Cam Bedrosian (45 G, 1.12 ERA, 11.4 K/9), given the going rate for controllable late-inning arms.
20. Colorado Rockies (75-87, 3rd in NL West)
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Team Stats
| -15 | .275 | .794 | 5.22 | 4.91 | 4.79 | 5.13 |
| 16th | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | 27th | 25th | 30th |
2016 Wrap-Up
Same story, different year.
The Colorado Rockies once again boasted one of the most potent offensive attacks in all of baseball, second only to the Boston Red Sox in team batting average, team OPS and runs per game.
Nolan Arenado (.932 OPS, 41 HR, 133 RBI), Charlie Blackmon (.933 OPS, 29 HR, 82 RBI) and D.J. LeMahieu (.348 BA, .911 OPS) led the way, while rookie Trevor Story (.909 OPS, 27 HR, 72 RBI) was fantastic before suffering a season-ending thumb injury in August.
That offense was once again unable to prop up the pitching staff, though.
The starting rotation was actually vastly improved, as they lowered their collective ERA from 5.27 (30th in MLB) last season to 4.79 (25th in MLB) this year.
Jon Gray (10-10, 4.61 ERA, 185 K, 168.0 IP) flashed legitimate ace potential at times, while Chad Bettis (14-8, 4.79 ERA, 186.0 IP), Tyler Chatwood (12-9, 3.87 ERA, 158.0 IP) and rookie Tyler Anderson (5-6, 3.54 ERA, 114.1 IP) also pitched well.
The bullpen was a disaster, though, as the offseason additions of Jake McGee, Jason Motte and Chad Qualls did not bring the stability the team was hoping for.
With general manager Jeff Bridich entering the final year of his contract, expect the Rockies to push hard to put a winner on the field in 2017. With a starting rotation on the rise, they could make some noise.
19. Chicago White Sox (78-84, 4th in AL Central)
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Team Stats
| -29 | .257 | .727 | 4.23 | 4.10 | 4.33 | 3.68 |
| 19th | 12th | 21st | 20th | 14th | 13th | 17th |
2016 Wrap-Up
The Chicago White Sox climbed as high as the No. 2 spot in these rankings early in the season, going 17-8 in April and 23-10 overall to open the year.
Things spiraled quickly from there, though, and they were left battling for a winning record as opposed to a playoff spot down the stretch.
The one-two punch of Chris Sale (17-10, 3.34 ERA, 226.2 IP) and Jose Quintana (13-12, 3.20 ERA, 208.0 IP) was once again among the best in baseball and the biggest strength of the team. Now the question becomes whether one or both will be on the move this offseason, when their value may never be higher.
Meanwhile, the bullpen benefited from the emergence of hard-throwing Nate Jones (71 G, 2.29 ERA, 10.2 K/9), who should get a chance to close in the near future.
While the pitching staff was dominant early and passable for the bulk of the season, the offense struggled to consistently score runs once again.
Todd Frazier hit 40 home runs in his first season with the team, but it was accompanied by a .225 average and 163 strikeouts.
Jose Abreu (.820 OPS, 25 HR, 100 RBI) was productive once again, and Adam Eaton (.790 OPS, 52 XBH, 91 R) was among the AL leaders with a 6.2 WAR thanks in large part to his stellar defense in right field.
This will be a decisive offseason for the franchise, as it decides between cashing in a number of valuable trade chips,= or padding the roster for another run at contention.
18. Pittsburgh Pirates (78-83, 3rd in NL Central)
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Team Stats
| -29 | .257 | .734 | 4.50 | 4.21 | 4.67 | 3.57 |
| 19th | 12th | 15th | 13th | 17th | 22nd | 11th |
2016 Wrap-Up
They may not have struggled on the same level as the Arizona Diamondbacks, but the Pittsburgh Pirates were every bit as disappointing in 2016.
After three straight postseason appearances and with a young core in place, the Pirates were expected to be perennial contenders in the NL Central.
They jumped out to a 28-19 start, but followed that up with a 7-20 stretch of games that dropped them below .500, and they were never able to recover.
