It was a rare down week for the MLB, as there wasn’t much craziness going around the league. While that would usually be a bad thing for baseball, it does give us a solid, unbiased look at how teams continue to shake out early in the season. With almost a fifth of the season already completed, here is a look at your updated MLB Power Rankings.
Week 5 MLB Power Rankings
1) New York Yankees (19-8) (Previous: 2)
Their winning streak may have been stopped this week, but that doesn’t mean the New York Yankees aren’t still cruising early on. In their second true test of the season against Toronto on the road, New York took two of three games. With big names like Gerrit Cole and Aroldis Chapman on the Yankees pitching staff, many are overlooking Michael King. He has an ERA of just 0.51 this season and has the second-highest WAR (wins above replacement) on the team, with 1.3.
With King firing on all cylinders, few offenses can put up the numbers needed to keep up with the Yankees. This is why we see them at the top spot in this week’s MLB Power Rankings.
2) Los Angeles Dodgers (19-7) (3)
After a frustrating 2021 regular season that saw the Los Angeles Dodgers often bested by their rivals from San Francisco, it seems the Dodgers have decided this year is going to be different. In a shortened two-game series, Los Angeles held the Giants to just two runs in a sweep before sweeping the Cubs in their three-game set. When the Dodgers are playing like this, it’s hard to find a team that can compete with them. With that in mind, the Dodgers still just have one title since 1988, so it’s much too early to crown them champions.
3) New York Mets (20-10) (1)
You know a team has been doing well early on when a 4-3 week against divisional rivals is looked at as subpar. Although they have slowed down a little since their blistering start to the season, the immense amount of depth will keep this team rolling throughout the entire season. With a team batting average of .258 and a pitching staff that consists of Max Scherzer and Edwin Diaz, the Mets finally seem to be true contenders.
4) Milwaukee Brewers (19-10) (5)
The Milwaukee Brewers are a tough team to measure as their division is one of the most pathetic in recent history. With that in mind, their recent power surge is still impressive. Milwaukee hit just 11 home runs through April 28th. In their recent six-game homestand against the Cubs and Reds, they would go on to hit 21 homers. Although they dropped two in a row at Atlanta to end the week, the Brewers get to play Cincinnati for three games to start this week.
5) Los Angeles Angels (19-11) (7)
Mike Trout finally has a third star next to him, with the emergence of Taylor Ward. So far, Ward is batting .364 with six homers, 15 RBIs and a WAR of 1.5. With Ohtani sure to rebound from his early-season struggles at the plate, if the Angels can keep consistent batting around Trout, they may finally break their playoff drought. With four of their seven games this week against the struggling Athletics, the Angels should be able to pad their win total and possibly continue rising in the MLB Power Rankings.
6) Minnesota Twins (18-11) (8)
It’s about time someone said it. When healthy, Byron Buxton is the most underrated superstar in the MLB. With a solid .278 batting average, Buxton has also already slugged nine home runs with 17 RBIs. As a team, the Twins are batting just .236 and yet hold a run differential of +25, which is third in the American League. If they can get hits more consistently, the sky is the limit for Minnesota.
7) San Diego Padres (19-10) (9)
The San Diego Padres look legit again. Maybe it’s because of all the crazy early storylines or the Dodgers dominating the division again, but somehow few are paying attention to the Padres. After a late-season collapse, it seems the Padres are down to business and ready for revenge. Being nine games above .500 is impressive this early, but even more impressive when you factor in the absence of Fernando Tatis Jr.
8) Houston Astros (18-11) (13)
After some struggling early on, the Houston Astros went on a tear this week and currently own the longest win streak in the MLB, at seven games. Although they did get home games against Seattle and Detroit this week, winning consistently is a welcome sign for a team that gave up 18 runs over three games to the Mariners just a few weeks ago. With a three-game series in Minnesota on deck, we should be able to see if this recent streak is their true form or simply just a flash in the pan.
9) Tampa Bay Rays (18-11) (15)
A sign of a good team is that they are able to consistently beat up on lesser opposition. The Tampa Bay Rays were given a golden opportunity this week against the Athletics and Mariners, and they took full advantage. By winning six of seven games, the Rays now sit just two games back of the Yankees in the AL East. Outfielder Manuel Margot is experiencing quite the resurgence in Tampa, with a team-high .325 batting average and 20 RBIs. With catcher Francisco Mejia finally off the COVID list, the Rays should be able to continue this hot streak for at least another week or two.
10) Toronto Blue Jays (17-13) (6)
It’s still early, but if this last week was any indication, the Toronto Blue Jays are the same team they were last year. With a roster as talented as any on paper, Toronto lost two of three games to the Yankees at home before dropping three of four to the Guardians in Cleveland. It would be foolish to put too much stock into this week, but early signs point to more disappointment for the Blue Jays in a loaded American League. This is why we see them sliding a bit in this week’s MLB Power Rankings.
