Energy Rankings: NL rivals able to problem Dodgers for No. 1

One other week into the season, the Dodgers would possibly nonetheless be on high of the pile, however they’re now not the simple alternative. This week, our voters cut up their allegiances amongst three groups for the No. 1 slot, two going to the Dodgers, two extra to the Astros, and the fifth vote going to the Twins. May the Twins be the workforce that breaks up the Dodgers/Astros supremacy we have seen up to now this season?

However even because the Dodgers face that sort of problem, they’re additionally confronted with an increasing discipline of rivals inside the Nationwide League. The Braves made the massive achieve this week, rising to No. 6 general whereas taking the lead within the NL East, and skipping previous the Cubs for the privilege of being the second-highest NL workforce in our polling.

However the Cubs nonetheless have loads of battle left in them, as proven by their dramatic comeback win in L.A. on Saturday (although the Dodgers received the collection). And powered by slugging star Christian Yelich, the Brewers, the workforce that nearly took down the Dodgers within the Nationwide League Championship Sequence final 12 months, aren’t far behind. And no one must be sleeping on the Phillies, Rockies or Diamondbacks, all of whom are retaining themselves within the rivalry dialog. The Snakes made the one largest achieve with this week’s voters, shifting up seven spots to No. 11 general.

Each workforce clearly cannot enhance, nonetheless, and we noticed a number of tumble this week. The Rockies fell from the highest 10 after sneaking in only a week in the past, dropping three spots, as did the Phillies as they noticed the Braves blaze past them within the standings. However the largest drop was suffered by the Padres, down 4 rungs after going 5-10 up to now in June to fall under .500 general.

For Week 10, our panel of voters was composed of Bradford Doolittle, Christina Kahrl, Eric Karabell, Tim Kurkjian and David Schoenfield.

Earlier: Preseason | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week three | Week four | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week eight | Week 9 | Week 10

2019 report: 48-24
Week 10 rating: 1

Corey Seager’s hamstring damage suffered early within the week places a damper on the workforce’s nice begin as Seager had hit .354/.409/.646 over his earlier month, trying once more just like the Seager of 2016 and 2017. Fortunately, the pressure wasn’t as dangerous as initially feared, a Grade 1-slash-2, as supervisor Dave Roberts known as it, as an alternative of the extra extreme Grade three. Within the meantime, Chris Taylor will get nearly all of the time at shortstop and common at-bats to see if he can begin producing on the plate. By the best way, the Dodgers’ rotation in its previous 40 video games earlier than Sunday night time: 2.27 ERA, 253 SO, 36 BB, .210 batting common allowed. Hyun-Jin Ryu is not the one starter lighting it up. — David Schoenfield

ICYMI: Dodgers should tackle their one obtrusive weak spot

2019 report: 48-24
Week 10 rating: 2

Those that had been clamoring for the promotion of slugger Yordan Alvarez haven’t been disenchanted, because the 21-year-old masher is off to a hovering begin in his massive league profession. Alvarez clubbed 4 homers and drove in eight runs over his first 5 profession video games. Maybe extra spectacular than that, he has added 4 singles and 6 walks and has reached base in 14 of his first 23 profession plate appearances. He will not sustain this tempo, however it’s going to be tough to pry Alvarez out of the proficient Astros lineup. — Bradford Doolittle

2019 report: 47-23
Week 10 rating: three

Maintain calm and mash: How the relaxed Twins are rewriting HR-hitting historical past Story »

The workforce’s designated hitters hardly struggled within the absence of injured Nelson Cruz, however it’s good to have the elder statesman again as he seeks his sixth consecutive season with 37 or extra house runs. Cruz and his once-injured wrist returned to lively obligation and offered speedy energy and lineup presence, with practically a homer per day. Whereas normal supervisor Thad Levine will possible look to improve the rotation and bullpen within the subsequent six weeks, the offense is likely one of the deepest within the sport. — Eric Karabell

