Well, it was a fun week while it lasted: While the Mets briefly took over the No. 1 spot in last week’s Power Rankings, the Dodgers are back to their customary spot this week, after a dominant seven games, reasserting their (presumed) status as the best team in baseball. Is this where they’re going to stay? If this is how their longest road trip of the season continues to go (they’ve got three games in Miami and four in Phoenix this week after three in Atlanta this past weekend), the Dodgers may -- as usual -- not be going anywhere.
These rankings, as always, are compiled from MLB.com contributors whose names you can find at the bottom of this (and every) piece, but the words are mine. If you dislike the rankings, yell at all of us. But if you dislike the words, feel free to yell at me.
1. Dodgers (previously: 2)
You knew the sleeping giant was going to wake up and start smashing things any minute now, and that minute came this week: The Dodgers just blitzed everybody this week and are back to having the best record in baseball. During their first six wins this week, they didn’t trail after a single inning!
2. Mets (previously: 1)
Remember how we spent much of the offseason wondering if Pete Alonso was really going to leave the Mets, only to have him re-sign at nearly the last possible minute? Well, the first month of that new era of Alonso’s Mets career was the best month of Alonso’s Mets career. His Player of the Month recognition marked the first time he’d ever won the honor. (He homered in his second game of the month of May, of course.)
3. Cubs (previously: 3)
Pete Crow-Armstrong has been long touted as a future superstar, but who is to say he isn’t one right now? Check out these stats from April 13 through May 2: He led MLB with 18 RBIs and tied with Cal Raleigh for the most homers in MLB during that span with eight. His slash line? .349/.359/.857. Oh, and he plays fantastic defense and has six stolen bases. Is he the MVP candidate for this team?
4. Padres (previously: 4)
You can understand why Padres fans might have been freaking out after Fernando Tatis Jr. was hit on the left arm by a 93.3 mph sinker from the Pirates’ Mitch Keller on Friday night, taking him out of the game and leading to X-rays. It turned out just to be a “contusion,” and Tatis was in the lineup the next day. MLB.com is currently compiling votes for its monthly MVP ballots, and don’t be surprised if Tatis is No. 1 or No. 2: This could well be his superstar year.
5. Tigers (previously: 5)
Of all the things going right for the Tigers, we must point out the most pleasantly surprising one: Javier Báez! The veteran who has notably put up some down years recently has been huge for the Tigers this season, playing a solid center field and discovering his power stroke. Amazing fact about Báez’s season: He already has half as many extra-base hits as he did all of last season.
6. Yankees (previously: 7)
Aaron Judge went 2-for-4 on Saturday, raising his season average to an absurd .432. Here’s my favorite stat about Judge’s 2-for-4 game, which included his 11th homer: He was hitting .500 over his 13-game hit streak, which means going 2-for-4 did not, in fact, even raise his batting average over the past two weeks. It is absolutely absurd what he’s doing right now.
7. Mariners (previously: 8)
Are you believers in the Mariners yet? The ultimate streaky team -- a team that looks amazing for stretches and then pedestrian not long afterward -- is on a total heater right now, taking two of three from the Rangers over the weekend and soaring into first place in the AL West. Since April 9, the Mariners have the best record in baseball.
8. Giants (previously: 6)
If you’re looking for a positive advertisement for the value of vibes, look at the Giants and Matt Chapman. His offseason extension was derided by some, but his grand slam Saturday to give the Giants a win over the Rockies -- after he’d been in a 6-for-43 funk -- was a reminder of just how much he makes this team go. Why are the Giants surprising in the early going? Chapman -- his stability, his reliability, his mere presence -- is a huge reason why.
9. Phillies (previously: 13)
You can tell we’re moving along in the season at a rapid clip, because the Phillies are looking to make a trade to help out their bullpen. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported that the Phillies are keeping “a close eye” on the Cardinals’ Ryan Helsley to help out their 'pen, which has blown more saves than any other team in baseball so far.
