Skip to content

MLB Power Rankings: Twins surge to the top, Indians drop

Icon Sportswire / Getty

Welcome to the sixth edition of theScore's MLB Power Rankings for the 2019 season. Rankings will be published every second Monday throughout the regular season with the next installment coming June 10.

1. Minnesota Twins

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
36-16 9-1 +111 5 (+4)

Winners of six in a row and 11 of their last 12, the Twins are using the long ball to crush the spirits of opposing pitchers. Minnesota leads baseball with 104 home runs and earlier this week became just the second team in history to reach the century mark in its first 50 games of a season. Fourteen different Twins have gone yard so far and four of them have already reached double digits. What's more impressive is that none of them are Nelson Cruz.

2. Los Angeles Dodgers

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
35-18 8-2 +79 2 (-)

Los Angeles has won 10 of its last 13, thanks in part to the continued success of Cody Bellinger - the front-runner for NL MVP - who leads the majors in two of three triple crown categories. Bellinger isn't doing it all by himself, though. In the past seven games, four Dodgers have an OPS over 1.000, while Hyun-Jin Ryu continues to shut down opposing lineups with a 0.71 ERA in May.

3. Houston Astros

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
35-19 6-4 +89 1 (-2)

Slipping two spots in the power rankings for the Astros is less about them letting up and more about the outrageous pace the Twins and Dodgers have been on. George Springer joining Jose Altuve on the injured list certainly hurts, but maybe it paves the way for Houston to call up 21-year-old phenom Yordan Alvarez, who is running roughshod over Triple-A with a 1.261 OPS this season. Or perhaps they settle on bringing Kyle Tucker up, whose modest .970 OPS also proves he's due to progress beyond the minor leagues soon.

4. New York Yankees

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
34-18 8-2 +65 6 (+2)

The Yankees have very nearly weathered the storm of injuries befallen them and come out the other end atop the AL East. James Paxton could return this week, Didi Gregorius has started a rehab assignment, and Dellin Betances is slated to throw off a mound early this week. A setback for Giancarlo Stanton isn't great, and Aaron Judge is still a ways away, but this team has been a monster at half strength, so maybe there's nothing to worry about.

5. Chicago Cubs

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
30-21 5-5 +54 3 (-2)

The Cubs have a four-headed offensive monster ripping through opposing pitching. Javier Baez, Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, and Willson Contreras each have at least 11 homers. They have baseball's fourth-ranked offense, according to FanGraphs, which is a huge step up after an uneven campaign at the plate in 2018. They'll need more out of the pitching staff, but the bats are swinging in such a way that no lead is safe against them.

6. Tampa Bay Rays

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
31-19 6-4 +67 6 (-)

Since their scorching start, the Rays have cooled off a bit, but still own the best run differential in the AL East. Helping that along is the fact that no team has been better at preventing runs this year, and it's not even close. Three teams have allowed fewer than 200 runs this year: the Reds (191), the Astros (190), and the Rays (159). Chaz Roe, Emilio Pagan, and Hunter Wood haven't allowed an earned run over the past two weeks, combining to throw 14 1/3 innings.

7. Philadelphia Phillies

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
31-22 7-3 +27 7 (-)

Nothing about the Phillies has been especially impressive, but their start has been just strong enough to find themselves atop their division. Perhaps the best development going their way has been Andrew McCutchen putting up yet another strong campaign. Over the past two weeks, the 32-year-old owns a .340/.453/.623 slash line with 10 runs scored and 12 RBIs.

8. Milwaukee Brewers

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
30-24 5-5 +14 8 (-)

Reigning NL MVP Christian Yelich became the first player in the majors to reach 20 home runs Friday, and he did it the day after chugging a beer at the Milwaukee Bucks game. Even with Yelich's success, if Milwaukee plans to do some damage in the NL it's going to have to play better against the league's tougher teams. In May, the Brewers are a combined 6-7 against the Cubs, Phillies, and Braves, and they're about to start a series against the hot-hitting Twins.

9. Boston Red Sox

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
28-25 5-5 +33 10 (+1)

After a five-game winning streak earlier in May saw them climb above .500 for the first time this season, the Red Sox sputtered somewhat, posting a 6-6 record since. In their defense, six of those contests were against the behemoth Astros, and they were all close games. Despite their tough stretch, Xander Bogaerts has continued his red-hot campaign and is one of the toughest outs in the big leagues. The 26-year-old shortstop has the fourth-best on-base percentage of any hitter over the past two weeks.

10. Atlanta Braves

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
30-24 7-3 +17 14 (+4)

It's been quite a month for Austin Riley. In just 12 games, the rookie owns a .333/.373/.688 line with five homers and 14 RBIs, which has kept him on pace with Freddie Freeman (.337/.387/.663, 8 HRs, 14 RBIs) as Atlanta's two hottest hitters in May. Toss in the rejuvenated Sean Newcomb as a reliever and what Mike Soroka and Julio Teheran are doing - with 0.79 and 0.98 ERAs in May, respectively - and the Braves continue to be a thorn in the Phillies' side atop the NL East standings.

