2024 MLB Power Rankings: Dodgers claim top spot as playoff stretch nears
08/26/2024 04:27 PM
The star power around Major League Baseball this season has been nothing short of spectacular and it only gets better as the year progresses. Some of the game’s biggest talents are putting together otherworldly performances on a near-nightly basis as the history books are being rewritten with their jaw-dropping accomplishments.
So many milestones have already been reached during the 2024 MLB season and plenty more are on the horizon. While Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani lead the charge on each coast, almost every baseball city in the United States has a star attraction. That speaks to the overall level of talent MLB has to offer.
When the regular season winds down and the playoffs near, the league’s best players separate themselves from the pack. It will be intriguing to see who will emerge from the next crop of stars when the games matter most.
Another MLB Power Ranking gives us another new No. 1. The top spot is claimed by a different team for the third consecutive week as franchises jockey for playoff seeding. With September quickly approaching, it’s crunch time around the diamond. Where does your team land?
1. Los Angeles Dodgers (+3)
Kobe Bryant’s daughter Bianka threw the first pitch at the Dodgers game
(via @Dodgers)pic.twitter.com/Ss4YVIyhOZ
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 26, 2024
It was an inevitability that the Dodgers would reclaim the top spot before the end of the season. There’s too much talent in that clubhouse to keep them from being named among the elite teams in the league. A 15-7 August record reflects that the Dodgers are finding consistent success. Now LA is poised to close the regular season with a bang and enter the MLB playoffs as the team to beat.
Perhaps no baseball player on the planet has more eyes on him than Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers star is closing the second act of his initial season in LA by chasing history after becoming the sixth MLB player to achieve a 40-40 season. Ohtani has 31 games left to try and create the 45-45 or 50-50 club. He has 41 home runs and 40 stolen bases entering Monday.
2. New York Yankees (+1)
This past week is how the Yankees envisioned their season going. New York won two series thanks largely to its offense, specifically their two superstar bats. Aaron Judge and Juan Soto combined for 10 home runs and 19 RBIs in six games, both hitting milestones. Judge eclipsed 50 homers in a season for the third time, while Soto set a new career high in dingers.
The Yankees hold a 1 1/2 game lead over the Orioles in the AL East. It’s New York’s largest lead since June 25 and either team’s biggest deficit since the Orioles led by two games on July 26. The Yankees’ next four series are all against teams .500 or below.
3. Baltimore Orioles (-1)
The Orioles begin the final week of August with a losing record in the month. Baltimore collected 17 wins in each of the first three months before recording its first losing month with a 12-13 July. The Orioles are 11-12 in August after a recent 4-6 skid.
The O’s managed to split a four-game set with the Astros over the weekend to keep within reach of the Yankees. A date with the Dodgers is next with the three-game series beginning Tuesday at Chavez Ravine.
4. Philadelphia Phillies (-3)
The Phillies continued their inconsistent slide but the offense finally caught fire over the weekend. The Phils put up monster numbers in Kansas City, scoring 22 runs on 34 hits in a pair of wins on Saturday and Sunday. Philly also welcomed back lefty Ranger Suarez.
This week could show us who the Phillies really are. They host the Astros for a 2022 World Series rematch before a pivotal four-game series with the Braves. If the Phils want to be MLB’s best, they need to win series like those.
5. Milwaukee Brewers (no change)
Frankie Montas had a 5.01 ERA when he joined the Brewers from the Cincinnati Reds. He’s looked like a different pitcher in Milwaukee and is becoming a difference-maker for the NL Central leaders. Montas has a 3.33 ERA in five starts since the trade, with 28 strikeouts and two wins.
Montas made an emotional start against the A’s Sunday as the Brewers played their final game in Oakland. The veteran right-hander spent parts of six seasons with the Athletics, including his best to date in 2021 when he finished sixth in American League Cy Young Award voting. Milwaukee lost Sunday but maintained a 10-game lead in the division.
6. Arizona Diamondbacks (+4)
The Diamondbacks own the best record in the bigs since August 1, the All-Star break, July 1, June 1, and May 1. In other words, the D-backs have been the best team in baseball over the last four months.
