MLB Power Rankings: Dodgers or Mets in the No. 1 Spot? White Sox in Free Fall
At this stage of the 2022 MLB season, it's still difficult to draw a clear line between contenders and non-contenders.
Entering play on Monday, there were 10 teams within two games of a .500 record. The upcoming weeks will be extremely telling for that middle-of-the-pack group.
For now, the shuffling continues in our weekly MLB power rankings amid a small sample size of games.
As the season progresses, the rankings will look distinctly different from the MLB standings, as hot and cold streaks play a major factor in where teams land. But for now, each club's placement is largely reflective of its record. Run differential was also key in determining where teams fell.
Note: All statistics and analysis in this article reflect games through Sunday. Team records have been updated to include Monday's results.
Nos. 30-26
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30. Cincinnati Reds (3-13)
Previous Rank: 30
The Reds finally snapped an 11-game losing streak on Sunday with a 4-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. Rookie left-hander Nick Lodolo allowed five hits and one earned run while striking out seven in 5.1 innings, and he has looked a little better each time he's taken the mound early in his MLB career.
29. Washington Nationals (6-12)
Previous Rank: 25
The Nationals lost five straight after taking both games of a double-header with the Arizona Diamondbacks last Tuesday. The late-inning work of Tanner Rainey, Kyle Finnegan and Victor Arano has been one of the few early bright spots, along with Juan Soto, Josh Bell and young starter Josiah Gray.
28. Kansas City Royals (5-9)
Previous Rank: 27
With an offense that has scored five or more runs only three times in 14 games and a back-of-the-rotation that has struggled mightily behind Zack Greinke and Brad Keller, it's shaping up to be a long season for the Royals. Upcoming free agent Andrew Benintendi is hitting .388/.434/.490 and playing his usual stellar defense in the outfield, so he could be a hot commodity this summer if he keeps it up.
27. Texas Rangers (6-10)
Previous Rank: 29
The Rangers picked up their first series win of the season last week by taking two of three from the Oakland Athletics. However, the week still ended on a low note when they were shut out by Cole Irvin and the Oakland bullpen in a 2-0 loss on Sunday. The Rangers were 2-9 before last week's three-game winning streak.
26. Arizona Diamondbacks (6-11)
Previous Rank: 28
The D-backs starting rotation ranks second in the majors with a 2.36 ERA, but the terrific work of the starters has been undermined by a bad bullpen (4.39 ERA, 28th in MLB) and a punchless offense averaging only 3.1 runs per game. Unfortunately, it seems more likely that the rotation will regress than it does the offense will pick up the slack.
Nos. 25-21
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25. Detroit Tigers (6-9)
Previous Rank: 21
Series losses to the New York Yankees and Colorado Rockies did little to dampen the festive atmosphere surrounding the Tigers this past week as future Hall of Famer Miguel Cabrera became the 33rd member of the 3,000-hit club on Saturday. Shortstop Javier Baez was activated from the injured list on Sunday, and he is the type of player who can provide a major spark.
24. Philadelphia Phillies (7-10)
Previous Rank: 24
After plummeting down the rankings last week, it was more of the same from the Phillies as they suffered series losses to the Colorado Rockies and Milwaukee Brewers. A healthy Odubel Herrera should help plug what had been an offensive black hole in center field. A high-powered lineup on paper has been silenced far too frequently in the early going.
23. Baltimore Orioles (6-10)
Previous Rank: 23
The Orioles shut out their opponent for the third time on Wednesday, tying them for the MLB lead, and their 3.17 ERA as a team ranks seventh in the majors. That's especially impressive when you consider ace John Means is set to undergo Tommy John surgery and is out for the rest of the season. Left-hander Bruce Zimmermann (15.0 IP, 1.20 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 16 K) in particular has been a pleasant surprise through three starts.
22. Chicago White Sox (6-9)
Previous Rank: 5
Losers of seven straight, the White Sox look utterly lost right now. They have a minus-30 run differential and have committed a staggering 14 errors during their losing skid. Their last error-free game was back on April 15. They have dealt with injuries, including losing Eloy Jimenez to a hamstring injury over the weekend, but the seat under manager Tony La Russa has to be getting hot at this point. This roster is too talented for this to be a lost season.
