Six weeks into the 2022 MLB season, a close race has begun for the title of the most dominant baseball team. Who won the battle of the coastsThis week — Los Angeles DodgersOr the New York Yankees ?
These teams continue to fight for the top spot on our rankings. Houston AstrosThe top 3 have been entered for the first time in this season's season by the winners of 13 of their 17 May games. They could further distance themselves from the competition. Los Angeles AngelsThe American League West?
Our expert panel combined to rank each team in baseball using a combination from what we have seen thus far and the knowledge we had going into this 162-game marathon. We also asked ESPN MLB experts David Schoenfield (Brand Doolittle), Joon Lee, Jesse Rogers, and Alden Gonzalez for their early observations of all 30 teams.
Week 5 | Preseason rankings
1. New York Yankees
Record: 28-9
Previous ranking: 2
The Yankees continue to roll. Nestor CortesLooks like a legitimate Cy Young contender in early parts of the season, and has been leading the rotation with his breakout performance. The offense will keep moving forward as long as Aaron Judge Giancarlo StantonYou can crush baseballs. In the meantime, get a reliever Michael KingHe has maintained his strong reputation as one of the top bullpen arms in the sport. — Lee
2. Los Angeles Dodgers
Record: 25-12
Previous ranking: 1
The Dodgers have had one constant: Key starting pitchers have been injured and key members of their roster have been slow to arrive. Freddie Freeman. The Braves long-standing baseman is Slashing.312/.409/.493 While providing his excellent defense to help him begin his $162million contract. Freeman's stability at No. It is particularly important that Freeman remains steady at No. Mookie BettsIt is accelerating from the leadoff position. However, the Dodgers have to be more healthy on the front end of the pitching game. Clayton Kershaw Andrew HeaneyThey were surrounded by few reinforcements and the IL. — Gonzalez
3. Houston Astros
Record: 24-14
Previous ranking: 6
The Astros fell to Texas on April 25 and were now at 7-9, fourth in the AL West. The defending league champions had no reason to panic, but Houston did have to work hard to keep their division title with the Angels playing well and the Mariners playing well. Houston began to rebound after the loss and continues to gain momentum with each passing day. After their win against the Red Sox on Tuesday at Fenway Park they were a comfortable 17-4 team. They scored more runs per game than any other club, but the Astros allowed opponents to score just 2.52 runs per game during this streak. That's almost half a run less than any other team. This Astros version compares well to their elite clubs from the last eight years. — Doolittle
Record: 25-14
Previous ranking: 3
Tylor Megill allowed eight runs in 1⅓ innings against the Nationals on May 11 —The right biceps inflammation was then felt when he landed on the IL. Megill stated that he felt discomfort the next morning after the start. It doesn't sound serious at the moment, but Megill will rest for several days before being reevaluated. Catcher James McCannAlso, he landed on the IL after suffering a hamate fracture in his left wrist. This will keep him out of action for approximately six weeks. Francisco Alvarez is not being called up by the Mets. He's a top prospect who hits.264/.349/.446 at Double A (but has struggled at the plate in May after a hot start). — Schoenfield
Record: 24-14
Previous ranking: 4
While Milwaukee's offense isn't perfect, the Brewers keep racking up wins in what looks like a fantastic two-man race in NL Central. They are in the top 10 in OPS, ERA and balance. It's a good thing they get to pitch from other areas of the team. Brandon WoodruffThis year, he has not been the same player. Although his 5.35 ERA is notable, he did get a good start against Miami last week. Maybe he is starting to trend in a positive direction. Rogers
6. Los Angeles Angels
Record: 24-16
Previous ranking: 5
The Angels were able to absorb back-toback rough starts. Noah Syndergaard Reid DetmersThese two bright spots have been their starters. They were also called up Chase SilsethTheir 11th-round pick last summer, and saw him win six innings against the A's. Two of their other starters. Michael Lorenzen Patrick SandovalContinue to prosper. Their most famous starter Shohei Ohtani, is heating up in the batter’s box, and surging alongside Mike Trout Taylor Ward. It doesn’t seem like the Angels will be moving. — Gonzalez
