MLB Power Rankings: Where every team stands at the All-Star break
The MLB All-Star Game marks the unofficial midway point of the baseball season.
With the dog days of summer still ahead before some tense September baseball determines tight division races, it's a good point to take the temperature of the season and reexamine where every team stands before they push for the playoffs.
In the American League, the gap between the haves and the have-nots is wide - the Orioles and Royals might both lose 100 games, while either the Red Sox or Yankees have the potential to win 100 games and still have to play in the Wild Card game.
Meanwhile, in the National League, things are much tighter - an unexpected race has emerged in the NL East, and four teams are within four games of each other in the NL West.
Take a look below to see where every team stands heading into the All-Star break. Playoff expectation projections come from FiveThirtyEight.
30. Baltimore Orioles
Record: 28-69
Chance at postseason: <1%
One thing to know: The most exciting move the Orioles will make for the remainder of the season is trading away Manny Machado, who is expected to land with a contender sometime in the near future.
29. Kansas City Royals
Record: 27-68
Chance at postseason: <1%
One thing to know: It's hard to believe, but it was just three years ago that the Royals ran away with the 2015 World Series.
28. New York Mets
Record: 39-55
Chance at postseason: <1%
One thing to know: Pitcher Jacob DeGrom is having a potentially Cy Young-worthy season, but the Mets have still somehow found a way to lose his starts. In one stretch of 10 starts, DeGrom put up a 0.87 ERA — the Mets went 2-8.
27. Miami Marlins
Record: 41-57
Chance at postseason: <1%
One thing to know: While the Marlins are far from a contender, they are undeniably not the worst team in baseball, which could be seen as a small victory after Derek Jeter took over and cleaned house.
26. Chicago White Sox
Record: 33-62
Chance at postseason: <1%
One thing to know: The White Sox have the unfortunate honor of being the worst road team in baseball at the break, going a paltry 14-33 away from Chicago this year. If you're team is in need of a few wins, check to see if the White Sox are coming to town any time soon.
25. Detroit Tigers
Record: 41-57
Chance at postseason: <1%
One thing to know: The Tigers had a fine season in the making before utterly falling apart in June. After a 36-37 start to the season, Detroit has lost 20 of their past 25 games heading into the break.
24. Minnesota Twins
Record: 44-50
Chance at postseason: 5%
One thing to know: With an 8-2 record in their past 10 games, the Twins have shown a bit of life heading into the All Star break, but still have plenty of work to do to catch the Indians in the division.
23. San Diego Padres
Record: 40-59
Chance at postseason: <1%
One thing to know: San Diego was one of the many teams desperately in need of the opportunity to rest and reset that the All Star break providers — the Padres have lost 21 of 27 games heading into the halfway point of the season.
22. Texas Rangers
Record: 41-56
Chance at postseason: <1%
One thing to know: Shin-Soo Choo is 36 years old and remains one of the most useful hitters in baseball, currently working on a 51-game on-base streak, a feat just a few other players have ever accomplished.
21. Cincinnati Reds
Record: 43-53
Chance at postseason: 1%
One thing to know: The Reds season didn't pan out as planned this year, but slugger Joey Votto is still amongst the most feared hitters in baseball. He'll be looking for his first ever hit as an All Star this year in his sixth trip to the game.
20. Toronto Blue Jays
Record: 43-52
Chance at postseason: <1%
One thing to know: With the Blue Jays unlikely to strike fire to catch up with the top of the AL East, look for starting pitcher J.A. Happ to potentially be moved ahead of the trade deadline in an effort to reload for next year.
19. Pittsburgh Pirates
Record: 48-49
Chance at postseason: 5%
One thing to know: The Pirates enter the All-Star break having won eight of their past nine games, including a rainy walk-off on Sunday, but the team still has a lot of work to do before they're back in postseason contention.
18. Tampa Bay Rays
Record: 49-47
Chance at postseason: 8%
One thing to know: Being in the same division as the Red Sox and Yankees has never been an easy draw, but this year it's especially difficult. Despite having a winning record, the Rays are 18 games back in the division.
17. Los Angeles Angels
Record: 49-48
Chance at postseason: 5%
One thing to know: Mike Trout is still having one of the greatest seasons in the history of baseball, but caught within the Angels mediocrity, it's almost impossible to notice.