21. Atlanta Braves (7-10)
Previous Rank: 19
The Braves have split a pair of four-game series, but they are still searching for their first outright series win over the year after losing two of three to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins last week. The back end of the starting rotation remains a major question mark, but young right-hander Kyle Wright (3 GS, 2-0, 1.06 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 2 BB, 26 K, 17.0 IP) is off to as good of a start as any pitcher in baseball.
Nos. 20-16
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20. Boston Red Sox (7-10)
Previous Rank: 12
With series losses to the Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays last week, the Red Sox have fallen below .500 and slid down the AL East standings in the process. They are now 3-6 with a minus-10 run differential against division foes on the year, and now they head on the road to take on the Blue Jays and Orioles. How much longer will Nick Pivetta and Bobby Dalbec be allowed to struggle before they are demoted?
19. Chicago Cubs (7-9)
Previous Rank: 7
The Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates by a staggering 21-0 margin on Saturday, but they scored only eight runs combined and lost the other three games of a four-game series at home. The offense has been better than expected with Seiya Suzuki leading the way and the bullpen is vastly improved, but the starting rotation is a mess beyond Kyle Hendricks and Drew Smyly.
18. Houston Astros (7-9)
Previous Rank: 11
The Astros lost four in a row last week en route to series losses to the Los Angeles Angels and Toronto Blue Jays, but they ended on a high note when rookie shortstop Jeremy Pena delivered a walk-off blast on Sunday. The 24-year-old is hitting .260/.333/.540 for a 156 OPS+ with three doubles, three home runs and 1.1 WAR through 14 games.
17. Miami Marlins (7-8)
Previous Rank: 20
The trio of Pablo Lopez (3 GS, 0.52 ERA, 17 K, 17.1 IP), Sandy Alcantara (3 GS, 1.86 ERA, 15 K, 19.1 IP) and Jesus Luzardo (3 GS, 3.77 ERA, 23 K, 14.1 IP) has been terrific atop Miami's rotation, but the Marlins are once again struggling to score runs. They were shut out twice last week before picking up a weekend series win over the Atlanta Braves.
16. Pittsburgh Pirates (8-8)
Previous Rank: 17
The Pirates went 7-9 through their first 16 games last year and still finished with 101 losses, so it's a bit premature to view them as contenders, but they're off to a nice start this season. Third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes is hitting .327/.407/.423 for a 146 OPS+ and is looking like a future star, while Daniel Vogelbach and Michael Chavis are also off to strong starts at the plate.
Nos. 15-11
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15. Cleveland Guardians (7-9)
Previous Rank: 22
Even after getting swept by the New York Yankees over the weekend, the Guardians still rank among the MLB leaders in batting average (.264, third), OPS (.749, fourth) and runs per game (5.00, third). That bodes well for a team that has done a good job of developing quality pitching but has struggled to consistently score runs at times. Don't sleep on this Cleveland squad, especially with the White Sox floundering right now.
14. Minnesota Twins (8-8)
Previous Rank: 26
The de facto division leaders with a .500 record, the Twins went 5-2 last week, including a weekend series sweep of the White Sox. Byron Buxton homered twice on Sunday, including the walk-off winner in the 10th inning, and this is simply a different team when he's healthy.
According to ESPN's Paul Hembekides (via Jeff Passan), the Twins have gone 124-73 with a plus-233 run differential when Buxton is in the lineup since the start of 2019, compared to 94-109 with a minus-97 run differential without him.
13. Oakland Athletics (9-8)
Previous Rank: 14
Despite gutting their roster during the offseason, the Athletics are still playing competitive baseball. They went 4-3 last week to pull above .500 on the year. The starting rotation has been their biggest strength, though it might be time to look elsewhere in the No. 5 starter spot, as rookie Adam Oller (3 GS, 0-2, 11.17 ERA, 2.38 WHIP) has been hit hard. A quick two-game Bay Area series with the San Francisco Giants this week will be a good early test.
12. Los Angeles Angels (10-7)
Previous Rank: 8
With a healthy Mike Trout once again looking like an MVP candidate, the Angels have been one of baseball's most potent offenses with a .750 OPS that leads the American League and an impressive 4.9 runs per game. The pitching staff is still a work in progress, but their 4.18 ERA as a team represents a marked improvement over the 4.69 ERA they posted a year ago. A series win over the Houston Astros last week helped provide some legitimacy to their strong start.
