Welcome to the latest edition of the 2023 Half Street High Heat Power Rankings. Every Tuesday 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 are sometimes compiled before the games played on Mondays.

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

1. Atlanta Braves (64-34)

Last Week Record: 4-5

Last Week Ranking: 1 (-)

Monty (1): They’re 4-5 coming out of the break following home series losses to the White Sox and Diamondbacks, but a big road series win over the NL Central leading Brewers should quell any concerns.

Danny (1): They’re still the best team in baseball despite going 4-5 in their first 9 games after the All-Star break. Their lineup is nasty and they’re expecting Max Fried back within the next couple of weeks. Aside from some bullpen help, this team doesn’t need much.

Arthur (1): The Braves are (unfortunately) still the best team in baseball. They have struggled a bit coming out of the break, going 4-5 against the Diamondbacks, White Sox, and Brewers, but their lineup of career mediocre players (outside of a couple hitters) and pitching are still among the best in the league. Bryce Elder is heavily regressing to the mean and Max Fried and Kyle Wright are still question marks as to when (or if) they will be back, so they will be looking to add some pitching at the deadline.

Ryan (1): Did any other team play more exciting series recently than this team? Their series against the D-Backs was exhilarating each game and so was their series against the Brewers. 4-6 in their last 10 knocks them out of the top dog spot for me.

Tyler (2): Despite their recent struggles the Braves are still the Braves. They’re by far the best team in the NL and possibly all of baseball. Their lineup is an absolute machine that is going to be incredibly hard to contain in October.

CK (1): Leading your division by 11.5 games locks you into the top spot in anyone’s power rankings. Garnering a giant losing streak, Atlanta is a safe bet to proclaim the World Series favorite, and it would take something catastrophic for that to change. Considering that it hasn’t happened yet, there’s no reason to put anyone else at number one. Sure, they’re 4-6 in their last ten against Milwaukee, Arizona, and Chicago (AL), but little bumps in the road will happen.

2. Baltimore Orioles (62-38)

Last Week Record: 8-3

Last Week Ranking: 3 (+1)

Monty (2): The O’s lead the AL East after taking an impressive three of four in the Trop. They still need some pitching at deadline, but the O’s are looking good.

Danny (2): I don’t think anybody thought this team would be this good at this point in the season. Most people saw them as a playoff team, but they’re the best team in the American League right now. They need starting pitching if they’re going to win in the playoffs, but will ownership give them payroll flexibility to bring in a top of the rotation starter?

Arthur (2): This team is very good. The young core of hitters has truly blossomed into a potent lineup from top to bottom, with plenty more in the minors. The starting pitching is still of concern, as Dean Kremer, Kyle Bradish, and Kyle Gibson are not going to be able to carry them to a pennant, but the bullpen is among the best in baseball. They may regress some down the stretch, but they are a near lock for the playoffs. If the Orioles add quality starting pitching like Lucas Giolito or Jack Flaherty at the deadline, they may be the favorites coming out of the American League.

Shack (1): Crazy that last year I was calling them America’s team joking around and here we are with them having the second best record in baseball. Orioles took 3 of 4 from the Rays in Tampa, 7-3 in their last 10 gets them the #1 spot this team is rolling right now.

Tyler (1): They’ve been playing some of the best baseball all year but taking 3 of 4 in St. Pete this weekend cemented themselves as a true WS threat, especially if they add starting pitching at the deadline which is their only true weakness. They’ve started opening the floodgates calling up talent from their insanely stacked farm and still have barely made a dent with the #1 overall prospect in Jackson Holliday and others still down there. This team isn’t going anywhere for years.

CK (2): Going into the Trop and taking three out of four from Tampa is an incredible feat. Baltimore is 7-3 in its last ten and its young core continues to dominate. Now sitting with a two game lead in the AL East, it looks like the Orioles have finally arrived, and they’re not close to done. Somehow, Jackson Holliday is still in the pipeline on top of all that.

