Each week, The California Post will power rank MLB’s 30 teams and check in on one intriguing awards race. Here is this week’s edition (records through Thursday night):
The Braves are back in the top spot after a one-week absence, producing two statement series wins over the Dodgers and Cubs to become the first team to reach 30 wins this season. Matt Olson remains perhaps the most consistent hitter in the majors so far this year, while Chris Sale and Bryce Elder have emerged as arguably the league’s best 1-2 rotation punch. (Last week: 3rd)
It was a rollercoaster week for the Cubs. After reeling off what was already their second 10-game winning streak of the season, they lost four in a row before avoiding a sweep against the Braves with a win on Thursday. Still, their lineup is top-five in OPS and runs scored, while their pitching staff ranks 10th in ERA. (Last week: 2nd)
Gerrit Cole’s impending return from the injured list can’t come soon enough. This week, the Yankees not only lost five of six games (including a sweep to the Brewers that leaves them 1-8 against opponents with winning records) but saw Max Fried leave a start early with elbow soreness; though Fried is hopeful he isn’t dealing with anything serious. (Last week: 1st)
The Dodgers saved themselves from a potentially disastrous week by salvaging a series split against the Giants. And for as good as Shohei Ohtani has been on the mound (with an MLB-best 0.82 ERA), his struggles offensively remain a problem. The Dodgers will need his bat to get going before they completely snap their team-wide slump. (Last week: 4th)
Should the Rays be higher? Probably. In the last three weeks, they are 16-3 and have overtaken the Yankees for first place in the AL East. They are undoubtedly good. Whether they’re great, however, is another question. Remember: Last year they had a 15-4 stretch in late May/early June, yet still finished eight games below .500. (Last week: 5th)
Remember when everyone complained about Jacob Misiorowski being in the All-Star Game last year? That won’t be happening again this summer. The second-year right-hander is well on his way to Philadelphia right now, thanks to a 2.12 ERA and MLB-most 80 strikeouts. And, amazingly, the Brewers’ only loss this week came when he pitched a career-best seven scoreless innings. (Last week: 8th)
The Cardinals keep defying expectations, emerging from a tricky West Coast road trip to San Diego and Oakland another game further above .500. For all the attention their young lineup has gotten, 25-year-old pitcher Michael McGreevy has been equally impressive with a 2.10 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in nine starts. (Last week: 6th)
There are 19 teams in MLB with negative run differentials. The Padres are the only ones more than two games above .500. Their whacky season was epitomized by a win over the Brewers in Misiorowski’s start on Wednesday, when they were an out away from being shutout before Gavin Sheets hit a game-winning three-run homer. (Last week: 7th)
A Paul Skenes no-hitter is coming. For the second time in his last four starts this week, he carried a no-no bid into the seventh inning. At some point, it feels inevitable he’ll get one across the line. In the meantime, the Pirates keep on holding steady above .500. (Last week: 9th)
The latest sign the Phillies are turning things around? Kyle Schwarber swatted six home runs this week, making his slow start –– and that of the team’s –– feel increasingly further in the past. (Last week: 11th)
The Mariners might have a Cal Raleigh problem, after he went on the injured list with an oblique strain two days removed from finally snapping an 0-for-38 slump. They also dropped a series to the White Sox last week. Luckily for them, a four-game set in Houston, where they won three times, offered a reprieve. (Last week: 10th)
José Ramírez is batting .207, Steven Kwan is batting .206 … and yet the Guardians keep on winning. They have Chase DeLauter (.294 average, .879 OPS) and a predictably stout pitching staff (3.81 team ERA that ranks 10th in the majors) to thank for that. (Last week: 12th)
Elly De La Cruz is starting to put all the pieces together in his fourth MLB season. He’s batting .299, is on pace for a 30/30 campaign, and ranks top-five among position players in WAR. (Last week: 13th)
The Rangers are continuing to tread water while waiting for Corey Seager and his .179 batting average to heat up. It would also help if someone other than the still-dominant Jacob deGrom (2.62 ERA) had an ERA under 4.00. (Last week: 15th)
Reigning Rookie of the Year Nick Kurtz is starting to regain his 2025 form, batting over .400 this past week. Catcher Shea Langaliers is leading the AL in batting average at .331. And even a previously shaky pitching staff is starting to turn a corner. (Last week: 16th)
That’s not a misprint. The White Sox, against all odds, are above .500 mid-way through May. More than that, they might be real contenders in a very weak AL Central, sitting just a game back of the Guardians ahead of what is suddenly a very important series against the Cubs. (Last week: 23rd)
