MLB Power Rankings: Red Sox Climb 12 Spots, Dodgers Make Case to Be No. 1 Again

Even roughly a quarter of the way into the MLB season, a team can still shoot up our weekly MLB power rankings with a hot streak.

Case in point: the Boston Red Sox, who soared from No. 26 into the upper half of teams in this week's rankings following impressive series wins over the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners. They are still below .500 on the year, but as arguably the hottest team in baseball, they move ahead of several teams with a better record.

As always, if a team keeps winning, it will keep climbing the rankings. If a team is losing, a slide is inevitable. The beauty of this exercise is that it's a fluid process and things will continue to change.

Note: Statistics and analysis reflect games through Sunday. Team records have been updated to include Monday's results.

30. Cincinnati Reds (12-29)

Previous Rank: 30

The Reds dug such a deep hole during their 3-22 start that they have been facing a significant uphill battle to bridge the gap to the league's other 29 teams. They have since gone 9-6 over their last 15 games, and with a solid showing next week, they are poised to finally climb out of the No. 30 spot.

29. Detroit Tigers (14-27)

Previous Rank: 29

The Tigers showed some brief signs of life during a four-game winning streak, but that was snapped on Tuesday to begin a stretch of three straight games with only one run scored. Young starter Tarik Skubal continues to impress with a 2.22 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 50 strikeouts in 44.2 innings, while the relief corps quietly ranks second in the majors with a 3.02 ERA.

28. Washington Nationals (14-29)

Previous Rank: 28

The Nationals have not won a series since they took two of three from the San Francisco Giants with an 11-5 victory on May 1, going 6-12 with a minus-17 run differential over their last six matchups. Catcher Keibert Ruiz (120 OPS+) and outfielder Yadiel Hernandez (145 OPS+) have been surprise standouts offensively, but a 5.58 ERA from the starting rotation continues to be their undoing.

27. Kansas City Royals (14-27)

Previous Rank: 27

The Royals went 2-6 last week, but there were some promising takeaways on an individual level. Right-hander Brady Singer threw seven scoreless innings in each of his two starts last week after returning from a brief demotion to the minors. The 25-year-old had a 6.35 ERA in 5.2 innings out of the bullpen to begin the year before he was sent down in late April.

26. Oakland Athletics (17-27)

Previous Rank: 24

Since a surprisingly competitive 10-9 start to the year, the Athletics have stumbled to a 7-17 record with a minus-35 run differential, and they suffered series losses to the Minnesota Twins and Los Angeles Angels last week. Rookie reliever Dany Jimenez has been one of the few bright spots with a 0.55 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 9.4 K/9 while nailing down all eight of his save opportunities in 16 appearances.

25. Pittsburgh Pirates (17-24)

Previous Rank: 21

The Pirates played better than expected to begin the season, but they have started to slide steadily down the rankings, and they drop again this week following series losses to the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals. Entering play on Monday, the offense had scored more than four runs just four times in the month of May while posting a 7-12 record and a staggering minus-50 run differential.

24. Chicago Cubs (17-24)

Previous Rank: 25

The Cubs have struggled to develop homegrown pitching over the past decade-plus, so it's been a promising sign to see Keegan Thompson, Justin Steele, Scott Effross and Brandon Hughes all throw the ball well in the early going this year. The North Siders snapped a four-game losing streak on Sunday, with Thompson picking up the win with three innings of work in relief of Wade Miley.

23. Baltimore Orioles (18-25)

Previous Rank: 23

The Adley Rutschman era in Baltimore officially began on Saturday when he went 1-for-3 with a triple and a walk, hitting sixth and starting behind the plate. The 24-year-old hit .309/.427/.515 with eight extra-base hits in 19 games in the minors after recovering from a right triceps injury he suffered during spring training, and he has all the tools to be the future face of the franchise. The O's had three walk-off wins last week and took two of three from the Tampa Bay Rays over the weekend.

22. Seattle Mariners (18-25)

Previous Rank: 19

The Mariners went 1-6 last week, including a four-game series sweep at the hands of the Boston Red Sox, and in the process, they fell to 6-15 with a minus-42 run differential this month. Slugger Kyle Lewis hit .312/.415/.629 with three home runs and 12 RBI in 10 games at Triple-A on a rehab assignment, and he is poised to be a major addition to a Seattle team with a clear hole to fill in the outfield.

