MLB Power Rankings, Award Tracker: Shohei Ohtani might run away with MVP

Each week, The California Post will power rank MLB’s 30 teams and check in on one intriguing awards race. Here is this week’s edition (records through Thursday night):

1) Braves (45-23*)

Ronald Acuña Jr. is back on the injured list, but the Braves keep on rolling with the best record in the majors. So far this year, Acuña hasn’t even been Atlanta’s best outfielder. Instead, it’s Michael Harris II, who is hitting over .300 with 13 home runs. (Last week: 1st)

2) Dodgers (43-25*)

The Dodgers have cooled off recently thanks to some repeated bullpen scuffles. But they still have the best record in the majors over the last month, a distant lead in the National League West and a 99.9% chance of making the playoffs. Wake us when October arrives. (Last week: 2nd)

3) Yankees (31-26)

So far, so good for the Bombers in the wake of Aaron Judge’s injury. Despite losing their MVP slugger for the foreseeable future, the Yankees have won four straight games and moved back into a tie for first place in the AL East. (Last week: 3rd)

4) Brewers (41-25)

The Brewers just went 4-2 on perhaps the most hitter-friendly road trip in MLB history, going to mile-high Coors Field and the launching pad that is Las Vegas Ballpark to face the A’s. Fittingly, they averaged 8.5 runs per game over the course of the week. (Last week: 4th)

5) Phillies (37-31)

Where would the Phillies be now without Kyle Schwarber? After his flirtation with other clubs as a free agent this winter, the veteran slugger is leading the majors in home runs and slugging percentage, on pace for a career-high 57 homers. It has been key to the Phillies’ 29-13 turnaround since late April. (Last week: 5th)

6) Rays (36-23)

Nothing like playing the Red Sox to get your season back on track. After losing 10 of 13 games, the Rays swept Boston behind more stellar pitching from Nick Martinez (6-2, 2.43 ERA) and Drew Rasmussen (6-2, 2.71 ERA). They are quickly becoming the Rays’ latest pitching success stories. (Last week: 6th)

7) Cardinals (37-29*)

Remember Dustin May? After two disastrous season-opening starts from the former Dodgers right-hander, he has been one of the better pitchers in the majors ever since, lowering his ERA to 2.89 since April 10 with six scoreless innings against the Mets this week as part of the Cardinals’ recent six-game winning streak. (Last week: 9th)

8) Mariners (36-33*)

The Mariners have not exactly been on fire lately, slipping back to effectively .500 ball since an eight-game winning streak a couple weeks ago. But in the abysmal AL West, that has been enough to maintain first place. (Last week: 8th)

9) White Sox (36-31*)

The White Sox have been a feel-good story all year. But now, they might just be a playoff contender, too. With a series win over the Braves this week — highlighted by a walk-off home run from debuting prospect Braden Montgomery — they are in first place in the AL Central. (Last week: 14th)

10) Guardians (37-33)

We’ve been on #RegressionToTheMean watch with the Guardians for a while. It’s finally starting to happen. Cleveland is 3-8 since May 30, as their bottom-10-ranked scoring offense starts to catch up with them. (Last week: 7th)

11) Cubs (35-34)

Things are not getting better on the North Side, where memories of the Cubs’ two early-season 10-game winning streaks are now quickly disappearing. A big part of the problem: Marquee offseason signing Alex Bregman, who has a sub-.700 OPS and was highly critical of himself this week. (Last week: 10th)

12) Pirates (35-33*)

Even on the eve of a start against the two-time defending champion Dodgers, superstar pitcher Paul Skenes stopped by a local Little League practice this week … just because he was driving by and saw it. Too bad he wasn’t rewarded with better karma by his bullpen, which followed his six-inning, two-run start by giving up a 10-spot in the very next inning. (Last week: 11th)

13) Diamondbacks (34-34)

A lot of deja vu recently in Arizona, where the once-streaking Dbacks have gone winless in four straight series –– and reportedly have more frustrations with Ketel Marte, even as manager Torey Lovullo has tried to quash such narratives. (Last week: 12th)

14) Padres (35-32)

Manny Machado went on a rant about advanced analytics being unnecessary this week. And hey, maybe he’s right. After all, batting average alone says plenty about his season, with his .172 mark ranking dead last among MLB’s 157 qualified hitters; and that of the Padres’ offense, which also remains last as a team at .218. (Last week: 13th)

15) Blue Jays (33-36)

