What is the deal with the Yankees?
It doesn’t matter what, the Astros have been pleased with their decline. They now rank above the Bronx Bombers in American League standings. The Mets are outperforming the Yankees in New York while the Dodgers remain the most dominant team in the National League. This is as of mid-August.
It will continue this way down the stretch.
Our expert panel combined to rank each team in baseball using a combination what we have seen so far and the knowledge we had going into this 162-game marathon of a complete baseball season. We also asked ESPN MLB experts David Schoenfield (Bradford Doolittle), Jesse Rogers (Jon Lee) and Alden Gonzalo to provide an observation for each team.
Week 18 | Second-half preview | Preseason rankings
Record: 81-35
Previous ranking: 1
The Dodgers are the best in both winning percentages and run differentials, but they have their problems. Their starting rotation is both deep and full of questions. Walker Buehler Clayton Kershaw continues to rehab from a back injury, and Clayton Kershaw will undergo season-ending elbow surgery. The ninth inning remains uncertain. Craig Kimbrel He missed a save opportunity in Milwaukee on Tuesday. His ERA was 4.57 and his WHIP was 1.55. His strikeout percentage was 29.5%, a career low. Although he was able to recover in the end, he still had a poor performance overall. — Gonzalez
Record: 76-43
Previous ranking: 4
It was a time when it was like Alex Bregman Did you experience a down-season? This was less than two years ago. Bregman had a batting average of.218/.337/.373 in 64 games, with seven homers. He also had 30 RBIs. Bregman’s performance has been a.315/.404/.556 – with nine homers as well as 36 RBIs in 49 of his games. Bregman is no stranger to this, as he has a tendency to gain momentum the further into a season. Bregman’s career OPS is.841 before the All-Star break, and.931 afterwards. August (.995) & September (.889) were his best months. Bregman is still as good as ever since his slow start. But, there’s more. — Doolittle
Record: 76-42
Previous ranking: 2
Just when Mets fans were beginning to feel positive about things, they lost 13-1 & 5-0 in the second two games of their four game series against the Braves. Carlos Carrasco went down with a lat strain on Monday. Taijuan Walker After two innings of back spasms, Carrasco was forced to leave Tuesday’s game. Carrasco had been 5-0 and had a 1.69 ERA during his five previous starts. The Mets did not have enough depth at the bottom of their pitching staff, as evidenced by the early exits. R.J. Alvarez He made his first major-league appearance since 2015, in relief of Walker. And suddenly, that large lead against the Braves isn’t so secure. Carrasco should be replaced by David Peterson in the rotation. Walker will have to miss some time. Trevor Williams. Schoenfield
Record: 73-45
Previous ranking: 3
With players like Aaron Hicks, Josh Donaldson The walk-off grand Slam Wednesday on Wednesday was a welcome exception. Gleyber Torres All of them are having trouble at the plate. New York also tries to maintain consistency in its bullpen. Clay Holmes Being hit hard, now on the injured list and Aaron Boone, manager looking towards Aroldis Chapman Scott Effross As possible solutions for late-inning relief. Holmes is also seeing more injuries. Giancarlo Stanton Matt Carpenter. — Lee
Record: 72-47
Previous ranking: 5
The $82 million extension, which was extended for eight years, was the biggest news. Michael Harris IIJust 71 games into his major-league career, he was already a manager. The deal also includes options for 2031/2032, giving the Braves an amazing long-term core. Austin Riley Harris (2032) Matt Olson (2030), Ronald Acuna Jr. (2028) Ozzie Albies (2027). Harris was worth 2.9 WAR over those 71 games, which is about six wins per season. He has a great defense and baserunning, which gives him a high ceiling. However, so far, pitchers haven’t been able to take advantage of his aggressive tendencies at home plate (10 walks; 65 strikeouts; 41% chase rate). Harris, who is just 21 years old, has the potential to be one of the most valuable all-around players in baseball if he can learn to walk. Schoenfield
Record: 65-51
Previous ranking: 6
St. Louis was able to win the series against Milwaukee, which kept it ahead of its division competitors. This position will likely continue for the remainder of this season. The Cardinals won’t be able to play more than one game in a weekend series against Braves. St. Louis must improve their road play as Chicago will be the Cardinals’ big test next week. The Cubs are known for not laying down against them. Their Arch rival Rogers
Record: 66-54
