The Los Angeles Dodgers, New York YankeesAnd New York MetsOver a month into the MLB season, they continue to be dominant. Some new faces have appeared in the last couple weeks.
The red-hot Los Angeles AngelsThe squad has won six out of seven games and outscored its opponents 52-19. San Diego PadresDespite not having their young star, they are thriving. What is their ranking against the top teams in the game?
Our expert panel combined their expertise to rank each team in baseball. We used a combination from what we have seen so far and the knowledge we had going into this 162-game marathon. We also reached out to ESPN MLB experts David Schoenfield and Bradford Doolittle as well as Jesse Rogers, Jesse Rogers, Alden Gonzalez, and Jesse Rogers for early observations on all 30 teams.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
Record: 20-9
Previous ranking: 2
The Dodgers have won the last five weeks but not necessarily on all cylinders. With the weather improving and their offense picking up, it seems like they are getting there. Max Muncy, Mookie BettsAnd Freddie FreemanThey have been especially hot lately, helping to boost an offense trying to match the dominance by the Dodgers’ starter rotation. But, the Dodgers have suffered a setback in recent weeks. Blake TreinenA shoulder injury will keep him out of the All-Star break. Even though he’s not their closest, he’s their most important reliefr. — Gonzalez
2. New York Yankees
Record: 22-8
Previous ranking: 1
The Yankees are rolling, as each part of their team is clicking in the early parts of the season. They have strong offensive performances and a pitching crew that has seen the emergence Nestor Cortes, the team’s top pitcher, has been the most consistent through six starts this year, leading the position with a 1.2 WAR and a 1.41 ERA. Between Michael King, Clay HolmesAnd Aroldis ChapmanThe Yankees relief team has been one of the most successful in baseball. — Lee
3. New York Mets
Record: 21-11
Previous ranking: 3
The Mets staged one of their greatest comebacks against the Phillies on Thursday. After trailing 7-1 in a ninth inning, they rallied for seven runs and an eventual 8-7 win. The Mets had lost 857 consecutive MLB games after trailing by six runs or more in the ninth inning. It was the first time since Sept. 13, 1997 that the Mets won when they were down six runs in the ninth. Max ScherzerThe loss to the Phillies by’s Mother’s Day ended a streak of 24 regular-season starts without a loss. He went 15-0, with a 2.55 ERA. — Schoenfield
Record: 20-12
Previous ranking: 5
Some of the early cracks are in the vaunted Brewers staff. Brandon Woodruff hasn’t gotten going yet. On Monday, he was lit up against Cincinnati. But they are still missing something in pitching. Rowdy TellezHe has made up the difference at the plate. After a six-game run of 13 RBIs, he was named player of the Week. He was able to score over 1.000 in that period, proving that he is now at home at Milwaukee’s first base. Rogers
5. Los Angeles Angels
Record: 21-12
Previous ranking: 8
Reid DetmersTwo years ago, he was drafted in the first round. no-hitterOn Tuesday night, he was beaten by the Rays and his ERA dropped to 3.77 ERA after six starts. Patrick Sandoval(2.03 ERA). Noah SyndergaardEven better (2.45 ERA). The offense leads the major leagues with home runs. The bullpen is stocked with a few reliable high-leverage relief pitchers. Mike TroutAnd Shohei OhtaniIt might finally happen may You have enough help to get into October. It’s safe to say that the Angels are great fun. — Gonzalez
Record: 19-11
Previous ranking: 12
Houston’s red hot Astros were ignited by a pitching staff that was almost incomprehensible of late. Houston started a eight-game winning streak on May 2. They allowed eight runs over that span and recorded a collective 0.88 ERA. Houston is dealing with everyone, not just the bullpen or the rotation. The defense is just as important as the pitching. Houston rose to the top in the list of defensive runs saved during the streak, and among other players, rookie shortstop. Jeremy PenaIt ranked in the top 10 all season. — Doolittle
7. San Diego Padres
Record: 20-12
Previous ranking: 7
If the Padres offense had any chance of supporting itself without being stopped, Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny MachadoHe needed to be an MVP player. That’s exactly what he did. Through the first five weeks of FanGraphs, Machado is leading the majors in FanGraphs wins over replacement. While batting, .383/.460/.625 He also played his excellent defense at third base. Eric HosmerThe Padres have just enough offense to sustain their deep starting lineup with a.367/.434/.550 run line. — Gonzalez
Record: 19-12
Previous ranking: 4
Carlos RodonHe signed after the lockout, but a $24 million contract was offered to him. This contract will allow him early withdrawal if he reaches 110 innings in Year 1. It’s one of the best deals in the game. Rodon has a 1.80 ERA in his six first starts and struck out 53 batters over 35 innings. The Giants’ 29-year old left-hander has dropped his changeup and relies more on his fastball/slider combination. He is also getting amazing results with his curveball which has kept opponents to a.110 expected average. — Gonzalez
Record: 17-15
Previous ranking: 6
The Blue Jays lost five of their seven games before falling to the New York Yankees. Despite offensive problems from Bo Bichette, Matt ChapmanLourdes Gurriel Alejandro KirkThe team continues to compete with the Yankees as well as the Rays at the top of the American League East. Alek ManoahWith a 1.3 Win Rate, ranks amongst the best starters in the game. — Lee
