The MLB season might be winding down but the MLB Power Rankings continue to have some big changes.
We’ve nearly reached the midway point of September which means time is running out of those last-second pushes to make the postseason. The MLB Power Rankings tell the story of what could lie ahead for those clubs with postseason aspirations.
Like the US stock market, there has been plenty of volatility throughout the year. But unlike our retirement portfolios, there is an ending in sight. Less than a month remains for miracles and collapses to finalize.
With plenty of movement in the MLB standings at the top of several divisions and within the wild cards, here is how the MLB Power Rankings look this week.
30) MLB Power Rankings: Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics were the first American League team eliminated from the postseason this year. It’s about time. The inevitable happened. Death, taxes, and the 2022 Athletics seeing their hopes and dreams shattered—all guarantees.
The Athletics aren’t finishing off the year strong. Unlike some of the other worst teams in baseball, finding positive things to say about their future is difficult. We know anyone who does play well in these final days might just become trade fodder in the offseason.
29) MLB Power Rankings: Washington Nationals
Maybe the Washington Nationals aren’t the worst team in baseball this season after all. They may not even finish with the worst record in the National League. While still placed in at number 29 in this week’s MLB Power Rankings, at least we can break those chains on keeping them in at number 30.
The Nationals have managed to pick up some wins recently to help them come a little closer to a few of those other teams near the bottom of the MLB Power Rankings. With some appearances from young players as well, at least they aren’t wasting time on becoming a credible organization again—as long as it may take.
28) MLB Power Rankings: Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are the biggest challengers to take the crown away from the Nationals as the worst team in the league. Even if they have spoiled a few games against World Series contenders recently, this is a very bad ball club.
There might not be a team in baseball in more need of an ownership change. This classic ball club with a beautiful stadium and rich history needs to try a little more. We can’t blame the players. They are inexperienced. It’s tiring to know on Opening Day that the Pirates have no hope of making the postseason.
27) MLB Power Rankings: Detroit Tigers
The Athletics, Nationals, and Pirates never stood a chance this year. The Detroit Tigers, on the other hand, did. Some of the worse offense possible ruined this. Javier Baez is the only player with a chance to reach 60 runs scored or drive in 60 and he is having a horrific season.
The Tigers are a mess and somehow managed to take a step backward when expectations were pushing them steps forward. There is a hopeful feeling for the future but this year didn’t do anything to help it. Regroup, reassess, and retry in 2023.
26) MLB Power Rankings: Kansas City Royals
It’s not even fun to tease the Kansas City Royals. The American League version of the Pirates, it’s hard to really say which organization is closer to relevancy. At least the Royals have Salvador Perez around to give fans a nostalgic feeling for 2015.
Brady Singer’s success on the mound is one of the small number of bright spots for this year’s Royals club. What they need to do is get aggressive in a future offseason and do what some of the other clubs in the division have. Although it may not have worked out for them this year, we can’t blame a team for trying.
25) MLB Power Rankings: Miami Marlins
There was a time in the history of the 2022 MLB Power Rankings when the Miami Marlins were routinely in the teens. Not anymore. They’ve gone off to college and are going for their doctorate this week with a number 25 spot.
The Marlins are a complete mess and it’s only going unnoticed because we have gotten used to it. Injuries played a factor but so did some dreadful offseason signings. Jorge Soler and Avisail Garcia were wasted money. A team with some nice young starting pitching and not much else will have a tough time competing in a division with big spenders.
24) MLB Power Rankings: Cincinnati Reds
Check the record books. This might be the highest placement the Cincinnati Reds have had all year in the MLB Power Rankings. Despite depleting the roster further at the trade deadline, they’re actually playing some competitive baseball.
The Reds are getting all of the growing pains out of the way that they can. It’s not always pretty but at least they seem to have a plan. Who would have thought that in April as they were unable to find wins anywhere that they’d actually be performing better than more than a couple of teams?
23) MLB Power Rankings: Texas Rangers
Not all that long ago the Texas Rangers were pushing toward .500 and a minimal threat to take a wild card spot. Not so much anymore. Their flaws are showing and resulting in lots of losses.
The Rangers actually do have a competent starting lineup with Nathaniel Lowe being one of the quiet breakout performers of the year. There’s a lot of power there. All they’re missing is a halfway decent pitching staff. If they’re going to continue to spend money, it should be loading up on the mound with starters and some more relievers.
