The baseball season is heating up, and with it comes the latest installment of FanGraphs’ Power Rankings. This week, we’re diving deep into the shifting landscape of MLB, where early-season surprises are starting to solidify, and contenders are emerging from the pack. From dominant Dodgers to surging Yankees, we’ll break down the top teams and highlight the key performances driving their success.
Understanding these power rankings is crucial for any baseball fan looking to stay informed. By analyzing team performance through advanced metrics like Elo and playoff odds, FanGraphs provides a comprehensive view of each team’s current standing and future potential. Join us as we dissect the rankings, identify rising stars, and pinpoint the factors that could influence the remainder of the season.
In this article, we’ll cover the top performers, the teams facing unexpected challenges, and the players making headlines. We’ll also explore the underlying statistics that provide context to the standings, offering a data-driven perspective on the ever-evolving world of baseball. Get ready to explore the latest power dynamics in MLB.
Complete Power Rankings
Here’s a look at the complete FanGraphs Power Rankings for April 14-20, providing a comprehensive overview of all 30 MLB teams. The rankings take into account factors such as team record, Elo rating, opponent Elo, playoff odds, and a weighted power score.
Complete Power Rankings
- 1. Dodgers (16-7)
- 2. Mets (15-7)
- 3. Padres (16-6)
- 4. Yankees (14-8)
- 5. Cubs (14-10)
- 6. Phillies (13-9)
- 7. Diamondbacks (13-9)
- 8. Rangers (13-9)
- 9. Mariners (12-10)
- 10. Giants (14-8)
- 11. Tigers (13-9)
- 12. Braves (8-13)
- 13. Blue Jays (12-10)
- 14. Astros (10-11)
- 15. Brewers (12-10)
- 16. Red Sox (12-11)
- 17. Guardians (12-9)
- 18. Reds (11-11)
- 19. Orioles (9-12)
- 20. Angels (11-10)
- 21. Rays (9-13)
- 22. Royals (9-14)
- 23. Cardinals (9-13)
- 24. Athletics (10-12)
- 25. Twins (7-15)
- 26. Marlins (9-12)
- 27. Pirates (8-15)
- 28. Nationals (9-13)
- 29. Rockies (4-17)
- 30. White Sox (5-16)
Tier 1 – The Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers remain the team to beat, solidifying their top spot with a strong performance. Their recent series wins highlight their dominance, and key player performances continue to drive their success.
The Dodgers had a great week; they swept the Rockies at home and then took two of three from the Rangers on the road. They’re still dealing with a number of issues in their rotation but there’s good news on the horizon, too.
All those injury concerns can be glossed over a bit because “Yoshinobu Yamamoto” has been absolutely dominant; he’s allowed just four runs total across his first five starts.
Tier 2 – On the Cusp of Greatness
This tier features teams like the Mets, Padres, Yankees, and Cubs, all demonstrating the potential to reach the top. Their recent performances indicate they are just a step away from true dominance.
The Mets swept the Cardinals in four games over the weekend and now find themselves leading the Phillies by two games in the NL East standings. Pete Alonso’s dramatics and Tylor Megill’s resurgence have covered for a slowish start from Francisco Lindor.
The Yankees jumped to the top of the AL East with a 6-1 week after sweeping the Royals and winning a four-game series over the Rays. Clarke Schmidt was brilliant in his outing on Sunday and has really stabilized a rotation that lost both Gerrit Cole and Frankie Montas during the spring.
It was a ho-hum 3-3 week for the Cubs, but they received some bad news on the injury front: Jameson Taillon will miss the rest of the season after undergoing elbow surgery on Friday. They proved their resilience in an absolutely wild Friday night slugfest against the Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field, where 21 runs were scored after the sixth inning in an eventual 13-11 Chicago victory.
Tier 3 – Solid Contenders
The Phillies, Diamondbacks, and Rangers make up this tier, showcasing their ability to compete but needing more consistency to climb higher. These teams have shown flashes of brilliance but need to solidify their positions.
