MLB Power Rankings: Does anyone deserve baseball’s No. 1 spot with top teams all scuffling?
The Yankees, Phillies, Dodgers, Orioles and Guardians have all struggled at times in recent weeks
By Matt Snyder Aug 12, 2024 at 8:45 am ET • 2 min read
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Picking a No. 1 team in baseball is a bit tough right now, no? I reluctantly threw the Guardians at the top last week and they proceeded to reward me with a seven-game losing streak. OK, guys, message received. It wasn’t necessary to go that nuts in convincing me you didn’t belong there, but I understand that sometimes serious measures need to be taken.
The other teams that merit inclusion in a discussion for the best team in baseball haven’t exactly been making strong cases, either.
Phillies – They just went through a horrible stretch where they lost 12 of 15. They won four of five and looked like they had their mojo back — notably in The Kyle Schwarber Game in Dodger Stadium — but then lost three to the D-backs. We can’t be ready to fully trust them again just yet.
Orioles – They went through a stretch in July where they lost 10 of 15. They have looked a little better in August, but haven’t exactly been inspiring. The Grayson Rodriguez injury is concerning, especially since the trade deadline acquisitions in the rotation were middling.
Yankees – The Yankees have a losing record since the beginning of July. In fact, they have one of baseball’s worst records since June 14. Only the White Sox, Marlins and Rockies have been worse. Losing a home series to the Trout-less Angels? Get outta here, man.
Dodgers – It’s just a feel thing here, I think. Maybe it’s more than that, but I feel like every time they are starting to get right, they string together some awful games again. As an example, they won five straight coming out of the All-Star break, but then went 2-6. Then they won three straight. Then lost two in a row. This would not cut it in the playoffs. The good news for the Dodgers is the other elite teams are having similar issues.
Brewers – Am I extending things a bit to include them? They certainly don’t feel like they could be considered the best team in baseball, but they are only a few games back. Don’t fret, though, they perfectly blend in when we talk about black eyes. They recently lost six of nine and that stretch included losing a series to the pathetic Marlins.
In fact, did you know if you looked at the standings since the All-Star break, the two best teams by a decent margin have been the Padres and Diamondbacks? I can’t put them in the top spot, though, can I? The Royals and Giants have also been good, but they aren’t top-team material. Finding the sweet spot between the entire body of work and who is great right now is getting awfully tough, as the teams with the best records just aren’t hitting their stride right now.
Welcome to the dog days of August.
Biggest Movers 3 Astros 6 Guardians
| Rk | Teams | Chg | Rcrd | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Yankees |
They have the best run differential, if you’re into that sorta thing. They are tied for the best record. Whatever. I have no confidence in any of these top teams right now. | 1 | 74-53 |
| 2 |
Orioles |
Zach Eflin has been great! Trevor Rogers has not. | 1 | 74-54 |
| 3 |
Phillies |
It’s probably because I’m a fellow Indiana grad, bringing obvious bias, but few things in baseball please me as much as Kyle Schwarber’s hot streaks. | 1 | 74-52 |
| 4 |
Dodgers |
Freddie Freeman reached 500 career doubles this past week. That’s good for 63rd all-time. Any guesses on the all-time leader? I’ll reveal it in the White Sox comment. | 1 | 75-52 |
| 5 |
Diamondbacks |
The defending NL champs were 11 1/2 games out heading to July 3. Now they have a shot at the division title. Incredible. | 2 | 72-56 |
| 6 |
Padres |
Entering the season, who had Jurickson Profar as a contender for the best on-base percentage in the NL? The honest answer is no one. What a season for him. | — | 72-56 |
| 7 |
Guardians |
If there’s any sort of silver lining to that losing streak, it would be that the Guardians were only getting beat by good teams. A small consolation, I know. | 6 | 73-53 |
| 8 |
Brewers |
In their sweep of the Braves this past week, the Brewers put up historic numbers: 52 hits, 34 runs, 19 walks, eight homers and six steals. Ridiculous! | 1 | 73-53 |
