The race for the most dominant team in baseball has begun to emerge six weeks into the season. The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees this week.
The Houston Astros, who have won 13 of their 17 games in May, have entered the top 3 for the first time this season. Will they be able to distance themselves from the Los Angeles Angels?
Our expert panel has combined to rank every team in baseball based on what we have seen so far and what we already knew going into the full baseball season. The experts were asked to give an early assessment of all 30 teams.
Week 5 of the season.
The record was 28-9.
The previous ranking was 2.
The Yankees are doing well. The early part of the season has seen a legit Cy Young contender in Nestor Cortes, who has been carrying the rotation with his performance. As long as Judge and Stanton crush baseballs, the offense will continue. Reliever Michael King is one of the best in the sport.
The record was 25-12.
1 was the previous ranking.
The Dodgers have had one constant, as key starting pitchers have hit the injured list and critical members of their lineup have been slow out of the gate. The Braves first baseman is batting.312/.409/.493 with an excellent defense to begin his $162 million contract. Mookie Betts is surging from the leadoff spot, so it's important that Freddie Freeman stays in the No. 2 spot. The Dodgers need to get healthy on the starting pitching front, with only a few reinforcements behind them.
The record was 24-14.
The previous ranking was 6.
The Astros lost to Texas on April 25 and ended the day in fourth place. There was no reason to panic for the defending league champ but it did look like they would have to work hard to defend their division crown with the Angels and Mariners playing well. The days have passed and Houston has only seemed to get better. They had a 17-4 stretch after bashing the Red Sox. The Astros held opponents to 2.52 runs per game, almost half a run less than any other team, when they scored more runs per game than all but three other clubs. This version of the Astros is doing well with their elite clubs.
The record was 25-14.
The previous ranking was 3.
The Nationals' Tylor Megill gave up eight runs in one start on May 11. Megill said he woke up with pain. Megill will rest for a few days and be reexamined. The catcher will be out for about six weeks with a hamate bone fracture in his wrist. The Mets are not going to call up top prospect Francisco Alvarez, who is hitting at Double-A, but has struggled in May after a hot start.
The record was 24-14.
The previous ranking was 4.
The Brewers are in a great two-man race with the Cubs in the NL Central. They have a good balance, ranking in the top 10 in both categories. It is fortunate that they are getting pitching from other corners of the team because Brandon Woodruff has not looked the same as he did last year. He had a decent start last week against Miami, but his 5.35 ERA stands out. Maybe he is starting to trend in the right direction.
The record was 24-16.
The previous ranking was 5.
The Angels were 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 They called up Chase Silseth, their 11th-round pick last summer, and watched him shut out the A's. Two of their other starters, Michael Lorenzen and Patrick Sandoval, continue to thrive. Their most famous starter, Shohei Ohtani, is getting hot in the batter's box, surging alongside Mike Trout and Taylor Ward. It doesn't seem like the Angels are leaving.
The record was 22-15.
The previous ranking was 8.
The Giants have won 12 in a row against the Rockies, and the tone was set when Tommy La Stella came off the injured list and hit a leadoff home run. The Giants were short-handed earlier in the season but are close to full health and can begin to put their players in the best position to succeed. That is even more true now that the pitcher no longer has to bat in the National League, which allowed the Giants to deploy La Stella's bat as the designated hitter but also deploy Thairo Estrada's glove at second base.
The record was 23-14.
The previous ranking was 7.
Will the Nationals trade Juan Soto? Is Carlos Correa moving? The trade market is heating up, and we are watching it based on intel from executives around the sport.
There are 10 factors to watch.
There were a lot of questions in San Diego about what the Padres would do with their abundance of quality starting pitching, and the answer seems to be: use it. All of it. On Tuesday, Mike Clevinger started, MacKenzie Gore came in behind him, and the Padres shut out the Philadelphians. The San Diego Padres lost to the San Francisco Giants by a score of 2-0 on Wednesday. The Padres have seven premier starting pitchers who reside on the active roster. It seems as though they prefer to get creative with them in order to take some of the pressure off their bullpen and manage some of their workload.
The record was 23-15.
The previous ranking was 10.
With upcoming games against the Detroit Tigers and the Baltimore Orioles, the Rays will improve to 7-2 against the division. One of the top pitchers in baseball is tied with a relief pitcher for the highest WAR on the team.
