The latest MLB Power Rankings see the Milwaukee Brewers holding the top spot for a fourth straight week, as they honor late broadcaster Bob Uecker. The Brewers, despite recent struggles that included losing six of their last nine games and bullpen issues over the weekend, maintain a five-game lead over the Cubs.
The Detroit Tigers move up to second place after recovering from a difficult July and are on track for an AL Central title. They have not had home-field advantage in a postseason series since 2006.
The Philadelphia Phillies rise to third in this week’s rankings, up from fourth previously. The team faces challenges following news about Zack Wheeler’s injury but finds some optimism in Cristopher Sánchez’s performance. “The Zack Wheeler news was obviously devastating, but it should be said: An argument probably could have been made that Cristopher Sánchez should have been the theoretical starter of a postseason series Game 1 anyway. Wheeler struck out more batters and had a lower WHIP, but Sánchez’s ERA and FIP are considerably lower than Wheeler’s. (And he may be the guy who finishes second to Paul Skenes in Cy Young voting now.)”
Other teams rounding out the top five include the Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago Cubs. The Blue Jays’ bullpen has struggled with an ERA of 6.21 since late July but managed to win a game against the Marlins despite blowing multiple leads.
The San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers remain tied atop the NL West after their recent matchups, with the Dodgers holding the tiebreaker if needed. The Padres benefit from having one of the easiest schedules remaining this season.
In other notes, Yordan Alvarez is expected to return soon for Houston after being sidelined since May, while Yankees players look forward to upcoming games against teams at the bottom of their division as they seek to improve their record against stronger opponents.
Further down in the rankings, several teams face injuries or are focused on developing young talent for future seasons.
Voters contributing to these rankings include Nathalie Alonso, Mark Feinsand, Daniel Feldman, Will Leitch, Brian Murphy, Arturo Pardavila, Andrew Simon, and David Venn.
