Add The California Post on Google Each week, the California Post will power rank MLB’s 30 teams and check in on one intriguing awards race. Records as of Saturday morning:
We got our first official playoff teams this week, starting with the Brewers punching their ticket to the postseason on Friday. That makes it eight trips to October in the last nine years for Milwaukee. Unfortunately for them, they’ve won just two series (and no pennants) in that time. (Last week: 1st)
The Dodgers finally put Shohei Ohtani on the IL, acknowledged he probably won’t get back to 100% this year and now have to hope his postseason performance isn’t too diminished. On the bright side, the team has won eight in a row –– and Ohtani has only played once in that stretch. (Last week: 3rd)
The Phillies were on the verge of making the NL East race a little too interesting on Friday, before the Braves rallied from deficits in the ninth, 10th and 11th innings for a walk-off win that restored a five-game division lead. (Last week: 2nd)
Milwaukee wasn’t the only club to clinch a playoff berth this week, with Tampa Bay returning after a two-year absence. Fittingly, the Rays got in on a walk-off home run from Junior Caminero — who might be making an interesting late MVP case. (Last week: 4th)
The long wait is over. Aaron Judge has returned to the Yankees’ active roster. The MVP slugger did so after completing a 99-day recovery without even going on a minor-league rehab assignment. And while he’s still getting up to speed now, any worst-case scenarios with his injury have been averted. (Last week: 5th)
It was reality-check week for the Cubs, who went to Milwaukee and got swept in three games. Now, they are just 4-9 against the Brewers — a likely playoff opponent in the NLDS — this season. They’ll have to find some solutions to be a real World Series threat. (Last week: 6th)
Fresh off a nine-inning shutout that punctuated a dominant six-week stretch (seven starts, 1.08 ERA, 50 innings, 64 strikeouts), Jesus Luzardo has a sudden injury concern, being scratched from Saturday’s start with shoulder stiffness. It’s a reminder that the Phillies, both at the plate and on the mound, remain too thin. They have to hope this isn’t a longer-term issue. (Last week: 7th)
The Red Sox seem all but certain of heading to Yankee Stadium for the wild-card round in a few weeks. Just as long as they don’t run out of gas, a quiet concern amid a rather middling stretch. (Last week: 8th)
The unpredictable Padres are heating up again, winning five in a row to set the pace in an NL wild-card race with the Diamondbacks that figures to go down to the wire. If it does, those teams play each other in the final series of the season. Thanks, schedule-makers. (Last week: 10th)
The Dbacks continue to trail the Padres by a half-game but got some major reinforcements back this week. The biggest: Corbin Burnes, who marked his return from Tommy John surgery with three scoreless innings. He is back just in time to salvage what has been a disappointing $210 million signing thus far. (Last week: 11th)
The Astros are really going to do it, huh? Despite an aging roster, what was arguably the majors’ worst pitching staff in the first half of the year and a late-season change at GM, Houston (led by Triple Crown contender Yordan Alvarez) is pulling away in the dreadful AL West race, now holding a three-game lead in its bid to return to the playoffs. (Last week: 12th)
We should have learned by now; don’t doubt the Guardians. A month ago, they were five games under .500 and fading. But now, they’re back on the ascent with a 14-7 run to take control of the wild-card race, in addition to their division push. (Last week: 14th)
The Pirates are starting to do the cruelest thing to their long-suffering fan base, making a last-second push (they’ve won 7 of 10 to get back to .500) that will almost certainly be too little, too late (they are still 5 ½ games out of the wild card). (Last week: 18th)
The Blue Jays were starting to look like playoff contender. Then, they dropped four of their last five — including a series loss to the Athletics in Sacramento. The schedule isn’t daunting the rest of the way. But their still-inconsistent form sure is. (Last week: 15th)
A hat tip (get it?) for Hancel Rincon, who handled with grace Doug Eddings’ ridiculous demand to fix his crooked hat in his MLB debut. A hat tip to the Cardinals and Rockies, too, for wearing their hats crooked the following day. (Last week: 13th)