Previous ranking: 8
The Padres were dealt an unimaginable blow on Friday, when Fernando Tatis Jr. was handed an 80-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. Tatis was still recovering from a wrist injury and the Padres began to envision a formidable lineup of Tatis. Manny Machado Juan Soto. It’s over. Instead, Ha-Seong Kim Will continue to be a shortstop player, where he can provide premium defense but not nearly as much offensively as Tatis. — Gonzalez
Record: 65-52
Previous ranking: 9
Bryce Harper As he seeks to heal his broken thumb, Harper took 60 swings Monday on the field. While the Phillies have not yet announced a rehab plan, Dave Dombrowski, president of baseball operations, told MLB Network that a September 1 return was “a realistic goal”. Harper’s elbow ligament injury, which he sustained before breaking his thumb, will continue to limit him from being a DH. The Phillies have been playing well and were defeated by the Mets in back-toback games. This dropped them to 4-11. With four games this weekend, the Phillies will be playing against New York in their last regular season game. Schoenfield
Record: 62-54
Previous ranking: 7
The recent slide in Bronx has not been an opportunity for the Blue Jays. Interim manager John Schneider slid shortstop Bo Bichette The former top prospect is now at seventh place in the batting order. This is the lowest he has ever been in a major league game. Bichette’s struggles in this season’s batting order encapsulate so many aspects of Toronto’s season: high expectations that have not been met. — Lee
Record: 65-54
Previous ranking: 12
The Mariners did not get off to a good start in their “easy” schedule. They lost two of three games in Texas. But they rebounded with big ninth innings against the Angels. On Monday, four runs were scored and the Mariners won 6-2 thanks to a bizarre series of Angels errors on defense.Carlos SantanaThe Mariners also got a big win with’s walk on the 2-2 pitch! With five runs scored, the Mariners blew a 3-2 lead. Julio RodriguezThe first home run by a hitter since his return from the IL. The bullpen continues its dominance. Seattle’s top seven relief pitchers have an ERA below 3.00 since the All Star break. There are many ways to increase your chances of success. Chris Flexen To that group, he will also pitch out of the bullpen, if the team so chooses. George Kirby In the rotation Schoenfield
Record: 62-54
Previous ranking: 10
Tampa Bay heavily relies on its pitching team to help carry the team. Drew Rasmussen This was the latest highlight, as the team took a perfect game into ninth on Sunday. The offense eagerly awaits the return of Wander Franco, Harold Ramirez Manuel Margot Injury is the most common reason for injury. Many players are below the Mendoza line. — Lee
Record: 62-54
Previous ranking: 11
Milwaukee lost its chance of passing the Cardinals after a terrible week at the plate. In a three-game series defeat to St. Louis, the Brewers scored seven runs. They finished with a.177 batting percentage and a.511 OPS for seven days ending Tuesday. The Yankees had a worse average batting over this span. Rowdy Tellez A find, he slugged.667 in august while being as dangerous and dangerous as anyone else in the lineup. Rogers
Record: 63-55
Previous ranking: 15
Cleveland fans may have noticed something interesting in our most recent edition of Awards Watch. It is. Andres Gimenez Was very close to being overtaken Jose Ramirez You can find the AXE leaderboard updated in that update. Gimenez then went out and hit a clutch home run to beat Detroit in Monday’s first game of a doubleheader. He also added a two-run blast in Game 2. Gimenez now holds the title of most valuable Guardian in AXE this season, surpassing Ramirez. The key to this success is the role of clutch homers. Fangraphs says Gimenez has six homers this season in high-leverage areas, more than any other player in the major leagues. Five of his 17 high-leverage runs are more than any other hitter. Gimenez has a great season. And it keeps getting better. Doolittle
Record: 61-55
Previous ranking: 13
For two months, the Twins have been in a rut. This pattern held them at the top of the AL Central for most of the time, but then the White Sox and Guardians started stringing together wins. Minnesota may rue the inability to create division separation when it had a chance. But there’s no time. The Twins must instead get their ship in order for the stretch run. And they have to do it quickly. Minnesota must resolve the issue of the run prevention unit which has been at a standstill since early July. The first step would be to move closer Jorge Lopez going. Lopez has been just okay since being acquired from Baltimore at trade deadline. The Twins need more, as a late-inning option. Emilio Pagan Unreliable. Pagan allowed a.684 OPS for low-leverage areas, but when high-leverage situations arisen, that OPS ballooned to 1.900. — Doolittle
