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):
1) Dodgers (17-8):For the first time this year, there was real consideration at this spot following the Dodgers’ 3-4 road trip to Denver and San Francisco, andthe injury to Edwin Díaz. They stay here for now, but the gap has narrowed.(Last week: 1st)
2) Yankees (16-9):The Yankees have an MLB-best 3.07 team ERA, andGerrit Cole is on the comeback trail. They are watching Aaron Judge round into form, and Ben Rice ranks second in the majors in OPS. This week, it led to six straight wins.(Last week: 3rd)
3) Braves (18-8):After the disaster of last season’s 86-loss campaign, the Braves are officially back as legitimate National League contenders –– ranking top two in team ERA and OPS. Even the Dodgers aren’t doing that; granted, they’re third in ERA and first in OPS. (Last week: 2nd)
4) Cubs (16-9):The Cubs have caused a lot of consternation in Philadelphia and New York. They’ve won nine in a row, all against the Phillies and Mets; contributing to those teams’ recent panics while reaffirming themselves as an NL force, as well.(Last week: 8th)
5) Padres (17-8):It was another week of beating up on bad teams for the Padres (series wins against the Angels and Rockies). Then again, that’s what good teams do. And, thanks to a better-than-expected pitching staff, that’s exactly what the Padres have been so far.(Last week: 6th)
6) Brewers (13-11):If the Brewers played in the AL West, they’d be in first place. But in the unexpectedly frisky NL Central, they are in last. No matter. We’ll take their +23 run differential so far (compare to, say, the Reds’ below) as a sign they’ll finish much higher than that.(Last week: 5th)
7) Rangers (13-12):Speaking of the AL West, the Rangers remain the first-place beneficiary of the division’s slow start –– thanks, in large part, to what has been a throwback season from 37-year-old Jacob deGrom so far.(Last week: 4th)
8) Pirates (14-11):This group of 9-10 teams from the Brewers on down could be rearranged in any order. So we’ll give a nod to the biggest feel-good story of the pack, with the Pirates continuing to look like a dark horse after years in the darkness.(Last week: 10th)
9) Guardians (14-12):The Guardians are the anti-Brewers, leading their division despite a negative run differential. Luckily for them, they should still win plenty as they play more divisional games against what is easily an MLB-worst AL Central.(Last week: 7th)
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
