The MLB is just over a week into the 2020 season and just like after one week in any season we have been in for some surprises. The difference with these surprises is that in a 60-game season we are more likely to see surprises reminiscent of week one at the end of the season due to the nature of 60 games.
Not only have we seen some surprises on the field in how certain teams are playing but we have also seen some bumps in the road, including numerous positive test results mainly from the Miami Marlins, but now it seems like the St. Louis Cardinals may be on that boat. Due to this we have seen some postponements and schedule realignment to try attempt to work around the issue. If this first 10 days of this season has showed us anything than it is to expect anything on and off the field, so don’t be shocked if there are more postponements along the way.
While there have been some negatives in the first 10 days there is no need to fret and dwell on the negatives (we could do that all day long), but that is not going to make anyone feel better. Instead we have to focus on the positives, Baseball is back and in full swing!
Most teams do not have the luxury of getting off to a slow start in this season as it is only 60 games (hopefully) and now that most teams are 1/6 of the way through their season it seems like a perfect time to give my first in-season power rankings.
1. New York Yankees
2020 Record: 7-1
The Yankees were the perennial favorites in the AL East going into this shortened season and so far, they have not disappointed. Aaron Judge is bringing exactly what you have come to expect from him as well as DJ LeMahieu on both sides of the ball. One player they are glad to see back healthy has been Giancarlo Stanton who is reminding everyone why he won MVP in 2017. Their pitching has also looked great for the most part this season and they are very excited to see the rest of the season from Gerrit Cole. While most has been positive there have been some negatives including Tommy Kahnle, who looks as though he will need Tommy John, but overall, they have proved to be exactly who we thought they were.
2. Los Angeles Dodgers
2020 Record: 7-3
The Dodgers top players right now are struggling and yet they are still 7-3. If
That doesn’t tell you how much depth they have on their roster then I don’t know what will. Corey Seager and AJ Pollock have emerged again as offensive leaders while players like Mookie Betts, Justin Turner, and Max Muncy have all been consistent on the offensive end. Then on the pitching side there have been names who are not Walker Buehler who have stepped up such as Dustin May, Ross Stripling, and Julio Urías. If the Dodgers can do this when some of their best are struggling, then I don’t want to picture them when everyone is playing great.
3. Minnesota Twins
2020 Record: 7-2
The Twins just seem to be picking up where they left off last regular season, and that is just demolishing the baseball. So far, they are third in HRs, behind the Yankees and Dodgers, and sit second in run differential. At this point it just seems as though Nelson Cruz is an ageless wonder. Even with Cruz they are in a similar boat to the Dodgers, their top players seem to be struggling yet they still sit atop the division. Much of this can be attributed to their pitching staff and new additions such as Kenta Maeda and Rich Hill, their bullpen has also been lockdown with Taylor Rogers and Tyler Duffey. The offense will come around (even though they are still good overall) and they will be even more dangerous.
4. Atlanta Braves
2020 Record: 7-3
The Braves were supposed to be a good team and their record shows it even if it has come through being a little inconsistent. Like many of the teams mentioned so far, their top players in Ronald Acuna Jr. and Ozzie Albies are struggling, but they have had Marcell Ozuna come over and make an immediate impact. Dansby Swanson is also finally starting to look like the player we thought he would be out of college. Pitching has been a little shaky, but they have gotten some good starts out of Mike Soroka and Max Fried. They will need to rely on more than those two pitchers after designating Mike Foltynewicz, but they have a good overall staff that should help.
5. Houston Astros
2020 Record: 5-4
Losing one of your top pitchers early in Justin Verlander is never an easy thing to deal with, so now they will have to rely on even more young players to make up for that. Luckily, they have one of the best offenses to help overcome that. However, they have been struggling a little on the offensive end, especially Alex Bregman, George Springer, and Jose Altuve. Those bats should come back soon but for the most part their rookies have been good enough to keep them with a positive record.
6. Chicago Cubs
2020 Record: 7-2
The Cubs could have gone any way this season, from really good to really bad and as of right now they are trending more toward the really good category. Kris Bryant is struggling, but they are getting massive help from Wilson Contreras and Anthony Rizzo as well as most others in their starting lineup. On the pitching side Kyle Hendricks really helped set the tone after throwing a shutout opening day. Then you have Tyler Chatwood, Jon Lester, and Yu Darvish all looking great and you have the division leader up to this point. They need their starters to be good because that bullpen has not been. Jeremy Jeffries and Rowan Wick have been good, but otherwise it is best to stay out of that bullpen.
