In last week’s MLB Power Rankings, the Boston Red Sox held the top spot over the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, the Red Sox’ bullpen had issues taking care of business in a few games last week, and as a result, their stay at the top is a short one.
Here’s a look at this week’s power rankings, with last week’s position in parenthesis.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers (52-30)
Cooled the Rockies with a midweek series win, and amidst of all the hype of Manny Ramirez’s return, took two of three at San Diego to keep hold of baseball’s best record and a comfortable lead in the NL West.
2. Boston Red Sox (49-32)
Late-inning letdowns cost Boston three times in a week, as they blew a nine-run lead against the Orioles on Tuesday, then allowed costly late runs to Seattle on Friday and Saturday to drop a series that they should’ve won.
3. New York Yankees (48-33)
Capitalized partially on the Red Sox’ late-inning issues, chipping 1.5 games off of the Red Sox’ lead in the AL East by taking two of three from the Mariners and three of four from the Blue Jays.
4. Texas Rangers (45-35)
What did they do after losing the AL West lead to the Angels? Took two of three at home against the Angels then swept the streaking Tampa Bay Rays to pull back into a tie for first heading into this week’s road series against the Angels.
5. Los Angeles Angels (45-35)
Had a rough start to the week, losing two of three at Texas, but rebounded by winning three of four at home against the Orioles. This next week is huge for the Angels, as they host the Rangers for three and the Yankees for three before the All-Star break.
6. San Francisco Giants (44-37)
Took the first two of four at St. Louis and then took two of three at home against an Astros club that has been playing really well as of late. Outscored the Astros 22-0 in the first two games thanks to dominant efforts from Ryan Sadowski and Tim Lincecum.
7. Tampa Bay Rays (44-39)
Took two of three at Toronto to start the week, but then they went on the road to Texas and lost all three to drop some ground in the AL East. Six at home against the Blue Jays and A’s could help them make a little back up before the break.
8. St. Louis Cardinals (45-39)
Started the week with consecutive losses to the Giants, but bounced back to take the last two of that series, then went on the road and took two of three at Cincinnati to end the week on top of the NL Central all by themselves.
9. Philadelphia Phillies (42-37)
The up and down season continues for the Phillies. They’d been great on the road and poor at home before last week, but they switched it up, getting swept at Atlanta and then sweeping the Mets at home.
10. Detroit Tigers (44-37)
A losing week for the Tigers, as they dropped back-to-back series at Oakland and Minnesota, which allowed the Twins and the White Sox to really tighten things up in the AL Central.
11. Minnesota Twins (43-40)
Another good week for the Twins, as they took two of three against the Royals and repeated the feat against the first-place Tigers. The Yankees are in town over the next few days, and that series will present an opportunity for the Twins to show that they may be the team to beat in the AL Central, not Detroit.
12. Seattle Mariners (42-39)
Short of winning both series, the Mariners had about as good a week as one could hope for on the road against the Yankees and Red Sox. Did well to claim one of three in a tight series against the Yankees, and they parlayed that good effort into a series win at Boston, with a little help from the Red Sox pen.
13. Chicago Cubs (40-39)
Was a terrible weak against the Tigers and White Sox what the Cubs needed to wake up? Rich Harden was hit hard on Saturday, but that was really the only bad part of a great week for the Cubbies, who took two of three at Pittsburgh and three of four at home against Milwaukee. They’ve got the first-place Cardinals coming into town for four from Thursday to Sunday, and at 2.5 back coming into this week, there’s a realistic chance for the Cubs to go into the break in first.
14. Florida Marlins (43-40)
The Marlins moved within a game of first by going 5-1 at home, sweeping the Nationals and taking two of three against the Pirates. Can they stay that close heading into the break? They’ve got three at San Francisco and four at Arizona this week, so it won’t be easy.
15. Colorado Rockies (42-39)
The wave of momentum had to stop sooner or later, and it did last week, as the Rockies dropped four of six. A close series loss against the Dodgers was nothing to hang their heads about, but I was surprised to see them drop two of three at home to the Diamondbacks.
16. Milwaukee Brewers (43-39)
Took two of three from the Mets to start the week, but things didn’t end as well as they started, as the Brewers dropped three of four to the Cubs to drop a game behind the Cardinals in the division.
17. Chicago White Sox (42-40)
Five straight road wins against the Indians and the Royals are nice, but not being able to nail down the series win at K.C. could be looked at as a missed opportunity for the White Sox after they took the first two of that four-game set.
18. Toronto Blue Jays (43-41)
Their hopes of staying in contention in the AL East and the wild card have taken a significant blow in the last week and a half, as they’ve dropped 8 of their last 11 games.
19. Cincinnati Reds (40-40)
They won one and lost one against Albert Pujols in key situations over the weekend, which is better than many might be able to say. In the end though, they dropped two of three at home to St. Louis, but they’re still very much in the hunt in the AL Central at only three games back of the Cards. That could change though, with series at the Phillies and Mets before the break.
20. Houston Astros (39-41)
Even the Astros aren’t out of it in the NL Central, as they’re a mere four games back. A bad seventh inning on Tuesday cost them a four-game series sweep at San Diego, but they did bounce back to win the last two over the Padres, so all’s well that ends well. Same can be said for their series at San Francisco, where they looked terrible for the first two games but at least salvaged something with a win in the finale.
21. Atlanta Braves (39-42)
Started the week with an impressive sweep of the Phillies and then won the opener of their series at Washington, but the bullpen let Tommy Hanson down on Saturday, and from there, the weekend ended with a series loss that shouldn’t have been. Still within striking distance in the NL East, but they can’t afford too many series losses like that.
22. New York Mets (39-42)
As bad as they might have been in going 2-5 last week, including a sweep at the hands of the Phillies, they can go into the All-Star break on a good note if they can do well at home against the Dodgers and Reds this week. I know they’re dealing with a lot of injuries right now, but things need to start improving even before their stars come back.
23. Pittsburgh Pirates (37-45)
They’re the only team in the NL Central who might actually be out of the hunt, as they’re seven games back. That being said, they do have a winning record at home, so we could see them play a role in the second half spoil-o-rama.
24. Baltimore Orioles (36-46)
That comeback to beat the Red Sox on Tuesday was amazing and all, but that was one of few bright moments for the Orioles in a 2-5 week.
25. Kansas City Royals (35-46)
The Royals are now playing more like the Royals we’re used to seeing, which could well sabotage any chance that Zach Greinke has of winning the Cy Young.
26. Oakland A’s (34-46)
.500 week for the A’s as they took two of three at home against Detroit and lost two of three at Cleveland. Not great, but not bad either.
27. Arizona Diamondbacks (33-49)
Were unlucky not to get a series win at Cincinnati, but they channeled that disappointment into a series win at Colorado. Altogether, that garners a thumbs up from me, given how bad things had been going for them.
28. San Diego Padres (35-46)
The Padres dropped five of seven last week, but hey, at least they got some national airtime thanks to playing host to the return of Manny Ramirez.
29. Cleveland Indians (33-50)
The Indians took two of three from Oakland over the weekend, but that came after they were swept at home by the White Sox. Indians GM Mark Shapiro says that manager Eric Wedge’s job is safe through the end of the season, but if they continue to stay at the bottom of the AL Central, will he hold true to those comments?
30. Washington Nationals (24-55)
Were nine outs from a series loss against the Braves on Saturday, but a late-inning comeback and a Sunday win late, and the Nats had a positive end to another losing week. Still on pace for 110 losses, but they aren’t as unwatchable as some bad teams are.
