MLB Power Rankings: A New No. 1

05/31/2023

By: Jeff Yoder

MLB’s Top Teams Shuffle, Rangers Grab No. 1 Spot As May Comes to an End

Baseball’s second month is coming to a close, and we’re gearing up for the summer stretch. Two months gone and four to go before October. The MLB all-star festivities are just over a month away, and we’re starting to see who’s who in the 2023 hierarchy. The Rays had the hot start. The Dodgers and Yankees began to turn things around. The Orioles and Pirates have been the surprise teams. But a new squad earned the rights to No. 1 after a sensational month of May. Let’s see where they stand at the 1/3-season mark. You’ll have some questions, but we’ll provide answers.

MLB Power Rankings

1. Rangers (35-19)

2. Rays (39-18)

3. Yankees (34-23)

4. Dodgers (34-22)

5. Astros (32-22)

6. Braves (32-23)

7. Orioles (35-20)

8. Diamondbacks (32-23)

9. Giants (28-27)

10. Blue Jays (29-26)

Analysis (1-10): Ranger Danger

I know, I know. The Rays’ historic start to the 2023 season is starting to come back down to Earth. In the meantime, the AL East has beaten up on each other, even though four of the five teams reside in the top-10. That’s made room for the Rangers to slide into the top spot. They have the best record in the second half of May, and they boast the best run differential (+132) in all of baseball. Better than the Rays (+118) and more than double the next-best teams. Texas went 20-8 in May with just three losses by more than two runs. For us, they’re the best team in baseball right now. The Yankees, Dodgers and Astros are still the cream of the crop when they play their best ball, and the Braves and Giants are just getting warmed up. The Orioles continue to surprise, but we’re slow to put them in the top-5 due to youth. The Diamondbacks are a feel-good story, too. You might notice: No teams from the NL or AL Central are in the top-10. They’ll start off in the second tier…

Teams 11-20

11. Brewers (28-26)

12. Twins (28-27)

13. Mets (28-27)

14. Angels (29-27)

15. Mariners (28-27)

16. Red Sox (28-26)

17. Padres (25-29)

18. Marlins (28-27)

19. Pirates (27-27)

20. Phillies (25-29)

Analysis (11-20): Centrals Up For Grabs

The Brewers (NL Central) and Twins (AL Central) lead their respective divisions, although they seem weaker in a year with more divisional games. Both divisional races are completely up for grabs, and the Crew and Twins could be massive candidates for mid-season swings — either collapse or complete control. Every other team in the middle of our rankings seems destined for playoff wild card races, at best.

Teams 21-30

21. Reds (25-29)

22. Tigers (25-28)

23. Guardians (24-30)

24. Cubs (24-30)

25. Cardinals (25-32)

26. White Sox (23-34)

27. Rockies (24-32)

28. Nationals (23-32)

29. Royals (17-39)

30. Athletics (12-45)

Analysis (21-30): Midwest Mid-Terms

The Reds are the hottest team surging up from the bottom of the standings. Cincinnati has won four straight and they’re quickly climbing into a race for the NL Central. A few more weeks and they might be out in front. You’ll notice that many of the struggling teams are just 1-2 series sweeps or big win streaks away from catapulting up the rankings. It’s still early. Keep an eye on some other slumping teams from the Midwest like the Cubs, White Sox, Cardinals, and Guardians. They’re capable of getting things turned around in the mid-season. The Athletics are just packing their bags for Las Vegas at this point.

Baseball throws out the final pitches of May later today. About 25 of the 30 teams are separated by 10 games or less, and we still have 100-plus games to play before October.

Hottest Teams (Win Streaks)

Yankees: Won 4 (7 of last 10)

Reds: Won 4 (6 of last 10)

Rangers: Won 2 (8 of last 10)

Diamondbacks: Won 3 (7 of last 10)

Home Run Race

1. Pete Alonso (NYM): 20 HRs

2. Aaron Judge (NYY): 18 HRs

T3. Max Muncy (LAD): 17 HRs

T3. Matt Olson (ATL): 17 HRs

T3. Jorge Soler (MIA): 17 HRs

ESPN: Memorial Day Standings Check: Biggest Surprises & Disappointments So Far

CBS Sports: MLB Power Rankings: The Oakland A’s Are One of the Worst Teams Ever

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