August Arms Race
08/03/2023By: Jeff Yoder
Good Morning,
It’s been 172 days since Super Bowl LVII, but football is finally back. The NFL Preseason kicks off tonight with the Hall of Fame Game between the Browns and Jets. Don’t overthink it. The starters aren’t suiting up.
Today, it’s a post-trade deadline edition of the MLB Power Rankings, and three more teams (two underdogs) punched their tickets to the Round of 16 at the World Cup. We’re one step closer to the weekend.
Letter Rip!
MLB
Post-Trade Deadline Power Rankings
After the Trade Deadline, New Deals & Hot Streaks Have Shift the MLB Hierarchy
The MLB trade deadline has blazed past us, and left in the wake is a new-look power rankings. More shuffling is underway at the top with the Braves, Rays, and Rangers each taking pokes at the No. 1 spot this season. The Orioles have spent much of the summer at No. 2. Down the list this week, the Reds and Cubs are shooting up from the NL Central while the Yankees are the latest free-fall in the AL. Fifteen (15) teams are separated by about 10 games in the Wild Card races (spots 7-21). We’re just two months away from October, but the August arms race is heating up. Let’s give it a go with our post-trade deadline rankings.
MLB Power Rankings
1. Braves (69-37) | ↑1
2. Orioles (66-42) | ↑1
3. Rays (66-45) | ↑1
4. Rangers (62-46) | ↓3
5. Dodgers (61-45) | —
6. Astros (62-47) | ↑2
7. Giants (60-49) | ↓1
8. Blue Jays (60-49) | —
9. Reds (59-51) | ↑7
10. Phillies (58-50) | ↑1
Teams 11-20
11. Brewers (58-51) | ↑2
12. Diamondbacks (57-52) | ↓3
13. Marlins (58-51) | ↓1
14. Red Sox (57-51) | —
15. Cubs (55-53) | ↑7
16. Twins (55-54) | —
17. Angels (56-54) | —
18. Yankees (56-52) | ↓8
19. Mariners (56-52) | —
20. Padres (54-55) | —
Teams 21-30
21. Guardians (53-56) | ↓3
22. Mets (50-57) | —
23. Tigers (49-60) | ↑2
24. Pirates (48-59) | ↑2
25. Cardinals (48-61) | ↓2
26. Nationals (46-63) | ↑2
27. White Sox (43-66) | ↓2
28. Rockies (42-66) | ↓1
29. Royals (34-75) | —
30. Athletics (30-79) | —
*See the bottom of today’s edition for The Team’s take on who will win the World Series
1. Shohei Ohtani (LAA): 39 HRs
2. Matt Olson (ATL): 37 HRs
3. Pete Alonso (NYM): 31 HRs
4. Luis Robert (CWS): 29 HRs
5. Mookie Betts (LAD): 28 HRs
Read More
ESPN: 2023 MLB Trade Deadline: What to Make of Mets, Yankees & More
MLB: How the Trade Deadline Shook Up the Latest Power Rankings
CBS Sports: Ranking 15 Best Prospects Trade at Deadline as Mets, Cardinals & White Sox Boost Farm Systems
MLB Quick-Hitters
Cubs Going Crazy: One night after the Cubs hung 20 on the Reds, Chicago put up 16 in another win (16-6). They hit five home runs in this one, and those 36 runs in two games are the most for the franchise since 1897. They’re 12-3 in their last 15 games.
Fins Not Finished: The Marlins rallied from a 5-0 deficit to send the Phillies into extras before Jesus Sanchez tallied a bases-loaded walk-off single in the 12th (9-8). New additions Josh Bell (4-for-5, 1 HR, 2 RBIs) and Jake Burger (2-for-4) showed out in their debuts.
Seager Sparks Rangers: In his return to the lineup, Rangers shortstop Corey Seager went yard on his first swing to ignite an 11-1 rout for Texas over the White Sox.
Royals Revival: Kansas City has been a bottom-dweller the entire season, but a 4-0 shutout against the spiraling Mets on Wednesday gave the Royals their fifth straight win.
