The MLB Power Rankings are back after one of the most significant injury weeks of the year. Tarik Skubal is already working his way back from elbow surgery, and Bobby Witt Jr. left Sunday’s game for the Kansas City Royals. But everyone is focused on the New York Yankees and the loss of Aaron Judge, which will significantly affect the power rankings going forward.
Where does your favorite team rank after the first week of June?
#1: Atlanta Braves (-)
The Atlanta Braves continue to hold down the top spot in the MLB Power Rankings after a dominant 5-1 week. They took two of three from the Toronto Blue Jays before sweeping the Pittsburgh Pirates on the back of their pitching staff. Bryce Elder threw six innings of two-run ball on Sunday, continuing his fantastic bounce-back season. Offensively, Matt Olson now has the ninth-longest Ironman streak in MLB history and leads the club with 17 homers and 47 RBI. Everything is going right for the Braves as they hit the road to face the Chicago White Sox and the New York Mets.
#2: Los Angeles Dodgers (-)
The Los Angeles Dodgers keep plugging along, splitting four games with the Arizona Diamondbacks and taking two of three from the Los Angeles Angels. Shohei Ohtani continues to do unprecedented things, with an NL-best .939 OPS and a 0.74 ERA on the mound. One injury has cropped up, as Will Smith is dealing with neck stiffness. That puts Dalton Rushing in the spotlight, which has yielded some viral clips so far this year. The Dodgers face the Pirates and the White Sox on the road this week.
#3: Milwaukee Brewers (-)
The Milwaukee Brewers are starting to pull away in the NL Central after splitting four games with the San Francisco Giants and sweeping the Colorado Rockies. They scored 28 runs in three games in Denver, capped by a 3-RBI day by Gary Sanchez on Sunday. When you combine that with Jacob Misiorowski’s historic start to the season, everything is clicking for the Brewers. They have an MLB-best 22-7 record since May 5. They finish their road trip against the Athletics before hosting the Philadelphia Phillies.
#4: Tampa Bay Rays (-)
The Tampa Bay Rays have finally started the skid, getting swept by the Detroit Tigers before dropping two of three to the Miami Marlins. Run prevention was the name of Tampa’s game when they were going well, but they allowed 25 runs in three games against Detroit. Nick Martinez’s ERA went from 1.69 to 2.29 after a six-run, four-inning performance. The Rays still have the best record in the American League, with the Boston Red Sox and the Angels coming up.
#5: New York Yankees (-)
The Yankees will be without Aaron Judge for a long time due to a stress fracture in his rib, but they aren’t moving down in the MLB Power Rankings just yet. They dropped two of three to the Cleveland Guardians and then split two with the Red Sox. In the eighth inning on Sunday, they got huge homers from Cody Bellinger and Jazz Chisholm Jr, two players thrust into the spotlight with the Judge injury. They face the Guardians on the road before heading north to face the Blue Jays.
#6: Cleveland Guardians (+3)
The Guardians stumbled out of the gate this season, but are now 37-30 and in first place in the AL Central. They took two of three from the Yankees before dropping two of three against the Texas Rangers. Jose Ramirez leads baseball with 23 steals, and the Guardians may finally have some secondary pieces behind him. Travis Bazzana has a .799 OPS in 36 games, and Chase DeLauter has 33 RBI in 62 games. Gavin Williams and Parker Messick are leading the rotation, which has been great. Overall, it’s a great start to the season for the Guardians, and now the Yankees and Tigers are coming to Cleveland.
#7: Philadelphia Phillies (+1)
The Phillies are back in a playoff spot at 35-30 after sweeping the San Diego Padres and taking two of three from the White Sox. Cristopher Sanchez’s scoreless innings streak is over at 50.2 innings, but he is still a firm Cy Young candidate. That has taken the attention away from Zack Wheeler, who has a 2.31 ERA in eight starts since returning from injury. There are few teams in the league with a better 1-2 punch than Sanchez and Wheeler, and the Phillies are riding them back into the playoff picture. They visit the Blue Jays and the Brewers coming up.
#8: Seattle Mariners (-1)
The Mariners took two of three from the Mets before dropping two of three to the Tigers, moving to 34-32. That is still enough to be the top team in the AL West, which is all they can ask for with Cal Raleigh and Brendan Donovan injured. Bryan Woo has not been consistent this year, allowing five runs in 6.1 innings on Friday to balloon his ERA to 3.74. The Mariners’ pitching staff has been their main driver in recent years, and that has to continue this year. The Mariners visit the Baltimore Orioles for four games and the Washington Nationals for three this week.
#9: San Diego Padres (-3)
The Padres are in free fall, getting swept by the Phillies and dropping two of three to the Mets. They are 4-13 since May 19, the worst record in all of baseball. That has them at 33-31 on the season, outside of the NL Wild Card picture. Manny Machado took a shot at analytics in a postgame press conference, saying they don’t tell the whole story. Machado has a .169 batting average, the worst mark among all qualified hitters. The Padres need their offense to wake up against the Reds and the Orioles this week.