Record: 22-15
Previous ranking: 8
Tommy La StellaOn Tuesday, the Giants won their 12th consecutive victory over the division-rival Rockies when the Giants relieved themselves of the injured list and scored a leadoff homer at Coors Field. The Giants were shorthanded earlier in the season but are now in good health and can focus on their best, which is maximize matchups to put their players into the best possible positions to succeed. This is especially true given that the pitcher doesn't have to bat in the National League. The Giants were able to deploy La Stella as the designated hitter on Tuesday. Thairo EstradaAt second base,'s glove. — Gonzalez
Record: 23-14
Previous ranking: 7
There were many questions in San Diego regarding what the Padres would make of their abundant starting pitching. It all. Tuesday Mike Clevinger started, MacKenzie GoreHe was followed by the Padres, who shut out the Phillies. On Wednesday, Blake SnellThe mound was lifted and Nick MartinezThe Padres then closed the game with a 3-0 loss in San Diego. The Padres employed Seven The active roster currently includes all the top starting pitchers. They seem to be open to new ideas and are keen to relieve some of the pressure on their bullpen. — Gonzalez
Record: 23-15
Previous ranking: 10
The Rays won the series against the Blue Jays and are now 7-2 against this division. They will be playing the Blue Jays in the next game. Detroit TigersAnd the Baltimore Orioles. Pitcher Shane McClanahanRanks among the top baseball pitchers for strikeouts, and is tied with reliever J.P. FeyereisenThe Rays pitchers have the highest average WAR. — Lee
Record: 20-17
Previous ranking: 12
The same old confused Cardinals. This is one of the most difficult teams to understand this year. However, it's still playing their best baseball. At the very least Paul GoldschmidtA huge week was had by the team, with a record of 12-for-30 in seven games. At the opposite end of the spectrum was Harrison Bader, Tyler O'Neill, Dylan Carlson Nolan Arenado. Over the past seven games, no one scored higher than.286. Cardinals players —Include their pitchers —The team has had to trade off cold and hot streaks which has hindered its progress but also kept them close to Milwaukee's first-place finish. Rogers
Record: 20-18
Previous ranking: 9
Blue Jays offense struggling in May —This is reflected in their record. Toronto had a difficult stretch against the Yankees or the Guardians. But it depends on Vladimir Guerrero Jr., George Springer Bo BichetteTo bounce back from their offensive struggles and turn around the team’s fortunes. — Lee
Record: 22-16
Previous ranking: 11
The Twins season could have seen a significant downturn. Carlos CorreaJust as the club was heating up, Correa was struck in his hand by a pitch. Correa was not seriously hurt and was activated Wednesday. brief IL stint. The Twins are still in first, and while he was gone, Minnesota fans saw shortstop for the first time. Royce LewisThe top overall pick in the 2017 draft, who has seen his rise to the majors slowed by injury. Lewis was a great player, but he was sent down after Correa was activated to ensure he would continue to get regular playing time. Lewis was consistent in contact and hit.308/.325/.564 his first 40 major league plate appearances. His StatCast metrics, such as sprint speed and exit velocity, were well above the MLB standard. — Doolittle
Record: 17-21
Previous ranking: 13
Spencer Strider continues to be a big weapon out of the bullpen, with a 2.61 ERA and 32 whiffs in 20⅔ innings. He's gone at least two innings in six of his nine appearances, including three scoreless stints of at least 3⅔ innings. He fanned 153 over 94 innings at three levels of the minors in 2021. This is not surprising. But his ability to rely upon his upper 90s fastball has been remarkable. Is he a long-term starter? To go with his slider, he will need to improve his changeup. He has only thrown it nine times so far. Schoenfield
Record: 18-19
Previous ranking: 14
For a star-studded White Sox rotation, maintaining depth was a major challenge. The White Sox were projected to be among the AL's best units. In reality, the starters have been more solid than outstanding as a group but, then again, front-of-the-rotation righty Lance LynnSince the start of the season, has been on the invalid list. Veteran Johnny CuetoA late-offseason signee, Cueto shined in his season debut, keeping the Royals scoreless with just two hits in six innings. While it is only one game, Cueto's performance has been impressive over the past few seasons. But, if he continues to play well, Chicago will have four pitchers who have reached the top 10 in Cy Young balloting. That list doesn't include any young righties. Dylan Cease Michael Kopech.— Doolittle