A poor season from superstar Andrew McCutchen (negative-0.7 WAR) and an injury-plagued year from ace Gerrit Cole (7-10, 3.88 ERA, 116.0 IP) were the most glaring deficiencies, but there was plenty of blame to spread around.
The starting rotation as a whole took an enormous step in the wrong direction, as their collective ERA climbed by over a run from 3.53 (5th in MLB) in 2015 to 4.67 (22nd in MLB) this year.
Those struggles led to some overhauling at the trade deadline, as Mark Melancon and Francisco Liriano were shipped out in separate deals.
Now it's up to the continued emergence of young arms like Jameson Taillon, Tyler Glasnow and Chad Kuhl to right the ship alongside a healthy Cole.
There is still a ton of talent on the offensive side, with Starling Marte, Gregory Polanco and Jung Ho Kang forming a strong core and Josh Bell set to step into an everyday role.
With some money saved in the Liriano move, they'll have a chance to be active in free agency. One way or another, they'll expect to contend again in 2017.
17. Miami Marlins (79-82, 3rd in NL East)
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Team Stats
| -27 | .263 | .716 | 4.07 | 4.05 | 4.32 | 3.63 |
| 18th | 4th | 25th | 27th | 10th | 12th | 14th |
2016 Wrap-Up
The tragic death of star pitcher Jose Fernandez casts a dark cloud over the 2016 Miami Marlins, making any other talking points about the team seem like minor details.
Replacing Fernandez goes beyond just adding an arm to the rotation, as he was a figurehead in the community and one of the most well-liked and entertaining players around baseball.
The show must go on, though.
Adam Conley, Wei-Yin Chen and Tom Koehler are the best of what's left of the Marlins rotation, as they figure to explore both free agency and the trade market in their search for quality starting pitching.
The bullpen finished in the middle of the pack in ERA, but was led by an impressive trio in David Phelps (64 G, 2.28 ERA, 11.8 K/9), rookie Kyle Barraclough (75 G, 2.85 ERA, 14.0 K/9) and A.J. Ramos (67 G, 40 SV, 2.81 ERA, 10.3 K/9). All three will return in 2017.
As for the offense, Giancarlo Stanton missed time to injury once again, and in his absence Christian Yelich (.859 OPS, 21 HR, 98 RBI) continued his emergence as one of the game's best young hitters.
Marcell Ozuna (.773 OPS, 23 HR, 76 RBI) also rebounded from a trying 2015 season and earned a place on the NL All-Star team, while veteran Martin Prado (.305 BA, .775 OPS) showed enough to earn an in-season extension.
Catcher J.T. Realmuto (.303 BA, .771 OPS, 42 XBH, 12 SB) will be a popular target of other clubs on the trade market and could wind up being the price the team is forced to pay to add a quality arm to the staff.
16. Kansas City Royals (81-81, 3rd in AL Central)
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Team Stats
| -37 | .261 | .712 | 4.17 | 4.21 | 4.67 | 3.45 |
| 21st | 7th | 26th | 23rd | 17th | 22nd | 4th |
2016 Wrap-Up
The Kansas City Royals once again boasted a strong bullpen, good team defense and impactful team speed—the same core strengths that led the club to back-to-back World Series appearances.
However, they were unable to find the same success.
Ian Kennedy (11-11, 3.68 ERA, 195.2 IP) and Danny Duffy (12-3, 3.51 ERA, 179.2 IP) formed a solid, if unheralded, one-two punch atop the rotation, but the rest of the staff was a mess and unable to piece things together like they did the previous year.
All-Star closer Wade Davis made two separate trips to the disabled list with forearm issues, though he still figures to be a hot commodity on the offseason trade market as he enters the final year of his contract.
On the offensive side, Kendrys Morales (.795 OPS, 30 HR, 93 RBI) and Eric Hosmer (.761 OPS, 25 HR, 104 RBI) led the way, while Mike Moustakas missed significant time to injury, and guys like Lorenzo Cain and Alex Gordon both underperformed.