A six-game win streak gave Arizona sole possession of the top Wild Card spot in the National League. The Diamondbacks are getting contributions from everyone in the wake of Ketel Marte and Christian Walker’s absences. Corbin Carroll is back to MVP form and the rotation is fully healthy.
7. Cleveland Guardians (-1)
It’s hard to figure out who the Guardians are with five weeks left in the regular season. Not too long ago they had the MLB’s best record but they’re 10-13 in August and lost a significant cushion in their AL Central lead.
A series win over the defending World Series champion – albeit a defeated one – might give Cleveland confidence. There was a poor offensive showing against the Yankees before the Guards took two of three from the Rangers, a sign that the inconsistencies are still there. Cleveland has a massive four-game series with the Kansas City Royals beginning Monday.
8. Houston Astros (no change)
The Astros welcomed Justin Verlander back last week as the future Hall of Famer tries to get on track before the postseason. Alex Bregman also returned following a five-game absence with a sore elbow and continues his hot stretch since the All-Star break.
Houston has been one of the best teams in the league over the last four months and is getting healthier. The Astros could be the team to beat in the American League if they have a strong September. Heavy competition awaits this week with the Phillies and Royals on the docket.
9. San Diego Padres (no change)
Jackson Merrill with his 2nd walkoff homer of the year pic.twitter.com/BIDFVFbS4h
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 25, 2024
Is there anyone more clutch than Jackson Merrill? The Padres’ rookie outfielder shines in the brightest moments time and time again. He showed once more why he is so valuable with a walk-off home run to lift the Pads over the Mets on Sunday. It was Merrill’s fifth game-tying or go-ahead homer in the ninth inning or later this year, the most in MLB.
The 21-year-old continues an insane stretch in which he has a .633 slugging percentage and .977 OPS since the All-Star break. More than half of his 38 hits in that span went for extra bases. It’s no coincidence the Padres have the second-most wins in the second half with their superstar rookie playing his best ball of the season.
10. Kansas City Royals (+1)
Speaking of young superstars, has anyone seen what Bobby Witt Jr. is doing lately? It’s getting hard to ignore as the Royals shortstop races toward a top-three MVP finish. The big talk around Witt nowadays is his home batting average as he tries to become the first player to hit .400 at home since Barry Bonds in 2004.
The Royals got within one game of first place in the AL Central last weekend and have an important series against the Guardians this week. Kansas City’s schedule over the next three weeks includes matchups with the Yankees, Astros and Twins. All will play a crucial factor in the American League playoff picture.
11. Minnesota Twins (-4)
The Twins trudged through a difficult week, losing consecutive series to the Padres and Cardinals. Minnesota has an identical record with Kansas City but the Royals look like the better team as of late. The two meet in a critical series in a few weeks.
Minnesota will want to get back on track to stay on pace in the AL Central. The three-team race will likely come down to the wire and all three still have series against the other two.
12. Atlanta Braves (no change)
Regardless of the amount of injuries the Braves are dealt they simply won't go away in the NL East. As the Phillies struggle to find consistency, the Braves chip away at a once insurmountable lead. After taking two of three from Philadelphia last week, Atlanta is six games back with another series against their divisional foe later this week.
A major storyline for the final five weeks of the MLB regular season is Marcel Ozuna’s pursuit of the Triple Crown. The Braves designated hitter is atop the NL in batting average, tied for first in RBIs and trails Shohei Ohtani by four home runs. He’s challenging Ohtani for NL MVP as well.
13. New York Mets (+1)
Pure electricity
Jesse Winker walks it off as the Mets walk off on the Orioles yet AGAIN
(via @SNYtv) pic.twitter.com/S3eSAIsm7m
— ClutchPoints Betting (@CPBetting) August 21, 2024
Citi Field was the place to be last week as the Mets secured two walk-off wins over the Orioles to keep pace in the National League Wild Card race. Jesse Winker’s game-winning bomb on Wednesday might be the opening scene in the Mets’ 2024 video yearbook. New York is hoping to add playoff highlights to that yearbook as well.
Francisco Lindor continues to knock the cover off the ball and made history last week. He became the first MLB shortstop to achieve three seasons with 25 home runs and 25 stolen bases. He has a great chance to finish in the top five of NL MVP Award voting.
