MLB power rankings: American League teams dominated the 2018 season
With the playoffs upon us, we can look back at the past six months with more clarity. It was a season that offered plenty of thrills and surprises.
While most would have picked the Red Sox, Yankees, Indians and Astros to represent the American League in the postseason, few would have predicted just how dominant the league would be – at least compared to the senior circuit.
For the first time since Major League Baseball switched to two wild-card teams in 2012, a team with 100 wins will be playing in the one-game playoff. That's the Yankees, who face the upstart 97-win Athletics on Wednesday.
In the final edition of our MLB power rankings, AL teams occupy the first four spots and five of the top seven.
Here's a look at how our nine-person panel voted at the conclusion of the regular season:
Ranking (change from last week)
1. Boston Red Sox (–)
- 108 wins, but just 18-21 against fellow AL playoff teams.
2. Houston Astros (–)
- Justin Verlander tops Blake Snell in WHIP and FIP, blows him away in innings.
3. New York Yankees (–)
- Aaron Boone, who largely ducked spotlight all year, faces nine-inning referendum in wild-card game.
4. Oakland Athletics (–)
- Death, taxes and Khris Davis hitting .247 (and this time, with 48 home runs).
5. Milwaukee Brewers (+2)
- Christian Yelich will join Ryan Braun, Robin Yount and Rollie Fingers as Brewers MVPs.
6. Chicago Cubs (-1)
- Four consecutive playoff appearances nothing to nitpick.
7. Cleveland Indians (-1)
- Hard to think of a more imposing "dark horse World Series pick."
8. Los Angeles Dodgers (+1)
- Is there a "clutch gene?" Enrique Hernandez surely possesses it.
9. Atlanta Braves (-1)
- Feels like there's no playoff middle ground here: Either a quick three-and-out or a raucous run.
10. Colorado Rockies (+2)
- David Dahl carried 'em across the finish line with homers in six of their last seven games.
11. Tampa Bay Rays (-2)
- Ninety wins.
12. St. Louis Cardinals (-2)
- Mikolas, Bader, Martinez, Hicks...no playoffs does not equal lost season.
13. Seattle Mariners (–)
- 208 strikeouts in 160 innings for James Paxton.
14. Washington Nationals (+1)
- Solid maneuvering already from front office and Bryce Harper.
15. Arizona Diamondbacks (-1)
- 200 innings, 246 strikeouts and more than $100 million soon on its way to Patrick Corbin.
16. Pittsburgh Pirates (+1)
- 82 wins breaks string of consecutive losing seasons.
17. Philadelphia Phillies (-1)
- The disappointing finish sets up nicely for a big-time free agent to play knight in shining armor.
18. Los Angeles Angels (–)
- After 19 years, Mike Scioscia's emotional dam bursts.
19. New York Mets (–)
- Went 38-30 in the second half.
20. Toronto Blue Jays (+1)
- Just a few more months before the Vlad Jr. Era commences.
21. Minnesota Twins (+1)
- Wonderful sendoff for Joe Mauer.
22. San Francisco Giants (-2)
- New GM has a pretty big mess to manage.
23. Texas Rangers (–)
- Team seems due to spend a lot of cash, enhancing managerial opening.
24. Cincinnati Reds (–)
- Fourth consecutive season of at least 94 losses.
25. San Diego Padres (+1)
- Eric Hosmer signing results in Padre first basemen finishing next-to-last in NL OPS.
26. Miami Marlins (-1)
- Lewis Brinson's .199 average over 382 at-bats might be biggest disappointment.
27. Detroit Tigers (–)
- Farewell Victor Martinez, who walks away wtih a .295 lifetime average and .815 OPS.
28. Chicago White Sox (–)
- MLB set another strikeout record, and no batter had more than Yoan Moncada's 217.
29. Kansas City Royals (–)
- Ned Yost going to keep riding out this rebuild.
30. Baltimore Orioles (–)
- After 115 losses, should be a volatile winter. One would think, anyway.