2024 MLB Power Rankings: Dodgers or Yankees No. 1?
As the 2024 MLB regular season enters the home stretch, we are starting to get a sense of which division races will come down to the wire.
The New York Yankees have retaken the American League East lead by a 1.5 game margin over the Baltimore Orioles. Meanwhile, the three-way race in the AL Central shows no signs of opening up with the Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins both tied at three games back of the Cleveland Guardians.
And although the Los Angeles Dodgers have won six out of their past seven games, they are still just three games ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks, who have won six straight. The San Diego Padres are also lurking, just 1.5 games back of the D-backs.
Here's how those teams sort out in my latest power rankings as we get ready to flip the calendar to September.
10. San Diego Padres (74-58, last week 9)
World Series odds: +1900
A series win against the Twins and a four-game split against the Mets — two wild-card hopefuls themselves — were enough for San Diego to remain in the wild-card bracket and in these rankings.
9. Houston Astros (70-60, LW 8)
World Series odds: +1000
Houston salvaged a four-game split with a win over the Orioles on Sunday, but the best news for the Astros this week might be the Mariners' firing of Scott Servais. Seattle is in panic mode as Houston once again tightens its grip on the AL West.
8. Kansas City Royals (72-58, LW 10)
World Series odds: +3200
Back-to-back blowout losses to the Phillies to finish the week prevented Kansas City from pulling away from Minnesota in both the AL Central and wild-card races. The Royals have come a long way, but this weekend proved that the team, especially its pitching staff, has its flaws.
7. Arizona Diamondbacks (75-56, LW unranked)
World Series odds: +1800
Are the white-hot Diamondbacks peaking at the right time for the second straight year? Arizona rides a six-game win streak into a massive homestand this week that includes a four-game series against the Dodgers.
6. Cleveland Guardians (75-55, LW 6)
World Series odds: +1700
Can the Guardians continue to fend off Minnesota and Kansas City atop the AL Central for another month? A four-game series with the Royals in Cleveland will go a long way toward answering that question.
5. Milwaukee Brewers (72-52, LW 4)
World Series odds: +1900
The Brewers don't have baseball's best record, but they enter September under less pressure than several of their fellow playoff contenders. Unless the Cardinals (10 games back) or Cubs (10.5 games back) have a miracle late-season run in them, the NL Central race is effectively over.
4. Philadelphia Phillies (76-54, LW 5)
World Series odds: +470
The Phillies lineup that pummeled opponents into submission in the first half of the season reappeared over the weekend, as the club hung an 11-spot on the Royals in back-to-back games. So did All-Star Ranger Suárez after a month on the injured list. Suárez was effective in his return Saturday, while J.T. Realmuto led the way with 7 RBIs.
3. Baltimore Orioles (76-56, LW 1)
World Series odds: +750
Baltimore suffered two close losses to the Mets and a late rally by the Astros on Sunday night to fall behind the Yankees. Next comes a massive series against the Dodgers in Los Angeles in what should be a great measuring stick for a team that's still relatively young and inexperienced.
2. Los Angeles Dodgers (78-53, LW 3)
World Series odds: +300
Shohei Ohtani is the greatest baseball player ever. That is all.
[RELATED: Shohei Ohtani 'wants to be the greatest player to ever play this game': Is 50/50 next?]
1. New York Yankees (77-54, LW 2)
World Series odds: +550
Imagine telling someone back in April that Aaron Judge would be on pace to break his own AL home run record by the end of August, yet here we are.
Out: Minnesota Twins (72-58, LW 7) World Series odds: +1600
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 at @BenVerlander.
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