7. Oakland Athletics
2020 Record: 5-4
Out of any team in baseball (that was supposed to be a potential leader), the Athletics may be doing the worst on the offensive end. Saying they are struggling is an understatement, only four players on the team are above the Mendoza line (.200). While the offense may look lost right now their pitching is not. The starters may not be doing the best they have ever done but their bullpen has been lockdown as of now, the key becomes getting to the bullpen with the lead. There should be some concern in Marcus Semien, Matt Chapman, and Matt Olson but it is still early so no major concern, but they need to correct it sooner than later.
8. Cleveland Indians
2020 Record: 5-5
Speaking of struggling offenses, the Indians have been one of the worst teams this season when it comes to manufacturing runs. Jose Ramirez has been off to a good start this season, but they will need more production out of their big bats like Francisco Lindor and Carlos Santana. The hitting side was always going to be the struggle though, the pitching was going to be their bread and butter and for the most part they have been great. Shane Bieber is looking like a Cy Young right now Zach Plesac has had one very good outing. In the bullpen Brad Hand has struggled but everyone has been great. They will need more out of this offense in a tight division to make the playoffs though.
9. Chicago White Sox
2020 Record: 5-4
The White Sox biggest gripe going into this season was that they were a young team who could do anything. We have seen some of the unpredictability, but we have also seen the potential greatness. They are hitting as well as any team right now and we should continue to see the same. Luis Robert, Eloy Jimenez, and Yoan Moncada are all players they are banking on in the future and they are not disappointing. Pitching has been a different story. Their bullpen has been good for the most part, but their starters have not done what they’ve needed to do to win. Dallas Keuchel has been alright, but we will need to see better out of Lucas Giolito and Dylan Cease.
10. Colorado Rockies
2020 Record: 6-2
The Colorado Rockies are the first real surprise team that we are going to talk about. The prowess of the offense was never in question and for good reason, Trevor Story and Charlie Blackmon are leading a scary offense which are in the upper third in the offensive category. Nolan Arenado is struggling but that should not be a huge concern, Arenado has proven he can do it and he will bounce back again. The pitching has always been a question though, so far, they are getting the best out of all their pitchers which is good since the biggest concern is consistency. If the pitching can remain consistent then they are a team to look out for.
11. San Diego Padres
2020 Record: 6-4
The Padres are not quite as young as the White Sox are in players they are investing in, but they are still young, nonetheless. One of these key players is Fernando Tatis Jr. who is coming off a great rookie campaign and looking strong once again. One player we still need to see more from after that contract is Manny Machado. They have become much more patient as a team which so far has proven important. Then on the pitching side Chris Paddock and Dinelson Lamet have done exactly what was expected of them. While the pitching has been good it will be interesting to see how long it will take to see some of their top prospects.
12. Tampa Bay Rays
2020 Record: 4-6
If we talked about early season surprised then the Rays are in that conversation, but not for a good reason. This is a team that has relied on pitching to get them far ahead of their offense, that is something that is happening once again. Their offense has not been good, and they are coming off a sweep from a team many thought to be the worst in the league (Orioles). Willy Adames and Brandon Lowe have been a bright spot in their offense but that’s about it. On the pitching side they may not look great right now from their three-headed monster, but this is a team with 3 potential Cy Young winners so there should be no concern on the pitching side moving on.
13. Cincinnati Reds
2020 Record: 4-5
Once it was announced that there was going to be a universal DH, the Reds looked like geniuses after picking up Nicholas Castellanos. Castellanos has looked great, however, overall, they have had a less than stellar start and now they have lost Joey Votto for a little bit. Their pitching definitely improved over the offseason but not many people expected that it would carry them up to this point. This is where we are at though with Trevor Bauer and Sonny Gray both having two great starts. The bullpen has looked a little shaky which is especially a problem right now when they are struggling driving runs in, this will have to change, and it easily should.
14. Washington Nationals
2020 Record: 3-4
The Nationals were a popular pick in the NL East after winning the World Series, but so far, they are not off to a hot start. It is similar to last season, but they do not have time to be mediocre, they have to be good now. The fact that Stephen Strasburg and Juan Soto have not played yet means that good things should come but we really never know. Victor Robles is having a very good season so far and that must be a sign of relief for everyone in their organization seeing him playing well. Max Scherzer and Patrick Corbin have been great, and their bullpen has been very good. They need to turn things around but adding Strasburg and Soto back should easily help.
