MLB power rankings: Dodgers make a statement, Astros No. 1
Thanks to a 10-game winning streak, the Los Angeles Dodgers overtook first place in the National League West and the No. 2 spot in Paste BN Sports' power rankings.
The Dodgers, led by rookie slugger Cody Bellinger with his NL-high 24 home runs, have homered in 17 consecutive games and have hit 43 in the month of June.
Meanwhile, the Houston Astros maintained the No. 1 spot for the seventh consecutive week.
The Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves had the biggest jump this week, moving up four spots to No. 19 and 20, respectively.
From 1 to 30, how they stack up based on voting from our 10-person panel:
TEAM. MOVEMENT
1. Houston Astros: --
►Taxi squad rotation holding it down: 13-9 since Dallas Keuchel last pitched.
2. Los Angeles Dodgers +1
►32-10 at Dodger Stadium - and the road to the World Series may very well go through there.
3. Arizona Diamondbacks: +2
►Record aside, their +109 run differential may be most startling stat this season.
MORE MLB:
4. Washington Nationals: --
►Trea Turner gets seven hits, boosts average 16 points in less than 24 hours.
5. Colorado Rockies: -3
►After getting pancaked at Dodger Stadium, 22 of next 25 vs. teams with losing records.
6. New York Yankees: --
►Yankees will pay Chris Carter $437,000 for each home run he hit.
7. Boston Red Sox: --
►Doug Fister throws 105 pitches, turns in quality start in 2017 debut.
8. Cleveland Indians: --
►Pythagorean record gives them a 10-game edge on Twins. Real record puts them a half-game back.
T-9. Milwaukee Brewers: --
►Staff ranks fourth in NL in walks allowed, but sixth in ERA. Correction coming?
T-9. Minnesota Twins: +3
►Byron Buxton batting .205, but positive WAR thanks to excellent defense.
11. Chicago Cubs: -1
►Have pitched better of late. Four games with explosive Nationals will test that.
12. Tampa Bay Rays: -1
►Corey Dickerson needs to be on the All-Star team.
13. Texas Rangers: --
►Cole Hamels returns to a team with a winning record.
14. Kansas City Royals: +2
►Hot streak throws cold water on fire sale.
15. Los Angeles Angels: +2
►Who needs Mike Trout?
16. Baltimore Orioles: -1
►Might not be able to out-slug enduring woes of this pitching staff.
17. Toronto Blue Jays: -2
►Feels like a big run coming on.
18. Seattle Mariners: +1
►14-18 against AL West foes.
19. Pittsburgh Pirates: +4
►Concussion problems still lingering for Francisco Cervelli.
20. Atlanta Braves: +4
►Freddie Freeman, third baseman? Why not?
21. St. Louis Cardinals: -3
►Randal Grichuk returns after 71 at-bat refresher course in minor leagues.
22. Chicago White Sox: --
►Derek Holland is 1-4 with a 9.55 ERA and nine home runs allowed over his last five starts.
23. New York Mets: -1
►Going to be very busy around the deadline.
24. Detroit Tigers: -4
►Proving incapable of asserting themselves in very winnable division.
25. Miami Marlins: --
►Giancarlo Stanton very quietly on a 44-home run pace.
26. Oakland Athletics: --
►Two and a half years after the Josh Donaldson deal, it's Franklin Barreto's time.
27. Cincinnati Reds: --
►Bryan Price should channel his inner Keyshawn: Throw me some damn strikes.
28. San Diego Padres: --
►A five-game lead over the Giants, despite $142 million payroll gap.
29. San Francisco Giants: --
►Starting to feel more like a time for internal soul-searching, rather than just a blip on the radar.
30. Philadelphia Phillies: --
►Cutting Michael Saunders just the first of a big reshuffle the next few weeks.