2023 MLB Power Rankings - Week 14 - All-Star Weekend Edition
The Saturday morning edition of "Ten things to know before 10 AM" is live!
Welcome to the weekend, everyone! Yes, I know we are wrapping up the second round and midway through the third round of Wimbledon in both draws, but this will be an MLB-centric entry today, wrapping up the last weekend before the MLB All-Star break.
I may probably have a Wimbledon update towards the start of next week.
Just a heads-up - there will not be a post-All-Star break Power Rankings next week, as the MLB teams only resume play on Friday after this weekend.
Biggest jump (+4): Cincinnati Reds (from #9 —> #5)
Biggest tumble: (tie at -4): Texas Rangers (from #3 —> #7); Arizona Diamondbacks (#6 —> #10); and San Francisco Giants (from #7 —> Unranked)
Dropped from rankings: San Francisco Giants (lost 8 of its last 11 games, and three straight series losses)
1. Atlanta Braves (59-28) | Last Week: 1 | Change: No Change | L10: 9-1
The Braves have solidified themselves as the most well-rounded team in MLB at the All-Star break, leading by a full four games over the now-slumping Tampa Bay Rays (57-34). NL MVP frontrunner Ronald Acuna is the first player in MLB history to reach 20 home runs, 40 stolen bases and 50 RBI… Before the All-Star break. Since the last Power Rankings, the Braves’ only loss was a close 6-5 Wednesday night affair against the Cleveland Guardians (43-44), sweeping the Minnesota Twins (45-43) and the Miami Marlins (51-38) during that time.
All-Star players: C Sean Murphy; 1B Matt Olson; 2B Ozzie Albies; SS Orlando Arcia; 3B Austin Riley; OF Ronald Acuna Jr.; SP Spencer Strider; SP Bryce Elder
2. Baltimore Orioles (52-35) | Last Week: 4 | Change: +2 | L10: 4-6
Several of the elite teams (Rays, Texas Rangers, Arizona Diamondbacks and the Orioles) have been on a weeklong slump closing in on the All-Star break, but the Baltimore team has been the best of the lot over the past 10 games, winning their last two in the Bronx against the New York Yankees (48-40) and winning last night in extra innings, 3-1 at Minnesota (45-44). Over the past two weeks, the Orioles called-up their third and second-best prospects in contact hitter and infielder Jordan Westburg (1st round pick in 2020) and power-hitting outfielder Colton Cowser (first round pick in 2021), and those inclusions resulted in a 14-1 blowout win on Thursday night. Since his MLB debut on June 26, Westburg has gone 11 for 35 (0.314 batting avg.) with 7 runs and 6 RBI. Cowser is still getting a feel for the game since his debut on July 5 (2 for 10 with three runs and 1 RBI in three games so far).
All-Star players: C Adley Rutschman; OF Austin Hays; RP Yennier Cano; CP Felix Bautista
3. Tampa Bay Rays (57-34) | Last Week: 2 | Change from last week: -1 | Last 10 games: 3-7
The Rays have their longest losing streak of the season at six games, getting swept for the first time all season to the Philadelphia Phillies this week. This South Florida team would be ranked even lower, if not for the sub-0.500 records over the past 10 games for the Rangers and D-Backs. Scoring has been an issue for the Rays during this six-game skid, as they have only averaged about three runs per game. They also put their ace in Shane McClanahan on the Injured List with a back issue.
All-Star players: SS Wander Franco; SP Shane McClanahan (injured)
4. Miami Marlins (51-39) | Last Week: 5 | Change: +1 | L10: 5-5
Second baseman Luis Arraez has seen his batting average plummet to 0.386 and the Marlins were swept by the first place Braves over the Fourth of July weekend, but those are the only two blemishes over the past week. The bats came to play in the weekday series against the St. Louis Cardinals (36-51), as they scored 5, 15 and 10 runs in the three wins of the four-game set. Marlins’ home run leader and outfielder Jorge Soler (team-high 22 home runs) surprisingly did not homer against the Cardinals, but went a consistent 7 for 15 (0.467) with seven runs and two RBI in the series.
