2023 MLB Power Rankings - Week 11 - and a chaotic Team USA semifinals
The Friday morning edition of "Eleven things to know before 11 AM" is here!
Happy Friday, everyone. Also, congrats to the Denver Nuggets and Las Vegas Knights, who both won their first-ever championship titles earlier this week. For the Nuggets, it’s their first in 56 seasons, while the Knights, the new expansion team back in 2017, won their first in only six seasons (and an impressive five trips to the NHL playoffs in that span).
Also, another quick shout-out to Manchester City, who also captured its first Champions League trophy on Saturday. I forgot to mention this English team on Monday’s Snippets. That concludes a phenomenal season for City, as their 51 million Euro man Erling Haaland led the franchise to not only a Champions League title, but also had a record-breaking 36 goals (in 33 starts) during the Premier League season en route to yet another Premier League title. For those wondering, the Champions League is an annual tournament among the 32 best teams in Europe used to determine the overall best team in Europe.
Speaking of soccer/futbol - I do have to mention last night’s CONCACAF Nations League semifinal match. This annual 12-team North and Central American tournament is fairly new (started in 2019), and has only had one winner (USA). This is only the second season of this tournament, and the semifinals took place last night. Canada defeated Panama 2-0 in the first semifinal. Team USA faced-off against their archrival Mexico (one of the most intense country-versus-country matches, like Portugal vs. Spain or India vs. Pakistan) in the other.
This match was no exception, as it was chippy throughout, especially in the second half, when Team U.S.A. was pulling away. Team USA superstar Christian Pulisic scored a brace (two goals - one before the half and another right after halftime) within the first 50 minutes. Then, as the Mexican frustration mounted, minute-by-minute, the head referee started doling out yellow (and red) cards like the volunteers giving away free samples at Costco.
In the 69’ (nice), a Mexican defender purposely kicked Team USA forward Folarin Balogun in the back of the leg, resulting in a direct red card (ejection). Team USA members took offense, and midfielder Weston McKennie found himself trapped around a half-dozen El Tri reserves and starters and subsequently got a red card himself for his pushing and shoving. Two more red cards (one for each team) were given out in the 85’ for more extracurricular activities, followed by three more yellow cards before the night was over. The game, taking place in Las Vegas, Nevada, was actually suspended for some time, as the Mexican fans in attendance were yelling homophobic chants throughout. An additional 12 minutes of stoppage time were added, but only eight of those minutes were used, as the head referee called the game due to the unrelenting homophobic slurs (according to reports).
Team USA is now unbeaten in their last six matches against El Tri (3-0-3), showcasing the world how dominant these youngsters are against their rival nation. They will now face Canada on Sunday afternoon, but will be without the services of McKinnie and Sergino Dest, as both accrued those red cards in last night’s match.
Now, to the main event this week, as we start yet another edition of my MLB Power Rankings. I am not expecting much change, especially at the top. But there’s quite the turnover at the bottom-half of the top 10, as several notable teams are M.I.A. from this week’s Power Rankings.
Biggest jump: Los Angeles Angels (+4 to #7)
Biggest tumble: Houston Astros (-5 to Unranked)
Dropped from rankings: Houston Astros, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers (explanations are at the end of this post)
1. Tampa Bay Rays (50-22) | Last Week: 1 | Change from last week: None | Last 10 games: 7-3
Ho hum. Yet another week with the Rays atop the Power Rankings. However, the team did suffer quite the mini-setback, as they have lost three of their last six games and, surprisingly, dropped two of four against the 50-loss Oakland Athletics earlier this week. On the bright side, ace Shane McClanahan (10-1, 2.18 ERA) has been the frontrunner for the American League Cy Young a month away from the All-Star break.
Toughest upcoming series: Mid-week two game series (June 20-21) against the Baltimore Orioles (43-25)
2. Atlanta Braves (43-26) | Last Week: 4 | Change: +2 | L10: 8-2
Even though the Braves saw their season-high seven game winning streak end, they still had a solid past week, rising up to the second spot on this week’s Power Rankings. They have won four straight series since their surprising series loss to the Athletics late last month. National League MVP front-runner continues to swing a very hot bat, going 11 for 31 (0.355 batting average) with 3 home runs, 11 RBI and 7 runs over the past week, including two home runs in Tuesday’s doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers (27-39).