16. San Francisco Giants
Record: 50-48
Chance at postseason: 20%
One thing to know: Four teams are within four games of the top of the NL West. Unfortunately for them, the Giants are the ones at the bottom of the list looking up — they'll need to jump the Rockies, Diamondbacks, and Dodgers in the second half of the season.
15. Colorado Rockies
Record: 51-45
Chance at postseason: 26%
One thing to know: Coors Field is always discussed as a nightmare for pitchers, but Rockies starter Kyle Freeman appears to have found a comfort zone there, with a 2.76 ERA and a 5-2 record at home so far this season.
14. St. Louis Cardinals
Record: 48-46
Chance at postseason: 18%
One thing to know: The St. Louis Cardinals fired manager Mike Matheny just before the All Star break as the team attempts to regroup and get back into the NL playoff race. Joe Girardi, Dusty Baker, and Carlos Beltran are all rumored as potential candidates for the job.
13. Washington Nationals
Record: 48-48
Chance at postseason: 28%
One thing to know: The Nationals were expected to walk away with the NL East this year, but have been slow out of the gate and still need to catch the Phillies and Braves in the standings. That said, the emergence of 19-year-old Juan Soto has been one of the most compelling stories of the season thus far.
12. Arizona Diamondbacks
Record: 53-44
Chance at postseason: 51%
One thing to know: Zach Grienke has been an ace for the Diamondbacks, with a 3.11 ERA and one of just five NL pitchers to accrue 10 wins heading into the break.
11. Los Angeles Dodgers
Record: 53-43
Chance at postseason: 79%
One thing to know: Clayton Kershaw is still one of the most reliable pitchers in baseball, but with other stars like Aaron Nola emerging in Philadelphia and Max Scherzer still dominating for the Nationals, his reign as the undeniable best in baseball might be coming to a close.
10. Atlanta Braves
Record: 52-42
Chance at postseason: 54%
One thing to know: Freddie Freeman is likely the leading candidate for the NL MVP, currently batting .316 with 61 RBIs and 16 home runs.
9. Philadelphia Phillies
Record: 53-42
Chance at postseason: 61%
One thing to know: The Philadelphia Phillies rebuild came together a bit quicker than expected, with young stud Aaron Nola emerging as one of the best pitchers in the National League and Rhys Hoskins proving a reliable bat. Should they land Manny Machado, they'll be an interesting dark horse for a postseason run.
8. Oakland Athletics
Record: 55-42
Chance at postseason: 36%
One thing to know: The Athletics have played through the first half of the season as one of the most surprising teams in baseball, with Jed Lowrie and Khris Davis leading the charge on offense.
7. Milwaukee Brewers
Record: 55-43
Chance at postseason: 60%
One thing to know: While the Brewers are still well-positioned, they've lost six straight heading into the break — the longest active losing streak in the majors.
6. Cleveland Indians
Record: 52-43
Chance at postseason: 96%
One thing to know: With a whopping six players heading to D.C. for the All Star game, there's little doubt that Cleveland has the talent to bring the city its next championship now that LeBron has taken his talent to Hollywood.
5. Seattle Mariners
Record: 58-39
Chance at postseason: 52%
One thing to know: The Mariners success has been something of a surprise this season, with FiveThirtyEight originally projecting the team to an 80-82 season.
4. Chicago Cubs
Record: 55-38
Chance at postseason: 97%
One thing to know: With the American League clearly fielding the strongest teams in baseball, the Chicago Cubs look like the NL powerhouse best-suited to put up a fight in the World Series this year.
3. New York Yankees
Record: 62-33
Chance at postseason: >99%
One thing to know: The Yankees are currently on pace to win over 100 games, but if they can't catch the Red Sox, they'll still be forced to play in a do-or-die Wild Card game to start the postseason.
2. Houston Astros
Record: 64-35
Chance at postseason: 98%
One thing to know: The reigning World Series champions definitely have what it takes to make another run for the title — their stunning run differential of +188 shows the Astros are still one of the most dominant teams in baseball.
1. Boston Red Sox
Record: 68-30
Chance at postseason: >99%
One thing to know: With the best record in baseball and likely the strongest front-to-back lineup currently hitting, the Red Sox enter the All Star break having won nine of their previous 10 games and looking like the team to beat as the season enters the home stretch.
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