MLB Power Rankings 2018 MLB Power Rankings: 30. Baltimore Orioles 47-115.


2018 MLB Power Rankings




Emily Rosario Last Updated: October 1, 2018.


  1. Baltimore Orioles 47-115

    The Baltimore Orioles went to crap once they traded Machado and Gausman. They even retained their incompetent GM and fired a solid, but not spectacular manager in Buck Showalter.



  2. Kansas City Royals 58-104

    The Kansas City Royals aren't doing anything this year. They have a solid group of batters and a semi-effective bullpen. The starting rotation is awful. The Royals even traded Mike Moustakas too.



  3. Chicago White Sox 62-100

    The Chicago White Sox need to replace Rick Renteria. Nobody is standing out as far as batting goes. Everyone in their starting rotation except for Carlos Rodon is awful. Renteria let James Shields start 20 times on the mound before the All Star Break. Chicago is another team stuck in a brutal rebuild.



  4. Miami Marlins 63-98

    The Miami Marlins made a ton of awful decisions during the 2018 Offseason like trading Stanton to the Yankees. Now they enter a brutal rebuild even though they have a lead off batter in J.T. Realmuto who has emerged as a bright spot as a catcher with a .310 batting average and 12 home runs in 2018.


    Previous Rank 25th



  5. Detroit Tigers 64-98

    Detroit isn't doing anything this year thanks to their best batter Miguel Cabrera being on the DL. This team could be really good in a few years when Casey Mize and Alex Faedo are on the Detroit Tigers. By that time Ron Gardenhire will be fired too allowing Detroit to finally show they can be a competitive team. Detroit has another top 5 pick in the 2019 MLB Draft too just like the other teams that I mentioned before Detroit.


    Previous Rank 24th


  6. San Diego Padres 66-96

    The San Diego Padres have great batters and one of the leagues best bullpens. Their starting rotation is awful with all of their starters except one having a 4.32 ERA or worse. Their one pitcher with an ERA of under 4.00 in the starting rotation is on the 40-day DL.


    Previous Rank 26th


  7. Cincinnati Reds 67-95

    The Reds have an awesome infield this season with first baseman Joey Votto, second baseman Scooter Gennett, shortstop Jose Peraza, and third baseman Eugenio Suarez. The Reds also have two future infielders in their farm system with Nick Senzel who made it to AAA and did well enough to get called up before a season ending injury and Jonathan India who they drafted out of Florida in 2018. Cincinnati also did well in the 2016 and 2017 MLB Drafts so they may have the brightest future of any NL Central squad despite being in a total rebuild at the moment. This team is better then their record indicates and once Hunter Greene gets called up, I expect the Reds to contend.


    Previous Rank 22nd


  8. Texas Rangers 67-95

    Everyone on the Rangers has a 4.36 ERA or worse. Texas traded Cole Hamels and now the Rangers are in a total rebuild once again.




  9. San Francisco Giants 73-89

    San Francisco gave up on the season when they moved Andrew McCutchen to the Yankees. They looked like they had a Window of opportunity back in July, but they decided to focus on rebuilding rather then contending.


    Previous Rank 11th


  10. Toronto Blue Jays 73-89

    With Troy Tulowitzki and Josh Donaldson both injured this taam is pretty much done. Toronto traded Osuna to the Astros and Donaldson to the Cleveland Indians. Donaldson is now healthy. Toronto has some excellent prospects in AAA and AA so they could make a moderate improvement once their batters and 2016 first round pick T.J. Zeuch get called up.


    Previous Rank 21st


  11. New York Mets 77-85

    The New York Mets have some effective pitching with Jacomb deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz, and Zach Wheeler. The Mets traded their bullpen players in contract years for prospects. The amazing thing is New York still finished with a winning record in the secondhalf 38-30 after being 39-55 when I did my preseason rankings. I feel like the New York Mets could be a sleeper next season if their batting plays like it did down the stretch.