| 9 |
Twins |
Have we ever seen a good team so reliant on injury-prone stars? Carlos Correa leads in WAR despite having only played in 75 games. Byron Buxton is second. The best player, whenever he’s able to play, is Royce Lewis, but we’ve only seen him 39 times. I guess the Twins will just cross their fingers for October. | 1 | 71-56 |
| 10 |
Royals |
I’m running out of superlatives on Bobby Witt Jr. I’ll simply say the AL MVP conversation is, or should be, a lot closer than the odds — where Aaron Judge is the overwhelming favorite — suggest. | 2 | 71-56 |
| 11 |
Astros |
They recently went through a 7-11 stretch, but now the Astros are hot again. | 3 | 68-58 |
| 12 |
Mariners |
Injuries have limited him to 12 starts, but Bryan Woo is absolutely dealing this season. He sits with a 2.27 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP. Those numbers went down after his last start and he’s likely be their fourth starter in the playoffs. Can they get there? | 1 | 64-63 |
| 13 |
Red Sox |
That’s four straight losses, meaning the Red Sox have gone 8-13 since the All-Star break. | 1 | 67-59 |
| 14 |
Braves |
Before the season started, it would’ve been lunacy to suggest the Braves might miss the playoffs. Here on Aug. 12, it’s a realistic possibility. | 3 | 67-59 |
| 15 |
Giants |
Logan Webb now has a 0.83 ERA in his last three games. His midseason slump is over. | 3 | 65-64 |
| 16 |
Mets |
Francisco Lindor has, remarkably, become the most underrated player in baseball. | 1 | 66-61 |
| 17 |
Cubs |
They’ve won eight of 10 and have one of the easiest remaining schedules in baseball. Could they actually sneak into the playoffs? | 3 | 62-65 |
| 18 |
Cardinals |
Moderately successful week, but the Cardinals have one of the toughest remaining schedules. Are they up to the task? I’ll bet that they aren’t. | 1 | 62-64 |
| 19 |
Rays |
Christopher Morel homered in each of his first two games with the Rays. Since then he’s been brutal. I understand stuff like measuring bat speed can be useful, but at some point, a player just shows you who he is. He’s now played in 333 games at the MLB level. I’m not suggesting to give up on a 25-year-old player, but if you think he’s special, maybe you’re misapplying metrics. | 2 | 64-62 |
| 20 |
Reds |
Sure, they followed it up with disappointment in the next few days, but that 10th inning against the Marlins on Thursday was a thing of beauty. I love “just keep the line moving” rallies. | 1 | 62-65 |
| 21 |
Pirates |
It was fun while it lasted, huh? The Pirates have completely fallen apart. | 5 | 59-67 |
| 22 |
Rangers |
This continues to look like a lost season, but Rangers fans can soothe themselves with “Josh Sborz strikes out Ketel Marte looking” highlights, right? | — | 59-69 |
| 23 |
Tigers |
If they are serious about winning any time soon, they have to start with a Tarik Skubal contract extension, right? | — | 62-65 |
| 24 |
Blue Jays |
Winning a series over the Orioles and then losing one to the A’s? Yeah, sure. Why not with this maddeningly inconsistent ballclub. | — | 59-68 |
| 25 |
Nationals |
Only a handful of Patrick Corbin starts left on his deal! But hey, it was still worth it. Flags fly forever. | — | 57-70 |
| 26 |
Angels |
I saw a stat last week that wasn’t all too shocking, knowing what we know, but it’s a good illustration at how awful this signing has turned out: Since Anthony Rendon left, the Nationals have used 19 third basemen. The Angels have used 38 in that same time period. What an indictment. | — | 54-73 |
| 27 |
Athletics |
Shea Langeliers has 21 home runs. The only A’s catchers to ever top 25 homers in a season were Gene Tenace (26 and 29) and Terry Steinbach (35). | — | 54-73 |
| 28 |
Rockies |
Brenton Doyle now has 20 home runs and 22 steals. He joins Nolan Jones, Trevor Story, Ian Desmond, Carlos Gonzalez, Troy Tulowitzki, Matt Holliday, Larry Walker, Dante Bichette and Ellis Burks as Rockies 20-20 players. And if you found this tidbit boring, I agree. There’s just nothing interesting about the Rockies. | 1 | 47-80 |
| 29 |
Marlins |
They played in three straight extra-inning games and lost by a combined 11 runs. That’s awfully tough to do. | 1 | 46-81 |
| 30 |
White Sox |
Firing the manager will surely solve things. Too bad they can’t fire the owner. Also, the trivia answer from Dodgers’ comment: Tris Speaker, 792. | — | 31-97 |