3. Los Angeles Dodgers (57-42)

Last Week Record: 6-4

Last Week Ranking: 4 (+1)

Monty (3): I was very tempted to put the Dodgers ahead of the Orioles this week, especially after the Dodgers took a midweek series in Baltimore. With division rivals Arizona and San Francisco struggling, the inevitable Dodgers are once again atop the NL West.

Danny (3): They’re 11-7 in July and have opened up a 4 game lead in the NL West. Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman are rolling. They’ll likely make a splash at the trade deadline and should get Clayton Kershaw back sometime in August. They should be able to coast to their 9th NL West title in the past 10 years.

Arthur (3): Like clockwork, the Dodgers have made it back to the top of the NL West, and they may very well stay there for the rest of the season. Even though they lost Trea Turner and Justin Turner in the offseason and lost Dustin May, Walker Buehler, and Gavin Lux to injuries, the Dodgers are flying high going into the late months of the season. The rotation is struggling right now, with three rookie pitchers currently starting, so they will be in the market for a top-line starter, and maybe even Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers are once again poised to make a run in the postseason and may be a major threat to the Braves after they add at the deadline.

Shack (4): This team is so annoying and just so inevitable. Yes they took the series against Baltimore and could be in top 2 but I am enjoying the underdog bit before this team winds up winning 100 games again

Tyler (5): It doesn’t matter how much they might appear to regress in an offseason or in-season, one thing about the Dodgers is that their stretch of .750 ball is always coming at some point. They may not be the absolute wagon they were last year but they are still an insanely good team and will be a major October threat.

CK (3): We were all collectively waiting for the Dodgers to inevitably catch fire and come back to the form that has made them consistent postseason contenders over the last decade. With a roster that talented, it was only a matter of time. LA has just come off of big series wins against the Rangers and Orioles, and now hold a four game lead in the NL West thanks to skids by the Diamondbacks and Giants. It might be safe to say they’re back.

4. Texas Rangers (59-42)

Last Week Record: 7-3

Last Week Ranking: T-6 (+2)

Monty (4): The Rangers swept Cleveland and Tampa Bay, which is why they jumped the Astros for me this week. It was a disappointing series loss to the Nationals heading into the break that raised some concerns, but their showing since has been impressive.

Danny (4): I was worried they were going to fall off a little bit after losing 2 of 3 to the Nats before the All-Star break. Instead, they’ve won 7 of 10 out of the break. This team is really good, but it’s a shame we won’t be able to see them throw de Grom, Eovaldi and Gray in a playoff series. Without de Grom, they should be in the market for another starting pitcher.

Arthur (4): After a rough end to the first half, the Rangers have come out of the all-star break scorching hot, sweeping the Guardians and Rays before dropping 2 of 3 to the Dodgers. The lineup is among the best in baseball and the top of the rotation is lights-out. Adding Aroldis Chapman has stabilized a somewhat shaky bullpen, and more reinforcements are likely on the way. The Rangers are on the way to their first postseason berth since 2016, and may get even scarier at the deadline.

Shack (3): Aroldis Chapman – back? So far what a trade for this team. Rangers are bouncing back after they stumbled into the break. All they have done is take care of the Rays and Astros and this team is solidifying itself as a powerhouse in the AL.

Tyler (3): Despite a bit of a rough go losing 2 out of 3 to the Nats leading up to the All-Star break, they have come out swinging once again in the second half. That lineup is absolutely loaded. The Aroldis Chapman trade is paying big dividends for them. A little more starting pitching and this team will be poised for a deep October run.

CK (4): Yeah, they unfortunately dropped 2 games of the series against the Dodgers, and gave up a ton of runs in the process, but I wouldn’t be too worried about this team. Aroldis Chapman has returned to form, hitting 103 on a pitch the other day, and the offense is still firing. The Rangers currently have a three game advantage on the Astros, and this week’s three game tilt against them will have huge implications on the standings. If Texas can take the series in Houston, they’ll be in great position to crack the top 3 of anyone’s power rankings.

5. Tampa Bay Rays (61-42)

Last Week Record: 3-7

Last Week Ranking: 2 (-3)

Monty (6): The Rays are struggling and now sit two full games behind the Orioles in the AL East. Going 1-6 at home vs Texas and Baltimore is worrying, but righting the ship immediately this week could make us forget.