    Previous Rank 27th


  12. Minnesota Twins 78-84

    The Minnesota Twins best pitcher Ervin Santana is injured. Minnesota needs more pitchers around Ervin Santanta. I'm more concerned about the other AL Central teams long-term then Minnesota as a threat to Cleveland.


    Previous Rank 20th



  13. Philadelphia Phillies 80-82

    The Philadelphia Phillies have two ace pitchers. They had good young batters, but they didn't sustain things and really collapsed down the stretch. Luckily for Philadelphia, they get their entire roster back next season and can use MLB Free Agency to add some more arms to put together a playoff team.


    Previous Rank 9th


  14. Los Angeles Angels Of Anaheim 80-82

    The Los Angeles Angels Of Anaheim placed their ace pitcher who anchors the starting rotation on the season ending DL. Their season is done as far as I'm concerned. I know Chris said this was a potential wild card back in the preseason, but with all the injuries they are dealing with you know this team is done. The Angels could emerge as a challenger to the Oakland Athletics next season. For some reason, I feel like Houston could start to decline.


    Previous Rank 19th


  15. Arizona Diamondbacks 82-80

    I feel like the Arizona Diamondbacks have nobody outside of Zach Greinke. You can't say that about the other two NL West teams currently behind them who could get hot in the second half.


    Previous Rank 14th



  16. Washington Nationals 82-80

    The Washington Nationals traded a lot of assets away. They also are going to lose Bryce Harper to Free Agency. I expect the Nationals to be in a total rebuild next season.


    Previous Rank 16th


  17. Pittsburgh Pirates 82-79

    Pittsburgh has strong batters, an incredible bullpen, and Jameson Taillon is finally playing like the number one starter the Pirates thought he would be when they drafted him second overall in the 2010 MLB Draft. Too bad, the rest of the starting rotation is awful. They swept the NL Central Champions so at least the Pirates got that on their resume.


    Previous Rank 17th


  18. St. Louis Cardinals 88-74

    The St. Louis Cardinals have a very strong farm system. They didn't take the next step this season like many people anticipated they would. To make matters worse, they fired their manager. I think they will end the year fourth in the NL Central unless their pitchers get healthy in the second half of the season.


    Previous Rank 18th


  19. Seattle Mariners 89-73

    The Mariners looked good early. If they didn't have so many injuries down the stretch then maybe they'd be in the hunt. I feel like the AL West is getting more competitive. I could honestly see anyone except the Rangers winning it next season.


    Previous Rank 7th


  20. Tampa Bay Rays 90-72

    Tampa Bay's starting rotation only has four starting pitchers. That's why they are not a playoff team. This team has a good future, but they are still rebuilding. It's amazing this team won 90 games this year.


    Previous Rank 15th



  21. Chicago Cubs 95-68

    Back in July, I thought the Cubs were the front runner to get to the 2018 World Series. Kyle Freeland's ERA with the Rockies is actually lower than Jon Lester's. When the Cubs won the one-game wild card against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Jake Arrieta was coming off his career season. I like Freeland and the Rockies over an anemic Cubs bullpen.


    Previous Rank 5th


  22. Oakland Athletics 97-65

    Oakland took two out of three against Cleveland and Houston. The Athletics are playing like a playoff team right now despite the fact that Cotton had season ending IR. Sean Manea is injured plus the Yankees are more experienced.


    Previous Rank 8th


  23. Colorado Rockies 91-72

    Colorado may end up winning the one-game wild card. I don't think it will be enough to beat a team like the Milwaukee Brewers.


    Previous Rank 12th


  24. New York Yankees 100-62

    Outside of Luis Severino and C.C. Sabathia, the Yankees have an awful starting rotation. They have the best core of batters in baseball, but batters don't win championships. Pitchers do. That's why the Yankees split their series with Cleveland at Progressive Field because Cleveland matches up well with New York when they are healthy. Sabathia may retire after this season too so there is a lot on the line for the Yankees to go all the way. The Yankees have a very strong bullpen despite only having two quality starters. Don't sleep on the Yankees, in October. At the same time this team won't creep up out of nowhere like last years squad. People know what the Yankees can do. I can see another ALCS Appearance, but I can't see New York in the 2018 World Series.


