With just one month to go in the regular season, our MLB Power Rankings 2022 haven’t changed all that much since the start of the season. Safe to say that there haven’t been that many surprises, outside from the Baltimore Orioles.
But that doesn’t mean the season has been disappointing by any means. We’ve witnessed history again, and the Wild Card and Division Winner race is still wide open. Outside of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the NL West, it seems like almost every division is up for grabs.
That’s why putting together our MLB Power Rankings this week has been slightly more complicated than in the rest of the season. Is there really that big of a difference between one team and the other? Who are the biggest risers and fallers?
MLB Power Rankings 2022
The bottom side of our MLB Power Rankings today hasn’t changed that much. However, some teams haven’t been able to keep up with the rest of the contenders, so they’ve slipped.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at our MLB Power Rankings this week.
30. Nationals
We can’t still believe the Washington Nationals had Juan Soto, Bryce Harper, and Trea Turner on their roster. They better value those prospects they got in return, as it will be a very long while until they’re good.
The Nationals blew their roster up and have not that much to show up for it. Top prospect Cade Cavalli looked terrible in his debut, but at least there’s no rush or pressure to develop him.
29. Athletics
Adam Oller and Adrian Martinez look like a couple of guys that could anchor a rotation for years to come. But we just cannot trust the Oakland Athletics to care enough to put them in a position to succeed.
This team is poorly run and should be sold to the highest bidder ASAP. They refuse to pay up, they don’t care about competing, and it’s not like they have a lot of fans to disappoint anyway.
28. Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates decided to keep Bryan Reynolds despite very valuable offers for his services. That decision raised plenty of eyebrows, as he’s clearly outgrown the team, and they need more time to compete.
At least, the fans have gotten to witness Oneil Cruz‘s first steps in The Big Show, and he sure looks like the real deal. He needs to find more consistency and be more patient, but he’ll get there.
27. Tigers
Remember when people thought the Detroit Tigers could be in the Wild Card race by this point in the season? (I’m people). Oh, those were the days. The word ‘disaster’ doesn’t do justice to their season.
Javier Baez took the money and lost his power like in Space Jam. Spencer Torkelson was supposed to break out, and let’s just say that it didn’t happen. At least, Miguel Cabrera made more history.
26. Royals
The Kansas City Royals weren’t expected to compete this season, but there have been a few bright spots. Salvador Perez continues to rake, and their starting rotation has been better than expected.
Also, Nick Pratto may have put his early struggles behind him already. He looked lost, impatient, and desperate at the plate before finally finding his groove and bringing back hope to the fans.
25. Reds
The Cinncinati Reds offense has been underwhelming, to say the least, and trading away Brandon Drury and Tommy Pham didn’t help. But it’s ok, it’s not like they were trying to win anyway.
Rookie Nick Lodolo has been quite solid and the Reds slightly improved from the historically awful team they were to start the season. Other than that, there’s not too much to say about them.
24. Rockies
It seems like the Colorado Rockies will always be the Colorado Rockies. Their hitter-friendly ballpark and the heights of the mountains somewhat give them an edge at home, but they just suck on the road.
Moreover, the Rockies’ front office hasn’t made a good decision in ages, and they’ll continue to lose the few good players they have for as long as they’re still in charge. It’s sad, but it is what it is.
23. Marlins
The Miami Marlins starting rotation has been as impressive as advertised. Sandy Alcantara should be a lock to win NL Cy Young honors, and they still have multiple assets to trade and get better.
But the Marlins were expected to be in the mix for a Wild Card berth this season, which is why the campaign seems like a big failure. They desperately need to add more firepower to their offense in the offseason.
22. Angels
Once considered a potential dark horse to make some noise in the postseason, the Los Angeles Angels once again proved that they just couldn’t help themselves. They just can’t; this is who they are and always will be.
The Halos enter the offseason with more questions than answers. The team is for sale; they traded Noah Syndergaard, Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon can’t stay healthy, and Shohei Ohtani could be traded. Yikes.
21. Rangers
Spending $500 million on your middle infield proves that you want to compete right now. But other than Adolis Garcia‘s hitting streak and surge or Martin Perez‘s incredible season, this year has been a disaster in Texas.
The team fired its manager and GM mid-season. They haven’t been able to look the part against contending teams, and they look like they still need to spend a lot more to be taken seriously. At least they want to get better.
20. Cubs
The Chicago Cubs valued Willson Contreras‘ leadership more than any potential asset they could get in return. And while that may seem like a questionable decision, it speaks volumes about what they’re trying to build.
The Cubs have been out of contention for a while now, and they know it. But they continue to play hard and want to show free agents that they’re not that far behind. You gotta respect their grind.
19. Diamondbacks
Is it cruel to say that this has actually been a great season for the Arizona Diamondbacks? I mean, being 19th in our MLB Power Rankings 2022 when they were projected as a bottom-3 team should draw some praise.
The Diamondbacks are still years away from being good, but their rotation is promising and dominant. They play in arguably the toughest division in the game but have found ways to play spoiler often this season.
18. White Sox
Our MLB Power Rankings today have the Chicago White Sox even lower than the last time around. They’ve been one of the biggest disappointments in baseball, and there’s got to be a point where injuries aren’t an excuse anymore.
Tony LaRussa’s decision-making has been atrocious and the fact that he’s still in charge of the team is somewhat baffling. They were supposed to rule their division, but here we are.
17. Giants
While expecting the San Francisco Giants to be as good as they were last season was too much to ask, this downfall has been kind of sad. They’ve been mediocre for most of the season, and that could be their ceiling.
