MLB Power Rankings: 10. Milwaukee Brewers
Let’s see how this week treats you, Brewers, with three games against the Dodgers in Los Angeles followed by three games against the Rangers in Texas. Milwaukee is 7-3 in their previous ten games, but those victories have come against Pittsburgh, Colorado, and the Chicago White Sox. This week will undoubtedly be a step up in competitiveness as Milwaukee attempts to maintain its 3.5-game lead in the NL Central.
MLB Power Rankings: 9. Chicago Cubs
The Cubs are one of the teams chasing the Brewers, with games against the Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, and Pittsburgh Pirates on the schedule before finishing the month with three games at Wrigley Field against Milwaukee. Jeimer Candelario appears to be thriving in Chicago, slashing.320/.393/.520 in his previous seven games.
MLB Power Rankings: 8. Seattle Mariners
Baltimore won the final two games of their Pacific Northwest series against the Mariners, stopping Seattle’s eight-game winning run. The Orioles have been one of the few teams to be able to keep the Mariners at bay recently, with Ty France being one of the primary offensive contributors, slashing.310/.420/.524 over his last 13 games. A 10-game road trip, including three against the Astros in Houston, begins Monday in Kansas City.
MLB Power Rankings: 7. Philadelphia Phillies
Things appear to be going Philadelphia’s way, with Trea Turner converting boos into applause after slashing.317/.359/.533 over his last 15 games. Throw in a no-hitter from Michael Lorenzen in his first home start after being dealt from Detroit, and it’s no surprise that Philly fans are beginning to hope that another spectacular postseason run is on the way.
MLB Power Rankings: 6. Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays have gone 5-5 in their last ten games and appear to be in desperate need of a spark to reclaim their early-season supremacy. Wander Franco had hit.388/.444/.735 in his last 12 games and drove in 10 runs, but being out of the lineup on Sunday while some whispers lingered about him wasn’t pleasant for Rays fans. Manager Kevin Cash minimized the situation, but would the Rays begin their West Coast road trip with doubts surrounding one of their stars?
MLB Power Rankings: 5. Houston Astros
Do the defending World Champions just keep lurking? The week ahead includes a trip to South Florida to face the Marlins and a key AL West home game against the Mariners. However, with Jose Altuve slashing.442/.540/.635 in his last 13 games and Justin Verlander returning to offer depth to a rotation that desperately needed another arm, the Astros appear to be doing precisely what they need to do to return to the postseason.
MLB Power Rankings: 4. Texas Rangers
The Rangers moved two games ahead of the Astros in the AL West standings this week after going 8-2 in their last ten games. Texas is at home this week, welcoming the Angels and Brewers to Arlington, hoping to continue its offensive surge. Texas still leads the AL with a plus-181 run differential, due in part to Marcus Semien’s.333/.424/.588 slash line with three home runs in his previous 13 games.
MLB Power Rankings: 3. Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers are the hottest MLB club right now, winning 9-1 in their previous ten games. This streak began with a three-game sweep of the San Diego Padres, sending a message to their Interstate 5 opponents. The Dodgers have won eight straight games since the Padres made their choice on August 5, and now host the Milwaukee Brewers and Miami Marlins for six games following a day off on Monday. Things are looking up in Los Angeles.
MLB Power Rankings: 2. Baltimore Orioles
It was tempting to put Los Angeles here, but the Orioles’ final two games in Seattle this weekend kept them there… for now. Baltimore continues its West Coast journey with three games in San Diego and three in Oakland. If Ryan Mountcastle continues to hit as he has in his previous 15 games (.442/.500/.692), the Orioles will be fine no matter where they play.
MLB Power Rankings: 1. Atlanta Braves
The Braves haven’t looked like MLB’s greatest team in recent games, going 5-5 in their previous 10. However, there are reasons to be optimistic about Atlanta’s recent pitching woes, and the team’s offense appears to be strong enough to overcome any struggles on the field. Matt Olson has 24 RBI in his last 15 games and is hitting.396/.529/1.000. He leads all of baseball with 43 home runs this season and will attempt to continue his power as Atlanta begins a nine-game homestand against two New York clubs and the San Francisco Giants.