That left the club 23rd in the league in offense—and without a reliable starting rotation, that was simply too much to overcome.
An offseason of shedding payroll and reworking the roster likely lies ahead, as it would appear the Royals' window has slammed back shut for the time being.
15. New York Yankees (84-78, Fourth in AL East)
16 of 30
Team Stats
| -22 | .252 | .720 | 4.20 | 4.16 | 4.44 | 3.67 |
| 17th | 20th | 24th | 22nd | 15th | 19th | 16th |
2016 Wrap-Up
The New York Yankees may have missed the postseason for the third time in the past four years, but it was a wildly successful season for the franchise.
Sellers at the deadline for the first time in recent memory, they shipped off Andrew Miller, Aroldis Chapman and Carlos Beltran for a wealth of prospect talent.
Already a farm system on the rise with the front office's newfound emphasis on player development, those additions were enough for them to claim the No. 1 spot in Bleacher Report's end-of-the-year farm system rankings.
Graduating from that farm system was catcher Gary Sanchez, who took the league by storm upon arriving in the Bronx. The 23-year-old hit .299/.376/.657 with 12 doubles, 20 home runs and 42 RBI in just 229 plate appearances.
Then, after selling off those pieces, they put together a 17-11 month of August to climb back into the wild-card picture. They came up short, but it was an impressive push nonetheless.
Throw in an amiable parting of ways with Alex Rodriguez, a productive performance from the new middle infield of Starlin Castro and Didi Gregorius and a healthy season from Masahiro Tanaka, and there were a lot of positives for the 2016 Yankees.
Now they'll look to blend their up-and-coming young talent with free-agent additions, as they have money to spend and will never be a club that goes into a full rebuild.
14. Houston Astros (84-78, Third in AL West)
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Team Stats
| +23 | .247 | .735 | 4.47 | 4.06 | 4.37 | 3.56 |
| 13th | 24th | 14th | 15th | 11th | 15th | 8th |
2016 Wrap-Up
A popular pick to win the AL West after arriving on the playoff scene earlier than expected last year, the Houston Astros instead settled for a third-place finish in the division.
The starting rotation was the biggest disappointment, as reigning AL Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel (9-12, 4.55 ERA, 168.0 IP) failed to find the same level of success, and injuries limited up-and-comer Lance McCullers to just 14 starts.
Meanwhile, the bullpen struggled to find a reliable ninth-inning option, as Luke Gregerson (15/21 SV), Ken Giles (15/20 SV) and Will Harris (12/15 SV) all spent time in the role. Rookie Chris Devenski (48 G, 5 GS, 4-4, 2.16 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 104 K, 108.1 IP) was a bright spot, and he could move into the rotation full-time next season.
Offensively, Jose Altuve put together an MVP-caliber season, hitting .338/.396/.531 with 42 doubles, 24 home runs, 96 RBI, 108 runs scored and 30 stolen bases.
Carlos Correa, George Springer and Evan Gattis all enjoyed strong seasons at the plate as well, and top prospect Alex Bregman (217 PA, .791 OPS, 24 XBH, 34 RBI) looks like another young star in the making.
In a thin market for starting pitching, the Astros will need their in-house talent to step up alongside their budding offensive core if they hope to make a return trip to the postseason in 2017.
This is certainly a team to watch in the years to come, though.
13. Detroit Tigers (86-75, Second in AL Central)
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Team Stats
| +29 | .267 | .769 | 4.66 | 4.24 | 4.25 | 4.22 |
| 11th | 3rd | 4th | 10th | 20th | 9th | 24th |
2016 Wrap-Up
A big offseason of spending, headlined by the additions of Justin Upton (six years, $132.75 million) and Jordan Zimmermann (five years, $110 million), wasn't enough to earn the Detroit Tigers a trip to the postseason.
In fact, Upton (.775 OPS, 31 HR, 87 RBI) and Zimmermann (9-7, 4.87 ERA, 105.1 IP) combined for a fairly mediocre 2.2 WAR in their first season with the team.
