Each week, The California Post will power rank MLB’s 30 teams and check in on one intriguing awards race. Here is this week’s edition (records through Thursday night):
Another week, another new No. 1. While the previously top-ranked Braves were fine this week (4-2 on a Colorado/Seattle road trip), the Yankeesjust keep playing better than everyone else. They have won 16 of their last 19 games, rank first in the majors in team ERA, and trail only the Braves in scoring. Their latest feel-good story: Cody Bellinger, who is 14-for-his-last-26 with 10 extra-base hits and 13 RBIs.(Last week: 2nd)
What a week at Wrigley. The Cubs won all seven games of their homestand, including three-consecutive walk-offs against the Reds from Monday to Wednesday. Matthew Boyd’s freak injury ––a torn meniscus while playing with his kids–– is a bummer. But 15-straight home wins going back to April 12 mean the vibes remain high.(Last week: 4th)
It’s only the second week of May, but this week’s series at Dodger Stadium has the feel of a potential postseason preview –– or, at the very least, an important litmus test. After all, for as good as the Braves have been to this point, they have just one series win over a team with a winning record (and that was the 20-19 Guardians). Their performance against the Dodgers could be a telling indicator of just how real they are.(Last week: 1st)
Speaking of the Dodgers, they have their own questions to answer this weekend. While their offense finally showed some life after a recent slump, they’ve been playing .500 ball since mid-April at this point. There’s no doubting their championship credentials. But they could use a statement series win against a team like Atlanta.(Last week: 3rd)
In this week’s editions of unbelievable stats: The Rays are 5-10 against NL Central opponents –– and 20-2(!) against everyone else. That includes a current seven-game winning and 13 victories in 14 games overall. They haven’t allowed more than four runs once in that stretch.(Last week: 6th)
Maybe we’re drinking the Cool-Aid too much, but the Cardinals have been hotter than a toasted raviolli lately. They had a winning record on a homestand against the Dodgers and Brewers, last year’s NLCS contestants. They have a top-10 offense. And their pitching has been better than expected.(Last week: 11th)
Their rotation is running on fumes. Their offense is bottom-10 in batting average and OPS. And Fernando Tatis Jr. still doesn’t have a home run. And it seems like it has started to catch up to them during a recent 3-6 stretch.(Last week: 5th)
Don’t look now, but is Brice Turang joining the MVP conversation? Entering Thursday, he led the National League in on-base-percentage (.439), ranked top-five in OPS, and trailed only Matt Olson in Fangraphs’ WAR among position players. Yet another success story for the Brewers, who drafted him 21st overall in 2018.(Last week: 7th)
It was gut-check week for the Pirates, after a recent five-game losing streak. They responded by sweeping the Reds and taking two of three from Arizona. That’s what playoff teams do. The Pirates continue to look like one early on this year. (Last week: 13th).
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