The record was 20-17.
The previous ranking was 12.
It is the same old Cardinals. One of the hardest teams to figure out this year is in the thick of things and not playing its best baseball. Paul Goldschmidt went 12-for-30 over a seven-game span. The other end of the spectrum was occupied by Harrison Bader, Tyler O'Neil, Dylan Carlson, and Nolan Arenado. Over the past seven games, none hit higher than.286. The team has traded off hot and cold streaks, which has prevented it from taking off, but it has kept it close to first-place Milwaukee.
The record was 20-18.
The previous ranking was 9.
The Blue Jays offense is not performing well in May. Toronto faced a tough stretch against the Yankees and the Guardians, but it was dependent on the ability of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., George Springer and Bo Bichette to bounce back from their offensive struggles.
The record was 22-16.
The previous ranking was 11.
The Twins could have suffered a major downturn when Carlos Correa was hit in the hand by a pitch, just as the club was heating up. After a brief stint in the hospital, Correa was activated on Wednesday. While he was out, Minnesota fans got their first glimpse of Royce Lewis, the top overall pick in the draft, who has been slowed by injury. Lewis was sent down so that he could see more playing time. Lewis hit.308/.325/.564 over his first 40 big league plate appearances while making consistent contact and ranking well above the MLB average in StatCast metrics.
The record was 17-21.
The previous ranking was 13
In 20 appearances, Spencer Strider has a 2.61 earned run average and 32 strikeouts. He has gone at least two frames in six of his nine appearances. His ability to rely on his upper 90s fastball has been impressive, despite the fact that he fanned 153 in 94 appearances across three levels of the minor league system. Is he a starter long-term? He will have to develop his changeup, which he has thrown just nine times so far.
The record was 18-19.
The previous ranking was 14.
The best teams and the biggest names in baseball can be seen on the sports network.
Sunday at 7 p.m. The White Sox are playing the Yankees.
Maintaining depth was going to be a big challenge for the White Sox rotation, which was projected to be one of the top units in the American League. Lance Lynn has been on the disabled list all season and the starters have been more solid than outstanding. The rotation received a potential boost on the depth front last week when veteran Johnny Cueto shined in his season debut against Kansas City, holding the Royals to two hits over six frames. If Johnny Cueto can keep his hot streak going, he will give the Chicago Cubs four Cy Young candidates who have finished in the top 10 at some point in the past. Dylan Cease and Michael Kopech are not on that list.
The record was 18-19.
The previous ranking was 16.
The strong start for Jean Segura, a two-time All-Star with Milwaukee in 2013 and Seattle in 2018, puts him in the running among NL second basemen for an All-Star spot in 2022. He is hitting the ball harder and with more power than he ever has, without sacrificing anything in his strikeout rate. His hard-hit rate is in the 92nd percentile and his exit velocity is way above his career norm.
The record was 18.
The previous ranking was 15.
This compressed season is rare for a team that played just four games since last Tuesday. Terry Francona and most of his coaching staff were away from the team because of the COVID-19 outbreak, which resulted in the postponement of a game in Chicago. Josh Naylor hit the injured list. A home loss to Cincinnati was one of the three games the Guardians lost. The light schedule may have been well- timed. The Cleveland Indians lost to the Reds on Tuesday and have since played 58 games in 62 days, taking them to the All-Star break.
The record was 17-21.
The previous ranking was 17
Jarred Kelenic was optioned to Triple-A to work on things after hitting.140 with a 37.5% strikeout rate. Over the course of a 25-game stretch from April 22 to May 18th, Rodriguez is hitting................... He is not hitting for a lot of power, but he is hitting the ball hard and ranking 86th in hard-hit rate. Let him improve his contact rate first, then work on his swing.
The record was 17-20.
The previous ranking was 20.
After hitting.340 in his first 13 games, Jesusnchez has been mired in a terrible slump, going 9-for-69 (.130) with one home run from April 24 to May 18. The biggest issue on offense for the Marlins is that they rank second-to-last in the majors in chase rate. Without enough hits and home runs to compensate, the duo has combined for 11 walks and 76 strikeouts. If Bryan De La Cruz continues to hit, he could get more playing time.
The record was 18-21.
The previous ranking was 19
Through his first 11 games, the 14th-best prospect in the sport is batting.314 with five extra-base hits. The center fielder with active hands and a high leg kick has continued to do the same in the majors despite the unconventional setup.