A resurgent Justin Verlander (16-9, 3.04 ERA, 254 K, 227.2 IP) and standout rookie Michael Fulmer (11-7, 3.06 ERA, 159.0 IP) helped the team finish in the top 10 in starter's ERA, but the bullpen was a weakness once again. It also wasn't until the second half that the rotation really fell into place, thanks to young left-handers Daniel Norris and Matt Boyd stepping into prominent roles.
Miguel Cabrera (.956 OPS, 38 HR, 108 RBI) and Ian Kinsler (.831 OPS, 28 HR, 83 RBI, 117 R) were their usual productive selves, and Victor Martinez (.826 OPS, 27 HR, 86 RBI) bounced back from a rough 2015 season. However, J.D. Martinez and Nick Castellanos both missed significant time in what would have otherwise been terrific seasons, and catcher James McCann struggled to duplicate his rookie success.
Buster Olney of ESPN reported a few weeks ago that the Tigers will be looking to trim payroll this winter and are willing to listen to trade offers for anyone on the roster as a result. Don't expect guys like Verlander and Cabrera to be moved, but some significant pieces could be dealt in the offseason.
12. St. Louis Cardinals (86-76, Second in NL Central)
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Team Stats
| +67 | .255 | .767 | 4.81 | 4.08 | 4.33 | 3.62 |
| 8th | 18th | 5th | 5th | 12th | 13th | 13th |
2016 Wrap-Up
After winning 100 games in 2015, the St. Louis Cardinals failed to make the postseason, as they were eliminated on the final day of the regular season.
So what changed over the course of a year?
The easy answer is the starting rotation, which led all of baseball last season with a 2.99 ERA but settled into the middle of the pack this year with a 4.33 mark. Carlos Martinez (16-9, 3.04 ERA, 195.1 IP) emerged as the ace of the staff, but at the end of the day he was really the team's only reliable starter on a week-in and week-out basis.
There's plenty of reason for hope going forward, though.
Lance Lynn should return from Tommy John surgery early in 2017, while uber-prospect Alex Reyes (4-1, 1.57 ERA, 52 K, 46.0 IP) lived up to the hype in his first taste of MLB action and should be a rotation staple next year.
Offensively, the team rode unlikely contributions for Jedd Gyorko and Brandon Moss at times, while Matt Carpenter was his usual steady self and Stephen Piscotty stepped into a more prominent role in his sophomore season.
The Cardinals find themselves in a transition period of sorts, as their aging core is replaced by guys like Martinez, Reyes and Piscotty. It's not a rebuild by any means, though, and they'll be looking to contend again in 2017.
11. Seattle Mariners (86-76, Second in AL West)
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Team Stats
| +61 | .259 | .756 | 4.74 | 4.00 | 4.25 | 3.55 |
| 9th | 10th | 8th | 6th | 8th | 9th | 7th |
2016 Wrap-Up
An 18-9 month of September that included an eight-game winning streak made things interesting, but in the end the Seattle Mariners are still searching for their first playoff berth since 2001.
The team was rock-solid across the board, as you can see with its top-10 finish in each of the major statistical categories highlighted above. It just didn't add up to a postseason trip.
Nelson Cruz (.915 OPS, 43 HR, 105 RBI), Robinson Cano (.882 OPS, 39 HR, 103 RBI) and Kyle Seager (.859 OPS, 30 HR, 99 RBI) were as productive as any trio in baseball, and the supporting cast offensively helped the team average 4.74 runs per game.
The pitching staff, on the other hand, was shaky at times.
Felix Hernandez (11-8, 3.82 ERA, 153.1 IP) missed time with a calf injury, and he was not his usual dominant self when he was healthy. James Paxton and Taijuan Walker continued to tease with their vast potential, while failing to settle in as reliable options every fifth day.
The retooled bullpen was a significant improvement over the group that finished 25th in the league with a 4.15 ERA the year before, but they still converted just 49 of 74 save chances.
