MLB Power Rankings: Astros are alive again, Padres need an amen
By Tim Boyle
15) MLB Power Rankings: Los Angeles Angels
The definition of a .500 baseball. The Los Angeles Angels have the capacity to win 90 games and settle for around 70. They’re two games over the .500 mark today and in the middle of the MLB Power Rankings. Likely to settle for a wild card spot at best, there’s no rest for this ball club in 2023. Their division is a whole lot tougher and if they want to give Shohei Ohtani even an ounce of doubt about leaving, they’ll need to get him to the playoffs.
14) MLB Power Rankings: New York Mets
This has been a strange month for the New York Mets. They lost the games they should’ve won. They won the ones they could’ve lost. Some different bats and improvements from the starting pitchers are the reason for this. If Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander can be the studs they’re paying them to be, we may want to all scrub any of those negative Mets takes from a few weeks ago.
13) MLB Power Rankings: Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers starting rotation hasn’t been good enough to win the division and their offense has been mediocre enough to keep them in the running for first place in a tight division. A weekend series against the Tampa Bay Rays who lost two straight to the New York Mets forced Milwaukee to play a team with vengeance on their minds. The Brewers have yet to truly define what their season will look like. With the St. Louis Cardinals playing some better baseball of late, they’ll need to choose to start winning.
12) MLB Power Rankings: Pittsburgh Pirates
How the mighty have fallen, or have they? The waters have gotten cold for the Pittsburgh Pirates this month and yet they are very much alive in the National League Central race. They can thank a division of other teams that seem disinterested in making it to the postseason. You’re correct in having your doubts about this ball club. On a positive note, Mitch Keller has arrived and the bullpen is one of the best in the game. The lineup could use more punch and the rotation would benefit from an upgrade.
11) MLB Power Rankings: Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are playing like they believe in themselves. Even if the starting rotation is two pitchers deep, they hold onto the second-place spot in the National League West. If we’re being honest, they’re not quite ready to win a championship. Earning a wild card spot, however, could be good for them. It’s a year of obvious progress out of this ball club.