WagerTalk MLB handicapper Tony Finn gives us his updated MLB power rankings for the week of April 24-30. Which teams are climbing up and falling down his power rankings? Read his MLB betting advice now! Also, check out WagerTalk’s ultimate guide to betting on baseball.
MLB Power Rankings: Week 4
1. Atlanta Braves – Record: 15-7 (Week 3 ranking: 1)
Atlanta closed the week out by being swept by the reigning World Series champion Houston Astros. The Braves’ 2-4 record in the Week 4 slate was not enough to knock them from the top spot on this Week 4 chapter of the WagerTalk MLB Power Poll.
The unexpected success of young Bryce Elder (2-0, 1.14 ERA) has been his ability to stand tall when squaring off against the likes of Houston, St Louis, and Cincinnati lineups.
His pair of positive decisions came on the road with Missouri victories in downtown St Louis and at “The K” off I-70. He has easily been the most consistent and reliable arm in the Atlanta rotation at the seasoned age of 23 years.
Max Fried has a history of being prepared for game night. As well, as coming off a stint on the IL. The Braves southpaw pitched 11.2 innings of scoreless baseball against the Padres and Astros this past week.
The early edge that this Atlanta Braves roster has is their continuity, the troupes’ innings played together. The Braves’ front office did little to nothing in terms of volume free agents and most believed they lost more than they gained.
The departure of shortstop Dansby Swanson (Cubs), reliever Kenley Jansen, and outfielder Adam Duvall (both to the Red Sox) would have required therapy and medication by most front offices and scouting departments.
The upgrade at Catcher by obtaining Sean Murphy (5.1 fWAR and 120 OPS+) was the offseason coup without peer.
The Braves added experienced and quality depth with the additions of Sam Hilliard, the versatility of Jordan Luplow, and stacked the back of the bullpen with the signing of Joe Jimenez, Lucas Luetge, and Dennis Santana.
The addition of minor league invitee Kevin Pillar (as a minor league invitee) was outfield insurance a part of a designated hitter platoon scheme after last season’s batter’s box scuffles by Eddie Rosario and Marcell Ozuna.
2. Tampa Bay Rays – Record: 19-3 (Week 3 ranking: 2)
No Jeffrey Springs? No Zach Eflin? No Tyler Glasnow? No worries. Well, maybe a bead of sweat or two on the brow when deciding to call up top prospect Taj Bradley. That call-up being in mid-April was never the Rays’ front office blueprint.
Bradley will have his fifteen-minute moments, both good and not-so-good. The young right-hander punched out 17 batters over his first 10.1 innings.
The schedule that allowed the Rays to start the season with a 13-game winning streak has yet to find Tampa experiencing the negative regression that most pundits believe is inevitable.
3. Milwaukee Brewers – Record: 15-7 (Week 3 ranking: 3)
The Brew Crew executed an easy-peasy sweep of the Seattle Mariners followed by an unexpected speed bump in the Boston Red Sox. The positive for Milwaukee was the return of veteran Corbin Burnes to the mound on Sunday.
Under normal circumstances labeling the return of Burnes and his 4.55 ERA wouldn’t be a positive but the large number of pitching injuries that the Brewers are dealing with make an average Burnes a celebration of epic proportions.
The injury to highly regarded rookie Garrett Mitchell (shoulder) is weighing on the organization.
A look ahead at the Brewers’ schedule for the next two weeks should excite the Crew faithful. Milwaukee’s upcoming slate includes series versus the Detroit Tigers, LA Angels, Colorado Rockies, and Bay Area Giants.
This Milwaukee roster can not only survive the litany of pitching ailments the schedule allows them to excel. We will revisit this in the Week 6 Power Poll.
4. Texas Rangers – Record: 14-7 (Week 3 ranking: 5)
All things equal the Astros are the best team in the American League West. The Rangers have found ways to win games that Houston hasn’t. The Rangers have scored more and allowed fewer runs than any team in the AL West.
The only franchise that has a better run differential than the Rangers is the AL East first-place Tampa Bay Rays.
The questions that surround this Rangers’ bullpen have yet to be challenged.
5. New York Yankees – Record: 13-9 (Week 3 ranking: 4)
The offense has scored two or fewer runs in seven of the Yankees’ 22 games so far. The Bronx Bombers have yet to experience the grouping of injuries of the last three campaigns but it is only April.
If All-Everything right-hander Gerrit Cole continues in his current form he alone can carry this team through scoring droughts and injuries. Labeling a Cy Young Award a slam dunk isn’t just reasonable, it would be a given.
Cole won’t soon be the Yanks designated hitter on the days he isn’t pitching but he is The Boss in terms of being the most qualified team doctor.
Cole’s 4-0 start to the 2023 season comes along with an 0.79 ERA and WHIP as well as issuing patience pills to the powers inside of the organization. A healthy Carlos Rodon can’t be activated off the IL soon enough.
6. Houston Astros – Record: 12-10 (Week 3 ranking: 8)
7. Los Angeles Dodgers – Record: 12-11 (Week 3 ranking: 7)