______________________________________________________________________________________
WORLD CUP
World Cup Stunners
Sweden Wins Group G, South Africa & Jamaica Pull Off Upsets as Marta (Brazil) Ends World Cup Career
The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup group stage is drawing to a close (as we speak). The final two matches of group play are live as of today’s publish time, but we now know 14 of the 16 teams in the Knockout Stage. Two underdog squads did the unthinkable yesterday morning — South Africa stunned Italy (3-2) to earn a bid to the Round of 16 with a 92nd-minute winner, and Jamaica held Brazil to a scoreless draw (0-0), effectively ending the World Cup Career of Brazilian legend Marta (Vieria da Silva). Sweden also took Group G, and they’ll face the U.S. Women’s National Team in the Round of 16 on Saturday. Let’s keep kicking…
Top World Cup Storylines
Marta’s World Cup Career Ends After Brazil’s Knockout
South Africa Shocks Italy With Late Winner
USWNT to Face Sweden as Underdog in Round of 16
World Cup Highlights
Teams Advanced (14 out of 16)
Group A: Switzerland & Norway
Group B: Australia & Nigeria
Group C: Japan & Spain
Group D: England & Denmark
Group E: Netherlands & USA
Group F: France & Jamaica
Group G: Sweden & South Africa
Group H: TBD (Colombia, Germany, or Morocco)
Final Group Stage Matches (Today)
Morocco vs. Colombia (6:00 am ET)
Germany vs. South Korea (6:00 am ET)
Read More
FOX Sports: How USWNT Matches Up Against Sweden
Reuters: End of an Era for Brazil as Marta Bows Out of 6th World Cup
______________________________________________________________________________________
HIGHLIGHTS
Soccer
Inter Miami Tops Orlando City (3-1) Behind 2 Goals From Messi
WNBA
Ogunbowale Breaks Wings’ 3-Point Record (5) in Win Over Storm (76-65)
______________________________________________________________________________________
NEWS
- Legendary Italian Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon Retires From Soccer at 45 (B/R)
- Iowa State QB Hunter Dekkers Accused of Betting on Games (ESPN)
- Federal Agents Execute Search Warrant on WWE’s Vince McMahon (SI)
- NFL Considering XFL-Style Kickoffs for Future Rule Changes (CBS Sports)
- Orlando Magic Made $50K Donation to PAC Supporting Ron DeSantis Presidential Campaign (USA Today)
- Manchester City Agree to €90 Million Deal With RB Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol (ESPN)
______________________________________________________________________________________
TODAY’S SCHEDULE
The Must-Watch List
FIFA Women’s World Cup
Morocco vs. Colombia (6:00 am ET)
Germany vs. South Korea (6:00 am ET)
NFL Hall of Fame Game (Preseason)
Jets vs. Browns (8:00 pm ET)
MLB
Astros at Yankees (7:15 pm ET)
Reds at Cubs (8:05 pm ET)
PGA Tour
Wyndham Championship (Round 1)
Download The Sportsletter’s Must-Watch Calendar
______________________________________________________________________________________
POLL
Poll Results
Yesterday, we asked: Which of the MLB playoff contenders do you think has the best shot at winning the World Series after the trade deadline? We gave 21 teams in playoff contention a voting chance, and the results were interesting. Shame on those of you who tried to rig the system and vote multiple times (we’re smarter than that).
Top-5
1. Braves (13.1%)
2. Astros (12.1%)
3. Orioles (8.1%)
4. Rangers (5.7%)
5. Dodgers (4.8%)
6. Yankees (4.7%), 7. Cubs (4.6%), 8. Reds (4.5%), 9. Twins (4.2%), 10. Brewers (3.9%), 11. Rays (3.9%), 12. Blue Jays (3.8%), 13. Red Sox (3.7%), 14. Diamondbacks (3.4%), 15. Phillies (3.1%), 16. Marlins (3.1%), 17. Angels (3.0%), 18. Mariners (2.7%), 19. Guardians (2.6%), 20. Padres (2.6%), 21. Giants (2.3%)
We’ll close out the week tomorrow with a full picture of the Women’s World Cup Round of 16 and an Underdog feature you won’t want to miss. — The Team