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MLB Power Rankings: Where All 30 Teams Stand in Week 2 of 2020 Season
August 3, 2020MLB Power Rankings: Where All 30 Teams Stand in Week 2 of 2020 Season
Following a big shake-up to our Major League Baseball power rankings last Monday after the first weekend of action, there was plenty more shuffling after the first full week of play.
As the season progresses, teams will continue to rise and fall relative to their placement in the previous week's rankings and based on their recent production. In other words, if a team keeps winning, it will keep climbing. If it keeps losing, the slide will continue.
Ahead, you'll find a quick breakdown of each of the 30 teams, along with our highlight of the week, the top individual performers of the week and a look at the leaders for MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year, which will be updated weekly.
Let's get started!
Nos. 30-26
30. Pittsburgh Pirates (2-7)
The Pirates slide down the rankings after a 1-5 week and with a minus-12 run differential on the year. Third baseman Colin Moran has been an early bright spot with a 1.072 OPS and an NL-leading five home runs as he tries to hold off rising prospect Ke'Bryan Hayes.
29. Kansas City Royals (3-7)
After an anemic first weekend offensively, the Royals slugged 11 home runs last week, with three from Whit Merrifield and two from new third baseman Maikel Franco. Unfortunately, that didn't stop them from being swept by the White Sox over the weekend when they were outscored 23-9 in three games.
28. New York Mets (3-7)
The Mets have the second-worst run differential in baseball (minus-20) and enter the week mired in a five-game losing streak. The relief corps ranks 28th in the majors with a 6.81 ERA, and they have only managed to nail down two of five save chances on the year. Yoenis Cespedes opted out of the 2020 season Sunday.
27. Arizona Diamondbacks (3-7)
With an MLB-worst minus-25 run differential, it's impressive that the D-backs have even managed to win three games on the year. The offense has simply been nonexistent with a .533 OPS (30th in MLB) and just 27 runs scored in 10 games.
26. Los Angeles Angels (3-7)
The Angels have already blown four saves in five chances, and Shohei Ohtani didn't look much better in his second start of the year after failing to record an out in his 2020 debut. He had an MRI following Sunday's game after dealing with some discomfort in his arm. Mike Trout will return to the team Tuesday after stepping away to be with his wife for the birth of their first child. Unless he learned how to pitch while he was gone, this team still doesn't look like a contender.
Nos. 25-21
25. Texas Rangers (3-5)
Lance Lynn (6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER) and Kyle Gibson (5.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER) both turned in solid starts last week, and the Rangers will need more of that going forward with Corey Kluber sidelined indefinitely. Closer Jose Leclerc also landed on the injured list, and Nick Goody recorded his first career save Wednesday. At some point, the offense must wake up after starting the year with a .195 average and .644 OPS.
24. Seattle Mariners (4-6)
Rookie slugger Kyle Lewis continued his strong start to the season with a 13-for-29 showing last week, including his third home run of the season Sunday. The 25-year-old is now hitting .425/.477/.650 on the year. A series win over the Angels is enough to move the M's up a few spots after they checked in at No. 29 last week, but they still have an ugly minus-15 run differential on the year.
23. Boston Red Sox (3-7)
After a 9-7 loss to the New York Yankees on Sunday in which the bullpen was unable to protect a 7-6 lead, the Red Sox now have the worst team ERA in baseball at 5.79. Nathan Eovaldi (11.0 IP, 2.45 ERA) is the only starter with an ERA under 5.00, and the bullpen has struggled mightily in the middle innings. At least catcher Christian Vazquez (10-for-31, 4 HR, 9 RBI) is raking.
22. Philadelphia Phillies (1-2)
The Phillies spent last week watching from the sidelines as a necessary precaution following the Miami Marlins' COVID-19 outbreak. A coach and a clubhouse attendant initially returned positive tests, but those are now believed to be false positives, and the team is set to return to action Monday against the Yankees.
