MLB power rankings: Haves, have nots emerge at All-Star break

The defending champs look completely capable of becoming the first team to defend their title since the 2000 Yankees. Their +188 run differential is over 20 runs better than where they were at last year’s All-Star break. Their 500 runs are the second-most in the AL, while the 312 runs their star-studded pitching staff has surrendered are 50 fewer than any other team.

After spending much of the early season atop these power rankings, the Sox have returned as the first half ends. Fueled by a flair for the dramatic built around a pair of grand slams from Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts, Boston built a 10-game win streak over the last week and has lost only twice in July. As a result, the BoSox set a record for most victories before the All-Star break in MLB history.

The third leg of the elite class resides in the Bronx, where the Yankees’ powerful collective has delivered on its promise. No team is within 25 homers of the Yanks, who are on pace to rewrite the single-season record for home runs this summer. They have proven more than up to the challenge of taking on the American League’s best: New York is 18-8 combined against the other clubs currently positioned for the AL postseason.

In a mediocre (at best) National League, the Cubs have begun to separate themselves from the pack. They are easily the top offense in the NL and the only team in the league with a run differential over 100. Javier Baez is mounting a quiet MVP campaign, and Kris Bryant recently returned from the disabled list. There could be even more in store if Anthony Rizzo (.246 average) and Addison Russell (five home runs) get in gear for the second half.

Due to the horrid condition of their bullpen, the Indians have struggled to replicate their record-setting consistency of a year ago. Still, Jose Ramirez and Francisco Lindor remain arguably the most complete duo in all of baseball, while Corey Kluber and Trevor Bauer have equaled them in the rotation as well. Running away with a third straight AL Central title is already nearly a formality, but Cleveland is well behind the elite trio of the AL.

By far baseball’s most surprising team, the A’s have become a legitimate threat in the AL Wild Card picture. It has been over a month since they last lost a series, failing to lose on consecutive nights since June 14-15. It is a run that has compelled even Billy Beane to declare the A’s as buyers headed toward the trade deadline, in addition to working on extensions for Khris Davis and All-Star Jed Lowrie.

The Dodgers' steady revival in the standings finally hit a peak last week, when they clawed back to the top of the NL West, a position they will still hold when the second half starts this coming weekend. The randomness of their season is epitomized by the All-Star representatives that will stand for L.A. on Tuesday, with Kenley Jansen joined by Matt Kemp and Ross Stripling, along with Max Muncy participating in Monday’s Home Run Derby. It’s a far cry from the anticipated suspects on this roster, but they are getting the job done.

Tough times have found the Mariners of late, as their penchant for pulling out tight contests has eluded them. Many of their July struggles have come from an offensive outage that caused them to drop five of six to the Rockies and carry a four-game losing streak into the break. Despite this, Seattle is still on pace to top 90 wins for the first time in 15 years.

The rapid rise of the Phillies has been one of the most surprising stories of the first half, pacing the NL East at the All-Star break. Aaron Nola (12-3, 2.30 ERA) has become one of the top young pitchers in the game, while Odubel Herrera, Rhys Hoskins and Jorge Alfaro have formed one of the most promising young cores in the NL. Now, can they continue to spice things up in the second half with a headline addition? Paging Manny Machado, perhaps?

A year ago, the Brewers failed to cash in on a surprisingly strong start with a second-half collapse. After a brutal five-game sweep at the hands of the Pirates that came on the heels of dropping two of three to the Marlins, could Milwaukee be stepping back into a self-dug grave yet again? The Brewers will need to right their path quickly, as unlike last year, the Cubs haven't waited around to find their top form.

Arizona saved its season in June and has now entered an all-out fight atop the NL West with the resurgent Dodgers. The two teams have swapped control of the division over the past week but do not go head-to-head again until a four-game set to close out August. It will be interesting to see how the next few weeks go for the D-backs, who are again positioned to make major waves headed toward the trade deadline and into August to get a leg up in the increasingly intense NL West.

While the rise of the Braves was a shocking outcome early in the year, the young ballclub has begun to feel the rigors of keeping up that pace. It has been two weeks since Atlanta won on consecutive nights, and top starters Mike Foltynewicz and Sean Newcomb have struggled through July. Despite carrying a combined 15-10 record and 3.08 ERA on the year, they have gone 2-4 in July, while allowing 23 earned runs in 29.2 innings (7.09 ERA).

After an inexplicable slow start at the plate and at home, the Rockies have come roaring back to life. Since July 1, they top the NL in OPS and are second in runs scored, with a 19-run breakout against Arizona last Tuesday as their peak effort. With a pair of five-game win streaks on the books this month, Colorado is now two games out of a postseason position entering the second half.

With a rash of injuries sweeping over their starting staff, the Angels have been tragically unable to cash in on a career year from Mike Trout. Although they were able to regain the bat of Shohei Ohtani last week, his arm would have been of much greater value — especially following the loss of staff ace Garrett Richards to Tommy John surgery this week, making him the eighth Angels arm lost for the year.

