MLB Power Rankings: Reality check for the Braves, White Sox digging their graves

5) MLB Power Rankings: Baltimore Orioles

It’s always fun when teams we didn’t expect to be this good are. The Baltimore Orioles tripped and fell out of the gate. Lately, they’ve been on fire. At 14-7 and riding a six-game winning streak, baseball in Baltimore is fun again for the first time since the end of last year. Not long enough of a drought? Let’s put it another way. When was the last time the Orioles were playing this well in April and there are realistic expectations for them to compete?

4) MLB Power Rankings: Texas Rangers

It’s lonely at the top except when you’re leading your division. Bruce Bochy’s ball club is playing well. Adolis Garcia cannot stop driving in runs. Some of the numbers may be shaky, however, the Rangers do have a nice balance of offense and pitching. The bullpen has been an early strength of the team and aided in any struggles the stacked rotation has fought its way through. After last year’s disappointment, it turned out all the Rangers needed was to actually spend some money on starting pitchers.

3) MLB Power Rankings: Pittsburgh Pirates

It feels silly to put the Pittsburgh Pirates this high on the MLB Power Rankings. They feel like a case of “it’s too early to believe” and yet here they are in the number three spot. Yes, they’ll probably come back to Earth eventually. What if they never do? If the Pirates are savvy enough to get to the trade deadline alive and well, some smart moves can bolster the pitching staff and lineup to give them the kind of run the Baltimore Orioles had last year. The safer bet is to expect them to hit a cold streak. Until they do, enjoy this. They’re the winners of seven straight. The Bucs are back.

2) MLB Power Rankings: Milwaukee Brewers

The real important thing for the Milwaukee Brewers is to keep winning. The National League Central looked like it would be a race between them and the St. Louis Cardinals again. This hasn’t been the case with the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates providing the most competition. The Brewers have beaten up on some good ball clubs this year even without the starting rotation pitching at an elite level. They’ve been well-balanced. No one on the roster will win an MVP. This may actually work best. Teams cannot pitch around anyone. It’s worth noting they are a half-game behind the Pirates entering Monday. It just wasn’t enough for them to fall out of second in the MLB Power Rankings.

1) MLB Power Rankings: Tampa Bay Rays

From the Oakland Athletics at the bottom to the Tampa Bay Rays at the top of the MLB Power Rankings. Two clubs notorious for not being able to draw a crowd or having the willingness to spend a lot of money, they couldn’t be in two more different places this season. The Rays don’t have anyone on their roster we’d expect to lead the league in home runs. They’re getting them in bunches instead. Injuries to the pitching staff may cause them to come back down to earth, but if they’re going to have a lineup of guys who can score at will, Tampa Bay will be just fine. They’ve won 5 straight and hold an astonishing 19-3 record.