This week’s MLB Power Rankings looks at the worst-case scenario for all 30 MLB teams.
What’s the worst that can happen? It’s a question we’ve all asked ourselves at one point or another in our lives. Whether we were preparing to jump off a roof to impress someone or worked up the will to tell our bosses how we really feel, the worst-case scenario is something everyone endures. This week’s MLB Power Rankings will take a look at some of those worst-case scenarios for each MLB team.
Ranked on a mix of devastation for the franchise and the likelihood of it happening, these are some of the worst things that can realistically happen.
30) MLB Power Rankings: Houston Astros miss the playoffs
It’s not so bad for the Houston Astros to miss the playoffs in 2023. The defending champions will want to do more than play out a lousy 162-game schedule. However, if all they come away with in this current era is a championship in 2017 and 2022, it’s all good. The least powerful worst-case scenario of all belongs to the Astros.
29) MLB Power Rankings: Oakland Athletics lose 121 games
A lot of bad things could happen with the Oakland Athletics. Staying put in Oakland is one of them, although we can argue the loyal fans deserve to have a team. The worst thing they can do is lose a record 121 games. Oakland can finish last and should probably hope so to get the number one pick in next year’s draft. They don’t need to go out there setting any records.
28) MLB Power Rankings: Washington Nationals are sold to the wrong owner
The Washington Nationals are another ball club on the verge of some major changes. Getting sold wouldn’t be terrible. Ending up in the wrong hands would be devastating. At this point of the organization’s history, it needs to end up with an ownership group with a desire to spend. Competing in the National League East is tough enough. Try doing it with a small payroll. It hasn’t worked out so well for the Miami Marlins in recent years.
27) MLB Power Rankings: San Francisco Giants finish last in the NL West
It’s not unbelievable to see the San Francisco Giants finish last in the National League West. Their offseason was okay. They needed much more to be a serious contender. In a roundabout way, maybe such a horrific finish would be the best thing for them. It could be the motivating factor for the club to finalize some major additions next winter.
26) MLB Power Rankings: Cincinnati Reds make no progress
This is a year of progress for the Cincinnati Reds. It doesn’t necessarily need to translate in the standings. They can finish dead-last and have a successful year. The worst-case scenario is realizing none of their prospects are any good and the rebuild is going to take another decade. With an owner unwilling to sell or spend, Reds fans might be shifting over to the Cleveland Guardians if this lasts too long.
25) MLB Power Rankings: Milwaukee Brewers trade Corbin Burnes
Yes, it’s going to break some hearts if the Milwaukee Brewers trade Corbin Burnes. It’s better than riding it out and finishing just outside of the playoffs every year. Burnes is one of the most important players on the Brewers roster. The worst-case scenario is a little deeper than just trading him. Trading him and not getting anything good in return is the nightmare.
24) MLB Power Rankings: San Diego Padres players don’t get along
Can’t we all just get along? The San Diego Padres seem like a ticking time bomb. Manny Machado yelling at Fernando Tatis Jr. in 2021 is way too fresh even if there was a full run to the NLCS in between. With plenty of new personalities brought in and a lot on the line, the worst thing the Padres can do is get in their own way because the players don’t get along.
23) MLB Power Rankings: Miami Marlins get nothing back for their pitching
The Miami Marlins did trade Pablo Lopez to the Minnesota Twins for Luis Arraez. If the defending American League batting champion isn’t good for them, it’s going to set them back. In fact, it already feels like a questionable trade. Miami sent two prospects along with Lopez to Minnesota. What were they thinking? This feels like a trade that can help get them to a .490 winning percentage at best. This worst-case scenario might already be underway.
22) MLB Power Rankings: Philadelphia Phillies really miss Bryce Harper
The absence of Bryce Harper may weigh heavily on the Philadelphia Phillies in the early part of the 2023 season. Overcoming this is important to get back to the playoffs and maybe win a championship. If missing him is too much to overcome we might see them begin to gut the team with players like Aaron Nola and Rhys Hoskins traded mid-year.
