MLB Power Rankings: Week 9
12 - Seattle Mariners (28-26)
After a slow start to the season, the Mariners have been playing much better as of late. They needed to in order to keep pace in a very competitive AL West. Led by Cy Young contender Luis Castillo, Seattle is a very good pitching team. They have struggled to maintain consistency on the offensive side but they have a ton of talent there that could get hot at any time.
11 - Los Angeles Angels (29-26)
After sweeping the Red Sox, the Angels got swept in return by the Marlins. This seems like this is how most of the season will be, very up and down. They have managed to be just above the .500 mark most of the season which has kept them in the hunt but they need to find another gear to secure a postseason spot.
10 - Minnesota Twins (28-26)
The Twins got a much needed productive return from Royce Lewis, who had 4 RBIs in his first game back from an ACL injury. Lewis is projected to be a staple in their lineup for the foreseeable future and with how much the offense has struggled, it was a great sign to see him produce.
9 - Boston Red Sox (28-25)
The Red Sox continue to stay out of the cellar of the AL East. However, they, much like most of the teams in the bottom half of the rankings, have some weaknesses in their roster that will force them to be inconsistent. The pitching of this team is a wild card and you just don’t know what you’re going to get on a nightly basis.
8 - Arizona Diamondbacks (31-23)
Arizona continues to keep pace with the Dodgers, sitting just a 1.5 game back of first place. A surprise unsung hero on the pitching staff is Merrill Kelly, who in 11 starts is 6-3 with a 2.83 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. He and Zac Gallen gives the snakes a legit 1-2 punch in the rotation.
7 - New York Yankees (33-23)
The Yankees had a decent week, going 3-3 against the Orioles and Padres. Aaron Judge continues to prove he is one of, if not the, best player in baseball. With the Rays and Orioles really taking hold of the division, the Yankees are going to need the tides to turn quite a bit for any hope of a division title.
6 - Houston Astros (31-22)
Jose Abreu finally got his first home run in an Astros uniform against the A’s. The offense has slowly started to improve after a rough start. That’s something the rest of the league should fear as we all know how good this team is with all parts of their game clicking.
5 - Atlanta Braves (32-22)
Not the best week for the Braves. They lost a series to the Dodgers and then split a series with the Phillies. Should be nothing to worry about as all teams have tough weeks. But with how well some of the top teams on this list are playing, Atlanta slips a bit this week.
4 - Los Angeles Dodgers (33-22)
The Dodgers had a pretty decent week on the road, going 3-3 against the Braves and Rays. We saw the debut of top pitching prospect, Bobby Miller, who was electrifying in his start against the Braves. If he can step up to be a beast in the rotation, that would be a huge boost to a depleted starting pitching staff.
3 - Baltimore Orioles (34-20)
The Orioles are playing fantastic team baseball. The years of rebuilding and cultivating a team culture is really starting to pay off. This group plays with confidence and purpose and they deserve the recognition as a top team in the league.
2 - Texas Rangers (34-19)
Speaking of years of rebuilding paying off, the Rangers are also finally seeing the fruits of their labor. They have also spent a lot of money on free agents but they have paired that well with home-grown talent. Corey Seager has looked great in his return. Texas, along with the top team on this list, are the only teams in baseball that rank in the top 5 in both pitching and hitting.
1 - Tampa Bay Rays (39-17)
The Rays continue to hold the top spot on these rankings. It’s going to take a lot to take them down. Last week, they won both series against the Blue Jays and Dodgers at home. They can beat you in a lot of different ways and have no signs of slowing down.