    Previous Rank 2nd


  25. Los Angeles Dodgers 92-71

    The Dodgers are not the same team they were last season. They needed a one game tiebreaker with the Rockies to take this Division. The Braves match up well with the Los Angeles Dodgers. I honestly feel like this is the NLCS with whoever wins this game having the advantage to go into Milwaukee and best the Brewers.




  26. Milwaukee Brewers 96-67

    Milwaukee has good batters and has done relatively well despite not having Jimmy Nelson all year. The thing is the Brewers have lost six in a row and without Nelson until September, this team feels like they will collapse.


    Previous Rank 13th


  27. Atlanta Braves 90-72

    The Atlanta Braves won the NL East. They were the only NL team that got an extra day of rest. They got young, hungry batters, but the pitching is a question mark. If they get past the Dodgers, they will have the confidence to win the NL. If they don't then we likely see last years National League Champions face the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS with Milwaukee having home field. Something about Atlanta beating Milwaukee to win the NLCS in 2018 is very fitting.


    Previous Rank 10th


  28. Houston Astros 103-59

    Houston won with their bats last season. Now they are winning with their arms and still have a grip hold on this division even with Carlos Correa's injury. The Houston Astros have to be the undisputed favorite to repeat in my mind simply due to the fact their starting rotation is so complete. Dallas Keuchel is in a contract year.


    I think the AL Champion and eventual World Series Champion will either be Boston, Houston, or Cleveland. Houston got Osuna and lowered their team chemistry in the process. Both Cleveland and Houston have the starting pitchers, but lack the bullpen. Cleveland's batters are hungrier then Houston, and I think that will show. That's why I like the Tribe over the Astros in five games.


    If Keuchel leaves in 2019, then things open up in the AL West. Right now, Houston has all of the components to repeat, but they play a team that may have their number in Cleveland along with the fact that the Tribe have done better batting this season.


    Previous Rank 1st


  29. Boston Red Sox 108-54

    This feels like 2007 all over again when Boston and Cleveland were the two best MLB teams. Boston came back from a 3-1 ALCS deficit and swept the Colorado Rockies to win the 2007 World Series. Chris is an Indians fan, and he likes Boston. The thing is, Cleveland has Terry Francona who managed the 2007 Red Sox team. Also Cleveland did win the season series 4-3 over Boston. I actually have more faith in Cleveland with their hunger, stability, and determination then Boston.


    Previous Rank 4th


  30. Cleveland Indians 91-71

    Cleveland has Corey Kluber, Trevor Bauer, Mike Clevinger, Carlos Carasco, and Shane Bieber. They have all five of those starters locked up until 2021 so they are built to compete in 2019 and 2020 if they fall short of a World Series championship in 2018. Cleveland has their batters playing like a Championship caliber team too. The problem is the bullpen sucks right now. The bullpen could be lethal in October. Andrew Miller is healthy, they added Josh Donaldson. I love Cleveland this year with these additions. Plus, Ransom even said he'd take down this Chief Wahoo logo if the Indians won the damn thing so I feel like the MLB may reward Cleveland as the Indians aim to break their 70-year drought. You can tell this team is ready and they want it more. They are getting more disrespect then any other team, and all they have to do is get hot in October and the 2018 World Series is theirs. Honestly, this looks like the most complete team on paper, but they have to win the series.


    Right now, the best case scenario for Cleveland is for them to beat the Houston Astros in the ALDS and then beat the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS. If Boston knocks out the Yankees and the Cleveland Indians dethrone Houston, I actually believe that in that scenario, the Cleveland Indians would return to the 2018 World Series and they just may finally break their 70-year drought in this scenario. Cleveland got confident at the end of the year, and Francona may help Cleveland break another Championship drought this October.


    Previous Rank 3rd








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