It’s not every day that you see a team throw a no-hitter. On Sunday, the Cincinnati Reds threw the 317th thanks to the work of Hunter Greene and Art Warren. Unfortunately, the Reds still lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 1-0. After baseball hit somewhat of a lull, this week was full of storylines, including Los Angeles Angels’ rookie Reid Detmers also throwing a no-hitter in a win over the Tampa Bay Rays. With so much falling under the radar this week, here’s a look at your updated MLB Power Rankings.
Week 6 MLB Power Rankings
1) New York Yankees (25-9) (Previous: 1)
The New York Yankees continue to be the hottest team in baseball and are currently the only team in the MLB with less than 12 losses. In a shortened two-game series earlier this week, New York swept Toronto to increase their lead in the AL East before taking three of four games on the road against the White Sox. The offense is rolling on all cylinders and the pitchers are doing their job as well.
The only question is whether or not these are the true Yankees or if this is simply a long hot streak early on. If this is the “real Yankees,” there is no bigger favorite to win it all.
2) Los Angeles Angels (24-13) (5)
Most baseball fans have been bracing for the downfall of the Angels and yet another wasted season for outfielder Mike Trout. Even with third baseman Anthony Rendon continuing to struggle at the dish, the pitching staff has helped the Angels continue to thrive, thanks to their 3.23 team ERA. There is a long way to go, but this is as good of a shot as any for Mike Trout to finally be able to showcase his talents in the playoffs.
3) Houston Astros (23-12) (8)
It seemed inevitable that the Houston Astros would bounce back from a tough start to the season, but winning 12 of their last 13 games is one hell of a way to do it. It’s the reason why they jumped in this week’s MLB Power Rankings. Questions can certainly be asked about their competition, seeing only three of those 13 have come against teams currently at or above .500, but wins are wins and they’re racking them up with ease. The Astros aren’t scheduled to face another team above .500 until June 21st, so expect them to give themselves a nice lead in the AL West race.
4) New York Mets (23-13) (3)
After a sensational start, the New York Mets have found themselves in a bit of a lull. They split six games between the Nationals and Mariners this week and are just .500 over their last 10 games. With a big four-game series coming up against the red-hot St. Louis Cardinals, the Mets will be truly tested for the first time in weeks.
5) Milwaukee Brewers (22-13) (4)
The start of the week was far from good for the Milwaukee Brewers, as they dropped two of three games to the Reds, including a game in which they lost 14-11. They did well to bounce back, however, taking two of three games from the Marlins on the road. The Brewers once again are struggling to find support for their aces as Corbin Burnes has a quality start in six of his seven starts with an ERA of 1.77 but only a 1-2 record. The Brewers are 13-3 in games in which they record eight or more hits. Once again, the story of this team will be whether they can get enough runs across the plate when it matters most.
6) San Diego Padres (22-13) (7)
Don’t look now, but with the recent slump the Dodgers are in, the San Diego Padres are tied for first in the NL West. They certainly aren’t the sexiest team in the division, as they only hold a run differential of +16, but they are doing well for a team missing arguably their biggest bat in Fernando Tatis Jr. Manny Machado is playing like an MVP, with a .359 batting average along with seven homers and 23 RBIs. The Padres will need him to continue to produce at a high level until Tatis comes back if they want to stay alive in their quest for an NL West title.
7) Tampa Bay Rays (21-14) (9)
The Tampa Bay Rays were pounded in their first two games against the Angels to start the week, by a combined score of 23-3. They did show some resolve though, rebounding to win the third game of the series and two of three in their next series against Toronto. If they can improve on their .235 team batting average, this team could really cause some problems for the Yankees atop the AL East.
8) Los Angeles Dodgers (21-12) (2)
Don’t let their recent walk-off win on Sunday fool you, the Los Angeles Dodgers may have had the worst week in the MLB. The Dodgers lost two of three games to the lowly Pirates before losing three of four to the Phillies at home. Their hitting has been fine for the most part, but it’s been the pitching for the Dodgers that has been the issue.
With the Padres and Giants all within two games, thanks to their recent slide, the Dodgers need to turn it around or risk putting themselves in a hole in the NL West before June. But due to this past week, the Dodgers fall in this week’s MLB Power Rankings.
9) Minnesota Twins (20-15) (6)
Unfortunately for Minnesota, the Twins had to play the hottest team in baseball in the Astros to start the week. After getting swept in three games, the Twins rebounded by taking two of three games from the Guardians. This team is not anywhere near the most talented on paper even in their own division. With that being said, this team has a knack for finding ways to win, which is crucial for a team still searching for their first playoff series win in over a decade. While the Twins hold an early lead in the AL Central, the White Sox and Guardians are both back on track and are reading to make the division interesting again.
10) St. Louis Cardinals (19-15) (11)
It’s truly been a rollercoaster for the St. Louis Cardinals over the last week and a half. The Cardinals came into this week after losing the last two of a four-game series with the Giants to split the series in San Francisco. At home, they dropped two of three games to the lowly Orioles before taking two of three from the Giants to end the week.
When this team is on, they are as dangerous as any, but they are either playing flawlessly or not able to put together a full nine innings on either side of the field. Their consistency will be tested in a long four-game series on the road against the Mets. If they’re not up to the test, we could see them fall in next week’s MLB Power Rankings.
