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Updated MLB Power Rankings following the 2022 trade deadline & Juan Soto trade

Home » MLB » MLB Power Rankings after 2022 trade deadline: All 30 teams ranked

As you may imagine by now, all MLB Power Rankings after the 2022 trade deadline need some adjustments.

While not many big names were moved, some of the transactions that went down could have a massive impact on the remainder of the season.

We can already tell which teams have given up. But on the flip side, it seems like we’re going to have a playoff run for the ages from those who actually took some risks and showed their teeth. We’re reaching the most crucial part of the season, and clearly, the best is yet to come.

MLB Power Rankings after 2022 trade deadline

So, how does Major League Baseball look after the deadline? Where does your favorite team rank? Do they have a shot at making the postseason or should you focus on next season already?

Let’s break it down with our MLB Power Rankings today.

    

30. Nationals

The post-trade deadline MLB Power Rankings have the Washington Nationals in the same place they’ve been throughout the whole season: At the bottom.

They weren’t expected to compete at all this season and losing Josh Bell and Juan Soto only sinks them further.

It’ll be a while before the Nationals get back on their feet. Stephen Strasburg‘s contract looks worse by the day, and trading a generational talent like Soto could go back to haunt them for decades. At least they got a historic prospect package in return.

29. Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates weren’t expected to be good this season, so they haven’t disappointed at all. Their starting rotation has been interesting and David Bednar looks like a superstar in the making, but there’s not much else to say about them.

At least, they’ve finally given Oneil Cruz time and chances to prove why he’s one of the world’s most electric and promising prospects.

    

28. Athletics

The Oakland Athletics went through yet another of their infamous firesales in the off-season. So, the fact that they’re the third-worst team in The Big Show is no surprise.

As expected, they held on to Frankie Montas for as long as they could to drive his value up, which seemed to be their lone goal for the season. Hopefully, this franchise will find a new home and ownership sooner rather than later. God knows the fans deserve better.

27. Royals

Whit Merrifield is good and Bobby Witt Jr. has been as good as advertised. Also, Salvador Perez continues to defy father time and is one of the best players in his position.

Other than that, well, the Kansas City Royals haven’t been that good. They’re 2-55 when trailing after eight innings this season, which is… not ideal. Their rotation has been shaky, their bullpen has been even worse, and their offense goes ice-cold way too often.

26. Reds

The Cincinnati Reds let go of all their stars but Luis Castillo and Joey Votto before the start of the season. We know Votto is going to retire as a member of the organization, and Castillo is no longer on the premises, so don’t expect them to win that many games from now on.

Jonathan India has failed to replicate his rookie success, but it would have taken something spectacular to lead a team back from a 3-22 start to the season.

25. Tigers

The MLB Power Rankings after the 2022 trade deadline have the Detroit Tigers as the fifth-worst team in the Majors, which is surprising and disappointing.

Most of us expected them to be in the mix for a Wild Card spot, yet injuries, inconsistency, and overall poor play have hurt them all year. Javier Baez has left a lot to be desired after signing that lucrative contract, and Spencer Torkelson was one of the biggest disappointments of the season.

24. Cubs

The Chicago Cubs have Seiya Suzuki! And… Seiya Suzuki! The Japanese OF looks poised to be a superstar, but David Ross‘ team has been depleted of talent left and right.

There’s nothing left from that World Series-winning core and it’ll be a very long time before there’s postseason baseball at Wrigley Field again. At least, they’ve finally dived head-on into a long-overdue rebuild.

23. Angels

Notably, firing Joe Maddon didn’t do anything to straighten the ship for the Los Angeles Angels.

The Halos keep free-falling, Noah Syndergaard‘s start to the season was a mirage, Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon can’t stay healthy, and it seems like something will always go wrong with this team. Once expected to be a World Series contender, they could now even lose two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani in the offseason.

22. Rockies

New year, same-old Colorado Rockies. They’ve been slightly above average at Coors Field, and blatantly mediocre outside of their hitter-friendly park.

They had a great opportunity to land some value for Daniel Bard, who’s been one of the best relievers in the Majors this season. But in a move that only the Rockies would make, they signed him to a two-year extension instead. Bard is 37 years old. Please, someone, make this make sense.

21. Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks haven’t been nearly half as bad as they were expected to be, but that’s not enough to be a contender, especially in that division.

Their starting rotation has been quite solid, headlined by Merrill Kelly, who posted a 4-0 with a 1.31 ERA and 0.77 WHIP last month. But their offense continues to be pedestrian at best, and their bullpen continues to dig them in a hole they can never recover from.

20. Rangers

Our MLB Power Rankings after the 2022 trade deadline have the Texas Rangers way below where they wanted to be at this point. They spent plenty of cash in the offseason, yet it hasn’t always showed on the win column.

Marcus Semien, Corey Seager, Adolis Garcia, and Martin Perez have been good all year, but they’re 1-11 against the Seattle Mariners and that’s the main reason why they’re way below .500.

19. Marlins

The Miami Marlins continue to thrive off their stellar starting pitching. But they can’t get a hit to save their lives, especially with RISP.

They were projected to be contending for a Wild Card berth and could still get hot and make the postseason, but that’s unlikely unless their offense starts actually hitting the ball. They’re still a young, up-and-coming team, so they’ll be fine. Eventually.

18. Giants

The San Francisco Giants were coming off the best season in franchise history. Now, they’re just middle of the pack, and would be lucky to make the postseason.

Losing Kevin Gausman in the offseason took a massive toll on their ability to compete, and they’ve struggled to stay healthy all season long with an elderly Major League roster. If anything, it was kind of shocking not watching them offload more veterans to try and focus on next season.

17. Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox’s inconsistency pretty much doomed their season. They were terrible early in the campaign, then got red-hot, and then suffered some of the most lopsided and humiliating string of losses in their history.

Their defense was atrocious, their pitching even worse, and their impending free-agency class only raised more concerns within the front office. No one expected them to be at the bottom of their division, yet here we are.

16. White Sox

Our post-trade deadline MLB Power Rankings have the Chicago White Sox near the middle, but they’re still talented enough to rise in the standings towards the end of the season. Jose Abreu is getting hot and so is Eloy Jimenez, and that’s usually a great sign for the Southsiders.

Their rotation seems to be getting its groove back as well, so the key for them will be to stay healthy once and for all.

15. Guardians

Once expected to be a bottom-five team, the Cleveland Guardians have turned a lot of heads in their first season under that name. They’re right in the mix for a Wild Card berth and their rotation has been quite solid.

More impressively, they’ve played more games on the road than any other team in the Majors, meaning they could mess around and end up winning the AL Central Division now that they’re due for a long home stretch.

14. Orioles

Yes, this is not a typo, nor a mistake. The Baltimore Orioles, of all teams, are 14th in our MLB Power Rankings after the 2022 trade deadline.

They’ve been the biggest surprise in the league this season, and their combination of youth and experience has finally given them the success they’ve craved for years. While they may not be able to stay this hot and make the postseason, it’s a sign that their rebuild is marching in the right direction and that they could be a team to look out for sooner rather than later.

Briefly rumored to be buyers, Baltimore flipped Trey Mancini and All-Star closer Jorge Lopez for prospects at the deadline.

13. Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals are the last team you want to meet in the playoffs. It’s always been like that, and with Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado having MVP-caliber season, that’s not likely to change any time soon.

Their pitching continues to raise concerns, though, especially with Adam Wainwright struggling with his command.

12. Phillies

The post-Joe Girardi Phillies have looked better than ever, even with an injured Bryce Harper and their atrocious bullpen.

They’re getting hot at the right time and Nick Castellanos has finally woken up and showing the same ball-raking ability he showed last season. They desperately craved bullpen help and once again failed to address that issue, though.

So, they’ll continue to lean on their offense to try and win games, which may not be a wise strategy in the playoffs.

11. Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays have been banged up for most of the season. Even with a legit Cy Young candidate and Kevin Cash‘s never-ending stash of hard-throwers, they’ve failed to keep their usual pace in the AL East Division due to their injury-studded lineup.

Their offense has been far from efficient, yet they continue to find ways to scrape out wins. We know how dangerous they can be when they’re at full strength, but the clock is ticking.

10. Twins

The Minnesota Twins finally look like the team they were supposed to look. They’re healthy, and all that speculation about Carlos Correa opting out after a year may have motivated them.