Record: 19-13
Previous ranking: 9
While Reid Detmers may not have given the Rays a hit, they still managed to win the last few games against the Athletics. Outfielder Manuel MargotAmerican League Player of Week honors was won by the player who went 12-for-24 with three homers and two doubles. He also had a triple. Wander Franco— In the first part of the season. — Lee
Record: 18-12
Previous ranking: 11
The Twins won despite a slow start and moved up to the top of the AL Central. The White Sox became hot just as Minnesota was poised for some separation from the rest of their division. Byron Buxton, Carlos CorreaAnd Chris PaddackMany people are suffering from various diseases. This is a weak spot in the Twins schedule, although it isn’t ideal. Minnesota will play 18 straight games against struggling opponents after a weekend of home matches against a Guardians’ team.— Doolittle
Record: 17-13
Previous ranking: 10
As with their season so far the Cardinals have had mixed results this week. They won three consecutive games, beating their opponent 20-3. However, they lost three straight games and had a run differential of minus nine. Their season has been pretty much a tale of two halves. They bounce back and forth with no real consistency. They are still in the middle of NL’s central race. While Nolan ArenadoAlthough the temperature has dropped a bit, other rookies have been hotter starting with Venezuelans Juan Yepez. Dylan Carlson, Yadier MolinaTyler O’Neill, Tyler O’Neill and others had great weeks at the plate. Rogers
Record: 15-17
Previous ranking: 13
Ronald Acuna Jr. was able to return earlier than expected after his ACL surgery. He’s been looking good, with the exception of a high strikeout ratio. Brian Snitker alternated Acuna between right fielder and DH. But the surprise is that Acuna has been stealing bases. He has gone 5-for-5 in his first 10 games after stealing 17 bases in 82 games in 2021. It’s worth noting that his top sprint speed via Statcast ranks just in the 68% percentile. This is where he has been for the most part in the 90s, and even the 97th last season. Schoenfield
Record: 14-14
Previous ranking: 17
Talk about a crazy ballclub. It’s been a month since we last played any games. The White Sox already had a 6-1 streak that was followed by an 1-10 slump in which Chicago was basically pulverized. It recovered with a six-game winning streak with five victories on the road. All of this combined means that the White Sox have rewritten a season that was about to turn into a disappointment. Yoan MoncadaIs back in the lineup Eloy JimenezTim Anderson was able to recover faster than expected and the suspension was reduced by an appeal. Lance LynnShould be back in the rotation by early next month. It’s possible that the South Side will still enjoy some good times this summer.— Doolittle
Record: 15-15
Previous ranking: 20
Terry Francona continues his movement around what has now become a multitude of young breakout hitters to keep everyone involved. Josh NaylorHe is slowly becoming an established first baseman. Naylor was one of the AL’s best hitters in the season’s first weeks. His.345 BABIP may not be sustainable but it is at least supported by increases in line drives rate and hard hits percentage. Although Naylor isn’t seeing a lot of runs against left-handed pitchers his.876 OPS against Southpaws might suggest that this may change. Francona’s continued struggle to basher has made Naylor’s progress a blessing. Franmil Reyes. — Doolittle
Record: 14-17
Previous ranking: 16
Do we need to talk about the Mets’ ninth-inning meltdown? We don’t need to talk about that ninth-inning meltdown last Thursday against the Mets. Let’s get back to the old tired story of bad defense and bullpen woes. Through Wednesday, the bullpen is 23rd among majors with a 4.11 ERA — despite the Mets loss, it has been very solid in high leverage moments. In terms of defensive runs saved, the defense ranks 25th among major leagues. With Bryce Harper still DH-ing, Nick CastellanosStatcast’s outs exceed average index places her in the ninth per centile. Kyle SchwarberIs in the 20th percentile.Schoenfield
Record: 14-18
Previous ranking: 14
The Mariners have lost 11 of the last 14 games —They also lost three games in Houston — in which they were beaten twice — and fell behind the Astros, Angels, and Astros in AL West. One bright spot was that skid. George KirbyThis was his major league debut. He tossed six scoreless innings against Rays. He struck out seven and hit 98 mph. He succeeds Matt BrashAs Brash was called down in the rotation, he will be used as a relief pitcher for multiple innings, at most, until 2022.Schoenfield
Record: 16-15
Previous ranking: 18
Although the Rockies were a pleasant surprise in the beginning of the season, they have dropped five of six series against division rivals the D-backs, Giants and Giants. They also managed only 13 runs. The Rockies still have a winning streak — all teams in the NL West do it, amazingly — but they also have a fifth-lowest run differential in the majors. Their bullpen has been terrible. — Gonzalez
Record: 17-15
Previous ranking: 23
Believe it or not the D-backs are one the most exciting teams in the sport at the moment. They have won 13 of their 20 previous games to climb over.500 and get a chance in the highly-competitive National League West. Their starters are mostly carrying them. Merrill Kelly (1.71 ERA), Madison Bumgarner(1.78 ERA). Zac GallenAll of them have been exceptional (0.95 ERA). — Gonzalez
