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Mike Oz,Yahoo Sports?May 13, 2019
1. Houston Astros (26-15; last week: 2)
Not to gush even more about Houston, but here?s a good factoid about the Astros: They?re the only team in MLB that ranks top five in ERA and top five in runs scored. A winning combination.
2. Los Angeles Dodgers (27-16; last week: 1)
The Dodgers are close to joining the Astros in both top fives. Their offense is great, but their pitching is sixth-best in the league. Still, the way Hyun-Jin Ryu (5-1, 1.72 ERA) is pitching this season, the Dodgers? staff might be the most dangerous it?s been in recent years.
3. Minnesota Twins (25-14; last week: 3)
There?s a good chance that unless you?re in Minnesota, you don?t know just how good the Twins? offense has been this season. Big parts of that are outfielder Eddie Rosario and shortstop Jorge Polanco. Rosario has 13 homers, tied for the lead in the AL, and 32 RBIs. Polanco is hitting .324 with a .393 on-base percentage.
4. Chicago Cubs (24-14; last week: 5)
For as much as people worried about the Cubs? pitching coming into this season, it?s been quite good. They have the third-best ERA in MLB and Jon Lester?s 1.16 individual mark is leading the way. They?ve now won 12 of 14, too.
5. Milwaukee Brewers (24-18; last week: 6)
Not every stat out there ranks the Brewers as a premier team in MLB right now. Their run differential isn?t great. Neither is their team ERA, particularly among starting pitchers. But they?ve hung quite well against one of MLB?s toughest early schedules and Christian Yelich looks every bit like an MVP. Imagine if their starting pitching were better.
6. New York Yankees (24-16; last week: 9)
It feels like the momentum could be starting to swing in the AL East after the Yankees took two of three over the Rays over the weekend. The Yankees are half a game back now. They?ve won series against Tampa Bay, the Mariners and Twins in the past two weeks.
7. Tampa Bay Rays (24-15; last week: 4)
The Rays still own the best ERA in baseball and they?re second in run differential, so they?re not in a free fall, but they?re just 5-5 in May.
8. Philadelphia Phillies (23-16; last week: 10)
The Phillies haven?t lost a series since late April, and looked quite good last week taking two of three against the Royals and Cardinals. For all the Bryce Harper talk, it?s Rhys Hoskins who has been killin? it this year with 11 homers, 35 RBIs and a great .415 on-base percentage.
9. St. Louis Cardinals (22-19; last week: 8)
The Cardinals? are lucky they played so well before the last two weeks, because the last two weeks have been brutal. They were swept by the Cubs, then lost two of three to the Phillies, then three of four to the Pirates. They?ve played one of the tougher schedules so far, but would seemingly welcome the Braves, Rangers and Royals next.
10. Boston Red Sox (22-19; last week: 15)
They?ve won five in a row and eight of nine. Looks like the Red Sox are back. Perhaps most importantly, Chris Sale also appears to be back. He has 24 strikeouts in his last two starts.
1. Houston Astros (26-15; last week: 2)
Not to gush even more about Houston, but here?s a good factoid about the Astros: They?re the only team in MLB that ranks top five in ERA and top five in runs scored. A winning combination.
2. Los Angeles Dodgers (27-16; last week: 1)
The Dodgers are close to joining the Astros in both top fives. Their offense is great, but their pitching is sixth-best in the league. Still, the way Hyun-Jin Ryu (5-1, 1.72 ERA) is pitching this season, the Dodgers? staff might be the most dangerous it?s been in recent years.
3. Minnesota Twins (25-14; last week: 3)
There?s a good chance that unless you?re in Minnesota, you don?t know just how good the Twins? offense has been this season. Big parts of that are outfielder Eddie Rosario and shortstop Jorge Polanco. Rosario has 13 homers, tied for the lead in the AL, and 32 RBIs. Polanco is hitting .324 with a .393 on-base percentage.
4. Chicago Cubs (24-14; last week: 5)
For as much as people worried about the Cubs? pitching coming into this season, it?s been quite good. They have the third-best ERA in MLB and Jon Lester?s 1.16 individual mark is leading the way. They?ve now won 12 of 14, too.
5. Milwaukee Brewers (24-18; last week: 6)
Not every stat out there ranks the Brewers as a premier team in MLB right now. Their run differential isn?t great. Neither is their team ERA, particularly among starting pitchers. But they?ve hung quite well against one of MLB?s toughest early schedules and Christian Yelich looks every bit like an MVP. Imagine if their starting pitching were better.
6. New York Yankees (24-16; last week: 9)
It feels like the momentum could be starting to swing in the AL East after the Yankees took two of three over the Rays over the weekend. The Yankees are half a game back now. They?ve won series against Tampa Bay, the Mariners and Twins in the past two weeks.
7. Tampa Bay Rays (24-15; last week: 4)
The Rays still own the best ERA in baseball and they?re second in run differential, so they?re not in a free fall, but they?re just 5-5 in May.
8. Philadelphia Phillies (23-16; last week: 10)
The Phillies haven?t lost a series since late April, and looked quite good last week taking two of three against the Royals and Cardinals. For all the Bryce Harper talk, it?s Rhys Hoskins who has been killin? it this year with 11 homers, 35 RBIs and a great .415 on-base percentage.
9. St. Louis Cardinals (22-19; last week: 8)
The Cardinals? are lucky they played so well before the last two weeks, because the last two weeks have been brutal. They were swept by the Cubs, then lost two of three to the Phillies, then three of four to the Pirates. They?ve played one of the tougher schedules so far, but would seemingly welcome the Braves, Rangers and Royals next.
10. Boston Red Sox (22-19; last week: 15)
They?ve won five in a row and eight of nine. Looks like the Red Sox are back. Perhaps most importantly, Chris Sale also appears to be back. He has 24 strikeouts in his last two starts.