But still, they’re starting to show signs of fatigue and will have to keep their foot on the gas with both the White Sox and Guardians right on their toes until the end of the season. The Lopez trade should help to fortify a bullpen which has been among the worst in the big leagues.

9. Mariners

The Seattle Mariners should get the highest of the MLB trade deadline grades after adding Luis Castillo. Their rotation was already dominant and solid, and now they have another legitimate ace to back up their up-and-coming project.

Julio Rodriguez is a superstar in the making and this team young team will be a legit contender for the next decade if they manage to keep the band together. The playoff drought will finally come to an end.

8. Brewers

Following a shaky start to the season, the Milwaukee Brewers’ elite starting rotation has been back to its usual form as of late.

Brandon Woodruff has played like a Cy Young candidate since a short stint on the IL, and it seems like their three-headed monster of dominant aces will finally be at full strength. Even with all the injuries and inconsistent hitting, they’re still comfortably leading their division.

7. Blue Jays

Firing Charlie Montoya may have been the right move, as the Toronto Blue Jays sit at the sixth spot on our updated MLB Power Rankings 2022. They dug themselves out of the hole, their offense is back to life, and the starting rotation is finally living up to the expectations and big investment they did in the postseason.

The Blue Jays still need to prove that they can beat good teams, but they’re talented enough to go toe-to-toe with anybody. Also, unvaccinated players won’t be able to play in Canada in the postseason, and that’s another big edge that can’t be overlooked.

6. Braves

People tend to forget the Atlanta Braves are the reigning champions. They didn’t get off to a solid start of the season, yet they’re right in the race for the division, even with the almighty New York Mets. Jake Odorizzi is useful rotation insurance and Robbie Grossman is an effective platoon bat.

Ronald Acuña Jr. is finding his groove back, and they boast one of the best pitching staffs in the National League, at least on paper, so don’t sleep on them.

9. Padres

The San Diego Padres haven’t missed Fernando Tatis Jr. at all, but having him back for the remainder of the season will sure make them an even scarier team. Tatis, Manny Machado and Juan Soto is arguably the most formidable three-man core in the sport, and Josh Bell is a handy upgrade. Swapping Taylor Rogers for Josh Hader shouldn’t be overlooked, either.

Their ‘next-man-up’ offensive mentality has paid off all year long, and Manny Machado continues to have one of the best seasons of his career. Their rotation has top-tier potential, but they need to be more consistent. Even so, San Diego could be the team to beat come playoff time.

4. Mets

Our MLB Power Rankings today have the New York Mets as the fourth-best team in all baseball. They’re stacked with talent at every position and their terrifying rotation will only get better now that the best pitcher in the world is back.

Jacob deGrom wants to opt out of the final year of his contract, so he has plenty of motivation to be at his best, especially now that he finally has an offense that can give him any sort of run support when he’s on the mound. It’s World Series or bust in Queens.

3. Yankees

Talking about World Series or bust, the New York Yankees have slightly slipped in our updated MLB Power Rankings 2022. They were the best team in baseball for most of the season, but cooled off drastically before the All-Star break.

Also, missing on Luis Castillo was a big blow for their plans, not to mention Clay Holmes and Aroldis Chapman have been quite erratic as of late. Acquiring Scott Effross and Lou Trivino provides some more relief depth.

Aaron Judge is a lock to win MVP, but he needs the rest of the team to show up as well.

It’ll be interesting to see how Frankie Montas gets on after some injury concerns, while Andrew Benintendi is an upgrade in the outfield.

2. Astros

Once again, the Houston Astros have emerged as the biggest powerhouse in the American League. Justin Verlander has been as good as always, and they’ve owned the Yankees throughout the season.

We already know what this team is capable of — even without trash cans or buzzers — and they’re tailor-made for the postseason, so look out for them.

1. Dodgers

Unsurprisingly, the Los Angeles Dodgers sit at the top of our MLB Power Rankings after the 2022 trade deadline. They went 21-5 in July and are the most stacked team in the Majors, so there’s that.

There’s not much we could say about the Dodgers that we haven’t said before, as they will continue to be the team to beat in MLB until further notice, especially if they get some of their arms back before the postseason.

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