Top prospect Ryan Waldschmidt has made a nice impression since being called up for his MLB debut. The Dbacks, however, continue to take two steps forward, like their series win over the Mets last weekend; then two steps back, like taking, then blowing, a ninth-inning lead to the Rangers on Wednesday to drop a series in Texas. (Last week: 14th)
The O’s earned their best series win of the season this week, taking two of three from the Yankees. But their pitching remains a mess. Everyone who has made at least two starts for them this year has an ERA over 4.00. (Last week: 18th)
Things are still not turning around in Toronto, where the Jays have lost seven of 10 and needed a walk-off to avoid getting swept by the Rays. One of many concerning stats: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hasn’t hit a homer in nearly a month, and has a higher on-base than slugging percentage. (Last week: 17th)
Someone pop some champagne. The Mets swept a series! Beating up on the downtrodden Tigers, of course, shouldn’t have been a noteworthy accomplishment for their $380 million payroll. But as they try to dig out of the deeeeeep hole they’ve dug for themselves, it’s at least a place to start. (Last week: 27th)
Congratulations to the Red Sox for becoming the new lowest-ranked, big-market disappointment. Their only series win since their managerial change came over the slumping Tigers. A playoff team, this still looks not. (Last week: 20th)
Like a Miami thunderstorm, a bright start to the year has grown gloomy in a hurry. After finishing April with a series win against the Dodgers and a 15-16 record, the Fish are 5-8 and just dropped a series to the Twins. (Last week: 19th)
The Nats might not be going anywhere this year, but the future is looking bright. They currently have seven players aged 27 or younger with an OPS of at least .747, highlighted by shortstop CJ Abrams and his .292 average and .922 OPS. (Last week: 24th)
So much for the Royals starting to look better. Since a five-game winning streak, they’ve dropped six of eight and their last four in a row. That’s the longest active skid in the majors. (Last week: 21st)
We’re contractually obligated to write a blurb on every team. But that might grow difficult with a nondescript Twins team settled toward the bottom of the standings (and these rankings), as expected. (Last week: 26th)
Just when it seemed like the Giants were finding something, they not only missed a chance to win a series over the Dodgers, but saw their veteran leader Willy Adames make a critical base-running gaffe … that might have been impacted by some chit-chat with Mookie Betts? (Last week: 28th)
This season is in danger of becoming a nightmare in Detroit. The Tigers have dropped eight of nine since Tarik Skubal got hurt. And while their offense ranks 11th in OPS, they are only 19th in runs scored. (Last week: 22nd)
Jake McCarthy’s unassisted double-play from left field was a cool moment –– the kind the Rockies have typically been on the other side of in recent years. Jose Quintana interfering in a botched rundown play? Not so much.(Last week: 29th)
Say hello to the team with the majors’ worst run differential and team ERA. Their only shred of hope right now is that, in a weak AL West, they somehow remain just six games back of first place. But even Yodan Alvarez has cooled off this month, batting below .200 in May. (Last week: 25th)
Remember when the Angels were 11-10 and looking like, just maybe, a competitive team? Since then, they are 5-18, have had star shortstop Zach Neto called out by team broadcaster Bobby Valentine, and have to be once again asking themselves: Is it time to finally trade Mike Trout? (Last week: 30th)
1.) Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers (3-2, 0.82 ERA, 44 innings, 50 strikeouts, 0.82 WHIP)
If Ohtani can keep this going, this award race will be fascinating to watch. His workload is already slipping behind some competitors, and his hitting slump has raised some questions about his two-way role. But when he’s been on the mound, Ohtani has been electric. He’ll need much better numbers than other contenders to win the Cy Young this year. But so far, he is producing them.
2.) Paul Skenes (6-2, 1.98 ERA, 50 innings, 56 strikeouts, 0.64 WHIP)
Erasing that disastrous season debut has almost been like a side quest for Skenes. Since that five-run nightmare, he has given up just six runs in eight outings, and struck out more than 10 times as many batters (55) as he has walked (5). As we said above, don’t miss his starts. He keeps flirting with history.
3.) Jacob Misiorowski (3-2, 2.12 ERA, 51 innings, 80 strikeouts, 0.90 WHIP)
We’ve had just three 250-strikeout seasons this decade, but Misiorowski is on an early track to join that list. His 81 Ks are 13 more than the next closest pitcher. His .162 batting average against trails only Skenes and Ohtani. And he has clocked 100 mph at least 40 times in each of his last three starts. No starting pitcher is averaging a harder fastball than his 99.6 mph heater.
