MLB Power Rankings: Where All 30 Teams Stand After 12 Weeks
For the first time in three weeks, we have a new No. 1 team in our MLB power rankings after the Tampa Bay Rays stumbled through a 1-6 week.
Last week's No. 2 (Chicago White Sox) and No. 3 (Milwaukee Brewers) teams also dropped in the rankings, leaving the top two spots up for grabs among a handful of worthy teams.
As you dig in to this latest update, remember it is all about performance rather than potential and future outlook.
If a team is winning, it's going to climb the rankings. If a team is losing, a slide is inevitable. The beauty of this exercise is that it's a fluid process and things will continue to change.
Off we go.
Statistics and analysis reflect action through Sunday's games. Records include Monday's results.
Nos. 30-26
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30. Arizona Diamondbacks (21-53)
Previous Rank: 30
The D-backs are a stunning 2-31 in their last 33 games. Their losing streak climbed to 17 games last week when they were swept by the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers, and they have been outscored by 54 runs in the month of June. This could go down as one of the worst teams in baseball history.
29. Texas Rangers (26-46)
Previous Rank: 27
After looking competitive at times during the first two months of the season, the Rangers are 3-19 in their last 22 games and riding a six-game losing streak entering play on Monday. It's only a matter of time before veteran ace Kyle Gibson is wearing another uniform, and slugger Joey Gallo could also be aggressively shopped at the deadline.
28. Baltimore Orioles (23-49)
Previous Rank: 25
The Orioles snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 7-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday, but they dropped the next two to lose their third straight series. The starting rotation has slipped to 30th in the majors with a 5.66 ERA, and 10 different pitchers have now started at least one game after Thomas Eshelman made his 2021 debut last week. It's going to be a long season of churning through mediocre arms.
27. Pittsburgh Pirates (25-45)
Previous Rank: 28
The Pirates lost 10 in a row before taking two of three from Cleveland over the weekend. Chad Kuhl tossed a quality start on Friday, and Bryan Reynolds launched a three-run home run off James Karinchak during a decisive six-run seventh inning on Saturday. The 26-year-old Reynolds is hitting .299/.394/.529 with 20 doubles, 12 home runs, 36 RBI and 3.0 WAR as he builds his case for an All-Star selection.
26. Minnesota Twins (31-41)
Previous Rank: 26
The Twins closed out the week by winning four in a row on the road, including a three-game sweep of the Rangers. Center fielder Byron Buxton returned on Saturday after a 39-game stint on the injured list. He went 2-for-5 with a double and a home run on Sunday as he looks to pick up where he left off during a red-hot start to the year.
Nos. 25-21
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25. Colorado Rockies (30-43)
Previous Rank: 29
It was a good week for the Rockies, who swept the San Diego Padres with a walk-off win on Wednesday and then ran their winning streak to five games with another walk-off victory on Friday before consecutive losses over the weekend. Rookie outfielder Yonathan Daza is hitting .328/.367/.419 with 12 extra-base hits and 1.4 WAR in 203 plate appearances in his first taste of regular MLB action at the age of 27.
24. Kansas City Royals (32-38)
Previous Rank: 21
The Royals were a .500 team at the end of May, but they are just 6-12 with a minus-21 run differential in June. They did manage to take two of three from the Boston Red Sox over the weekend, but that series win came after they were swept by the Detroit Tigers at home as part of a six-game losing streak. Whit Merrifield is 20-for-21 on stolen base attempts after a three-steal game on Saturday.
23. Detroit Tigers (30-42)
Previous Rank: 22
The Tigers picked up their third road series win of the year with a three-game sweep of the Royals early last week before dropping three of four to the Angels in Anaheim. Top prospect Matt Manning made his MLB debut on Thursday with five innings of four-hit, two-run ball against the Angels. The 23-year-old is expected to join Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal in anchoring the future rotation.
22. Atlanta Braves (34-37)
Previous Rank: 20
Strong starts from Charlie Morton (7.2 IP, 3 H, 0 ER), Max Fried (7 IP, 2 H, 1 ER) and Drew Smyly (5.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER) helped the Braves take three of four from the St. Louis Cardinals over the weekend, and more of the same from that trio would go a long way. Offensively, Abraham Almonte is hitting .271 with a .438 on-base percentage and 144 OPS+ in 64 plate appearances filling in for Marcell Ozuna in left field.
