2023 MLB Power Rankings - Week 7
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We are seven weeks into the MLB season, which is more or less two months in. The April mirage of some teams have risen and faded (I’m looking at you, Pittsburgh Pirates), while some teams have started May firing on all cylinders after a shockingly slow start (see the New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals).
There is a reshuffling of the top-five, and several teams re-entering the top-10 this week:
Biggest jump: New York Yankees (+5)
Biggest tumble: Boston Red Sox (-5)
1. Tampa Bay Rays (32-12) | Last Week: 1 | Change from last week: None | Last 10 games: 5-5
Another week in, and the Rays are still atop this week’s Power Rankings. Although the team lost two of three to the Baltimore Orioles last week and split the four-game weekend series against the New York Yankees, the Rays are still the team to beat as the sole 30-win team in mid-May. The bats are still red-hot for the Rays, as they have scored an average of 7.3 runs per game over their last six games.
Toughest upcoming series: This weekend’s series at home against the Milwaukee Brewers (24-19)
2. Baltimore Orioles (28-15) | Last Week: 3 | Change: +1 | L10: 6-4
The Orioles continue to climb my Power Rankings, as this is the highest placement for them. The Charm City’s team is getting help from all over the roster, as starting pitcher Tyler Wells pitched seven scoreless innings and allowed only one hit in Saturday’s home win against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Relief pitcher Yennier Cano continues his dominant season, as the Cuban has yet to give up even a single run and only has given up four hits in 21 innings pitched. Cano was actually an afterthought as a throw-in, in last year’s trade of relief pitcher Jorge Lopez to the Twins - imagine that!
Toughest upcoming series: This weekend’s series at Toronto Blue Jays (25-18)
3. Los Angeles Dodgers (28-16) | Last week: 4 | Change: +1 | L10: 8-2
The Dodgers continue their sensational surge, as the team has now won a remarkable 15 of their last 18 games, including a recent three-game weekend sweep of their NL West divisional rival San Diego Padres. First baseman Freddie Freeman has been torching opposing pitchers over the past week, to a tune of a 0.478 batting average (12 for 27), with two HRs, six runs and 9 RBI - all leading the Dodgers during this span. Also, starting pitcher Tony Gonsolin, who had a breakout 2022 season (16-1, with a spectacular 2.14 ERA in 24 starts) is back to form after missing the first month due to an ankle injury. Gonsolin has thrown three shutouts in his four starts this season and has allowed three or less hits in each of those shutouts.
Toughest upcoming series: This weekend’s four-game series at St. Louis Cardinals (18-26, but 8-2 in last 10 games)
4. Texas Rangers (26-17) | Last Week: 5 | Change: +1 | L10: 6-4
The Rangers continue to be solidly steady through the first two months of the season. They still lead the AL West by just two games over the second place Houston Astros (24-19). The Rangers made easy work of the last-place Oakland Athletics (10-35) over the weekend, and have split their current series against the reeling Braves. Veteran starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi has been a recent revelation for the Rangers, as he has gone at least eight innings deep, allowing zero runs and only four hits (on average) in each of his last three starts (and a 28.2-inning scoreless streak). However, his scoreless streak ended in the 2nd inning last night. Despite that, Eovaldi is easily the frontrunner for AL (starting) Pitcher of the Month so far… And it’s not even close.
Toughest upcoming series: Next weekend’s (May 26-28) series at Baltimore Orioles (28-15)
5. Atlanta Braves (27-16) | Last Week: 2 | Change: -3 | L10: 5-5
What has gone wrong for the Braves during this seven-game slide (2-5 in the last seven games)? Well, the Braves’ pitchers have given up an average of 5.2 runs per game in their five losses. The non-Ronald Acuna bats were surprisingly silent during the four-game skid (including a three-game sweep by the Blue Jays this past weekend), as the team scored 2, 0, 2 and 5 runs in the losses. Sure, they face the 21-22 Seattle Mariners at home this weekend, but have to face the red-hot Dodgers right after.
