Welcome to the September 20th edition of the Half Street High Heat Power Rankings. Every Tuesday from now until the end of the season, HSHH contributors will submit their individual Top 15 MLB Power Rankings to be averaged out for an official HSHH Power Ranking. Below in parenthesis next to each HSHH contributor’s name you can see what each individual ranked that particular team that week. Also included are some of the thoughts on the teams ranked for each of these contributors. Note- these rankings were compiled before the games were played on Monday.

Do you agree with our rankings? Which HSHH contributor got it right and which HSHH contributor got it wrong?

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (102-44)

Last Week Record: 5-21

Last Week Ranking: 1

Monty (1): Nothing for me to say. They’re #1 yet again.

Danny (1): They’ve eclipsed 100 wins already, which is pretty amazing considering they’re missing their best pitcher (Walker Buehler) and they’re currently without another pitcher who is 16-1 with a 2.10 ERA on the season (Tony Gonsolin).

Tyler (1): Wagon. 102 wins with still 3 weeks left in the regular season is absurd.

Ryan (1): The first team to 100 wins, they won the division in the least amount of games in franchise history, them boys just good.

Nick (1): No surprise here.

2. Houston Astros (97-51)

Last Week Record: 6-1

Last Week Ranking: 2

Monty (2): Did exactly what they were supposed to do against woeful Tigers and A’s.

Danny (2): They went 6-1 this week and got Justin Verlander back. That’s good enough to jump the Mets and Braves. They’ll be MLB’s second 100-win team soon enough.

Tyler (2): They won the AL West with ease once again and are going to eclipse 100 wins. Insane how they’ve lost Cole, Springer, and Correa in the back to back to back offseasons and are still a juggernaut. This is why it pays to have a good front office and player development.

Ryan (2): Verlander is back, second team to 100 wins, another division title for them and they low key have one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball in Framber Valdez who has 24 consecutive quality starts – which ties deGrom for the MLB Record.

Nick (2): Future Cy Young Award Winner Justin Verlander is back and this team is knocking on the door of 100 wins yet again

3. New York Mets (94-55)

Last Week Record: 4-3

Last Week Ranking: 3

Monty (3): I want to move them down after getting swept by the Cubs, but the Braves didn’t do enough to warrant them jumping ahead in my opinion.

Danny (3): They got swept by the Cubs to start the week but then swept the Pirates to remain 1 game ahead of the Braves. They could’ve opened up a comfortable lead over the Braves by winning the series against the Cubs, but they still control their own destiny in the NL East.

Tyler (3): They won 5 straight but more importantly clinched a playoff spot and beat up Corbin Burnes. Max Scherzer was perfect through 6 before getting pulled.

Ryan (3): Postseason bound for the first time since 2016, Max is back and he went 6 perfect innings, coming off of a nice 4 game sweep over the weekend which concluded a nice week for them.

Nick (4): You can’t deny the talent, but this team feels destined for a collapse to me. Scherzer is on again, off again with the injured list and they’re not yet proven in the postseason.

4. Atlanta Braves (92-55)

Last Week Record: 4-2

Last Week Ranking: 4

Monty (4): Should be leading the NL East but lost a series to the Giants before sweeping Philly over the weekend. Still remain #4 for me.

Danny (4): They lost 2 of 3 to the Giants and then swept the Phillies. Their 3-game set against New York in two weeks will likely decide the NL East.

Tyler (4): Everything the Mets do, the Braves follow suit. They’ve won 4 straight and are still only 1 game behind in the division with 5 more games against the Nats and 3 more games against the Marlins still to follow. It truly feels like the division is gonna come down to that September 30-October 2 series against the Mets.

Ryan (4): They took care of the Phillies pretty easy (frauds) and got Ozzie Albies back just for him to be out for the season with absolute awful luck. Right now the Braves only weakness is Kenley Jansen, and Snitker doesn’t want to take him out of the closer role which could spoil disaster for them down the stretch.

Nick (3): This is just a gut feeling, but we’ve seen the Braves make a crazy run and we know how good that core is. I think when it comes down to it, they’re a better team than the Mets.

5. St. Louis Cardinals (87-61)

Last Week Record: 4-3

Last Week Ranking: 5

Monty (6): Losing 3 of 5 to Cincy at home is just not great. 

Danny (5): They’ve cooled off a bit but still have an 8-game lead in the Central, meaning that division is all but wrapped up. They play their next 8 games against teams above .500 before wrapping up their season with 6 straight against the Pirates. Those 6 games could help them get hot again heading into the postseason.