21. Miami Marlins (31-40)
Previous Rank: 18
The Marlins went 2-4 during a quick Midwest road trip last week. They were swept by the St. Louis Cardinals before taking two of three from the Chicago Cubs, and despite a 7-12 record, they have a plus-eight run differential in June. Starting pitching is going to keep this team relevant all year, and Trevor Rogers is building a big early lead in the NL Rookie of the Year race with a 1.87 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 95 strikeouts in 81.2 innings.
Nos. 20-16
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20. St. Louis Cardinals (36-36)
Previous Rank: 19
The Cardinals lineup has scored two or fewer runs seven times in the last nine games. That trying offensive stretch has included three shutouts, one of which came in a 1-0 loss to the Braves on Sunday Night Baseball where they managed just two hits. The starting lineup is at full strength, so injuries can't be used as an excuse. If they don't start hitting, the slide down the rankings will continue.
19. Philadelphia Phillies (34-35)
Previous Rank: 16
The Phillies dropped two of three to the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants on the road last week. With middle infielders Jean Segura and Didi Gregorius both on the injured list, the Phillies have turned to a combination of Brad Miller, Luke Williams and Ronald Torreyes to hold down the fort. The 24-year-old Williams is hitting .355 with five extra-base hits over 31 plate appearances in his first MLB action.
18. Washington Nationals (33-36)
Previous Rank: 24
The Nationals have won seven of their last eight while picking up series wins over the Giants, Pirates and division-rival Mets. The wide-open nature of the NL East this year means that despite their middling start to the year, they are still only five games back in the division standings. Kyle Schwarber launched six home runs last week, and he has a 135 OPS+ with 18 home runs and 42 RBI on the year.
17. Los Angeles Angels (36-36)
Previous Rank: 15
The Angels offense is averaging 6.6 runs per game en route to a 12-6 record so far in June. That has helped take some pressure off a starting rotation that is still inconsistent at best beyond the performance of two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani. An abridged five-game week awaits, but it won't be an easy one as they face off against the Giants and Rays.
16. Cincinnati Reds (35-36)
Previous Rank: 14
After briefly clawing their way to the No. 14 spot last week, the Reds are back to the bottom half of the rankings following a four-game sweep at the hands of the Padres in San Diego. Outfielders Nick Castellanos (.344) and Jesse Winker (.341) continue to rank No. 1 and No. 2 in the NL batting title race, but offense is not the question mark with this team. The pitching staff will decide whether they can contend.
Nos. 15-11
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15. Toronto Blue Jays (35-35)
Previous Rank: 12
The Blue Jays had a chance to stake claim to a top-10 spot squaring off against the New York Yankees at the start of last week. Instead, they suffered a three-game sweep before rebounding to take two of three from the Orioles over the weekend. The pitching staff has a 4.75 ERA in June and will need to do its part behind a strong offense if they are going to contend.
14. Seattle Mariners (38-36)
Previous Rank: 23
The Mariners have been treading water around the .500 mark for much of the year, but with a 7-1 record in their last eight games, they are the biggest risers in this week's rankings. That impressive stretch was capped off by a four-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays, and three of those victories coming by way of the walk-off. That's the kind of series that can serve as a springboard for the rest of the year.
13. New York Yankees (38-33)
Previous Rank: 17
A sweep of the Blue Jays and a series win over the Oakland Athletics has the Yankees once again heading in the right direction following three straight weeks of sliding down the rankings. Catcher Gary Sanchez carried the offense last week, going 7-for-18 with three doubles and three home runs. On the pitching side, it was the bullpen that shouldered the load, while the starting rotation remains a major question mark.
12. Cleveland (40-30)
Previous Rank: 13
Cleveland swept a four-game series with the Orioles to begin last week, but dropped two of three to the Pirates in Pittsburgh over the weekend. With Shane Bieber joining Zach Plesac on the injured list and Triston McKenzie optioned back to the minors, they are stretched thin in the starting rotation. Lefty Sam Hentges threw five scoreless innings in his start on Sunday, and he could be an X-factor going forward.
11. Milwaukee Brewers (40-33)
Previous Rank: 3
The Brewers lost five in a row last week before salvaging a split in their four-game series with the Rockies, bringing a 14-2 hot streak to a screeching halt in the process. Corbin Burnes (5.1 IP, 8 H, 4 ER) and Brandon Woodruff (5.0 IP, 5 H, 5 ER) were both uncharacteristically knocked around, and the offense scored a combined 12 runs in their five losses. Is this a bump in the road, or an average team crashing back to earth?
