MLB Power Rankings: Dodgers back on track, and Cam Schlittler leads Yankees

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 Friday afternoon):

1.) Braves (35-16)

The Braves simply don’t lose series, improving to 14-1-1 this year after taking two of three from the Red Sox and three of four from the Marlins. While no other first-place team has even a five-game division lead now, Atlanta’s consistency has given them a 9.5-game cushion in the NL East. (Last week: 1st)

2.) Dodgers (31-19)

Shohei Ohtani’s bat has come back to life. The pitching staff hasn’t missed a beat without Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell. And after nearly a month of middling play, the Dodgers are doing what they always do –– winning games and leading the NL West. (Last week: 4th)

3.) Rays (33-15)

Last week, we said the Rays (then ranked fifth) should’ve been higher. Even with this bump, that still might be true. They entered Friday with the best winning percentage in the majors. They also have the best home record in their return season at The Trop. Some sort of regression still feels likely. There just haven’t been any tangible signs of it yet. (Last week: 5th)

4.) Yankees (30-21)

The Bombers’ poor record against winning teams has been well-documented. But lately, they haven’t been beating bad opponents, either, winless in three straight series against the Orioles, Mets and Blue Jays. At least Gerrit Cole is back. (Last week: 3rd)

5.) Brewers (29-18)

Pat Murphy’s underdog schtick might be getting old. But the Brewers indeed continue to defy expectations, riding a 16-5 surge into an NLCS rematch with the Dodgers this weekend. (Last week: 6th)  

6.) Cubs (29-21)

What to make of the Cubs? Since their second 10-game winning streak already this year, they have dropped 9 of 11 games since –– including back-to-back rivalry series against the White Sox and Brewers. Not helping matters is Pete Crow-Armstrong. His recent play has been self-admittedly “laughable.” His comments to a female heckler on the South Side, not so much. (Last week: 2nd)

7.) Cardinals (28-21)

If these rankings were based on vibes, the Tarps-Off Cardinals would be an easy No. 1. But even as it is, their already surprising start to the season has now been amplified by the sport’s biggest viral sensation of the season. If you don’t know what we’re referencing, well, where have you been? (Last week: 7th)

8.) Phillies (25-25)

At long last, the Phillies are back to .500. Since Don Mattingly took over, they are 16-6 with a sixth-ranked offense (by runs scored and OPS) and an eighth-ranked pitching staff (by team ERA). They’ve given the Braves a huge head start, but there might be a race yet in the NL East. (Last week: 10th)

9.) Guardians (30-22)

Don’t look now, but the Guardians might be the hottest team in baseball, winners of six in a row and nine of their last 10. The rest of the AL Central, meanwhile, is crumbling around them. Granted, much can still change. But right now, the White Sox might be all that stands between them and another division title. (Last week: 12th)

10.) Padres (29-20)

The smoke-and-mirror Padres haven’t run out of magic yet. But this week’s series loss to the Dodgers revealed a few potential cracks. Mason Miller, for the first time, was not invincible. Fernando Tatis Jr., still without a home run, squandered key situational at-bats. And Manny Machado, surprise, surprise, got in a tiff with a reporter. They have room to improve, but it hasn’t happened yet. (Last week: 8th)

11.) Pirates (26-24)

Just when we were having our first doubts about the Pirates, who were swept by the Phillies and lost five of six, they rebounded with a series win in St. Louis. Also, well done on “The Pitt“-inspired Dr. Robby bobbleheads. (Last week: 9th)

12.) Reds (26-24)

We were glad that breakout star (and, perhaps, potential Cy Young contender) Chase Burns avoided what could have been a uniquely painful comebacker in his midsection this week. And, no, we wouldn’t be surprised if Terry Francona really does wear a cup when he watches games from home. (Last week: 13th)

13.) Athletics (26-24)

The A’s were three outs away from the season’s first no-hitter … only to lose on a walk-off home run to the Angels … only to then turn around and win the series with three straight wins. (Last week: 15th)

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14.) White Sox (25-24)

What a cool weekend on the South Side. In the biggest Cubs-White Sox series in years, the Sox not only took two of three but did so in walk-off fashion. Their feel-good season continues to move them up these rankings. (Last week: 16th)

15.) Diamondbacks (26-23)

We won’t overreact to the Dbacks’ five-game winning streak (it’s come against the Rockies and Giants). But if the previously slumping Ketel Marte can turn his big week — which included a walk-off homer — into a more extended turnaround, then it might be time to keep an eye on the Snakes. (Last week: 17th)

16.) Mariners (24-27)

We’ve been previously bullish in this space about the Mariners eventually getting hot. But 50-plus games in, it still hasn’t happened. A tumble down these rankings was probably overdue. (Last week: 11th)