15. Milwaukee Brewers
2020 Record: 3-3
The Brewers, somewhat like the Nationals are in a tough situation to judge because they have only played six games. They have managed to go .500 though even with Christian Yelich’s awful start. On top of that Lorenzo Cain has now opted out and things seem to have gotten even tougher. With this their pitching will have to carry them and so far that is what they have been doing, Brandon Woodruff and Adrian Houser have looked great but it will need to continue. This team has faced adversity before and now without Cain they will have to overcome it once again, once MVP Yelich returns it should help.
16. San Francisco Giants
2020 Record: 5-5
The Giants are one of the surprise teams this season, many expected them to be at the bottom of the NL West. Part of the reason they have been so good is thanks to Donovan Solano and Mike Yastrzemski both scorching hot to start the season. The problem is they most likely will not be able to keep up the pace‑so enjoy it while it lasts. The pitching has been an issue like it was expected to be, but some good news is Logan Webb has looked good thus far. The Giants may not be great for all that long but the players they want to produce have been so far and if more veterans could join in the could be a threat.
17. St. Louis Cardinals
2020 Record: 2-3
The Cardinals are another team that are in a very awkward position when ranking them because they have only played five games. Not only have they played five games but that will continue as their next series with the Tigers has been postponed. Paul Goldschmidt has started hot early which is very important along with Tommy Edman and Paul DeJong, but this is really not a team who is known for offense. They are known for pitching and they have struggled so far from their starters (other than Jack Flaherty and Adam Wainwright). Those two have had good games but the rest of that staff is up in the air, so it is tough to say where they go from here.
18. Toronto Blue Jays
2020 Record: 3-4
The Blue Jays were put into a tough position this season because they have tons of young talent, but it may not have all come together. Their offense hasn’t been spectacular, but it has been good with the young talent, especially Teoscar Hernandez, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., and Bo Bichette. Pitching has been a surprise strong spot from the starters (except Hyun Jin-Ryu who has struggles) so far with a great performance from Nate Pearson. The bullpen has also showed it is good so we could be looking at a surprise wild card team if the offense can heat up.
19. Baltimore Orioles
2020 Record: 5-3
We already talked about the Giants, but this may be the first real surprise of the “bad” teams. The Orioles were projected to be one of the worst in the league but as of now they have flipped that upside down thanks to hitting from Hanser Alberto, Jose Igleseas, and Rio Ruiz. This most likely won’t last but it will be fun to see. Then on the pitching side they have been sneaky good, although anything compared to last year would be good. Facing the Yankees early did not help the ERA but that doesn’t tell the whole story, Alex Cobb and Wade LeBlanc have been good and are leading the staff of the second-place team in the AL East.
20. Detroit Tigers
2020 Record: 5-5
Speaking of surprises, the Tigers sit at .500 after 10 games, and as of now have one of the best bullpen’s in the game. That is really it though when you look at this team, the starters have been decent, especially Spencer Turnbull, but nothing spectacular. Same goes on the offensive end, you have some good starts like JaCoby Jones, Jonathan Schoop, and Austin Romine but that is about it. Much like the Orioles, this is a team that is most likely not going to keep this pace so enjoy the ride while it lasts.
21. Miami Marlins
2020 Record: 2-1
The Marlins and the Phillies are maybe the two hardest teams to rank right now because they have only played the one series. Although it has only been one series the Marlins sit over .500 and this is thanks to the offensive show from Miguel Rojas, Brian Anderson, and Magneuris Sierra. Again, it is only three games, but they have looked great. Then on the pitching side Sandy Alcantara looked great and Caleb Smith looked good, but again they’ve only played three games. The reason they are so high is because they sit over .500, but we need to see more before we make an accurate prediction.
22. Philadelphia Phillies
2020 Record: 1-2
Just like the Marlins, the Phillies have only played in one series so it is really tough to say where they would actually rank. We can only go based off what has happened and so far, the Phillies have not looked that great. New addition Didi Gregorius has looked great as well as Phil Gosselin, but not much else happened. Zach Wheeler also looked great in his debut, but he can only pitch so often. In such a small sample size Aaron Nola did not look his best, but one start is no room for panic. Again, in such a small sample size it is hard to tell, and we will have to wait before we can get an accurate read on the Phillies.