Nos. 10-6
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10. Chicago Cubs (40-33)
Previous Rank: 5
The Cubs were riding high after a three-game sweep of the rival Cardinals in front of a packed house at Wrigley Field two weeks ago. Series losses to the Mets and Marlins during a 2-5 week provided a harsh reality check, and they entered the week tied atop the NL Central standings. The offense had gone eight straight games without scoring more than three runs entering play on Monday.
9. San Diego Padres (43-32)
Previous Rank: 11
The Padres have been a team of peaks and valleys during an 8-11 month of June, and last week was the perfect embodiment as they were swept by the Rockies on the road before taking four in a row from the Reds at home. This team still has an MLB-leading 3.13 ERA and no shortage of offensive firepower. Consistency has eluded them of late, though.
8. New York Mets (37-30)
Previous Rank: 10
The Mets went 4-4 last week, but they moved up two spots as a result of the Brewers and Cubs both dropping. Second baseman Jeff McNeil and outfielder Albert Almora Jr. returned from the injured list over the weekend, though they were replaced by Joey Lucchesi and Robert Gsellman. Jacob deGrom left his most recent start against the Cubs with shoulder soreness, but he appears to have dodged a bullet and returned to action on Monday.
7. Boston Red Sox (43-29)
Previous Rank: 9
The Red Sox offense hung 10 runs on the Braves in back-to-back games, but was held in check by the Royals as they dropped two of three over the weekend. The pitching staff has a 4.93 ERA in June, and the bullpen is being asked to chew through a lot of innings as the team's starters struggle to pitch deep into games. A huge three-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays awaits this week.
6. Oakland Athletics (44-30)
Previous Rank: 7
The Athletics are 13-4 with a plus-40 run differential in June and back to playing at a level that puts them firmly in the top-tier of teams. They did drop two of three to the Yankees over the weekend, snapping a seven-game winning streak in the process, but they are knocking on the door for a spot inside the top five once again. The unexpected contributions of Cole Irvin (14 GS, 3.89 ERA, 81.0 IP) and James Kaprielian (7 GS, 2.84 ERA, 38.0 IP) in the starting rotation have been huge.
Nos. 5-1
6 of 10
5. Tampa Bay Rays (43-30)
Previous Rank: 1
It was a tough week for the Rays who lost six in a row after a victory over the Chicago White Sox last Monday, including four walk-off defeats. That's a demoralizing week, but this team is too talented to be down for long. Relievers Diego Castillo, Pete Fairbanks and J.P. Feyereisen suffered four losses last week, and the bullpen will need to tighten things up even more now that ace Tyler Glasnow is sidelined indefinitely with a partially torn UCL. The upcoming series with the Red Sox is going to be a serious gut check.
4. Los Angeles Dodgers (44-28)
Previous Rank: 6
The Dodgers occupied the No. 1 spot in these rankings for the first seven weeks of the season, and they have slowly been working their way back up since bottoming out at No. 10 six weeks ago. The renaissance that Kenley Jansen is enjoying in the closer's role has been perhaps the biggest surprise on the Dodgers roster thus far. After falling out of favor last October, the 33-year-old has converted 18-of-20 save chances with a 1.52 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in 29 appearances.
3. Chicago White Sox (43-29)
Previous Rank: 2
The White Sox seemed destined to grab the No. 1 spot when they took two of three from the Rays, but four straight losses to the Houston Astros to close out the week opened the door for them to move to the front of the AL pack. With Danny Mendick (.213 BA, 78 OPS+) providing limited offensive production filling in for the injured Nick Madrigal at second base, the team is reportedly kicking the tires on D-backs slugger Eduardo Escobar to potentially fill the void.
2. San Francisco Giants (46-26)
Previous Rank: 4
Anchored by a fantastic starting rotation and a better-than-expected bullpen for much of the year, it was the Giants offense that shouldered the load in series wins over the D-backs and Phillies. They scored 59 runs in seven games, including double-digit runs three times, and launched 15 home runs. This is proving to be a team that can beat you in a lot of ways, and their plus-90 run differential further solidifies that they are the real deal.
1. Houston Astros (44-28)
Previous Rank: 8
The Astros tacked 26 runs onto their MLB-leading plus-112 run differential while going 6-0 and capping off the week with a four-game sweep of the White Sox. Even with Kyle Tucker (COVID protocol) and Alex Bregman (quad strain) landing on the injured list, the offense is still stacked, and the starting rotation continues to exceed expectations. Abraham Toro went 7-for-11 with a home run and five RBI in three games filling in for Bregman at third base.