Record: 61-56
Previous ranking: 14
Baltimore was subtracted at trade deadline, but remains in the wild card race. Mike Elias, general manager, suggested that Gunnar Henderson could make his major league debut sometime in the near future. Henderson is having an amazing season in the minors hitting.301/.423/.546 along with 18 homers. This was between Double-A or Triple-A. Between Henderson, catcher Adley RutschmanBaltimore is moving towards the future. — Lee
Record: 59-58
Previous ranking: 16
Maybe the Giants are heading towards a late run for a playoff spot. The famous team that didn’t trade Carlos Rodon It has scored eight victories in the last 11 games. Seven of those wins were against teams in postseason contention. The Dodgers, which the Giants have struggled against this season, could be a major help. L.A. has just four games left against the Brewers and nine against Padres, the two main teams the Giants are competing for the last wild-card spot within the National League. — Gonzalez
Record: 61-57
Previous ranking: 17
Chicago was able to play its best baseball this season despite all the struggles and ups the White Sox fans have had during this disappointing season. The AL Central is ready for a thrilling, three-team race to finish the six remaining weeks of the season, with the Twins taking a step back after their early-season success. Head-to-head matches could decide the matter, starting with Chicago’s three game series in Cleveland this weekend. The White Sox are scheduled to play another series in September against the Guardians, along with three more series against Minnesota. One third of the remaining White Sox games are against key division rivals. — Doolittle
Record: 59-59
Previous ranking: 18
Boston got a boost from Michael WachaAfter allowing just one hit and one walk over seven innings in a 3-0 win over the Yankees, he returned to the active list. Tommy Pham The lineup has seen a significant boost since he moved to Cincinnati from the leadoff position. He hit.281/.305/.526 and had three homers in his 13 first games. — Lee
Record: 52-65
Previous ranking: 19
After the Rangers’ continued underachievement, Chris Woodward was not surprising as the Rangers fired him as manager. On Wednesday, the Rangers also fired Jon Daniels, their team president. While no one was expecting Texas would win the AL West or be able to easily qualify for the playoffs, there were far too many noncompetitive games from a team boasting.500-ish players. Add to that the offseason signings Marcus Semien Corey Seager And the Rangers must have thought a season of 75-80 wins was possible. It’s not. Rogers
Record: 54-63
Previous ranking: 20
Christian WalkerIn trade rumors, it was mentioned that he had been one of the sport’s most hot hitters. He batted.362/.424/.759, which boosted his season OPS up to.805. The 31-year-old first-baseman is capable of controlling himself through the 2024 season. If he remains, he’ll be part of a lineup with Ketel Marte A promising young outfield to compliment what has been a solid starting rotation. While the D-backs still have a lot of work to do to catch up to Padres and Dodgers (and possibly also the Giants), they have made great strides since last season’s 110-loss season. They might even be able to make things interesting next year. — Gonzalez
Record: 49-67
Previous ranking: 24
While there might have been doubts about his ability to stay fit for the season, these may have been secondary to the fact that he is a shortstop. Nico Hoerner Hoerner is a solid hitter and a winning player. Hoerner posted an OPS of over 1.100 last week, while his batting average rose to.300. Hoerner is a throwback. His use of the whole field and his pop provide enough to keep the opposition honest. Rogers
Record: 51-67
Previous ranking: 22
A lot of good news for Angels: Mike TroutTrout, who has been out since July 12, had a back issue. He took a few live at-bats against a pitcher from Angel Stadium on Monday, and hopes to return to the lineup on Friday. Trout hit.967 and had 24 home runs in 79 games. He was MVP-caliber before he was placed on the injured roster. It was great to see him back in a lineup that featured Shohei OhtaniEven if the Angels are not in playoff contention, this will be an Angels must-watch event. Because of the uncertainty this winter it may be the last time Ohtani or Trout see each other. — Gonzalez
Record: 51-68
Previous ranking: 23
