Each week, The California Post will power rank MLB’s 30 teams and check in on one intriguing awards race. Here is this week’s edition (records through Saturday morning):
1) Dodgers (49-27)
The Dodgers have climbed back to No. 1 in both these power rankings and MLB’s win total. It has hardly even mattered that they’ve been without two top starters (Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow) as well as two All-Star hitters (Will Smith and Teoscar Hernández) lately. That should do wonders for the “Dodgers are ruining baseball” narrative. (Last week: 2nd)
2) Braves (47-27)
The Braves are out of the top spot after finally hitting a rough patch in their season, dropping consecutive series to the lowly Mets and Giants. At least Drake Baldwin is back from the IL. (Last week: 1st)
3) Yankees (46-28)
Gerrit Cole is back like he never left, posting a 2.57 ERA in five starts since returning from Tommy John surgery. It has helped the Yankees open up a bit of a lead in the AL East again. (Last week: 3rd)
4) Brewers (45-28)
Thanks in no small part to the 15 strikeouts in his first career shutout last week, Jacob Misiorowski is now 22 strikeouts clear of anyone else for the MLB lead. Last year, he was a symbolic addition to the All-Star Game. This year, he might be the starting pitcher for the National League team. (Last week: 4th)
5) Phillies (40-35)
For all the improvements the Phillies have made since their dismal start to the season, their outfield remains a concern — even more so now that Adolis García is done for the year. They couldn’t fix that problem this winter. They’ll likely need to at the deadline. (Last week: 5th)
6) Cardinals (40-34)
We highlighted Dustin May in this space last week. Then he turned around and threw the first shutout of his career. His one-year, $12.5 million deal is quickly looking like one of the best pieces of business from this past winter. And it’s helping the Cardinals mount an unexpected push for the playoffs. (Last week: 7th)
7) Rays (42-30)
The Rays are still scuffling, highlighted by getting swept by the Dodgers this past week in which they lost three consecutive one-run games. They might be on #RegressionToTheMean watch. (Last week: 6th)
8) Mariners (39-38)
Huge sigh of relief, as Julio Rodriguez missed only one game with a hamstring spasm. Still, after a hot finish to May, they’ve gone right back to being meh in June. (Last week: 8th)
9) White Sox (39-35)
Rate Field might be the most average ballpark in the majors. But the atmosphere has been October-esque of late, especially during a series win over the Dodgers last week that continued the club’s surprise season. (Last week: 9th)
10) Cubs (40-36)
As the Cubs try to drag themselves out of a midseason slump, few players will be more important than Pete Crow-Armstrong, who hit for the cycle this week. Good thing his immediately getting picked off after achieving the feat didn’t cost the Cubs. (Last week: 11th)
11) Guardians (40-36)
It’s gut-check time in Cleveland, with face of the franchise José Ramírez set to miss up to six weeks with a hamate fracture. We thought we were done with these injuries back in the spring. (Last week: 10th)
12) Pirates (38-38)
From the nerdy stats department: Pirates manager Don Kelly has the second-best “Adjusted Manager Decision Success Rate” … whatever that means. (Last week: 12th)
13) Diamondbacks (39-36)
GM Mike Hazen said the Dbacks are “planning on buying” at the trade deadline. With pitchers Ryne Nelson and Mike Soroka both going down with injuries this week, they’ll have no other choice to stay in the wild-card picture. (Last week: 13th)
14) Padres (38-36)
The Padres keep sliding, now 9-18 since briefly taking over first place from the Dodgers a month ago. On the bright side, it might force GM A.J. Preller to get creative at the trade deadline — a task he never shies away from. (Last week: 14th)
15) Blue Jays (37-39)
Much like the Blue Jays this season, Max Scherzer has regressed again by landing back on the injured list. A brutal season of pitching injuries in Toronto continues. (Last week: 15th)
16) Nationals (39-37)
With the season at the halfway point, the Nationals remain just a game out of a wild-card spot, which might make them the most surprising playoff contender so far this year. (Last week: 17th)