Record: 14-17
Previous ranking: 15
Just when you think you can afford them, the Marlins drop from 12-8 to 17 — losing five straight against Arizona and going 0-7 during one-run games. Although the bullpen ranks 11th in major leagues with a 3.35 ERA it has not been great in those games. As the Marlins left, right, and DHs all hit below.200 going into the series finale against Arizona which Miami won 11-3, it is still struggling in power positions. Schoenfield
Record: 11-20
Previous ranking: 19
Red Sox fans are sounding the alarms as Boston struggles offensively. This has caused a serious strain on the team’s bullpen. While Trevor StoryThis is the biggest name that has been struggling to get out of the gates. The team also needs more. Alex Verdugo, Kike Hernandez, Bobby Dalbec, Christian VazquezAnd Jackie Bradley Jr. Red Sox also lost Michael WachaTo the injured list, he was a great starter. — Lee
Record: 12-17
Previous ranking: 25
After a slow start to the season, the Rangers have been steadily improving. The Rangers won a quick series against the Phillies, and then battled hard with the Yankees. They gave up five runs in a loss. After starting the year at the bottom of baseball, their pitching has improved to the point that their team ERA is now below 4.00. Dane Dunning, Martin Perez, Glenn OttoAnd Jon GrayAll of them were effective the last time they went through the rotation. Otto, in particular, is making great strides having given up just eight hits in 14⅓ innings. Rogers
Record: 13-19
Previous ranking: 22
After a losing streak of nine games, the Athletics’ early hot start has been slowed down dramatically. They were then able to snap the losing streak with a strong start from Paul BlackburnOn Monday, he was one of the brightest spots on the team. Outfielder Ramon Laureano has returned from an 80-game suspension after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs, while infielder Sheldon NeuseAnd reliever Dany JimenezThere have been some silver linings in the team’s recent troubles. — Lee
Record: 11-19
Previous ranking: 21
After the White Sox’s sweep, the Cubs lost all of their recent home stands to the Dodgers. They are just too strong in almost all areas of the game. Kyle HendricksOn Monday, he put in a strong performance in his home state of California. After losing five consecutive games, Monday’s victory over the Padres was crucial.Rogers
Record: 11-21
Previous ranking: 29
Yadiel HernandezThis has been one the most heartwarming stories of the season. He was 32 years old when the Cuban outfielder made it to the majors. (He didn’t start his professional career in America until 2017). He hit.273 in 2021, and is now hitting around.350 at 34, mostly against right-handers. He is not needed by the Nationals, but he could be a good bench piece or platoon outfielder for playoff contenders looking for some offensive help. Schoenfield
Record: 13-17
Previous ranking: 27
Pittsburgh is still in third place in the average NL Central. The lefty finally gave them a win. Jose QuintanaDodgers were stopped by the stymied on Monday —They were their first of the season. Bryan ReynoldsAnd Ben GamelThe Pirates were able to keep their feet on the ground thanks to the huge weeks they had at the plate. Perhaps they’ll be even better than we thought.Rogers
Record: 13-18
Previous ranking: 28
Cedric MullinsAlthough struggling out of the gate with only three homers and two doubles, the Orioles are hitting.366/.381/.659 for the month of May. The Orioles won’t be competing for a playoff spot this year. However, it seems like the future is closer than ever as the expectations rise. Adley RutschmanHis imminent arrival in major leagues. Baltimore’s top prospect is a hitter who has a batting average of.378/.500/5.14 this season in the minors. — Lee
Record: 9-22
Previous ranking: 24
The Tigers’ disappointing start to the 2021 season is not a cause for concern. They did it last year. Detroit opened the 2021 season at 9-24. They seemed on track for a 100-loss year, but they recovered to threaten.500 in the second half of the season. While the Tigers have had a decent pitching staff, they are still middling to average. However, their offense has been disastrous. So far, the Tigers have eleven hitters with at most 50 plate appearances. Only one — Austin Meadows— has an OPS less than.700. Five have an OPS below.600. There is lots of room for improvement.— Doolittle
Record: 10-18
Previous ranking: 26
The theory is that an organization that bases its position group on speed, defense, batting average and defense should be able to perform well in a season when home run rates are declining. The reality is that the Royals have had one of the weakest offenses in baseball so far. Perhaps better than Cincinnati and Oakland — both franchises just launched into full-scale rebuilds. The Royals have struck out more times than any other team, yet Kansas City still has a.220 team average. For a team that doesn’t have power and draws few walks, even in current MLB context that won’t be enough. — Doolittle
Record: 7-24
Previous ranking: 30
After a difficult start to their season, Cincinnati began to show signs of life. They are now scoring runs and getting some wins. Luis CastilloHe is back on the mound. He ran out of gas in his first start on Monday against the Brewers but the Reds still managed to win the game by chasing Brandon Woodruff after just 4⅓ innings. Cincinnati could be playing the perfect spoiler role throughout the season. Rogers