22) MLB Power Rankings: Chicago Cubs
Exactly what lies ahead for the Chicago Cubs is unknown because of how they handled the trade deadline. The team didn’t completely sell every piece they had to offer contenders. There’s a chance Willson Contreras re-signs with the club and the team begins the next phase of the Cubs universe with him tagging along.
As far as 2022 goes, it’s about seeing who can be a regular in the future. Players like Christopher Morel and Franmil Reyes have shown positive signs for the future. The Cubs will need to look a lot differently than they do right now in order to have any shot in 2023. At least they should be able to carry over a couple of familiar names.
21) MLB Power Rankings: Colorado Rockies
Who are the real Colorado Rockies? They are probably much worse than their record says they are. The pitching is typical of what we have seen from past clubs. The offense has not been nearly good enough to help carry them.
C.J. Cron could finish with a monster 30 home runs and 100 RBI. It’s going to happen somewhat quietly because of how irrelevant it all has been. The Rockies do not look positioned to rebound next year even with a healthy Kris Bryant. They’re another one of those clubs that is just kind of there.
20) MLB Power Rankings: Los Angeles Angels
If you don’t have a rooting interest in the Los Angeles Angels, the most exciting thing about them is what they could get in return for Mike Trout or Shohei Ohtani this offseason. Those storylines should headline a lot of the chatter about the Angels in the offseason.
For now, it’s time for players to fatten up some statistics! Can Joe Adell finally begin to show that he belongs in the starting lineup? Is Taylor Ward’s successful year going to end more poorly than it began? As for the pitching, do they have something cooking with several talented young arms? As bad as their record says they are, players like Patrick Sandoval, Reid Detmers, and Jose Suarez could help change the narrative.
19) MLB Power Rankings: San Francisco Giants
Some of baseball’s sub-.500 ball clubs are there because they don’t have the pitching. Others lack the offense. The San Francisco Giants will not make the postseason because of the latter.
Joc Pederson’s early power surge has slowed down drastically. Without him swatting home runs, the Giants aren’t a very deep team at the plate. They do have decent pitching but could view this year’s failures as more motivation to sign a big bat in the offseason. If only there was a guy leading MLB in home runs from the area that is available in free agency. You be the “Judge” as to who this is referring to.
18) MLB Power Rankings: Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks have actually become an interesting ball club. Christian Walker’s power numbers have led the offense for most of the year with a little help from Daulton Varsho. However, it’s not those two that have caught the attention of the baseball world.
Outfielders Corbin Carroll and Stone Garrett have arrived to the major league roster and could see themselves joining an up-and-coming roster. The Diamondbacks might not have anything closer to the superstars as others within their division. Next year, though, they have good potential to do something similar to what the Baltimore Orioles have in 2022.
17) MLB Power Rankings: Boston Red Sox
Are the New England Patriots going to be good this year? Asking for Boston Red Sox fans everywhere. The team has laid an egg in 2022. It’s far easier to make excuses than to try to spin it with any positive light.
We were naïve to think the Red Sox would be very good at all even with injuries turned off. Bringing back Jackie Bradley Jr. was a huge mistake. Putting as much trust in Rich Hill for regular starts was asking for trouble. One could say the Red Sox are more of a .500 team than anything else. Their record says they’re far worse.
16) MLB Power Rankings: Minnesota Twins
This might be the biggest collapse of all in MLB this season. The Minnesota Twins were never viewed too favorably as a serious World Series contender. Despite adding Carlos Correa in the offseason and making big trade deadline moves, they’re going to be in a photo-finish for the American League Central at the end of the year.
Even if the Twins do manage to win the division, it will be by the skin of their teeth. Players like Chris Archer came back to earth as the season progressed. In a division that was left wide open for anyone to snatch, the biggest failure by Minnesota was not putting more distance between them and other contenders. Now they might not even make it to the postseason at all. Finishing at .500 could even end up becoming too high of a goal.
15) MLB Power Rankings: Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox move ahead of the Twins this week maybe only because they’ve maintained their barely above .500 ways all year while the Twins are spiraling downward. It’s a perspective thing.
The White Sox are very much alive in the playoff hunt which is astonishing to say the least. They aren’t very good but with some guys coming back healthy in recent weeks, their fortunes have turned. Compared to the Twins and even the Cleveland Guardians, they should be the top team on paper to win the division.
14) MLB Power Rankings: Milwaukee Brewers
Here’s another comparison between the two leagues. The Milwaukee Brewers are the National League version of the Twins. It’s so obvious. Both held leads in the Central for months only to see things take a drastic turn.
