2017 MLB Weekly Power Rankings June Week 4

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Check out our MLB Power Rankings June Week 4! As of Sunday, June 25, the Yankees and Red Sox are statistically tied atop the NL East Division. Minnesota is a half a game ahead of Cleveland. Houston is still running away with the American League.

In the National League, the Rockies have fallen 4.5 games behind the L.A. Dodgers. Washington maintains a comfortable 9 game lead over the tough Atlanta Braves. The Chicago Cubs still haven’t taken over the top spot in the NL Central.

MLB Power Rankings June Week 4

American League MLB Power Rankings June Week 4
** All records as of June 25

1. Houston Astros 52-25
Last Week: 1

The Stros went an amazing 5-1 straight up last week. They beat Oakland in 4 straight before beating the Mariners in 2 out of 3. Houston remains the best overall team in MLB.

2. New York Yankees 40-33
Last Week: 2

Yankees could be third. Boston could be second. It depends on which side you’re on. Right now, I’m on the side of consistency. Until Boston officially takes over New York in the AL East, I’m with the Yankees.

3. Boston Red Sox 41-34
Last Week: 3

Boston has lost 4 of their last 6. KC beat them in 2 out of 3. The Angels beat them in 2 out of 3. Kansas City has been hot. I understand the losses to the Royals. But…the Angels? Boston is supposed to be better than LAA.

4. Cleveland Indians 39-35
Last Week: 4

Yes, Minnesota is a half-game ahead of Cleveland as of Sunday, June 25. A half a game is nothing. I think this week the Tribe takes back the lead in the AL Central.

5. Minnesota Twins 39-34
Last Week: 5

So, Ervin Santana allows 11 earned runs in his last 2, but, somehow, holds the Tribe to 0 earned runs over the weekend? If Minnesota wants to beat Cleveland in the AL Central, they must make sure that Ervin is available to pitch…when they play Cleveland.

6. Tampa Bay Rays 40-38
Last Week: 7

Wouldn’t it be something if Tampa Bay took over in the AL East? The Rays are only 2.5 games behind the Red Sox and Yankees. And, that’s after losing 2 out of 3 to Baltimore over the weekend.

7. Texas Rangers 38-37
Last Week: 6

Many times, pitchers from Japan start to lose it after a couple of seasons. They have a tough time switching it up versus MLB hitters. Not Yu Darvish. The Texas ace shut out the Yankees on June 23. He pitched 7 innings, struck out 10, and allowed only 2 hits. When Darvish is on, he’s as good as any in the AL.

8. L.A. Angels 40-39
Last Week: 9

The Angels are a game above .500. Bad? Good? I’m going with good because Mike Trout is still on the DL.

9. Kansas City Royals 37-37
Last Week: 12

For the past few years I’ve felt that KC manager Ned Yost didn’t know what he was doing. Heck, I may have written choice words for Yost in these power rankings. Not anymore. Kansas City is as hot as any team in the AL. Jason Vargas is on his way to a Cy Young. The Royals are 7-3 straight up in their last 10.
Yost knows what he’s doing.

10. Seattle Mariners 39-39
Last Week: 11

Seattle beat Houston 13 to 3 in the first of a 3-game series this past weekend. I thought the Mariners played well when losing the other 2 games. I think Seattle can maintain a Top 10 placing on my Power Rankings. They’ll go higher if King Felix ever gets it together.

11. Baltimore Orioles 37-38
Last Week: 8

Baltimore beat Tampa in 2 out of 3 last week. But, the Tribe rocked them when winning 3 out of 4. I firmly believe that Buck Showalter is one of the best managers, maybe, to ever live. The fact that Baltimore is only a game from .500? With that starting rotation? Wow.

12. Toronto Blue Jays 36-39
Last Week: 10

Toronto, and Baltimore, lead me to believe that the AL East isn’t deep. It’s just a bad division. I mean, Toronto is 3 games out of .500 yet, somehow, they’re only 5 games out of first place. What gives?

13. Oakland Athletics 34-42
Last Week: 15

Oakland is in last place in the AL West. But, they’re ahead of 2 squads from the AL Central. That’s bad news for anybody chasing the Twins and the Tribe in the AL Central.

14. Detroit Tigers 33-42
Last Week: 13

Man, Detroit’s a bad team. The Tigers had lost 8 in a row before beating the Padres 7 to 5 to end the week. The good news is that ace Justin Verlander has started to throw in a brilliant performance here and there among the clunkers.

15. Chicago White Sox 32-42
Last Week: 14

I have nothing positive to write about the Chicago White Sox. The Twins rocked them in 2 out of 3. The Athletics swept them in 3 games. I believe the proverbial fork is already in the AL Chicago Team.