21. Miami Marlins (2-1)
The Marlins are dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak and did not play any games last week. The most recent tally was 21 members of the organization—including 18 players—who had tested positive. For the sake of these rankings, all we can do is assess the games they did play. A series win over the Phillies to start the year is enough to keep them ahead of teams who have struggled over a larger sample size.
Nos. 20-16
20. Toronto Blue Jays (3-4)
The Blue Jays went 2-2 in an abbreviated week, splitting a four-game home-and-home series with the Washington Nationals before their four-game set with the Phillies was postponed. Outfielder Teoscar Hernandez was swinging a hot bat early in the week, going 6-for-16 with four home runs against the Nats.
19. Washington Nationals (3-4)
The Nationals also played a short week with their three-game series against the Marlins postponed over the weekend. Max Scherzer threw a gem Wednesday, allowing just three hits while striking out 10 over 7.1 scoreless innings in a no-decision. He now has 21 strikeouts in 12.2 innings on the year.
18. Detroit Tigers (5-5)
Despite a .500 record through 10 games, the Tigers have a minus-11 run differential on the year that is likely more indicative of what's to come. The offense is hitting .205 with a .669 OPS, and the pitching staff ranks 23rd in the majors with a 5.08 ERA. Outfielder JaCoby Jones has been an early bright spot, hitting .379/.419/.793 with three doubles and three home runs in 31 plate appearances.
17. Milwaukee Brewers (3-3)
The Brewers picked up a series win over the Pirates at the start of last week, then they spent the weekend out of action after their four-game series with the Cardinals was postponed. Rising star Keston Hiura went 5-for-11 with two home runs in the series against Pittsburgh, while Brandon Woodruff struck out 10 and allowed just one hit over 6.1 scoreless innings in his second start of the year. They will be without center fielder Lorenzo Cain the rest of the way after he opted out of the season Saturday.
16. San Francisco Giants (5-5)
Donovan Solano (12-for-21, 3 2B, HR) and Mike Yastrzemski (8-for-21, 5 XBH, 8 BB) both had impressive weeks at the plate for the Giants, and they took two of three from the Rangers over the weekend. The team's starting pitchers have worked just 32.2 innings in nine games, struggling to a 5.51 ERA and 1.68 WHIP in the process.
Nos. 15-11
15. St. Louis Cardinals (2-3)
The Cardinals played just two games last week before one player and three staff members tested positive for COVID-19, and multiple new positive tests are expected after Sunday's round of testing, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. Their four-game series against the Brewers was postponed, and Monday's game with the Tigers has already been nixed, as well.
14. Cincinnati Reds (4-5)
Trevor Bauer (13.1 IP, 0.68 ERA) and Sonny Gray (12.2 IP, 0.71 ERA) are both off to terrific starts atop the Cincinnati rotation, and the team has a positive run differential (plus-4) despite its sub-.500 record. However, the offense has been inconsistent with a .226 batting average, and the bullpen has a 6.91 ERA that ranks 29th in the majors. It'll now look to build off a weekend series win over the Tigers.
13. Tampa Bay Rays (4-6)
The Rays were the No. 1 team in our rankings last week, but a weekend sweep at the hands of the Orioles sends them tumbling down the rankings. They still have a positive run differential (plus-2), and they split a four-game home-and-home series with a good Atlanta Braves team early last week, but they need to get things going at the plate with a middling .671 OPS and 4.6 runs per game so far.
12. Chicago White Sox (5-4)
A weekend series sweep of the Royals has moved the White Sox into the upper half of the rankings. The offense ranks fourth in the majors with a .797 OPS, and ace Lucas Giolito rebounded nicely last week after a rocky start on Opening Day. The starting rotation as a whole remains the big X-factor, though, with an MLB-worst 7.04 ERA.