ICYMI: How the relaxed Twins are rewriting HR-hitting historical past

2019 report: 43-28
Week 10 rating: 5

There actually is not a transparent front-runner up to now within the American League Cy Younger race however any brief listing of main contenders has to incorporate Charlie Morton. Morton so far has hit yet one more career-high stage in strikeout price (11.Zero Ok/9) and is permitting a career-low 6.1 hits per 9. The form of Morton’s profession has been outstanding, if considerably emblematic of baseball in 2019. By age 32, Morton had practically 900 profession innings with a four.54 ERA and 6.three Ok/9. Since then, he is at three.14 and 10.6 over 401 frames. — Doolittle

ICYMI: How Wander Franco grew to become MLB’s subsequent can’t-miss child

2019 report: 43-27
Week 10 rating: four

Including AL house run chief Edwin Encarnacion to a lineup that can quickly add Giancarlo Stanton (set to return Tuesday) and Aaron Decide might create probably the most devastating 1-through-9 energy lineups ever seen. When everyone seems to be again, Encarnacion would be the DH, pushing Stanton to left discipline and Brett Gardner to the bench (and Clint Frazier to the minors). That also leaves 5 infielders and with Gio Urshela persevering with to excel on each side of the ball, search for DJ LeMahieu to imagine a full-time utility position, taking part in first, second and third base. And whereas the lineup nonetheless leans to the best facet, take into account three of the very best starters within the AL East are Blake Snell, Chris Sale and David Value. — Schoenfield

ICYMI: Yankees can overpower all rivals after Encarnacion commerce

2019 report: 42-30
Week 10 rating: 11

How quickly might Ronald Acuña Jr. declare Finest Participant in Baseball title? Jeff Passan

Sunday’s 15-1 romp over the Phillies gave the Braves the collection victory and concluded a 5-1 week (and 9-1 over their previous 10 video games). Throughout that 10-game stretch, the Braves went from two video games behind the Phillies to 2½ in entrance of them. In these 10 video games, the Braves have hit .312 and averaged 7.eight runs per recreation, with Ozzie Albies main the best way with a .410/.489/.821 stretch and Ronald Acuna Jr. hitting .375 with 4 house runs. — Schoenfield

ICYMI: GM Anthopoulos on Keuchel signing, younger stars

2019 report: 39-32
Week 10 rating: 6

Kyle Hendricks had a run of eight begins throughout which he went 6-Zero with a 1.99 ERA and .538 OPS allowed. Then he acquired hammered by the Dodgers in his most up-to-date flip and ended up on the disabled listing with shoulder irritation. Hendricks leads the Cubs in innings pitched, in order we wait to study the severity of Hendricks’ damage, the rising momentum of Chicago’s season is out of the blue in limbo. — Doolittle

ICYMI: Epstein: Zobrist might return to Cubs this season

2019 report: 39-34
Week 10 rating: 9

Nothing like a visit to Baltimore to make a workforce really feel higher about itself. After 5 consecutive victories, the previous three towards the hapless Orioles, the Pink Sox face a a lot harder foe with a three-game set at Minnesota. And that has been an issue for the Sox, who have not received a collection towards a workforce that presently has a profitable report since April 29-Might 1, once they swept a three-game set with Oakland. — Steve Richards

ICYMI: Which AL wild-card contenders ought to go for it earlier than the commerce deadline

2019 report: 40-31
Week 10 rating: eight

Do not forget that “let the children play” promo early within the season during which Christian Yelich awkwardly declared that he was going to hit 50 house runs this 12 months? Seems he was being as humble as standard. Yelich is on tempo to fly previous the 50-homer mark and threaten 60 dingers. The Brewers have had one 50-homer season in franchise historical past, that coming when Prince Fielder hit that quantity precisely in 2007. As for Yelich, his price of enchancment continues to be staggering. His career-high 36 homers final season have been 15 greater than he’d ever hit earlier than, however now he is making that whole look quaint. — Doolittle