Danny (5): This is very reminiscent of the Yankees last year. The Rays, much like the Yankees, started incredibly hot and then cooled off. The Yankees never gave up their division lead, but the Rays have. They’re still a very good team, but they could really use another bat and a starter at the deadline.

Arthur (5): This is still a very good team, and in my opinion, the best team in the American League. They have struggled in July, but much of that is due to injuries to the pitching staff and a bit of a slump offensively. Adding a bat and a front-line starter at the deadline is what they need to get back into form and catch the Orioles for the division lead. Maybe there is a player out in Anaheim that may solve these problems.

Shack (5): I had a hard time putting this team at 5 but I am going with their overall work instead of this brutal stretch. Rays will turn it around but right now this team is not playing good ball.

Tyler (4): Despite their recent struggles and playing .500 ball in the last couple of months, the Rays are still a very good baseball team. This regression felt a little inevitable after their absolutely torrid start in which they essentially lapped baseball in wins for the first month of the season. They’re talented but a little inconsistent. I still see them possibly winning the division if not locking up AL WC1.

CK (5): After one of the hottest starts in baseball history, Tampa has come back down to Earth. While it’s nice to see Shane McClanahan back, their rotation is going to sorely miss some other pieces that have gone down this year, and the deadline is going to dictate a significant amount of how far this team goes in the postseason. The team is only 4-14 in July, and dropping a big series to the Orioles smells of trouble. Getting back on track this week with series against Miami and Houston is vital.

6. Houston Astros (57-44)

Last Week Record: 7-3

Last Week Ranking: 5 (-1)

Monty (5): It’s a credit to the Rangers that the Astros went 7-3 out of the break and didn’t gain ground in the AL West. Houston is still 2 games back of their in-state rivals ahead of a huge series with the Rangers this week.

Danny (6): They’ve been banged up all year, yet they’re going to give the rest of the AL fits come playoff time. With no Luis Garcia and no Lance McCullers Jr. they’ll need to add some pitching at the deadline.

Arthur (6): As expected, the Astros are back to their usual selves, even without Yordan Alvarez and Jose Altuve. Chas McCormick has had an insane month of July and the rest of the lineup is hitting well too. The big issue with the Astros is the rotation. Framber Valdez cannot carry the team on his own and the injuries have been piling up. If they want to catch the Rangers and win the AL West, they will have to add a starting pitcher or two.

Shack (7):  They are human, they are finally showing that their injuries are impacting them. But once this team gets healthy they will return to their juggernaut status.

Tyler (6): The AL version of the Dodgers. Again, doesn’t matter how much the team appears to be regressing roster-wise, the Astros will always be there to haunt the rest of the league. Even though the Rangers might beat them out for their 6th straight full-season division win, absolutely never count out this team. It would be the least shocking thing ever to see them in the ALCS and the WS once again.

CK (6): Of course, they’re still hanging around. After a slow start to the season, the Astros are returning to form, sitting three games out from the division lead and facing a huge opportunity to gain ground on the Rangers in this week’s series. Houston is 12-7 this July, but is 4-3 at home versus 8-4 on the road, meaning that they must step up to progress before the trade deadline.

7. Milwaukee Brewers (56-45)

Last Week Record: 7-3

Last Week Ranking: 11 (+4)

Monty (7): The Brewers went on the road to Cincy and Philly out of the break and won both series before losing a hard luck home series to the best team in baseball in the Atlanta Braves. They’re the heavy favorite to win the NL Central, but the pesky Reds just won’t seem to go away.

Danny (7): They took care of business last week against the Reds and are going to need to do it again this week to hang onto the NL Central lead. They’re 9-2 against the Reds so far this year.

Arthur (7): The Brewers have been playing well out of the break, sweeping the Reds and taking 2 of 3 from the Phillies, before dropping a series at home against the Braves. They have a pivotal series at home against the Reds coming up this week and then a trip to Atlanta before an easier stretch of games. If the Brewers want to win the division, then they will need to add a bat at the deadline. If they don’t, then the Reds may run away from them.