11. San Diego Padres (10-7)
Previous Rank: 10
After sweeping the Cincinnati Reds to run their winning streak to four games, the Padres dropped two of three to the Los Angeles Dodgers over the weekend, scoring only six runs in the series. With Luke Voit on the injured list with biceps discomfort, catching prospect Luis Campusano was promoted from Triple-A, and he could see action in the DH role. The Reds and Pirates await this coming week as the Padres look to climb the rankings.
Nos. 10-6
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10. Tampa Bay Rays (9-7)
Previous Rank: 18
After sliding down the rankings last week, the Rays are once again on the rise following series wins over the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox. First baseman Ji-Man Choi is hitting .351/.500/.622 with two home runs and 10 RBI in 14 games to lead a Tampa Bay offense that looks more potent than ever, though more will fall on its shoulders with a less-than-dominant pitching staff.
9. Milwaukee Brewers (10-7)
Previous Rank: 15
The Brewers are 6-1 in their last seven games, finding ways to win despite an offense that ranks near the bottom of the league in batting average (.204, 28th) and OPS (.609, 27th). Luis Urias is on a rehab assignment at Triple-A, and with the team's third basemen hitting .133/.250/.233 with zero extra-base hits in 52 plate appearances, his return can't come soon enough.
8. New York Yankees (10-6)
Previous Rank: 16
Aside from a public display of classlessness by the fanbase in a comeback win over Cleveland, it was a good week for the Yankees. The most promising development was a strong start from Gerrit Cole, who allowed four hits and one walk while striking out nine in 6.2 scoreless innings on Sunday. Matchups with the Orioles and Royals this week give the Yankees a great opportunity to keep things rolling.
7. Seattle Mariners (10-6)
Previous Rank: 13
First baseman Ty France (.375/.459/.656, 5 HR, 19 RBI) and shortstop J.P. Crawford (.352/.471/.574, 7 XBH) are both off to MVP-caliber starts for the Mariners offensively, while young right-hander Logan Gilbert (3 GS, 2-0, 0.54 ERA, 0.84 WHIP) is pitching like an ace. After series wins over the Rangers and Royals, the Mariners are knocking on the door for a spot inside the top five.
6. St. Louis Cardinals (9-6)
Previous Rank: 9
The Cardinals have yet to lose a series this season, and aside from the ongoing struggles of shortstop Paul DeJong and a glacial start from Yadier Molina at the plate, this looks like a strong roster capable of contending for the NL Central title. Hard-throwing Jordan Hicks got the start on Thursday as the Cardinals needed a fifth starter for the first time. It bears watching how they handle that spot going forward.
Nos. 5-1
6 of 10
5. Toronto Blue Jays (11-6)
Previous Rank: 6
The Blue Jays had a productive week on the road, picking up series wins over the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox, and now they head back to the Rogers Centre for a 10-game homestand. Catcher/designated hitter Zack Collins is quickly proving to be one of the better under-the-radar pickups of the offseason, hitting .303/.324/.636 with three home runs in his first 34 plate appearances.
4. Colorado Rockies (10-6)
Previous Rank: 4
The No. 4 team in our rankings last week, the Rockies provided no reason to drop them with series wins over the Philadelphia Phillies and Detroit Tigers. The pitching staff remains one of the biggest surprises of the first few weeks with a solid 4.33 ERA as a team and a 4-0 record in one-run games. Pittsburgh Pirates cast-off Chad Kuhl has a 1.10 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in 16.1 innings through his first three starts.
3. San Francisco Giants (12-5)
Previous Rank: 2
The Giants drop a spot following a series loss to the New York Mets, but they still deserve to be mentioned among the best teams in baseball with a plus-37 run differential that trails only the rival Los Angeles Dodgers. With Anthony DeSclafani and Alex Cobb both on the injured list, their starting pitching depth will be put to the test.
2. New York Mets (13-5)
Previous Rank: 3
The Mets passed a big early test when they took three of four from the Giants at the start of last week, and they have won each of the five series they have played to begin the year. A resurgent Carlos Carrasco (3 GS, 1.47 ERA, 0.60 WHIP) and better-than-expected Tylor Megill (4 GS, 3-0, 2.35 ERA, 0.91 WHIP) have gone a long way toward easing the loss of Jacob deGrom.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers (12-4)
Previous Rank: 1
The Dodgers are 10-2 since dropping two of three to the Rockies to open the year, and they've outscored opponents by a staggering 71-23 margin during that time. Series wins over the Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres last week keep them slotted in the No. 1 spot in these rankings, but the Mets are right on their tail should they falter.
