MLB Power Rankings: Week 6

*Stats and scores from games on 5/11/21 are not included.

MLB Power Rankings: 1-10

1. Chicago White Sox Record: 19-13 Previous: 8

The Chicago White Sox jumped up seven spots into the top spot after sweeping Kansas City last week, and have gone 7-3 in their last ten. Yermin Mercedes has exceeded all expectations and is the clear front-runner to win AL ROY this season.

2. Boston Red Sox Record: 22-14 Previous: 6

The Red Sox continue to play well as they took three of four from Baltimore and two of three from Detroit in week five. JD Martinez has been lighting the world on fire, currently posting an OPS of 1.073, making him an AL MVP candidate.

3. Oakland Athletics Record: 21-15 Previous: 2

Oakland had a decent week five that saw them split a four-game set with Toronto and take two of three from Tampa Bay. Yusmeiro Petit has only allowed two runs in 20.2 out of the pen, making him a candidate to win AL Reliever of the Year in 2021.

4. San Francisco Giants Record: 21-14 Previous: 5

To the surprise of many, the Giants are still atop the NL West, despite going 3-3 in week five, as the Dodgers have struggled. Buster Posey has suddenly regained his all-star form, making him a top candidate to win NL Comeback Player of the Year.

5. St.Louis Cardinals Record: 21-14 Previous: 7

After splitting a four-game series with the Mets, St. Louis put on a pitching clinic in their three-game sweep of the Rockies. Similar to Buster Posey, Yadier Molina is having a sudden rebirth at the plate and should be in the talk to win NL Comeback Player of the Year.

6. Los Angeles Dodgers Record: 18-17 Previous: 1

The Dodgers continue to struggle as they have now lost five straight series and eight of their last ten games. Regardless, Justin Turner has been incredible, posting an OPS of .997 and could be in line to win a Silver Slugger award at third base.

7. San Diego Padres Record: 19-16 Previous: 4

The Padres drop three spots, coming off a decent but underwhelming week that included losing two of three to San Francisco. Mark Melancon has been incredible out of the bullpen, with a league-leading 11 saves, making him the top candidate to win NL Reliever of the Year.

8. Milwaukee Brewers Record: 19-16 Previous: 3

After a brutal set with Philadelphia where they lost all four games, Milwaukee rebounded by winning two of three against Miami last week. Corbin Burnes has been a pleasant surprise for Milwaukee, with an ERA of 1.53 in 29.1 innings of work, making him a Cy Young candidate.

9. Cleveland Indians Record: 18-14 Previous: 12

The Cleveland Indians continue to fly up the rankings as they swept Kansas City in four games last week and are only one game behind the White Sox. James Karinchak and Emmanuel Clase have combined to allow only three runs in 29.1 innings of work, and both are candidates to win AL Reliever of the Year.

10. New York Mets Record: 16-13 Previous: 17

The Mets moved up seven spots as they are finally living up to expectations, sweeping the Diamondbacks last week. Prior to going on the IL, Jacob deGrom was the top candidate to win NL Cy Young, having only allowed three runs in 40 innings of work. 

MLB Power Ranking: 11-20

11. New York Yankees Record: 18-16 Previous: 10

The Yankees are back above .500, having taken two of three from the Astros and Nationals in week five. After injury-plagued seasons in 2019 and 2020, Giancarlo Stanton has regained his Miami form with nine home runs as the top candidate to win Comeback Player of the Year in the AL.

12. Tampa Bay Rays Record: 19-17 Previous: 13

The Rays were able to get back above .500 with a four-game sweep against the Angels in week five. Tyler Glasnow has been a strikeout machine with 75 punch-outs in 49.1 innings of work as he should be in the conversation to win AL Cy Young.

13. Houston Astros Record: 18-17 Previous: 11

The Astros had an inconsistent week that saw them lose two of three to the Yankees and take two of three from the Blue Jays. Yuli Gurriel has been great, currently posting an OPS of .961, as he could be a top candidate to win AL Silver Slugger at first base in 2021.

14. Toronto Blue Jays Record: 17-16 Previous: 15

The Blue Jays have hovered around .500 for most of the season, and that was the same in week five as they went 3-3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is having a breakout season and could be in line to win a Silver Slugger award at first base.

15. Atlanta Braves Record: 17-17 Previous: 21

The Braves had their best week of the season in week five as they swept the Nationals and took two of three from Philadelphia. Ronald Acuna Jr. has been one of the best players in baseball all year and could be in line to win his first MVP award in 2021.

