Fansided

MLB Power Rankings: Post Trade Deadline edition

By John Buhler

Jul 20, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy (20) drives in a run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the eighth inning at PNC Park. Milwaukee won 9-5. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 20, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy (20) drives in a run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the eighth inning at PNC Park. Milwaukee won 9-5. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 6
Next
Jun 6, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant (17) watches his ground rule RBI double during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 6, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant (17) watches his ground rule RBI double during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs being the best team in baseball at the August 1st MLB trade deadline comes as no surprise. Under the Theo Epstein regime, the Cubs have been rebuilt from a National League Central laughing stock into the team to beat in baseball in a matter of a few short seasons.

Not only does Chicago have the best roster, they have the best skipper and most innovative manager in the game today in Joe Maddon. He nightly brings out the best in his ball club and anything less than another trip to the National League Championship Series would be a colossal failure for this juggernaut baseball team.

Yes, history is absolutely not on their side. The Cubs haven’t won a World Series since the 1908 MLB season. Chicago hasn’t been to a World Series since the 1940s and their South Side nemesis in the Chicago White Sox have already won a championship this millennium in 2005.

That being said, the Cubs are the only team in baseball that feels like a lock to advance this postseason (i.e. back-to-back trips to the NLCS). Getting to the World Series will be a huge accomplishment in its own right for the North Side of Chicago.

Winning it all will bring pandemonium to the Windy City, arguably like no other championship in professional sports history. Should the Cubs do their job and beat the American League’s finest in October, we’re looking at a celebration on par with the likes of the 2004 Boston Red Sox of the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers respective championships. The Cubs are the favorite to win it all with the best record in baseball at the MLB trade deadline at 63-41.

For more MLB posts, please check out our MLB category page.

Home/MLB