2019 report: 39-32
Week 10 rating: 7

The Phillies have rotation points and veteran Jake Arrieta, in his second season with the membership, shouldn’t be serving to a lot. Arrieta is scheduled to start out twice this week, and beat the Diamondbacks final Tuesday however allowed three runs and 4 walks over six innings. His ERA and WHIP rose to four.31 and 1.45, even worse than final season, and his strikeout price continues to be one of many lesser ones amongst starters. The Phillies need assistance, however they want a greater Arrieta too. — Karabell

ICYMI: Actual or not? This house run factor has gotten out of hand

2019 report: 38-35
Week 10 rating: 18

Over the previous two weeks, the D-backs are tied for the foremost league lead with 29 house runs. Main the best way? Ketel Marte, who has seven lengthy balls over that span and is turning into a poster little one for the out-of-whack homer surge this season. Marte, whose HR-to-fly ball price of 20.9 % is double his earlier profession excessive, has 20 homers in 317 plate appearances this 12 months; within the earlier three seasons mixed, he had 20 house runs in 1,301 plate appearances. — Richards

2019 report: 38-33
Week 10 rating: 13

Texas retains plugging alongside regardless of taking part in the offensive black gap that’s Rougned Odor each day at second base. On the brilliant facet, Odor snapped a three-week homerless stretch Friday and June has been his finest month (he is slashing .232/.338/.375). On the down facet, he entered Sunday rating within the backside 5 in baseball amongst qualifiers in common (.184, second worst), OBP (.265, fourth worst), OPS (.613, fifth worst), Ok price (30.three %, fourth worst) and wRC+ (56, second worst). — Richards

ICYMI: Taken down by rising Rangers, Pink Sox have misplaced their means

2019 report: 37-34
Week 10 rating: 10

After lacking 14 video games resulting from a calf damage, Charlie Blackmon has picked up proper the place he left off, batting .500 (22-for-44) with six house runs, 16 RBIs and 14 runs scored in his previous 9 video games. He performed a big half within the workforce totaling 65 runs throughout its homestand in the course of the previous week, however now that the Rockies hit the highway with key collection at Arizona and Los Angeles in the course of the upcoming week, we’ll see whether or not he can enhance upon his .233/.272/.357 highway triple-slash line this season. — Tristan H. Cockcroft

2019 report: 36-34
Week 9 rating: 12

Who’d have pegged Dakota Hudson, the ultimate Cardinals starter to say his Opening Day rotation spot, because the workforce’s most dependable hurler in the course of the previous month-plus? By Sunday’s flip, he is driving a streak of seven consecutive high quality begins, with the workforce profitable every of the previous six of these video games. Hudson’s three.55 ERA for the season ranks 13th within the NL. — Cockcroft

2019 report: 37-33
Week 10 rating: 15

In a season that has seen the Tribe’s high asset, its rotation, wracked by accidents, there ought to no less than be some satisfaction over Shane Bieber’s breakthrough season. His three.89 FIP is finest on the workforce, he is sixth within the league in his swinging strike price. At the least rotation reinforcements are on the best way — after a pair of rehab appearances, Mike Clevinger returns to motion to face the Rangers on Monday. — Christina Kahrl

ICYMI: Ace Kluber cleared for power work in restoration

2019 report: 36-36
Week 10 rating: 14

After notching his ninth win of the season, the emergence of Frankie Montas into an influence/floor ball starter couldn’t maybe have are available a greater season. He is within the high 5 within the AL in grounders generated (51.four %) and lowest house run price allowed, and he has allowed three runs or fewer in all 10 of his high quality begins in 14 turns. He would possibly get crowded out of All-Star consideration, however he has earned a spot within the dialog. — Kahrl

ICYMI: What A’s should do to remain in wild-card race

2019 report: 33-38
Week 10 rating: 20

2 Associated

Patrick Corbin and Stephen Strasburg are hardly the largest points with the Nationals, however each had horrible begins final week as Corbin allowed seven runs in 5 innings towards the White Sox whereas Strasburg allowed 4 house runs and 6 runs in a loss to the Diamondbacks. After shutting out the Marlins on Might 25, Corbin has given up 20 runs and 22 hits in 12⅔ innings in dropping three straight video games. Corbin blamed fastball command for his latest struggles, and if he is not throwing the fastball in good spots, it makes his slider much less efficient as a result of he is not getting forward usually sufficient. — Schoenfield

