In the third week of the season, there's not much we can take away. 6. 17 while finishing with an 8-4 record. 12. The New York Giants improved but ultimately couldn’t make a splash in the league as a whole in 2020, and ESPN doesn’t predict the situation improving much in 2021. You know what? Is he too old to be part of the Giants' future? Does that change now behind the likes of Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado and Dylan Carlson? What gives!?! 1 As Season Nears? Here are our updated win forecasts and 16-team playoff odds for all 30 teams. National baseball writer David Schoenfield offers his picks for a pleasant surprise player for every team along with this week's rankings. Not sure what to make of your team's early results? For a whole season? I love the Robbie Grossman signing. Instead, he changes speeds with his fastball and curveball; and in his first two starts replacing Justin Verlander, he allowed two runs and six hits in 11⅔ innings. From the golden age of shortstops to a historically weak group of catchers, here is the state of every position. Randy Dobnak came out of nowhere last season, from offseason Uber driver to starting Game 2 of an American League Division Series despite just 28⅓ career innings. That is to say, just because I have a team ranked first here doesn't mean I'm obligated to predict them to win the World Series. Great stuff. It is the defending World Series champion Dodgers. Interesting bunch. Welcome to MLB.com, the official site of Major League Baseball. They have the last few years, but that doesn't mean they will in 2021. Zac Gallen allowed 22 earned runs in 12 starts last season. OK, as I write this on Saturday night, his average has already dropped from .455 on Friday to .405 ... but even if a 60-game .400 season is obviously not the same thing as a full season, it would be super fun if somebody can make a run at it. Kudos to these small-market owners for not gutting the team after a pandemic year. The ESPN Power Rankings reflect that reality -- with the surprising Orioles jumping eight spots to No. We're also seeing some clubs come back from early postponements related to COVID-19, while the Cardinals' ongoing issues wreak havoc with their schedule and that of others. There are an awful lot of outcomes here. By Tim Kelly RADIO.COM. He had a 3.81 ERA as a rookie in 2019, but his underlying numbers weren't really that impressive -- 4.94 FIP, just 6.8 K's per nine. Instead, just two games against the mighty Braves and it was over. * Power Rankings for MLB are updated every Monday and Friday of the regular season. ICYMI: How much slow start changes Rangers' playoff odds. 1 pitching prospect? How about Oliver Drake picking up a couple of saves? 17 while finishing with an 8-4 record. ICYMI: How Alonso overcame bullies en route to MLB stardom. There is a lot of swing and miss here, and the approach is probably overaggressive (he swings at the first pitch over 60% of the time), but when he does make contact, he hits it hard. ESPN's KBO Power Rankings 1. Ozzie Albies #1 of the Atlanta Braves is congratulated by Nick Markakis #22 after Albies scored in the ninth inning during the game against the Miami Marlins at SunTrust Park on May 20, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. But Jake Cronenworth has admirably filled in at first base, with several highlight-reel defensive plays and six extra-base hits among his first nine hits. Frankly, it has been a disappointing start for the Rays, as they're not hitting and Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell haven't even gone five innings in a start yet. 1 team here wasn't even remotely difficult. Power Rankings, Week 11: Bucks rise, Jazz stay at No. (Throwing strikes helps!) 2021 Outlook: It's hard to overstate just how much Baez struggled at the plate last season. With a new MLB season set to get underway, it is time for everyone to give out their annual Opening Day power rankings. NC Dinos: 26-9 (Last week: 1) -- NC holds solid at No. It was the ensuing horror show of a press conference where general manager Jeff Bridich and owner Dick Monfort did everything opposite of covering themselves in glory. ICYMI: Pirates-Cardinals series suspended, Where do the A's land in this week's power rankings? Each week since week 15 of the 2005 baseball season, ESPN has been compiling "Power Rankings," a list from 1 to 30 of the quality/current trends/strength of each team in Major League Baseball.Each team appears with its ranking, logo, name, current record in wins and losses, and a witty factoid about the direction the team is going in or about a player or two who exemplifies that trend. The big test when they start back up will be