11. San Diego Padres

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
28-25 6-4 -10 12 (+1)

San Diego unloaded for a franchise-record seven home runs Saturday against the Blue Jays. Even if the young Padres fade a bit (though this isn't a lock), they are getting substantial contributions from up and down the lineup. Outfielders Franmil Reyes and Hunter Renfroe have combined to hit 29 home runs this season.

12. St. Louis Cardinals

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
26-26 3-7 +20 9 (-3)

The Cardinals need to get more from their starting rotation. Jack Flaherty's often ripped through the first four innings of his starts before unraveling, Michael Wacha's in the bullpen now, and none of the primary starters have posted an ERA lower than 4.19. However, reinforcements could arrive in the form of Alex Reyes (who's pitching in the minors after breaking his left hand) and reliever Carlos Martinez, if he's deemed ready to start again.

13. Arizona Diamondbacks

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
28-25 5-5 +49 11 (-2)

Since losing David Peralta to a shoulder injury, the D-Backs responded by scoring 34 runs in a three-game sweep of the Giants. Minor-league home run leader Kevin Cron - the powerful, younger brother of Twins slugger C.J. - was promoted as Peralta's replacement and could fill-in the power gap. Speaking of Cron, it was his Reno Aces manager, and father, Chris who gave him the news of his call-up.

14. Oakland Athletics

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
28-25 9-1 +35 21 (+7)

Just when last season's postseason run was starting to look like a fluke, the Athletics rattled off nine straight wins (with a suspended game in the middle that has yet to be completed) to sit squarely in second place in the AL West. The piecemeal rotation has been buoyed by Frankie Montas' breakout, and things are looking up with highly touted prospects Jesus Luzardo and A.J. Puk getting closer to full health.

15. Texas Rangers

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
25-25 7-3 +13 23 (+8)

Even with Sunday's loss to the Angels, the Rangers continue to surprise in the AL West. They've won eight of 12 and their next 10 games are against the Mariners, Royals, and Orioles. Joey Gallo is finally hitting for average and is making a case for AL MVP, while Hunter Pence (.650 SLG, 35 RBIs) and Shin-Soo Choo (.389 OBP, 53 hits) are showing they have something left in the tank.

16. Cleveland Indians

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
26-26 3-7 -6 13 (-3)

The only thing keeping Cleveland together right now is how abysmal the bottom three teams in the division have been. However, if they don't correct their trajectory soon, the AL Central might become less about a two-team battle for supremacy and more about a four-team battle for irrelevancy. Perhaps if Corey Kluber - who just had his cast removed - comes back swiftly, the Indians' rotation, which has been middle-of-the-pack, could right the ship.

17. Cincinnati Reds

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
24-28 6-4 +32 20 (+3)

Jose Iglesias and Derek Dietrich might be two of the best under-the-radar acquisitions made by any team. Iglesias leads the Reds with a .307 average and dazzles almost daily with his glove, while Dietrich continues to mash (.995 OPS) and is second on the team in homers. The club is also close to seeing Scooter Gennett return.

18. New York Mets

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
26-26 6-4 -12 18 (-)

The Mets aren't the dumpster fire that alarmists may have led you to believe. Being swept by the lowly Marlins is a tough pill to swallow, but the Mets remain in the hunt in the NL East and got a jolt with the activation of outfielder Michael Conforto from the IL. They will need Noah Syndergaard to start getting results, though his peripherals suggest he's been bitten by tons of bad luck. Syndergaard may have a 4.93 ERA, but he's not issuing walks and has a 3.68 FIP.

19. Colorado Rockies

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
24-27 4-6 -6 15 (-4)

After a slow start, Nolan Arenado has been one of baseball's hottest hitters. He's batting .422/.462/.819 with eight home runs and 21 RBIs in 20 games in May. Long derided by critics for relying too heavily on the friendly confines of Coors Field, Arenado has hit nine of his 14 home runs on the road. He's still finding more overall success at home, but he's been no slouch elsewhere.

20. Los Angeles Angels

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
24-28 4-6 -15 17 (-3)

Matt Harvey isn't paying off for the Angels, who rolled the dice on the veteran by signing him to an $11-million contract. Harvey was recently placed on the IL with a back injury after allowing four home runs in his latest outing, a performance he called "embarrassing." In good Angels news, Brian Goodwin (.292/.358/.481 since joining the team) has been a welcome replacement for the injured Justin Upton, who isn't close to returning, having only been able to put 100 percent of his weight on his foot last week.