Tyler (5): They’ve lost their red hot pace but are still just fine in the bad NL Central.

Ryan (6): The Cardinals got a lot going on: Pujols pursuit of 700, Goldy pursuit of a MVP and triple crown, fun times in St. Louis

Nick (5): It’s a weak division, I know, but this is still a team that knows what winning looks like. Plus if they’re going to keep giving Albert Pujols juiced baseballs, the sky is the limit for them.

6. New York Yankees (88-58)

Last Week Record: 3-2

Last Week Ranking: 7

Monty (5): The Yankees looked like they were back on track but then dropped a series to the Brewers over the weekend, though Aaron Judge chases 60 so that’s nice.

Danny (6): They’re finally playing better having won 9 of their last 13 games. They lead the AL East by 5 ½ games with 16 games left, which should be enough for them to hang on. The only teams above .500 left on their schedule are Toronto and Baltimore.

Tyler (6): Finally starting to pick it back up again. Aaron Judge is having arguably the greatest offensive season of the last decade and he should be a lock for MVP.

Ryan (5): Starting to play like how they were in beginning of the season, had a great week, got a commanding lead on the East again and Aaron Judge is having the best offensive season we will ever see in our lifetimes

Nick (6): Oh how badly I want to rank them lower, as I think this team is TOAST.

7. Toronto Blue Jays (83-64)

Last Week Record: 5-3

Last Week Ranking: T-8

Monty (7): They are ahead of the Rays in the standings and they should be ahead of them in the power rankings as well. It looks like they’re finally hitting their stride, just in time.

Danny (7): They’re finally playing like the team we expected them to be. They hold the top Wild Card spot in the AL by ½ game which would give them a home series in the Wild Card round. That could end up being a big deal for them since Tampa Bay plays a lot worse on the road than they do at home.

Tyler (7): Playing good ball right now and currently hold the top Wild Card spot in the AL. While 5.5 games out of the division seems unlikely it’s not impossible.

Ryan (8):  It took all year but the Blue Jays are finally playing good baseball like they were supposed to in April, have the 1st Wild Card spot locked up in my opinion

Nick (7): A tier break here, but I do think the Blue Jays have the talent to make a deep run if they’re able to maintain a playoff spot.

8. Cleveland Guardians (80-67)

Last Week Record: 6-2

Last Week Ranking: 12

Monty (8): I am declaring the AL Central race over. The Guardians are winning the division, despite this late charge by the White Sox.

Danny (9): They’re playing really good baseball again having won 11 of their last 14 games. They have a 3 ½ game lead over the White Sox in the Central and start a 3-game set with Chicago starting Tuesday. As long as they don’t get swept there, they should be able to hold on in the Central.

Tyler (8): They’re red hot right now winning 8 of their last 10 and are starting to distance themselves in the crap AL Central. Not sure what it is with Central teams in both leagues just being so painfully mid.

Ryan (7): They’re HOT and yes they’re in the AL Central but they are taking care of business and are going to be a absolute problem matchup in the playoffs.

Nick (11): Call it an AL Central bias, but I just have trouble believing this team is that good. Their pitching has been great, but are they really a contender? I lean no, for now.

9. San Diego Padres (81-66)

Last Week Record: 4-2

Last Week Ranking: 11

Monty (9): Looks like a team meeting has helped them wake up. They move up this week for me.

Danny (8): They get bumped back up in part to a 4-2 week and in part to Tampa, Seattle and Philadelphia playing poorly of late. They swept the Diamondbacks over the weekend and jumped the Phillies for the second Wild Card spot in the process. They still have the Cardinals, Dodgers and White Sox on the schedule though, so they need to keep the momentum going.

Tyler (9): Swept the Dbacks and Soto showed a glimpse of being back with a 3 hit with a homer game. But again, as I’ve been saying, this team’s playoff spot is not safe unless they rightfully go on a run to end the year with the amount of talent they have.

Ryan (9): Swept the diamondbacks, Soto turned a corner weird team but maybe they’re putting it together.

Nick (9): I have no idea what to think of this team.

10. Tampa Bay Rays (82-65)

Last Week Record: 4-4

Last Week Ranking: T-8

Monty (10): The Rays lost a big 5-game series to the Blue Jays and rebounded to win a series at home vs the Rangers. They were fine.

Danny (10): They went 4-4 this week, but dropped 3 of 5 to Toronto to begin the week. They’re still firmly holding onto a Wild Card spot, it’s just a matter of which spot they get at this point.