Record: 18-19
Previous ranking: 16
Strong start Jean SeguraTwo-time All-Star with Milwaukee and Seattle in 2013, he is in the running for an All-Star spot for NL second basemen in 2022. His strikeout rate is still low, but he's hitting the ball harder than ever and with more power. His career average exit velocity is 92.0 mph, which is way higher than his career norms. He's never been over 90. And his hard-hit rate is at the 92nd percentile (with an even higher launch angle). Schoenfield
Record: 16-18
Previous ranking: 15
The Guardians were subject to a very difficult week, especially considering they had only played four games since Tuesday. —It is rare to find such a thing in this short season. A COVID-19 epidemic in Chicago forced the Cleveland game to be postponed. Terry Francona, his manager, and many of his coaches were unable to attend. away from the team. Josh NaylorAfter a great season at the plate, he was added to the COVID-19 injury list. The Guardians lost three out of the four games that they played, including a loss at home to Cincinnati, an in-state rival. All that said, the light schedule may have been well-timed. The Reds' Tuesday loss started a string of 58 games in Cleveland over 62 days, bringing the Guardians up to the All Star break.— Doolittle
Record: 17-21
Previous ranking: 17
With Jarred KelenicAfter hitting.140 and having a 37.5% strikeout percentage, the Mariners optioned him to Triple A to continue his work. Meanwhile, Julio RodriguezIt is beginning to work, with a.315/.370/.446 average over 25 games from April 22 through May 18 —His second career home run, at 114 mph, was featured in a four-hit game against New York Mets. While he doesn't have a lot of power overall, he hits the ball hard with an average hard-hit rate of 86th percentile. First, improve his contact rates and then add more launch angle to the swing. Schoenfield
Record: 17-20
Previous ranking: 20
After hitting.340 his first 13 games, Jesus SanchezHe has been stuck in a terrible slump and went 9-for-69 (0.130) with only one home run between April 24, 25 and May 18. Sanchez is a great example of the Marlins biggest problem on offense. They are second in the majors for chase rate at.1% less than the Red Sox going into Thursday. Sanchez and Avisail GarciaThey have combined for 11 walks, 76 strikeouts — with not enough hits or home runs to compensate. Bryan De La CruzHe has the potential to get more playing time if they continue to hit. Schoenfield
Record: 18-21
Previous ranking: 19
Alek ThomasThe 14th-best athlete in the sport according to ESPN's Kiley McDanielThrough his first 11 games, he is currently batting.314 and has five extra-base hits. Thomas' setup is unusual, with his active hands and high leg kick. However, the 22-year old center fielder has done nothing but hit all through his minor league career, and has continued doing so in the majors. — Gonzalez
Record: 18-19
Previous ranking: 18
After a strong start, the Rockies are back on Earth. They have won nine of their 12 previous games and posted a 6.03 ERA over that stretch. Kris BryantWhile he might be on the verge of his recovery from a back injury, offense has not necessarily been the Rockies' problem. Only the Reds had a higher ERA during this season. Even though the starting rotation looked promising heading into 2022 it has proven to be a problem. — Gonzalez
Record: 15-22
Previous ranking: 21
Boston may have had one of the better weeks in its history, but this isn’t good news considering that the team is still trying to get out of a hole. Red Sox must see more from players like Enrique Hernandez, Bobby Dalbec Alex VerdugoThe team's offensive woes are causing problems for the pitching staff. Meanwhile, Rafael Devers, Xander Bogaerts J.D. MartinezKeep putting together strong seasons. — Lee
Record: 17-19
Previous ranking: 22
The Rangers are slowly but surely finding their way in the AL West. They beat the Angels three times this week after back-to-back losses on Friday and Saturday to show that their offense had finally awakened. Texas's veteran players were the ones who paced it, not their costly offseason additions. Kole CalhounThe youngster Adolis GarciaThey were the ones who led the charge. After a difficult start to the season, Rangers' production has helped them climb to.500. Rogers
