2024 MLB Power Rankings: Week 5

The final week of April is upon us and as we close out the first month (and change) of the baseball season, it's becoming pretty clear which teams are actually pretty good (or bad) and not just off to a hot (or cold) start. Of course, the more games that teams play, the more reliable the sample size becomes, but my job is to continue to evaluate each team every week and adjust the pecking order accordingly.

It's time to refresh our weekly power rankings. Remember, I will be factoring in past performance, the current level of performance, overall talent, and preseason expectations into the rankings - though it's time to start letting go of expectations and focusing on what each team is doing on the field so far.

We have quite a bit of movement this week, mainly among teams in the middle of the pack. Here are your Week 5 MLB Power Rankings!

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Is It September Yet?

30. Chicago White Sox (3-21)

Last Week's Ranking (30)

Things are bleak for the White Sox right now as their -82 run differential is 25 runs worse than the 29th-ranked team (Colorado). If you are playing DFS, we are using pitchers against this White Sox lineup daily with success as they continue to hit very little and strike out quite a lot. Even the optimism around young starter Garrett Crochet has waned as he's been hit hard in his last three starts.

29. Miami Marlins (6-20)

Last Week's Ranking (29)

The Marlins managed a split of a four-game series with Chicago over the weekend but were just dominated by Atlanta in a three-game series where they scored just three runs total. The offense continues to be abysmal with the exception of Bryan De La Cruz who hit a bunch of dingers last week.

Bryan De La Cruz - Miami Marlins (5) pic.twitter.com/lMq987DW7v

— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) April 20, 2024

I don't think anyone thought Miami would be this bad, even a pretty decent starting rotation isn't likely to save them this season with their offensive woes.

28. Colorado Rockies (6-19)

Last Week's Ranking (28)

The Rockies are every bit as bad as Miami and even have a worse run differential at -57. So I am flipping a coin here with the 28 and 29 slots. Colorado has one less loss but has looked every bit as bad in the first month. Ryan Feltner is the only starting pitcher who has flashed any upside and the Colorado bats continue to be relatively quiet. Will Nolan Jones ever break out of the funk that he's in to start the season?

27. Oakland Athletics (9-16)

Last Week's Ranking (27)

Oakland went 1-5 since our last edition of the power rankings, with the lone win coming against the Yankees on the strength of a strong start from J.P. Sears (former Yankee). They continue to struggle on offense, scoring just 71 runs so far this season which is second to last in all of baseball (you guessed it, the White Sox are dead last).

At Least We're Not "That Bad"

26. St. Louis Cardinals (11-14)

Last Week's Ranking (23)

The Cardinals were swept by the Brewers over the weekend but managed to win two of three against the Diamondbacks. They also lost 14-1 to Arizona in the other game in that series. This team should be better than this, but they're not. They finally demoted Jordan Walker to Triple-A after his rough start but there's no one waiting in the minors in terms of hitters to help out this mediocre offense. And the pitching staff has been...well, pretty much what we expected with Sonny Gray being the lone bright spot in a group of retreads where Steven Matz is the youngest guy at age 32.

25. Houston Astros (7-18)

Last Week's Ranking (20)

How far can the Astros fall? I finally bumped them down considerably after another brutal week where they won just one game. This team is easily the most underachieving group in the major leagues right now as they have a lot of talented hitters and pitchers. Justin Verlander is back, which should help steady the rotation but the bullpen has been roughed up often and the offense can't seem to break out of an early-season funk.

The Houston Astros Are 1-7 In Their Last 8 Games #Relentless pic.twitter.com/MGJm7zTGXQ

— Astros Muse (@StrosMuse_) April 25, 2024

24. Washington Nationals (10-13)

Last Week's Ranking (26)

I have to bump up the Nats this week. They got waxed 11-2 last night, but took two of three from the Dodgers last week and from Houston over the weekend. They are playing with house money a bit as expectations were low, but they're competing on a nightly basis and are fun to watch.

