MLB Power Rankings: It’s a Motor City takeover

Featured in this week’s MLB Power Rankings, the Tigers just keep winning, Wilmer Flores is an RBI machine, Torey Lovullo appreciates a lost art, Cal Quantrill goes immaculate, and the disappointing Orioles make a change in the dugout.

Let’s get started!

(Please note these power rankings are a combination of current performance and long-term projected outlook)

**Rankings are from the morning of Monday, May 19**

1) Detroit Tigers ⬆️

Last week: 3

We have ourselves a new No. 1. The Tigers were 10-8 on April 16, but they’ve gone 21-8 since then to claw to the top of our ranks. Gleyber Torres has enjoyed a sparkling month of May and the unexpected Javier Báez resurgence just keeps trucking along.

Also, is Jason Benetti the best play-by-play announcer in the game or what?

2) Los Angeles Dodgers ⬇️

Last week: 1

The Dodgers welcomed back Clayton Kershaw on Saturday, but they also waived goodbye to their two-longest tenured position players in Austin Barnes and Chris Taylor.

3) New York Mets ⬆️

Last week: 4

The Mets’ infield issues were exposed against the Yankees over the weekend. It would be a surprise if Brett Baty isn’t the primary third baseman moving forward, with Mark Vientos seeing most of his at-bats out the DH spot. That’s how it should be, anyway.

4) San Diego Padres ⬇️

Last week: 2

Swept by the Mariners over the weekend and seven losses in their last 12 games. We’ll see how much magic is left in Jose Iglesias’ OMG sign now that it has landed in San Diego.

5) New York Yankees

Last week: 5

The Yankees got the best of Juan Soto and the Mets this weekend, with Cody Bellinger playing the hero in the finale on Sunday night. Perhaps the best sign for the Yankees this weekend? Two dominant appearances from Devin Williams.

6) Philadelphia Phillies ⬆️

Last week: 7

Don’t look now, but the Phillies are just a half-game behind the Mets in the National League East. Sunday was a good news/bad news day for the Phillies, with Mick Abel shining in his MLB debut on the heels of Jose Alvarado’s 80-game PED suspension.

7) Chicago Cubs ⬇️

Last week: 6

After crushing the crosstown White Sox over the weekend, the Cubs will bring Matt Shaw back to the big league roster. The 23-year-old struggled before his demotion last month, but he’s earned his way back after slashing .286/.409/.560 with six homers and five steals over 24 games with Triple-A Iowa.

8) San Francisco Giants

Last week: 8

We’re almost at Memorial Day and Wilmer Flores is leading the majors in RBI. What a world. Not only did Flores have a three-homer game over the weekend against the A’s, he also drew a walk-off walk.

9) Minnesota Twins ⬆️

Last week: 16

Another big jump for the Twins after their 13-game winning streak. The pitching has been the big key during this run, but how long can they keep this up with Byron Buxton, Carlos Correa, and Matt Wallner missing from their lineup?

10) Seattle Mariners ⬆️

Last week: 11

A play in three acts.

Last Monday, Julio Rodriguez appeared on track to rob Trent Grisham of a home run but the ball deflected off his glove and trickled over the fence. Frustrating, embarrassing, etc.

Later in the game, Rodriguez just didn’t have enough room to track it down. Another homer for Grisham.

Two days later, though, J-Rod got it right, finally robbing Grisham of a home run. The lesson here, kids? Practice does indeed make perfect.

11) Cleveland Guardians ⬇️

Last week: 9

Just your weekly reminder that José Ramirez is awesome. Ramirez is hitting .378 during his current 12-game hitting streak. He homered in three straight games last week and also stole three bases in a game.

12) St. Louis Cardinals ⬆️

Last week: 13

Look who has finally perked up at the plate. After failing to hit a home run through his first 30 games (101 plate appearances this season), Alec Burleson is hitting .333/.357/.815 with four home runs and 10 RBI over last nine games.

13) Kansas City Royals ⬇️

Last week: 10

With Cole Ragans and Seth Lugo on the injured list, maybe just maybe we will actually see 45-year-old Rich Hill back in the majors with his 14th team. That would tie Edwin Jackson for the major league record.

