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2024 MLB Power Rankings: Orioles the new No. 1 amid tight top-5 race
Date
August 12, 2024
When the calendar hits August, it brings a somber feeling to some as summer nears its conclusion. It also signals the start of crunch time around Major League Baseball as the schedule kicks into high gear and playoff races heat up. With only seven Mondays remaining in the 2024 MLB regular season, teams have few opportunities left for a mini-reset. Off days are few and far between, and the grind of a baseball season really starts to be felt in these late-summer months.
A near no-hitter and the first managerial firing of 2024 headlined the first week of August in the MLB. Just as teams are contending for playoff berths, there is a tight race among the top of our MLB Power Rankings. A shakeup in the top five highlights this week's rankings. Where does your team land?
1. Baltimore Orioles (+3)
The Orioles became the first MLB team to reach 70 wins this season with a win over the Rays on Saturday. Baltimore took the weekend set against Tampa to capture its ninth series win over an AL East opponent. However, the Orioles haven’t held more than a two-game lead for first place in the division since July 9.
The Jackson Holliday resurrection project seems to be working smoothly. The 20-year-old recorded nine hits in his first seven games upon being recalled on July 31. He also homered in three consecutive games last week, setting the mark as the youngest player in American League history to do so.
2. New York Yankees (+1)
The Yankees closed a 5-4 homestand with an electrifying win over the Texas Rangers on Sunday. New York launched four home runs in the 8-7 victory to pull into a tie with the Orioles for first in the AL East.
Aaron Judge extended his MLB home run lead with his 42nd of the season, while Juan Soto clubbed his 29th and 30th for his fifth multi-homer game as a Yankee. Giancarlo Stanton also homered and seems to be finding his stride with hits in four straight games. Home runs in back-to-back games over the weekend gave Stanton 20 on the year.
3. Philadelphia Phillies (-1)
The Phillies continue to be in a rut, dropping three straight after taking the first game of a four-game series in Arizona over the weekend. The Diamondbacks have the Phillies' number lately and the National League's top team probably doesn’t want to run into the Snakes in the MLB postseason again.
The Phillies did grab a series win over the Dodgers last week, their first series win since sweeping LA in mid-July. Philly is 7-15 since the All-Star break but lost only one game in the NL East standings as the Braves stumble. The Phils are in a battle for the top seed in the NL, but they've afforded themselves time to get things right before the playoffs.
4. Los Angeles Dodgers (+1)
Teoscar Hernandez stole the show for the Dodgers last week, extending his hitting streak to nine games with 16 hits already in August. He scored 12 times and drove in 10 runs in those nine games, posting a 1.394 OPS in the month as he continues his outstanding season.
Although the Dodgers' lead is slipping the NL West, the offense is providing hope that their place atop the division is secure. While LA's pitching staff deals with near-insurmountable injuries, the star-studded lineup remains as dangerous as always. Mookie Betts waits in the wings and is expected to return Monday following an eight-week absence, making the Dodgers' offense that much better.
5. Milwaukee Brewers (+1)
The Brewers enjoyed a five-win week as their lead in the NL Central grew by 1 1/2 games. A sweep of the Braves showed the Brewers mean business and Milwaukee is firmly in the mix for the best record in baseball and a coveted guarantee of home-field advantage throughout the MLB playoffs.
No team scored more runs than Milwaukee in the first full week of August. The Brewers averaged over seven runs per game while three players posted an OPS above one. Despite their losses and injury problems since last season, Milwaukee is the only MLB team in the top five in batting average and ERA.
6. Cleveland Guardians (-5)
Cleveland was No. 1 in our last rankings on August 2 and has fallen off a cliff since. The Guardians lost seven in a row before winning two straight against the Twins over the weekend. That restored Cleveland's lead in the AL Central to 3 1/2 games.
Jose Ramirez hit his 30th home run of the season on Wednesday, reaching that mark for the third time in his career. He is five steals shy of his second 30-30 season which would make him only the second primary third baseman to have multiple 30 home run - 30 stolen base seasons in MLB history alongside Mets Hall of Famer Howard Johnson.
7. San Diego Padres (+1)
Maybe no team in baseball is as hot as the Padres are right now. San Diego is 16-4 since the All-Star break and has yet to drop a series in the second half. The Padres ripped off two separate seven-game win streaks during that span.
Although the gap in the NL West has narrowed, the Padres and Dodgers don’t meet again until the final week of the MLB regular season. San Diego has to stay within range before that three-game series at home in late September and certainly has the talent to do so.
8. Minnesota Twins (+2)
The Twins were two wins away from their first outright lead in the AL Central after taking the first two games of a four-game set against the Guardians this past week. Minnesota instead lost two close encounters but has still gained three games on Cleveland since the start of the month.
Byron Buxton returned from a three-game absence in a big way, clubbing a pair of home runs on Sunday after a double in his first game back. The Twins are 51-38 when Buxton plays this season and an even .500 in the 28 games he missed.