Complete Rankings
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Complete Rankings
1. Houston Astros
2. San Francisco Giants
3. Chicago White Sox
4. Los Angeles Dodgers
5. Tampa Bay Rays
6. Oakland Athletics
7. Boston Red Sox
8. New York Mets
9. San Diego Padres
10. Chicago Cubs
11. Milwaukee Brewers
12. Cleveland
13. New York Yankees
14. Seattle Mariners
15. Toronto Blue Jays
16. Cincinnati Reds
17. Los Angeles Angels
18. Washington Nationals
19. Philadelphia Phillies
20. St. Louis Cardinals
21. Miami Marlins
22. Atlanta Braves
23. Detroit Tigers
24. Kansas City Royals
25. Colorado Rockies
26. Minnesota Twins
27. Pittsburgh Pirates
28. Baltimore Orioles
29. Texas Rangers
30. Arizona Diamondbacks
Highlight of the Week: Kyle Schwarber Hits 5 HR in 2 Games
8 of 10Have a weekend, Kyle Schwarber!
Non-tendered by the Chicago Cubs to begin the offseason, the Washington Nationals signed the slugger to a one-year, $10 million deal in hopes of providing some middle-of-the-order protection for Juan Soto and Trea Turner.
After hitting just nine home runs in his first 215 plate appearances of the season, he has caught fire over the past two weeks.
In his last 10 games, he's hitting .361/.400/1.111 with nine home runs in 40 trips to the plate, and that includes five long balls during a 13-inning stretch over the weekend.
After homering in the first and fourth inning of the second game of a double-header on Saturday, he went yard in the first, fifth and seventh innings on Sunday, helping to lead the Nationals to consecutive wins over the division-rival Mets.
"I'm a big believer that hitting is a feeling. Don't get me wrong, there's mechanical, there's approach, things like that,'' Schwarber told reporters. "But when you step in the box and everything feels right, you already have a big advantage."
No question he is locked in right now.
Team of the Week
9 of 10
C Gary Sanchez, NYY
(7-for-18, 3 2B, 3 HR, 6 RBI)
1B Brandon Belt, SF
(12-for-28, 3 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 6 RBI)
2B Whit Merrifield, KC
(12-for-26, 4 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI)
3B Wilmer Flores, SF
(9-for-17, 2B, 3 HR, 5 RBI)
SS Trevor Story, COL
(11-for-26, 3 2B, HR, 6 RBI, 4 SB)
OF Kyle Schwarber, WAS
(10-for-26, 6 HR, 11 RBI)
OF Mike Yastrzemski, SF
(9-for-28, 2 2B, 3 HR, 11 RBI)
OF Bryan Reynolds, PIT
(10-for-24, 3 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI)
DH Ryan Mountcastle, BAL
(12-for-25, 4 HR, 8 RBI)
SP Chris Flexen, SEA
(1 GS, W, 8.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K)
SP Sandy Alcantara, MIA
(1 GS, L, 8.1 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K)
SP Charlie Morton, ATL
(1 GS, W, 7.2 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K)
SP Adam Wainwright, STL
(2 GS, W, ND, 13.0 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 6 BB, 17 K)
SP Patrick Corbin, WAS
(2 GS, 2 W, 14.1 IP, 12 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 14 K)
RP Brad Hand, WAS
(5 G, 4/4 SV, 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K)
Award Rankings
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AL MVP
1. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., TOR
2. Shohei Ohtani, LAA
3. Matt Olson, OAK
NL MVP
1. Ronald Acuna Jr., ATL
2. Fernando Tatis Jr., SD
3. Jesse Winker, CIN
AL Cy Young
1. Carlos Rodon, CWS
2. Gerrit Cole, NYY
3. Kyle Gibson, TEX
NL Cy Young
1. Jacob deGrom, NYM
2. Kevin Gausman, SF
3. Brandon Woodruff, MIL
AL Rookie of the Year
1. Adolis Garcia, TEX
2. Casey Mize, DET
3. Luis Garcia, HOU
NL Rookie of the Year
1. Trevor Rogers, MIA
2. Ian Anderson, ATL
3. Yonathan Daza, COL
Stats courtesy of MLB.com and Baseball Reference unless otherwise noted.