getting through all the doubleheaders that will have to be added to their schedule -- even seven-inning doubleheaders will present a formidable test for the depth of the pitching staff. Adrian Houser made his MLB debut back in 2015, but he didn't break out until last season, when he had a 3.72 ERA over 111⅓ innings. He was much better as a reliever (1.47 ERA) than as a starter (4.57 ERA), but he has two good outings in the rotation so far. His .158 ISO, the product of a .203/.238/.360 slash line, was down 92 points from the mark he produced in 2019. Umm, I'm trying to find a nice surprise here, but let's be real for a moment. Well, keep in mind it was only 60 games. It is coming, yes, but they'll compete far more often than not. The 5.28 ERA isn't great, but his other metrics are positive: no home runs allowed, a high swing-and-miss rate (90th percentile) and a solid K rate (6.5 per nine from last year is up to 9.4). Martinez and Andrew Benintendi are hitting a combined .154 with two home runs and seven RBIs in 149 at-bats. Jake McGee allowed 21 home runs the past two seasons with the Rockies, but the lefty reliever looks great early on and has worked his way into a prominent role in the bullpen. 1. ICYMI: How the Reds' DriveLine connection is paying off, How real are your team's playoff hopes in a season that's already racing by? It's very unlikely the Mariners are a playoff contender, but this will still be a very fun season in Seattle in terms of seeing what they have from youngsters both at the big-league level and in the high levels of the minors. MLB Power Rankings: How August Reshaped the Playoff Picture In this week's Power Rankings we examine how teams' playoff odds shifted during the month of August. They come into 2021 worse off, personnel-wise. The designated hitter is expected to be part of the 2020 season in the NL as well as the AL, so we ranked how every lineup stacks up … ICYMI: Phillies, Marlins prep for seven games in five days. Royals top prospect Witt crushes 484-foot homer The club’s recent surge was reflected in ESPN’s latest Major League Baseball power rankings, which pegged the Red Sox at 15 three weeks ago. On one hand, I'd love to say something like "file a petition to move them to the pathetic NL Central," but on the other, a team like this needs a titan to topple, right? In their early 2021 power rankings for every team, ESPN placed the Giants at number 25 overall. He is throwing his four-seam fastball at 94 mph -- and throwing it more often than he ever has. In fact, it hasn't worked at all for a while, if we're talking repeats in baseball. Before we get too excited, seven of its 13 games came against the Pirates and Royals and three against a Brewers team that doesn't have a good offense, either. So far, his hard-hit rate and exit velocity remain among the best in baseball, but his overall numbers are better than the past two years. The bullpen has veterans with closing experience in Kenley Jansen, Blake Treinen and Corey Knebel in addition to high-octane youngster Brusdar Graterol while the depth parts are very solid. Among the rankings, the Pittsburgh Pirates come in last place. Using the cliche, "they always find a way to win" is a misnomer, too, because they don't. Find the best projected stats of the 2021 MLB season and build the best Fantasy Baseball team. His percentage of pitches in the zone is actually down 1%, so he isn't seeing more strikes and his strikeout rate has remained at 30%. ICYMI: How long can the Orioles compete in 2020? ICYMI: How an Olympic speedskater reached The Show. He could give Shane Bieber and Gerrit Cole a run for short-season Cy Young honors. There were some nice positives in 2020: Kyle Lewis may win Rookie of the Year, Justus Sheffield was much improved, Marco Gonzales solidified himself as one of the most underrated starters in the majors, Dylan Moore turned into one of the best utility players as a power/speed combo. The Cubs (pre-2015) and Red Sox (mid-'15) won World Series, the Dodgers (pre-2016) advanced to consecutive World Series, and the Brewers (mid-'16) and Braves (pre-'17) have made multiple playoff appearances. He has a 2.81 ERA through three starts, and his 21 strikeouts in 16 innings shows he can still generate swing-and-misses despite a fastball that is neither big-velocity nor has a high spin rate. MLB Fresh MLB Power Rankings for All 30 Teams After 3-Month Hiatus Joel Reuter @ JoelReuterBR ... according to Jeff Passan of ESPN and several other sources. Trevor Rosenthal's most recent big season as a closer was way back in 2015; and last year, he allowed 24 runs and 26 walks in 15⅓ innings. ICYMI: Count Richards, Grisham among Pads' surprises. Should Snakes fans worry about Robbie Ray? There was enough talent to believe that run was real. 1 team, that did not mean they were entitled to start the next season at the top. If so, he could be interesting trade bait. They are mostly running back the same group that missed the playoffs. Let's make this a SoCal rivalry! It's been a while since the Cardinals had a prolific offense. © 2004-2021 CBS Interactive. 