On Base Percentage Leaders in MLB:
1. Mookie Betts, LAD, 0.458
2. Juan Soto, NYY, 0.432
3. Shohei Ohtani, LAD, 0.43
4. Jesse Winker, WSN, 0.425
5. Jose Altuve, HOU, 0.422
5. William Contreras, MIL, 0.422
7. Willson Contreras, STL, 0.418
8. Freddie Freeman, LAD, 0.414

— Finesse_Stats (@Finesse_Stats) April 24, 2024

Jesse Winker is having a bounceback year at the plate and Luis Garcia Jr. is hitting everything he sees. It's a scrappy lineup that is going to give good teams fits at times this season.

23. Los Angeles Angels (10-15)

Last Week's Ranking (22)

The Angels were flirting with .500 for a bit, but have dropped six of their last seven games. I had some high hopes for Griffin Canning, but he's sporting a 7.50 ERA through his first five starts. Jose Soriano has been a nice surprise since entering the rotation, but I don't have much faith in any Angels pitchers this season outside Reid Detmers (who really hasn't put it all together for a full season yet).

22. Minnesota Twins (10-13)

Last Week's Ranking (21)

The Twins are an outlier here - or at least they hope they are. I was excited about this team to start the year, but they've been so inconsistent on offense that it has negated their good pitching. Joe Ryan was great again last night and as long the Twinkies can muster some offense, they're probably going to right the ship, but until then they have to spend some time down here with the bad teams.

21. San Francisco Giants (12-14)

Last Week's Ranking (25)

Sure, the Giants are just two games under .500 but they are -20 in run differential and just sent Blake Snell to the IL. Logan Webb continues to look like an ace, allowing just one run over his last three starts and Keaton Winn has been better than expected. The rotation has been pretty solid and could eventually feature Robbie Ray and Alex Cobb once they return from injury. The Giants just have to at least tread water and avoid getting buried in the standings early.

20. Tampa Bay Rays (13-13)

Last Week's Ranking (13)

This was by far my biggest drop of this week as the Rays fall seven spots. I know they are sitting at .500, but they have easily the worst run differential (-24) of any team at .500 or better. The pitching is always going to keep them in games, but their offense has been putrid. Randy Arozerena and Jose Siri are struggling mightily and the lineup lacks any pop from the left side of the plate without either Lowe in there (both Brandon and Josh are on the IL). Pete Fairbanks is imploding as the closer and the bullpen has been rough. It just feels like this team is strapped together with band-aids right now and could fall apart at any minute.

So...Are They Good?

19. New York Mets (13-11)

Last Week's Ranking (24)

The Mets are 7-3 over their last ten games and are officially out of the basement and into the mid-tier of the rankings here. I'm really not sure that they are good, but they're definitely not bad and their +10 run differential justifies their record for the time being. I don't see them climbing much further in the future, however, as they simply don't have the firepower in the rotation or the lineup to compete with the top teams. But, hey Mets fans, at least your team doesn't suck!

18. Pittsburgh Pirates (13-12)

Last Week's Ranking (17)

The Pirates have come back to Earth, as expected, but have a legitimate shot to finish April at .500 or better and as a Pirates fan, I can tell you that is absolutely splendid compared to our expectations. The offense has really slumped lately, but the pitching continues to be good with Jared Jones looking like a Rookie of the Year candidate. All Pirates fans really want to know now is WHEN IS Paul Skenes COMING UP?

Paul Skenes had his worst start of the season today...

4.1 IP, 5 H, ER, BB, 7 K

You know you're really damn good when this is your worst start so far.#LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/1fezCo1gsz

— Eric Cross (@EricCross04) April 25, 2024

Skenes has been dominating at Triple-A and the speculation is that he is 1-2 more starts away from his MLB debut.

17. Toronto Blue Jays (13-12)

Last Week's Ranking (14)

Toronto is yet another team with a winning record but a negative run differential (-13). Jose Berrios and Yusei Kikuchi have been excellent as rotation anchors, but something looks wrong with Kevin Gausman. And other than Daulton Varsho, no one is really hitting much for this Jays team. Unless the offense gets hot, it's hard to see this team rise above the middle of the pack.