11. Baltimore Orioles (5-3)
The Orioles went 7-12 with a minus-36 run differential against the Rays last season, so sweeping them was no small feat. Veterans Wade LeBlanc (5.1 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 3 K) and Tommy Milone (5.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 8 K) both threw the ball well in that series, and if they can continue to eat innings, it will go a long way. In an under-the-radar move, lefty reliever Richard Bleier was traded to the Miami Marlins for a player to be named.
Nos. 10-6
10. Oakland Athletics (5-4)
The A's enter the week on a positive note after taking two of three from the Mariners over the weekend, and they'll look to close out the series with a win Monday. The Oakland pitching staff ranks sixth in the majors with a 3.07 ERA, but the lineup has hit a paltry .188 with a .589 OPS and 3.3 runs per game.
9. Houston Astros (5-4)
The Astros are the only team in the AL West with a positive run differential (+11), and they closed out the week with an 11th-inning victory over the Angles on Sunday to secure a series win. Hard-throwing Cristian Javier (6.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 9 K) and left-hander Framber Valdez (10.2 IP, 9 H, 3 ER, 10 K) are off to a nice start in shoring up the back of the rotation.
8. Cleveland Indians (5-5)
Shane Bieber is simply on another level right now. The Indians ace has tossed 14 scoreless innings over his first two starts, allowing just seven hits and one walk while striking out 27 of the 50 batters he's faced. Despite his stellar start to the year, the Indians sit at .500 after dropping three of four to the AL Central rival Twins. For now, they are the clear No. 2 team in the division.
7. San Diego Padres (6-4)
The trio of Chris Paddack (11.0 IP, 1.64 ERA), Dinelson Lamet (10.0 IP, 1.80 ERA) and Garrett Richards (10.2 IP, 3.38 ERA) has been great atop the San Diego rotation, while the offense has a solid .764 OPS and 12 home runs in 10 games. Outfielder Trent Grisham (10-for-38, 3 HR) has a chance to be a difference-making addition.
6. Colorado Rockies (6-2)
The Rockies lead the majors with a 2.00 ERA from their starting rotation. A year ago, they were dead last in that category with an unsightly 5.87 ERA from the starting staff. Quite the turnaround. Kyle Freeland, German Marquez, Antonio Senzatela and Jon Gray have made two starts each, and all four have an ERA under 2.70. If they keep pitching like this, they're going to be awfully dangerous.
Nos. 5-1
5. Chicago Cubs (7-2)
The Cubs have the second-best starters' ERA in baseball (2.21) and the worst bullpen ERA in baseball (9.75) by almost three full runs. That balancing act is not a recipe for sustained success. If new manager David Ross can't trust his bullpen, he's going to be tempted to overextend his starters. Nevertheless, after a 5-1 week against the Reds and Pirates, the North Siders have the best record in the National League and a plus-10 run differential.
4. Atlanta Braves (7-3)
The Braves split a home-and-home series with the Rays before taking three in a row from a floundering Mets team over the weekend, solidifying their place as one of the early favorites on the NL side of things. Left-hander Max Fried (11.2 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 12 K) is off to a nice start toward a breakout season many were predicting, while shortstop Dansby Swanson (14-for-38, 2 HR, 11 RBI) also appears ready to take his game up a notch.
3. Minnesota Twins (7-2)
For all that's been made of Minnesota's juggernaut lineup, the Twins pitching staff deserves credit for limiting the Indians lineup to four runs in four games. That was enough to take three of four from their biggest AL Central competition. The pitching staff as a whole currently ranks fourth in the majors with a 2.70 ERA, and if they can maintain anything remotely close to that, this team will be a legitimate title contender.
2. Los Angeles Dodgers (7-3)
At a plus-30, the Dodgers have the best run differential in baseball, and those back-to-back losses to the Giants to close out their first series of the year already look like a distant memory. They took both games of a two-game set with the Astros, and the emotions of that series could propel them to a nice early-season run. The bullpen has a 0.99 ERA in 45.2 innings of work, and a healthy Clayton Kershaw made his 2020 debut on Sunday and tossed 5.2 scoreless innings.
