The first MLB power rankings of June features plenty of shuffling from top to bottom.
1. Atlanta Braves (40-20) | Last week: 1
Atlanta put a series loss to the Nationals last weekend behind them with series wins on the road versus Boston and Cincinnati over the past week. The Dodgers are coming on strong, but the Braves remain in the No. 1 spot as the first club to reach 40 wins this season.
2. Los Angeles Dodgers (38-21) | Last week: 3 (+1)
Los Angeles has gone 7-1 over their past eight games, and it took a late comeback by the Phillies on Saturday night to give them their only loss during that span. On the mound, Shohei Ohtani has a 0.82 ERA on the season and didn’t allow a hit in six innings of work last week versus the Rockies (despite four walks and a hit batter to surrender a run).
3. Milwaukee Brewers (35-21) | Last week: 5 (+2)
The Brew Crew are coming off a 5-1 week that included a sweep over the Cardinals, and I’m looking ahead to the end of June into July as a key stretch for them (@ CIN, v CHC, v CIN). After seven shutout innings yesterday, ace Jacob Misiorowski finished the month with a 5-0 record and 0.23 ERA.
4. Tampa Bay Rays (36-20) | Last week: 2 (-2)
Tampa Bay allowed some crooked run totals over the past week, and that included 26 runs to Baltimore—giving the divisional foe some life—while getting swept. The Rays did rebound with a series win over the Angels, though, and the schedule is favorable until they take on the Dodgers starting on June 15.
5. New York Yankees (36-23) | Last week: 7 (+2)
The bats have heated up for the Yankees as of late, and the highlight was a monster 13-run inning yesterday—tied for their biggest inning in 106 years. Even with Aaron Judge not putting up his typical numbers, the leadership was on display to get his squad going before the explosion.
6. Cleveland Guardians (34-27) | Last week: 4 (-2)
The Guardians dropped consecutive series to the Nationals and Red Sox, and they’ll need to get back on track quickly with series versus the Yankees to begin this week and next week. Although the AL Central has not lived up to expectations, the White Sox are suddenly climbing and sit just 1.0 game back.
7. Philadelphia Phillies (30-29) | Last week: 8 (+1)
A clutch game-winning home run by Edmundo Sosa on Saturday night kept the Phillies from getting swept in Los Angeles, but they still rise a spot after sweeping the Padres. Cristopher Sánchez didn’t allow a single run in May, and he’s still chasing history with 44 2/3 scoreless innings still going with sights set on Orel Hershiser’s all-time record (59 innings).
8. San Diego Padres (32-26) | Last week: 6 (-2)
San Diego went 1-5 last week, and they will need to face Cristopher Sánchez again with a trip to Citizens Bank Park beginning tomorrow night. A 16-16 home record obviously isn’t good enough if the Padres want to push LA in the NL West, and they now sit 5.5 games back.
9. St. Louis Cardinals (31-26) | Last week: 9
The Cardinals could have dropped out of the top 10 having been swept by the Brewers to begin last week, but they rebounded with a series win over the Cubs—and the power rankings are crowded over the next several spots. On a side note, it was cool to see Sunday Night Baseball have the first airing on NBC last night.
10. Seattle Mariners (31-29) | Last week: 18 (+8)
Seattle shoots way up the power rankings after a 6-0 week, and the team is fortunate that Randy Arozarena is having perhaps the best year of his career with Cal Raleigh continuing to struggle. They’re also fortunate to have the rest of the AL West sitting at least three games below .500 as the calendar turns to June.
11. Arizona Diamondbacks (31-27) | Last week: 11
12. Chicago Cubs (32-28) | Last week: 10 (-2)
13. Pittsburgh Pirates (32-28) | Last week: 14 (+1)
14. Chicago White Sox (32-27) | Last week: 16 (+2)
15. Washington Nationals (31-29) | Last week: 15
16. Cincinnati Reds (30-28) | Last week: 13 (-3)
17. Toronto Blue Jays (29-31) | Last week: 17
18. Athletics (28-31) | Last week: 12 (-6)
19. Baltimore Orioles (28-32) | Last week: 23 (+4)
20. Texas Rangers (28-31) | Last week: 20
21. Houston Astros (27-34) | Last week: 22 (+1)
22. Minnesota Twins (27-33) | Last week: 19 (-3)
23. New York Mets (26-33) | Last week: 26 (+3)
24. Boston Red Sox (25-33) | Last week: 24
25. Miami Marlins (26-34) | Last week: 21 (-4)
26. San Francisco Giants (23-36) | Last week: 25 (-1)
27. Los Angeles Angels (23-37) | Last week: 29 (+2)
28. Kansas City Royals (22-37) | Last week: 27 (-1)
29. Colorado Rockies (22-38) | Last week: 30 (+1)
30. Detroit Tigers (22-38) | Last week: 28 (-2)