Expect another busy offseason from GM Jerry Dipoto in his second winter at the helm, as the talent is here for this club to finally break the drought in 2017.
10. New York Mets (87-75, No. 1 NL Wild Card)
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Team Stats
| +54 | .246 | .733 | 4.14 | 3.57 | 3.61 | 3.51 |
| 10th | 25th | 16th | 25th | 3rd | 3rd | 6th |
2016 Wrap-Up
The New York Mets entered the 2016 season with a starting rotation that was expected to absolutely dominate the competition.
Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz, Bartolo Colon and eventually Zack Wheeler, once he returned from Tommy John surgery, looked poised to push the Mets toward another NL pennant.
Instead, Harvey (17 starts), Matz (22 starts) and deGrom (24 starts) all missed time with injuries and Wheeler never threw a pitch in 2016, as the team was left leaning on the likes of Robert Gsellman, Seth Lugo and Logan Verrett down the stretch.
That's not meant to be a knock on Gsellman (4-2, 2.42 ERA, 44.2 IP) and Lugo (5-2, 2.67 ERA, 64.0 IP), who did better than anyone could have ever imagined, but this wasn't the Mets team most were expecting to see roll into the postseason.
They wound up being ousted by Madison Bumgarner and the San Francisco Giants in the Wild Card Round, leaving them with a long offseason of health questions and free-agent decisions.
Yoenis Cespedes tops that list of decisions, as he'll opt out of the final two years of his contract and hit the open market as the top bat available.
The Mets will make every effort to bring him back, but if he signs elsewhere, they'll need to have a backup plan locked and loaded, as they can't afford to have a hole in the middle of the lineup again.
9. Baltimore Orioles (89-73, No. 2 AL Wild Card)
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Team Stats
| +29 | .256 | .760 | 4.59 | 4.22 | 4.72 | 3.40 |
| 11th | 14th | 6th | 12th | 19th | 24th | 3rd |
2016 Wrap-Up
It's not easy making the playoffs with a starting rotation that ranked 24th in the majors with a 4.72 ERA, but the Baltimore Orioles managed to pull it off.
Kevin Gausman (9-12, 3.61 ERA, 179.2 IP) and Dylan Bundy (10-6, 4.02 ERA, 109.2 IP) finally showed why they were such a highly regarded duo during their time as prospects, but the rotation as a whole was a glaring weakness all season.
They managed to overcome that, though, with a high-powered offense and a lights-out bullpen.
Mark Trumbo (.850 OPS, 47 HR, 108 RBI) turned out to be one of the best pickups of the offseason, while it was more of the same from Manny Machado, Chris Davis and Adam Jones as the team led the majors with 253 home runs.
As for the relief corps, the three-headed monster of Brad Brach (71 G, 2.05 ERA, 10.5 K/9), Darren O'Day (34 G, 3.77 ERA, 11.0 K/9) and Zach Britton (69 G, 47/47 SV, 0.54 ERA, 9.9 K/9) shortened an awful lot of games and helped take pressure off of the rotation.
While it was a successful season for the Orioles, the enduring memory will be manager Buck Showalter leaving Britton sitting in the bullpen during the Wild Card Round game as Ubaldo Jimenez came on in relief and quickly coughed up the game.
Trumbo will likely be headed elsewhere in free agency, but the focus will have to be on finding a way to upgrade the rotation.
8. San Francisco Giants (87-75, No. 2 NL Wild Card)
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Team Stats
| +84 | .258 | .728 | 4.41 | 3.65 | 3.71 | 3.65 |
| 7th | 11st | 19th | 19th | 4th | 5th | 15th |
2016 Wrap-Up
The No. 1 team in these power rankings heading into the All-Star break, the San Francisco Giants limped their way into the postseason with a rough second half.
After going 57-33 with a plus-73 run differential in the first half, they went just 30-42 with a plus-11 differential after the break. However, the postseason is always a different animal entirely, and behind another brilliant start from Madison Bumgarner, they were able to knock off the New York Mets and advance to the NLDS.