21) MLB Power Rankings: Boston Red Sox make more bad trades
The Boston Red Sox did redeem themselves a little bit this offseason after letting Xander Bogaerts depart. The Rafael Devers extension brings some renewed faith to the organization, but results from the Mookie Betts trade a few years ago linger. The Red Sox still feel like they’re behind others in the American League East. The worst thing that can happen is they make another horrific trade for players who never pan out. We’ll have to wait a few seasons to fully understand how bad it is.
20) MLB Power Rankings: St. Louis Cardinals see Paul Goldschmidt suddenly decline
The St. Louis Cardinals are holding onto many of their best young players, but it could be a mistake if suddenly Paul Goldschmidt goes on the decline. This isn’t a team completely reliant on the reigning National League MVP. However, while he’s playing this well, they need to win a championship. Nobody may be better built to begin a dynasty more than them right now.
19) MLB Power Rankings: Detroit Tigers make no progress toward the future
One of several teams who simply need to make progress, the Detroit Tigers are stuck in the basement with very little light. They don’t need to contend this year nor should we expect it. Some sign of improvement is what the Tigers need to give their fans. Sports in Detroit aren’t very good these days. The Tigers are a big reason for it.
18) MLB Power Rankings: Kansas City Royals make no progress toward the future
Much of what was said about the Detroit Tigers applies to the Kansas City Royals, too. The only difference is the Royals fans can pivot to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Royals don’t have a Patrick Mahomes, though. Finding some sort of progress toward discovering who they are and what they can do is the mission of this season.
17) MLB Power Rankings: Chicago Cubs waste another offseason
The Chicago Cubs have been slowly rebuilding. This offseason included a few more risks with additions like Cody Bellinger to the roster. The worst thing for them is a lot of wasted money on players who simply weren’t good enough to deserve it. The Cubs have continued to sign free agents during this phase of the team’s history. Until they start winning, it’s questionable as to why they keep buying players.
16) MLB Power Rankings: Baltimore Orioles are worse than last season
A lack of major improvements might have the Baltimore Orioles going in the wrong direction. They courageously made a late-season run at a playoff berth only to come up just shy of a spot. The worst thing for them is to revert back to their old ways. This was supposed to be a year where they do make the postseason. Falling short when they have this many good bats already would feel like a real waste.
15) MLB Power Rankings: New York Mets can’t buy a playoff spot
The New York Mets are hoping to buy their way into the postseason. Steve Cohen’s fat wallet has added countless players to the MLB roster over the last two seasons. Unfortunately, the team has a target on their back and may not be able to buy themselves into the playoffs. A lack of clubs willing to make deals with them at the trade deadline for anything short of a robbery could be what leads them to miss the postseason entirely. It’s like paying for a fancy meal you don’t even get to eat.
14) MLB Power Rankings: Tampa Bay Rays signing of Zach Eflin is a bust
Zach Eflin is pretty important to the Tampa Bay Rays. Not only are they hoping he can pitch well for them, him becoming a bust may simply make the front office reconsider signing another free agent for good money ever again. The Rays should compete in their own weird way. Without Eflin being a big part of it, we may never see another significant contract handed out by the Rays ever again.
13) MLB Power Rankings: Texas Rangers rotation is a dud
You could make the case this could be at the top of the MLB Power Rankings this week. For all of the money the Texas Rangers have spent on their rotation, it has to be elite, right? Injury concerns for Jacob deGrom, Andrew Heaney, and Nathan Eovaldi could have things crashing down early. The Rangers underperformed last year. Nobody’s jaw will drop if it happens again.
12) MLB Power Rankings: Arizona Diamondbacks watch Zac Gallen turn into a pumpkin
The Arizona Diamondback should have a lot invested in Zac Gallen becoming one of the better pitchers in the league. He dazzled late last season and should be even better in 2023. The worst-case for them is seeing their budding young ace turn into a pumpkin. Plenty of pitchers have looked like studs one year and lost it the very next.
11) MLB Power Rankings: Toronto Blue Jays suffer a major injury or two
This could be the year when the Toronto Blue Jays piece it all together. The only thing that seems capable of stopping them is one bad postseason series or some major injuries. They’re fully loaded with a mix of veterans and young players. They’ve continued to come up short when it matters most. Blue Jays fans should be hoping the worst-case scenario is already behind them.
