Another week, another change at the top of our MLB Power Rankings.
While the powerhouses ruling baseball have separated from the pack early this season, the battle for our No. 1 spot remains an intense one between the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers — with some surging teams making their own cases for big jumps on the list.
Where does your team stand in Week 9?
Our panel of experts has combined to rank every team in baseball based on a combination of what we’ve seen so far and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that is a full baseball season. We also asked ESPN MLB experts David Schoenfield, Bradford Doolittle, Joon Lee, Jesse Rogers and Alden Gonzalez to weigh in with an observation for all 30 teams.
Week 8 | Preseason rankings
1. New York Yankees
Record: 40-16
Previous ranking: 2
The Yankees keep rolling and Nestor Cortes, along with a top-notch pitching staff, leads the way — boasting a slower fastball but a high strikeout rate. While Aaron Judge puts together an MVP campaign, the starting rotation has carried this group, with strong seasons from Gerrit Cole, Jordan Montgomery, Jameson Taillon and Luis Severino. New York looks like the juggernaut so many expected the team to be during the 2021 season. –– Lee
2. Los Angeles Dodgers
Record: 36-20
Previous ranking: 1
The Dodgers’ starting pitching depth has been tested by the loss of Clayton Kershaw and Andrew Heaney. And though both are nearing a return, another problem has emerged — Walker Buehler, the staff ace, is navigating some rare struggles. The 27-year-old right-hander allowed five runs in 2⅔ innings against the Mets on Saturday and has a 6.66 ERA over his past five starts, while striking out only 20 in a stretch of 24⅓ innings. The Dodgers have dropped six of their past nine. — Gonzalez
Record: 38-21
Previous ranking: 3
The Mets went 2-2 in a big series at Dodger Stadium, losing the first two games (one run in two defeats) before knocking out Walker Buehler in the third…
Source : espn