They made things interesting on the Chicago Cubs, avoiding elimination in Game 3 with an extra-innings victory and then carrying a 5-2 lead into the ninth inning of Game 4. In the end, the leaky bullpen that had plagued them all season reared its ugly head once again, and they couldn't hold onto that lead for three outs.
After kicking the tires on a number of bullpen options in July, the team settled on acquiring lefty setup man Will Smith from the Milwaukee Brewers, and the failure to add a shutdown closer cost them in the end.
With a strong starting rotation in place and the position-player core locked up, the focus of the offseason will be on completely reworking a relief corps that will lose Santiago Casilla, Sergio Romo and Javier Lopez to free agency.
There's work to be done, but the Giants should be right back in the thick of things next year.
Let's just all be thankful the "even year" narrative is finally dead. Deep down, even Giants fans had to be getting sick of listening to that.
7. Texas Rangers (95-67, AL West Champions)
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Team Stats
| +8 | .262 | .755 | 4.72 | 4.37 | 4.38 | 3.56 |
| 14th | 5th | 9th | 7th | 22nd | 16th | 8th |
2016 Wrap-Up
The Texas Rangers dealt with their fair share of injuries once again in 2016, but they still entered the postseason with the best record in the American League.
The one-two punch of Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish took longer to come together than expected, as Darvish made just 17 starts in his return from Tommy John surgery, but that duo was as advertised.
The issue was piecing together a reliable rotation behind them, as 11 different pitchers started at least one game for the Rangers.
A surprise sweep at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays ended their playoff run in the ALDS, but they should be positioned well once again in 2017.
Rookie Nomar Mazara (.739 OPS, 20 HR, 64 RBI) and 22-year-old Rougned Odor (.798 OPS, 33 HR, 88 RBI) represent the future for this team. However, Adrian Beltre (.879 OPS, 32 HR, 104 RBI) still has plenty left in the tank, and Elvis Andrus (.800 OPS, 46 XBH, 24 SB) might just be worth that $100 million extension.
The unexpected retirement of Prince Fielder due to injury will give the team some financial flexibility, and the big offseason target figures to be a quality No. 3 starter.
They also have decisions to make with free-agent outfielders Ian Desmond and Carlos Gomez, who could both factor into the team's future plans.
6. Washington Nationals (95-67, NL East Champions)
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Team Stats
| +151 | .256 | .751 | 4.71 | 3.51 | 3.60 | 3.37 |
| 3rd | 14th | 12th | 8th | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd |
2016 Wrap-Up
The Washington Nationals won their third NL East title in the past five years, but once again they were unable to advance beyond the NLDS. They went to five games in their matchup with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but a four-run seventh inning proved to be the difference in a 4-3 elimination-game loss.
Once again the team's biggest weapon was its starting rotation, led by Max Scherzer (20-7, 2.96 ERA, 284 K, 228.1 IP), who has a strong case for NL Cy Young honors.
Tanner Roark (16-10, 2.83 ERA, 210.0 IP) quietly enjoyed a breakout season, and Stephen Strasburg (15-4, 3.60 ERA, 183 K, 147.2 IP) pitched well after inking a seven-year, $175 million extension. However, a flexor mass strain sidelined him in September, and he was once again relegated to the role of spectator in the postseason.
On the offensive side, Daniel Murphy (.985 OPS, 47 2B, 25 HR, 104 RBI) proved to be an absolute steal after signing a three-year, $37.5 million deal in free agency, and rookie Trea Turner (.937 OPS, 13 HR, 33 SB) was a dynamic catalyst.
Reigning NL MVP Bryce Harper (.243 BA, .814 OPS, 24 HR, 86 RBI) came nowhere close to matching his 2015 production, though, and a season-ending ACL injury to Wilson Ramos put an abrupt halt to his breakout season.
The Nationals are set on the pitching side of things, but they'll need to re-sign or replace Ramos behind the plate and shore up the bullpen with deadline-addition Mark Melancon set to hit free agency as well.