6-keys: media/spln/mlb/reg/free/powerrankings, at He projected the rosters by player's contracts, arbitration-eligible players and top prospects to name a few. Perhaps a "year before the year" team I've discussed many times before (such as the 2019 Padres). As the Major League Baseball season heads into a third week of action, we're seeing plenty of drama on the diamond. The rotation strength sure isn't a weakness with three viable Cy Young contenders at the top in Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler and reigning Cy winner Trevor Bauer. The front office is desperately trying to keep the club competitive here, but the reported offer to Marcus Semien shows there just isn't any money from ownership. MLB position power rankings, Which MLB teams will have fans in the stands? ESPN has come out with their latest power rankings and they have the Sixers ranked seventh following the loss to Cleveland: An ugly home loss to Cleveland on Saturday night exposed a … Eric Hosmer started off red-hot with a revamped swing and then landed on the IL with a stomach ailment not related to the coronavirus. But he looks even better in 2020, drawing walks at a high rate to give him one of the best OBPs in the league, bashing extra-base hits and playing a good enough center field. 2016 Week 23 MLB Power Rankings. That's reflected in our rankings, as our panel of voters took stock of whose hot starts to take seriously -- hello, Colorado Rockies -- and which teams doing better than expected might be discounted. Upon their safe return, the National League playoff picture -- and their place in the rankings -- could change dramatically. If presented with the betting option of Dodgers or The Field for who will win the 2021 World Series, I'd go Field. ESPN recently released their way-too-early 2021 power rankings. 75756A5E-120A-4932-810C-2FD980DB785E. And with Homer Bailey and Rich Hill now on the IL, Dobnak is in the rotation to stay. They showed themselves really streaky, too. They were before even bringing Justin Turner back to shore. I'd love to put them 30th. Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter developed power rankings as he sees them in 2022 for each MLB team. Cristian Javier dominated the minors in 2019 (170 K's and just 51 hits in 113⅔ innings), but he wasn't regarded as an elite prospect because he doesn't have a big fastball. It's not a traditional Doormat Marlins team. It's not really all that close, either. Ranks are based on a rolling 20-game range; early in the season, this date range reaches back to regular-season games of the previous year. He is still just 26 years old, and he used his sinker almost exclusively against the Yankees as his fastball of choice rather than his four-seamer. With the missing games, Juan Soto missing time, Stephen Strasburg's IL stint, Anibal Sanchez's struggles, a teamwide slow start on offense and Max Scherzer's early departure in his most recent outing, this is mostly about what has gone wrong. It's not necessarily a surprise that Aaron Judge is mashing home runs, but what is interesting is that he is walking a lot less. Mike Yastrzemski was a 28-year-old rookie last year, so it felt a bit like "veteran minor leaguer has a fluke season." ICYMI: Should Snakes fans worry about Robbie Ray? About Our MLB Power Ratings Our MLB power ratings are based solely on objective data, … 1. For several years after taking over the reins of the CBS Sports MLB Power Rankings, the first entry of the season came with an easy introduction. Check back in October. 10:25 am ET, MLB Storylines To Watch: Pressure On Dodgers To Repeat, Longtime outfielder Nick Markakis retires, MLB to use experimental rule changes in minors, Three players with big spring training performances, Severino throws first bullpen since Tommy John surgery, Buxton cracks tooth eating steak in latest weird injury. MLB bringing experimental rule changes to minors, Rangers will allow full capacity on Opening Day, Astros top prospect Whitley needs Tommy John surgery, Mets' Carlos Carrasco dealing with elbow soreness, Britton needs elbow surgery to remove bone chip. There's still plenty of firepower here on offense, at least potentially, but can they actually show it? 17 … Exactly half those earned runs came in two of those starts -- and those were back-to-back. The surprise is Rafael Devers, J.D. (1:32). It's too bad with this club we didn't get a full 2020 season. ICYMI: Yankees put Stanton on IL for hurt hamstring. Oh man, I cannot wait to watch this offense do its thing over the course of the season. Senior writer Chris Lowe has Florida ranked No. The Dodgers sit at the top again, but who rounds out the top five? MORE:MLB power rankings: Arizona Diamondbacks finish 'mess' of a 2020 MLB season. 