The MLB regular season has just about a month of action to go before we know for sure who will be participating in the 2015 MLB playoffs. We already have a pretty good idea as to who the best and worst teams are, but the middle of the pack can change within a week and we never know what team will get hot late and surge into post-season play.
Let’s pause to see how each team is doing so far in our September MLB power rankings:
30. Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies are good for some random good outings, but they’re still at the bottom of the NL East and haven’t shown much life lately (3-7 in last 10), so it’s tough to give them a boost in our September MLB power rankings.
29. Atlanta Braves
Atlanta’s offense has been putrid all year and the defense has often even been worse. As bad as they’ve been lately (1-9 in last 10), they’re still a hair above the Phillies.
28. Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati has some nice young pitching to look at down the stretch and their offense can show up big, but a huge lack of consistency has doomed them all season long. They’ve at least been decent lately (5-5 in last 10 games) but still reside at the bottom of the NL Central.
27. Oakland Athletics
Oakland lost a good amount of offense in trades and the same goes for their pitching, so it’s fairly understandable that they’ve struggled in the second half. A recent 4-6 run drops them even further in our power rankings.
26. Colorado Rockies
Colorado is barely in the bottom five and they could be switched with the Marlins possibly, but both teams have had nice 6-4 stretches. Colorado’s defense is just significantly worse and they’re at the bottom of their division, so they drop one spot lower.
25. Miami Marlins
Miami has had a nice little surge that has helped keep them out of the bottom of the AL East, and it’s even more impressive because they’ve made it happen with Giancarlo Stanton (hand) still on the shelf. They’re not a great team, but they’ve turned things around lately with a nice 6-4 run and could look to end the season strong.
24. Detroit Tigers
Detroit pretty much gave up at the trade deadline and has been in an epic slide ever since. A once playoff contender, the Tigers have gone just 3-7 in their last 10 games and won’t be making the playoffs in 2015.
23. Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee was once regarded as one of the worst teams in baseball, but they’ve used a spirited run (8-2 in last 10 games) to climb out of the bottom of the NL Central. The playoffs are out of reach (26 games back from first), but the hot run is encouraging.
22. San Diego Padres
San Diego’s offense has been touch and go and their defense has been pretty spotty all year. Both were an issue in their last 10 games, when they lost seven of 10.
21. Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles were once in contention to make a run at the AL East, but they’ve fallen apart in a 2-8 slide over their last 10 contests.
20. Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona continues to bring the bats on offense, but their problem remains touch and go defense. A 3-7 slide hurts them considerably, although they can still try to close out the year at .500.
19. Chicago White Sox
The White Sox boast one of the best pitchers in the game in Chris Sale, but their offense has really hurt them for much of 2015. They’re not an awful team, but they’re wading in the murky waters of mediocrity (5-5 in last 10) and will likely stay put to close the year.
18. Boston Red Sox
Boston’s offense has been fantastic all year and they’ve even upped their play recently (7-3 in last 10), but they’re still a whopping 13 games out of first in the AL East. They did ascend out of last place, though, so they could be a team to keep tabs on throughout September.
17. Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay has squandered it’s once solid positioning in the AL East and a once four-team race is now officially just two. The Rays could still surprise with a hot September (11 games out of first), but they’ll likely fade down the stretch due to a shaky offense.
16. Seattle Mariners
Seattle has brought the offense over the past two months and more recently has actually been quite good, winning seven of their last 10 games. They’re suddenly just nine games out of first place in the AL West and although their playoff hopes are faint, they have something to strive for.
15. Cleveland Indians
Cleveland’s season is all but over, but that hasn’t kept them from trying. The Indians have been a strong team lately, winning 7 of their last 10 and creeping closer to .500.
14. Minnesota Twins
Minnesota is probably toast in their bid to claim the AL Central, but they’ve shown nice signs of life recently (6-4 in last 10) and are 11 games behind the Royals. It would take an epic collapse from Kansas City, but it’s not yet impossible for the Twins to hope for the playoffs.
13. L.A. Angels
L.A. has really failed offensively lately and may not have the power to make it back from a mini collapse. They’re still just 5.5 games out of first place in the AL West but it’s starting to look like they’re just slipping away.
12. Texas Rangers
Cole Hamels has stood his ground on the mound and Texas has been getting it done on offense as they’ve pulled within two games of the Astros for first place in the AL West. There is still a lot of baseball to be played, but they’re without a doubt a team to monitor (7-3 in last 10).
11. San Francisco Giants
The defending champs have fallen down the ranks due to shaky pitching and some injuries, but they’re still alive, being 8.5 games back behind the Dodgers. They’ll need a hot September to turn things around and make sure they can get into the playoffs, of course.
10. Washington Nationals
Bryce Harper has heated back up over the past few weeks and has his Nats in contention for the NL East. The New York Mets have been better, though, and Washington has some work to do if they want to erase a five game hole.
9. New York Yankees
The Yanks are in a dead heat with the AL East-leading Blue Jays, and they’re only back half a game. New York’s offense is good enough to beat anyone, but they continue to be held back by their shaky defense. Regardless, they’ve been red hot lately (8-2 in last 10) and could very well end up winning their division when it’s all said and done.
8. Houston Astros
Houston has looked a little lethargic lately (4-6 in last 10), but still has the pitching and offense to be a very dangerous playoff team. That’s if they can stave off the Rangers, of course, who have stormed within two games of first place.
7. New York Mets
It’s arguable the Mets are the most balanced team in MLB, as they have elite pitching and really have come alive offensively over the past month thanks to some key trades. They’ve just been getting by lately, though (5-5 in last 10), otherwise they might be inside the top-5 of our MLB power rankings.
6. Chicago Cubs
Chicago has ascended the ranks with a four-game winning streak (6-4 in last 10). They’re still unlikely to win the NL Central, but just 7.5 games back, aren’t out of the running just yet.
5. Kansas City Royals
Kansas City’s magic number is just 15 to clinch a playoff spot, which goes a long way to tell us all just how good they’ve been all year long. Kansas City would be higher if not for a sluggish 4-6 run in their last 10 contests, but they remain a top-5 team and legit World Series threat.
4. Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto has remained strong as they’ve gone 7-3 in their last 10 and hold a minor 0.5 game lead over the rival Yankees. The race for the AL East will go down to the final week of the season, which naturally could have the Jays ascending these ranks or taking a dramatic drop.
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
Clayton Kershaw has rounded into form over the past 2-3 months and the Dodgers once again look like a tough out come playoff time. L.A. should have the NL West in the bag and could very well end up making it to this year’s World Series.
2. Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates are destined to make the MLB playoffs, and even gained some ground on the Cardinals in their recent series. They’ll need a very strong close to September to take over the NL Central, however.
1. St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals have endured some big injuries to remain the top team in all of baseball. Their offense comes and goes, but they still have MLB’s best defense and look like they have what it takes to win it all in 2015.
Think our MLB power rankings are all jacked up? Let us hear it in the comments below!