Complete Rankings
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Complete Rankings
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. New York Mets
3. San Francisco Giants
4. Colorado Rockies
5. Toronto Blue Jays
6. St. Louis Cardinals
7. Seattle Mariners
8. New York Yankees
9. Milwaukee Brewers
10. Tampa Bay Rays
11. San Diego Padres
12. Los Angeles Angels
13. Oakland Athletics
14. Minnesota Twins
15. Cleveland Guardians
16. Pittsburgh Pirates
17. Miami Marlins
18. Houston Astros
19. Chicago Cubs
20. Boston Red Sox
21. Atlanta Braves
22. Chicago White Sox
23. Baltimore Orioles
24. Philadelphia Phillies
25. Detroit Tigers
26. Arizona Diamondbacks
27. Texas Rangers
28. Kansas City Royals
29. Washington Nationals
30. Cincinnati Reds
Highlight of the Week: Miguel Cabrera Joins 3,000-Hit Club
8 of 10
Miguel Cabrera became the 33rd member of the exclusive 3,000-hit club on Saturday when he singled off Colorado Rockies starter Antonio Senzatela.
Unlike last season when he hit his 500th career home run on the road, he reached this milestone in front of the home fans and with his family in attendance.
"This one was really special for me," Cabrera told reporters, "because I wanted to do it here in front of my family, in front of my hometown here in Detroit. I'm happy I hit it here. I'm happy people in Detroit could see it. Hopefully I can get more hits here. Thank God."
The 39-year-old is hitting .319 with a .377 on-base percentage on the season. While his prolific power has mostly dried up at this point and he's still searching for his first home run of the season, his bat-to-ball skills remain elite even at this late stage of his career.
Congrats, Miggy!
Team of the Week
9 of 10
C Salvador Perez, KC
(7-for-20, 2 2B, 3 HR, 4 RBI)
1B Ty France, SEA
(13-for-26, 2B, 3 HR, 10 RBI)
2B Ozzie Albies, ATL
(7-for-24, 2 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI)
3B Austin Riley, ATL
(8-for-21, 3 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI)
SS J.P. Crawford, SEA
(8-for-23, 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 7 RBI)
OF Joc Pederson, SF
(8-for-22, 2 2B, 3 HR, 6 RBI)
OF Byron Buxton, MIN
(7-for-13, 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI)
OF Cody Bellinger, LAD
(7-for-23, 2 2B, 3B, 3 HR, 7 RBI)
DH Daniel Vogelbach, PIT
(7-for-21, 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI)
SP Eric Lauer, MIL
(2 GS, W, ND, 12.0 IP, 10 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 18 K)
SP Chad Kuhl, COL
(2 GS, 2 W, 12.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 8 K)
SP Frankie Montas, OAK
(2 GS, W, L, 13.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 13 K)
SP Sandy Alcantara, MIA
(1 GS, ND, 8.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K)
SP Brandon Woodruff, MIL
(1 GS, W, 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 K)
RP Josh Hader, MIL
(4 G, 4/4 SV, 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K)
Way-Too-Early Award Rankings
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AL MVP
1. Ty France, SEA
2. Jose Ramirez, CLE
3. Mike Trout, LAA
NL MVP
1. Nolan Arenado, STL
2. Seiya Suzuki, CHC
3. Manny Machado, SD
AL Cy Young
1. Justin Verlander, HOU
2. Logan Gilbert, SEA
3. Alek Manoah, TOR
NL Cy Young
1. Pablo Lopez, MIA
2. Carlos Rodon, SF
3. Kyle Wright, ATL
AL Rookie of the Year
1. Steven Kwan, CLE
2. Jeremy Pena, HOU
3. Joe Ryan, MIN
NL Rookie of the Year
1. Seiya Suzuki, CHC
2. Seth Beer, ARI
3. Steven Wilson, SD
Stats courtesy of MLB.com and Baseball Reference unless otherwise noted.