All-Star players: 2B Luis Arraez; OF/DH Jorge Soler
5. Cincinnati Reds (49-40) | Last Week: 9 | Change: +4 | L10: 8-2
The Reds have now climbed the highest ever point of this year’s Power Rankings, as they have been near unstoppable since the inclusion of rookie shortstop Elly De La Cruz to the starting lineup a month ago (22-7 since his call-up on June 6). Also, I loved that he pointed at the nub of his bat immediately after Cruz hit a 455-yard bomb to the right fielder upper deck seats at Nats Park in the fifth inning on Thursday night, three innings after Nationals’ manager Davey Martinez asked the umpires to check the nub if it was legal. The Reds have won five of their last six games after sweeping the lowly Washington Nationals (34-53) and scoring 6.25 runs/game during the four-game sweep.
All-Star players: CP Alexis Diaz
6. Los Angeles Dodgers (50-38) | Last Week: 8 | Change: +2 | L10: 6-4
With some of the top teams tumbling, the Dodgers are surging - taking three of four against the Pittsburgh Pirates (40-47). Remember when that AL Central team was sitting atop the NL Central? That seems like a decade ago. Okay - off that tangent. The Dodgers have scored at least four runs in 12 of their last 13 games, and now are only a half-game back of the Diamondbacks (51-38) in the NL West. All-Star Mookie Betts has been on a tear, going 9 for 25 (0.400) with three HR, 6 runs and 6 RBI over his last seven games, including two home runs last night. And, the Dodgers get the now-walking wounded Los Angeles Angels this weekend prior to the All-Star break.
All-Star players: C Will Smith; 1B Freddie Freeman; OF Mookie Betts; DH J.D. Martinez; SP Clayton Kershaw (injured)
7. Texas Rangers (52-37) | Last Week: 3 | Change: -4 | L10: 4-6
The Rangers take one of the biggest drops in this week’s Power Rankings, dropping two straight series’ against the Houston Astros (49-40) and the Boston Red Sox (46-43). Their lead in the AL West has dropped to only just three games over the past week. Marcus Semien, their All-Star second baseman, has been on a hitting slump, going 1 for his last 22 in the past four games, and his first base teammate in Nathaniel Lowe has been marginally better (4 for 23). Hopefully, the bats warm-up the second half of the season for these two.
All-Star players: C Jonah Heim; 2B Marcus Semien; SS Corey Seager; 3B Josh Jung; OF Adolis Garcia; SP Nathan Eovaldi
8. Philadelphia Phillies (48-39) | Last Week: 10 | Change: +2 | L10: 8-2
Despite Bryce Harper not hitting a home run since May 25 (and only three HRs total this season) and offseason free-agent acquisition shortstop Trea Turner having his worst season statistically since his rookie year (2016)… The Phillies are nine games above 0.500 and have gone an unbelievable 23-9 in June and July. They also have allowed two runs or less in 11 of those 32 games, showcasing how well their starting rotation and bullpen has been over this span. The run has allowed them to claim the third and last Wild Card spot and are only 1.5 games back of the Marlins and Dodgers for the top Wild Card position.
All-Star players: OF Nick Castellanos
9. Houston Astros (49-40) | Last Week: Unranked | Change: +2 | L10: 7-3
Despite the struggles for both top pitchers Framber Valdez and Christian Javier, the Astros are still just three games back of the AL West-leading Texas Rangers. It helps that they took three of four against their in-state rivals over the Fourth of July weekend, including a see-saw 12-11 back-and-forth comeback win on Monday. Unfortunately, they just put their star second baseman Jose Altuve on the 10-day IL with an injured oblique.
All-Star players: OF Yordan Alvarez (injured); OF Kyle Tucker; SP Framber Valdez
10. Arizona Diamondbacks (51-38) | Last Week: 6 | Change: -4 | L10: 4-6
As I mentioned in the Dodgers’ section, the D-Backs are only a half-game ahead of their NL West division rivals following their first three-game sweep by the now-surging New York Mets (41-46). Poor hitting (something that was omnipresent last season - 2nd-worst in total hits and 4th-worst in batting average in 2022) has been an overall issue for the D-Backs during this slide, as they scored two or fewer runs in three of the past four games. To make matters worse, their lone All-Star - rookie outfielder Corbin Carroll (team-high 0.290 batting average. 24 stolen bases and 0.365 On-Base Percentage) re-aggravated a right shoulder injury on a swing in Thursday night’s game. This was the same shoulder that required surgery back in 2021 for Carroll. Surprisingly, he was back in the lineup in last night’s game. At least, they get to face the Pirates prior to the All-Star break.
All-Star players: SS Geraldo Perdomo; OF Corbin Carroll; OF Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
That is going to do it for this edition of Snippets. I hope you enjoy the weekend filled with tennis and outdoor exploration on the relatively quiet sports weekend.
Until next time, signing off.