Major League Baseball

MLB Power Rankings: The Giants can't be stopped

Updated Aug. 9, 2021 5:42 p.m. ET

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By Ben Verlander
FOX Sports MLB Analyst

The trade deadline has come and gone, and now it’s time for the playoff push. A lot of teams look very different these days, so it’s time to update the power rankings. 

From the lowly No. 30 to the cream of the crop at No. 1, here’s how the list shakes out:

30. Arizona Diamondbacks (previous rank: 30)

It’s not pretty out in the desert these days.

29. Baltimore Orioles (29)

The AL East is a really tough division, and being in the middle of a rebuild surrounded by four good teams doesn’t result in a lot of wins. 

28. Texas Rangers (28)

Joey Gallo is gone, and the Texas Rangers are officially in full rebuild mode. They are rather tough to watch.

27. Pittsburgh Pirates (27)

If you’re going to go watch the Pirates, just soak in all of the sights and sounds of their beautiful stadium. Other than that, not a lot of good stuff is going on with this team. 

26. Minnesota Twins (26)

I will never understand what happened with the Twins this season. It's a very talented roster with very poor results. The Twins find themselves in last place in the American League Central and traded away some key pieces at the trade deadline to prepare for the future. 

25. Miami Marlins (25)

The Marlins made some great trades at the trade deadline to set themselves up well for the future. They could have the best rotation in baseball in a few years. Right now, however, is not their time. 

24. Kansas City Royals (23)

The Royals underperformed this season and decided to trade away some pieces at the deadline. They are now looking to next season. 

23. Washington Nationals (21)

Well, the new-look Washington Nationals do not include Max Scherzer and Trea Turner. It was a wild trade deadline for them by all accounts, but I think they set themselves up well for the future and got some great prospects. 

22. Chicago Cubs (20)

The fire sale happened for the Cubs, and it was even wilder than expected. Bryant, Rizzo and Báez are all gone, and this team is in full rebuild mode. 

21. Colorado Rockies (24)

The Rockies inexplicably didn’t sell at the deadline. They had an awesome opportunity to get something in return for their best players, whom they are going to lose to free agency. Alas, they did nothing, and the likes of Trevor Story and Jon Gray are still there. 

20. Detroit Tigers (22)

It’s starting to get exciting in Detroit. The future is here when it comes to the rotation. The future is near when it comes to the offense. A.J. Hinch has the Tigers playing great baseball with a roster that isn’t really built to win a bunch of games. Miguel Cabrera 500 home run watch is also in full swing, as he’s just a couple away from the mark. 

19. Cleveland Indians (13)

At this point, the Indians have their eyes on 2022, when they become the Cleveland Guardians. The White Sox are going to win the AL Central this season, and nobody else will be very close.

18. St. Louis Cardinals (19)

The Cardinals have been a huge disappointment this season. The preseason division favorites started out hot and then really struggled. The injury to one of the best pitchers in baseball, Jack Flaherty, only made things worse. They began playing better baseball recently but decided to get really old at the trade deadline. 

17. Los Angeles Angels (16)

The Angels have done a great job treading water in the absence of some of their stars, most notably Mike Trout. Unfortunately, I think they’ve been treading for too long, and Trout’s absence has lasted longer than expected. Still, this is always a fun team to watch because of Shohei Ohtani.

16. Atlanta Braves (18)

The Braves finally made it over .500! With this division, you never know — they still have a shot at winning the NL East. I think the winner of this division is going to be whoever gets hot at the end. That could very well be the Braves. 

15. New York Mets (9)

The Mets have simply not been very good lately. They have lost their division lead and are really struggling to win games right now. 

14. Seattle Mariners (15)

It’s impressive that the Mariners have the record they do, but I’m not a believer just yet. They have a run differential that is toward the bottom of the league. The future is close for this team, and it is nice to see them playing well, but it’s not their time just yet. 

13. Cincinnati Reds (14)

The Reds are one of the hottest teams in baseball and have been doing it without Nick Castellanos until the past couple of days. Now he’s back, the lineup is clicking on all cylinders, pitchers are throwing well, and this team is dangerous. 

12. Oakland Athletics (11)

The A’s keep winning games under the radar. They're currently holding on to the last wild-card spot, but there are some hotter teams right on their heels. The loss of Ramón Laureano for the rest of the season due to a PED violation really hurts this team. 

11. Boston Red Sox (3)

Soon to get Chris Sale back, this team needs him badly. The Red Sox were the leaders in the AL East for most of the season but have not been playing great since the trade deadline, when they didn’t add much. They might be regretting that now. 

10. Philadelphia Phillies (17)

The new leaders in the National League East, the Phillies have caught fire of late and surged into first place in the division. They certainly have what it takes to win this division and added pitching pieces at the deadline that I absolutely love. 

9. New York Yankees (12)

The Yankees have been hot since the trade deadline. Sometimes buying at the deadline can be a shot in the arm for teams and can encourage them to go get it. The acquisitions of Anthony Rizzo and Joey Gallo have made this lineup very dangerous and make the Yankees a team you don’t want to run into right now.

8. San Diego Padres (8)

Fernando Tatis Jr. has been out for a couple of weeks now, and he is the heartbeat of this team. They desperately need him back with two of the best teams in baseball ahead in the division. The Padres are good, though, really good, and with Tatis expected back soon, they could make a run at the division leaders.

7. Toronto Blue Jays (10)

Since the trade deadline and finally heading back home to Toronto, the Blue Jays have been on fire. This team is young and fun to watch and is pushing hard for one of the wild-card spots. 

6. Milwaukee Brewers (6)

I’m very high on the Brewers. In fact, I think they have a shot at winning it all this year. Pitching wins in the playoffs, and they sure have enough of it. Their pitching staff is elite from the rotation to the back end of the bullpen. Despite the Reds surging behind them, they still have a decent lead in the NL Central. 

THE TOP FIVE

With more than 20 more runs scored than the next closest team, the Houston Astros (2) continue to dominate offensively. They are the first team this season to score 600 runs.

The Chicago White Sox (7) are the clear favorites in the AL Central and sport one of the best pitching staffs in baseball. In my opinion, the Sox are the most complete team in the American League and will coast to a division title. 

The Tampa Bay Rays (5) just picked up a HUGE piece in Nelson Cruz to place smack dab in the middle of their lineup. He has already come over and made a big impact with multiple home runs. The Rays are back in the lead in the AL East after the Red Sox had a stronghold on it for a little while. 

Max Scherzer has officially made his mark on the Los Angeles Dodgers (4), with 10 K’s in a dominant debut. Trea Turner has also made his debut. This team is downright scary after the moves it made at the trade deadline. 

The San Francisco Giants (1) are the first team to reach 70 wins this season and have been the best team in baseball for months now.

BIGGEST JUMP: Phillies up 7

BIGGEST DROP: Red Sox ⁠down 8

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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