How it happened is much different. The Brewers had a questionably unproductive trade deadline where the best thing they did was get rid of Josh Hader but for what in return? The Brewers constantly had the St. Louis Cardinals breathing down their neck all year. However, a wild card seemed like a decent fallback. Instead, it’s looking like Milwaukee will not make it to the postseason at all.
13) MLB Power Rankings: Cleveland Guardians
One of the bigger surprises of the season is how well the Cleveland Guardians have played. Are they all that good? Their roster and the numbers would suggest that isn’t the case. When they need victories, like this past weekend when they took care of the Twins, they tend to step up.
For this team, making it to the postseason would be a lesson to the rest of the division. The White Sox began things cocky while the Twins and Tigers each made major moves to try to improve themselves. The Guardians barely did anything and somehow may still come away as the winners.
12) MLB Power Rankings: Baltimore Orioles
It seems like the Baltimore Orioles will have to settle for a strong effort in 2022. A wild card spot is just out of their reach with the teams ahead of them playing more consistently.
Coming up short isn’t such a bad way for the Orioles to finish the year. It could be a good lesson for the front office and learning experience for the players. Baltimore should already be expected to come back stronger than they have been for years. Their young core is fun. Sprinkle in some veteran talent and the rest of the American League East should start shaking.
11) MLB Power Rankings: Philadelphia Phillies
One of the weakest teams pushing toward the postseason is the Philadelphia Phillies. They’re only alive right now because of the third wild card spot. Incredibly flawed but capable of getting hot, the Phillies will need a healthy Zack Wheeler to have any chance to win a postseason series.
Philadelphia’s recent history of having a weak bullpen remains a constant fear for fans. The addition of David Robertson hasn’t been perfect. There’s a long road ahead for this team if they are able to secure a playoff spot.
10) MLB Power Rankings: San Diego Padres
Maybe the only reason why we think of the San Diego Padres more highly than the Phillies are the names on the roster. But consider this: is Juan Soto all that much better right now than a healthy Bryce Harper? With the way many of the Padres pitchers are playing, it’s no secret why they are also on the postseason bubble and not viewed as strongly as they used to be.
The Padres are still easier to fear than the Phillies because of guys like Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove in the rotation. The offense might not be too terrific but in the playoffs it’s pitching that will usually reign supreme.
9) MLB Power Rankings: Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are probably better suited to play in the postseason than the regular season. It’s because of their shallow starting rotation that only includes three reliable arms. In the playoffs, with the availability to get creative with someone like Jose Berrios, maybe he pitches better.
What makes Toronto a good team, though, is the threat they have at the plate. A few of their big sluggers might not be having the seasons we expected them to. A positive perspective on it: there are a lot of contributors with power and run production. The lineup runs deep and that’s important.
8) MLB Power Rankings: Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners bats are okay. It’s the pitching that should have fans excited. They have a deep rotation and bullpen. If the Mariners are going to do anything, it will be with some low-scoring games and maybe a few big hits.
We should still like their chances in the playoffs even if they play the underdog role. The Mariners don’t seem too caught up in simply ending their postseason drought. Enough time has passed where it will feel like a first-time thing. Their huge series win against the Atlanta Braves this weekend should not be overlooked.
7) MLB Power Rankings: Tampa Bay Rays
It remains a puzzle as to why the Tampa Bay Rays are as good as they are. Randy Arozarena is their best offensive player in just about every category. How is it that they are so scary?
The way Kevin Cash continues to handle his pitching staff is what makes the Rays a credible team and a thorn in the side of many. They will, however, need Shane McLanahan back and healthy to go far into the postseason. While the Blue Jays are better suited for the way playoff baseball is played, the Rays’ lone intention was to have a roster ready for smaller rotations, deeper bullpens, and role-players on offense ready for clutch moments.
6) MLB Power Rankings: New York Yankees
Don’t let the way the New York Yankees distract you from the fact that they will be in the playoffs and Aaron Judge is probably going to hit 60 home runs. The team is full of problems right now with injuries popping up daily.
Nobody seemed to hold the No. 1 spot in this year’s MLB Power Rankings longer than the Yankees. Was that just a dream? Was there some sort of sorcery involved? Most likely, they’re losing games to make up for ones they should have earlier in the year. Have faith, Yankees fans. This is still a very good team that just needs to get healthy.
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?