MLB Power Rankings: Brewers cruise to the top, Dodgers scuffling

Yahoo

2 days ago

Featured in this week's MLB Power Rankings, the Brewers climb to the top of our rankings, the Yankees can't figure out the Blue Jays, another injury for the Astros, Rich Hill is on the brink of history, and we're taking stock of the upcoming MLB trade deadline.
(Please note these power rankings are a combination of current performance and long-term projected outlook)
Let's get started!
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Eric Samulski
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Note: Rankings are from the morning of Tuesday, July 22.
1) Milwaukee Brewers ⬆️
Last week: 5
Your eyes are not fooling you. Winners of 11 straight games, the Brewers have catapulted to the top of our rankings. Similar to Rays teams of the past, they just keep finding ways to defy preseason expectations and win baseball games. Even if they don't stay atop our rankings, they have established themselves as a serious threat to win the NL Central.
2) Detroit Tigers ⬇️
Last week: 1
The Tigers have stumbled a bit over the past two weeks, but they still possess the best record in the American League and a dominant lead in the AL Central. It will be interesting to see how they upgrade at the trade deadline, with the bullpen looking like an obvious area of need.
3) Toronto Blue Jays ⬆️
Last week: 6
The Blue Jays have won a franchise record 11 straight games at home as well as five straight games against the Yankees, powering them to a four-game lead over the Yankees in the AL East.
4) Chicago Cubs ⬇️
Last week: 3
The Cubs put Seiya Suzuki in center field on Monday with Pete Crow-Armstrong sidelined due to a bruised right knee. That's not ideal. Even if Crow-Armstrong's issue is a minor one, look for the Cubs to pursue a skilled defender for depth across their outfield.
5) Houston Astros ⬇️
Last week: 4
Do you know what the Astros really needed? Another injury. Isaac Paredes went down on Saturday with a right hamstring strain. While it's unclear how much time he'll miss, it really didn't look good.
Mauricio Dubon, Zack Short, Brice Matthews (who hit his first two MLB homers on Monday), and Shay Witcomb are all options to fill in, but the trade deadline presents more opportunities.
6) Los Angeles Dodgers ⬇️
Last week: 2
The Dodgers have lost 10 out of their last 13 games, including a sweep at the hands of the Brewers over the weekend. Mookie Betts can't shake his funk at the plate, Clayton Kershaw is showing his frustration, and closer Tanner Scott is likely headed to the injured list with a forearm issue, so the vibes are shaky at the moment.
7) Philadelphia Phillies
Last week: 7
Behold one of the weirdest endings to a baseball game in recent memory.
Per Sarah Langs of MLB.com, this was just the second walk-off catcher's interference since the divisional era and the first since 1971.
8) New York Mets
Last week: 8
Francisco Alvarez made his return to the Mets on Monday after mashing the ball during his promotion in Triple-A and you couldn't have asked for a better homecoming. The 23-year-old looked strong behind the plate while also drawing two walks and delivering a key double as part of a comeback victory over the Angels. The potential has always been there, so getting Alvarez right would be a game-changer for the Mets down the stretch.
9) San Diego Padres ⬆️
Last week: 11
The Padres have won six out of their last eight and find themselves just 3.5 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West. Look for the club to address their top-heavy lineup as the trade deadline approaches.
10) New York Yankees ⬇️
Last week: 9
The Yankees can't seem to figure out the first-place Blue Jays right now and they have all sorts of needs (third base, starting pitcher, bullpen, etc.) in advance of the trade deadline. While Anthony Volpe's two-homer game against the Braves on Saturday was encouraging, his all-around regression continues to be a daily focus.
11) Boston Red Sox ⬇️
Last week: 10
Many expect the Red Sox to draw from their position player depth to upgrade in other areas, but Wilyer Abreu is showing that he's a keeper. The 26-year-old had his fourth multi-homer game of the season on Sunday to help salvage the series finale against the Cubs. He also leads the team with 20 home runs.
12) Seattle Mariners ⬆️
Last week: 13
In many ways, the Mariners have been the opposite of what we expected: Sixth in homers, tied for seventh in MLB in OPS, but in the middle of the pack in terms of ERA. Improved health should help the rotation, but bullpen appears to be a need going into next week.
13) St. Louis Cardinals ⬆️
Last week: 14
The Cardinals are 5-10 this month — including a sweep by the Diamondbacks coming out of the break — so they don't exactly look like a playoff contender. This puts John Mozeliak in an interesting position going into his final trade deadline in the big chair. Does he wield a heavy hand on his way out or focus on players who are set to become free agents?