14. Boston Red Sox (-1)
Offensive woes followed the Red Sox over the weekend as they were swept at home by the D-backs. Boston scored three combined runs on Friday and Saturday, then blew a four-run lead on Sunday to dip below .500 in August.
The Red Sox don't have much room for error as September nears. They’re 4 1/2 games out of a playoff spot with only one series against the teams directly above them. Boston hasn't missed the playoffs in three straight seasons since 2010-2012.
15. Seattle Mariners (no change)
The MLB world was shocked to find out the Mariners relieved manager Scott Servais of his duties last Thursday but the writing was on the wall. As Seattle continues its slide, it was time for a new voice in the clubhouse. Servais was given a long leash with nine years at the helm and was the longest-tenured manager in the American League at the time of his dismissal.
Is the move too little too late for the Mariners’ playoff chances this year? Seattle is 4 1/2 back with 31 games left and has one series remaining against the Astros. The Mariners’ goal should be to make sure their series with Houston during the final week of the season is relevant.
16. St. Louis Cardinals (+3)
Perhaps no team falls and rises in our MLB Power Rankings as much as the Cardinals. St. Louis is again among the top risers this week after securing two series wins against teams in playoff positions. Cardinals’ pitching was too much for Twins and Brewers bats with St. Louis tossing a pair of shutouts.
The schedule remains unforgiving with series against the Padres, Yankees and Brewers in the future. Five games separate the Cards from a playoff spot. If they make a run in September, they’ll certainly earn it.
17. San Francisco Giants (-1)
It was going so well for Robbie Ray until it wasn't. Off the back of a nine-strikeout quality start, Ray powered through three innings in Seattle on Sunday before grabbing at his left hamstring. An MRI will reveal the extent of the injury but it’s a familiar unpleasant feeling for the 2021 AL Cy Young Award winner.
Ray’s return from Tommy John surgery has not always been pleasant – he didn't make it out of the first inning of a start against the Braves a few weeks back – but he was gearing up to finish 2024 strong in hopes of kickstarting a bounceback 2025. He might not throw another pitch in the big leagues this year.
18. Tampa Bay Rays (-1)
Tampa Bay’s young pitching has been a bright spot for the franchise this season and it seems they keep passing the torch onto one another. Taj Bradley had a 1.45 ERA in five July starts while Shane Baz recorded consecutive quality starts, including 7 2/3 scoreless innings against the A’s. Ryan Pepoit is 3-1 with a 1.66 ERA in his last five starts.
The playoffs are a long shot for the Rays but they are optimistic about the future. They’ll be a prime candidate for a bounceback season in 2025.
19. Chicago Cubs (-1)
It was a winning week for the Cubs as they stayed in the hunt for the NL Wild Card. Chicago’s upcoming schedule affords an opportunity to gain more ground although the Cubs will need help to become a serious playoff threat.
Chicago’s pitching staff is untouchable as of late. The Cubs rank fourth in ERA this month with their starters recording six wins. It’s helped Chicago win three consecutive series. The Cubs are a win away from posting a winning record in August.
20. Detroit Tigers (+1)
Even if their playoff hopes are a distant memory winning still feels good for the Tigers. Detroit is on the verge of their first winning season in eight years so every victory will be celebrated. A win on Monday will complete a four-game sweep of the White Sox and put the Tigers at .500.
Kerry Carpenter returned with a bang. He has four home runs and a .930 OPS in 10 games since being sidelined with a back issue. Spencer Torkelson is also mashing since being recalled from Triple-A. The 2020 first-overall pick is 9-for-31 with four extra-base hits since his promotion.
21. Cincinnati Reds (-1)
Joey Votto has officially retired from Major League Baseball
6x All-Star
1x MVP
1x Gold GloveThanks for a legendary 17 seasons, Joey
(via @Reds)pic.twitter.com/ihebbxODTY
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 22, 2024
Baseball bid farewell to one of its most iconic characters of the 21st century last week when Joey Votto announced his retirement on Wednesday. His attempt at playing in his home country for the Blue Jays would have been a fitting end to a memorable career but it’s poetic that he’ll be a one-team man.
Votto is an all-time Reds player and has a case for the Hall of Fame. There’s a good chance we haven't heard the last of him. Regardless, he will always be welcome in Cincinnati and most baseball circles.
