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MLB Power Rankings: Braves running up that hill, White Sox stuck in the upside down

By Tim Boyle

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JUNE 30: Michael Harris II #23 of the Atlanta Braves is congratulated by Adam Duvall #14 after hitting a two-run home run during the fifth inning of a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on June 30, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies defeated the Braves 14-4. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JUNE 30: Michael Harris II #23 of the Atlanta Braves is congratulated by Adam Duvall #14 after hitting a two-run home run during the fifth inning of a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on June 30, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies defeated the Braves 14-4. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /
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MLB Power Rankings
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 29: Riley Greene #31 of the Detroit Tigers looks on from the dugout prior to the start of the game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on June 29, 2022 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

25. MLB Power Rankings: Detroit Tigers

It’s fair to put the Detroit Tigers lower on the MLB Power Rankings this week and yet they somehow find a way to smuggle a place at 25. How did they do it? Their pitching staff deserves a lot of credit. Unlike so many of the other clubs at the bottom, they are pretty decent at preventing runs.

However, they can’t score. That has been their issue all year. Nobody has scored fewer runs than the 2022 Tigers. It has taken away any opportunity to brag about having one of the league’s best bullpens.

24. MLB Power Rankings: Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs haven’t been a disappointment this year because if you thought they would do much more than they have you would have bought into everything they added in the offseason. This is a team in need of a more serious rebuild before they can accomplish anything worthwhile.

Fortunately, they should kick off the next steps of this rebuild very soon. This includes trading Willson Contreras and David Robertson. They also need to shop Ian Happ and Kyle Hendricks. The Cubs will not be a good team next season either. It’s time to acknowledge this and start to find some good young players again.

23. MLB Power Rankings: Colorado Rockies

The Colorado Rockies have started to hit a little more again with several players over the .250 mark. Charlie Blackmon has settled in nicely as a regular DH and C.J. Cron continues to be one of the better power hitters in the National League.

The Coors Field curse lives on, though. The pitching hasn’t been particularly swell. The Rockies have and will always continue to have trouble attracting free agent starting pitchers. Developing them is apparently a struggle, too. How much is it really about the thin Denver air and how much is purely on reputation of the ballpark?

22. MLB Power Rankings: Baltimore Orioles

The mighty have fallen. Last week, the Baltimore Orioles were in the teens on the MLB Power Rankings. This week, they’re back into the 20s where they rightfully belong.

The worst team in the league’s best division, it’s going to be a challenge for Baltimore to take the next step forward. However, they seem to have a few good pieces. It’ll be important for them to keep this young core together. Add some starting pitching to this year’s group and bring in one big bat, this Orioles club could have been something special.

21. MLB Power Rankings: Arizona Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks bats are coming to life a little more. Power-hitting first baseman Christian Walker has been a nice slugger for them all year. Everyone else has done little to showcase what they can do at the plate.

It is another off-year for the Diamondbacks who rode through the first few weeks on the backs of some good starting pitching. While it hasn’t completely fallen off, they don’t have the makings of being able to pull off a second-half run. This team is too inexperienced.

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