Fansided

MLB Power Rankings: The top 5 teams stay the same

By Sean Sears

CINCINNATI, OHIO - JUNE 19: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Houston Astros throws a pitch against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on June 19, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JUNE 19: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Houston Astros throws a pitch against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on June 19, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 17: San Francisco Giants Catcher Stephen Vogt (21) runs towards home base during the game between the San Francisco Giants played on June 17, 2019 at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. The San Francisco Giants defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2. (Photo by Will Navarro/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 17: San Francisco Giants Catcher Stephen Vogt (21) runs towards home base during the game between the San Francisco Giants played on June 17, 2019 at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. The San Francisco Giants defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2. (Photo by Will Navarro/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

24. San Francisco Giants, 31-39, last in the NL West (ranked 24th last week)

The Giants have won six of their last 10 games and just recently took two of three from the Brewers and swept the Padres in a two-game series last week. They’re currently facing the Dodgers, who are tied for the best record in baseball, and were able to steal a game before taking a 9-0 drubbing on Tuesday night. But the Giants pitching has been pretty good recently, climbing closer to the league average in ERA, at 4.50 on the year.

Their bullpen is one of the better groups in baseball, and with San Francisco currently sitting in the last place in the NL West, plenty of teams are calling gauging their interest in guys like closer Will Smith, Sam Dyson and Tony Watson. Starters Madison Bumgarner and Jeff Samardzija have both been good on the season, but Bumgarner’s days in the Bay Area seem numbered.

At the plate, 32-year-old Pablo Sandoval has found success back in San Fran with nine dingers and a .895 OPS on the year. He and Brandon Belt have essentially been the offense, both tied with the team lead in home runs. Outside of the pair, there haven’t been many bats stepping up for the Giants. Look for the Giants to purge some of their arms by the deadline and hope for more prospects, like SP Shaun Anderson, can step into a larger role once they’re gone.

23. Pittsburgh Pirates, 32-39, tied for last in the NL Central (ranked 19th last week)

The Pirates fell to last place in the NL Central last week and have remained there despite Josh Bell and Bryan Reynolds tearing the cover off the ball. Winning only two of their last 10 games, both coming against the Marlins, it’s been the pitching that’s truly failed them. After featuring a rotation that up until June was still among the best in baseball, injuries have forced four of their five starters to miss time this season.

Currently, Trevor Williams, Jameson Taillon and Jordan Lyles are all on the 10-day IL, leaving just the struggling Chris Archer and Joe Musgrove to hold down the fort, and they haven’t done a good job. In the month of June, both have ERAs above 6.00 and both have struggled to keep the ball in the park. Their bullpen has been unreliable as well. Even with Felipe Vazquez saving 16 games on the year, the group is second in the league with 14 blown saves. The pitching needs to get healthy, otherwise, the great season Bell is having is going to go to waste in Pittsburgh.

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