2019 report: 34-37
Week 10 rating: 19

Subpar manufacturing on the center infield spots continues to be an issue for the Mets, who simply acquired Robinson Cano again from the IL and nonetheless have obtained nothing from free-agent addition Jed Lowrie. Shortstop Amed Rosario struggles to succeed in base and discipline dependably. The Mets presume Cano, a profession .303 hitter, will hit as he did a season in the past in Seattle and — based mostly on his historical past — keep on the sphere. As for Lowrie, out with knee and hamstring woes, it may be some time. Rosario, nonetheless solely 23, has time to develop, however after greater than 1,000 profession plate appearances and a sub-.300 OBP, is that this all there may be? — Karabell

2019 report: 31-38
Week 10 rating: 16

Joey Votto’s poor efficiency continues to outline the Reds’ offensive struggles in 2019. His six house runs matches his worst output by 69 workforce video games of any of his 12 massive league seasons, and his 15 multihit performances are fewer than he has had by that many video games in all however 2014 (11), throughout which he was injured, and 2007 (seven), his massive league debut 12 months during which he performed simply 24 video games whole. — Cockcroft

2019 report: 35-37
Week 10 rating: 22

Don’t blame Shohei Ohtani for the workforce’s middling report. The workforce’s DH hit for the cycle towards the Rays final week and he continues to appear like one of many AL’s higher hitters. Would the Angels take into account making Ohtani the full-time DH in 2020, when he has recovered from Tommy John surgical procedure and is able to resume pitching? Ought to they do that? It’s a honest query as Ohtani greater than capably protects Mike Trout within the lineup. — Karabell

ICYMI: Ohtani is baseball’s forgotten supply of surprise

2019 report: 35-37
Week 10 rating: 17

Nothing appeared to go proper for Padres pitchers in the course of the previous week. Rookie of the 12 months candidate Chris Paddack was demoted to Class A Lake Elsinore, whereas the workforce noticed its seasonal ERA swell by practically one-third of a run throughout a weekend collection towards the Rockies during which they allowed a mixed 48 runs in 4 video games. Paddack must be again quickly, his demotion meant to maintain his innings in verify, and the Rockies collection was performed at hitters’ heaven Coors Subject. Nonetheless, there’s that early-week collection towards the Brewers looming. — Cockcroft

ICYMI: Tatis amongst phenoms following in dads’ footsteps

2019 report: 34-36
Week 10 rating: 23

Chicago climbed again to .500 this week for the primary time since early within the season however are nonetheless making an attempt to recover from the hump and above the break-even stage. The White Sox final had a profitable report once they have been 2-1 after the video games of April 2 of final season. Chicago is in a tricky stretch of its schedule, with the crosstown Cubs piggybacking a four-game collection with the Yankees, so climbing over .500 at this juncture could be a pleasant steppingstone for this rising squad. — Doolittle

ICYMI: Which groups simply drafted their No. 1 prospect?

2019 report: 32-39
Week 10 rating: 21

ESPN’s Buster Olney leads the dialogue of the most recent information and notes round baseball with the sport’s high analysts. Pay attention

Accidents and the Pirates’ incapability to plug holes created by them have precipitated the pitching employees many complications currently. Of their previous 27 video games, they’ve an MLB-worst 6.55 ERA. Throughout that very same time span, the pitchers recalled by the workforce have mixed to permit a eight.66 ERA, with high prospect Mitch Keller as accountable as any: He has allowed 12 runs in seven innings in two spot begins this season. — Cockcroft

2019 report: 30-39
Week 10 rating: 24

It would danger getting misplaced within the disappointment the Giants’ 2019 season has on faucet, however Brandon Belt is having the sort of massive season whereas wholesome anticipated since his profession 12 months in 2016. His .357 wOBA is his finest since that season, he has reduce his strikeout price to a career-best 20.four %, and with 9 house runs already hit, he would possibly surpass his profession excessive of 18 this 12 months. — Kahrl