In the AL wild-card race, even back-to-back wins can feel like a hot streak. That’s what the Orioles have done the last few days and at least have a chance to leapfrog the Blue Jays the rest of this weekend. (Last week: 19th)
Remember when the Marlins were rolling through June and in the playoff race at the All-Star break? Welp, then they lost 12 in a row and have never recovered, taking an official knockout punch by getting swept at home by the Mets this week. (Last week: 16th)
Another three-game losing streak for the Rangers, who continue to fumble away what should have been the easiest division crown in the majors this year. (Last week: 17th)
Pop some champagne. The Mets are back in our top 20! It comes amid what is now a prolonged stretch of better play, with the club going 25-17 since July 26. The fact they aren’t higher is a reminder of how nightmarish everything about their season was before then. (Last week: 24th)
Fun times for the Reds. Elly De La Cruz is on a heater (.385 average, six home runs, 14 RBIs in last 23 games), which means other teams’ fan bases are already speculating about when he’ll be traded (especially, in Los Angeles). (Last week: 22nd)
Every year always seems to end up the same for Byron Buxton, who is set for season-ending surgery on his hip. (Last week: 20th)
This time last year, the M’s were in a wild 17-1 stretch that propelled their run to the ALCS. This time next week, they might be officially eliminated from playoff contention. (Last week: 23rd)
Pop some champagne. The Nationals have made history! After squandering several more late-game leads this week, the Nats now have an MLB-record 38 blown saves this season. At least it will make this season more memorable. (Last week: 21st)
Breaking news on the caffeine front. Tarik Skubal has been absolved of guilt by fellow former Tigers pitcher Casey Mize for taking his espresso machine with him when he left Detroit. (Last week: 25th)
Not that the Royals needed any more kicks in the shins this year. But losing back-to-back extra-inning games to the Dbacks this week (one in which they erased a ninth-inning deficit and another when they nearly came back from down five in the 10th) felt like some unneeded salt in the wound. (Last week: 26th)
Rafael Devers is doing his best to tease Giants fans, who waited a little too long — once a frustrating season was already long lost — to finally rediscover his swing. Until he does it from the start of a season, belief in his resurgence will remain limited. (Last week: 27th)
We almost forgot. The Giants were officially eliminated from playoff contention this week — as were their Northern California neighbors in Sacramento. That makes it six straight seasons without a postseason berth, the club’s longest drought since the 1990s. (Last week: 28th)
Speaking of eliminated clubs, the Angels’ MLB-worst playoff drought has been officially extended to 12 seasons. Spawn the Fall of Mike Trout profile pieces, courtesy of ESPN this week. (Last week: 30th)
The Rockies have not only been eliminated but are making a push to conclude the season with the coveted No. 30 spot by dropping five games in a row. (Last week: 29th)
1) Pete Crow-Armstrong (.281 average, .948 OPS, 41 home runs, 97 RBIs)
It might be time to call it. With Ohtani out for two weeks on the IL, amid what was already a season-worst slump offensively, Crow-Armstrong has the MVP all but wrapped up, able to now pad a lead in the WAR race that sees him lead Ohtani 10 to 6.8.
2) Shohei Ohtani (.277 average, .902 OPS, 30 home runs, 80 RBIs; 8-2 record, 1.79 ERA)
Never before has a likely runner-up MVP season felt so disappointing. Ohtani is in danger of being limited for the playoffs. Questions are swirling about what went so wrong and who is to blame. And now, the Dodgers’ three-peat chances hang in the balance, as does Ohtani’s future as a full-time two-way player.
3) Elly De La Cruz (.282 average, .869 OPS, 26 home runs, 70 RBIs)
EDLC will have to keep this up over the next couple weeks to actually finish this high in the voting. But the run he has been on lately — when his best highlight might be a 105 mph throw from shortstop — is the most MVP-esque thing we’ve seen from any other NL contender this year. He could be a real contender in this race next year.