10. Guardians (previously: 10)
There are certain days a player has that he will not only remember throughout his career, but surely decades after he is retired and has moved onto the next phase of his life. Daniel Schneemann had an all-timer of one on Saturday, going 2-for-4 with two homers and all five of the team's RBIs in a 5-3 win over the Blue Jays. The Guardians were down to their last strike, when Schneeman blasted a grand slam off Yimi García.
“I kind of blacked out in that moment,” Schneeman said.
11. Diamondbacks (previously: 11)
There are times to pitch through a sore shoulder that’s mildly inflamed, but all told, just over a month into a six-year, $210 million contract is probably not one of those times. Thus, Corbin Burnes is likely going to skip his start this week, even though an MRI of his shoulder didn’t show anything too scary. The Diamondbacks need him for a lot longer than just this week; it’s just one start, after all.
12. Red Sox (previously: 12)
Some cracks are starting to show with the Red Sox’s pitching. The bullpen has been blowing leads like crazy lately, but even more worrisome is the shoulder inflammation that put Walker Buehler on the injured list. The team is trying to stay optimistic.
“We don't think it's that serious,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “Miss two starts and hopefully come back as soon as the [15] days are over.”
But we are talking about shoulder inflammation here, with a pitcher who doesn’t exactly have the cleanest injury history.
13. Astros (previously: 15)
In his first appearance since Game 3 of the 2022 World Series, way back on Nov. 1, 2022, Lance McCullers Jr. took the mound for the Astros on Sunday. And the Astros had to be impressed: He threw 3 2/3 scoreless innings with four strikeouts, three walks and three hits allowed. It’ll take him a while to get back to speed, but remember: He is still, somehow, only 31 years old.
14. Reds (previously: 14)
Much has been made about how difficult the Cubs’ schedule has been so far, and how well-positioned they are when it gets easier as the season goes along. The flip side of that is the Reds: They’ve had the second-easiest schedule in baseball so far by opponent winning percentage -- only the Red Sox have had an easier run so far -- something that will change next week when they travel to Atlanta and Houston.
15. Royals (previously: 16)
The Royals have been smoking hot over the last fortnight, but one thing they haven’t been doing? Hitting homers. They are tied for second-worst in the Majors with 25. Though the Orioles helped them out with that -- the two clubs combined for a 10 solo-homer slugfest in the finale on Sunday.
16. Brewers (previously: 21)
Everybody loves Jackson Chourio, right? Eventual superstar, impossibly young, maybe already the best player on the two-time defending NL Central champions -- great guy. Here’s something he definitely needs to work on, though: Walking. Chourio has the lowest walk rate in baseball, with only two walks in 153 plate appearances. Eventually pitchers are just going to stop throwing him strikes. (This is already beginning to happen.)
17. A’s (previously: 20)
Here come the A’s! After taking two out of three vs. the Marlins, the A’s now have the most wins (13) in baseball since April 15. Wait until they actually start winning some games at home.
18. Braves (previously: 17)
The Braves missed an opportunity in Denver last week to sweep the Rockies and get all the way back to .500 after their miserable start but make no mistake: The Braves are clearly and rightly back in the playoff hunt. You know who has been surprisingly solid? Alex Verdugo, who is now their leadoff hitter and hit .341 in his first 10 games holding that spot.
19. Rangers (previously: 9)
It was a miserable week for the Rangers, who lost four straight and saw their offense struggle until breaking out for an 8-1 win on Sunday. How frustrated are the Rangers? They sent down key offseason acquisition Jake Burger to Triple-A Round Rock. “It's just getting back to the best version of himself,” president of baseball operations Chris Young said. “We believe in Jake immensely. It doesn't change anything.”