The Phillies went 4-3 last week and barely managed to keep pace with the Mets. Alec Bohm caught fire last week, when he posted a .320/.469/.760 slash line with three home runs and a 229 wRC+. Meanwhile, Bryce Harper is slashing .269/.424/.577 with seven homers and a 176 wRC+ so far this season.
That wild 13-11 game in Chicago was a killer for the Diamondbacks, who somehow lost despite scoring 10 runs in the eighth inning to take an 11-7 lead. Arizona also dropped Saturday’s game before narrowly avoiding a sweep with an extra-innings win on Sunday.
The Rangers treated us to an incredibly competitive series against the Dodgers over the weekend, the highlight of which was the pitchers duel between Yamamoto and Eovaldi on Friday. Texas was shut out in both of its losses in the series, but the team should be encouraged that its pitching staff limited the potent Dodgers lineup to a total of seven runs across the three games.
Tier 4 – The Melee
This competitive group includes the Mariners, Giants, Tigers, Braves, and Blue Jays. These teams are closely matched, making for intense matchups and unpredictable outcomes.
The Mariners won their fourth straight series after going 4-2 against the Reds and Blue Jays last week. Two of those victories came in extra innings after some late heroics salvaged some shoddy relief pitching. Julio Rodriguez is making a strong case as an early season MVP candidate; he dumped four home runs into the stands last week.
An unfortunate walk-off loss to the Angels on Sunday spoiled the Giants’ week. They’re still in the thick of the crowded NL West, but now a step behind the Dodgers and Padres. If you’re searching for signs that this early success is sustainable, look no further than Jung Hoo Lee; he’s been excellent to start the season, posting a 172 wRC+ so far.
After taking three of four from the Royals over the weekend, the Tigers look like the team to beat in the AL Central. They are the only one in the division with a positive run differential. Most encouraging is that Riley Greene, collecting another pair of home runs last week and pushing his wRC+ up to 193.
The Braves started the climb out of their early-season hole with a weekend sweep of the Twins. J.P. Martinez provided a spark at the top of the lineup after being called up on Friday; he went 5-for-14 with two doubles in the three-game series.
The Blue Jays’ hold on the AL East lead was short lived after a 3-3 week, but they can’t feel too bad about their second-place position in the standings. Oh, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. finally hit his first home run of the season on Wednesday, lifting that one weird weight off his shoulders.
Tier 5 – The Muddy Middle
Teams in this tier, such as the Astros, Brewers, Red Sox, Guardians, Reds, and Orioles, are showing potential but need to find consistency. They are capable of strong performances but struggle to maintain momentum.
It’s been a slow start to the season for the Astros, but maybe their series win over the Padres is what they needed to turn things around. They probably need to look into whether or not first base is cursed in Houston; José Abreu has really struggled to start the season, posting a 63 wRC+ so far with just a pair of home runs.
After a bit of a slip two weeks ago, the Red Sox went 4-2 last week to get back on track. The most encouraging sight has been the early success of Trevor Story. Finally healthy, he’s posted a 146 wRC+ with five home runs and six stolen bases, and along with rookie Ceddanne Rafaela (156 wRC+), he has stabilized Boston’s middle infield and lengthened the lineup.
I will admit to underrating the Guardians this year; they’ve won nine of their last 12 games and are just a half-game behind the Tigers in the AL Central. They swept the Pirates over the weekend to cap off what has been the softest schedule to start the season. Things will get a little harder this week as they start a long homestand against the Yankees, Red Sox, and Twins.
The Reds scored 24 runs in a massive beatdown against the Orioles on Sunday. With the starting pitching earning all of the early-season plaudits, it was nice to see the Cincinnati bats finally wake up.
The Orioles are feeling the ill effects of a neglected starting rotation. Yes, John Means and Kyle Bradish are both on the IL, but it’s not just a lack of depth that’s hurting the O’s. They are also lacking the frontline production that Grayson Rodriguez provided last season. Baltimore starters allowed 25 runs in six games last week, and it’s become glaringly clear that 41-year-old Corbin Burnes isn’t the solution.
Tier 6 – No Man’s Land
Teams in this tier, such as the Angels, Rays, Royals, Cardinals, Athletics, and Twins, are showing potential but need to find consistency. They are capable of strong performances but struggle to maintain momentum.
