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MLB Power Rankings: Cardinals and Angels climbing

By Joshua Sadlock

BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 19: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim celebrates with third base coach Ron Roenicke #10 as he runs the bases after hitting a solo home run in the third inning against the Baltimore Orioles during a game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 19, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 19: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim celebrates with third base coach Ron Roenicke #10 as he runs the bases after hitting a solo home run in the third inning against the Baltimore Orioles during a game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 19, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MD – AUGUST 19: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim celebrates with third base coach Ron Roenicke #10 as he runs the bases after hitting a solo home run in the third inning against the Baltimore Orioles during a game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 19, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD – AUGUST 19: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim celebrates with third base coach Ron Roenicke #10 as he runs the bases after hitting a solo home run in the third inning against the Baltimore Orioles during a game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 19, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /
10

Los Angeles Angels 64-61

Last week: 7-3
Last rank: 16

Mike Trout is without a doubt the best player in Major League Baseball, but can he still win the AL MVP award despite missing close to 50 games with a thumb injury? If the Angels are able to hold onto their tenuous grasp on the second AL Wild Card, Trout will certainly get more than a few votes. Jose Altuve is his primary competition, and Trout has him beat in OPS by nearly 150 points right now.

Trout is not the only player pushing the Angels right now. Parker Bridwell is the latest in a long line of pitchers to leave the Orioles and find success elsewhere. He is now 7-1 with a 2.92 ERA. Sustainable? Probably not, as his 4.55 FIP would indicate, but how desperately would the Orioles love to have Bridwell back now?

The notion that Andrelton Simmons could receive MVP votes with a slash line of .248/.296/.396 always felt like a bit of an analytical reach, but the all-world defender should get votes this year with his improved offense. Simmons is still the best overall defender in baseball in my book and now has an OPS over .800 to go along with it.

9

Chicago Cubs 66-57

Last week: 7-3
Last rank: 8

The Cubs remain stuck in neutral thanks to a lineup that is not providing much support for Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo. There’s still too much swing-and-miss from the likes of Kyle Schwarber and Javy Baez and not enough traffic on the bases. Losing Willson Contreras to a hamstring injury for the next month is going to be a difficult pill to swallow for the Cubs as their lead on the Cardinals continues to shrink.

Chicago still has the inside edge to claiming the division crown. Jake Arrieta has come up large in the second half and is 4-1 with a 2.09 ERA in six starts. He has held opposing hitters to a .190/.252/.343 line with a .216 BAbip. Stuff was never the concern with Arrieta in the first half, and now that he is locating his pitches effectively, the results are much better.

Kyle Hendricks has also been very good in the second half, posting a 2.00 ERA in five starts. The Cubs should still be considered the favorite to win the division for now, but there is reason for fans to be nervous.

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