Tyler (10): They have lost a bit of steam but still firmly in a Wild Card spot. Their schedule has been pretty tough to end the season though

Ryan (12): I still do not like them.

Nick (8): Weirder things have happened than the Rays potentially making a postseason run this year. I also think they’re one of the best coached teams.

T-11. Seattle Mariners (81-65)

Last Week Record: 1-4

Last Week Ranking: 6

Monty (11): Split with the Padres and lost 3 to the Angels. Not hot anymore.

Danny (11): They went 1-4 this week and ended the week by getting swept by the lowly Angels. They still hold a 4-game lead over the Orioles for the final Wild Card spot with just 17 games to play and they don’t play another team over .500 the rest of the season. If they take advantage of their schedule, they’ll very likely end up as the top Wild Card in the AL.

Tyler (11): They’ve fallen down to the last AL Wild Card spot after getting swept by the Angels and are starting to regress to the mean a bit after their absurd last couple months. But 5 games into a playoff spot, they should still have nothing to worry about.

Ryan (11): They’re coming back down to earth after that huge series win against the Braves, they turned around and lose a series to the Angels.

Nick (12): I’m just hoping they make the playoffs, even if it comes at the expense of the Orioles.

T-11. Philadelphia Phillies (80-66)

Last Week Record: 2-4

Last Week Ranking: 10

Monty (12): One step forward, two back for this team. But still 2.5 up on the Brewers.

Danny (12): It was a 2-4 week for the Phillies that started with a series win over the Marlins and ended by getting swept by the Braves. They hold a 2-game lead over the Brewers for the last Wild Card spot and play the Blue Jays, Braves and Astros down the stretch. That 1-5 stretch against the Diamondbacks and Giants a couple of weeks ago might come back to haunt them.

Tyler (12): 4 straight L’s and are hanging onto the last Wild Card spot by 2.5 games. They got swept by the Braves, have the Jays up next for a 2 game set and then the Braves again. I wouldn’t be too sure yet that their drought ends.

Ryan (10): Rough weekend for them against the Braves, still in a good spot to get a playoff spot but the way they have played the Mets and Braves is very concerning.

Nick (10): Better than the bottom tiers, but not even close to the top tier teams.

13. Milwaukee Brewers (78-69)

Last Week Record: 3-2

Last Week Ranking: 13

Monty (14): They are within 2.5 games of the Phillies but seem to be just treading water. I’m not sure they’re gonna make it.

Danny (13): They’re hanging around and they’re still just 2 games back of a Wild Card spot. Time is running out though and they start a crucial 3-game series against the Mets this week. They’ll likely need to win that series to stay in the thick of things

Tyler (13): They just got carved by Max Scherzer and have 2 more games with the Mets still to play but they’re still somehow in the race. I am begging this team to get real as I need to keep making my Phillies playoff drought jokes.

Ryan (13): The weirdest team in baseball, I can’t tell what type of team they are

Nick (13):  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it’d be a real shame if this team got hot and knocked the Phillies out of the playoff race. Real shame.

14. Chicago White Sox (76-71)

Last Week Record: 4-2

Last Week Ranking: 14

Monty (13): Too little too late for this disappointing team. Cleveland is going to win the AL Central.

Danny (15): They went 4-2 this week, including a crucial make-up game win over the Guardians. They’re 3 ½ back in the Central and don’t have the easiest of schedules down the stretch. It might be too little too late here.

Tyler (14): They won 7 of their last 10 and are playing good ball. Don’t think it’ll be enough for October though and doesn’t change the fact that they have easily been the most disappointing team in baseball this year.

Ryan (15): I guess.

Nick (14): I think they’re actually a better team with Tony La Russa out indefinitely.

15. Baltimore Orioles (76-70)

Last Week Record: 3-2

Last Week Ranking: 15

Monty (15): Swept the Nats in 2 games midweek but lost yet another series to Toronto. Their playoff hopes are just about dead and buried, but what a season it has been for them.

Danny (15): They’ve been really fun to watch and they’re going to be really good for a while, but the dream is over after losing 2 of 3 to Toronto over the weekend. They’re 4 games back in the Wild Card with 17 games to play. Of those 17 games, 10 are against playoff teams.

Tyler (15): They swept the Nats in a 2 game set but it’s still looking quite over for the Bmore boys.

Ryan (14): THEY’RE BACK BABY!!!! THE DREAM IS ALIVE.

Nick (15): I think it might be time to say Goodnight to our Sweet Prince.