14) Cincinnati Reds ⬆️
Last week: 15
Oh, to be a fly on the wall (or, in this case, the mound) in conversations between Terry Francona and Elly De La Cruz.
15) San Francisco Giants ⬇️
Last week: 12
On paper, it made all the sense in the world for the Giants to trade for Rafael Devers. It might still work out in the end, but the early returns are decidedly negative. Devers has hit just .219 with two homers and a .667 OPS with the club and the Giants are 11-18 since the trade.
16) Tampa Bay Rays
Last week: 16
The Rays are on the fence as a potential contender, but with Brandon Lowe on the injured list again, Ha-Seong Kim dealing with yet another injury, and Shane McClanahan hitting a speed bump in his rehab, things aren't looking promising.
17) Texas Rangers
Last week: 17
The Rangers have won six out of their last eight as they sit on the bubble among playoff contenders. It was nice to see Josh Jung homer in his return to the majors on Monday against the Athletics, even if his production after his demotion to Triple-A didn't exactly jump off the page.
18) Arizona Diamondbacks
Last week: 18
As we've said in previous weeks, the Diamondbacks might have the most high-impact options available via trade. Of course, there's the prodigious power of Eugenio Suárez, but also Josh Naylor, Merrill Kelly, and Zac Gallen. It should be a fascinating few days in Arizona.
19) Los Angeles Angels ⬆️
Last week: 21
The progress of Jo Adell continues to be a nice story. With a couple of homers over the weekend against the Phillies, the 26-year-old former top prospect is slashing .287/.355/.565 with eight home runs and 24 RBI over his last 28 games.
20) Cleveland Guardians ⬆️
Last week: 23
Even with some better play since their 10-game losing streak, the Guardians are way out in the AL Central and have a few teams ahead of them in the Wild Card race. The big question is if they'd actually consider dealing either Steven Kwan or Emmanuel Clase.
21) Kansas City Royals ⬇️
Last week: 20
That the Royals are turning to 45-year-old Rich Hill to make a start on Tuesday is perhaps emblematic of where the Royals find themselves in late-July, but it's historic nonetheless. The southpaw will tie Edwin Jackson's MLB record by suiting up for his 14th MLB team. And to make it truly full circle, he'll pitch at Wrigley Field, which is where it all began for him in 2005.
22) Minnesota Twins ⬇️
Last week: 19
Not only do the Twins look like logical sellers at the deadline, but MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said during the All-Star break that he's confident the team will be sold soon.
23) Miami Marlins ⬆️
Last week: 24
Even with back-to-back losses as of this writing, the Marlins have won 21 out of their last 31 games. Eury Pérez has been worth the wait while youngsters Kyle Stowers and Agustín Ramírez look like long-term building blocks. It will be interesting to see if the Marlins can turn some of their pitching into more help for the future.
24) Baltimore Orioles ⬇️
Last week: 22
Losers of five out of six, the Orioles are likely going to be forced to embrace reality as a seller. We'll surely hear about names like Cedric Mullins, Ryan O'Hearn, and Ramon Laureano, but the Orioles might be able to get their biggest haul should they decide to trade Félix Bautista.
25) Atlanta Braves
Last week: 25
450-feet homers, scoring from first base on a single, amazing throws. Even in a frustrating season for the Braves, Ronald Acuña Jr. is a must-watch every time he's on the field.
26) Athletics
Last week: 26
It feels weird to say this, but teams looking for starting pitching will likely be calling the A's over the next week. Luis Severino would surely welcome a deal, but pitchers like Jeffrey Springs and J.P. Sears could also draw interest.
27) Washington Nationals ⬆️
Last week: 28
While the Nationals could fetch a haul of a return for left-hander MacKenzie Gore, interim GM Mike DeBartolo has no intention of dealing from the core of the next contending iteration of the franchise.
28) Pittsburgh Pirates ⬇️
Last week: 27
There's no shortage of ways to express the excellence of Paul Skenes, but this stat was mind-blowing to me: Skenes hasn't allowed a single run in the first inning all season across 21 starts. Kudos to SNY and Gary Cohen for mentioning this on Monday's Mets broadcast.
29) Chicago White Sox
Last week: 29
The White Sox became the final team to sweep a series this season by taking three games against the Pirates over the weekend. With a win over the Rays on Monday, the White Sox are 4-0 coming out of the break. That's their best mark in a season since the All-Star break since the World Series-winning club in 2005. History probably won't repeat itself, but it's still fun.
30) Colorado Rockies
Last week: 30
It has been a frustrating and injury-filled year for Ezequiel Tovar, but he has a chance to finish strong after returning from an oblique injury at the start of the second half. He went 3-for-4 with a homer in Saturday's victory over the Twins.