MLB Power Rankings: Marry the Dodgers and Padres, bury the Tigers and Nationals

5) MLB Power Rankings: San Diego Padres

Watch out! Here come the San Diego Padres. A potentially dangerous team in a variety of ways, this week’s MLB Power Rankings acknowledge them and all they have done well in 2022.

The numbers still suggest this is a two-man lineup with Manny Machado and Eric Hosmer. The starting pitching, however, has been absolutely brilliant. It’s exactly what San Diego intended to build last year. By the end of the season, they should have the best rotation in the game. This doesn’t even include Blake Snell whose future role with the team should be in question with so many other guys pitching so incredibly well.

4) MLB Power Rankings: Houston Astros

The Houston Astros started slow but have found themselves again. They are, yet again, one of the biggest threats to win a World Series. Given how many appearances they’ve had in the ALCS and beyond in recent years, it’s impossible to discount them.

The Astros have been an overall good team with positive parts in the lineup, rotation, and bullpen. They are one of the game’s most complete clubs. Justin Verlander has gone 6-1 with a 1.22 ERA through his first 8 starts and several of the team’s other starters are trying to keep pace. Their best hitter, Yordan Alvarez, is off to a powerful start and might be a candidate to win an American League home run title. Their mix of young, old, and prime-aged players should help the Astros scare plenty of opponents.

3) MLB Power Rankings: New York Mets

Throw as many injuries as you want at the New York Mets. They continue to win games in the face of any IL stint. Take away Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer all you want. There is something different about this year’s team.

Pete Alonso is absolutely crushing baseballs and he is getting help from his good friend Jeff McNeil with mostly singles and doubles. The Mets might be dealing with an ever-increasing IL but in the absence of those players we have seen several players step up. Carlos Carrasco and Taijuan Walker are not the busts they were in 2021.

2) MLB Power Rankings: Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers must have been offended for getting punished last week for a lower spot on the MLB Power Rankings. This week, they are back nearer to the top. Their 11-3 record versus teams with a record over .500 tells us they should stay good all year long.

Freddie Freeman has looked to be worth every dollar although the Dodgers would probably like to get a little more power out of him. It hasn’t hurt them much, though. This is a team that can drive in runs like no one else. Even Justin Turner with a subpar batting average is regularly compiling RBI and is among the league leaders. Hurtling some praise toward their pitchers, all is well for those brave men. The Dodgers might not be a complete All-Star team yet they remain a very good one.

1) MLB Power Rankings: New York Yankees

For the second straight week, the New York Yankees hold the No. 1 spot on this list. The team might not look unstoppable as they did in the late 1990s yet they somehow manage to muster up wins on a regular basis regardless of who they play. After another strong week, they belong at the top.

Success for this team can be mostly attributed to the powerful bats of Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton along with the pitching staff. From Gerrit Cole to your new favorite Yankees player you never heard of, Clay Holmes, this is an impressive squad. They can beat you in a couple of ways. Usually, it’s a few blasts from their top sluggers and a tough performance from one of their starters and a few members of an elite bullpen. Even if the week did end with two losses on Sunday to the White Sox, the Yankees had a good enough week to remain at number one.