MLB Power Rankings: Twins and Orioles charging
Los Angeles Angels 69-65
Last week: 5-5
Last rank: 10
The Angels took care of business last week even in Mike Trout’s absence. They did what they needed to do in sweeping the A’s at home. With a difficult schedule in September that features six games against Houston, six against Texas and six against Seattle, the Angels will have to bring it virtually every night.
Mike Trout missed two games with a sore neck but returned on Wednesday with a home run. The Angels cannot afford to have Trout miss any more games down the stretch, but C.J. Cron’s surge in the month of August has certainly helped make the offense less reliant on their best player. The Angels have Justin Upton in the fold for the final month. He can carry a lineup for a whole month when he’s hot, but his cold streaks are just as notorious.
Baltimore Orioles 68-65
Last week: 8-2
Last rank: 20
Anyone who was ready to write the Orioles off as dead and buried in the AL playoff race will have to reconsider after a seven-game winning streak that featured sweeps of the Boston Red Sox and Mariners. It was quite a week for the Orioles, including another multi-homer game for Manny Machado, Jonathan Schoop’s 30th homer and a one-hitter from Dylan Bundy.
With Bundy and Kevin Gausman pitching like the high draft picks they were, Machado and Schoop blasting the ball all over the yard and Adam Jones continuing his bounceback year, there’s no reason to think the Orioles offense can’t carry the rest of a mediocre pitching staff to the playoffs. Heck, even Chris Davis has been swinging the bat occasionally the past week.
Minnesota Twins 69-63
Last week: 6-4
Last rank: 12
The Twins have taken every injury that has popped up in their starting rotation or lineup in stride so far this season, but the potential loss of center fielder Byron Buxton, who was finally starting to hit like he belonged in the big leagues, may be too much. Buxton left Wednesday’s game against the White Sox early with a hand injury. Miguel Sano is already on the DL with a stress reaction in his shin.
No doubt, the Twins have benefited greatly from their chances to play the White Sox and Tigers, but they are now done playing Chicago. Their big hurdle in September will be fending off the desperate Royals, who they play seven times in a span of 10 days.