21. Cleveland Guardians (18-20)

Previous Rank: 16

The Guardians improved to 15-14 with a win over the Chicago White Sox on May 9, but they have been unable to climb back above the .500 mark since, and they fall out of the top 20 after going 1-3 during an abridged week. The starting rotation ranks 22nd in the majors with a 4.30 ERA, and that was expected to be the strength of the team.

20. Colorado Rockies (19-22)

Previous Rank: 17

Another week, two more series losses for the Rockies. They fell to 4-11 in their last 15 games after getting shut out by the New York Mets on Sunday. The starting rotation has steadily regressed following a strong start, and they now rank 27th in the majors with a 4.81 ERA and dead last with a .299 opponents' batting average.

19. Miami Marlins (18-22)

Previous Rank: 22

The one-two punch of Pablo Lopez (8 GS, 1.57 ERA, 46.0 IP) and Sandy Alcantara (9 GS, 2.11 ERA, 59.2 IP) might be the best in baseball right now, and they lead a Marlins pitching staff that ranks fourth in the majors with a 3.31 ERA. They split the week last week, picking up a series win over the Washington Nationals before dropping two of three to the Atlanta Braves.

18. Texas Rangers (18-22)

Previous Rank: 20

The Rangers improved to 11-8 in the month of May with a 4-3 showing last week that included a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels. Martin Perez (8 GS, 1.64 ERA, 49.1 IP), Brock Burke (12 G, 2 HLD, 1.29 ERA, 21.0 IP) and Joe Barlow (13 G, 7/7 SV, 1.35 ERA, 13.1 IP) have been major bright spots on a pitching staff that ranks 23rd in the majors with a 4.03 ERA.

17. Philadelphia Phillies (20-22)

Previous Rank: 13

The Phillies dropped four spots after losing two of three at home to the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers, as the offense was shut out twice and scored just one run in another loss. The starting rotation has been rock solid, and the bullpen has slowly rounded into form, but the offense is going to need to pull its weight if they are going to be a threat in the NL East.

16. Atlanta Braves (19-23)

Previous Rank: 18

Still searching for their first winning streak longer than two games, the Braves went 3-3 last week with a series loss to the Milwaukee Brewers and a series win over the Miami Marlins, and they continue to hover just below the .500 mark. Left-hander Tucker Davidson tossed five scoreless innings in his first start of the year last Tuesday, and he'll have a chance to halt the revolving door at the No. 5 starter slot.

15. Arizona Diamondbacks (22-22)

Previous Rank: 12

The D-backs lost six in a row before rebounding to take three of four from the Chicago Cubs over the weekend, but that's enough to cost them a few spots in the rankings. Starting pitching has been the strength of this team during their surprising start, but the rotation struggled to a 7.62 ERA in 39 innings last week, and regression in that area could mean a steep slide down the rankings.

14. Boston Red Sox (19-22)

Previous Rank: 26

Here come the Red Sox! With a 6-1 record last week and a 9-3 record overall in their last 12 games entering play on Monday, they climbed 12 spots in this week's rankings. Trevor Story made headlines with a terrific week at the plate, but the bullpen also deserves a ton of credit with five wins, two saves and a 1.97 ERA in 32 innings of work last week.

13. Chicago White Sox (21-20)

Previous Rank: 15

The White Sox went 5-3 on the road last week, including winning both games of a double-header with the New York Yankees on Sunday. Michael Kopech threw seven scoreless innings of one-hit ball in the nightcap, lowering his ERA to 1.29 on the year as he continues to be one of the biggest breakout stars of the 2022 season. A red-hot Boston Red Sox team and the crosstown rival Chicago Cubs await this coming week.

12. San Francisco Giants (22-19)

Previous Rank: 10

May has been a roller coaster for the Giants, as they began the month with a five-game losing streak, followed immediately by a six-game winning streak. With a 2-6 record in their last eight games entering play on Monday, they are in the midst of another downswing. They welcome the New York Mets to town to begin the upcoming week before setting out on a 10-game road trip.

11. Toronto Blue Jays (22-20)

Previous Rank: 14

After a disappointing start to May, the Blue Jays built some much-needed momentum last week with series wins over the Seattle Mariners and Cincinnati Reds to improve to 14-8 at home this year. The offense is averaging just 3.05 runs per game this month and has scored more than three runs only five times in 19 games, so snapping out of their current offensive funk will be the key to climbing back into the top 10.