9. Arizona Diamondbacks (+4)
Another smoking-hot team resides in the desert. The D-backs have won seven consecutive series, including two sweeps, to pull within 3 1/2 games of the Dodgers in the NL West. Arizona swept the Guardians and won another series against the Phillies, asserting their place among the top teams in the league.
It's tough to find comfortability in the MLB standings, but the Diamondbacks are close to it. They hold a 4 1/2 game cushion in the Wild Card standings and are trying not to sneak into the playoffs like they did last year.
10. Houston Astros (+1)
The first-place Astros have the longest winning streak in baseball after five straight victories. Despite the streak, they were unable to extend a lead in the division with the Mariners also playing well.
Yordan Alvarez had a monster week, mashing five home runs and 11 hits in his last seven games. If you think that's impressive, how about a 2.014 OPS in that span? It was a remarkable week for an otherworldly hitter who might power the Astros to another division title.
11. Kansas City Royals (-2)
The Royals have soared past their win total from a year ago and continue to play well as they hang onto the final playoff spot in the American League. They hold a 2 1/2 game lead in the Wild Card standings and can still be in contention for the AL Central, sitting four games out of first place.
A big road trip awaits the Royals this week. It includes a crucial series against the Twins as they battle for position in the playoff picture. Minnesota leads the season series five games to two despite Kansas City outscoring by five runs.
The Mariners were in first place for over two months before a losing stretch in July pulled them into a race with the Astros. They've been deadlocked with their divisional foe for the last four days after the Mariners won their fourth straight game on Sunday.
Logan Gilbert is making a case for the AL Cy Young Award after his latest gem. He tossed seven scoreless innings and dominated the Mets on Saturday, earning his first win since July 9.
13. Atlanta Braves (-6)
It was obvious the Braves were bound to regress after losing more key players to injuries. Atlanta is 7-12 since Ozzie Albies went out with a fractured wrist and lost six in a row before winning a high-scoring affair in Denver on Saturday.
The Braves are no longer a lock to make the playoffs and won’t be able to hit cruise control late in the season as they have previously. The offense has at least picked up steam, scoring 36 runs across the last five games. It won’t mean much if they can’t sustain it or if Atlanta can’t find a way to limit the opposition offensively.
14. St. Louis Cardinals (+2)
It's been a weird year for the Cardinals who turned in a winning record every month from April through July yet find themselves outside the NL playoff picture. St. Louis is among five teams within three games of the final Wild Card spot with seven weeks left in the season.
Nolan Arenado is finally looking like an All-Star hitter again, posting a .351 average in his first 10 August games. He hasn’t homered since July 26 but has three doubles and six RBIs since. After a series in Cincinnati, St. Louis has a rough stretch with matchups against the Dodgers, Brewers and Yankees, among others.
15. San Francisco Giants (+4)
The Giants have worked their way into the playoff race thanks to a 7-3 start to August. San Fran has won 12 of 16 and gained three games in the standings during that span. During another series win over the weekend, there was shared joy around the ballpark as the Giants hosted a 10-year reunion for their 2014 World Series-winning squad.
The key to their latest revival is the pitching staff. San Francisco's bullpen has a 2.02 ERA in August, while the pitching staff as a whole ranks fifth in ERA and allowed the third-fewest runs in the last two weeks. The Giants open a crucial four-game series with the Braves on Monday.
16. New York Mets (-2)
Mets fans quickly want to put the team's last series behind them after getting humiliated by the Mariners. New York was swept on the road and outscored 22-1 in the three-game set. It was capped off by a 12-1 loss with a national audience tuned into ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball.
The Mets will go as far as their lineup will take them. If the weekend is any indication, that won't be very far in 2024. New York is currently a half-game out of the NL Wild Card standings.
17. Boston Red Sox (-5)
A sweep at the hands of the Astros thwarted any mojo the Red Sox still had. Boston was in a playoff position and within 4 1/2 games of first place in the AL East heading into the All-Star break. They're now three games out of a Wild Card place and lost three games in the division.
The pitching staff has the second-worst ERA in the MLB since the break and has allowed 56 runs in August. Boston starts the week by hosting Texas for three before hitting the road to play Baltimore and Houston in what could be a make-or-break stretch.
18. Chicago Cubs (+3)
After staying active before the MLB trade deadline despite a last-place standing, the Cubs have quietly won eight of their last 10 games. It's vaulted Chicago past two teams in the standings and within three games of a playoff spot.
Cubs pitching has been lights out in August, ranking third in ERA. With Shota Imanaga and Justin Steele carrying the rotation, Chicago should not be looked at lightly in the NL Wild Card chase.
19. Tampa Bay Rays (-1)
The Rays sold off several starting players before the deadline and haven’t found winning ways without them. Losers of six of their last 10, the Rays might want to think they have an outside chance at the playoffs, but they haven’t shown much to prove that statement.
Dylan Carlson looks like a solid pickup amid all the selling Tampa did. The outfielder has a .976 OPS in eight games since the Rays acquired him on July 30.
