MLB Power Rankings: Bull market Braves, Black Monday for the Twins

5) MLB Power Rankings: St. Louis Cardinals

Take the St. Louis Cardinals seriously. Do not sleep on this team. They are not the same ball club that spent the first few months chasing the Brewers in the National League Central. Jordan Montgomery and Jose Quintana have given their rotation a lot more credibility.

A nice balance of pitching and hitting should make Cardinals a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs. They have a smooth ride in capturing their division and there really is only a slim chance their number three seed changes. A sneaky advantage for them to take their foot off the gas if they please, consider them a more subtle favorite to win the National League pennant.

4) MLB Power Rankings: Atlanta Braves

It’s the Atlanta Braves who deserve a 3.5 number on this week’s MLB Power Ranking but settle for fourth. They captured the National League East lead with a win on Friday after a loss by New York but did lose it the very next day.  We should expect the two teams to exchange leads until the final bell of the year.

The Braves are charging hard right now with an obvious goal to become back-to-back champions. They’ll have a couple of tough teams to get through and the division is far from won. It could be for the best. There’s a lot of character the Braves can consume with challenges ahead.

3) MLB Power Rankings: New York Mets

What the New York Mets have done is not collapse. They were simply caught temporarily. Not taking advantage of a weak September schedule early is partly to blame. So is having a really good club breathing down their necks.

The biggest flaw on the Mets right now is their lack of consistent hitting. The lineup is short and many of their trade deadline deals look as flawed as can be. They’ve been regularly near the top of the MLB Power Rankings this year. This week, they barely hold off the Braves.

2) MLB Power Rankings: Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers still have the best record in baseball. Why aren’t they number one in the MLB Power Rankings? They don’t seem quite like themselves.

The Dodgers feel beatable in the playoffs. Both the Mets and Braves can handle them. Even the Cardinals could put up a successful fight against this ball club. Other than the 2020 season, something has gotten in the way of the Dodgers becoming champions. This year, a first round by would be an easy excuse.

1) MLB Power Rankings: Houston Astros

Finally, the Houston Astros are No. 1 in the MLB Power Rankings. They’ve been as high as No. 2 regularly. This week, it was time to reward them for consistent play and also having the easiest road to the World Series.

No American League club compares to the Astros. The Dodgers have three teams that seem more than capable of beating them even with a best effort. The Astros, with the pitching and hitting to get the job done, have the most strength in the MLB Power Rankings at the moment. Will it last into next week?