MLB POWER RANKINGS WEEK 15: ASTROS, RED SOX RISE IN JULY, YANKEES, MARINERS, ROYALS FALL

Who is the best MLB team? We’ve past the halfway point of the 2024 MLB season, with teams and the All-Star Break is closing in. With our latest MLB power rankings for Week 15 examine the best and worst MLB teams this season and where each team stands in July.

Let’s dive into our MLB power rankings for Week 15. Statistics via FanGraphs and ESPN.

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30. Chicago White Sox (30)

The Chicago White Sox are no longer on pace to be one of the worst MLB teams in the Modern ERa, nor are they particularly close to it. This is still the worst team in all of baseball, but it’s nice to see rookie pitcher Drew Thorpe showing early flashes of excellence.

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29. Colorado Rockies (28)

The chatter around the Colorado Rockies makes it pretty clear this team won’t be pursuing the level of selling it needs to at the trade deadline. It’s unfortunate for Colorado’s long-term outlook, especially with Ezequiel Tovar (.299 OBP) struggling this season. Since Ryan McMahon is sticking around in Colorado, our focus will be on whether or not the Rockies trade All-Star catcher Elias Diaz. Though, the return might be weak.

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28. Miami Marlins (27)

New week, same story. The Miami Marlins’ season has been a disaster, largely because many of the pitchers they were open to flipping this summer are on the injured list. The one thing we can’t explain is what caused Tim Anderson to fall off so quickly.

27. Los Angeles Angels (26)

The losing streak for the Los Angeles Angels should only increase the urgency to flip over this roster. Luis Rengifo is on the IL, but Los Angeles boasts plenty of trade candidates it can still shop in July. Although, the bigger concern is whether or not Los Angeles can develop its young talent in the minor leagues.

26. Oakland Athletics (29)

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25. Detroit Tigers (25)

There aren’t many positives that can be taken from the 2024 Detroit Tigers season. Riley Greene’s breakout (.868 OPS) is one of them and Detroit’s decision to sign Jack Flaherty will net quality prospects in a trade. With that said, there have been no real signs of progress from the Tigers for years now. At some point, organizational changes are necessary.

24. Toronto Blue Jays (24)

It’s just not happening in 2024 for the Toronto Blue Jays. What’s clear is that contributors like Justin Turner and Yusei Kikuchi are on the trade block, but the futures of Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr are uncertain. Considering the Blue Jays never got particularly close to World Series contention with this core, an all-out sale might be for the best.

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23. Texas Rangers (21)

We have to accept the Texas Rangers for what they are almost 90 games into the regular season. There seemed to be a glimmer of hope after the home sweep of the Kansas City Royals, but Texas went 3-8 in its next 11 games. There are still a few weeks that can dictate what direction the Rangers front office takes at the trade deadline, but a small sale might be for the best.

22. Chicago Cubs (22)

A brutal May and June decimated the Chicago Cubs’ playoff hopes. Now, rival clubs are scouting the Cubs roster ahead of the MLB trade deadline. There remains a chance that Chicago tries to add to its lineup, seeing if it can jump into the Wild Card race. It just might not be the right thing in the long term.

21. Washington Nationals (23)

The Washington Nationals are back in their descent well below the .500 mark, but at least James Wood is here. Wood and CJ Abrams are the sources for excitement in Washington right now, but we also have to acknowledge this team has been better than we expected in 2024.

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20. Pittsburgh Pirates (18)

The good news from this past week is that Paul Skenes is all but guaranteed a spot in the MLB All-Star Game. It’s well-deserved for a rookie who made his MLB debut later than he should’ve. The numbers – 34.1% strikeout rate, 1.03 WHIP, 2.06 ERA – are undeniable and the Pittsburgh Pirates have been a more competitive team since his call-up.

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19. New York Mets (17)

The New York Mets are now prepared to be buyers at the MLB trade deadline. Maybe that doesn’t seem like the wisest idea following a 2-4 stretch against the Astros and Nationals, but New York still has the sixth-best record in baseball (18-10) since June 1. Besides, the Mets are probably going to trade from their wealth of starting pitching to address some glaring holes on the roster.

18. San Francisco Giants (19)

It’s just more of the same from the San Francisco Giants. While they are coming off three consecutive series victories over the Cubs, Dodgers and Braves, we’ve seen stretches like this before. San Francisco gets hot-and-cold, delivering sequences where it plays like a contender and others where a rebuild feels mandatory. Until one or the other is sustained, San Francisco just floats around near the middle of our MLB power rankings.

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17. Cincinnati Reds (20)

The Cincinnati Reds are one of the most volatile teams in MLB. Ugly slumps are followed by impressive winning streaks, highlighted by the recent sweep of the New York Yankees. It gets even better for Cincinnati with three of the worst MLB teams net on the Reds schedule. Cincinnati could have a winning record at the All-Star Break, but another prolonged slump is just around the corner.

16. Tampa Bay Rays (15)

Even as the Tampa Bay Rays post a 7-3 record over their last 10 games, the whispers can’t be ignored. Tampa Bay already traded pitcher Aaron Civali and it seems clear he won’t be the only Rays contributor being moved. However, Tampa Bay is also opposed to dealing bats like Randy Arozarena and Yandy Diaz. In short, the Rays are just going to let the 2024 season play out and probably miss the playoffs.

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15. St. Louis Cardinals (14)

The St. Louis Cardinals essentially tread water in the last week. After winning four straight in late June, St. Louis compiled a 5-4 record within the past 10 days. Fortunately, its upcoming schedule includes matchups against a pair of struggling teams (Cubs and Royals). We’re not convinced the Cardinals should be taken seriously as a threat for a playoff run, but a one-and-done as a WC team is doable.