10) MLB Power Rankings: Cleveland Guardians are a one-man lineup
Jose Ramirez is easily the best hitter on the Cleveland Guardians. He got some help last year from some unexpected sources. Andres Gimenez and Steven Kwan were a fun pair. If they regress and newcomer Josh Bell is more like his San Diego Padres self from last year than the player he was with the Washington Nationals, the Guardians could be looking at a one-man lineup. They won’t go far under those circumstances.
9) MLB Power Rankings: Chicago White Sox rebuild begins
The Chicago White Sox weren’t nearly aggressive enough this offseason. Andrew Benintendi and Mike Clevinger aren’t nearly good enough to lift them to the next level. It’s okay for fans to already feel like the worst-case scenario has begun. It would be for a rebuild on the horizon. It seems like they just went through one. With many of their young players not reaching the potential and several older ones nearing free agency, it’s an unfortunate path the White Sox could head down.
8) MLB Power Rankings: Colorado Rockies rebuild doesn’t begin
On the topic of rebuilds, the Colorado Rockies actually need one. It doesn’t need to be extensive. However, trades candidates like Charlie Blackmon, C.J. Cron, and Randal Grichuk are sitting there waiting for the highest bidder. The Rockies haven’t been able to figure out their pitching. Even the wisest scientists probably couldn’t help. Colorado doesn’t need to completely gut the roster. They just need to be smart and sell.
7) MLB Power Rankings: Atlanta Braves collapse in September
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. The Atlanta Braves are hoping this doesn’t apply to them. They’ve had bragging rights for two straight years when the New York Mets collapsed in September. Feeling confident in themselves right now, the worst-case scenario would be for the same to happen to them. Making it worse, the collapse also includes the Philadelphia Phillies passing them.
6) MLB Power Rankings: New York Yankees lose in the ALCS again
Another New York Yankees loss in the ALCS is devastating. And we know exactly who eliminates them. Yet again, the rival Houston Astros arrive to deliver a gut punch to the Yankees in this worst-case scenario. It’s one of the most predictable outcomes in the sport.
5) MLB Power Rankings: Pittsburgh Pirates immediately lose the Bryan Reynolds trade
Bryan Reynolds needs to get traded eventually. When the Pittsburgh Pirates finally discover the deal they want, the worst-case scenario results in Pittsburgh immediately losing the trade. Whatever that entails, maybe a devastating injury or a young prospect never getting higher than Double-A, the worst outcome for the Pirates is to actually do what they should (trade Reynolds) and fail to make the most of it.
4) MLB Power Rankings: Minnesota Twins have Carlos Correa regrets
The Carlos Correa saga this winter ultimately led him back to the Minnesota Twins. Despite injury concerns from two other ball clubs, the Twins agreed to welcome him back. The worst thing for them after such a horrible collapse last summer and being the one team who would sign Correa is for his leg to give out and the deal to go sour in year one.
3) MLB Power Rankings: Seattle Mariners are exposed as frauds
The Seattle Mariners finally made it to the postseason in 2022. Getting exposed as frauds who never deserved to get there in the first place would be their worst-case scenario. Sadly, with many teams in the American League getting better this offseason, the Mariners won’t have an easy road. In their own division there are four clubs that could realistically make the postseason. After a somewhat lighter offseason in terms of free agent signings, Mariners fans might already feel like they’ll have October free again.
2) MLB Power Rankings: Los Angeles Angels let Shohei Ohtani down
There are a lot of best-case scenarios for the Los Angeles Angels. The worst is definitely to let Shohei Ohtani down. They can do this in a couple of ways. Failing to make the postseason is one. The other is trading him and not getting enough in return. The absolute worst, however, might be not trading him at the deadline and then losing him in free agency after not even getting to the playoffs. It’s a triple threat of despair.
1) MLB Power Rankings: Los Angeles Dodgers lose another controversial World Series
The Los Angeles Dodgers did win the 2020 World Series but they lost enough others with some controversy around them. If the Dodgers did make it to the World Series again this year, any rumors about the American League team cheating would be crushing. Nobody deserves a trophy for being the best team in the regular season. The Dodgers want more. Having it stolen away is the worst outcome for them.