MLB Power Rankings: Rockies take over the top spot
New York Yankees 39-30
Last week: 1-5
Last rank: 2
The Yankees have come crashing violently to earth over the past week. Their seven-game losing streak was not necessarily ugly and filled with blowout losses, but the starting pitching is beginning to crumble. It is almost time to pull the plug on Masahiro Tanaka. At the very least, he needs to skip a start.
I’m no MLB manager, but it seems like a good idea to get more appearances for Dellin Betances, who is having one of the best reliever seasons in MLB history. Betances has thrown only 21.2 innings this year, and has a 0.42 ERA and 41 strikeouts. Joe Girardi may be holding him back in the first half to avoid seeing his ace reliever burn out in September like last year.
Cleveland Indians 38-32
Last week: 7-1
Last rank: 9
Never mind that their starting pitching is still up in the air behind Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco, the Indians have been putting on an offensive clinic for the past week. No one has been hotter than Jose Ramirez. Over the past eight games, the third baseman is hitting .568/.600/1.135 with 10 doubles, a triple, three home runs, and seven RBI.
#Indians Jose Ramirez: 24 runs scored over his last 24 games.#Indians Edwin Encarnacion: 31 runs scored over his last 31 games.
— Ryan M. Spaeder (@theaceofspaeder) June 21, 2017
It was nice for the Twins while it lasted, but the Tribe is gearing up to go on a run and bury the rest of the AL Central. It really was only a matter of time. Topping last season’s mark of 22-6 in the month of June may be out of reach, but not by much.