MLB Power Rankings: Astros, Yankees succeeding while Cubs, Red Sox conceding
By Tim Boyle
20) MLB Power Rankings: Miami Marlins
All good things must come to an end. That’s the experience the Miami Marlins are currently going through. A formidable National League East opponent for the first month or so, they have since fallen back and come to remember exactly who they are.
This isn’t to discredit what the Marlins have been able to achieve. Pablo Lopez could indeed win a Cy Young this year. Along with Sandy Alcantara, they have an excellent pair of pitchers at the front of their rotation. Miami just needs more around those two. Insert two major bats and a veteran pitcher onto this roster and suddenly the whole outlook changes.
19) MLB Power Rankings: Seattle Mariners
It already feels like the playoff drought will continue for the Seattle Mariners. They start off strong this year but as injuries have piled up, players have underperformed, and tougher teams have landed on the schedule, they have faltered.
Seattle is pushing itself out of the playoff hunt and could easily end up falling far behind the rest of the American League contenders. The problem may be too much faith in their younger players. Seattle should be good again soon. First, they need to get this season’s struggles out of the way.
18) MLB Power Rankings: Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are feeling more and more like a .500 ball club. They can’t find any momentum. Their offense looks hungover. Until they find a spark, it’s going to be tough for them to win games consistently.
The Braves definitely won’t quit and wave the white flag yet. They continue to have solid pieces on the roster and could be a sneaky team in the second half as they were in 2021. In the meantime, they just need to show positive signs of a turnaround.
17) MLB Power Rankings: Colorado Rockies
Baseball’s most deceptive team, nobody can possibly believe the Colorado Rockies will hang around for the long haul. But because they are within spitting distance of first place in the difficult National League West, they do deserve some credit.
The pitching has begun to see their ERAs rise which is never a good sign. The bats, while productive for some, aren’t a murderer’s row of sluggers. The Rockies are going to fade eventually. This week, they’re hanging on the cliff.
16) MLB Power Rankings: Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies had a good week. Even after learning Bryce Harper wouldn’t be able to do anything else other than hit, they managed to take care of business against some tough opponents. Harper, in particular, heated up and helped breathe some life into this club.
The Phillies still have the same problems they did at the start of the year but with the weather heating up and balls flying further—especially on nationally televised games apparently—it will be their run-scoring prowess that can make or break their year. So what if the bullpen will never be trusted? Who needs relievers when you can score double-digits?