17) Marlins (38-38)
With the season at the halfway point, the Marlins remain just two games out of a wild-card spot, which might make them the second-most surprising playoff contender so far this year. (Last week: 19th)
18) Athletics (38-38)
Nick Kurtz is quickly becoming one of the most anonymous stars in the majors. With seven home runs in his last 13 games, he now ranks first in the American League in RBIs and third in OPS. (Last week: 16th)
19) Twins (36-41)
We are bumping the Twins up this week because, unlike the other disappointments below them, they were supposed to be bad. Instead, they are merely mediocre and still within sniffing distance of a wild-card spot. (Last week: 25th)
20) Astros (35-41)
Speaking of teams hanging on in the playoff race, the Astros remain just a couple games back now. For most of this year, they’ve looked like likely sellers. But with a 15-10 mark over their last 25 games, maybe they can be aggressive after all. (Last week: 22nd)
21) Rangers (36-39)
We’re officially out on the Rangers, who just lost back-to-back series against the Red Sox and Twins … in a sweep! (Last week: 18th)
22) Reds (35-39)
Hunter Greene is finally back out on a rehab assignment. But his impending return might be too late for still-slumping Cincinnati. (Last week: 20th)
23) Orioles (35-42)
Cal Ripken is reportedly taking on a hands-on role with the Orioles in player development. Given the way the last couple years have gone, they could use the help. (Last week: 21st)
24) Mets (34-41)
Good news: Juan Soto is in the NL lead for OPS. Bad news: It’s doing little to turn the Mets’ season around. (Last week: 23rd)
25) Royals (32-45)
It appears that the Algerian national team is more popular in the Kansas City area than the Royals are now. Too bad neither team is very good. (Last week: 26th)
26) Tigers (31-44)
Tarik Skubal said this week the Tigers better turn things around … “or else.” With the club just 2-3 since his return, we’ll take the “or else” and say Skubal will wear a different uniform come the trade deadline. (Last week: 28th)
27) Giants (31-44)
In the last two years, the Giants have added three nine-figure contracts to their books with Matt Chapman, Willy Adames and Rafael Devers. Now, they are reportedly open to trading all of them. Bad times for Buster Posey, the executive. (Last week: 27th)
28) Red Sox (30-43)
If a bunch of drunk Scottish fans can’t save this disastrous Red Sox season, no one will. (Last week: 24th)
29) Angels (30-47)
Remember the “Adjusted Manager Decision” metric thingy? Well, like most things with the Angels, new skipper Kurt Suzuki does not grade out well. And now, he has to deal with Mike Trout being on the injured list, too. (Last week: 30th)
30) Rockies (29-47)
New regime, same results for the Rockies, who have MLB’s worst record and run differential. Weren’t things supposed to go a little better than this? (Last week: 29th)
Award Tracker: National League Cy Young
1) Jacob Misiorowski, Brewers (8-3, 1.45 ERA, 93 innings, 138 strikeouts, 0.75 WHIP)
Coming off the greatest game of his young career, Misiorowski was beaten by the Braves on Friday night but still threw 47 pitches that were clocked at 101 mph or faster, the most counted in a game by baseball’s Statcast system. Misiorowski gave up two runs in six innings to the Braves but struck out seven.
2) Cristopher Sanchez, Phillies (8-3, 1.82 ERA, 99 innings, 116 strikeouts, 1.09 WHIP)
Second in the NL in innings pitched, Sanchez was uncharacteristically beat up the Brewers on June 14, giving up four runs and eight hits in 5 ⅔ innings. “Everything was off today,” Sanchez told reporters. The start was Sanchez’s shortest since April 23.
3) Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers (7-2, 1.47 ERA, 73 ⅔ innings, 78 strikeouts, 0.88 WHIP)
First 64 innings this season: five earned runs allowed. Last 9 ⅔ innings: seven earned runs allowed. Possible reason: a sore left knee. Another possible reason: a blister on the inside of his middle finger. Either way, those are the kind of results that, given his low innings total, he simply can’t afford to stay in this race.