14. Kansas City Royals (13)

The Kansas City Royals are 13-17 in their last 30 games. Blame can certainly be divided pretty evenly in Kansas City, but the results are indisputable. Regressing in July probably means the Royals front office won’t be super aggressive at the trade deadline, though, taking out the Cardinals (July 9-10) and Red Sox (July 12-14) might change that.

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13. Arizona Diamondbacks (16)

The biggest reason the Arizona Diamondbacks entered Friday still below the .500 lien is because of their record (16-24) against winning teams. Maybe taking out the Los Angeles Dodgers at home can be the turnaround point for Arizona. What’s clear is that how the Diamondbacks approach the MLB trade deadline will be dictated by how this lineup performs in the next week-plus against the Padres, Braves and Blue Jays.

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12. Seattle Mariners (9)

In the last 30 games, the Seattle Mariners lineup ranks 19th in runs scored (124) and is 27th in OPS (.659). It’s put to waste some excellent outings from Seattle’s arms (3.51 ERA in 266.2 innings pitched). None of this is new. The Mariners lineup has been a weakness all season and unless it’s addressed, Seattle will never be one of the best MLB teams in 2024.

11. San Diego Padres (11)

Business as usual for the San Diego Padres. A big run was needed after a five-game losing streak against the Mets and Philadelphia Phillies. All San Diego did was win 12 of their next 15 contests, taking out the Brewers, Nationals, Rangers, Red Sox and Tigers. There are still a few holes on the Padres roster, but it’s clear that San Diego will be playing some playoff baseball come October.

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10. Houston Astros (12)

The Houston Astros have been the best team in baseball for just over a month. While multiple starting pitchers are on the injured list, Houston still has an excellent 3.38 ERA in the last 29 games. Meanwhile, an Astros lineup missing Kyle Tucker has still produced 159 runs scored (6th in MLB) with 34 home runs in 29 games. It feels safe to say, after a long stretch of poor play, the Astros are back.

9. Boston Red Sox (10)

The Boston Red Sox lineup has been on a tear over the last month. From June 1 – July 4, Boston recorded the fifth-highest OPS (.798), the third-best batting average (.275) and the ninth-most runs scored (151). Because of that success at the plate, Boston is 18-10 since the start of June. Not only has that stretch turned the Red Sox into buyers at the MLB trade deadline, but they’ve also added more intrigue for what other teams will do.

8. Atlanta Braves (7)

The series victory over the Yankees could’ve been a massive turning point for the Atlanta Braves. Instead, following the wins at Yankee Stadium, Atlanta has gone 4-6 against the Cardina,s White Sox, Pirates and Giants. The season-ending injuries (Ronald Acuna and Spencer Strider) have been devastating, but we at least have to credit the Braves for remaining in the thick of the playoff race without their stars.

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7. Minnesota Twins (8)

The Minnesota Twins have one of the best records (17-13) in baseball over the last 30 games because of run production. Over that stretch, the Twins lineup scored 169 runs (3rd in MLB) with the third-best OPS (.825). Even with some regression from Minnesota’s hitters, the pitching should get better. So, while the Twins might not be a great team, they keep finding ways to win and that will put them in the playoffs.

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6. New York Yankees (4)

The sky is not falling for the New York Yankees. They are still hovering around 20 games over the .500 mark with one of the best run differentials in baseball. We also know the Yankees front office is willing to be aggressive at the MLB trade deadline. With all that said, a 14-16 record (20th in MLB) in the last month is concerning and pitching (5.27 ERA) is the obvious problem.

5. Los Angeles Dodgers (5)

Without Mookie Betts, Max Muncy, Clayton Kershaw and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, we can’t necessarily fault the Dodgers for their play as of late. Los Angeles posted an 8-2 record from June 16 – 26, then stumbled with a 2-4 mark within the last week. Injuries are the easy thing to blame, but pressure will soon start building on the Dodgers front office to make a move at the MLB trade deadline.

4. Milwaukee Brewers (6)

The Milwaukee Brewers lineup is performing up to the expectations we had for it in previous seasons. Since June 1, Milwaukee ranks 17th in runs scored (128) and OPS (.689). That’s a stark contrast to how good this Brewers lineup was earlier in the year. Despite the run-production issues, Milwaukee is tied for the fifth-most wins (18) in the last 30 games thanks to excellent pitching (3.42 ERA).

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3. Cleveland Guardians (3)

The Cleveland Guardians stumbled last weekend with a four-game series loss to Kansas City but the White Sox were waiting on the other side. No one would’ve predicted that Cleveland would be 20 games over .500 at the All-Star Break, but this has been one of the most consistent teams in baseball this year. With the way Steven Kwan (.367 batting average) and Jose Ramirez (.539 SLG) are playing, all the Guardians lineup needs to keep winning is more support from the starting rotation.

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2. Baltimore Orioles (2)

Following an ugly week-long stretch against the Astros and Guardians, the Baltimore Orioles recovered by handling their business against the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners. Baltimore still has an excellent record against winning teams (33-20) this season and it’s just as good on the road as at home. For the Orioles to challenge the best MLB teams for a World Series, however, more quality starting pitching is needed.

1. Philadelphia Phillies (1)

The Philadelphia Phillies are the best team in MLB. However, everything is far from perfect. While the pitching (3.41 ERA since June 1) remains excellent, the Phillies lineup is 14th in runs scored over the last 29 games. The good news is that Bryce Harper (hamstring) and J.T. Realmuto (knee) are moving closer to returning. Philadelphia’s batting order could certainly benefit from adding some more pop and strengthening the pen.

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