National League MLB Power Rankings June Week 4
** All records as of June 25

1. Los Angeles Dodgers 51-26
Last Week: 3

Finally, the Major League Baseball NL favorite has come to life. The Dodgers are 16-1 in their last 17. Nothing during the amazing run has been as sweet as dominating the Rockies in 3 games over the weekend.

2. Arizona Diamondbacks 48-28
Last Week: 4

Arizona’s only 2.5 games behind the Dodgers. I must admit, I didn’t expect the D’Backs to hang around the way that they have. Yes, they beat the Phillies in 2 out of 3 over the weekend. That’s not what’s impressive. What’s impressive is how they beat Colorado in 2 out of 3 in the series before facing Philly.

3. Colorado Rockies 47-31
Last Week: 1

Could Colorado bounce back and retake sole possession of first in the NL West? Sure. But, it won’t be easy. The Rockies just don’t have the depth in the rotation that AZ and LAD have.

4. Washington Nationals 45-30
Last Week: 2

The massive chink in Washington’s armor is starting to rear its ugly head. The bullpen is a mess. It’s so bad that Max Scherzer, Washington’s ace, has gone 8 innings in his last 2 starts. That’s bad. That’s terrible. We haven’t reached the mid-point of the season and already Scherzer’s pitched 107.2 innings. That’s a lot of innings for your ace when you’re still in June.

5. Milwaukee Brewers 41-37
Last Week: 5

Don’t get too excited Brewer fans. Yes, you maintain a 1.5 game lead over Chicago in the NL Central. But, that’s only a 1.5 game lead. The 2 losses to Atlanta, and 2 losses to Pittsburgh in your last 7 games aren’t great signs.

6. Chicago Cubs 38-37
Last Week: 6

Ace Jon Lester’s ERA is under 4 at 3.83. He hasn’t allowed more than 3 earned runs in 4 straight starts. If Lester continues to improve, the Cubs will only need Jake Arrieta to get hot from the mound to overtake Milwaukee in the AL Central.

7. Atlanta Braves 36-39
Last Week: 9

Winning 3 out of 4 versus San Francisco isn’t bad. Beating Milwaukee in 2 out of 3 is awesome! Atlanta is only 3 games under .500. The Braves aren’t anywhere close to challenging Washington for the NL East Division title this year. But, next year? Who knows?

8. Pittsburgh Pirates 35-41
Last Week: 10

The Pirates did what it had to last week. They beat Milwaukee in 2 out of 3. They beat St. Louis in 2 out of 3. The best way to get to the playoffs is to fight for a division championship. Pitt is 5 games behind the Brewers. That’s not a lot of games in MLB.

9. Miami Marlins 34-40
Last Week: 11

The Marlins jump up 2 spots. It’s too bad the starting rotation isn’t as good as it could have been. Miami’s outfield: Marcell Ozuna, Christian Yelich, and Giancarlo Stanton, makes up one of the best outfields at the plate in all of MLB.

10. St. Louis Cardinals 34-40
Last Week: 7

I’ve placed the Cardinals behind the Marlins for one simple reason. I don’t feel Miami has the pieces in place to beat Washington in the NL East. St. Louis should challenge in the NL Central. The Cardinals must step it up. They’re too talented to remain behind Milwaukee in the division.

11. New York Mets 34-41
Last Week: 8

The Dodgers pummeled the Mets in their 4-games series to start the week. LAD outscored NYM 36 to 11 in the 4 games. NYM made some amends by sweeping SF in 3 games over the weekend. But, the difference between the Dodgers and the Mets is a cavern.

12. Cincinnati Reds 31-43
Last Week: 12

The Reds brought their record to 2-13 straight up in their last 15 games. It might be bad news for the Nationals that Cincy beat Washington 6 to 2 on June 25. The win doesn’t mean that the Reds somehow turn the corner. They could end up at 15 on my NL Power Rankings within two weeks.

13. San Diego Padres 31-45
Last Week: 14

The San Diego Padres are 5-5 in their last 10. That’s much better than what the Reds have done in their last 10. They did beat the Cubs in 1 out of 3 last week. They also beat the Detroit Terrible Tigers in 2 out of 3.

14. San Francisco Giants 27-51
Last Week: 13

The Giants re 3-12 straight up in their last 15. That’s just horrendous. SF is so bad that Johnny Cueto, their ace, has allowed 3 earned runs in his last 14 innings pitched. Good, right? Not really. The Giants have lost 0 to 9, and 2 to 5.

15. Philadelphia Phillies 24-50
Last Week: 15

Philadelphia just isn’t a very good baseball team. That’s all there is to it. The Phillies did have a 2-game win streak last week. They beat the Cardinals 5-1. Then, they beat Arizona 6-1. I suppose, that’s something positive.

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Written by D.S. Williamson

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