One of the best things about the Rockies is Brendan Rodgers‘ turnaround. The 26-year-old second-baseman was batting at a head-scratching.078/.172/.098 towards the end April. However, he is now slashing.314/.362/.481. His.898 OPS from the All-Star break ranks 29th out of 171 qualified hitters. Rodgers spoke out about his growing awareness of how opposing pitchers are attacking and told MLB.com that he was beginning to notice it. “Guys start pushing me off the plate a bit, then they go away.” It is starting to get easier.” — Gonzalez
Record: 52-66
Previous ranking: 21
After allowing four runs to the Phillies, his ERA climbed to 2.00 for the first-time since May. Sandy Alcantara His ERA dropped to 1.92 after he responded with seven scoreless innings against the Padres. Kevin Brown’s 1996 1.89 ERA was the lowest ERA for a qualified pitcher in Marlins’ history. Alcantara’s average innings per start is also 7.2. He can also average 7.2 innings per start if he makes eight more starts. That would make him 231 innings. This would be the most major league innings since Clayton Kershaw’s 232 innings in 2015. He is the clear Cy Young front-runner. Schoenfield
Record: 48-71
Previous ranking: 26
Hall of Fame résumés never mention Player of the Week awards, but you’ve got to start somewhere and Royals rookie Vinnie Pasquantino The hottest baseball hitter has suddenly emerged. That’s the metric BillJamesOnline.com used to measure hot hitters as of Wednesday. Pasquantino was named AL Player Of The Week Monday, less that two months after his debut in the big leagues. Pasquantino’s hot streak dates back longer than that. Pasquantino posted a 1.145 OPS in 15 August games. This was when his 38 total bases ranked 4th in baseball. This is even more positive news in a Royals season that started in despair and has been improving with each week. — Doolittle
Record: 46-70
Previous ranking: 25
Cincinnati’s performance in Field of Dreams was even worse. They sleptwalked through the game and scored a couple of runs at the end before losing to the Cubs 4-2. They don’t have enough firepower post-trade deadline. The Reds averaged less than three runs per game last week. Young players like outfielder Jake Fraley Are now able to take advantage of the opportunities that are available. He and shortstop Kyle Farmer Had good weeks at the plate. Rogers
Record: 45-72
Previous ranking: 27
Pirates: This season has seen some great moments, but also many challenges for the Pirates’ myriad rookies. Oneil Cruz He is currently in trouble, going 1-for-14 heading into Wednesday’s games. Second baseman Tucupita Marcano During that same time, he was only 4-for-18. The season in Pittsburgh will be remembered with mixed feelings. Are the Pirates identifying pillars beyond Pittsburgh? Ke’Bryan Hayes? It remains to be determined. Rogers
Record: 45-75
Previous ranking: 28
The Tigers had big news last week when Christopher Ilitch, the team CEO, announced that Detroit would be parting ways from GM Al Avila. There have been a lot of lists on the internet about possible replacements to Avila in Detroit. These lists increased by one after the Rangers fired Jon Daniels, longtime Rangers lead executive. Daniels might be a good fit for a Detroit-based organization that needs systemic changes. Ilitch could try to replicate the success of his father’s hiring of Dave Dombrowski, a veteran GM, 20 years ago. Perhaps, if manager A.J. Hinch and Daniels are both on board. It seems like a worthwhile idea. — Doolittle
Record: 43-75
Previous ranking: 29
JP SearsOakland’s main player, he was named as. Frankie Montas Trade, has been consistent through two starts, allowing only two runs in 10.1 innings. Paul Blackburn, the star starting pitcher, has been sidelined for the remainder of the season due to a finger injury. — Lee
Record: 39-80
Previous ranking: 30
The bright side is: Patrick Corbin The major league lead is tied with 24 starts. The bad news? Everything else. The good news is that he’s only 4-16 and has a 6.96 ERA. He leads the majors in a variety of categories, including runs, earned runs, losses and hits. He’s pitched 116.1 innings, and the Nationals have played 118. So he doesn’t qualify for the ERA Board. But, if he did qualify, his 6.96 ERA will be the second-worst ever for a qualifier. Les Sweetland had a 7.71 ERA with the 1930 Phillies. Corbin’s ERA+ 56 would be the highest ever. Additional notes: Mike Maroth, 2003 Tigers’ pitcher who lost 20 games, was the last. Corbin was tied for the league loss lead last season. Phil Niekro, a Hall of Famer, was the last pitcher to lead his league’s losses in consecutive years. Niekro did this four times straight with the Braves between 1977 and 1980. Schoenfield