10. Tampa Bay Rays (24-17)

Previous Rank: 8

The Rays suffered a pair of walk-off losses to the Baltimore Orioles over the weekend, and they'll need to recover quickly from those late-inning struggles with the New York Yankees coming to town later this week. Left-hander Jeffrey Springs allowed one hit in 5.2 scoreless innings in his third start of the season on Saturday, and he looks like the club's latest journeyman-turned-impact contributor on the mound.

9. St. Louis Cardinals (24-18)

Previous Rank: 9

With Paul DeJong demoted to the minors and both Dylan Carlson and Tyler O'Neill on the injured list, the Cardinals now have Juan Yepez, Lars Nootbaar and Nolan Gorman in their starting lineup. Gorman went 5-for-10 with two doubles in his first three big league games, while fellow top prospect Matthew Liberatore also made his debut last week. The Cardinals pipeline just keeps churning out MLB-caliber talent.

8. Minnesota Twins (26-16)

Previous Rank: 11

With Chris Paddack lost for the season to Tommy John surgery and Josh Winder landing on the injured list with a shoulder issue, the Twins' starting pitching depth could soon be put to the test. Luckily, the offense has been picking up the slack of late, with Gary Sanchez swinging a hot bat. Plus, both Carlos Correa and Trevor Larnach were activated from the injured list last week as the team went 5-1 with series wins over the Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals.

7. Los Angeles Angels (26-17)

Previous Rank: 4

Getting swept by the Texas Rangers was enough to knock the Angels out of the top five for the first time in four weeks, though they did rebound to take two of three from the Oakland Athletics over the weekend. The starting rotation continues to be the biggest reason for their early success, and after another strong week, they now rank fourth in the majors with a 3.12 starter's ERA.

6. Milwaukee Brewers (26-16)

Previous Rank: 6

The Brewers have won three straight series since dropping two of three to the Cincinnati Reds earlier this month, and they improved to 14-6 at home with a 4-2 showing last week. Closer Josh Hader has converted all 15 of his save chances while allowing just two hits in 13.2 scoreless innings, and he may be on his way to a historically good season.

5. San Diego Padres (28-14)

Previous Rank: 7

The Padres went 5-1 last week behind a pair of shutouts and a pair of games with just one run allowed by the pitching staff, improving to 13-6 with a plus-12 run differential in May in the process. They have the current NL MVP front-runner in Manny Machado (177 PA, 214 OPS+, .374/.446/.619, 21 XBH) and a legitimate NL Cy Young contender in Joe Musgrove (8 GS, 5-0, 1.90 ERA, 51 K, 52.0 IP) anchoring their roster.

4. Houston Astros (27-16)

Previous Rank: 2

After losing two of three to a red-hot Boston Red Sox team, the Astros bounced back to take three of four from the Texas Rangers to hold on to a top-five spot. After posting a .685 OPS in April, outfielder Kyle Tucker has an .887 OPS in 83 plate appearances in May, and he is once again playing like a budding superstar. On the pitching side, Justin Verlander leads the AL in ERA (1.22) and WHIP (0.72) as he continues to dominate in his return from Tommy John surgery.

3. New York Mets (29-15)

Previous Rank: 3

The Mets picked up series wins over the St. Louis Cardinals and Colorado Rockies last week, but in the process they lost Max Scherzer for six to eight weeks with an oblique injury. With Jacob deGrom and his early-season replacement Tylor Megill also on the injured list, the team's starting pitching depth is going to be tested. David Peterson and Trevor Williams will presumably be asked to fill out the back of the rotation. Can they keep winning with both of their aces on the shelf?

2. Los Angeles Dodgers (28-13)

Previous Rank: 5

After falling out of the No. 1 spot in the rankings last week, the Dodgers responded with a seven-game winning streak that was finally snapped on Sunday in an extra-inning loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. Their next three series are against the Washington Nationals, Arizona Diamondbacks and Pittsburgh Pirates, so they have a golden opportunity to regain the top spot.

1. New York Yankees (29-13)

Previous Rank: 1

Despite losing both ends of a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox on Sunday, the Yankees still posted a winning record last week to improve to 14-6 with a plus-28 run differential in May entering play on Monday. They have been the best team in baseball since their lackluster 5-5 start, though the recent struggles of Aroldis Chapman and Jonathan Loaisiga have raised some questions in the late innings.