Shack (6):  I thought they would be deadline sellers but they are taking advantage of a weak division and with Yelich resurging this team is looking like they will be playing October ball yet again and they sent a message that this is their division with back to back series wins against the Reds.

Tyler (7): 7-3 in their last 10 and have been resurgent in taking advantage of their joke of a division. Brewers have similar issues in the past in that their lineup is very spotty, but Christian Yelich is starting to look like himself again which is a major boost to that team. You can also never count out that lockdown pitching which is some of the best in baseball.

CK (7): Milwaukee has been taking care of business as of late, sweeping the Reds last weekend and coming up big against the Phillies before narrowly dropping a rubber match against the Braves this past weekend. Although questions still remain about this team’s sustainability, many pieces are working, and I’ve enjoyed seeing Christian Yelich have his best season since 2018 and 2019. I thought the Brewers would sell at the deadline, but perhaps maybe not. Another series against Cincinnati is here, and it will do a lot to dictate the team’s direction come the deadline.

8. Cincinnati Reds (55-47)

Last Week Record: 5-6

Last Week Ranking: 8 (-)

Monty (9): The Reds looked set to collapse coming out of the All Star Break after being swept at home by the Brewers and dropping the first two games of their series with the Giants. The Redlegs had won 5 in a row before losing to the Brewers last night, including a dominant sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks over the weekend. Reds starting pitching has given them 7 quality starts since the break.

Danny (8): See my previous comment about the Brewers. The Reds’ series against the Brewers this week is their final head to head series of the year. On paper, the Brewers are probably the better team, but you just can’t help but root for the Reds. They’re this year’s Orioles.

Arthur (10): Prior to their sweep of the Diamondbacks this past weekend, the Reds went 2-5 out of the break, including a sweep at the hands of the Brewers. Their rotation, outside of Andrew Abbott, is awful and the bullpen isn’t much better. There is no way they can sustain the success they have been having with such a terrible pitching staff, so they will need to add at least one starter at the deadline if they want to keep up with the Brewers. Speaking of the Brewers, they have a huge series this week that could have massive implications on the standings.

Shack (10): Reds pitching was on POINT this week, unfortunately for them they couldn’t hit water if they jumped out of a boat and they scored like 5 runs against the Brewers. But this young team showed grit and bounced back really well to end the week.

Tyler (8): After falling back down to Earth a little bit, the Reds are back and had won 5 straight before last night’s loss. They’re one of the most fun teams to watch in baseball with their surplus of young talent arriving to the big leagues. They remind me a lot of last year’s Orioles in that even if this year they fall a little short and don’t make October, they are COMING and will be a force in the NL sooner rather than later.

CK (9): After an incredible June, Cincinnati seemed to be coming back down to Earth, especially after being swept by the Brewers last weekend and losing standing in the NL Central. Yet somehow, just like how Elly De La Cruz brought about their first hot streak, it seems that calling up Christian Encarnacion-Strand is bringing more morale to the team. They’d won five straight, getting two on the Giants after dropping the first three of a five game series, and sweeping Arizona. That streak was snapped Monday night in Milwaukee. Another massive series against the Brewers is going to mean a lot – I fully expect the winner of it to buy at the deadline and the loser to consider selling pieces off.

9. Minnesota Twins (54-48)

Last Week Record: 9-2

Last Week Ranking: Unranked (+7)

Monty (10): The Twins have quietly come out of the break on fire, going 9-2 and building three game lead over the Guardians in the AL Central.

Danny (11): At just 53-48, here is your AL Central leader. All jokes aside though, they’re 8-2 in their last 10 games and they play 15 of their next 23 games against teams below .500.

Arthur (8): With two series sweeps and a split out of the break, the Twins have extended their division lead to 4 games over the Guardians. Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton are severely underperforming, so adding a right-handed bat at the deadline, one that can actually hit the ball, will bolster what is currently an average lineup, and the worst one in the majors against left-handed pitchers. If they get another bat and someone stops underperforming, they could make some noise in the playoffs behind a good rotation and bullpen.