21. Pittsburgh Pirates

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
25-25 4-6 -59 19 (-2)

The hottest hitter in baseball right now is Josh Bell, whose 1.470 OPS over the past two weeks leads second place by nearly 200 points. Hampering the Pirates, though, is the fact that they have the only negative run differential in their division due to their starters' complete inability to prevent runs. Since the beginning of the month, only the Rockies' and Giants' starters have posted a worse ERA than Pittsburgh's 6.68 mark.

22. Seattle Mariners

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
23-32 1-9 -49 16 (-6)

After their torrid start to the season, the Mariners have folded like a cheap suit. They've dropped six in a row and plummeted to last place. Since the calendar turned over, Seattle pitchers rank 29th by ERA and FIP, and the hitting hasn't been much better. The .287 OBP of the Mariners' hitters ranks 27th in the majors, and they are striking out more often than every team except the White Sox and Padres.

23. Washington Nationals

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
22-31 4-6 -30 22 (-1)

Perhaps the most amazing thing about the Nationals is that manager Davey Martinez has kept his job, although a slump-busting series against the Marlins seems to have bought the sophomore skipper some time. Diagnosing what's wrong with Washington is simple: It's the bullpen. Nobody except Sean Doolittle can be trusted to record any outs, and even the lefty closer ran into trouble recently. For the season, Washington's relief corps owns a 7.09 ERA. Kyle Barraclough, Matt Grace, Joe Ross, Tony Sipp, and Wander Suero have all thrown at least 10 innings and each has an ERA higher than 5.00.

24. Chicago White Sox

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
23-29 3-7 -56 24 (-)

After an otherworldly opening month, Tim Anderson has come back down to earth. Batting .293 since the beginning of May isn't bad, but Anderson's power has eroded. He has just three extra-base hits in that time and is currently nursing a wrist injury. Fortunately for the White Sox, as Anderson has cooled, Lucas Giolito has emerged as the staff ace he was expected to be. In his last four starts, Giolito is 4-0 with a 0.64 ERA, including a complete-game shutout against the Astros.

25. Toronto Blue Jays

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
21-32 4-6 -44 25 (-)

The arrival of the next generation continues, this time with the son of another Hall of Famer. Cavan Biggio, son of Craig, made his big-league debut during the weekend series against the Padres. He didn't make Blue Jays fans wait long for his first home run either, launching a mammoth shot to right field in his third game. Meanwhile, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has hit his stride, posting a .909 OPS with five home runs over the past two weeks while acquitting himself well at the hot corner.

26. Kansas City Royals

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
18-34 3-7 -41 28 (+2)

For the Royals, attention likely turns toward what they will do with the second overall pick in the upcoming draft. While they're expected to take Bobby Witt Jr., the immediate arrival of another young middle infielder has been slightly more captivating. Nicky Lopez made the jump to the bigs and has been roughly as-advertised. The light-hitting second baseman has struck out more than expected given his minor-league contact rates, but his .370 OBP and 10.9 percent walk rate shows the process is working.

27. San Francisco Giants

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
21-31 3-7 -78 27 (-)

Not much has gone right for the Giants, and Madison Bumgarner's days by the Bay are numbered. On the positive side, the bullpen has been mostly effective. Will Smith, Sam Dyson, Trevor Gott, Reyes Moronta, Tony Watson, and Mark Melancon each have sub-4.00 ERAs and a few of those names will certainly garner attention come trade season. If they can restock the cupboard a bit, a return to relevance may not be so far off.

28. Detroit Tigers

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
19-31 1-9 -99 26 (-2)

It took a while, but the Tigers finally ended a nine-game losing streak Saturday with a win against the Mets. Unfortunately, they've begun a new slide, having dropped two in a row. Detroit isn't getting much offense, scoring just 174 runs, which is second-worst in MLB behind the Marlins. Only the Orioles have a worse run differential than the Tigers' minus-99. Detroit and Baltimore are about to begin a three-game set at Camden Yards, which could be some of the worst-attended games of the entire season.

29. Miami Marlins

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
16-34 6-4 -92 30 (+1)

The Marlins showed signs of life with a pair of three-game sweeps (vs. Mets, at Tigers) before getting trounced by the Nationals. Still, a six-game winning streak helped lift Miami out of the MLB basement and the progress of pitchers Caleb Smith and Sandy Alcantara has to be encouraging.

30. Baltimore Orioles

Record Last 10 RD Previous rank (change)
16-37 2-8 -108 29 (-1)

The Orioles dig the long ball in the wrong kind of way. Baltimore's pitching has allowed 114 homers in 465 2/3 innings and became the fastest team to give up 100 home runs last week. Yet, for some reason, Andrew Cashner wants to stay with the club. The veteran hurler recently said that if he's traded at the deadline - which is a strong possibility - he'd consider going home to Texas to spend time with his family instead of playing. Cashner (4.55 ERA, 1.33 WHIP) is one of Baltimore's best trade chips.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox