MLB Power Rankings: Week 2
1.' Atlanta Braves
Record: 7-4
Week 1 ranking: 4The Braves played their way to the top of the National League East without the services of Cy Young hopeful and starting pitcher Max Fried (out / hamstring).
Young guns Jared Shuster and Dylan Dodd, a pair of left-handed top prospects, made their major league debuts over the past week, both fell well short of their top-of-the-ticket prospect status.
Shuster, a former first-rounder in 2020 let his nerve get the best of him in his 2023 debut in Washington. Shuster surrendered four runs and walked five while striking out just one across 4.2 innings of work.
Monday night found 23-year-old rookie Bryce Elder opposed the young Graham Ashcraft. Elder was allowed to throw 103 pitches through 6.1 innings of work which resulted in the rook allowing six hits, and zero runs while striking out seven (7) and walking one.
The front office and Braves’ coaching staff announced on Monday that Kyle Wright will begin the defense of his top MLB win total on Tuesday. Wright and his 21 wins started the season on the IL and will debut Tuesday against the Cincinnati Reds.
2. Tampa Bay Rays
Record: 10-0
Week 1 ranking: 2
Following a 1-0 victory over the Red Sox on Monday night the Rays have pitched and played their way to three consecutive shutouts.
Monday night’s hard-fought win by Tampa, a 1-0 victory and shutout of the Red Sox was the Rays’ first win by fewer than four runs through their first 10 contests.
The Rays became the first major league team since the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers to open the season with 10 straight wins.
To all the early success that Tampa has experienced in the first two weeks of the season critique has pointed to the Rays’ schedule. The combined record of the four teams that Tampa has squared off against this early 2023 'season is 13-27.
Tampa Bay Rays opponents during the team’s 10-0 beginning to the season:
- Detroit 2-7
- Washington 4-7
- Oakland 2-8
- Boston 5-5
Three of the four clubs (Detroit, Washington, and Oakland) that the Rays have played this season sit at the bottom of the division standings. Fourth place Boston is a slot ahead of the Baltimore Orioles in the American League East.
3.' Los Angeles Dodgers
Record: 6-5
Week 1 ranking: 5
Manager Dave Roberts has done a poor job of accessing his bullpen core in the early stages of the 2023 season.
The Dodgers’ pitching staff surrendered double-digit runs in consecutive games in Week 1. The last time Los Angeles allowed 10-plus runs in back-to-back games was nearly 10 years ago.
4. San Diego Padres
Record: 6-5
Week 1 ranking: 8
The Padres have reorganized since beginning the season 0-2 winning six of their last nine games. San Diego has a Hollywood list of player personnel and on their worst day are better than 90 percent of the league.
5. Milwaukee Brewers
Record: 7-3
Week 1 ranking: 14
The Brewers won two of three from the Cardinals in a matchup between the past two NL Central champions. The favorites to take the Brewers to the wire this season has been who I thought they would be. St Louis’ starting rotation is either injured, pitching injured or has forgotten what the definition of Quality Start is.
The Cardinals’ first five have recorded only one quality effort through 10 games this season. Former Top Gun and the Redbirds’ No. 1 in the rotation, Jack Flaherty, has walked 13 batters in 10 innings.
6. Texas Rangers
Record: 6-4
Week 1 ranking: 1
7. Houston Astros
Record: 5-6
Week 1 ranking: 7
8. New York Yankees
Record: '6-4
Week 1 ranking: 9
9. New York Mets
Record: 6-5
Week 1 ranking: 3
10. Toronto Blue Jays
Record: 6-4
Week 1 ranking: 12
11. Cleveland Indians
Record: '7-4
Week 1 ranking: 10
12. Minnesota Twins
Record: '6-4
Week 1 ranking: 6
13. Los Angeles Angels
Record: 5-5
Week 1 ranking: 13
14. Chicago Cubs
Record: 5-4
Week 1 ranking: 18