5. Boston Red Sox (93-69, AL East Champions)
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Team Stats
| +184 | .282 | .810 | 5.42 | 4.00 | 4.22 | 3.56 |
| 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 8th | 8th | 8th |
2016 Wrap-Up
The Boston Red Sox were an absolute juggernaut offensively this season, scoring 33 more runs than any other team in baseball and 101 more runs than the next best AL team.
Hanley Ramirez (.866 OPS, 30 HR, 111 RBI), Mookie Betts (.897 OPS, 31 HR, 113 RBI) and David Ortiz (1.021 OPS, 38 HR, 127 RBI) formed a lethal trio at the heart of the order, but it was a complete team effort from top to bottom, as there was simply no letup in the lineup.
The team even received unexpected contributions from catcher Sandy Leon (283 PA, .845 OPS, 7 HR, 35 RBI) and 2015 draft pick Andrew Benintendi (118 PA, .835 OPS, 14 XBH).
The starting rotation—led by Rick Porcello (22-4, 3.15 ERA, 223.0 IP), knuckleballer Steven Wright (13-6, 3.33 ERA, 156.2 IP) and big offseason signing David Price (17-9, 3.99 ERA, 230.0 IP)—was shaky early on but rounded into form as the season went on.
No team in baseball had more momentum heading into the playoffs, as the Red Sox went 19-8 in September and ripped off an 11-game winning streak. That was all brought to a screeching halt by the Cleveland Indians, though, as they swept them in three games in the ALDS.
With a talented young core, deep farm system and equally deep pockets, there might be no AL team better positioned for success going forward than the Red Sox.
Priority No. 1 this winter will be finding a big bat to replace Big Papi.
4. Toronto Blue Jays (89-73, No. 1 AL Wild Card)
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Team Stats
| +93 | .248 | .755 | 4.69 | 3.78 | 3.64 | 4.11 |
| 5th | 23rd | 9th | 9th | 6th | 4th | 22nd |
2016 Wrap-Up
An offensive goliath in 2015, the Toronto Blue Jays were led by their starting rotation this season, albeit still backed by a pretty darn good offense.
Presumed ace Marcus Stroman (9-10, 4.37 ERA, 204.0 IP) failed to live up to expectations, but the trio of Aaron Sanchez (15-2, 3.00 ERA, 192.0 IP), J.A. Happ (20-4, 3.18 ERA, 195.0 IP) and Marco Estrada (9-9, 3.48 ERA, 176.0 IP) anchored the best rotation in the AL.
The bullpen was rocky once again, as Drew Storen failed to shore up the setup role and Brett Cecil got off to a disastrous start, but things fell into place in the second half as veterans Joaquin Benoit and Jason Grilli assumed key roles ahead of closer Roberto Osuna.
Then there was that offense.
Jose Bautista was limited to just 116 games, but Josh Donaldson (.953 OPS, 37 HR, 99 RBI) and Edwin Encarnacion (.886 OPS, 42 HR, 127 RBI) were a lethal combination once again. Michael Saunders was a surprise All-Star after a terrific first half, but he struggled mightily after the break.
After knocking off the Baltimore Orioles in the Wild Card Round and sweeping the Texas Rangers in the ALDS, the Blue Jays' postseason run was stopped by the Cleveland Indians, who eliminated them in five games in the ALCS.
3. Los Angeles Dodgers (91-71, NL West Champions)
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Team Stats
| +87 | .249 | .728 | 4.48 | 3.70 | 3.95 | 3.35 |
| 6th | 22nd | 19th | 14th | 5th | 6th | 1st |
2016 Wrap-Up
Amid a historic number of injuries, first-year manager Dave Roberts was able to guide the Los Angeles Dodgers to another NL West title and a trip to the NLCS.
Roberts used 15 different starting pitchers and made an MLB-record 606 pitching changes during the course of the season, according to Jim Bowden of ESPN.
