MLB · 1 year ago

SportsGrid’s MLB Power Rankings: Phillies Still Holding On

Ben DiGiacomo

Host · Writer

1. Philadelphia Phillies
Upcoming Games: 3 vs. CLE, 3 vs. NYY

It’s been a rough few weeks for most of baseball’s top teams, and the Philadelphia Phillies are no exception, but they have managed to hold on to baseball’s top record with a commanding three-game lead. Their offense has been slumping, and the bullpen has often crumbled, but luckily, it’s the right time of year to struggle for the front office to get the message to continue to add. Expect the Phils to be active on a trade market to add an outfield bat and another bullpen arm. Before the deadline, though, a fun week of games against AL clubs awaits, with the Cleveland Guardians and New York Yankees coming to Citizens Bank Park.

Pennant Odds: +210

World Series Odds: +400
10. New York Mets
Upcoming Games: 3 vs. ATL, 3 vs. MIN

How about the New York Mets? They own the best record in baseball since the beginning of June, with a 29-15 record, and now they’re just a half-game back of the Atlanta Braves for the NL’s top wild-card spot. Can the pitching staff stay as reliable, and can the bats stay as hot for the final two months of the regular season? Who knows, but baseball is fun in Queens right now, and they have serious bragging rights against their fellow Yankee fans. We’ll see what they do at the deadline, but unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like they’ll be significant buyers.

Pennant Odds: +2400

World Series Odds: +4800
9. Houston Astros
Upcoming Games: 3 vs. LAD, 3 vs. PIT

The Houston Astros have owned the second-best record in baseball since the start of June, and they are showing signs of their World Series successes right now. The offense is humming, the starting pitching staff is pulling its weight, and the bullpen continually gets the job done. Maybe the Astros aren’t necessarily as loaded on the mound as they’ve been in recent years, but the AL is wide-open, and no team is as proven as they are. Against the young Orioles team and the unproven Guardians - experience will matter.

Pennant Odds: +600

World Series Odds: +1300
8. Kansas City Royals
Upcoming Games: 3 vs. CHC, 3 @ CHW

Bobby Witt Jr., that’s all I have to say. What a run this kid is on. He boasts a staggering .507 batting average in July with a ridiculous 1.423 OPS, single-handedly keeping the Kansas City Royals in games as much of the offense has struggled. Unfortunately, Witt Jr. will need to keep this up if they want to ultimately overtake the Minnesota Twins and then the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central standings, but for now, we’ll enjoy the meteoric run he’s on.

Pennant Odds: +2000

World Series Odds: +6000
7. Minnesota Twins
Upcoming Games: 3 @ DET, 3 @ NYM

The Minnesota Twins have been one of the best-forgotten teams in the AL all season, and they’re reportedly active in the trade market, seeking starting pitching help. They’re currently pretty injured on the offensive end, as Carlos Correa, Royce Lewis, and Jose Miranda are all on the Injured List. Still, they’ve stayed afloat enough to take two of three from the Philadelphia Phillies this week. The Twins are notoriously bad in October, but things feel different when this team is fully healthy this season. If they can ultimately add a quality arm and get hot at the right time, don’t be surprised if they make an unexpected run come October.

Pennant Odds: +650

World Series Odds: +2000
6. New York Yankees
Upcoming Games: 3 @ BOS, 3 @ PHI

The New York Yankees have been embarrassing to watch lately, with all their recent struggles coming to a boiling point this week as the New York Mets came to the Bronx and embarrassed the Yankees in a two-game series, giving the Mets a 4-0 record in the season series. Regardless, the Yankees are playing with just two players on offense right now, and the starting rotation has regressed at an alarming rate. It remains to be seen if the Yankees are ultra-aggressive at the trade deadline, but the AL is still wide open for the taking. A pivotal week is ahead, though, as they’ll have to go to Fenway to face the Boston Red Sox, then down Interstate 95 to face the Philadelphia Phillies. An embarrassing showing could be detrimental.