23. New York Mets
2020 Record: 3-7
One of the big stories going into this season was that Yoenis Cespedes would be back and that would provide needed offense, well he is now gone again. Even without Cespedes they have been decent offensively, not much power though, so they are waiting for Pete Alonso to heat up. Then you have Jacob deGrom doing deGrom things, but just like last year, no run support. That has been the largest issue so far, lack of run support. Most of your pitchers have pitched well enough but it hasn’t been enough, that will need to change and soon.
24. Arizona Diamondbacks
2020 Record: 3-7
The Diamondbacks have been a disappointment up to this part of the season. This was a team that many liked to finish behind the Dodgers in the NL West and so far, they are the exact opposite. It hasn’t been all bad though, Christian Walker, Ketel Marte, and new addition Starling Marte have looked good so far. They will need more from David Peralta and Eduardo Escobar to bounce back. Pitching has been a roller coaster with Zac Gallen posting good numbers, but he is the only starter. The D-Backs have time to turn it around, but they can’t wait too long.
25. Boston Red Sox
2020 Record: 3-7
We Knew that the Red Sox lacked pitching depth, but this has been really bad so far. They started the season great with a 13-2 victory over the Orioles and have only gone downhill since. Rafael Devers also got off to an extremely slow start which is not good as he is someone that they will need to be successful. Xander Bogaerts and Christian Vazquez have led the offense, but it is not a good sign to see and offensive team struggle. A struggling offense and the worst ERA in the league are not a good mixture yet that is where the Sox sit. The offense should turn around but is it already too late?
26. Los Angeles Angels
2020 Record: 3-7
The Angels have a ton of potential with this lineup and they still do, but we have not seen anything gel yet. Anthony Rendon missed the first couple of game and then Mike Trout missed the last couple while he witnessed the birth of his son. Now with both of them back, watch out. Their starting staff for the most part has been surprisingly good and with the lineup that they have they could make a run for something; the biggest problem though will be the bullpen. The bullpen has not looked good and could bring more issues if something is not done quick, remember this is a team that probably should make the playoffs.
27. Seattle Mariners
2020 Record: 4-6
Right now, the Mariners are in a complete rebuild mode and so far, this season we have seen some promising things out of their young players. Can they keep it up, maybe not, but this is all about exposure right now. The guy they love to see back hitting is Kyle Seager and he is looking very good. Kyle Lewis is definitely the guy that surprised everyone, but that’s great for them. The offense so far has been middle of the road, they have just struggled at being able to put teams away. The team ERA is one of the worst in the league right now and a big reason for being under .500, so far though they have been a fun team to watch (at least offensively).
28. Texas Rangers
2020 Record: 3-5
Adding Corey Kluber to the Rangers this offseason was drastically supposed to help the Rangers, we got to see one inning of him and now he is on the IL. Losing him definitely hurt, but at least they have Lance Lynn who has yet to allow a run in 12 innings. Kyle Gibson and Kolby Allard have also looked good, so the starting staff has done well. Edison Volquez is the only player doing well out of the bullpen, so they are not great at holding leads. They aren’t great at getting leads either, Joey Gallo seems to be the only player who showed up offensively for the Rangers. All in all this is a bad combination for the Rangers and it looks as though they could stay here all year.
29. Kansas City Royals
2020 Record: 3-7
Now it’s not a shocker when teams preform exactly how they are supposed to, and that is exactly where the Royals are. The Royals were never expected to be good and so far, they have not been. Whit Merrifield is showing up which is always expected, Ryan O’Hearn is a pleasant surprise that he has shown up so far. Jorge Soler has also been decent but not bringing the pop expected after last season. Pitching overall has not been terrible, no one has been great, but no one has been terrible (for the most part). The Royals could easily be a lot better with the lineup, the pitching staff though may prevent it in the long run.
30. Pittsburgh Pirates
2020 Record: 2-7
There is not much good to talk about so far when you mention the Pirates. It did seem as though they were in rebuild mode so that is good (I guess). Colin Moran and Phillip Evans have been early bright sport, of the few. Bryan Reynolds and Kevin Newman have struggled so far, but it is still early, and they will get back. Pitching has actually been a strong point for the Pirates this season and their bullpen especially has been good. No one in their staff will shock you in doing great, but all the players have a certain role and fill it well. The Pirates are not going anywhere and can only hope to get production out of young players right now.