The Angels’ hot start to the season took a blow when the Rangers swept them in three games early last week. They rebounded a bit over the weekend to secure a series victory over the Giants in dramatic fashion, scoring four runs in the ninth inning for their first walk-off win of the season. Mike Trout smacked two more home runs over the weekend — both of which naturally came in the one game the Halos lost — and he now has eight on the season, second most in the majors.
The Rays’ temporary move to George M. Steinbrenner Field this season has caused some scheduling quirks. Because they are trying to fit as many home games in as possible while the weather is still pleasant in Florida, they’ve only played three road games thus far. That changes this week as they embark on their first big road trip of the season, which comes after they went 2-5 last week against the Red Sox and Yankees.
The Royals managed just a single win last week, a come-from-behind, extra-innings victory on Sunday to barely avoid a four-game sweep at the hands of the Tigers. What’s more concerning is that Salvador Perez and Bobby Witt Jr. are the only two players on their roster with wOBAs over .300. At 2.91 runs per game, Kansas City has the worst offense in the majors.
One step forward, two steps back for the Cardinals last week; they won a series against the Astros but were then swept by the Mets in four games over the weekend. The resurgence of Nolan Arenado and Willson Contreras has offered St. Louis some hope, but the majority of this roster has been pretty lackluster.
Since joining the Twins in 2022, Carlos Correa had never batted lower than fourth in the lineup until last week, when he was dropped to fifth during his ongoing slow start. He responded with four hits over the weekend including his first home run of the season. Minnesota lost all three games anyway.
Tier 7 – Laying the Foundation
The Marlins, Pirates, and Nationals are in the process of rebuilding and laying the groundwork for future success. While they may face challenges now, their focus is on developing talent and building a sustainable future.
The Marlins had gotten off to a better-than-expected start to the season until they ran into the Diamondbacks and Phillies last week. They emerged from those two series with just a single win, an extra-innings victory on Sunday. They did activate Jesús Luzardo and Sixto Sánchez off the IL last week, so their lineup should be getting a little stronger.
The Pirates managed to win three of four from the Nationals last week, but their success was negated when they were swept by the Guardians over the weekend. Oneil Cruz continues to dominate — a potential matchup against Yamamoto and the Dodgers on Friday promises to be must-see TV — and the rest of the pitching staff looks pretty good, though their offense remains a major issue.
CJ Abrams has very quickly established himself as a future star with his hot start to the season. He blasted a pair of home runs last week and his wRC+ is now up to 139. The power he’s displaying is reminiscent of a young Juan Soto, and he looks like a strong foundation for the Nationals to build around.
Tier 8 – Hope Deferred
The Rockies and White Sox find themselves at the bottom of the rankings, facing significant hurdles and long rebuilds. These teams are focused on player development and identifying future building blocks.
It’s hard to imagine, but the White Sox are playing behind the pace of their historically inept 2024 team. They’ve won just five games so far. At least they’re giving some of their youngsters the opportunity to get experience in the big leagues. Catcher Korey Lee was their latest call-up last week, and he collected his first hit on Friday.
There’s one team that’s been even worse than the White Sox: the Rockies. It was an eventful week in Colorado, as the Rockies placed Kris Bryant on the IL with a degenerative back injury, and there are real questions about whether or not he’ll ever play regularly again. They also fired their hitting coach and replaced him with Clint Hurdle, the former manager who led the franchise to its lone World Series appearance nearly two decades ago.
Conclusion
The FanGraphs Power Rankings provide a data-driven snapshot of the current MLB landscape, highlighting the top contenders and identifying areas for improvement for each team. As the season progresses, these rankings will continue to evolve, reflecting the dynamic nature of baseball.
Key takeaways from this week’s rankings include the Dodgers’ continued dominance, the Yankees’ resurgence, and the challenges faced by teams in the bottom tiers. These insights are essential for fans and analysts alike, offering a deeper understanding of the sport’s complexities.
The implications of these rankings extend beyond mere standings. They influence team strategies, player evaluations, and fan expectations. As teams strive to climb the ranks, the pursuit of excellence drives the excitement and drama of the baseball season.
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