MLB Power Rankings: Soaring Cardinals, fallen Angels
By Tim Boyle
20) MLB Power Rankings: Chicago White Sox
How did the Chicago White Sox get here? A World Series favorite for many people in the preseason, the White Sox only ever taste .500 before falling back down below it.
Jose Abreu has started to hit which could catapult this club much further toward a better spot in the standings. During Tim Anderson’s absence, someone needed to step up and it looks like he has. The White Sox remain a team with potential to do damage. Potential only matters if you meet it.
19) MLB Power Rankings: Philadelphia Phillies
Firing Joe Girardi will not fix the Philadelphia Phillies. The perfect example of a .500 ball club, they have some major strengths but even more egregious weaknesses.
Philadelphia has shown an ability to beat some good teams one week and get brutalized by another strong opponent in the next. They have gotten a lot from their starting pitchers this year and the bullpen hasn’t been as bad as it was in the recent past. Because they are playing catch up, the road is a long one.
18) MLB Power Rankings: Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners didn’t have such a miserable week—or at least other teams experienced a bit more melancholy. They’re still way out of the playoff picture. If you’ve been watching closely on the MLB Power Rankings, you may have also noticed they are only above Oakland in the division.
It hasn’t been a completely lost year for Seattle. They are getting a better picture as to what they will need to add in the future. Logan Gilbert has been a great pitcher for them and Ty France could be the best first baseman they have had in a long time. The standings might not be favorable. The future still could be.
17) MLB Power Rankings: Texas Rangers
Here come the Texas Rangers; not to earn a playoff spot but to maybe win a couple of games nobody thought they would. The offense has woken up. Corey Seager is beginning to hit and a few other contributors are turning the Rangers into a club ready to spoil a few team’s seasons.
Texas is capable of being one of the better bad teams in baseball this year far more than they could obtain a status as one of the worst good ones. The starting pitching just hasn’t come around to give anyone much confidence. Backed up a solid bullpen and limited and far too little offense, this is a year to learn and plan to regroup for 2023.
16) MLB Power Rankings: Arizona Diamondbacks
Tip your cap to the Arizona Diamondbacks who remain relevant in the National League. They’re not a good team. They aren’t even in a transitional phase like the Orioles where they are giving kids playing time. The Diamondbacks are a club led by three starting pitchers and a few other quality players. Remove this, the Diamondbacks might be the league’s worst team.
This week’s leaders of the bad teams at number 16, any positive spins fans can have about this club should be stored in the memory bank. Arizona is far worse than their record actually shows. Give it a week and they could end up much closer to the bottom.