1 team to start the season after they won it all. Let's skip past the preseason hope and all that and just focus on something that might make most of us feel old: This is the last year of Albert Pujols' contract. ICYMI: Rob Lowe trolls Astros with asterisk hat, With only 60 games on the schedule and 16 teams headed to the playoffs, the races are intense. Bonus: His chase rate is way down, so his walk rate and OBP are up. And while the Padres cracked the top 10 -- bumping no less a team than the reigning champs, the Nationals -- the Rockies made an even more dramatic nine-slot jump up in the rankings to No. While three-fifths of the rotation has struggled, at least Zac Gallen is showing that his impressive rookie season wasn't a fluke. Eflin looked like a breakout candidate heading into the 2019 season, but he was 10-13 and 4.13 and saw his strikeout rate dip. Yusei Kikuchi is suddenly one of the hardest-throwing lefty starters in the majors, averaging 95.1 mph with his four-seam fastball as compared to 92.5 mph last year. He … After a period where they slipped out of our top five (and nearly slipped out of a playoff berth), the Yankees righted the ship and have looked like the […] Adrian Houser made his MLB debut back in 2015, but he didn't break out until last season, when he had a 3.72 ERA over 111⅓ innings. They beat the Orioles four games in a row after coming off their coronavirus outbreak. With rookies Dennis Santana and Brusdar Graterol also in the mix, the Dodgers' pen looks much deeper than last year. So it goes with gambling. You can't predict baseball. section: | slug: mlb-power-rankings-dodgers-enter-spring-training-as-baseballs-best-team-can-they-repeat-in-2021 | sport: baseball | route: article_single_league_latest | They have arguably the best outfield in baseball in Andrew Benintendi, Jackie Bradley Jr. and reigning AL Most Valuable Player Mookie Betts, three core players who were part of last year's 108-win regular-season juggernaut. With one of the busiest winter meetings in recent memory now in the rearview , it's time for an update to our MLB power rankings. The funky-delivery reliever has pitched for seven teams since 2017 and been claimed on waivers five times. Trey Mancini being back is a feel-good story we can all rally around. Shoring that position up is only doing what they should be doing and that is checking every single box possible to make sure there are zero weaknesses heading into a season in which they are the team best suited to win the World Series. I do love the power combo potential of Joey Gallo and a possibly-but-hopefully-not-washed Khris Davis, though that ballpark seemed tough on power last year. The Brewers are depending on Houser and Josh Lindblom to step up behind Brandon Woodruff. Kemp was so bad with the Reds in 2019 -- 19 K's, one walk -- that they released him and no team bothered to pick him up. I feel like they are better than the masses believe -- the Verdugo-Bogaerts-Devers-JD foursome at the top is great -- but I'm not really seeing a playoff-breakout or anything. There's been turnover at the back of the bullpen, but it'll be for the better. ICYMI: Could Nats cement legacy with WS repeat? MLB Power Rankings: Dodgers enter spring training as baseball's best team; can they repeat in 2021? He did get roughed up for three home runs on Sunday, so the jury is still out. You go, Trey. Just as predicted, 35-year-old Daniel Murphy and 35-year-old Matt Kemp are leading the way. Our first-ever Universal DH Power Rankings for all 30 MLB teams. The Dodgers sit at the top again, but who rounds out the top five? They might not end up with the worst record in baseball, thanks to being in the worst division, but they are the worst team. Power Rankings, Week 11: Bucks rise, Jazz stay at No. All Rights Reserved. 21 in the latest rankings, the Marlins moving up four spots to No. See where all 30 teams rank after the first 10 weeks of the 2020-21 season. Youngster Gavin Lux remains a breakout candidate. How long can the Orioles compete in 2020. 