1. New York Yankees (7-1)
The Yankees have now won six in a row, outscoring the rival Red Sox by a 19-10 margin in a three-game sweep over the weekend. Slugger Aaron Judge has homered in five straight games, and they have a staggering 17 home runs in eight games along with an .808 OPS as a team. Whether or not they can get things sorted out with James Paxton (2 GS, 4.0 IP, 12 H, 6 ER) will be a major X-factor.
Complete Rankings
Complete Rankings
1. New York Yankees (7-1)
2. Los Angeles Dodgers (7-3)
3. Minnesota Twins (7-2)
4. Atlanta Braves (7-3)
5. Chicago Cubs (7-2)
6. Colorado Rockies (6-2)
7. San Diego Padres (6-4)
8. Cleveland Indians (5-5)
9. Houston Astros (5-4)
10. Oakland Athletics (5-4)
11. Baltimore Orioles (5-3)
12. Chicago White Sox (5-4)
13. Tampa Bay Rays (4-6)
14. Cincinnati Reds (4-5)
15. St. Louis Cardinals (2-3)
16. San Francisco Giants (5-5)
17. Milwaukee Brewers (3-3)
18. Detroit Tigers (5-5)
19. Washington Nationals (3-4)
20. Toronto Blue Jays (3-4)
21. Miami Marlins (2-1)
22. Philadelphia Phillies (1-2)
23. Boston Red Sox (3-7)
24. Seattle Mariners (4-6)
25. Texas Rangers (3-5)
26. Los Angeles Angels (3-7)
27. Arizona Diamondbacks (3-7)
28. New York Mets (3-7)
29. Kansas City Royals (3-7)
30. Pittsburgh Pirates (2-7)
Team of the Week
C Christian Vazquez, BOS
(6-for-24, 3 HR, 7 RBI)
1B Renato Nunez, BAL
(6-for-19, 2 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI)
2B Donovan Solano, SF
(12-for-21, 3 2B, HR, 10 RBI)
3B Gio Urshela, NYY
(6-for-17, 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI)
SS Corey Seager, LAD
(8-for-20, 2B, 3 HR, 4 RBI)
OF Aaron Judge, NYY
(7-for-19, 6 HR, 13 RBI)
OF Nick Castellanos, CIN
(9-for-21, 2 2B, 4 HR, 10 RBI)
OF Mike Yastrzemski, SF
(8-for-21, 2 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 8 BB)
DH Michael Brantley, HOU
(9-for-20, 3 2B, RBI)
SP Shane Bieber, CLE
(8.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 13 K)
SP Zach Plesac, CLE
(8.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 11 K)
SP Max Scherzer, WAS
(7.1 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 10 K)
SP Brandon Woodruff, MIL
(6.1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 K)
SP Taijuan Walker, SEA
(7.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K)
RP Tyler Alexander, DET
(3 G, 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 12 K)
Updated Award Rankings
AL MVP
1. Aaron Judge, NYY
2. Shane Bieber, CLE
3. Nelson Cruz, MIN
NL MVP
1. Corey Seager, LAD
2. Dansby Swanson, ATL
3. Nick Castellanos, CIN
AL Cy Young
1. Shane Bieber, CLE
2. Lance Lynn, TEX
3. Kenta Maeda, MIN
NL Cy Young
1. Trevor Bauer, CIN
2. Sonny Gray, CIN
3. Tyler Chatwood, CHC
AL Rookie of the Year
1. Kyle Lewis, SEA
2. Luis Robert, CWS
3. Cristian Javier, HOU
NL Rookie of the Year
1. David Peterson, NYM
2. Dustin May, LAD
3. Nico Hoerner, CHC
All stats courtesy of MLB.com and Baseball Reference unless otherwise noted.