Toughest upcoming series: Next weekend’s series (June 23-25) at Cincinnati Reds (34-35)
3. Baltimore Orioles (43-25) | Last Week: 5 | Change: +2 | L10: 7-3
Well, the rookie has finally shined brightly for the Orioles earlier this week. Third baseman Gunnar Henderson has been red-hot at the plate, going 12 for 25 (0.480 batting avg.) with 4 HRs, 10 RBI and 6 runs and recently earned AL Player of the Week honors on Monday. This, after he had an anemic 0.199 batting average on Memorial Day. The Orioles, after playing around 0.500 for that first week without Cedric Mullins (still nursing that groin injury and still no timetable for a return) rattled off five straight wins (and six in their last seven) during this recent span.
Toughest upcoming series: Mid-week two game series (June 20-21) at the Tampa Bay Rays (49-22)
4. Texas Rangers (42-26) | Last Week: 2 | Change: -2 | L10: 4-6
The Rangers drop two spots, despite sharing the third-best record in baseball, because they have now lost six of their last eight games, including losing a pivotal weekend series to the Rays and dropping three of four to their AL West rivals in the Los Angeles Angels (39-32). News got worse for the Rangers’ rotation, as starting pitcher Jon Gray (6-2, 2.32 ERA) skipped his last start due to a blister on his pitching hand and the team lost off-season acquisition in ace Jacob DeGrom to a season-ending elbow injury that unfortunately did require Tommy John surgery earlier this week. The 35-year old underwent his second TJ surgery (first was back in 2010).
Toughest upcoming series: This weekend series against the Toronto Blue Jays (38-32)
5. Arizona Diamondbacks (41-28) | Last Week: 3 | Change: -2 | L10: 6-4
Despite losing three straight to the Philadelphia Phillies (35-34), the Diamondbacks still hold (surprisingly) the NL West lead by two games over the Los Angeles Dodgers (39-30). Prior to the small losing skid, the D-Backs were on a six-game winning streak, including a season sweep of the Tigers earlier this week. Like I said about Acuna being the NL MVP frontrunner, the same can be said for D-Backs centerfielder Corbin Carroll for NL Rookie of the Year. He, too, is coming off a Player of the Week award on Monday, and is currently hitting 9 for 31 (0.429 batting avg.) with three HRs, two triples, two doubles, eight RBI and eight runs over the past week.
Toughest upcoming series: Late June (June 27-29) series against the Tampa Bay Rays (50-22).
6. Miami Marlins (38-31) | Last Week: 7 | Change: +1 | L10: 8-2
After the baseball media and I lauded about the Marlins’ second baseman Luis Arraez surpassing a 0.400 batting average last week, he has since gone 4 for 25 (0.160) with four strikeouts and dropping his MLB-leading batting average to 0.378. That’s still miles ahead of the second-best batting average (Acuna, at 0.333). However, the Marlins still keep on winning, as the team is 8-3 over the last 11 games, and three series wins over the past four. Another Marlins player you should keep an eye on is outfielder Bryan De La Cruz, who is hitting a solid 0.280 at the plate, to go along with eight HR, 14 doubles, and 35 RBI on the season.
Toughest upcoming series: Early next week (June 19-21) series against the Toronto Blue Jays (38-32)
7. Los Angeles Angels (39-32) | Last Week: Unranked | Change: +4 | L10: 8-2
Welcome to one of the four newcomers in this week’s Power Rankings. The Angels have been on a tear, with a series sweep of the Chicago Cubs (31-37) last week, followed with more-impressive AL West division series wins against the Seattle Mariners (33-34) and the division-leading Rangers this week. The AL MVP frontrunner Shohei Ohtani has been a major catalyst in this winning streak, as he’s gone 14 for 28 (0.500) with six HRs, two doubles, 13 RBI and ten runs over the past week at the dish. On the mound, he pitched a solid five innings and struck-out six in a 5-4 win last Friday, and added another six innings of six-hit, two-run baseball last night in a more-impressive 5-3 win over the Rangers.