Record: 15-21
Previous ranking: 24
After dropping five consecutive at-home games, Chicago has seen a slight resurgence. Although the pitching has been exceptional, it is helpful to play the Pirates and Diamondbacks back-toback (neither team can hit). The team's young players have a positive story to tell with a 1.70 ERA in their six previous games. Justin Steele Keegan ThompsonKeep impressing. This was the former pitcher's first ever 10-strikeout game. He played against Arizona on Saturday. This weekend the Cubs host the Diamondbacks. Expect their pitching to be impressive. Rogers
Record: 16-24
Previous ranking: 23
Oakland's offensive performance is strong Sheldon Neuse Sean MurphyHowever, the rest of this lineup isn’t much to be proud of. There are some notable rotational highlights: Paul Blackburn, Dany Jimenez Sam MollWhile former first-round picks A.J. Pukhe has been pitching well from the bullpen. Speculation continues to circle the bullpen. Frankie MontasFuture of the team — Lee
Record: 16-21
Previous ranking: 26
They won a game they had no-hit in. Great. It was disappointing to be shut out in two consecutive games against Cubs, which slowed down the excitement about Sunday's win. Pittsburgh Looks It looked like a team heading for the cellar, even though it was a scrappy start to the season. The team had a terrible week at the plate. Rogers
26. Baltimore Orioles
Record: 14-24
Previous ranking: 27
Despite starting the season much better than 2021, the Orioles are struggling after losing six consecutive games. Grayson Rodriguez, the top prospect in pitching, is doing well for Triple-A Norfolk. Adley RutschmanBaltimore should be there sooner than expected to show fans a glimpse into the future. — Lee
Record: 14-22
Previous ranking: 29
Kansas City was unable to overcome a disastrous start by the Royals' offense. fire hitting coachTerry Bradshaw is a member of the club's staff since 2000. Alex Zumwalt is replacing Bradshaw. Zumwalt moves from his role overseeing the development of Kansas City's hitters. He was responsible for many key breakouts last year. As prospects like M.J. Melendez and Nick Pratto reach Kansas City, they will be greeted by Zumwalt. Perhaps Zumwalt's voice is best used to convince Mike Matheny that he has ceased penciling. Carlos SantanaRyan O'Hearn and Ryan O'Hearn are now in the lineup — Doolittle
28. Detroit Tigers
Record: 13-25
Previous ranking: 28
Detroit has had little good news this season. The Tigers were primarily focused on the possibility of a breakthrough. It hasn't happened, but it could have been worse. Despite the fact that the unit has suffered a series of injuries, Detroit is still in the middle of AL pack categories such as rotation ERA, quality starter percentage and average score. Improvements by young lefty have prevented a rotation collapse. Tarik SkubalA rookie righty's feel-good story Alex Faedo. Faedo, a former top prospect, was injured and made his MLB debut at 26. So far, so good. Faedo allowed just five runs over 15⅔ innings in his first three appearances, good for a 2.87 ERA. — Doolittle
Record: 13-26
Previous ranking: 25
Did it make for the worst baserunning move of all time? There is an interesting story about how the Brooklyn Dodgers had three runners at 3B at once. But the Nationals blunder last weekThis was definitely one of the most embarrassing gaffes I have seen in many years. Juan SotoFinished second in the polls. Josh BellSoto scored on a grounder to third base. He was caught in an uncontrollable rundown and tagged. Bell, however, was racing for second. However, the Mets threw a ball into right-field, so Bell went for third. Unfortunately, he was not successful. Starling MarteBell was easily thrown out at the third base by his teammates, who backed up his play. “Horrendous baserunning by Nationals!” Gary Cohen, Mets announcer exclaimed. Schoenfield
Record: 10-26
Previous ranking: 30
Okay, the Reds can now officially be called spoilers since they beat the Brewers twice in the last week and then beat them again on Tuesday. Both Tyler Naquin Mike MoustakasAlthough they have been on fire, it was the Reds' pitching staff that led the charge. Over their five last games, they had a 2.05 ERA. This included a no-hitter. They did! lost that gameThe Reds still need positives, however. Hunter GreeneThat day was extraordinary. Rogers
