Major League Baseball

MLB Top 10: Yankees, Mets cruise to the top of the rankings

Updated May. 4, 2022 7:59 p.m. ET

By Ben Verlander
FOX Sports MLB Analyst

What a wild week in baseball!

We saw history made this week on the pitcher's mound, with Clayton Kershaw’s record-breaking night when he became the Dodgers' all-time strikeout leader and the Mets' combined no-hitter, which was only the second no-hitter in team history and the 17th combined no-hitter in MLB history.

Where does that leave those teams and the rest?

MLB Power Rankings: Yankees, Mets and Blue Jays headline Week 4

Ben Verlander updates his MLB Power Rankings for Week 4, with both the New York Yankees and New York Mets at the top the list. Also, the Minnesota Twins make their first appearance in the power rankings.

Watch "Flippin' Bats with Ben Verlander" on YouTube, or subscribe on podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts.

Every Monday of MLB season, we'll bring you an updated version of the MLB Top 10 to highlight the best teams in the sport.

Let's get to it.

10. St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals are being carried by Nolan Arenado, who is off to a torrid pace at the plate. They dropped a bit in the rankings after losing a series to the Mets and splitting a four-game series with the struggling Diamondbacks.

9. Minnesota Twins

The Twins have cracked my power rankings for the first time. They are for real, they are fun, and they will be a problem for the White Sox in the AL Central. Byron Buxton is one of the best players in baseball when he is on the field, Carlos Correa has started to heat up at the plate, and Joe Ryan has emerged as a bright young star.

8. San Diego Padres

To start the year, I said the Padres just needed to tread water until Fernando Tatis Jr. comes back. Well, Manny Machado is more than picking up the slack, having an MVP-type season so far. This Padres team always had talent — maybe they just needed a guy like Bob Melvin to lead the charge.

Mike Trout and Manny Machado headline way-too-early MLB awards

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7. Milwaukee Brewers

The pitching staff was always elite, from their big three starters to the back end of the bullpen, and lately, the offense has been picking it up. This team has been a ton of fun to watch, and if they can be even an average offense, the Brewers will be a force to be reckoned with.

6. San Francisco Giants

The Giants are doing it again. They are right there toward the top of the NL West. Many people thought last year was a fluke, and the Giants wouldn't be nearly as good this year. But to start the season, they have proven those people wrong.

5. Los Angeles Angels

The Angels make their first appearance in my power rankings, jumping all the way to fifth on the list. They sit at 15-8, good for first in the AL West, and aren't even firing on all cylinders yet.

Mike Trout has been fantastic this year and is back to being must-see TV, Taylor Ward has been one of the best players in baseball, and the pitching staff, led by Shohei Ohtani and Noah Syndergaard, has been fantastic. This team has something special going, and I’m excited to see how good they can be once Ohtani gets hot at the plate. The sky's the limit for these Angels.

If Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout are healthy, can anyone stop the Angels?

The Los Angeles Angels are indeed good, and Mike Trout is still the best baseball player on the planet. Ben Verlander also dives into how good the Angels' pitching has been and how good the team could be this season.

4. Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers have dropped a bit in my power rankings after a week in which they finished with a .500 record against the Diamondbacks and Tigers. They lost two of three to the D-backs and also Saturday to the struggling Tigers. Even so, the Dodgers have one of the best records in baseball and are a fantastic team.

Clayton Kershaw becomes Dodgers' all-time strikeout leader

Ben Verlander discusses the greatness of Clayton Kershaw as he becomes the Dodgers' all-time strikeout leader, passing Hall of Famer Don Sutton.

3. Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays are doing it all. They pitch well, they play good defense, and they absolutely rake at the plate. It’s clear how much of a difference a healthy George Springer has made for the team, and that was on display this weekend against the Astros, when he led his team to two victories with multiple homers and game-saving, diving plays. Wow, this team is fun.

2. New York Mets

The vibe is different this year in Queens, and it’s time the world acknowledges the Mets as one of the best teams in baseball. Their pitching staff is dominant, and their offense is fun and talented. This is a complete team, and I don’t think this team will be doing much losing this season.

1. New York Yankees

Just two weeks ago, the Yankees were struggling, and the fan base was up in arms. Now, after a nine-game win streak with their star players playing as they should, all is well in NYC, and the New York Yankees are atop my list of the best teams in MLB. They have been pitching great, they're putting up runs in bunches, and they have the best fielding percentage in baseball.

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Ben Verlander dives into the Yankees, who have quietly become the best team in baseball. New York has rattled off nine straight wins and holds the best record in the MLB after a tough start to the season.

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 at @BenVerlander.