MLB Power Rankings: Marry the Dodgers and Padres, bury the Tigers and Nationals
By Tim Boyle
This week’s MLB Power Rankings heaps loads of praise onto the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres while giving grief to the Detroit Tigers and Washington Nationals.
The end of May is traditionally the time when fans begin to look at the standings and say they matter. With one week left until Memorial Day, the MLB Power Rankings carry a lot more weight to them.
There were several big shifts in last week’s MLB Power Rankings within the top ten. This week doesn’t have quite as many major changes but it’s time to start marrying ourselves to the success of certain teams and officially bury a couple of others.
Who gets the number one spot this week and which club is Mr. Irrelevant?
30) MLB Power Rankings: Cincinnati Reds
After receiving mercy last week, the Cincinnati Reds are back in last place in the MLB Power Rankings. They remain irrelevant in the playoff picture outside of occasionally stealing a game.
Star first baseman Joey Votto looks officially cooked while catcher Tyler Stephenson has provided the Reds with one of the small number of positive storylines this season. Starter Connor Overton and reliever Alexis Diaz have given Reds fans a few things to cheer about. Overall, this is a year that remains a lost one with a focus on what to do next.
29) MLB Power Rankings: Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers have somewhat quietly been one of the season’s biggest disappointments. While nobody probably had them heading to the World Series, they were supposed to be better than this.
Pitching for Detroit has been pretty solid which is a good sign for their future and at the trade deadline should they decide to move a couple of pieces. Injuries, however, have gotten in the way.
Reliever Michael Fulmer is in his walk year and a candidate they could likely flip for some decent prospect gold in July. Meanwhile, Tigers fans can hold onto some strong starts from pitchers this year and hope they can recover from their injuries. There are promising days ahead. It’s just not this week.
28) MLB Power Rankings: Washington Nationals
Let’s bury the Washington Nationals a little more this week. Still in the midst of a rebuild, they have been as bad as advertised. Even with an offense that actually does hit pretty well, the Nationals don’t have nearly enough quality arms to keep them in games.
Patrick Corbin is 0-7 with a 6.60 ERA in his first nine starts this season which is just kicking a franchise while it is down. Trade speculation about Juan Soto is rampant and the team will surely, at the very least, hope to move Josh Bell just as he’s fitting in. The 2019 championship feels further away each game.
27) MLB Power Rankings: Kansas City Royals
It’s unfortunate that after a nice run in the middle of the 2010s that the Kansas City Royals are back to doing what they did in the 1990s and 2000s: lose a lot. This is the story yet again for this franchise in 2022.
Some of the roughest news for the Royals this year is how poorly some of their potential trade chips have performed. Both Whit Merrifield and Carlos Santana are off to slow starts. At the plate, it’s the Andrew Benintendi show and everyone else. Kansas City has gotten some positive results out of their pitchers, Brad Keller being the most notable guy not near 40—like Zack Greinke. It’s business as usual for the Royals. How much longer will fans have to wait for another nice run?
26) MLB Power Rankings: Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates have been somewhat deceptive this year. Their poor run-differential explains more than their actual record. The franchise continues to spin its wheels. It’s only a matter of time before they completely fall out of any hope of a .500 record.
Much of what was previously said about the Royals could be said about the Pirates. The two Midwestern clubs struggled throughout the late 1990s and into the early 2000s before finally catching some lightning in a bottle during the 2010s. Pittsburgh’s lack of spending has bitten them again. They don’t appear ready to climb out of it either.