MLB Power Rankings: Are surging Dodgers, Reds real contenders?
The 2023 MLB season has finally reached the All-Star break, and the top team seems to be revealing itself.
After a red-hot start by the Rays, the Braves are separating from the competition. Since June began, the Braves are the only team in baseball with less than 10 losses, five fewer than the next-closest team (Philadelphia) during that span. While Atlanta held serve at the top, there was some shakeup below.
Here's my latest top 10, with a few interesting factoids about each club.
1. Atlanta Braves (60-29; last week 1)
No team in the majors is as hot as Atlanta. Winners of 12 of their past 13 games, the Braves wish they could just keep playing and skip the All-Star break at this rate. Most impressively about their hot stretch is that they haven't lost back-to-back games in a month. Their success isn't limited to home games, either. They are the only team in baseball to have 30-plus wins on the road and less than 15 losses entering the break. They just win anywhere they play.
2. Tampa Bay Rays (58-35; LW 2)
The Rays began the season on fire, but have cooled of late, losing seven of eight heading into the break. They're still the only team winning 70% of their home games, posting a 35-15 record at Tropicana Field. Moreover, their starting pitchers have produced an MLB-best 3.61 ERA.
3. Baltimore Orioles (54-35; LW 3)
The Orioles are one of three teams to have a winning percentage above .600. Moreover, their .607 win percentage is the best since 1997 (.629) and marks just the second time since 1980 that the club has won at least 60% of its first 89 games. A big reason for that success: the bullpen. Baltimore's relievers have accumulated 70 holds, the most in the majors, which explains the team suffering the second-fewest blown-lead losses.
4. Los Angeles Dodgers (51-38; LW 10)
The Dodgers, despite all their inconsistency, head into the break in first place in the NL West. In fact, they own the fifth-best record in the majors after going 12-5 over the past three weeks. While their pitching remains uncharacteristically unreliable, their offense is still lethal. They're averaging 5.55 runs per game, the third-highest mark in the majors.
5. Cincinnati Reds (50-41; LW 7)
After starting the season 26-29, it seemed impossible for Cincinnati to have a shot at the playoffs. The promotion of Elly De La Cruz, however, has completely reversed the club's fortunes. Since his June 6th debut, the Reds have the second-best record in the majors at 23-8, behind only Atlanta (25-5). And the NL Central leaders have achieved that by destroying their competition in close games. They have a 10-3 mark in one-run games during this stretch, which is second-best in the majors.
6. Arizona Diamondbacks (52-39; LW 5)
The Diamondbacks have put together a surprising first half, mostly for how — or where — they're doing it. They currently possess the second-best road record (26-15) and are one of only three teams to win 60% or more of their games at opposing stadiums. Last season, they compiled a 34-47 road record, good for 20th best in baseball. In fact, look back even further, and you'll notice this is the best road win percentage they have had through 91 games in franchise history. This team wins the tough games.
7. Miami Marlins (53-39; LW 8)
This playoff hopeful represents another big surprise at the break. Miami has continued its strong play past the halfway point, largely thanks to prevailing in close games. Their 21-6 record in one-run contests is the best in the majors (they're the only club to win 70 percent or more of such games). Last season, Miami posted a horrendous 24-40 record in these games, 28th in the majors. The other big turnaround has come from the offense. The impact of Luis Arráez is felt all over, as the Marlins' .265 average is third in the big leagues. Last year's .230 mark ranked 27th.
8. Houston Astros (50-41; LW 6)
The Astros sometimes look like one of the top contenders in baseball. Other times, like this past weekend against Seattle in which they scored all of six runs over four games, they really don't. Houston figures to have a thrower's chance this October, regardless, given its outstanding rotation. The starters have thrown the third-most innings (510.2) in baseball and are tied for the fourth-lowest ERA (3.74). Ace Framber Valdez leads the majors with a 2.51 ERA.
9. Texas Rangers (52-39; LW 4)
The Rangers have had a nice bounce-back season and are once again an offensive juggernaut, leading baseball in runs per game (5.84), hits (877), extra-base hits (338), RBIs (509), batting average (.274) and OBP (.341). They've also scored 10 runs or more 19 times. But Texas' offense has slowed down since late June — the club enters the break having dropped four of five, six of eight and eight of 11 — but still sits atop the AL West by two games.
10. Toronto Blue Jays (50-41; LW unranked)
The brutal AL East doesn't really allow for prolonged slumps, and Toronto avoided one by winning five of its past six to stay in the playoff field. Interestingly, the Blue Jays lead the league with a -+35 run differential in the final three innings of games (no other team is higher than +20). A lot of credit for that goes to the pitching, as the starters' ERA ranks ninth (3.85) and the relievers' fifth (3.63).