16. Seattle Mariners (12-12)

Last Week's Ranking (19)

The Mariners are still underachieving a bit, but their starting rotation is really coming around with Logan Gilbert looking fantastic, Bryce Miller looking like a breakout, and George Kirby righting the ship after a rocky start. Bryan Woo is rehabbing in the minors and should return soon to bolster an already elite staff. The Mariners' 3.33 team ERA is 7th-best in the majors, but we need to see the offense do more if they're going to be a true contender.

15. San Diego Padres (14-13)

Last Week's Ranking (12)

Not much has changed in San Diego, but I did drop them a few spots as there were some other teams worthy of being boosted. The Padres offense continues to be productive and it's their pitching that is really the bigger question mark at this point in the season.

14. Detroit Tigers (14-11)

Last Week's Ranking (18)

The Tigers are likely still overachieving, but I had to bump them up into the top half of the rankings. They are riding some great pitching (Flaherty and Skubal, especially) but still have only a +7 run differential. The Tigers took two of three from the Twins last week and won their series against Tampa, too. While they probably can't keep it up all season, at least they are battling early and keeping their fan base engaged with competitive baseball.

13. Boston Red Sox (14-11)

Last Week's Ranking (10)

Boston's ranking has fluctuated a lot. They got some more bad news this week with Brayan Bello heading to the IL and their pitching had been really solid through the first month. If they were totally healthy, I would probably have them up in the top 10, but I worry that they don't have the depth to deal with all these crucial early-season injuries.

Contenders, Maybe?

12. Kansas City Royals (15-10)

Last Week's Ranking (15)

How 'bout them Royals? They're getting it done with some really solid pitching as the Royals have the 5th best team ERA at 3.16. There is nothing fluky here with this record as KC has a solid +38 run differential.

#Royals Maikel Garcia - including tonight - has a hit in 5 of the last 6 games.

2 extra base hits and one HR so far
2 stolen bases (including one tonight)
2 multi-hit games

We are back! pic.twitter.com/WssZ3dbzMf

— Mike Kurland (@Mike_Kurland) April 25, 2024

The offense is pretty average but is scoring enough to back this solid rotation. The Royals are 3-2 in one-run games and 1-0 in extra innings, proving they can win close contests. I think KC just might be legit and a contender for the AL Central title.

11. Texas Rangers (13-12)

Last Week's Ranking (6)

I keep waiting for the Rangers to assert themselves as a top team in the AL, but they have yet to do so. They are +10 in run differential and 10th in wRC+ at 108, but their starting pitching is a concern. Without Max Scherzer, they lack a true ace and Nathan Eovaldi's last few starts have shown that he's not it either. Andrew Heaney and Dane Dunning are inconsistent. Jon Gray is fine. But there's no big arm here in this rotation to lay down the hammer every fifth day.

10.  Cincinnati Reds (14-10)

Last Week's Ranking (11)

I'm ready to call the Reds contenders. Nick Lodolo's return to the rotation gives them another high-end arm and their offense is finally clicking after a slow start. They have talent at every position and a true emerging superstar in Elly De La Cruz. The NL Central is surprisingly one of the strongest divisions in baseball so far, but Cincy certainly has a shot to win it with the talent they have on the mound and at the plate.

9. Arizona Diamondbacks (12-14)

Last Week's Ranking (7)

What's wild is that Arizona has the 4th-best run differential at +35, yet they continue to lose games and fall under the .500 mark. Their best hitter can't buy a hit right now (Corbin Carroll) and yet they're scoring runs in bunches. They have to figure this thing out eventually, right?

8. Milwaukee Brewers (15-8)

Last Week's Ranking (16)

How is Milwaukee doing this? One of our biggest risers this week, the Brew Crew has won 15 games despite you not knowing a single hitter in their lineup (admit it, you don't - and Christian Yelich doesn't count because he's hurt). Freddy Peralta has been lights out and the Brewers continue to score runs by singling and doubling teams to death. I think we see some regression at some point, but for now, the Brewers are the leaders in the NL Central and are playing some of the best baseball in the league.

