| Rank | Team | Record | Change | Comment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Houston Astros | 64-35 |
—
|
The defending champions head into the All-Star break with a five-game lead in the American League West. They have yet to play to their full potential, and that should scare the rest of MLB. | |||
| 2 |
|
Boston Red Sox | 68-30 |
▲ 1
|
Boston has won 12 of 13 to open up a 4.5-game lead in the AL East, and the Red Sox have the best record in baseball. Yet at this point, nothing but a World Series title will satisfy the Fenway Faithful. | |||
| 3 |
|
New York Yankees | 62-33 |
▼ 1
|
Despite winning six of 11 games on the road trip that just ended, the Yankees find themselves chasing the Red Sox in the division race. Nine of the next 12 games for New York are at home against some of the worst teams in baseball, however. | |||
| 4 |
|
Chicago Cubs | 55-38 |
—
|
Winners of 12 in their last 15, the Cubs have taken over first place in the National League Central, right where we expected them to be. Two of the three losses were on the road in extra innings, so Chicago is rolling right now. | |||
| 5 |
|
Los Angeles Dodgers | 53-43 |
▲ 2
|
The morning of May 9, the Dodgers were nine games out of first place in the NL West. Now, at the All-Star break, they lead the division by a half game. Just the way they drew it up? A tough ten-game road trip awaits L.A. next, though. | |||
| 6 |
|
Atlanta Braves | 52-42 |
▼ 1
|
In a bit of a slump right now after losing eight of their last 11 games, the Braves have dropped into second place in the NL East by a half game. But the metrics are good for a second-half surge in Atlanta. | |||
| 7 |
|
Oakland Athletics | 55-42 |
▲ 5
|
Who are these guys?! The A’s just finished a ten-game road trip with seven wins against Cleveland, Houston, and San Francisco. Oakland won each series and now sits poised for an AL wild-card berth run. New York and Seattle, beware. | |||
| 8 |
|
Tampa Bay Rays | 49-47 |
▲ 5
|
The Rays are 8-14 combined against the Red Sox and Yankees, and if they played in any other division, they’d be competing for a playoff berth. The 17-21 mark in one-run games also has kept Tampa Bay from rising in the AL East hierarchy. | |||
| 9 |
|
Cleveland Indians | 52-43 |
▲ 2
|
A 7.5-game lead in the AL Central means Cleveland can afford a few slumps now, like the one it’s currently slogging through with just three wins in the last nine games. It would be unwise to underestimate this team when the playoffs arrive. | |||
| 10 |
|
Milwaukee Brewers | 55-43 |
▼ 4
|
The Brewers got swept in a five-game road series against the Pirates to end the week, and overall, Milwaukee has lost six in a row now. The next 17 games are against teams in playoff contention, as well. Buckle up, Brew Crew. | |||
| 11 |
|
Seattle Mariners | 58-39 |
▼ 2
|
The Mariners have fallen on hard times, dropping seven of their last nine games, including a three-game slide in Colorado over the weekend. Seattle needs to keep its extra-inning (8-0) and one-run (26-12) magic rolling if it wants to reach October. | |||
| 12 |
|
Arizona Diamondbacks | 53-44 |
▼ 2
|
With ten losses in the last 16 games, the Diamondbacks have failed to capitalize on the struggles of the other teams in the NL West. That doesn’t mean this team isn’t good, however. It’s just underachieved so far. | |||
| 13 |
|
Philadelphia Phillies | 53-42 |
▼ 5
|
Losing two on the road in Miami right before the All-Star break doesn’t help momentum, but the Phillies are in the first place ... barely. Losing four times in the last eight games to teams like the Mets and the Marlins is not a good sign, though. | |||
| 14 |
|
Los Angeles Angels | 49-48 |
▲ 1
|
The Halos lost the Second Battle of Los Angeles over the weekend, dropping two of three to the Dodgers. They did win the first one the prior weekend at home, but nothing the Angels do seems to be enough to get into playoff contention. | |||
| 15 |
|
Washington Nationals | 48-48 |
▼ 1
|
Since posting a 20-7 record in May, the Nationals have gone just 15-25 since then. Maybe firing Manager Dusty Baker after a 97-win season wasn’t such a good idea, eh? There’s no way this team should be 5.5 games out of first place. | |||
