MLB Power Rankings: Yankees among the best around, Mariners let us down

5) MLB Power Rankings: Los Angeles Angels

As long as they can stay relatively healthy, this should be a big year for the Los Angeles Angels. They are the only team in the American League West to have remained consistently good all year long. Their starting pitching has been a major strength to go along with the surprising rise of Taylor Ward. This isn’t just a team with Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. This year, they are much more.

Pitching has been a surprising strong point for the Angels early on this season. The team took a couple of chances on guys like Noah Syndergaard and Michael Lorenzen. Each decision appears to have worked out. Rather than dump a whole lot of money into one player for the starting lineup, the Angels went with some shorter deals to fill out the pitching staff. So far, so good.

4) MLB Power Rankings: Houston Astros

The Houston Astros are eager to get to the No. 1 spot in the MLB Power Rankings. It’s not going to happen this week. They’ve climbed a lot but three teams remain ahead of them.

Houston isn’t quite as formidable as they were in past years. This isn’t to discredit them from heating up. Jeremy Peña looks like the next chapter in their history’s best player. The Astros have been pushing to get into the top three of the MLB Power Rankings. This week, they settle for another four spot.

3) MLB Power Rankings: New York Mets

Once again at No. 3, the New York Mets continue to overcome their plethora of injuries to the starting rotation. Pete Alonso is having a quiet monster year at the plate which has helped put the nail in plenty of team’s coffins early on in 2022.

The strategy for this year’s Mets team was to fill out the roster with proven players. While some have underperformed such as Eduardo Escobar, guys like bench player Luis Guillorme are making a case for more regular playing time. The Mets have a steady lead in the National League East that only seems to grow each week.

2) MLB Power Rankings: New York Yankees

Clay Holmes and Nestor Cortes. Who thought they would be the ones leading the way for the New York Yankees this year? Sure, they’re getting offense from Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. But it’s key pieces like Holmes and Cortes which have the Yankees as the top team in the American League. Role-players like them make a difference.

The Yankees are No. 2 this week but it might be a less strong runner-up spot. They are not as invincible as they were several weeks ago. Their faults have shown but fortunately for them, the strengths are built tougher.

1) MLB Power Rankings: Los Angeles Dodgers

We’re not worthy! The Los Angeles Dodgers always figure out a way to win games. A weak stretch earlier in the month looks like nothing more than a brief hiccup in what should be another trip to the NLCS for this ball club. Their run differential of +119 is unrivaled in the league right now.

Mookie Betts is earning his money this year while the entire East Coast is already fast asleep. The pitching and hitting for this organization has been superb. As they always do, expect the Dodgers to buy something big at the trade deadline and get even more dangerous.