MLB power rankings: Marlins' wild run as baseball's best team continues
We can talk about it now, because the Marlins, arguably Major League Baseball's most forgotten franchise, have reached the .500 mark after a rousing weekend sweep of the New York Yankees, who have their own issues to worry about.
But there's one team – the Milwaukee Brewers – that's played as well as the Marlins since June 13, when they began a roll that's now at 30 wins in 44 games and resulted in them being very much alive rather than a carcass to be picked over at the July 31 trade deadline.
Heck, they even held onto franchise bulwark Sandy Alcantara, which may or may not portend positive things for a winter to build upon this surprise season. Miami's pitching staff leads the majors in WHIP (1.06) and the NL in ERA (3.16) since June 27, a 31-game stretch.
For now, though, the Marlins have zoomed up four more spots in USA TODAY Sports' power rankings – and are even loitering on the fringes of the NL wild-card race, six games out but with three teams to pass.
But if they keep up this pace, there's no ceiling that can stop them.
A look at our updated rankings:
1. Milwaukee Brewers (+2)
2. Chicago Cubs (-1)
3. Toronto Blue Jays (-1)
4. Detroit Tigers (-)
5. Philadelphia Phillies (+1)
6. Los Angeles Dodgers (+1)
7. New York Mets (-2)
8. San Diego Padres (+2)
9. Houston Astros (-1)
10. Boston Red Sox (+1)
11. Seattle Mariners (+2)
12. New York Yankees (-3)
13. Cincinnati Reds (+1)
14. Texas Rangers (-2)
15. San Francisco Giants (-)
16. Miami Marlins (+4)
17. Cleveland Guardians (+1)
18. St. Louis Cardinals (-2)
19. Kansas City Royals (-)
20. Tampa Bay Rays (-7)
21. Los Angeles Angels (+1)
22. Arizona Diamondbacks (-1)
23. Minnesota Twins (-)
24. Baltimore Orioles (-)
25. Atlanta Braves (+1)
26. Athletics (-1)
27. Pittsburgh Pirates (-)
28. Washington Nationals (-)
29. Chicago White Sox (-)
30. Colorado Rockies (-)
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