Pennant Odds: +270

World Series Odds: +650
5. Milwaukee Brewers
Upcoming Games: 3 vs. MIA, 3 vs. ATL

The Milwaukee Brewers did a lot with little in the first half of the season, and now that they’re a little bit banged up, they still keep on winning. Coming out of the All-Star break, the Brewers have won four of their last five, but they’ll need to keep their foot on the gas as both the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates keep improving. I can’t imagine this Brewers team collapsing with how they’re playing, so they should already be engraving Pat Murphy’s name in the NL Manager of the Year plaque.

Pennant Odds: +1200

World Series Odds: +2600
4. Cleveland Guardians
Upcoming Games: 3 @ PHI, 2 @ DET

I’m not trying to panic about the Cleveland Guardians, but they’re not giving off good vibes at all right now. The starting rotation has regressed after their overachieving first half of the season, the bats have cooled off, and the once-elite bullpen has had a couple of troubling performances. Looking ahead, it’s fair to expect both the bats and bullpen to recover, but I’m struggling to buy into the starting rotation being able to compete with some of the best offenses in the AL come October. The Guardians haven’t been an organization to go all in at the deadline in their history, but maybe they’ll shock us this time. No team atop the standings needs an elite arm more than them.

Pennant Odds: +700

World Series Odds: +2000
3. Baltimore Orioles
Upcoming Games: 3 vs. SD, 4 vs. TOR

The Baltimore Orioles have had a rough July as they’ve gone 8-10 this month, but they haven’t lost any ground in the standings, given how much the other top AL teams have struggled. By comparison, the Guardians' struggles look like they could linger longer than just the usual slump, while the Yankees are currently just an all-around dumpster fire. The O’s are in a great spot looking ahead, and they have all the assets they need to make significant moves, so we’d like to see them add an elite playoff-caliber starting pitcher if they truly want to become the AL pennant frontrunners.

Pennant Odds: +300

World Series Odds: +750
2. Los Angeles Dodgers
Upcoming Games: 3 @ HOU, 2 @ SD

The Los Angeles Dodgers have gotten a chunk of their swagger back and are continuing to get healthier, headlined by Clayton Kershaw’s long-awaited return to the starting rotation. More guys will be returning soon from the Injured List, but it remains to be seen how much the front office opts to add at the trade deadline. Will they go all-in for a potential Luis Robert Jr. and Garrett Crochet package, or could they patch the roster with mid-tier players? We shall see.

Pennant Odds: +150

World Series Odds: +320
1. Philadelphia Phillies
Upcoming Games: 3 vs. CLE, 3 vs. NYY

It’s been a rough few weeks for most of baseball’s top teams, and the Philadelphia Phillies are no exception, but they have managed to hold on to baseball’s top record with a commanding three-game lead. Their offense has been slumping, and the bullpen has often crumbled, but luckily, it’s the right time of year to struggle for the front office to get the message to continue to add. Expect the Phils to be active on a trade market to add an outfield bat and another bullpen arm. Before the deadline, though, a fun week of games against AL clubs awaits, with the Cleveland Guardians and New York Yankees coming to Citizens Bank Park.

Pennant Odds: +210

World Series Odds: +400
10. New York Mets
Upcoming Games: 3 vs. ATL, 3 vs. MIN

How about the New York Mets? They own the best record in baseball since the beginning of June, with a 29-15 record, and now they’re just a half-game back of the Atlanta Braves for the NL’s top wild-card spot. Can the pitching staff stay as reliable, and can the bats stay as hot for the final two months of the regular season? Who knows, but baseball is fun in Queens right now, and they have serious bragging rights against their fellow Yankee fans. We’ll see what they do at the deadline, but unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like they’ll be significant buyers.

Pennant Odds: +2400

World Series Odds: +4800

SportsGrid’s MLB Power Rankings: Phillies Still Holding On

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