1 after winning two of three against Doosan and dropping two of three to Kiwoom. Dobnak has since gone 2-1 with a 0.60 ERA in three starts. ESPN Insider kicks off its first edition of the MLB Future Power Rankings, as Jim Bowden, Keith Law and Buster Olney break down how well each team is set up for sustained success. He's an under-the-radar guy to just leave atop a batting order with his on-base chops. It wasn't until 2017, when I ranked the Cubs as the No. That rotation ... man, I don't know. Still, it's a positive start that has the Cubs off to a nice lead in the NL Central. The Reds aren't off to the start they wanted, but would you want to face Gray, Bauer and Luis Castillo in a short series? After coming in at No. MLB Power Rankings: The 2020 MVP for all 30 teams. ICYMI: Why the Rockies are going to make the playoffs. By Matt Snyder The Cubs' strong start also earned consideration, as they moved up to No. So expect more movement in the rankings in the weeks to come. Pollock are also-rans on this team. I'm not sure Kemp can keep this up -- his hard-hit rate is in the bottom-third percentile and his swing-and-miss rate is in the bottom 10% -- but he has helped the Rockies get out to a nice start. That's one of the many things that makes baseball so fun. MLB Power Rankings: Dodgers enter spring training as baseball's best team; can they repeat in 2021? He's trying to go for it without mortgaging much of the future. How much slow start changes Rangers' playoff odds, Pence 'feels awful' about spoiling Cueto's no-hit bid. They then won 11 of their last 14. Lowe actually lost a point on his batting average from 2019 (.269 from .270), but his profile looked far better in 2020. 2) Red Sox The World Series champs should have no problem landing in the top 5 of the Power Rankings for the foreseeable future. At least Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa and probably Alex Bregman have something to prove, too, after last season and all the circumstances behind it. 2019 MLB Power Rankings: Week 3 update originally appeared on nbcsportswashington.com. Lance Lynn eating quality innings in the middle of a rotation for a contender is the ideal spot for him. His walk rate the past three seasons was 16.5%, but in 2020, it's just 3.1%. Kiley McDaniel goes deep on what stands out so far. Will the bullpen be reliable enough once everything gets settled? 25 for 2021 season. Week 1 ranking: 12. Even in their 100-win campaign in 2015, they were 11th in the NL in runs and 8th in OPS. Of course, we've said that a few times since 2000 and it hasn't happened yet. They are the best team right now. A somewhat common theme here is I'll praise the front offices that actually tried, even when constrained. We'll see on the pitching. Marcell Ozuna has always hit the ball hard, but he hasn't been able to match the big 2017 season he had with the Marlins. numberFire uses the powers of quantitative analysis to deliver the best projections and rankings for daily fantasy sports, including NFL, MLB, NBA and more! Of course, there's huge variance here because the downside is basically "Cole and pray.". The Braves, O's OF Markakis retires after 15 seasons, Bieber, Alonso among 8 with contracts renewed, MLB to try experimental rules in minors this year, Sexual assault allegations cloud Puig's MLB fate, Indians inform OF Hamilton he won't make team, Severino throws off mound for 1st time since TJ, Mets uncertain SP Carrasco will start the season, 'This year opened my eyes': MLB players who opted out of 2020 season return with new purpose, Which spots on the diamond are most stacked? He is 0-3 so far, but he is better than his record indicates and is back to allowing more of the soft contact, like he did in 2018. Well, um, let's see ... Robinson Cano was hitting .412, before -- in true Mets fashion -- landing on the IL with an abductor strain. What to expect from 2021's MLB aces in new places. In his first three starts, two of those against the White Sox, he has gone eight, seven and six innings and fanned 24 batters while allowing just three runs. How are MLB Power Rankings calculated? (1:32), MLB Power Rankings: Every team's biggest surprise so far, Will Bauer, Snell and Darvish thrive ... or struggle? Get a summary of the Pittsburgh Pirates vs. New York Yankees baseball game It's a clean slate. I did not think the champion from the previous season was going to repeat, so I explained that while, yes, ending the previous season as champion meant said champion concluded as the No. Murphy's first year in Colorado was a big disappointment, as he hit just .279 -- 20 points fewer than he had hit the year before without the benefit of Coors Field. ICYMI: Despite glove woes, Jimenez wants to avoid DH role. I'm skeptical. ESPN: Diamondbacks ranked No. The Major League Baseball season ended Tuesday night … So of course, he is saving games again. He is expected to return after the minimum 10 days, but the best part