It’s time for our first MLB Power Rankings 2022 of the regular season.
We’re already one month into the season and, even though it’s still pretty early, we can already have a nice picture of what’s likely to come next.
MLB Power Rankings 2022
Some teams have underperformed, others have had multiple misleading wins. But at the end of the day, all that matters is what they’re able to do in October. With that in mind, let’s take a look at our way-too-early MLB Power Rankings 2022.
15. Astros
The Houston Astros seem to be suffering from Carlos Correa‘s loss a little more than expected. They’ve also missed José Altuve due to injury, as their offense on the road has been abysmal to start the season. Even so, they’re talented enough to stay afloat and above .500.
Justin Verlander has looked fantastic since his return and Dusty Baker is still one of the best managers in all of baseball. Jeremy Peña is breaking out and we all know this team will get hot when it matters the most. They’ll be better.
14. Marlins
The Miami Marlins didn’t get off to a solid start of the season, yet they’re getting hot as of late. They don’t play in a competitive division and have had several games versus the Washington Nationals, so we might as well take that with a grain of salt, though.
This team is intriguing. They’ve gathered some nice talent and it seems like they could make a legit push for a playoff berth. They still seem to be a couple of years away from legit contention, though, but are good enough to make our MLB Power Rankings 2022.
13. Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies added even more firepower in the offseason, yet their bullpen and defensive issues remain. It seems like Joe Girardi‘s plan is to outscore every team they face, and that’s not going to work 9 times out of 10 in this league.
The Phillies’ starting rotation has been atrocious to start the year. Ironically, they’re still one of the best MLB teams to watch, as there’s always pure entertainment and big offensive outbursts. They should be better at some point but we wouldn’t be shocked if they only sink further.
12. Cardinals
Death, taxes, and the St. Louis Cardinals being a contender. Despite not being so high on our preseason power rankings, the Cardinals continue to show that they’re always a team to look out for. They’ve been solid and consistent thus far.
Nolan Arenado is playing the best baseball of his career, which is a lot to say. Adam Wainwright is ageless and their rotation and bullpen have done the job. They desperately crave an upgrade at the shortstop position, though, but look out for them.
11. Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays have slid a little in our updated MLB Power Rankings due to a poor start to the season but as expected, they’ve slowly started to make up for the missed time. Also, Wander Franco hasn’t been as good as people said. He’s been better.
Pitching has been an issue for Kevin Cash‘s team this year, which is strange considering it’s usually their biggest strength. They play in baseball’s toughest division and will have some catching up to do, but if Ji-Man Choi continues to hit this way, it’s just a matter of time before they’re on top again.
10. Mariners
The Seattle Mariners reached the top 10 of our MLB Power rankings 2022 thanks to their newfound offense. Ty France is having a breakout season and is leading this promising team to the best offense in all of the Majors. And that’s with Julio Rodriguez and Jarred Kelenic struggling at the plate.
The Mariners were one of the most surprising teams in MLB last season and did some nice moves in the offseason. Now, Logan Gilbert is looking like a legit ace and proving why they were so high on him. They want to put an end to their playoff drought once and for all.
9. Twins
The Minnesota Twins were a huge disappointment in 2021, mostly because of injuries. Their 2022 didn’t start any better, but they’ve finally found their offensive groove. Obviously, the offseason additions they made were due to make an impact sooner rather than later.
Carlos Correa, Gio Urshela, and Gary Sanchez have been great in Minneapolis. Joe Ryan is playing like a legit Cy Young candidate and Byron Buxton is making a case for being a top-10 player in the world. Watch out, this is one of the best MLB teams this season.
8. Angels
As per usual, the Los Angeles Angels drew contrasting takes from analysts entering this season. Some claimed they could make a legit run in the American League, some thought they wouldn’t even make the playoffs. And, while their World Series odds aren’t the highest, they’ve sure performed better than expected.
Shohei Ohtani has struggled on the mound as he looked to replicate last year’s historical season. Mike Trout once again struggled with injuries, yet the Angels are playing very good baseball. Noah Syndergaard hasn’t missed a beat despite the long layoff and their rotation is finally taking shape.
7. Padres
The San Diego Padres were one of the biggest candidates for regression entering the season, especially in terms of their starting pitching. But so far, they’ve been as good as they were last year, even with Fernando Tatis Jr. still on the shelf with an injury.
Eric Hosmer entered the season as one of the prime trade candidates, yet his hitting has been huge for the Padres. They’ll have to battle with the Giants and Dodgers for the top spot in one of the toughest divisions, but we like their chances right now.
6. Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are finally in regular-season mode after looking lost at the plate for the first week and a half of the season. They continue to boast one of the best starting rotations in all of baseball while also having the best closer in the game in Josh Hader.
Christian Yelich once again is looking far from the MVP and dominant slugger he once was. He’s hitting a horrid .197 this season, yet the Brewers continue to find ways to win. They need to make moves and add more bats if they want their World Series odds to improve.
5. Dodgers
Surprisingly, the Los Angeles Dodgers don’t sit at the top of our MLB Power Rankings 2022. They’re the most stacked team in the Majors, yet they haven’t played like it, even dropping back-to-back games in the desert against the bottom-feeding Arizona Diamondbacks.
Dave Roberts‘ team has been inconsistent to start the season, with Mookie Betts going ice-cold in the first three weeks or so. Freddie Freeman has been as good as advertised, though, and Clayton Kershaw has turned back the clock. They’ll be just fine. there’s nothing to worry about here.
4. Blue Jays
Deemed as the team to beat in the American League this season, the up-and-coming Toronto Blue Jays haven’t disappointed thus far. Their starting pitching has been spectacular and we all knew they weren’t going to have many issues at the plate, either.
The only problem with the team up north has been its bullpen, especially against the Boston Red Sox. They need to find more consistency in that regard but they look like a legit World Series candidate right now. The best part? Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette will stay for many, many more years.
3. Giants
Topping what they accomplished last year, at least in the regular season, wasn’t going to be an easy task for the San Francisco Giants, especially after losing Kevin Gausman. But newcomer Carlos Rodón has been even better than his predecessor, playing like a legit Cy Young candidate in the Bay.
The Giants continue to be a scrappy team that gets everything out of the mud. They fight hard, have a solid starting rotation, are well-coached, and have a reliable bullpen. So, even if they don’t have any superstars, that’s good enough to win more often than not.
2. Yankees
The New York Yankees are starting to get hot. They have arguably the best bullpen in all of the Majors thus far and their starting rotation has performed fairly better than expected, except for Gerrit Cole. Hopefully, their ace will find his groove back before it’s too late.
Joey Gallo has struggled mightily and Aaron Judge‘s contract situation will continue to loom around. But the Yankees continue to produce offense even when they’re not raking. It’s World Series or bust for the Bronx Bombers and they’re playing as such.
1. Mets
Steve Cohen didn’t hesitate to reach deep into his pockets and spend big bucks, and it’s definitely paid off thus far. The ageless Max Scherzer commands a rotation that’s been lights out from top to bottom, and that’s without Jacob deGrom still.
The revamped New York Mets have the best record in baseball and have clearly left their offensive woes in the past. Carlos Carrasco has been nothing short of spectacular and they seem to have way too many pieces on the roster right now.
