USA TODAY International Edition
MLB power rankings
Indians leapfrog Twins in only change in top five
Four rollicking games produced a deadlock atop the American League Central Division. And it’s likely the Indians and Twins are only getting started.
The Indians survived a ninth-inning collapse Sunday to beat the Twins in extra innings and claim three of the four games last weekend at Target Field, a result that pulled the Indians even with Minnesota.
The Twins’ 111⁄2-game lead on June 2? All gone.
The Indians’ five losses in their first eight head-to-head matchups with Minnesota? A distant memory.
And the Indians climbed over the Twins in USA TODAY Sports’ power rankings, nudging them out of fourth place by a point.
Now, the teams retreat to neutral corners for nearly a month, before six meetings between Sept. 6-15 close out the season series. Meanwhile, the Indians face an immediate challenge: 10 games against the Yankees, Red Sox and Mets. Minnesota faces a six-game trip to Milwaukee and Texas, followed by a virtual mulligan: 13 in a row against the White Sox and Tigers.
A look at this week’s rankings: 1. Astros (movement from last week –) Yordan Alvarez might soon end any Rookie of the Year debate. 2. Dodgers (–) Dustin May has the look of an October folk hero. 3. Yankees (–) Possibilities seem endless when Masahiro Tanaka pitches like an ace. 4. Indians (+1) Jose Ramirez’s firstand second-half fortunes (.652/1.079 OPS) mirror his team’s.
5. Twins (-1) Now, to find out what they’re made of.
6. Rays (+1) Time to seize the wild card: 13 games against the Padres, Tigers, Mariners, Orioles.
7. Braves (-1) Fitting that Sean Newcomb accidentally activated a fire extinguisher: The erstwhile starter has 11 holds. 8. Cubs (–) Nick Castellanos rips 10 extra-base hits in his first 10 games as a Cub. 9. Athletics (–) Unbalanced schedule works against them in the wild-card chase. 10. Mets (+6) Eight games out of first, but holding the deepest rotation in the National League East. 11. Nationals (-1) Max Scherzer should be creeping back into the rotation soon. 12. Brewers (+2) Nope, not going to make an Adrian Houser vomit joke. 13. Red Sox (-2) Weirdest stats for a pitching staff gone haywire: Chris Sale has a 1.09 WHIP, 4.41 ERA.
14. Cardinals (-2) Must improve 2732 road record. 15. Diamondbacks (+3) Have lost 10 of 15 to the Dodgers.
16. Phillies (-3) Now the Mets leapfrog them. 17. Rangers (–) Mike Minor is your major league leader in pitching WAR (6.5).
18. Giants (-3) Losing seven of 10 after the GM keeps the club together at deadline is an odd way to say thanks. 19. Reds (+1) Aristides Aquino arrives with authority.
20. Angels (-1) Mike Trout’s career OPS of 1.001 ranks eighth all time.
21. Padres (–) The future – MacKenzie Gore and Luis Patino – has landed at Class AA Amarillo.
22. Rockies (–) Mike Tauchman’s excellence in New York should inspire some organizational soul-searching.
23. White Sox (+1) Headed for seventh consecutive losing season.
24. Pirates (+1) Solidly entrenched in cellar, with first last-place finish since 2010 looming. 25. Blue Jays (–) Will Bo Bichette be the most prolific among the Legacy Trio?
26. Mariners (–) Stings a little more when you get swept by the team with which you’ve made a few dozen trades.
27. Marlins (–) Could be the end of the line for Curtis Granderson, batting .186 with a .643 OPS.
28. Royals (–) Jorge Soler might flirt with 50 home runs.
29. Orioles (–) To think the manager and underperforming star had to be separated three days before the 23-2 loss. 30. Tigers (–) Two games up in the loss column on the road to a second No. 1 pick in three years.