Shack (8): 8-2 in their last 10 gets me respecting them as they are red hot at the perfect time.

Tyler (11): Even though they’re taking advantage of their awful division, they’re playing good baseball winning 9 of their last 11 and have a cupcake schedule coming up. If Carlos Correa can start playing like himself again, they should be taken seriously.

CK (8): Baseball’s most mediocre division leader is starting to look not so mediocre. The Twins have won eight of their last ten and their last three, sweeping the lowly White Sox and splitting a series with Seattle. For those doubting the streak because of the quality of teams, I should probably remind them that the Giants just got swept by the Nationals. Winning matters, regardless of who gets beaten. I hope that the Twins can continue to stay hot, even with Byron Buxton headed to the paternity list for a few days.

10. Toronto Blue Jays (56-45)

Last Week Record: 6-4

Last Week Ranking: 9 (-1)

Monty (9): The Blue Jays went 6-4 since our last power rankings and remain in the thick of the Wild Card race. They stumbled a bit losing back to back series to San Diego and,, but sweeping the Diamondbacks to start the second half keeps them above .500 for the week.

Danny (9): It’s been the same story for this team this year as it was last year. They’re a playoff team, but when you look at this team from top to bottom, shouldn’t they be near the top of the AL? The schedule doesn’t really soften until the beginning of September, so it will be interesting to see how things unfold for the Blue Jays heading into the home stretch.

Arthur (13): The Blue Jays have a very talented roster, but have been very up and down throughout the season. Kevin Gausman and Jose Berrios have been solid in the rotation, Hyun-Jin Ryu is coming back from Tommy John and Alek Manoah isn’t hot garbage anymore (still don’t know what the issue was). The lineup is full of talent, though that talent doesn’t always perform to expectations. They need a little bit of everything at the deadline, so if they add, don’t count them out.

Shack (11): I don’t know what it is but I just do not believe in this team. They got outplayed against the Padres at home and then sweep the D-Backs, I do not know what to make of this team and for that I have them lower than most.

Tyler (9): Even though it ended in a series loss, they just played an electric 3 game set in Seattle. The Jays are young, they mash, and they’re scary. Alek Manoah is starting to look like himself again after having an abysmal case of the yips earlier in the year. A strong deadline could make them a serious threat.

CK (10):I have no idea what to think of this team. One week they look like a contender, the next like they were thrown onto the garbage pile, and back and forth between the two. Toronto has gone 6-4 since the All-Star Break, and they have dropped back to back series against San Diego and Seattle. Not much has moved for them in the Wild Card chase either, where they sit 2.5 games ahead of Boston and New York for the final AL spot.

11. Boston Red Sox (53-47)

Last Week Record: 5-4

Last Week Ranking: 15 (+4)

Monty (12): The Red Sox have passed the Yankees and are now just two games behind Toronto for a Wild Card spot.

Danny (10): They’re 12-5 in July, but they’ve been streaky all year. They’ve had four 4+ game losing streaks so far this year and four 4+ game winning streaks so far this year. They’re a weird team, and if they’re going to make a playoff run they could use a starter like Lucas Giolito and another bat (preferably a middle infielder).

Arthur (9): A 12-5 July has turned the Red Sox from potential sellers to buyers. Fueled by a high-powered offense, the Red Sox have made their way right into the thick of the race for a wild card spot. The pitching isn’t great and that has been their main issue this season, so adding a couple of pitchers at the deadline should keep them solidly in the thick of the playoff race.

Shack (12): THE HOTTEST TEAM IN BALL!!! Best record in baseball in July, the funniest team in baseball keeps doing funny things. This team will win 8 straight and then turn around and lose 7 straight. They are clicking now (did lose a series to Oakland) but they bounced back and took care of the Mets. And Yoshida is probably going to be the AL ROY so they get a boost for me this week.

Tyler (10): They’ve been playing strong baseball for a good while now. If they weren’t in an absolutely stacked division they’d be getting more attention. This is a noticeably more solid team than they had last year.