20. Cincinnati Reds (+2)
While the playoffs are a far stretch for the Reds this year they should still have goals set to reach before the season ends. Chief among them is avoiding a last-place finish in the NL Central and securing another winning season. Cincy has flirted with last place for much of the past three weeks and is four games under .500 entering Monday.
Elly De La Cruz is still such a joy to watch, but his strikeout numbers are starting to become a concern. The All-Star shortstop struck out 15 times across the last six games. He is on pace to lead MLB in stolen bases and strikeouts, a rare combo the young star will want to fix sooner than later.
21. Pittsburgh Pirates (-4)
Owners of the longest active losing streak in baseball, it might be safe to say the Pirates' playoff hopes are extinguished. Pittsburgh has one win since the trade deadline and has six teams separating them from a Wild Card position.
An eye should be kept on Paul Skenes as he approaches 100 innings in his first MLB season. The NL Cy Young candidate and Rookie of the Year favorite was tagged by the Dodgers for four runs last Saturday, the most he's allowed this year. Also, Aroldis Chapman's flame-inducing strikeout of Manny Machado on Wednesday was pretty cool.
22. Washington Nationals (+3)
The Nationals are on pace to top their record from a year ago. If they did it would mark the first time the Nats improved their record in consecutive seasons since 2011-2012.
James Wood and Mitchell Parker have been fun to watch lately and should be integral parts of Washington's roster for several years. Wood appears to be an All-Star in the making and is living up to his billing as a top MLB prospect. The 21-year-old put on a star-like display during Washington's last homestand, posting a 1.044 OPS with five extra-base hits, eight runs and nine RBIs in 10 games.
23. Toronto Blue Jays (+1)
Toronto's bats were virtually silent over the weekend as the Blue Jays managed only seven hits in consecutive losses to the Oakland A's. A frustrating 1-0 loss on Saturday was followed by a six-run first inning from the A's on Sunday.
The Blue Jays have a difficult hill to climb out of last place. They haven’t finished last in the AL East since 2013.
24. Texas Rangers (-4)
Despite all their talent and stature as defending World Series champions, it just hasn’t gone the Rangers' way this season. Five consecutive series losses set Texas further back in the standings and essentially ends any hope for a last-gasp run.
The Rangers have a core to build on and should contend again as soon as next year. The hope is that 2024 is the outlier of a successful stretch of Rangers baseball. Texas hasn’t had back-to-back winning seasons since 2015 & 2016.
25. Detroit Tigers (-2)
Following a 78-win campaign in 2023, this season can be labeled as a disappointment for the Tigers. Detroit tried to sneak into the playoff chase and was a game under .500 on July 22. The Tigers are 6-12 since then.
The return of Kerry Carpenter and Tarik Skubal's push for the Cy Young should keep the Tigers watchable for the rest of 2024. Otherwise, it looks like another lost season in Detroit.
26. Oakland Athletics (+1)
It's about time we give the A's some credit for playing respectable baseball for much of the 2024 season. Oakland will top its win total from 2023 with its next victory and just might have a chance to avoid finishing in last place in the AL West.
As the franchise counts down its days by the Bay, A's fans in Oakland are enjoying one last ride with their team. They're giving the fanbase some final memories with their improved play and have the best record in the MLB since the start of July. Bravo, Athletics.
27. Los Angeles Angels (-1)
What is there left to be said about the 2024 Angels? Life without Mike Trout has been tough, but it's more of the same for a franchise that's about to miss the playoffs for a 10th straight season.
LA should try to find a way to intrigue their fanbase. If not, the Angels can expect an even emptier stadium in 2025.
28. Colorado Rockies (+1)
The Rockies outslugged the Braves over the weekend to secure their first series win of August. Brenton Doyle also joined the 20-20 club as he continues a breakout season. He is on pace to become the sixth Rockies player to lead the team in runs and RBIs in the same season since 2010, the others being C.J. Cron, Trevor Story, Nolan Arenado, Carlos Gonzalez and Michael Cuddyer.
Colorado needs 18 wins in its last 43 games to avoid consecutive 100-loss seasons for the first time in franchise history.
29. Miami Marlins (-1)
After a fire sale for the ages, the Marlins aren’t playing terribly. Five wins in 12 games since the deadline is hardly anything to cheer about, but given the roster turnover Miami endured over the last two weeks, winning a handful of games is a positive.
The Marlins might lose 100 games and their award-winning manager in the same year. It's hard to see brighter days for Miami's baseball team anytime soon.
30. Chicago White Sox (no change)
Last week was significant for the White Sox for multiple reasons. Chicago snapped its 21-game losing streak last Tuesday, then fired manager Pedro Grifol two days later. Three-time All-Star Grady Sizemore was named interim manager and tasked with bringing a different vibe to the losing clubhouse.
The goals for the remainder of the season are clear for the White Sox: give a few prospects major league experience, conduct a thorough search for a new manager and avoid finishing with the most losses in the modern era.