Dylan Cease is back from the injured list. So, too, is Max Scherzer, who recorded his 3,500th career strikeout. And, last week’s six-run clunker aside, Trey Yesavage is picking up where he left off last season. All that and the Blue Jays remain stuck in the mud. (Last week: 16th)

16) Athletics (33-35)

Some early gambling advice for when the A’s move to Las Vegas in a few years: Take the overs. As this week’s 29-run showcase game displayed, the desert heat and altitude will not be kind to fly-ball pitchers. (Last week: 17th)

17) Nationals (35-34)

Juuust when we were starting to get curious about the Nationals’ staying power this year, they blew an eight-run, eighth-inning lead to the Giants. For as good as their top-ranked scoring offense has been, their bottom-six-ranked bullpen is an equally large concern. (Last week: 18th)

18) Rangers (33-34*)

With Brandon Nimmo crashing back down to Earth after his hot start, a declaration: Maybe no one won the Mets-Rangers Nimmo-Marcus Semien trade. (Last week: 19th)

19) Marlins (34-35)

The Marlins are hot, winners of six straight and eight of nine since the start of June. They also might have found their secret weapon: When wearing Teal throwback jerseys on Sundays, they are 5-1 this year. Bring them back! (Last week: 25th)

20) Reds (32-35)

Time for some course correction with the mightily slumping Reds, who (with a 12-24 record since the start of May) we’ve had ranked far too high for far too long. (Last week: 15th)

21) Orioles (32-37*)

As if this Orioles season couldn’t have been more frustrating, now there’s tension brewing over the way the club has handled young star catcher Samuel Basallo as he’s played through a recent wrist injury. (Last week: 20th)

22) Astros (31-39)

After winning back-to-back series for the first time all year late last month, the Astros have fallen off again — including losing two of three to the Angels this week. The future, this season and beyond, is looking dim. (Last week: 21st)

23) Mets (30-38)

The latest entry into the Mets’ disaster season: back-to-back seven-run losses to the Cardinals at home this week. The Knicks will only be able to distract from their ineptitude for so much longer. (Last week: 22nd)

24) Red Sox (27-39)

Hot take: Craig Breslow is actually having the best season of any GM in baseball. After all, what’s more impressive than building one of the most disappointing Red Sox teams of this century and still reportedly not being under any job security threat? (Last week: 23rd)

25) Twins (31-39)

Amid another lost season in Minnesota, it might be time for Byron Buxton — on pace for a career-best season with 20 home runs already — to consider waiving his no-trade clause at the deadline. (Last week: 24th)

26) Royals (28-40)

Somehow, Seth Lugo avoided any serious injury after taking a 106.6 mph comebacker off his head. The welt looked like it hurt. Then again, this Royals season continues to provide its own level of pain. (Last week: 26th)

27) Giants (28-41)

The quote of the week belongs Giants rookie Bryce Eldridge, who after hitting a walk-off grand slam in the team’s stunning eight-run rally against the Nationals proclaimed his desire to become “the face of the franchise.” Too bad none of the team’s nine-figure superstars have taken up that mantle. (Last week: 27th)

28) Tigers (29-40)

Tarik Skubal is returning from his elbow surgery this weekend. Just in time for trade deadline season — but probably too late to save the Tigers’ campaign. (Last week: 28th)

29) Rockies (26-42*)

A tip of the cap to Kyle Freeland, who has set a Rockies club record for career innings pitched this week. That is a distinction few pitchers would probably enjoy having. (Last week: 29th)

30) Angels (27-42)

There was a viral post on X this week that Mr. Beast might have interest in buying the Angels. The real question isn’t whether it’s true — but rather, would it really be worse than Arte Moreno? (Last week: 30th)

Award Tracker: National League MVP

1) Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers (.299 average, 12 HR, 39 RBIs, .940 OPS; 6-2 pitching record, 1.06 ERA, 67 ⅔ innings, 0.84 WHIP)

The race here is for second place, as only an injury can stop Ohtani from claiming his fifth MVP award. Ohtani can conceivably lead the league in batting average, OPS and ERA. 

2) Jordan Walker, Cardinals (.303, 17 HRs, 56 RBIs, .850 OPS)

The Cardinals hold the first of three wild-card spots in the NL, and Walker’s development is a major reason. Second in the league to the Dodgers’ Andy Pages in RBIs, Walker has also performed well defensively in right field.

3) Kyle Schwarber, Phillies (.239, 24 HRs, 42 RBIs, .933 OPS)

Once again leading the NL in homers, Schwarber is on pace to hit 57 long balls, which would be one more than he hit last year. Considering what Ohtani is doing, Schwarber could hit 65 and he might not win this prize.

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