Astros overtake Nationals as baseball’s top dog
For the third time in six weeks, a new team is crowned No. 1 in USA TODAY’s MLB power rankings.
The surging Houston Astros -- who own the best record in baseball -- claim the top spot over the Washington Nationals. The Astros won three of four games against the New York Yankees in the Bronx and have opened up a 7.5 game lead in the AL West.
Meanwhile, the Chicago Cubs have lost seven out of their last nine games and have fallen to a season-low ninth in the rankings. From 1 to 30, how they stack up based on voting from our 10-person panel: 1. Houston Astros: +1 spot from last week • Bronx barrage improves their road record to an AL-best 12-6. 2. Washington Nationals: -1 • Wonder how much they’d offer Kenley Jansen now? 3. New York Yankees: – • Masahiro Tanaka has a 5.80 ERA after his Jeter Night pratfall. 4. Baltimore Orioles: – • How much do they miss Zach Britton? Relievers lost all four games of current streak. 5. Los Angeles Dodgers: +2 • If you’re a starting pitcher not named Kershaw, don’t sneeze – they’ll put you on the DL. 6. Colorado Rockies: +2 • NL leaders with six wins: Clayton Kershaw and... Antonio Senzatela. 7. St. Louis Cardinals: +3 • Temporary leadoff man Kolten Wong has a career-best .354 on-base percentage. 8. Cleveland Indians: -2 • Just 10-9 so far against division opponents. 9. Chicago Cubs: -4 • Jake Arrieta giving up 10 hits per nine innings – nearly double his 2015 Cy Young rate. 10. Boston Red Sox: -1 • Chris Sale on pace to strike out a record 37.6% of batters faced. 11. Arizona Diamondbacks: – • Injuries starting to hit a little harder. 12. Milwaukee Brewers: +3 • Wallbangers, indeed: 60 homers lead NL, fuel good start. 13. Minnesota Twins: +4 • As we all envisioned, a huge showdown of first-place teams as Rockies visit Target Field. 14. Detroit Tigers: -2 • Back with a bang: J.D. Martinez has four hits, two homers in first seven at-bats. 15. Cincinnati Reds: -1 • Might have to burn those nifty bowling shirts after losing three of four in San Francisco. 16. Texas Rangers: +6 • Six-game win streak should quiet any murmurs of potential sell-off. 17. Tampa Bay Rays: -4 • Batters have struck out 411 times - 58 more than next-closest squad. 18. New York Mets: -2 • Bullpen depth may be stretched too thin with Familia possibly out for the year. 19. Chicago White Sox: -1 • Possibly just a couple weeks until it’s Moncada Time. 20. Los Angeles Angels: -1 • Danny Espinosa now 17 for 116 - but at least four of the hits are home runs? 21. Toronto Blue Jays: +6 • Kevin Pillar with an MVP-caliber performance for last-place team. 22. Seattle Mariners -1 • Need to get well during seven-game homestand against A’s, White Sox 23. Pittsburgh Pirates: -3 • At -38, the only NL Central club with a negative run differential. 24. Kansas City Royals: +4 • Jorge Soler has one homer in first 28 at-bats with Royals. 25. Philadelphia Phillies: -2 • 5-7 vs. Nationals - with six games decided by one run, five via walk-off. 26. San Francisco Giants: -• Denard Span 9 for 21 since coming off the DL. 27. Oakland Athletics: -2 • Ugly sweep at Texas exposed their road woes (5-13). 28. Miami Marlins: -4 • Have lost 11 of 17 at home. 29. San Diego Padres: -• Jered Weaver has 23 strikeouts in 412/3 innings. 30. Atlanta Braves: – • Dansby Swanson has just three extra-base hits in 121 at-bats.