ICYMI: Giants activate Posey from IL

2019 report: 26-45
Week 10 rating: 25

Discovering an All-Star from Toronto is not straightforward. Marcus Stroman appeared like a semi-reasonable alternative, however he is 1-2 with a four.82 ERA in his previous three begins and his general numbers — 41st amongst 81 qualifiers in xFIP (four.14), 67th in Ok/9 (6.98) — definitely do not scream All-Star. Ken Giles — with a 1.08 ERA, 11 saves in 12 possibilities, and 42 Ok’s in 25 innings — would work, however he is on the injured listing with elbow irritation. May we simply put Vlad Guerrero Jr. within the House Run Derby and name it even? — Richards

ICYMI: Vladdy Jr., Cavan Biggio amongst second-generation phenoms whose dads helped them rise

2019 report: 25-44
Week 10 rating: 27

Since reentering the Marlins’ lineup Might 11, Garrett Cooper has given the Fish assault some desperately wanted offense, delivering a team-best .406 wOBA on a .327/.403/.522 line to go along with the primary six house runs of his MLB profession, contributing to a 15-14 report when he has been within the lineup in proper discipline or now over at first base. Already 28 years previous, Cooper came to visit in the identical commerce earlier than 2018 that additionally introduced them Caleb Smith from the Yankees. — Kahrl

ICYMI: MLB draft picks you may watch in School World Sequence

2019 report: 31-44
Week 10 rating: 26

Dealer Jerry does it once more, delivery Edwin Encarnacion (and money) to the Yankees for pitching prospect Juan Then, a 19-year-old right-hander who hasn’t pitched within the minors after posting a 2.70 ERA in 50 innings in 2018 within the Gulf Coast League. Here is the factor: Then was within the Mariners system, however Jerry Dipoto despatched him to the Yankees after the 2017 season for reliever Nick Rumbelow, who had a 7.58 ERA in 16 appearances over two seasons with the Mariners and was lately launched. So, umm … the primary commerce was an enormous fats zero for Dealer Jerry. Possibly his reacquisition of Then will work out higher. — Schoenfield

ICYMI: King Felix tires, exits rehab begin after 31 pitches

2019 report: 25-43
Week 10 rating: 28

Nearer Shane Greene may be the very best asset the Tigers have to supply in commerce on the deadline, however one wrinkle to contemplate is that, used virtually solely to guard the few leads the Tigers have within the ninth, he hasn’t gotten many possibilities to pitch on consecutive days this 12 months. He has been wonderful within the few possibilities he has had (no runs allowed in eight video games pitching with out relaxation), however after giving up 14 runs and 5 homers in 18 video games in 2018 whereas pitching with out relaxation, contenders may be cautious till they see extra. — Kahrl

ICYMI: High prospect Mize on IL for shoulder irritation

2019 report: 23-48
Week 10 rating: 29

Outfielder Jorge Soler, acquired from the Cubs within the Wade Davis commerce in December 2016, is on tempo to shatter the group report for house runs in a season. Mike Moustakas holds the Royals house run mark with 38 in 2017, which topped decades-old work by Steve Balboni, Gary Gaetti and John Mayberry. Soler, 27, clearly has energy, however he provides little in the best way of on-base abilities and protection and certain shouldn’t be a key participant when the Royals grow to be good once more. Nevertheless, control his energy chase. — Karabell

ICYMI: High 2019 choose Witt hopes to stay as much as lofty billing

2019 report: 21-50
Week 10 rating: 30

One other one-win week for the Orioles, who remarkably (or not) haven’t had greater than two wins in any week this season. There’s by no means a scarcity of drawback areas for the O’s: This week, the main target is the bullpen. In six video games towards the Blue Jays and Pink Sox, Baltimore relievers allowed 9 house runs and 33 runs (30 earned) in 27⅔ innings (9.76 ERA). — Richards

ICYMI: Cobb to have season-ending hip surgical procedure