#10: Chicago Cubs (-)
The Chicago Cubs dropped two of three to the Athletics and the San Francisco Giants, falling to 34-32 on the season. It has been a bizarre season at Wrigley Field, with eight walk-off wins for the home team, but also 10 losses in their last 12 home games. Jameson Taillon left Sunday’s start in the 2nd inning with a hamstring injury, but Javier Assad shut down the Giants in relief. The Cubs offense could not come through in extra innings, however. The Cubbies need wins as they hit the road to face the Colorado Rockies and the Giants.
#11: Toronto Blue Jays (-)
The Blue Jays dropped two of three to the Braves before taking two of three from the Orioles over the weekend. Injuries have been a big reason why the Jays are two games below .500, but that could be changing soon. John Schneider is optimistic that Dylan Cease and Max Scherzer could return soon, giving the rotation a lift. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. needs to pick it up, with just 14 extra-base hits this season and a .752 OPS. The Blue Jays have the Phillies and Yankees coming to town for a huge week.
#12: St. Louis Cardinals (+4)
The St Louis Cardinals are big risers in the MLB Power Rankings thanks to their 35-28 record this season. They dropped two of three to the Rangers, but bounced back with a sweep of the Reds. That puts them in second place in the NL Central despite the low expectations to start the season. Jordan Walker managed seven hits and three RBI in the Reds series, continuing his electric season. The Cardinals hit the road to face the Mets and Marlins amid their four-game winning streak.
#13: Pittsburgh Pirates (-1)
The Pirates started the week by taking two of three from the Houston Astros, but followed that up by getting swept by the Braves. Paul Skenes had another poor start, allowing three runs in 4.1 innings in an 11-9 loss to Houston. Even without the dominant version of the Cy Young winner, they have managed enough wins to stay in the playoff race. Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn have been great additions to the offense, which has kept them afloat. The Pirates host the Dodgers and Marlins coming up.
#14: Texas Rangers (-1)
The Rangers took two of three from the Cardinals on the road and the Guardians at home, moving to 32-33. They are driven by their pitching staff, with Jacob deGrom hurling six shutout innings on Sunday in a 10-0 win. deGrom now has 101 wins, reaching the century milestone at 37 years old. His Cooperstown conversation will be fascinating, and he is helping his case this year. Josh Jung continues to lead the offense, as Brandon Nimmo has cooled down and Corey Seager continues to hit below .200. The Rangers visit the Royals and the Red Sox this week.
#15: Chicago White Sox (+2)
The White Sox dropped two of three to the Twins and the Phillies, sputtering in their first tests without Munetaka Murakami. But they are three games over .500 and in second place in the AL Central. Colson Montgomery had just three hits in the six games, highlighting the issue for the Sox. They do not have the depth to survive the absence of one of their offensive stars. As long as they can keep pace without Murakami, the playoff push may remain on into the second half. The White Sox host the Dodgers and the Braves in a vital week ahead.
#16: Athletics (-2)
The Athletics have had every chance to fly up the AL West standings and the MLB Power Rankings. After taking two of three from the Cubs, they dropped two of three to the Astros, falling to 31-34. But the biggest positive came on Sunday, as Gage Jump made his name known on the big stage. He threw six shutout innings against Houston to avoid the sweep and could be the ace the Athletics desperately need. The A’s start a 13-game homestand against the Brewers and the Rockies this week.
#17: Arizona Diamondbacks (-2)
The Diamondbacks split four games with the Dodgers and dropped two of three to the Nationals, falling to 34-31 on the season. Ketel Marte hit an insane walk-off against the Dodgers, and Ildemaro Vargas avoided injury after a nasty collision with Max Muncy. The offense has been an issue, so Arizona went out and signed Max Kepler, who is nearly finished with his PED suspension. He is ineligible for the playoffs, but the Snakes need help getting there. Arizona visits the Marlins and the Reds this week.
#18: Baltimore Orioles (+1)
The Orioles took two of three from the Orioles before dropping two of three to the Blue Jays, moving to 31-35 on the season. With the Rays sputtering and Judge out, the O’s have a chance to make up ground in the AL East. But a .697 OPS from Gunnar Henderson and a .495 OPS from Tyler O’Neill have limited the offense’s upside. A controversial call blew Shane Baz’s start on Sunday, but he has settled into a nice groove after a shaky start. The O’s need wins with the Mariners and Padres coming to town.
#19: Washington Nationals (+2)
The Nationals are moving up again in the MLB Power Rankings after taking two of three from the Diamondbacks. They had been swept by the Marlins, so it was a nice bounce-back for the Nats. At 33-33, Washington is soaring past expectations and sticking around the Wild Card picture. 25-year-old Curtis Mead has come out of nowhere to post an .843 OPS in 51 games while playing three infield positions. Those are the players that Blake Butera has developed in his first season, brightening the future in Washington. The Nats visit the Giants and host the Mariners this week.
