MLB Power Rankings - July 30

1. Oakland Athletics

Though displaced left-hander Tommy Milone is reportedly eager for a trade, it might behoove the Athletics to give the 27-year-old another shot at the major-league level, as newly-acquired hurler Jason Hammel owns a 7.11 ERA since arriving in Oakland earlier this month and Jesse Chavez has struggled mightily since the end of June.

2. Los Angeles Angels

One of baseball's strongest teams got even better last week, as the Angels acquired veteran closer Huston Street from San Diego in exchange for a cadre of minor-league talent. The 30-year-old has already managed to endear himself to his new club, navigating four scoreless outings through his first fortnight in Los Angeles.

3. Los Angeles Dodgers

Despite the efforts of Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke, the Dodgers' rotation has actually fashioned the fourth-worst earned run average in the National League since the All-Star break, allowing eight home runs across 55 innings. Clinging to a tenuous division lead, the Dodgers could easily make a last-second push for David Price by dangling prospects Joc Pederson, Corey Seager, and Julio Urias in front of the Tampa Bay Rays.

4. Detroit Tigers

There's nary a team in the American League Central that can reasonably contend with the Tigers for the division crown, but the putative favorites would be wise to pursue another reliever deadline approaches. The acquisition of Joakim Soria is huge, but Detroit's bullpen still owns the worst fielding independent pitching in the majors over the last two weeks and could benefit from another late-inning arm.

5. Washington Nationals

Stephen Strasburg has probably been Washington's worst starter since the All-Star break, which should help illuminate just how good the Nationals' starting corps has been of late. Perched atop their division, the Nationals rank third in the majors with a 2.69 FIP since the Midsummer Classic, yielding just five home runs in 95 2/3 innings over that span.

6. St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals wisely signed A.J. Pierzynski last week to spell incumbent starter Tony Cruz, who's managed a .438 OPS since Yadier Molina landed on the disabled list. General manager John Mozeliak will need to do more, however, to improve his team's anemic offense, which is averaging just 3.68 runs per game this season, the second-worst mark in the majors.

7. Milwaukee Brewers

Though many expected regression to befall Milwaukee's unspectacular rotation after the All-Star break, the Brewers have received some tremendous performances from Kyle Lohse and Wily Peralta over the last two weeks, helping the club manage a 3.10 ERA since the four-day respite earlier this month, the sixth-best mark in the league over that span.

8. Atlanta Braves

Jason Heyward was omitted from Tuesday's lineup due to lower back soreness, and though the Braves don't expect a prolonged absence from the 24-year-old, the team can't afford to go too long without Heyward, who leads the club with 4.1 wins above replacement this season and is hitting .309 this month.

9. San Francisco Giants

The absence of Matt Cain compelled the Giants to swap a pair of minor leaguers for Jake Peavy, the beleaguered right-hander who authored a 4.72 ERA through 20 starts for the Red Sox this season. The 33-year-old didn't enjoy the most auspicious debut in San Francisco, but his extreme fly-ball tendencies are certainly better suited to AT&T Park than Fenway.

10. Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles ought not to rest on their laurels and head into the final stages of a playoff race with their rotation as currently constituted, its strong performance of late notwithstanding. Chris Tillman's 5.6 percent HR/FB rate over the last month is sure to regress and Miguel Gonzalez won't continue to find success while averaging 4.98 strikeouts and 1.57 homers per nine innings, as he did over his last five starts.

11. Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays bolstered their tired bullpen last week by promoting top prospect Aaron Sanchez, who's allowed one earned run through three impressive appearances whilst routinely hitting 99 miles per hour on the radar gun. Both Edwin Encarnacion and Adam Lind, meanwhile, are expected to return to the lineup within the next few weeks, effectively buoying an offense that has been shockingly potent since the All-Star break.

12. Pittsburgh Pirates

Postseason baseball is officially a possibility for the Pirates, who have reportedly emerged as a contender for Red Sox left-hander Jon Lester, whose tenure in Boston could be over shortly. The 30-year-old would obviously help the Pirates, but starting pitching hasn't really been an issue in Pittsburgh of late, as their rotation's 3.03 ERA over the last 30 days represents the sixth-best mark in baseball.

13. Seattle Mariners

Though general manager Jack Zduriencik brokered a deal for Kendrys Morales earlier this month, he has reportedly "exasperated" fellow executives of late with his dubious trade tactics. The brunt of their ire, of course, has nothing to do with the fact that his much-maligned acquisition of Robinson Cano this offseason has reaped tremendous rewards for the Mariners, who remain just two games back of the second wild-card berth.

14. Tampa Bay Rays

The relentless Rays appear increasingly inclined to hold onto David Price in the wake of their recent success, as the surging club has lost just six times since June 28. Effective starting pitching has been central to the club's recent success, as Chris Archer's 3.58 ERA over the last month represents the worst mark among their regular starters.

15. New York Yankees

New York's recent acquisition of Chase Headley from the Padres seems far more consequential than it really is, as the 30-year-old's waning power and on-base deficiencies make him just a marginal upgrade over the club's alternatives at third base, though the acquisition cost was relatively low and he's been solid through his first few games in the Bronx.