Rookie Kenta Maeda (16-11, 3.48 ERA, 175.2 IP) was the only pitcher on the staff to throw more than 150 innings, as even ace Clayton Kershaw (12-4, 1.69 ERA, 149.0 IP) missed two months with a back injury. Fellow rookies Julio Urias and Ross Stripling wound up making a significantly bigger impact than expected, and the bullpen was used early and often with Kenley Jansen, Joe Blanton and Pedro Baez all topping 70 appearances.
The mound wasn't the only place rookies made an impact, as shortstop Corey Seager (.877 OPS, 193 H, 40 2B, 26 HR, 72 RBI, 105 R) emerged as a legitimate MVP candidate in his full-season debut.
Justin Turner and Yasmani Grandal paced the team with 27 home runs each, and adding a right-handed power bat figures to be a priority this winter.
Turner, Jansen and deadline-addition Rich Hill are all set to reach free agency, and all three appear to be candidates to be re-signed, as the main focus could be on keeping their own.
At any rate, the Dodgers have too much money invested in this club to not be doing everything in their power to win a title. The Chicago Cubs put a stop to their October run this time around, ousting them in six games in the NLCS.
2. Cleveland Indians (94-67, AL Central Champions)
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Team Stats
| +101 | .262 | .759 | 4.83 | 3.84 | 4.08 | 3.45 |
| 4th | 5th | 7th | 4th | 7th | 7th | 4th |
2016 Wrap-Up
What a season for the Cleveland Indians.
Without All-Star left fielder Michael Brantley for essentially the entire year and with two of their top three starters injured in September and off of the postseason rotation, they dominated the AL side of the postseason bracket.
A sweep of the Boston Red Sox in the ALDS and a dominant five-game showing against the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALCS earned them a date with the Chicago Cubs in the World Series. The inability to close things out up 3-1 stings, no doubt, but this was a great season for the Indians.
Francisco Lindor is a budding superstar in the league, Jose Ramirez came out of nowhere to help ease the loss of Brantley and offseason additions Mike Napoli and Rajai Davis played a key role in the offseason.
On the pitching side, Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar, Trevor Bauer and Josh Tomlin looked like the best rotation in the AL before Carrasco and Salazar were shelved in September. The bullpen picked up the slack in October, though, behind prized deadline pickup Andrew Miller. He cost the team a pair of top prospects, but they don't get where they did without him.
Terry Francona pulled all the right strings in October, but in the end it just wasn't enough.
Deciding whether to re-sign Napoli will be one of the biggest decisions of the offseason, but for the most part, the roster returns intact for another potential title push.
1. Chicago Cubs (103-58, NL Central Champions)
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Team Stats
| +252 | .256 | .772 | 4.99 | 3.15 | 2.96 | 3.56 |
| 1st | 14th | 3rd | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 8th |
2016 Wrap-Up
I'm a Chicago Cubs fan; most of you know this by now.
I have been since I was a little kid, standing by the wall trying to get autographs and completely undeterred by some truly awful teams. I've spent most of my 28 years on this earth rooting for a team that had no earthly chance of ever hoisting a World Series trophy, and that pales in comparison to what a vast majority of the Cubs fanbase has endured.
I wasn't there in 1969 or 1984, but I remember every game of that 2003 series with the Marlins like it was yesterday, and it still hurts.
That's why I was there among the suckers last weekend shelling out hundreds of dollars to reserve a table at a bar in Wrigleyville, just for a chance to soak up the atmosphere and maybe witness baseball history. And it made it that much sweeter last night, among the mob on Clark Street, basking in something so many have been waiting so long to see.
Aside from a brief hiccup in July, this Cubs team was hands down the best team in baseball all year.
That doesn't always guarantee a team a title, though, and things certainly didn't look good down 3-1 to a very good Cleveland Indians team.
Of course it was going to take seven games and extra innings for the Cubs to finally win a title, though. It couldn't have happened any other way.
Congratulations to all of the Cubs fans, young and old, who got to witness history!
I still haven't slept from last night, and both my liver and bank account may never fully recover from the damage done the past month.
And I wouldn't change a thing.
All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com, unless otherwise noted.
