Rocio Robles
The month of May has arrived, and there have been already four weeks of games played in Major League Baseball. Many teams have performed at a high level, others are disappointing (some predictably). However, the most important thing is that the fight for the postseason started red-hot: so, we bring you our first edition of MLB Power Rankings, where we point out the most dominant teams in the majors, as well as the most disappointing ones. Without further ado, let’s get started.
MLB Power Rankings 2022: The podium
New York Mets
Is deGrom absent? There is no problem! Max Scherzer and the surprising Tyler Megill have been leading the rotation in the absence of the Mets’ ace, and the team’s starters have a combined ERA of 2.61 which ranks as the second lowest in all of MLB, and which has helped the team sit atop the National League East division with a 16-7 record.
The Mets have already thrown a combined no-hitter this season against the Philadelphia Phillies, which shows how well their pitchers have performed so far. Their offense is no slouch, and with an OBP that leads the majors at .344, the Mets promise to deliver what everyone expected of them in 2021 in a bumpy, injury-riddled season.
New York Yankees
The Yankees began the month of May on a nine-game winning streak, which propelled them to the top of the American League East Division standings. Although this positive streak involves three series in which they swept their opponents, the truth is that they were against lower-ranked opponents this season, such as the Guardians, Royals and Orioles.
A series against the Toronto Blue Jays — who are chasing the Bronx Bombers for the division lead — will be a test to see how well the Yankees are doing. After a shaky start in which he was booed by the fans at Yankee Stadium, Aaron Judge started the series against Toronto with a string of three straight games with at least one homerun.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The depth of the roster and the number of different weapons the Dodgers have allows them to stay afloat despite the fact that their stars are not performing at the expected level. In the absence of hitters like Mookie Betts, Cody Bellinger, Justin Turner and Max Muncy, with the latter two hitting for a sub .200 average, the Dodgers have relied on their pitching to lead the National League West division with a 14-7 record.
The team ranks first in several pitching statistics such as ERA (2.33), opponents’ batting average (.190) and WHIP (0.94). Of the five starters they have used so far, only Tyler Anderson has an ERA above 2.50, and his bullpen ERA of 2.77 ranks fourth best in MLB. When the bats wake up, the Dodgers will surely be even more fearsome.
MLB Power Rankings 2022MLB Power Rankings : Disappointments
Washington Nationals
We all knew this season was going to be quite complicated for the Washington Nationals. The 2019 World Series champions have been losing steam in recent years, while their divisional opponents have been gaining steam. While they have an MVP candidate in Juan Soto, it takes more than that to have a good season.
With a record of 8-16 and being last in their division, thanks in part to losing eight of their last ten games, things look tough for Washington. Their starting pitching certainly hasn’t helped, as they have not been able to make up for the significant loss of Stephen Strasburg. On the one hand, Patrick Corbin, who is expected to lead the rotation in their absence, has had an 8.70 ERA after 19.2 innings; the team, on the other hand, has the second-worst ERA and WHIP in MLB at 5.08 and 1.49 respectively.
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates appeared to have shown signs of competitiveness early in the season, but all that has faded in recent weeks. The team lost five of their last six games, bringing them to a 9-13 record starting this first week of May.
One of the most notable slumps on the Pirates has been Jake Marisnick, who is 0-17 in his last few at-bats. Marisnick has never been recognized for his hitting, preferring to be known for his defense, but Pittsburgh hasn’t been able to do even that well since April 17, with its position players having a -1.0 WAR.
Cincinnati Reds
The Reds are having a bad season. Oh, who would have thought it? The team completely dismantled itself during offseason in an effort to decrease payroll, which caused several fans to be furious. This sense of anger did not diminish after the team president publicly challenged them by saying: “And where do you plan to go?”
The Cincinnati team not only has the worst record in all of Major League Baseball at 3-19 and the longest active losing streak in MLB, but also the worst start to a season in team history. If there’s anything to do in Cincinnati these days, is certainly not going to see the Reds play.