| 16 |
|
Colorado Rockies | 51-45 |
▲ 1
|
With 13 victories in the last 16 games, the Rockies have improved their run differential to a mere minus-one mark at this point. That’s a good sign, since all those wins came against playoff-contending teams. Colorado now has serious momentum. | |||
| 17 |
|
St. Louis Cardinals | 48-46 |
▼ 1
|
We’re not sure firing Manager Mike Matheny will make a difference to this team, but as we mentioned last week, the Cardinals have been middling now for a few seasons. Matheny paid the price for his predecessor’s long-term sustained success. | |||
| 18 |
|
San Francisco Giants | 50-48 |
—
|
The Giants lost the First Bay Bridge Series at home over the weekend, losing two of three to the A’s. Now, San Francisco, with its negative-26 run differential, enters a 24-game stretch mostly against clubs with legitimate playoff aspirations. | |||
| 19 |
|
Pittsburgh Pirates | 48-49 |
▲ 2
|
With eight wins in the last nine games, the Pirates have forced themselves back into the NL wild-card chase. Pittsburgh can keep this momentum rolling after the All-Star Game, with seven games in the next ten against really bad teams. | |||
| 20 |
|
Toronto Blue Jays | 43-52 |
▼ 1
|
The Blue Jays are 23.5 games out of first place, and it’s time to start selling parts. This also means, though, MLB fans probably won’t get to see Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. until 2019, and that’s a bummer for everyone who loves baseball. | |||
| 21 |
|
Cincinnati Reds | 43-53 |
▼ 1
|
Since dismissing Manager Bryan Price in April, the Reds have played better than .500 ball, something the club hasn’t done since firing Dusty Baker after a 90-win season in 2013. Why do teams keep firing Dusty Baker?! | |||
| 22 |
|
Texas Rangers | 41-56 |
—
|
The Rangers can start selling off parts, too, as they stare at a 22-game deficit in a division they just won by nine games in 2016. Plus, the first 12 games out of the All-Star break are against Cleveland, Oakland, Houston, and Arizona. | |||
| 23 |
|
Minnesota Twins | 44-50 |
—
|
After the All-Star Game, the Twins play ten straight on the road. The good news is the first two stops are in Kansas City and Toronto. The bad news is the last four games are in Boston. | |||
| 24 |
|
Miami Marlins | 41-57 |
▲ 3
|
The Marlins played spoiler last week, taking series from both Milwaukee and Philadelphia. Miami has been playing .500 ball since June 1, so any team on its schedule from here on out should not take anything for granted. | |||
| 25 |
|
New York Mets | 39-55 |
▼ 1
|
On the opposite end of the spectrum, perhaps opponents can take games against the Mets for granted. New York is just 22-46 since the start of May, although a .500 record in July might give some hope to loyal Mets fans. | |||
| 26 |
|
San Diego Padres | 40-59 |
▼ 1
|
Outscored by 36 runs in just 11 games this month, the Padres seem to be sinking fast. They’ve bottomed out in the NL West, after staying somewhat competitive in the mediocre division for the first three months of the season. | |||
| 27 |
|
Detroit Tigers | 41-57 |
▼ 1
|
The Tigers snapped a six-game slide by beating Justin Verlander on Sunday in Houston. However, with the news breaking that Verlander is an expecting father, perhaps he can be forgiven for letting his old team get the best of him. | |||
| 28 |
|
Chicago White Sox | 33-62 |
▲ 1
|
It’s curious to see the White Sox are “only” 19 games out of first place. Blame Cleveland’s complacency for that anomaly. It’s hard to give any credit to a team that has been outscored by 126 runs already in 2018. | |||
| 29 |
|
Baltimore Orioles | 28-69 |
▼ 1
|
The Orioles won four games last week, including twice against the Yankees. But when was the last time a team was 43 games under .500 before the All-Star break? It’s just been an ugly season in Baltimore this year. | |||
| 30 |
|
Kansas City Royals | 27-68 |
—
|
The Royals are 41 games under .500 right now, and they’ve been outscored by 193 runs this season. They fully are entrenched in the basement of MLB just three years after winning the World Series. That will never cease to amaze. | |||