14) Atlanta Braves ⬆️

Last week: 15

Spencer Strider will come off the IL to pitch against the Nationals on Tuesday and Ronald Acuña Jr. has a couple of homers through four games on his minor league rehab assignment. Things are looking up for Atlanta.

15) Houston Astros ⬆️

Last week: 17

When the Astros acquired Isaac Paredes as part of the Kyle Tucker trade, the idea was that he was tailor-made for Daikin Park in Houston. Well, Globe Life Field actually worked out pretty well for him on Sunday as he delivered a huge moment for the ‘Stros.

16) Arizona Diamondbacks ⬇️

Last week: 14

It seems like manager blow-ups are one of those things we mostly see in old highlight clips on social media, but Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo still gets it.

17) Boston Red Sox ⬇️

Last week: 12

Five losses in their last six games, but perhaps the best catch of the past week. One of those things you couldn’t do better if you planned it.

18) Texas Rangers

Last week: 18

In spinning eight scoreless frames against the Astros last Thursday, Jacob deGrom had his longest outing since April 23, 2021. The two-time Cy Young Award winner isn’t missing bats like he did during his peak, but it’s working for him just fine. He’s sporting a 2.29 ERA through nine starts this season.

19) Cincinnati Reds ⬆️

Last week: 22

The Reds swept the Guardians over the weekend and Will Benson was right in the middle of it. He’s homered in four straight games to begin the week.

20) Toronto Blue Jays ⬆️

Last week: 21

After an injury-plagued 2024 season, Bo Bichette is pretty much back to being Bo Bichette. Coming off a red-hot week, he finds himself tied for fifth in the majors with 57 hits this season.

21) Athletics ⬇️

Last week: 19

Five straight losses for the A’s and now they’ll head back to Sacramento, where they have posted a 5.81 ERA at home this season.

22) Milwaukee Brewers ⬇️

Last week: 20

Thanks in part to this amazing display of thievery from Jackson Chourio, the Brewers stopped the Twins’ 13-game winning streak on Sunday.

23) Tampa Bay Rays

Last week: 23

The Rays’ offense has been one of the league’s worst so far this season, so Josh Lowe’s return from the injured list is welcome indeed. However, it was what he did with his arm on Sunday which stood out.

24) Washington Nationals

Last week: 24

The Nationals swept the reeling Orioles over the weekend, scoring 10 runs on Saturday and Sunday against their Beltway rivals. C.J. Abrams clubbed two homers and Sunday and is now hitting .340 over 24 games since returning from the injured list last month.

25) Los Angeles Angels ⬆️

Last week: 26

The Angels move up a spot in our rankings after sweeping the Dodgers over the weekend. After saving 350 games as a member of the Dodgers, Kenley Jansen notched one against his old team on Saturday.

26) Miami Marlins ⬆️

Last week: 27

We saw a member of the Marlins pull of a first this season, and in a positive way. Right-hander Cal Quantrill unleashed an immaculate inning against the Rays on Sunday.

All the amazing pitchers in baseball and Quantrill is the first to pull it off this season. That’s the beauty of baseball.

27) Pittsburgh Pirates ⬆️

Last week: 28

Paul Skenes was awesome against the Phillies on Sunday, tossing eight innings of one-run ball with nine strikeouts. He also lost. That just about sums it up for the Pirates and new manager Don Kelly right now.

28) Baltimore Orioles ⬇️

Last week: 25

The Orioles fired Brandon Hyde over the weekend, which is one of those things that had to happen even if the club’s brutal start is more of a complete organizational failure than anything else. Baltimore has lost six straight and 12 out of 14.

29) Chicago White Sox

Last week: 29

The White Sox were outscored 26-8 while being swept at the hands of the Cubs this weekend, but this play by rookie Tim Elko was pretty darn nifty.

30) Colorado Rockies

Last week: 30

The Rockies outslugged the Diamondbacks 14-12 in a bonkers game on Saturday, which stands out for two reasons. One, the Rockies won a game. Two, it happened in Arizona and not Coors Field. One legitimate positive for Colorado is that Ezequiel Tovar is healthy again. He went 5-for-6 with a homer and a triple on Saturday.