Yes, the Philadelphia Phillies remain the top-ranked team in USA TODAY Sports’ power rankings.
But that’s only because every other elite team has been as bad – or worse – as them.
The Phillies have lost eight of 12 games and suffered four consecutive series losses, yet still hold a nine-game lead in the National League East and a 3 ½-game lead for the best NL record. You might say the sting was blunted this weekend since they lost two of three to the best team in the American League, the Cleveland Guardians.
Yet the Guardians came into the series on their own 4-8 skid; simply, someone was going to record two wins in Philly this weekend.
The Baltimore Orioles, No. 2 in the AL? They’ve lost 10 of 15. The New York Yankees, lurking just a game behind them in the East? They’re 11-23 since June 15 and have lost 13 of 21.
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It is no way for these juggernauts to go into Tuesday’s trade deadline, where only so much can be done to patch whatever holes have been exposed in recent days, weeks, months. Tread lightly, trade wisely.
A look at this week’s rankings:
1. Philadelphia Phillies (-)
Carlos Estévez acquistion means Rob Thomson can play the hot hand in playoff bullpen.
2. Cleveland Guardians (+1)
Emmanuel Clase now 33-of-36 (91.6%) in save opportunities.
3. Baltimore Orioles (-1)
Gunnar Henderson with five errors in past four games, 16 overall (second in majors).
4. Los Angeles Dodgers (-)
With young and injury-recovering starters in rotation, bullpen now absolutely gassed.
5. New York Yankees (-)
Aaron Boone says Jazz Chisholm Jr. (.309 career OBP) will probably hit in middle of the lineup.
6. Milwaukee Brewers
Devin Williams is back in the bullpen – and the division lead is six games.
7. Atlanta Braves (-)
Reynaldo Lopez latest All-Star starter headed to MRI tube.
8. Minnesota Twins (+1)
Bailey Ober’s last seven starts: 1.48 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 56 strikeouts in 48 ⅓ innings.
9. Boston Red Sox (-1)
Hopefully James Paxton isn’t their final answer to upgrading the staff.
10. Kansas City Royals (-)
MVP? Bobby Witt Jr. has 18 homers, 1.107 OPS in last 30 games.
11. Houston Astros (-)
Weak farm, luxury-tax concerns will make rotation enhancements challenging.
12. San Diego Padres (+3)
Since coming off the IL, Xander Bogaerts is 22 for 45 (.489) with 1.169 OPS.
13. Arizona Diamondbacks (+1)
A.J. Puk strikes out four of first seven batters he faces as a D-back.
14. Seattle Mariners (-1)
Good news: Tied for first again. Bad news: All done with the White Sox.
15. New York Mets (+1)
Kodai Senga’s likely season-ending calf injury in debut a major blow to nascent wild-card bid.
16. St. Louis Cardinals (-4)
Dropped from second to fifth in wild-card derby.
17. Tampa Bay Rays (-)
Have won nine of 14 since sell-off began. Weird team!
18. Texas Rangers (+1)
Seriously, don’t let them get hot.
19. Pittsburgh Pirates (-1)
Rowdy Tellez Watch: .251, .705 OPS. The man is solidly league average.
20. San Francisco Giants (-)
He’s made just 10 starts but Giants have reached Choose Your Own Adventure (Trade? Keep? Opt out?) phase with Blake Snell.
21. Detroit Tigers (+1)
Pretty inspiring stretch of nine wins in 15 games to maybe ensure they don’t totally blow it up.
22. Cincinnati Reds (+1)
Their trade-deadline epitaph could read: ‘9-20 in one-run games.’
23. Chicago Cubs (-)
From lovable losers to streak busters to four years of utterly nondescript product.
24. Toronto Blue Jays (+1)
The sell-off is a drag, but biggest deal this week is losing prospect Ricky Tiedemann to Tommy John surgery.
25. Washington Nationals (-1)
MacKenzie Gore struggling in second half, with 15 walks, 1.93 WHIP in his last 20 ⅔ innings.
26. Los Angeles Angels (-)
Carlos Estévez brings back a pretty decent return from Phillies.
27. Oakland Athletics (-)
Literally can’t have nice things, not even Mason Miller.
28. Miami Marlins (+1)
The Jazz Chisholm Era, such as it was, now a historic footnote.
29. Colorado Rockies (-1)
The plan? Apparently to build around Ryan McMahon, once again untouchable.
30. Chicago White Sox (-)
Might be next decade by the time they’re buyers again.
