MLB Power Rankings: Indians take over
New York Yankees 80-66
Last week: 7-3
Last rank: 8
Aaron Judge has found a semblance of consistency at the plate in September. While still not hitting for much in the way of average, Judge is slugging close to .600 in the month with four home runs and two doubles. He has an outside shot at breaking the single-season record for strikeouts, currently held by Mark Reynolds.
It’s crazy to think that Judge was so good in the first half that his .185/.353/.392 line in the second half has not completely erased him from the AL MVP conversation. The award will go to either Jose Altuve or Mike Trout, but Judge will still get plenty of support and should finish third while running away with the Rookie of the Year.
After searching for years, the Yankees have the dominant one-two punch needed to go deep in the postseason in Luis Severino and Sonny Gray. Joe Girardi and the front office have been careful managing Severino’s innings, but he has already blown past his career high.
Colorado Rockies 80-67
Last week: 7-3
Last rank: 9
A week ago, the Rockies were trending in the wrong direction and appeared to be in danger of losing their grip on a playoff spot to the hard-charging Brewers and Cardinals. What a difference a week makes, as Colorado has gotten back on a solid winning streak kicked off by sweeping the Dodgers on the road.
The starting pitching has showed up for the Rockies for the most part and Nolan Arenado has shaken loose of a slump that pulled him down to a .265/.348/.549 line in August. In his first 12 games of September, Arenado has batted .366/.480/.659 with three home runs and 12 RBI. Carlos Gonzalez has also been red hot, hitting .438/.571/1.031 with four home runs of his own. If CarGo is finally hitting like the CarGo of old, that bodes well for the Rockies as they head into the playoffs.