Complete Rankings

1. New York Yankees
2. Los Angeles Dodgers
3. New York Mets
4. Houston Astros
5. San Diego Padres
6. Milwaukee Brewers
7. Los Angeles Angels
8. Minnesota Twins
9. St. Louis Cardinals
10. Tampa Bay Rays
11. Toronto Blue Jays
12. San Francisco Giants
13. Chicago White Sox
14. Boston Red Sox
15. Arizona Diamondbacks
16. Atlanta Braves
17. Philadelphia Phillies
18. Texas Rangers
19. Miami Marlins
20. Colorado Rockies
21. Cleveland Guardians
22. Seattle Mariners
23. Baltimore Orioles
24. Chicago Cubs
25. Pittsburgh Pirates
26. Oakland Athletics
27. Kansas City Royals
28. Washington Nationals
29. Detroit Tigers
30. Cincinnati Reds

What a signing Martin Perez has been for the Texas Rangers.

After pitching to a 4.74 ERA in 114 innings with the Boston Red Sox last season split between the starting rotation and bullpen, Perez inked a one-year, $4 million deal with the Rangers during the offseason, rejoining the team that originally signed him out of Venezuela back in 2007.

A top prospect during his time in the Texas farm system, Perez never quite delivered on his frontline upside, but he's pitching like an ace so far this season with a 1.64 ERA that trails only Justin Verlander (1.22), Michael Kopech (1.29) and Alek Manoah (1.62) among qualified AL starters.

The 31-year-old dropped his ERA below 2.00 on Friday when he threw an eight-hit shutout against the Houston Astros, blanking the opposition over nine innings for the first time since April 23, 2014, when he threw his second of back-to-back shutouts during his age-23 season.

"He deserved that opportunity," Rangers manager Chris Woodward told reporters. "Those things don't happen very often, a complete-game shutout. Maybe all the analytics will tell you to take him out right there, but he's been so good for us. He's built up a ton of trust in a short amount of time with me. So I felt like I owed it to him. In an age of 'Follow the numbers,' I felt like you follow your gut on that one. It could be special, and he did it."

C Gary Sanchez, MIN
(7-for-24, 4 2B, 2 HR, 9 RBI)

1B Paul Goldschmidt, STL
(13-for-27, 5 2B, 2 HR, 9 RBI)

2B Trevor Story, BOS
(9-for-25, 2B, 6 HR, 14 RBI)

3B Rafael Devers, BOS
(11-for-28, 2 2B, 3B, 3 HR, 5 RBI)

SS Tim Anderson, CWS
(12-for-26, HR, 6 RBI, 2 SB)

OF Mookie Betts, LAD
(10-for-28, 4 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI)

OF Aaron Judge, NYY
(10-for-23, 2 2B, 3 HR, 4 RBI)

OF Mike Trout, LAA
(9-for-24, 3 2B, 3 HR, 6 RBI)

DH J.D. Martinez, BOS
(12-for-24, 4 2B, HR, 4 RBI)

SP Sandy Alcantara, MIA
(2 GS, 2 W, 1 CG, 17.0 IP, 9 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 12 K)

SP Brady Singer, KC
(2 GS, W, ND, 14.0 IP, 8 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 12 K)

SP Johnny Cueto, CWS
(2 GS, 2 ND, 12.0 IP, 8 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 12 K)

SP Martin Perez, TEX
(1 GS, W, 9.0 IP, 8 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K)

SP Luis Severino, NYY
(2 GS, W, ND, 13.0 IP, 9 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 12 K)

RP Liam Hendriks, CWS
(4 G, 4/4 SV, 4.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K)

AL MVP

1. Mike Trout, LAA
2. Aaron Judge, NYY
3. Rafael Devers, BOS

NL MVP

1. Manny Machado, SD
2. Paul Goldschmidt, STL
3. Mookie Betts, LAD

AL Cy Young

1. Justin Verlander, HOU
2. Michael Kopech, CWS
3. Nestor Cortes, NYY

NL Cy Young

1. Pablo Lopez, MIA
2. Joe Musgrove, SD
3. Sandy Alcantara, MIA

AL Rookie of the Year

1. Jeremy Pena, HOU
2. Joe Ryan, MIN
3. Steven Kwan, CLE

NL Rookie of the Year

1. MacKenzie Gore, SD
2. Seiya Suzuki, CHC
3. Luis Gonzalez, SF

Stats courtesy of MLB.com and Baseball Reference unless otherwise noted.