CK (12): Boston is maddening. This team cannot string together wins, but looked pretty good this weekend against the Mets (just ignore the series loss to the ATHLETICS). The Red Sox have been 5-4 since the break, so I’m not sure what to say yet. They’re 2 games out of a wild card spot, but the best we can do is just wait to see what this team does next. Because, honestly, nobody is quite sure.

12. Philadelphia Phillies (53-47)

Last Week Record: 5-6

Last Week Ranking: 13 (+1)

Monty (11): The Phillies have been treading water out of the break, which is more than what can be said for some of the teams on this list. Losing back to back series to Milwaukee and Cleveland is still frustrating, however.

Danny (12): This is where it gets messy. The NL wild card currently has 5 teams separated by half a game. None of them are playing well right now except for the Reds who had previously won 5 straight. On paper, the Phillies should have an edge over all of these teams. They face a tough test to start the week with the Orioles coming to town.

Arthur (14): This is where the rankings get a bit murky. There are a few teams that are just average and could all be ranked around the same spot. The Phillies are confusing. On paper, this team should be one of the better teams in the National League, but they are just average. There is a lot of talent at the top of the lineup, but it has woefully underperformed. The bottom of the lineup is straight-up bad. There has not been much power from anyone, something that will really hurt them if it isn’t addressed. Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola have been just okay and the rest of the rotation isn’t that good. The bullpen is missing the presence of Jose Alvarado, though it hasn’t been that bad. Due to the state of the National League, there is a decent chance that they could steal a wild card, but this team just isn’t that great.

Shack (9): This is probably a generous ranking for the week but they had a dominating series victory over the Padres and then turned around and had an embarrassing and frustrating series against Brewers and Guardians. This team is just weird but I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt.

Tyler (12): After being hot recently, the Phillies have been playing .500 ball. They just lost a series to the light-hitting Guardians. They’ll be really interesting to watch and their season can go one way or another, but a lot of it hinges on Trea Turner remembering how to play baseball and Bryce Harper’s power fully returning post-TJ.

CK (11): Finally, the Phillies stopped messing around. Wait. Did they? Didn’t they just drop series to the Brewers and Guardians this week? What’s their record since the break? 5-6? Oh brother. Pitching looks shaky, and a big win in extras on Sunday prevented them from getting swept. But hey, Bryce looks pretty good at first base.

13. Arizona Diamondbacks (54-47)

Last Week Record: 2-8

Last Week Ranking: T-6 (-7)

Monty (15): The Diamondbacks are plummeting back to earth, despite phenom Corbin Carroll’s continued production. They were swept in Toronto and Cincinnati, but somehow managed a thrilling series win in Atlanta.

Danny (13): They currently hold one of the NL Wild Card spots, but if they don’t get some pitching help behind Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly that probably won’t last long. They’re 2-8 since the All-Star break, but the schedule isn’t all that scary until they get to the end of August. It feels like between the Phillies, Diamondbacks, Giants and Marlins these teams are just begging for the Padres to heat up and catch one of them.

Arthur (11): They have really struggled in July with a 5-12 record. The injuries have piled up on the pitching side, with Zac Gallen now being the only reliable starter that is healthy. The bullpen has struggled to hold leads and the offense hasn’t been able to keep up. The division may be a longshot now, but if the Diamondbacks add pitching help at the deadline, they will still be in play for a wild card.

Shack (13): Out of the surprise teams this year (i.e., Reds, Diamondbacks and Giants) I did not think the Diamondbacks would be one of them to fall off. But, they are starting to slip. This week before the deadline will be absolutely crucial to them going forward and it will be fascinating to see what they do to stay afloat in a crowded NL Wild Card field and a tough NL West with the Padres heating up and the Dodgers being the Dodgers.

Tyler (13):I still believe in them but they’re starting to fall off a bit. They’re very similar to the Reds and last year’s Orioles in that even though right now might not be their time, next year absolutely will be.

CK (13): OOF. Arizona is falling hard and fast. 2-8 in their last ten and on a 4 game losing streak. Somehow, in the middle of getting swept by Toronto and Cincinnati, this team managed to win a series against the Braves, and ON THE ROAD at that. Yet, here we are. They got swept by the Mets too before the break. The pitching aside from Zac Gallen has been atrocious as of late, but the offense doesn’t seem to be helping much either aside from that one monster game last Tuesday (the 16-13 win in Atlanta).

