MLB Power Rankings: Brewers are kings of the Central, Astros invading the West

5) MLB Power Rankings: Los Angeles Angels

The Los Angeles Angels may now feel Astros breathing down their halos with only a half-game lead beginning this week. Joe Maddon’s club needs a little more from some key players to remain at the top of the division. Remember when the Mariners were looking good only two weeks ago?

Mike Trout and Taylor Ward are the big story on the Angels this year. They are in a race for the team’s Triple Crown although first baseman Jared Walsh could get in the way his own prowess at the plate. This is no longer a club designed to sell tickets to see stars like Trout and Shohei Ohtani. As important as they are, they have some help. Notably, it’s the bullpen that has managed to make up for some of the other weaknesses on the roster.

4) MLB Power Rankings: Milwaukee Brewers

The Milwaukee Brewers are the kings of the Central. The team still can’t hit all that well. Powerful starts from Rowdy Tellez (7 home runs and 24 RBI) and Willy Adames (8 home runs and 22 RBI) have helped them greatly even if neither has a particularly good batting average.

As they planned to do, it’s the pitching the Brewers rely on most. However, there are some big weaknesses there. Brandon Woodruff and Freddy Peralta have early ERAs over 5.00. Corbin Burnes and Eric Lauer, however, are handing the ball to the spectacular bullpen often. And despite Woodruff’s rough start, he is still 3-1 and the Brewers are sitting on a throne right now.

3) MLB Power Rankings: New York Mets

The first team to 20 wins this season, last week’s number one in the MLB Power Rankings didn’t so much drop as much as they were passed by two others. The New York Mets had an okay week with a few wins against the Braves and Phillies including a huge comeback against the latter.

Starting pitching remains the best tool as their disposal with Max Scherzer finally losing a regular season game on Sunday—he hadn’t lost since May 30, 2021. Nevertheless, things are looking good for the Mets. Even at number three this week, they remain a force to be reckoned with.

2) MLB Power Rankings: New York Yankees

The other team in the Big Apple, the New York Yankees are quietly dominating baseball this year. Has anyone outside of the Bronx even noticed? It’s kind of a good thing to see nobody is outperforming expectations at the plate. Many are playing worse than them but big starts from Anthony Rizzo and Aaron Judge are promising and nothing out of the ordinary statistically.

Like every great team, pitching has been the key to success. The Yankees can gloat about their starting rotation of non-aces behind Gerrit Cole. Everyone is having a good year and it helps to have a well-built bullpen behind them. This isn’t a Bronx Bombers ball club. And yet, they are the best team in the American League East.

1) MLB Power Rankings: Los Angeles Dodgers

The best winning percentage in baseball now belongs to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Much like the Yankees, nobody is having an impossible to sustain start to the year at the plate. Freddie Freeman is their only guy hitting over .300 and he’s only at .323 through 115 plate appearances.

The Dodgers have nine guys with double-digit RBI already. Wait, there’s more. They have five pitchers who have made three starts or more and have ERAs under 2.00. A sixth guy, Tyler Anderson, is 3-0 with a 2.78 ERA. Things are going as well as they could have wanted. A preseason favorite for many, they are going to be as good as promised.