22. Toronto Blue Jays (no change)
The Blue Jays by no means owed it to Votto to promote him, but they’ll no longer be of interest for a feel-good storyline toward the end of a lost season north of the border. There aren't many storylines in general for Toronto these days, although Bowden Francis is creating a name for himself.
The 28-year-old took a no-hitter into the ninth inning against the Angels on Saturday. That start continues a string of brilliance on the mound from Bowden who’s won three straight starts. Francis has a 1.32 ERA in August and struck out 27 batters while allowing two runs in his last three outings.
23. Texas Rangers (+1)
There’s not much room for positives in Texas right now as the Rangers’ struggles continue to mount. The lineup has gone flat, averaging less than three runs a game last week while going 2-4 against the Pirates and Guardians.
On the bright side, Corey Seager is staying hot at the plate and Jacob deGrom nears a return to an MLB mound. The Rangers could play spoiler in September.
24. Pittsburgh Pirates (-1)
Paul Skenes PICKS OFF Elly De La Cruz pic.twitter.com/5Kgkca65cK
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 22, 2024
Few MLB players fit the “must-watch” bill, but Paul Skenes and Elly De La Cruz are exceptions. The two electrifying NL Central foes battled three times on Thursday, twice in an at-bat and once on the basepaths. Skenes whipped a ball over to first base just in time to pick off De La Cruz after a first-inning walk.
It was part of another brilliant outing for Skenes who is showing no signs of slowing down. He tossed six scoreless against the Reds with nine strikeouts to earn his eighth win of the year.
25. Washington Nationals (no change)
The Nationals have a rookie pitcher of their own dazzling MLB hitters. DJ Herz has been a welcome addition to the Nats’ starting rotation during this second stint with the big league club in 2024.
Herz has a 2.62 ERA in seven starts since a two-week stay in Triple-A. He was demoted on July 8 with a 5.17 ERA in the majors and has been Washington’s best starter since. The left-hander struck out eight and allowed one hit through five scoreless innings against the Braves Sunday.
26. Oakland Athletics (no change)
Where would the A’s be without Brent Rooker? Oakland’s All-Star outfielder launched his 30th homer of the season Saturday, 23 games earlier than last year when he hit No. 30 on the final day of the regular season.
Rooker and the A’s are giving the Oakland faithful something to cheer about the closing chapter of their swansong season by the Bay. Only two more homestands remain at the Coliseum.
27. Los Angeles Angels (no change)
The Angels have won a total of zero playoff games since Perry Minasian was named general manager in November 2020. Yet in the midst of a 10th consecutive season without postseason baseball, LA decided to hand Minasian a contract extension, much to the chagrin of Angels fans.
For what it’s worth, the future is looking brighter with several young players showing flashes over the past few weeks. Zach Neto, Jo Adell and Nolan Schanuel lead a crop of promising players having a solid second half for the Halos.
28. Colorado Rockies (no change)
It’s been a while since the Rockies had an identity but Ezequiel Tovar is starting to give them one. The budding shortstop is electrifying to watch and flashed the leather on multiple occasions against the Yankees this past weekend.
Tovar added three doubles at the plate in the series to give him 37 on the year, the same total he had in 2023. He could become the first Rockie to hit 40 doubles in a season since Charlie Blackmon in 2019.
29. Miami Marlins (no change)
If the Marlins want to climb out of the National League basement, this week is the time to do it. Miami heads to Colorado to face the Rockies as both teams are even in the loss column with the Marlins holding one less win. A last-place finish in the NL East is a lock, but there’s a chance Miami can still say there was an NL team worse than them in 2024.
30. Chicago White Sox (no change)
The White Sox reached triple digits Sunday, losing for the 100th time in the 2024 season. They’re the second-fastest team since 1901 to lose 100 games and the first to lose 100 before September since the 2003 Detroit Tigers.
Chicago needs 12 wins in its final 31 games to avoid matching the 1962 Mets for the most losses in the MLB’s modern era. The White Sox’s quest to avoid history begins Monday as they try to avoid a sweep against the Tigers.
The post 2024 MLB Power Rankings: Dodgers claim top spot as playoff stretch nears appeared first on ClutchPoints.
