MLB Power Rankings: New York Yankees slowly waking up

MLB Power Rankings: New York Yankees finally waking up

Nos. 20-11

If you take away an early five-game losing streak by the Washington Nationals, this is a team that is well over .500 but just lost two of three to the New York Mets. The Nats have the talent on the mound and at the plate to be players in the NL East this season, but they need to get it together before it gets too late.

The Los Angeles Angels are another team that takes a big drop in this week’s MLB Power Rankings, after going 3-7 through their last ten games. That has erased a solid start to the season, but they still went into Sunday only one game under .500, but Seattle and Oakland are red-hot in front of them in the AL West.

After a terrible start to the 2021 MLB season, the New York Yankees finally showed some life this past week, going into Sunday’s matchup with the Cleveland Indians with a chance to get a rare four-game sweep. Giancarlo Stanton blasted two bombs early in the season that nearly broke statcast, and Gerrit Cole showed why he is considered the best starting pitcher in the American League.

The Atlanta Braves have had an up-and-down start to the 2021 season, but they are still very much in the hunt for the NL East title. This is a team that nearly made the World Series last season, and once they start going, barring injury, they should be right back in the mix before all is said and done.

It was a rough week to say the least for the Cincinnati Reds, who fell nine spots, outside of our top-10, and nearly into our bottom-10. The Reds lost seven of ten games heading into Sunday, including seven straight, completely erasing what was a solid start to the 2021 campaign.

The Philadelphia Phillies are going to be an interesting team to watch all season long, and it appears they have the talent to challenge in what should be a very tight NL East in 2021. Bryce Harper went from overrated, to possibly underrated, as he heads into next week hitting well above .300, with six home runs already to his name.

The Houston Astros saw star second baseman Jose Altuve hit the IL due to COVID-19, after actually getting the first vaccination. Houston has lost six of their last ten games, and despite the fact they have the best run differential in the AL West, they are currently 3.5 games back of red-hot Seattle and Oakland.

The St. Louis Cardinals have had a roller coaster of a first 20 games, but they have come out of it sitting at .500, which is impressive considering they have had some tough stretches. St. Louis made the big move for Nolan Arenado this offseason, and he has had some flashes since leaving Colorado, but the constant in this lineup is once again future Hall of Famer, Yadier Molina.

The Chicago Cubs are not lacking when it comes to talent, and after a tough start to the season, they have rebounded to go into Sunday with a .500 record. They swept the New York Mets, and then blew out the Milwaukee Brewers 15-2 in the opener of their next series. In what should be a tough NL Central, they are hoping to hang around all season long.

A year after going to the World Series, and then losing star Blake Snell via trade, the Tampa Bay Rays are proving they are not going anywhere any time soon. The Rays are currently one game back of first place, have won six of their last ten, and this past week had a three-game sweep of the Yankees on the road.