#20: Cincinnati Reds (-2)
The Reds dropped two of three to the Royals and were swept by the Cardinals, falling to 31-33 on the season. The run of all five NL Central teams being over .500 is over thanks to Cincinnati’s injuries. Elly De La Cruz is on the injured list, Ke’Bryan Hayes is still out and is now heading to Driveline, and Hunter Greene has not pitched. Things are getting ugly, but they are facing the exact right team at the right time. They visit the slumping Padres before hosting the Diamondbacks for three games.
#21: Detroit Tigers (+3)
The Tigers may have hit rock bottom in late May, but they have started June by stringing some wins together. Not only did they sweep the Rays and take two from the Mariners, but Tarik Skubal is pitching again. He dominated at High-A over the weekend, throwing 54 pitches in five innings just a month after elbow surgery. If they can continue climbing out of this hole before Skubal comes back, maybe a trade isn’t a sure thing after all. Detroit hosts the Twins and visits the Guardians this week.
#22: New York Mets (-2)
The Mets dropped two of three to the Mariners, but responded by taking two of three from the Padres over the weekend. Christian Scott had a great start on Friday, going 5.2 innings without allowing a run in San Diego. The pitching staff has been poor this year, with Sean Manaea’s struggles continuing, and Scott can help raise their floor. Francisco Lindor is still not back, but Carson Benge did go 5-for-5 on Sunday, which includes a home run. Maybe there is something for the Mets to build on in the summer months, but they are still seven games under .500. They host the Cardinals and the Braves at Citi Field coming up.
#23: Boston Red Sox (-1)
The Red Sox dropped two of three to the Orioles and split two games with the Yankees, falling to 27-36 on the season. Brayan Bello was moved back to a starter role instead of having an opener start for him. He allowed eight runs in the first inning and was demoted to Triple-A Worcester. Without Garrett Crochet, their starting pitching has not been great. But Willson Contreras did take Ryan Weathers deep to secure Boston’s first win over the Yankees this season. The Red Sox visit the Rays and host the Rangers this week.
#24: Minnesota Twins (-1)
The Twins took two of three from the White Sox, but followed that up by dropping three of four against the Royals. They have called Royce Lewis back up to the majors, but he is 1-for-7 since returning. Joe Ryan allowed five runs and struck out 14 in his two outings this week. And Byron Buxton leads the team with a .867 OPS. The Twins are getting the individual performances, but are still 30-37 on the season. They visit the Tigers and host the Cardinals this week.
#25: Miami Marlins (-)
The Marlins swept the Nationals and took two of three from the Rays to move to 31-35 on the season. They have left the Mets in the dust in the NL East, but still have a long way to go to get into the Wild Card race. Sandy Alcantara pitched a brilliant seven innings on Sunday, allowing just one run to the Rays. That is the kind of performance the Fish need to get back into this race. The Marlins host the Diamondbacks and visit the Pirates in a big week coming up.
#26: Houston Astros (-)
The Astros dropped two of three to the Pirates and took two of three from the Athletics, but they are finally starting to put it together. Yordan Alvarez leads the AL in home runs and RBI with his eyes on a now-available AL MVP award. Jose Altuve is back from the injured list, which is big for their offense, and Tatsuya Imai has been better of late. The Astros are on the back end of their dynasty, trying to wring the last drops out of this era. They visit the Angels and the Royals coming up.
#27: Kansas City Royals (-)
The Royals could have moved up in the MLB Power Rankings, but Bobby Witt Jr. leaving Sunday’s game with an injury stopped their momentum. They did take two of three from the Reds and three of four from the Twins, moving to 27-39 on the season. Witt left the game with a sore knee, and the team is optimistic, but that could get ugly. Witt leads the AL with a 3.7 bWAR and is tied at the top with 23 stolen bases. Can he capitalize on an MVP chance, or will he let it slip by? The Royals host the Rangers and the Astros this week.
#28: San Francisco Giants (-)
The Giants are finally starting to stack some wins, splitting four with the Brewers and taking two of three from the Cubs. Rafael Devers finally has his OPS over .700, and Matt Chapman may have broken out with his game-winning RBI. The Gold Glove third baseman knocked in the game-winning run in the tenth inning on Sunday night, securing the series win. His OPS is still just .695, but maybe this takes him up a level. The Giants host the Nationals and the Cubs coming up.
#29: Los Angeles Angels (-)
The Angels dropped two of three to both the Rockies and the Dodgers, falling to 25-41 on the season. They are the worst team in the American League, and lost a pitcher to injury on top of it. Jack Kochanowicz was off to an okay start to the season, but allowed seven runs and got one out against the Dodgers on Saturday. He is now on the IL with right elbow inflammation. Jorge Soler is also on the injured list now with an oblique strain. The Angels are way out of the playoff race early in June, with the Astros and Rays coming to Anaheim.
#30: Colorado Rockies (-)
The Rockies stay in the final spot of the MLB Power Rankings after taking two of three from the Angels and getting swept by the Brewers. They became the latest team to get shut down by Misiorowski, managing just four hits in Saturday’s loss. The Rockies continue to play better baseball than they did a year ago, but not good enough to power them out of the basement. Kyle Freeland set a franchise record with 1,313 innings pitched, so congratulations to him. The Rockies host the Cubs and visit the Athletics coming up.
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