The record was 18-19.
The previous ranking was 18.
While we are only a month into the regular season, some stars are already in the running for major awards.
Cy Young is one of the favorites.
After a strong start, the Rockies have lost nine of their past 12 games while posting a 6.03 ERA. Kris Bryant might be nearing his return from a back injury, but the offense hasn't been a problem for the Rockies. The Reds have a higher average. The starting rotation has been problematic.
The record was 15-22.
The previous ranking was 21.
Boston put together one of its better weeks, but that isn't saying much since the team is still in a hole. The team's offensive struggles are starting to add to its issues on the pitching staff, as players like Bobby Dalbec and Alex Verdugo need to perform better. The strong seasons of J.D. Martinez, and the others, are being put together.
The record was 17-19.
The previous ranking was 22.
The Rangers are finding their stride in the AL West. They started this week beating the Angels three times, after losing to the Red Sox on Friday and Saturday. It wasn't the expensive additions that paced Texas, it was the veteran and young man who led the way. The Rangers are at.500 after a terrible start to the season.
The record was 15-21.
The previous ranking was 24.
Chicago has had a resurgence since it dropped five straight at home. The pitching has been outstanding, though it helps to play the Pirates and the D-backs back-to-back. The team has a good story to tell as they have a 1.70 earned run average over their past six games. The former pitcher struck out 10 in his first career game. The Cubs have a great pitching numbers so expect them to keep it up.
The record was 16-24.
The previous ranking was 23.
The rest of the lineup doesn't have much to say about the performances of Sean Murphy and Sheldon Neuse. A.J. Puk has pitched well out of the relief role, while the other pitchers in the rotation have done a good job. Speculation continues about the future of Montas with the team.
The record was 16-21.
The previous ranking was 26.
They won a game in which they were not hit. Great. The excitement over the stunning win on Sunday was overshadowed by the fact that the team was shut out in back-to-back games against the Cubs. The Pittsburgh team started the season as a group of people who were not afraid to speak their minds. The team had a bad week at the plate.
The record was 14-24.
The previous ranking was 27.
The Orioles started the season better than they did in 2021, but have lost six straight games. Adley Rutschman should be in Baltimore sooner rather than later to give fans a glimpse of the future, as top pitching prospect Grayson Rodriguez is pitching well for Triple-A Norfolk.
The record was 14-22.
The previous ranking was 29
The Yankees and Mets have hot starts, so we give out our April grades.
Handing out A's and F's.
Kansas City fired hitting coach Terry Bradshaw after a poor start to the season. Alex is replacing Bradshaw. He oversaw a number of key breakouts last season, but now he is shifting from his position overseeing the development process of Kansas City's developing hitters. As prospects like M.J., Nick, and Vinnie start to reach K.C., they will meet a familiar voice. It would be best to convince Mike to stop penciling Carlos Santana and Ryan O'Hearn into the lineup.
The record was 13-25.
The previous ranking was 28.
There hasn't been much good news for Detroit so far this season. The hopes for a breakthrough seemed to be pinned to the hopes of an elite starting rotation. It could be worse if that hasn't happened. Even though the unit has been decimated by injuries, Detroit is in the middle of the pack in several categories. The improvement of young lefty Tarik Skubal and the emergence of young righty Alex Faedo have helped the rotation recover. After falling prey to injuries, Faedo finally made his MLB debut this season. So far, so good. In his first three appearances, Faedo allowed just five runs, good for a 2.87ERA.
The record was 13-26.
The previous ranking was 25.
Was it the worst base running play of all time? The Brooklyn Dodgers once had three runners at third base at the same time. The Nationals blunder last week was one of the more embarrassing gaffes in years. When Josh Bell hit a hard grounder to third base, Juan Soto broke for third. He was tagged out after being caught in a rundown. The Mets threw the ball into right field so Bell ran for third. Bell was thrown out at third base by Starling Marte, who backed up the play.
The record was 10-26.
The previous ranking was 30.
The Reds beat the Brewers twice last week and then defeated the Guardians on Tuesday. The Reds pitching staff led the way as both Tyler Naquin and Mike Moustakas were on fire. Their last five games produced a 2.05 earned run average, which included a no-hitter. The Reds lost that game, but they need positives wherever they can find them. Hunter was amazing that day.
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