of his start is he was stinging the ball, ranking in the 93rd percentile in hard-hit rate and 96th percentile in xwOBA (expected wOBA). MLB Power Rankings: Who Is No. Lots of questions to be answered here from the likes of Lorenzo Cain, Keston Hiura, Daniel Vogelbach, Corbin Burnes and several more (hell, even Christian Yelich, at least sligthly), but the pieces are here for another playoff run. Trevor Williams had that amazing run in 2018, when he had a 1.00 ERA over a 12-start stretch in the second half. Covering the impact of coronavirus on the sports world. He isn't as flashy as some of the younger pitchers in the A's rotation, relying on a 92 mph sinker, but he has a five-pitch mix and has yet to allow a home run. It's not a huge surprise that Sonny Gray and Trevor Bauer have been good, but remember that Bauer struggled with the Reds last year after coming over from Cleveland, and it was just two years ago that Gray appeared to be in decline. Scouting Vanderbilt's Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker, Tristan's Twenty: fantasy baseball sleepers, Our not-as-early-as-you-think MLB hot takes and bold predictions, Brawls and bad hops: A's, Astros and Angels make the West wild, Yankees put Stanton on IL for hurt hamstring. He's a very interesting case, as a lot of advanced metrics don't like him and yet he doesn't often get pegged for many -- if any -- runs. Since MLB Pipeline began ranking prospect talent before the 2015 season, the top-rated systems have sparked big league success. Author: There is some legitimate World Series-level upside with the offense and rotation (Noah Synergaard's return presenting an X-factor). Lance Lynn had a great 2019, finishing fifth in the Cy Young voting, and he continues to remake himself as a better strikeout pitcher in his 30s than he ever was with the Cardinals. OK, surprise: Daniel Hudson has at least locked down the ninth inning, and Tanner Rainey could be a dominant late-inning arm. From the golden age of shortstops to a historically weak group of catchers, here is the state of every position. But after he posted a 5.38 ERA last year, the Pirates didn't know what they had. Zach Plesac has been a pleasant surprise -- at least until he was sent home for violating the health and safety protocols for leaving the team hotel. Watch the progress of Mike Soroka (surgery to repair torn Achilles on Aug. 7). I will say, however, that picking a No. Spencer Turnbull was better than his 3-17 record last year suggests, but he did struggle in the second half. Could Karincak be MLB's biggest bullpen breatkthrough? We'll see if the new approach works. Players like Max Muncy, Chris Taylor and A.J. https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb-power-rankings-where-30-145419200.html His swing rate is up from 41.1% to 46.8%, so that's part of it (although his contact rate is actually down slightly). I like the offense overall, actually. They had 17 new players on the roster, so give them props even if it was the Orioles. Among the rankings, the Pittsburgh Pirates come in last place. Ranks are based on a rolling 20-game range; early in the season, this date range reaches back to regular-season games of the previous year. And with Nick Markakis back, that will hopefully keep Ozuna at DH and out of the outfield, where his glove work has been an adventure. Doug Glanville has just the Rockies and the Cubs ahead of the streaking Athletics in this week's MLB power rankings. The Ultimate MLB Power Rankings: Week 7 RealClearLife combines power ranks from ESPN, CBS and USA Today to create one, tiered list. His 10th year with the Angels after 11 with the Cardinals! ICYMI: Braves pitching depth getting tested. The nadir of the offseason wasn't the awful Arenado trade. You know we're going to see one shocking team making the playoffs, and do the Mets and Phillies really look that imposing in the NL East? Drake had a good 2019 for the Rays, and he is now one of their most important relievers. MLB's experimental rules in minors: What we love, what we don't, and when are robot umps coming to the majors? They were one of the biggest disappointments for a lot of it. Teoscar Hernandez is among the early leaders in home runs and OPS and ranks in the 97th percentile in hard-hit rate. 169d ESPN.com Staff. At least there are Shane Bieber and Jose Ramirez to get the Cleveland fans through dealing with the Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco departures (so soon after Kluber, too). He has had three solid starts (2-0, 2.00 ERA), and two reasons to believe in him are a solid 31.7% swing-and-miss rate and no home runs allowed. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: mlb | pageType: stories |