20. Blue Jays (previously: 18)
Remember when everyone was a little worried about Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who signed his massive contract extension on April 9 and didn't slug his first homer until May 16? No one seems worried anymore. In his last eight games, he's slugging .452, two homers and seven RBIs, including a go-ahead three-run bomb in the 8th inning on Thursday to beat the Red Sox.
21. Rays (previously: 19)
If you’re looking for a reason to be skeptical of the Rays -- and if their 16-18 record alone isn’t enough for you -- it’s important to remember that because of the weather in Tampa (and of course the lack of a roof on their temporary home), they’re playing more home games than anyone right now. Their series in the Bronx was only their fourth road series of the year. The back half of their schedule may end up being a little rough.
22. Orioles (previously: 23)
It’s never the best sign when your general manager has to call a press conference in the middle of the season and it’s not about you signing a new player, but while Mike Elias says he’s not freaking out about the Orioles start, you can kind of see where he’s coming from. The Orioles have been playing a little better, and it’s worth noting: No one in this division is running away from them.
23. Cardinals (previously: 22)
The Cardinals announced their annual Cardinals Hall of Fame class this week -- they’re the ones wearing all those red jackets on Opening Day -- and the honors went to Al Hrabosky, Edgar Renteria and the late Walt Jocketty. It’s the 12th class of inductees: After they are inducted, there will be 58 members of the Hall.
24. Nationals (previously: 25)
The Nationals have had the worst bullpen ERA in baseball so far this season, so it’s probably not a surprise they’re looking to bolster it however they can. Thus, their signing of veteran Andrew Chafin this week. In a sign of how things have been going out there, bench coach Miguel Cairo could only say, “hopefully, he can help us.”
25. Twins (previously: 27)
One of the funny things about the word “grinding,” and the way that it is used in sports, is that it can be used to describe a team that is winning and a team that is losing. Good teams? They “embrace the grind.” Teams struggling the Twins right now? “We’re going to learn a lot about ourselves, because we’re grinding to put it together and to score,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. Either way, I guess you just have to always keep grinding.
26. Angels (previously: 24)
It makes you nervous -- and a little sad -- any time that Mike Trout has to go on the injured list. But, and this is not to minimize a bone bruise because a bone bruise surely really hurts, this doesn’t sound like it’s going to be too bad. “I’m not concerned, at all,” Trout said. “It’s way better than what happened last year.” See you next week, Mike.
27. Marlins (previously: 26)
You know who may be back earlier than anyone expected? Eury Pérez. The one-time Marlins phenom, who is still only 22 years old, is still working his way back from April 2024 Tommy John surgery. And he could be back as early as June? “The plan is to get at least eight outings out there in the Minor League level: three [at Single-A Jupiter], and then I will go to [Triple-A] Jacksonville after that,” Pérez said through an interpreter. He made his first rehab start just last week. This could be happening soon.
28. Pirates (previously: 28)
I had someone asked me the other day, “What’s wrong with Paul Skenes?” Here are his numbers so far this season: 2.74 ERA, in 42 2/3 innings, with 41 strikeouts against eight walks. Batters are hitting .199 against him. We should all have such things wrong with us.
29. White Sox (previously: 29)
Your mileage may vary, but for my money, the White Sox’s City Connect jerseys, which are a collaboration with the Chicago Bulls, might be my absolute favorite City Connect jerseys in all of baseball. This '90s kid is hearing The Alan Parsons Project every time the White Sox run on the field in those.
30. Rockies (previously: 30)
It’s fair to say not much has gone right for the Rockies so far this year. But one part of their team that is performing well? The bullpen. From April 10 to May 3, Rockies relievers had a 2.13 ERA in 84 1/3 innings spanning 21 games. “The bullpen has been pretty stable, which is a good sign for the group,” manager Bud Black said.
Voters: Nathalie Alonso, Mark Feinsand, Daniel Feldman, Doug Gausepohl, Will Leitch, Travis Miller, Brian Murphy, Arturo Pardavila, Andrew Simon, David Venn.