14. San Francisco Giants (54-47)

Last Week Record: 5-6

Last Week Ranking: 12 (-2)

Monty (13): The Giants have had a roller coaster of a time since the break, winning their first five games before dropping the next five, which included being swept by the Washington Nationals.

Danny (15): I know, they just got swept by the Nats, but I still think they’re a better team than the Marlins are right now and the Marlins play the toughest schedule down the stretch. They need to add a bat and a starter at the deadline though if they’re going to grab one of the Wild Card spots.

Arthur (12): Yes, they were just swept by the 2023 Washington Nationals, but they are still a good team. The lineup finds ways to score runs, even without household names contributing to the offense. Camilo Doval and Taylor Rogers lead a strong bullpen and the rotation is good when healthy, though that has been an issue throughout the season. Adding another bat and a starter at the deadline will keep the Giants in the thick of the wild card race.

Shack (unranked-Marlins were his pick at 14):  Man, the Marlins are starting to regress to the mean, 2-8 in their last 10 and this month has not been kind to them. Even with those struggles, they are only half a game back of a wild card spot and are still looking like buyers at the deadline.

Tyler (unranked-Marlins were his pick at 14):This fall-off was the most predictable. Even though they are objectively a much improved team from last year and the Luis Arraez trade is working wonders for them, the Marlins were playing way over their heads for a while now and it was bound to start catching up to them. They do have an incredible amount of solid young pitching, but they still have some work to be done before they’re a serious October threat. Will be interesting to see their approach at the deadline.

CK (unranked-Angels were his pick at 15): I cannot in good conscience put the Marlins or Giants here. The former is regressing to the mean hard, and the other has lost six in a row and just got swept by the Nationals. So, let’s give Anaheim a little something to cheer about before Ohtani leaves forever next week. The Angels are barely hovering above .500 like they have been all season, but sweeping the Yankees and getting a series win over the Pirates has to mean something when you still have an outside shot at the Wild Card, right? Right?

15. New York Yankees (53-47)

Last Week Record: 4-5

Last Week Ranking: 14 (-1)

Monty (15): A sweep of the Royals over this past weekend makes them look a little better than they are after series losses to the Rockies and Angels on the road.

Danny (14): They really need Aaron Judge back and they really need to add a couple of bats at the deadline. If both of those things happen, then I think it’s likely that they grab one of the AL Wild Card spots. Their lineup has been abysmal though and Gerrit Cole can only carry them so far.

Arthur (unranked-Angels were his pick at 15): The Angels are here because neither the Yankees nor the Marlins deserve it (told you the Marlins would heavily regress). Shohei Ohtani has been a one-man show for much of the season, especially with the injury to Mike Trout. They are above .500 and in the thick of the wild card race. They’ve played well out of the break, but this next week and a half will decide a lot. If they play well, they will likely add and keep Ohtani, but if not, the trade deadline will get a lot more interesting.

Shack (unranked-Angels were his pick at 15): Putting them here because I refuse to acknowledge the Giants and I think the Yankees being awful for their standards is also really funny so I won’t rank them. But hey! They’re above .500 go Angels! Go Ohtani!

Tyler (15): They did what they were supposed to do and swept the Royals this weekend, go them! But this team right now is just the best of the high-payroll disappointments this season between them, the Padres, and the Mets. They need Aaron Judge back in the worst way, because that offense is POOPY without him

CK (14): The New York media would have you believe this is the worst Yankees team since the mid-1980s. Everything is abysmal, nothing works, Judge is still out, Cole is the only good pitcher aside from one miracle German performance (pretty sure he was drenched in sticky stuff anyway), and Carlos Rodon blew a kiss to the crowd after blowing a start. Everything in the Bronx is a disaster! Well, sort of. The Yankees just got a much needed sweep of the Royals, are 53-47, and sit all of two games out of the Wild Card. These fans are so spoiled.