Of course, losing two arms to free agency does this to you, and injuries haven’t been kind to them, either. But other than Carlos Rodon‘s surge, there aren’t many things to be happy about in the Bay in 2022.
16. Red Sox
It was shocking to see the Boston Red Sox hold on to some of their stars past the deadline. It’s clear that they still believe in their chances to clinch a playoff berth, but they need to get on a run now.
The Red Sox haven’t been able to string good games together for quite a while. Their rotation has been atrocious for the most part, except for Michael Wacha. At least, we got to see Brayan Bello go to work.
15. Twins
Who would’ve predicted the Minnesota Twins would peak early, hit a wall, and start regressing when it matters the most? What a big surprise; it’s not like everybody saw this coming.
As you may know by now, the Twins’ early-season success might have been a bit of a fluke. Byron Buxton being hurt is a huge deal, and they risk losing Carlos Correa in free agency if they come up short… again.
14. Brewers
On paper, the Milwaukee Brewers could’ve had the most dominant rotation in the Majors. But injuries, inconsistency, and a lack of run support have kept them from reaching their true potential this season.
Christian Yelich is starting to get hot and he’s one of the best players in the game when he’s in the zone, but the rest of the team needs to step up. On a side note, Corbin Burnes has been stellar.
13. Orioles
Props to the Baltimore Orioles for not shooting themselves in the foot and blowing their project up to trade for a stud before the deadline. And it’s not like they’ve missed Trey Mancini at all.
The young Orioles continue to be the most surprising team in baseball, even ahead of the Cleveland Guardians. You can never count them out of a game, and the future sure seems bright at Camden Yards.
12. Guardians
Most people expected the Cleveland Guardians to be as bad as their new name in 2022. But they’ve slowly and steadily fought their way to the top, and they might well end up winning their division.
Anchored by a solid rotation and Jose Ramirez‘s talents, the Guardians could be on to something special here. They’re the youngest team in the game, yet their bullpen is elite already.
11. Mariners
We absolutely love the Julio Rodriguez extension and we’re quite hyped for this young Seattle Mariners team. Adding Luis Castillo was a brilliant move to bolster a rotation that was already dominant but needed a push.
The Mariners are up and coming, and barring a disaster, they should put an end to their postseason drought in 2022. However, if anyone can find a way to mess this up, it’s the Seattle Mariners.
10. Blue Jays
We could be overreacting, but getting swept by the Los Angeles Angels is enough for the Blue Jays to drop three spots in our rankings. Then again, they were red-hot before that embarrassing series.
You never know what version of the Toronto Blue Jays you’re going to get. Their starters could either give you six solid innings or get blown up without getting a guy out, and the same happens with their offense.
9. Padres
The San Diego Padres haven’t moved up or down in our MLB Power Rankings 2022 since the trade deadline, which should be a big red flag. I mean, this team was supposed to wreak havoc, but they can’t get into a groove.
The Fernando Tatis Jr. news was a massive blow to their aspirations, and they don’t stand a chance of winning the division pennant. But they have enough talent to go the distance if they figure things out.
8. Phillies
Don’t look now, but the Philadelphia Phillies may actually be… kind of good? I mean, this team puts on a clinic every night, and young players should watch every game just to know how NOT to play defense, but they still win.
The Phillies have absolutely no shot in the playoffs, not with that defense and that bullpen. But Bryce Harper is Bryce Harper, and their offense sure is electrifying. We cannot make up our minds with this team.
7. Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays managed to weather the storm and are slowly getting back to full strength. That’s terrible news for the American League East, especially the Yankees, who’ve historically struggled against them.
Shane McClanahan would’ve been a lock to win the American League Cy Young if it wasn’t for that guy called Justin Verlander. Kevin Cash has a huge arsenal of hard-throwers, and the Rays are tailor-made for the playoffs.
6. Cardinals
Death, taxes and the St. Louis Cardinals getting hot when it really matters. Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt are both legit candidates for National League MVP, and Albert Pujols is playing like he’s 27.
The Cardinals still need to find more consistency in their rotation, but their bullpen is solid, and they have two of the best players in the game. Don’t sleep on them, as they keep climbing our rankings.
5. Yankees
Remember that exciting and promising start of the season? Well, that seems like a thing of the past for the New York Yankees. Their offense has gone ice cold and their bullpen has been atrocious for the last month.
The Yankees haven’t gotten much offensive production outside of Aaron Judge, but they still have enough firepower and talent to turn things around. Hopefully, Frankie Montas starts delivering as well.
4. Braves
The Atlanta Braves are creeping up and closing the gap in their division with the New York Mets. Overlook them at your own risk, but these are the reigning World Series champions we’re talking about here.
The Braves are better today than they were last season, so let’s stop pretending like they’re out of the race. Their offense needs to be more consistent, and Ronald Acuña Jr. has struggled to stay healthy.
3. Astros
Love them or hate them, no one can deny that the Houston Astros are still the best team in the American League, especially after the New York Yankees cooled off so drastically.
Justin Verlander is arguably having the best season of his career, and their rotation has been nothing short of spectacular. Also, they just got Lance McCullers Jr. back, so what’s not to like here?
2. Mets
Even though they couldn’t keep up with the Los Angeles Dodgers, our MLB Power Rankings 2022 have the New York Mets as the second-best team in all baseball. Still, they need to prove they can beat winning teams.
Jacob deGrom has been as good as usual in his return, and you know what Max Scherzer can give you any given night. So, who’s going to step up and join them? Will the offense be up to the task?
1. Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers continue to be the team to beat, and will be so until further notice.
So, unsurprisingly, Dave Roberts‘ team is once again at the top of our MLB Power Rankings 2022. They’re stacked at every single position, and their rotation continues to come through even with all the injuries.