Fansided

MLB Power Rankings: Dodgers skidding, but still number one

By Joshua Sadlock

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 07: Starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers holds his head in this hand shortly after leaving the game in the fourth inning during the MLB game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on September 7, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 07: Starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers holds his head in this hand shortly after leaving the game in the fourth inning during the MLB game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on September 7, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images) /
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SEATTLE, WA – SEPTEMBER 1: Relief pitcher Edwin Diaz #39 of the Seattle Mariners and catcher Mike Zunino #3 of the Seattle Mariners shake hands after a game against the Oakland Athletics at Safeco Field on September 1, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. The Mariners won 3-2. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA – SEPTEMBER 1: Relief pitcher Edwin Diaz #39 of the Seattle Mariners and catcher Mike Zunino #3 of the Seattle Mariners shake hands after a game against the Oakland Athletics at Safeco Field on September 1, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. The Mariners won 3-2. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images) /
16

Seattle Mariners 69-71

Last week: 3-7
Last rank: 18

Dealt an incredibly bad hand this year in terms of sheer volume of injuries to their starting rotation, it really is admirable that the Mariners have made it to September with an outside shot at making the playoffs. If Ariel Miranda and Yovani Gallardo have made more starts than James Paxton and Felix Hernandez, the playoffs really should not be on your radar.

Playoffs or not, the Mariners have several positives to take away from this 2017 season. Catcher Mike Zunino has an OPS of nearly .900 since the All-Star break and is finally putting it together at the MLB level. Zunino was a number-three overall pick out of Florida in 2012, but looked like another bust for the much-maligned Seattle player development team.

15

Texas Rangers 70-69

Last week: 6-4
Last rank: 16

No one has stepped up to take control of the AL Wild Card race, allowing the Rangers to continue to hang around. Texas has answered every losing streak in the second half with a winning streak, finding equilibrium right around .500 every time. Sixteen of the Rangers final 23 games are against teams fighting with them to get into the playoffs.

If the Rangers are somehow able to sustain their hot play over the next three weeks of the season, they will make up ground on the Los Angeles Angels and bury the Mariners. There are a lot of variables the Rangers cannot control, but you can’t say they don’t have the chance to play a large role in determining their fate.

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