MLB Power Rankings: Top 12 MLB Performances from Tuesday

Tuesday was yet another fantastic day in Major League Baseball as every day grows more tense. Tuesday's action provided some nail-biters, plenty of offense and a game that just wouldn't end.

Tuesday also offered plenty of outstanding pitching performances. Some of these pitchers one would suspect of making the list while others may be a surprise.  

With the trade deadline just days away, Tuesday proved that some teams need to address some key issues while other teams proved to have valuable trade bait.  

Here are the top 12 performances from Tuesday. 

No. 12: Carlos Beltran

Carlos Beltran displayed why he is rumored in so many trade talks on Tuesday. The 34-year-old outfielder went 1-for-3 with a run batted in against the Reds. More impressively, Beltran drew two walks and scored three runs. 

Tuesday's performance from Beltran showed why he'll most likely be moved by Sunday. Beltran is now hitting .289 with 61 runs and 66 runs batted in. Beltran also has more walks (62) than strikeouts (61) on the season. 

No. 11: Paul Konerko

Paul Konerko had a part in every run scored for the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday.The slugger from the south side of Chicago went 2-for-4 with a home run in a losing effort. Konerko had two runs batted in and scored a pair in a 5-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers.

"Paulie" is batting .310 with 24 home runs and 74 runs batted in on the season.  

No.10: Yorvit Torrealba

Yorvit Torrealba put in a great performance on Tuesday. The Texas Ranger catcher went 3-for-4 with a home run, a run scored and four runs batted in. 

Torrealba's effort was all for not as the Rangers fell late to the Twins, 9-8.

No. 9: Billy Butler

Billy Butler had a stellar game on Tuesday in a losing effort at Fenway Park. The Kansas City designated hitter went 3-for-4 with a home run, three runs batted in and two runs.

Butler is hitting .290 on the season for the up-and-coming Kansas City Royals. His performance tonight is just what his team needs from him in the future.  

No. 8: Florida Marlins

The Florida Marlins put up double digits on Tuesday, beating the Washington Nationals 11-2. Much of the offense for the Marlins came from first baseman Greg Dobbs.

Dobbs went 3-for-5, scoring two runs and knocking in five runs batted in. Any performance like this deserves a high-five from the skipper.   

No.7: Brandon McCarthy

Brandon McCarthy had his best outing in nearly two months on Tuesday. The Oakland Athletics pitcher went 8.0 innings as the A's beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 6-1.

McCarthy allowed only one earned run on six hits. This is only the second win for McCarthy in his last 10 starts. Tuesday's start gives McCarthy something to build on as he moves forward. 

No. 6: Jared Weaver

Jared Weaver went seven strong innings as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim beat the Cleveland Indians, 2-1. Weaver allowed only five hits and one earned run, while striking out five. 

Weaver's record is now 14-4 and his earned run average is an MLB-best 1.79. The battle for the 2011 AL Cy Young will come down to the last week of the season. 

No. 5: Baltimore Orioles

The ball was jumping off the Baltimore bats on Tuesday in Toronto. The Orioles beat the Blue Jays decisively by a score of 12-4. 

Notably for the Orioles were the performances of J.J. Hardy and Derrek Lee. Hardy went 2-for-5 with two home runs, two runs and four runs batted in. Lee went 4-for-5 with a home run, two runs and five runs batted in.

Tuesday's performance by Lee may spark some interest as the trade deadline nears. This may convince a general manager in the league to go out and get the first baseman. 

No. 4: Vance Worley

Vance Worley is the fifth starter for the Philadelphia Phillies. Thanks to his complete game, 7-2 win over the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday he is now 7-1 on the season.

The last thing Phillies opponents want to see is Worley throwing a complete game. Worley only allowed three hits, two earned runs and five strikeouts on the night. 

With the recent success of Vance Worley and the Phillies looking to solidify their offense, look for Worley to become prime trade bait this week. 

No. 3: Joe Saunders

Joe Saunders threw a gem Tuesday. Saunders threw a complete game as his Arizona Diamondbacks beat the San Diego Padres 6-1.

Saunders only allowed six hits and one earned run on Tuesday. Saunders outing Tuesday shows why the Diamondbacks included him in a trade for Dan Haren to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim last year. 

No. 2: CC Sabathia

CC Sabathia continued his bid for the 2011 Cy Young award Tuesday. The lefty took a perfect game into the seventh inning as the New York Yankees beat the struggling Seattle Mariners, 4-1.

Sabathia went 7.0 innings while striking out a career-best 14. Sabathia only allowed one hit and one earned run. He also picked up league-leading win No. 15 on the season.

If it weren't for multiple rain delays Sabathia may have gone the distance.   

No. 1: Boston Red Sox Offense

The Boston Red Sox continued to look impressive at the plate on Tuesday. While the Red Sox pitching looked sketchy, it didn't matter because the offense put up 13 in a 13-9 win over the Kansas City Royals. 

The Red Sox won due to a team effort. The heart of the Red Sox line-up, Adrian Gonzalez, Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz went a combined 10-for-13. The three men scored six runs, knocked in eight runs batted in and earned three walks.

Scary.