17.) Rangers (24-25)

We still aren’t sure if the Rangers are a good team that is underperforming or a flawed team that hasn’t had the bottom fall out on them yet. Luckily for them, a weak AL West has kept them squarely in the division race, even with a sub-.500 record. (Last week: 14th)

18.) Mets (22-28)

The Mets certainly aren’t “hot.” But with seven wins in their last 10 games –– including the Subway Series defeat of the Yankees — they are at least warming. A big part of the reason: Juan Soto has gone from good to elite during this stretch, with five home runs and a .359 batting average. (Last week: 20th)

19.) Blue Jays (23-27)

We’ll give the banged-up Blue Jays credit. They avoided the kind of all-out early-season spiral experienced by the Mets, Phillies and Red Sox. Salvaging a series split in the Bronx was no small feat, either. Whether they can completely reverse course, however, remains to be seen. (Last week: 19th)

20.) Red Sox (22-27)

If the Red Sox are to have any hope this year, they’ll need their rotation (which ranks third in ERA this month) to keep this up. That might be a big ask for youngsters Payton Tolle (2.05 ERA) and Connelly Early (3.33 ERA). Then again, Garrett Crochet will eventually be back. (Last week: 21st)

21.) Nationals (25-26)

Welcome to the weird world of baseball analytics, where an upstart Nationals team currently leading the majors in scoring is also projected by Fangraphs to be the lowest-scoring offense over the rest of the year, as MLB Trade Rumors pointed out this week. (Last week: 23rd)

22.) Twins (23-27)

Catcher Ryan Jeffers had been one of the few bright spots for the Twins this year … until he suffered a hamate fracture that will sideline him for up to two months. (Last week: 25th)

23.) Orioles (21-29)

It might be time to officially panic in Baltimore. Not just about this season, but the whole direction of this once-ascendant franchise. Three years ago, remember, the O’s won 100 games with a rising young core. But this year, only one player from that team (Adley Rutschman) has accumulated even 0.5 WAR. (Last week: 18th)

24.) Royals (20-30)

Speaking of floundering teams that only a few years ago seemed to have a bright future, the Royals have lost nine of 10 and are only a half-game clear of having the worst record in the AL. (Last week: 24th)

25.) Marlins (22-29)

What was more foolish: Us once believing the Marlins would be a “surprise” player in the NL East this year? Or the franchise thinking it could attract the business crowd with a 4 p.m. weekday start? (Last week: 22nd)

26.) Astros (20-31)

Good news: The Astros bottom-ranked pitching staff has been incrementally better in recent weeks. Bad news: Their once-productive offense ranks last in scoring in May. (Last week: 29th)

27.) Giants (20-30)

How dismal has this Giants’ season become? Just listen to how their broadcasters reacted to Marte’s walk-off homer in Arizona this week. (Last week: 26th)

28.) Tigers (20-31)

How dismal has this Tigers’ season become? Just look at all the buzz beginning to circulate about Tarik Skubal being traded. (Last week: 27th)

29.) Rockies (19-32)

Usually, it’s fun to see which Rockies player gets a charity invite to the All-Star Game. But this season, former No. 1 overall pick Mickey Moniak might actually be deserving, with 12 home runs and a .942 OPS so far. (Last week: 28th)

30.) Angels (17-34)

How dismal has this Angels’ season become? Just ask the fans who have used the Tarps-Off trend as a way to chant for Arte Moreno to sell the team. (Last week: 30th)

Award Tracker: American League Cy Young Award

1.) Cam Schlittler, Yankees (6-2, 1.50 ERA, 66 innings, 75 strikeouts, 0.86 WHIP)

The Yankees’ 25-year-old star has been the best pitcher this side of Shohei Ohtani in the majors this year. He leads the AL in ERA, wins and WHIP, and trails only Dylan Cease in strikeouts. His breakout rookie season last year was no mirage.

2.) Dylan Cease, Blue Jays (3-2, 2.98 ERA, 57.1 innings, 84 strikeouts, 1.22 WHIP)

The Blue Jays could use more efficiency out of their $210 million offseason signing. But his raw stuff remains elite. If someone is going to chase Schlittler down this year, it will be someone like him.

3.) Davis Martin, White Sox (6-1, 1.61 ERA, 56 innings, 59 strikeouts, 0.98 WHIP)

Entering this year, the 29-year-old right-hander had an ERA over 4.00 and more than twice as many career losses as wins. But now, he is perhaps the biggest surprise contributor to the White Sox’s surprise start to the season. There is likely some mean-regression coming, but the results so far are deserving of some recognition.