MLB Power Rankings: Fastball On SI Poll (July 1)

Here's how each writer voted.

Tom Brew

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

Comments: OK, I'm finally caving and moving the Los Angeles Dodgers into the No. 1 spot over the Detroit Tigers. Detroit's just 13-11 since June 3, so I'm moving them down a notch. I still think they are the best team in the American League, and Tarik Skubal pitched another gem this weekend. 

Kudos to the Pittsburgh Pirates for moving up a few notches after they embarrassed the New York Mets over the weekend, outscoring them 30-4. And that was with Paul Skenes NOT pitching. Glad to see the Pirates showing some signs of life. I've dropped the Mets six spots in two weeks and, frankly, it should have been more. But these are full season rankings, so they're still getting a little love for their hot start.

I've got Houston all the way up to No. 3 now, and I have to admit, they are the surprise team of the year for me. I thought losing Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker was going to crush them offensively, and Yordan Alvarez has been out two months. The pitching has been great, and their 19-7 record in June is impressive. 

Jack Ankony

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

Comments: My top two remain the same from last week, but the Houston Astros made a big jump from No. 7 to No. 3. They won five of six home games against the Cubs and Phillies, who haven’t played their best lately but still lead their respective divisions. The Cubs grew their division lead to 6.5 games not too long ago, but it’s back down to two, as the Brewers, Cardinals and Reds each have better records in June.

I chalked up the Mets’ struggles last week to playing tough competition, but my concern for them ticked up this week after getting swept in Pittsburgh and splitting a four-game set at home against the Braves. The Dodgers have created some breathing room atop the NL West, thanks to the Giants losing five of six to the Marlins and White Sox and the Padres dropping a series in Cincinnati. It was also a good week for some of the teams that have sat at the bottom of our rankings for most of the season: the White sox, Orioles, Pirates and Marlins.

Teren Kowatsch

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

Comments: Two weeks out of the All-Star Break, there's finally some separation being created across the majors. The Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers have started to pull away from the rest of the clubs in their division.

The NL Central, NL East and AL East have become more competitive than most would have thought the month ago. For teams not in first place in the less competitive divisions, it's starting to become Wild Card or bust.

Sam Connon

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

Comments: Besides the Mets' continued free fall, the top few tiers of contenders remained relatively stable this past week. The Cubs now have company in the NL Central, while the Marlins' emergence on the road has seemingly elevated them from the cellars. On top of that, the Pirates, Nationals and Athletics all playing .500 ball as of late basically just means there are fewer cream puffs left for teams to rack up empty wins against.