It is safe to say the first half of the year was a loss for the Nationals, who continue to linger in a purgatory of sorts amid the NL East standings. They will enter the second half in a position that has defined their year so far: in third place and .500 over their last 10 games. It is impossible to see them as either a major buyer or seller, as they still have all the the talent in the world. This is a roster that's capable of making a big run that logic would dictate the Nationals should have in them. Keyword: should.

It could be an exciting second half for the Giants for the first time in a while. With Madison Bumgarner and Johnny Cueto back in the rotation, along with Brandon Belt, Buster Posey and Andrew McCutchen together on a daily basis, San Francisco has some spoiler potential in a tight NL West scene. San Francisco's 25 wins against NL West foes are tied for the most in the division with Los Angeles.

With an underwhelming first half causing the club to tumble 7.5 games back in the NL Central and a pair of clubhouse controversies converging over the last week, management made the surprising call to remove manager Mike Matheny late on Saturday night. The hopes are the steady decline of the club comes to a close under the watch of respected former bench coach turned interim manager Mike Shildt, who will be put to the test quickly with a four-game set at Wrigley Field to open the second half.

Amid an interesting half that saw Tampa do everything from radical bullpen deployments to dominating the Yankees and Astros in succession, the Rays reach the All-Star break as a distant, yet occasionally impressive, blip on the AL East map. One of their most impressive parts is Blake Snell, who made the All-Star Game as a replacement for Corey Kluber. Snell’s 2.27 ERA and 12 wins both represent career-high marks for the young southpaw.

An up and down first half concluded with a bang of a high note for the Bucs, who pulled off a rare five-game sweep over the Brewers. Although still mired in the muck of fourth place with the Reds gaining ground quickly, it is an undeniably positive turn of events.

Speaking of the Reds, few clubs have been as hot as they have been of late. Boasting a trio of All-Stars in Joey Votto, Scooter Gennett and Eugenio Suarez within their infield and benefiting from the turnaround of Matt Harvey as well, they have gone 18-8 over the last month. It is a run that could put the brakes on a potential sell-off, as well as a potential extension for the man who has overseen the turnaround, manager Jim Riggleman.

The dazed and confused Twins are a shell of what they were supposed to be, but they can still drum up some of that potential on occasion. Such was the case as they headed into the break winners of nine of their last 11 contests, although a 19-6 drubbing last Saturday provided a bit of sobriety and reminder of their still lackluster condition.

W inning one, then losing two is not exactly a formula for an inspirational midseason turnaround. Alas, that is the life the Jays have lived for much of the month, tumbling across the finish line of the first half. On the bright side, at least the upcoming portion of the schedule could finally have a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. sighting in T-Dot.

It appears that the momentum the Rangers had a few weeks back was more of a fleeting moment than a turning of the tide. Winners of just three of their 13 games thus far in July, the Rangers are the lone AL West participant that is completely out of the mix at the halfway point.

It seems unfair that Nicholas Castellanos had to stay home over the All-Star break, as he is the only source of any genuine excitement in Detroit's everyday offering. He leads AL outfielders with 29 doubles, and his 3.4 oWAR is twice that of his closest in-house competition on an otherwise drag of a Detroit lineup.

In a surprising outcome midway through July, the Fish have banged out 141 hits on the month, tops in the National League. They also capped the first half by taking consecutive series over the division-leading Brewers and Phillies. While it is safe to say their season is still not headed very far, the Marlins have proved to be a much tougher nut to crack than was expected three months ago.

With a 6-21 slide over the last month burying them within an increasingly competitive NL West, it is time for the Padres to look toward the future in a very real way. That could begin by being the foremost supplier of bullpen arms at the trade deadline. With some combination of Brad Hand, Craig Stammen and Kirby Yates at their disposal, the Padres could easily declare 2018 a win of sorts in their already impressive organizational build by adding a few more prized prospects before turning the keys over to the youth for the last month and change.

It is time to choose a path for the Metropolitans, who have yet again lost their grip on a season that was supposed to be a turning point effort. Instead, the trio of interim GMs holding things in place are faced with a team in last place in the NL East that is being urged to part with at least one of their most valued long-term assets in Jacob deGrom or Noah Syndergaard. This isn’t how this was supposed to go at all, especially after that long-gone 11-1 start.

Roaring toward their first 100-loss season since 1970, the White Sox are stuck in the annoying scenario of simply having to live out an unpredictable rebuilding situation. Some of the kids have shown the expected promise, such as Yoan Moncada, Tim Anderson and Matt Davidson, while others have left much to be desired. Lucas Giolito’s struggles have caused much concern following his breakout effort late in 2017.

The next 14 days represent the two most important weeks of the year for the O’s, as the goal is to get the very most possible in return for the remaining talent they have left. The return for Manny Machado, Zach Britton and potentially Adam Jones will do nothing to salvage this year, but it could very well determine how the next five to 10 years play out. No pressure.

There’s nowhere to go but up for the Royals, literally. Since they decided against selling off parts at the deadline a year ago, opting instead to go for a playoff push that proved fruitless, they have arguably as dim of a future as any team in baseball. The first half of the year played a major part in setting the tone of those expectations, as they carry baseball’s worst run differential at -193 and have only 11 victories at home on the year.