Toughest upcoming series: Next week’s (May 22-24) series at home versus Los Angeles Dodgers (28-16)
6. New York Yankees (25-20) | Last Week: Unranked | Change: +5 | L10: 7-3
On the other hand, you have the Yankees, who have been almost unstoppable following Aaron Judge’s inclusion to the starting lineup on May 9. The team has won four of its last five series, and since the start of May, have averaged about six runs per game. Since Judge rejoined the team, the team has scored 1.2 more runs (7.25) per game. Also, Judge has hit five HRs in the team’s last five games. The Yankees have vaulted from last place in a crowded AL East to now four games back of the Orioles.
Toughest upcoming series: Next week’s (May 23-25) series at home versus Baltimore Orioles (28-15)
7. Houston Astros (24-19) | Last Week: Unranked | Change: +4 | L10: 7-3
Last year’s World Series runners-up also rise up in this week’s Power Rankings, following back to back series wins against both Chicago teams (and a sweep of the Cubs) this week. They are now just two games behind AL West-leading Texas Rangers on this four-game winning streak (7-1 in the last eight games), thanks to superstar outfielder Yordan Alvarez, who is 17 for 53 (0.321) with 3 HR, 8 runs and 12 RBI over the past 15 days. In better news, they also get back franchise star 2B Jose Altuve reportedly on Friday, after he suffered a broken thumb on a hit-by-pitch back during the World Baseball Classic months ago.
Toughest upcoming series: Next week’s (May 22-24) series at Milwaukee Brewers (24-19)
8. Milwaukee Brewers (24-19) | Last Week: Unranked | Change: +3 | L10: 6-4
The Brew Crew jump back up into the latter half of the top-10 this week, after winning four of their last six games against the Missouri teams in the Kansas City Royals (three-game weekend sweep) and the St. Louis Cardinals. Veteran outfielder Christian Yelich torched the Royals’ pitchers over the weekend, as he went 6 for 11 with three HR, 10 RBI, four runs and two steals.
Toughest upcoming series: This weekend series at Tampa Bay Rays (32-12)
9. Toronto Blue Jays (25-18) | Last Week: 8 | Change: -1 | L10: 6-4
The Blue Jays have been one of those ‘under-the-radar’ teams that have had a solid first two months of the MLB season. It also helps that the only Canadian team swept the Atlanta Braves this past weekend, and that they won on walk-off hits in two of the last four games. I mentioned starting pitcher Chris Bassitt briefly last week, but he extended his scoreless streak to 23 innings following seven strong, scoreless innings against the Yankees last night, with seven strikeouts and only three hits allowed.
Toughest upcoming series: This weekend series at Baltimore Orioles (28-15)
10. Arizona Diamondbacks (25-19) | Last Week: 7 | Change: -3 | L10: 6-4
Rounding-out the Top 10 is the Arizona Diamondbacks. They have won five of their last six games against the Bay area teams (San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics), and still remain in second place in the NL West, just three games behind the Dodgers. I talked about NL Cy Young candidate Zac Gallen last week - let’s now talk about another D-Backs starting pitcher who is also pitching lights-out in 34-year old veteran Merrill Kelly, in his fifth year with the organization. He is having one of the best seasons of his career, with 55 strikeouts in 52 innings pitched and a solid 2.92 ERA. Kelly has had three quality starts in the last four, including going at least six inning deep and allowing only one run in each of those three games to go along with 30 strikeouts in that span.
Toughest upcoming series: This weekend series at Pittsburgh Pirates (23-20)
Dropped from rankings: Boston Red Sox (Last Week: 6; lost six of last nine games); Seattle Mariners (LW: 9; 1-3 in last four); and San Diego Padres (LW: 10; lost nine of last 11)
Well, that is going to do it for another Snippets on this Thursday.
Stay tuned for my WNBA 2023 Season Preview piece coming on Friday’s edition, with the regular season starting tonight!
Until next time, signing off.