MLB Power Rankings: Astros, Red Sox flex while White Sox continue to perplex
By Tim Boyle
10) MLB Power Rankings: Milwaukee Brewers
The National League Central might not have a lot of good teams. Luckily, they have two competitive ones that may have the race come down to the wire. The Milwaukee Brewers get the number ten spot this week with a lot of room to go in either direction.
The Brewers continue to have one of the best relief corps in baseball. It has helped them overcome some massive injuries to the starting rotation that suddenly looks like it’s Corbin Burnes and anyone with a pulse. They don’t get much offense which could set them up for a failure in the second half. More than anything, they need to get their starting pitchers back and healthy.
9) MLB Power Rankings: St. Louis Cardinals
Whether the St. Louis Cardinals are ahead of or behind the Brewers in the standings, they are better on paper. This team has dealt with their own starting pitcher injuries. The difference is they have three guys they can rely on while Milwaukee has only one.
The search for a shortstop upgrade or even an outfielder could end up headlining the stories for the Cardinals in the next few weeks. The trio of Paul Goldschmidt, Tommy Edman, and Nolan Arenado is nearly perfect. They are set up very well to climb up the MLB Power Rankings.
8) MLB Power Rankings: Toronto Blue Jays
Baseball feels more fun when the Toronto Blue Jays are good. Maybe this is because throughout their history, the best Blue Jays clubs have won with lineups full of sluggers. The game is exciting when offense drives it.
Toronto has its work cut out for them. If the offense can continue to score regularly, all trade assets could go toward improving the rotation. Jose Berrios and Yusei Kikuchi have been unreliable this year. Losing Hyun Jin Ryu also opens them up for a midseason acquisition as they load up for a playoff run.
7) MLB Power Rankings: Atlanta Braves
No, the Atlanta Braves are not too high on the MLB Power Rankings this week. All month they have shown they belong right there with the best clubs in baseball. Even if there are some weaknesses on the roster, this is a club that can hit, pitch, and win another World Series.
The most impressive turnaround for the Braves might be from shortstop Dansby Swanson. A few months before he’ll be eligible for free agency, he has decided to become a guy who can hit for power and average in a single year. This team could really use some midseason upgrades but maybe not quite as many as they had to go out and get in the middle of last year.
6) MLB Power Rankings: Boston Red Sox
If Swanson’s turnaround has impressed fans in Atlanta, what the Boston Red Sox are doing should have people in New England cheering all night. It wasn’t all that long ago they felt like they were headed toward becoming massive trade deadline sellers. Now, they are in a position to finish with one of the best records in baseball.
This team can score a ton of runs and also outpitch their opponent. The fact that Nick Pivetta and Michael Wacha have been two of their most consistent pitchers this year is quite amazing. To compete with the only other American League teams ahead of them in this week’s MLB Power Rankings, they will need to have a busy trade deadline. Otherwise, a little too much faith might be put into guys who haven’t done it before.