MLB Power Rankings: 10 teams most desperate to win the 2023 World Series
By Tim Boyle
6. MLB Power Rankings: Cleveland Guardians
There hasn’t been a championship in Cleveland for its Major League Baseball team since 1948. It almost happened in 2016. Then came the Chicago Cubs with an even longer drought they needed to end.
The Cleveland Guardians don’t have long to win with the current roster. The way they tend to work is that as soon as players get into a position where they make too much money, they’re gone. While they have Jose Ramirez playing at an MVP level, Shane Bieber dominating on the mound, and players like Andres Gimenez growing into stars, they need to strike.
Such a long World Series drought definitely puts pressure on the Guardians to win the 2023 World Series. Coming one win away from a trip to the ALCS this past year only adds to the desperation before they subtract more talent and attempt to successfully reload.
5. MLB Power Rankings: Milwaukee Brewers
The World Series drought in Cleveland is tough to match. What about a team like the Milwaukee Brewers that has never won it all? The Brewers had a great chance in 2021 and blew their opportunity during the 2022 regular season. Urgency is rising.
Milwaukee operates in a similar way as Cleveland but not quite as frugally. Their chance to win with the pitching staff they had in 2021 and the offensive strength they showed in 2022 may have already passed. It’s unfortunate they couldn’t have both occurred at the same time.
The Brewers have never given their fans a World Series parade. The last time they even made it to the World Series was in 1982 when they lost to the now division rival St. Louis Cardinals.