Major League Baseball

MLB Power Rankings: Tampa Bay takes over at the top

Published Jun. 3, 2021 7:44 a.m. ET

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By Ben Verlander
FOX Sports MLB Analyst

We’re about a third of the way through the MLB season and things have changed drastically from what was predicted during the preseason.

Let’s take a look at the updated MLB power rankings at this point in the season.

30. Baltimore Orioles (Previous rank: 27)

Victims of a 14-game losing streak in the month of May, the Orioles have tumbled to the bottom of the power rankings.  

29. Colorado Rockies (29)

The Rockies have a road record of 4-22 this year. That’s just abysmal. Their best player, Trevor Story, will likely be traded within the coming months. Rockies fans don’t have much to cheer for this season. 

28. Arizona Diamondbacks (23)

The Diamondbacks are coming off of a 13-game losing streak, sending them down this list as well. Their offense can be fun to watch but a team ERA of 4.93 just won’t get it done on most nights.

27. Pittsburgh Pirates (28)

I wasn’t expecting much from the Pirates this season and they aren’t giving us much to talk about. Adam Frazier is a bright spot and could potentially be the starting second baseman in the All-Star Game, but other than that, this team is tough to watch most evenings.

26. Texas Rangers (25)

The Rangers seem to have themselves a breakout star on their hands. No, I’m not talking about Joey Gallo, I’m talking about Adolis Garcia, who is right near the top of the league with 16 home runs. He’s batting .285 on the year and is one of the lone bright spots for the Rangers this season.

25. Detroit Tigers (30)

The Tigers are starting to show more and more flashes of heading in the right direction. Offensively, it’s not pretty, but on the mound, guys like Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal are turning into dominant forces. In the month of May, Mize went 2-0 with a 1.74 ERA.

24. Washington Nationals (22)

The Nationals are Exhibit A when it comes to needing depth to be successful in MLB. The star-studded Nats just don’t have any firepower behind Trea Turner, Juan Soto, Max Scherzer and the often injured Stephen Strasburg. They find themselves at the bottom of the NL East. 

23. Miami Marlins (24)

Last year was exciting when we got to see the Marlins in the playoffs during the short season. They just aren’t built for much success though over the course of a long season.

22. Cincinnati Reds (18)

Their offense? Thrilling. Their pitching? Dead last in the league. The result? A sub-.500 team.

21. Minnesota Twins (26)

Here come the Twins! We witnessed one of the worst starts in history for a team as talented as the Twins but they are playing much better recently. It might be too little, too late, however, with the White Sox atop the division.

20. Los Angeles Angels (21)

The Angels just make me sad. Mike Trout is out for a while leaving all the work up to Shohei Ohtani. When he’s hitting, the team can’t pitch. When he’s pitching and not hitting, the team can’t hit.

19. Philadelphia Phillies (14)

The Phillies are struggling. They always seem to underperform. This roster isn’t bad but Philly just can’t seem to put it together. When the offense is hot, the pitching is not, when the pitching is good, they don’t score. That’s not a recipe for success. 

18. Seattle Mariners (17)

The Mariners, even with an MLB-worst team batting average of .206, find themselves hovering right around the .500 mark. The Mariners are at least somewhat exciting to watch these days with so many young future stars on the squad. 

17. Kansas City Royals (20)

If you take out their 11-game losing streak, the Royals are 27-15. That tough stretch set them back quite a bit but they are playing good ball recently and finally have their record back over .500.

16. Atlanta Braves (16)

The Braves are one of the weirdest teams in baseball this year. With one of the most talented rosters in the league, they are still below .500. They will turn it around. They just have to, right?

15. Toronto Blue Jays (7)

Vladdy Guerrero Jr. has officially emerged as a superstar in this league. This young team is very good and has a chance to compete in this stacked division.

14. Milwaukee Brewers (13)

The Brew Crew made a trade with the Rays and acquired their new shortstop, Willy Adames. They have been playing better since and have two studs atop the rotation in Brandon Woodruff and Corbin Burnes. 

13. Cleveland Indians (15)

The Indians just keep playing good baseball. Currently closing in on the White Sox, they aren’t too far out of first place. 

12. New York Yankees (9)

Getting swept by the Tigers certainly isn’t a way to stay in the top 10. The Yankees are struggling at the plate and on defense right now, and they need to find answers soon. 

11. Houston Astros (2)

Bullpen issues continue to haunt the Astros. The offense is still elite, sitting at the top of all of Major League Baseball in batting average, hits and runs scored. They need to find a piece to bolster the back of that bullpen though, or they will keep blowing leads.

10. New York Mets (12)

The Mets continue to amaze me. Injury after injury has piled up for them and star acquisition Francisco Lindor has struggled at the plate. Alas, they find themselves playing great and leading the talented NL East by four games. 

9. Oakland Athletics (10)

Bob Melvin just knows how to get the best out of his team. Melvin recently passed Tony La Russa as the all-time winningest manager in Oakland A’s history. 

8. St. Louis Cardinals (8)

The Nolan Arenado acquisition has certainly taken this team to the next level. Jack Flaherty was just placed on the IL, though, and that’s a big blow for them. He has been dominant this year so let’s hope he comes back soon. 

7. Los Angeles Dodgers (6)

This team still hasn’t quite put it all together yet but the Dodgers are still playing good baseball. Cody Bellinger is back and will soon make a huge impact for this team. 

6. Chicago Cubs (19)

The run the Cubs are on is insane. They have propelled themselves into first place in the NL Central and have swept both the Dodgers and Padres this year. This team is one or two pitchers away from being elite. Craig Kimbrel is back to his Hall of Fame form and this team is scary.

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THE TOP FIVE

From the start of the season, the Red Sox (3) have been the most consistent team in the AL East. They have surprised many but continue to win ball games. The core of this team is great and they should be able to add some pieces to that pitching staff soon. 

The pitching rotation for the White Sox (1) just continues to dazzle. Carlos Rodón has been dominant in a rotation that also has guys like Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn and Dallas Keuchel. Pair that with an exciting offense and you have a team that sits at the top of the AL Central. 

Fernando Tatis Jr. is back off the IL and has been on a tear ever since. The Padres (4) find themselves just behind the Giants in the division but this team is built for success and built to win over the long haul. Sporting the best team ERA in all of baseball and the only team that has a sub 3.00 ERA, this rotation is insane and will continue to help them win games all season. 

The Giants (5) are a force to be reckoned with this year in the NL West and it came out of nowhere. Not many people expected them to compete in the division with the star-studded Padres and Dodgers, but they have proven they can not only compete with them, but they can beat them. 

The Tampa Bay Rays (11) just continue to be the best team in the American League for two years running and don’t seem to get the love they deserve. Well, here they are, coming off a 22-6 May and at the top of the AL East as well as my MLB power rankings.

Ben Verlander is an MLB Analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the "Flippin' Bats" podcast. Born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, Verlander was an All-American at Old Dominion University before he joined his brother, Justin, in Detroit as a 14th-round pick of the Tigers in 2013. He spent five years in the Tigers organization. Follow him on Twitter @Verly32.

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