This week’s Power Rankings include big changes among clubs in the American League East, with the team making the biggest jump up the list and the team with the biggest drop coming from that division. With the schedule nearing September and postseason berth races getting red hot, it will be quite interesting to see how the Power Rankings change from here on out.
Let’s go with this week’s rankings:
The biggest rise: The Rays made the biggest jump this week, moving up four spots to No. 8. Tampa Bay, plagued by injuries for much of the season, won five of seven this week, and in a stretch of 17 games in as many of days, the Rays took 12. In just two weeks, they went from fourth in the AL East to second, and now they own the first Wild Card of the Young Circuit.
The biggest drop: With the Rays rising, the Blue Jays are slipping, now dropping four spots to No. 11. Toronto started the week with a three-game sweep of the Red Sox, but ended up seeing brooms from the Angels. In the process, Toronto’s squad dropped 1.5 games in the standings to Tampa Bay and is now just 1.5 games ahead of the Orioles for the third Wild Card.
Top 5 Power Rankings:
1) Dodgers (88-38; last week: 1)
Major League Baseball’s best team kept pace, reaching 50 games over .500 last week. For some perspective, there are three teams that haven’t even posted 50 wins this season — the A’s, Nationals and Pirates. The week began with a loss at the hands of the Brewers, but the Dodgers won four of the next five. The Blues are one step closer to finishing with 113 wins, still within reach of the Mariners’ record of 116 set in 2001.
2) Mets (82-47; last week: 3)
This week, New York went 3-3 and edged out the Astros to move up from second in the rankings. A pair of losses in the Subway Series put a sour taste in the beginning of the week, but the Queens team recovered to take three of four against the Rockies at Citi Field. Sunday’s game would also have ended in victory, but the Mets’ bats were silenced by Germán Márquez and failed to support ace Max.
Scherzer — who took the loss despite striking out 11 and giving up four hits and one run in seven innings.
3) Astros (82-47; last week: 2)
A promising start to the week, which saw a sweep of the Twins to start a six-game stretch, failed to propel Houston in the series against Baltimore at Minute Maid Park, with the Orioles taking two of three. The Astros scored just four runs in the entire series, a pattern they need to break as they begin a road trip with two games against the Rangers and three against the Angels. They likely will have to do without ace Justin Verlander, who pulled out of his appearance Sunday with a sore calf.
4) Braves (79-50; last week: 4)
In a close game Sunday, Atlanta fell to the Cardinals 6-3, despite Dansby Swanson’s three-run homer in the seventh. Atlanta had a chance to cut the lead of the leading Mets in the NL East, but the Braves will start the week 3.0 games out of the lead. Still, the defending champions had a 4-2 week and are 56-23 since early June. They clearly have their sights set on winning the division for the fifth year in a row.
5) Yankees (78-50; last week: 5)
Things didn’t go too well for the Bombers last week — they had won five straight, including a two-game sweep of the Mets, and some speculated the Yankees had put their August slump in the rearview mirror. But after a couple of disappointing losses to the A’s — including one on Sunday, when New York was limited to one run — he changed that mind. Things don’t get any easier for the Yankees as they continue a long tour of Anaheim and St. Petersburg, where they will visit a fiery Rays.
6. Cardinals (6)
7. Phillies (10)
8.Rays (12)
9. Parents (11)
10. Sailors (8)
11. Tiles (7)
12. Guardians (9)
13. Orioles (14)
14. Brewers (13)
15. Twins (15)
16. Red Sox (17)
17. White Sox (16)
18. Giants (18)
19. D-backs (19)
20. Rangers (21)
21. Marlins (20)
22. Puppies (22)
23. Angels (23)
24.Rockies (24)
25. Reds (26)
26. Tigers (28)
27. Royals (25)
28. Pirates (27)
29. Athletics (29)
30. Nationals (30)
Voters: Alyson Footer, Anthony Castrovince, Paul Casella, Mark Feinsand, Andrew Simon, Nathalie Alonso, Sarah Langs, Douglas Gausepohl
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Power Rankings: A see-saw in the East of the LA