7. Philadelphia Phillies (15-10)

Last Week's Ranking (9)

The Phillies are starting to put it together as we thought they would. They're 7-3 over their last ten games and getting some great pitching from Zach Wheeler, Ranger Suarez, and a surprising contribution from Spencer Turnbull, who is only in the rotation because of an injury to Taijuan Walker.

Spencer Turnbull has a 1.33 ERA in 5 starts. His next stop? The Phillies said no decision has been made, but it's probably the bullpen.

"Now [Taijuan Walker] has to go out and perform. We think he will. If he doesn’t, then we’ll tackle it at that time.” https://t.co/PC70YLTn1p

— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) April 25, 2024

Philly still needs to get the bats going a bit more, but their rotation is as strong as any in the National League, and should keep them in games just about every night.

6. Chicago Cubs (15-9)

Last Week's Ranking (8)

It's a bummer to see Cody Bellinger heading for the shelf as the Cubs offense has been one of the stronger units in baseball. But they have enough other bats to keep the offense rolling until Bellinger and Seiya Suzuki return. And the return of Jameson Taillon has been a big upgrade as the Cubs quickly dropped Kyle Hendricks out of the rotation. When Justin Steele gets back, this team has a really solid rotation and lineup, making them one of the favorites to win the NL Central.

Contenders, For Sure

5. New York Yankees (17-8)

Last Week's Ranking (4)

Begrudgingly, I move the Yankees into the top tier because they are tied with Cleveland and Atlanta for the most wins in the majors. Obviously, there are still some major questions surrounding this team with their rotation and lineup, but what they have done so far this season with a struggling Aaron Judge and no Gerrit Cole is simply impressive. They just keep winning and they have the type of talent to be a top-5 team all season once they're healthy and their top guys are playing up to their abilities.

4. Los Angeles Dodgers (15-11)

Last Week's Ranking (2)

I had to drop the Dodgers a few slots as they have slowed down lately. They are still really, really good and are likely to only get better the rest of the year as they get healthier. As if they needed another weapon, rookie Andy Pages has made a solid debut, hitting .259 with a pair of home runs during his first week of regular action.

3. Baltimore Orioles (16-8)

Last Week's Ranking (3)

The Orioles continue to bludgeon their opponents into submission. They've scored 136 runs, the third-most behind Atlanta and the Dodgers. This week they called up Heston Kjerstad from Triple-A as he was crushing everything he was seeing in the minors. They have more good young bats than they do spots on the diamond to put them. If Baltimore upgrades the rotation, they are going to be the clear favorite in the American League for me this season.

2. Cleveland Guardians (17-6)

Last Week's Ranking (5)

Cleveland is an improbable #2 as they have managed the best run differential (+47) in baseball despite losing their ace Shane Bieber and not having another starter (Gavin Williams) in their rotation.

That's Josh Naylor, man. ☝️#ForTheLand | @CleGuardians pic.twitter.com/ZeCe5rsiId

— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) April 21, 2024

The Guardians just have a bunch of really good hitters. Everyone knows Jose Ramirez is one of the best switch hitters in baseball, but few know just how good guys like Josh Naylor, Steven Kwan, and Andres Gimenez are. This is a fun team to watch and they're proving that they have some staying power in the top tier. A date with Atlanta this weekend will give us an even better indication of how "for real" this Cleveland team is.

1. Atlanta Braves (17-6)

Last Week's Ranking (1)

The Braves are 9-1 over their last ten games and are back in the top spot this week once again. It's a pretty big gap between them and the Dodgers right now, which is really saying something considering the Dodgers have an all-star team of their own. Anything short of a World Series appearance is going to be a disappointment in Atlanta this season and an NLCS showdown with the Dodgers feels imminent.

I'll see you next week for my newest batch of rankings - feel free to let me know what I got right and wrong!

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