Toughest upcoming series: Early next week (June 20-21) series against their neighborhood rival, the Los Angeles Dodgers (39-30)
8. San Francisco Giants (36-32) | Last Week: Unranked | Change: +3 | L10: 7-3
I believe this is the first time the Giants are appearing in any one of my nine iterations of my Power Rankings. The bay area team has quietly swept two of their last three opponents in the Colorado Rockies (39-42) last week and the St. Louis Cardinals (27-42) this week and have won four-straight, matching their longest winning streak (on three other occasions) on the season. Sure, both NL teams are the two worst in the conference, but winning seven games in the past 10 and climbing to season-best four games above 0.500 in mid-June is quite a case to make as a top-10 team this week. Outfielder and Designated Hitter (and former Dodger) Joc Pederson has been swinging a hot bat recently (10 for 20), as he went 4 for 4 on two separate occasions over the weekend against the Cubs, including a two-HR outing on Sunday. Also, the team just called-up their fourth-best prospect in outfielder Luis Matos, who hit for a solid 0.398 batting average with seven HRs and 20 RBI in 24 games for AAA-Sacramento River Cats. He is not related to the former Baltimore Oriole outfielder Luis Matos, who spent seven years with the organization (2000-2006).
Toughest upcoming series: This weekend series against the Los Angeles Dodgers (39-30)
9. Cincinnati Reds (34-35) | Last Week: Unranked | Change: +2 | L10: 8-2
Normally, I would not put a team with a losing record in my Power Rankings. However, the Reds have been an exception, as they have the longest active winning streak in MLB (five games), which includes this week’s three-game sweep of the last-place Kansas City Royals (18-50). The Reds now sit just 1.5 games back of first in the AL Central and 2.5 games back of the last NL Wild Card spot. Their reversal of fortune can be attributed to recent call-up of their top prospect in shortstop Elly De La Cruz, whose lanky frame (6’5” and 200 lbs.) has resulted in five stolen bases in his first nine games of his MLB career. De La Cruz made a LOUD second appearance on Wednesday, June 6, as he hit a monstrous 458-yard HR that almost touched the Ohio River and reached the last row of the bleacher seats in right field at the Great American Ballpark. Such a HR would make former Reds great Adam Dunn proud.
Toughest upcoming series: This weekend series at the Houston Astros (39-29)
10. Toronto Blue Jays (38-32) | Last week: 10 | Change: None | L10: 5-5
The only team, other than the Rays, to not have their position changed from a week ago belongs to the Blue Jays. The sole Canadian team has been a mediocre 2-4 over the past two series, with series losses to the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins (35-34) and the Orioles this week. On the bright spot, starting pitcher Jose Berrios (7-4, 3.28 ERA) had his best start of the season on Wednesday night, as he held the Orioles hitless through six innings until Orioles’ catcher Adley Rutschman hit a single in the seventh inning. Berrios finished the evening going 7.2 innings, allowing only three hits and a walk while striking out five in the Wednesday win. He has now gone five straight games allowing two or less runs and has allowed three or more runs on only two separate occasions since his disastrous first two starts of the season.
Toughest upcoming series: This weekend series at the Texas Rangers (42-25)
You may notice that the Houston Astros (39-30), the New York Yankees (39-30) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (38-30) are omitted from this week’s Power Rankings, but are present in nearly every official media-related Power Rankings. Those omissions were not by accident. The Astros, despite taking the season series against the Washington Nationals this week, have lost six of their last nine games and still remain a distant 3.5 games back of the AL West-leading Rangers. To make matters worse, Houston lost their best player in outfielder Yordan Alvarez to an oblique strain, that will sideline the star for at least four weeks. The Yankees have been pretty much stagnant over the past week, splitting wins and losses since June 7 (3-4 in that span) and also put their top slugger in outfielder Aaron Judge on the Injured List last Wednesday (June 6) with a ligament sprain in his right big toe. Lastly, the Dodgers have gone 4-6 in their last 10 games, including dropping three of their last five to the Philadelphia Phillies (34-34) and the Chicago White Sox (30-39).
That is going to do it for this Friday edition of my Snippets on this mid-June start of the weekend. Enjoy golf’s third major in the U.S. Open, and the long three-day weekend.
Until next time, signing off.