16. Kansas City Royals

Parity in the American League has likely tempted Dayton Moore into retaining James Shields for what's sure to be a futile pursuit at postseason contention (read: the second wild-card spot), but the veteran executive would be best served to trade the impending free agent, as Kansas City's anemic offense won't be able to snap the franchise's longstanding playoff drought this season.

17. Cincinnati Reds

Beset by the absence of both Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips - not to mention the recent struggles of Billy Hamilton and Jay Bruce - Cincinnati's offense has been the worst in the majors since the All-Star break, managing an anemic .176/.227/.275 (36 wRC+) over the last two weeks.

18. Miami Marlins

The Marlins could conceivably look to acquire assets at Thursday's deadline, as the club claimed its seventh consecutive victory Tuesday night to crawl back to .500 for the season. Just four games back of the second wild-card spot, it seems entirely plausible that Jeffrey Loria would insist on adding a piece to bolster a playoff run, but the Marlins really shouldn't undo the progress made in recent years by trading away burgeoning talent for a veteran bound for free agency at season's end.

19. Cleveland Indians

The Indians are reportedly "very willing" to trade Justin Masterson, whose waning velocity and command have conspired for a 5.51 ERA this season, but the middling club really ought to move Asdrubal Cabrera to open up a spot for Francisco Lindor. The 20-year-old shortstop has thrived since his promotion to Triple-A last week, hitting .370/.433/.630 with two homers through his first seven games in the International League.

20. New York Mets

Bartolo Colon's $11-million salary for next season may prove too steep for prospective suitors as the trade deadline approaches, but the corpulent veteran has certainly demonstrated over the last two months how serviceable he can be, crafting a 2.83 ERA with a 4.53 strikeout-to-walk ratio since May 17.

21. Chicago White Sox

Rick Hahn's exploits over the winter earned the general manager considerable praise, but if he can find a way to unload John Danks on a team desperate for starting pitching, he'll be in line for some serious adulation. Danks, whose contract and résumé are completely incompatible, owns a 4.63 FIP across 21 starts this season and is owed another $28.5 million through 2016.

22. Boston Red Sox

Jon Lester has officially usurped David Price as the most heavily-discussed commodity in advance of Thursday's trade deadline, and the Red Sox even scratched the 30-year-old left-hander from Wednesday's start against the Blue Jays, a move that portends a trade. Lester, incidentally, owns a 1.07 ERA over his last eight starts and trails only Felix Hernandez for the major-league lead in wins above replacement. 

23. Minnesota Twins

Despite trading Kendrys Morales to Seattle last week, the Twins still boast a bevy of veterans with expiring contracts who could prove quite valuable to contending clubs. As such, general manager Terry Ryan will likely do everything in his power to move Josh Willingham, Kurt Suzuki, and Kevin Correia before Thursday afternoon's deadline.

24. Philadelphia Phillies

Cliff Lee has done little to bolster trade interest since returning from the disabled list, managing a 7.59 ERA while allowing 21 hits - including a pair of home runs - over two forgettable starts. The 35-year-old's hefty salary poses a serious obstacle for general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. to hurdle in trade negotiations, and Lee will be downright impossible to move without considerable improvement. And fast.

25. San Diego Padres

The Padres are deficient in many areas, but nobody can rightfully accuse the club of lacking self-awareness, as the destitute team traded both Huston Street and Chase Headley to contenders last week to augment their minor-league system and wring some value out of assets whose respective tenures in San Diego were soon to expire.

26. Arizona Diamondbacks

Kirk Gibson recently suggested a "taste" of major-league action would be beneficial for prospect Archie Bradley, who owns a 3.86 ERA over six starts in Double-A since returning from an elbow strain. Such a move would also enable Gibson to stop running Randall Delgado out there every fifth day so, you know, win-win.

27. Colorado Rockies

The speculation surrounding Troy Tulowitzki continues unabated, but one league source recently suggested it would take "the offer of the century" for the Rockies to move their franchise cornerstone, that 29-year-old shortstop who trails only Mike Trout for the league lead in wins above replacement. So pay no mind to the fact that he attended a Yankees game in the Bronx over the weekend.

28. Chicago Cubs

Arismendy Alcantara officially claimed full-time duties at second base after Darwin Barney, a gifted defender with an untenable 66 OPS+ over the last three seasons, was designated for assignment Wednesday and subsequently traded to the Dodgers. Alcantara, frankly, has done little to suggest he can't handle the job, managing a 124 wRC+ with two homers and four stolen bases through the first 16 games of his major-league career.

29. Texas Rangers

It's tough to fathom how disheartening it must be to support the Texas Rangers right now, as even Yu Darvish has faltered of late. Though he managed a solid performance against the Yankees on Monday night, the 27-year-old owns a 4.31 ERA over his last eight starts and has surrendered at least one home run in five consecutive outings.

30. Houston Astros

A quad strain forced rookie outfielder George Springer - the 24-year-old with 20 homers and a 123 OPS+ - to the disabled list on Wednesday, so there's really no reason to watch or discuss or think about the Astros for the next few days.