16. Philadelphia Phillies Record: 18-17 Previous: 19

The Phillies move up three spots after sweeping the Braves in four games while maintaining several close leads. Bryce Harper has been great at the plate with an OPS of .960 and should be in line to win a Silver Slugger in 2021.

17. Seattle Mariners Record: 18-17 Previous: 16

The Mariners had a down week as they lost two of three games to the lackluster Orioles and Rangers, respectively. No one stands out from Seattle, but Kendall Graveman is in the conversation for Reliever of the Year, having not allowed a single run in 14.1 innings of work.

18. Cincinnati Reds Record: 16-16 Previous: 20

Rainouts affected the Reds, who only played five games and went 2-2 against the White Sox and Indians in week five. Wade Miley, who threw a no-hitter last week, could start to enter his name into the Cy Young award talk if he continues to pitch well.

19. Chicago Cubs Record: 17-17 Previous: 25

The Cubs moved up six spots, having swept the Dodgers in three games and taking two of three from Pittsburgh last week. After an awful 2020, Kris Bryant has been incredible, posting an OPS of 1.047 that could get him entered into the NL MVP conversation.

20. Arizona Diamondbacks Record: 16-19 Previous: 14

The Diamondbacks had a disastrous week five in which they got swept in three games by the Marlins and Mets. Carson Kelly is having a breakout campaign for Arizona with six home runs and should be in line to win NL Silver Slugger at catcher this season.

MLB Power Ranking: 21-30

21. Kansas City Royals Record: 16-17 Previous: 9

In easily the biggest drop of the regular season so far, the Royals plummet twelve spots to 21st, having lost eight consecutive games. Despite the recent team struggles, Danny Duffy continues to pitch well, currently posting an ERA of 1.26 in 35.2 innings of work.

22. Los Angeles Angels Record: 16-18 Previous: 22

After getting swept in four games by the Rays, the Angels were able to rebound by winning two of three against the Dodgers last week. Mike Trout is the clear front-runner to win AL MVP this season, currently posting an OPS of 1.177 through 31 games.

23. Texas Rangers Record: 18-19 Previous: 27

The Rangers had their best week of 2021 as they took three of four from the Twins and two of three from the Mariners. While Yermin Mercedes is the clear front-runner, Adolis Garcia is also in the AL Rookie of the Year conversation, currently posting an OPS of .927.

24. Washington Nationals Record: 13-17 Previous: 18

The Nationals had an awful week five as they got swept in three by the Braves and lost two of three against the Yankees. Max Scherzer remains one of the best pitchers in baseball, posting an ERA of 2.33 that should put him in the NL Cy Young conversation.

25. Miami Marlins Record: 15-19 Previous: 26

The Marlins had a solid week in which they swept the Diamondbacks in three for their first series sweep of 2021. Jazz Chisholm has been incredible for the Marlins at second base and should be the front-runner to win the NL Rookie of the Year at the moment.

26. Minnesota Twins Record: 12-20 Previous: 23

Inexplicably, the Twins continue to struggle as they lost three of four games to the Rangers in week five. Byron Buxton is right next to Mike Trout in the AL MVP conversation as he has nine home runs with an OPS of 1.180 through 24 games this season.

27. Baltimore Orioles Record: 16-19 Previous: 24

The Orioles remain somewhat in the picture in the AL East after they went 3-4 and took two of three from Seattle last week. Cedric Mullins is having a breakout campaign, and if he keeps this up, he could win the batting title in the AL in 2021.

28. Pittsburgh Pirates Record: 14-20 Previous: 28

The Pirates had a down week five as they lost two of three games to the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs. Richard Rodriguez has only allowed one run in 13 innings of work out of the bullpen and could be in the conversation to win NL Reliever of the Year in 2021.

29. Colorado Rockies Record: 12-22 Previous: 29

After a great series in which they took two of three from San Francisco, Colorado got swept in three games by St.Louis last week. Prior to going on the DL, C.J. Cron was having a great year that could ultimately earn him an NL Silver Slugger award at first base.

30. Detroit Tigers Record: 10-24 Previous: 30

For the third consecutive week, the Tigers come in last after losing two of three to Boston and splitting a two-game set with Minnesota last week. No one stands out for this team, but Akil Baddoo has a chance at winning AL Rookie of the Year this season.

Follow me on Twitter @PodolskyDanny for more sports news and discussions. Don’t forget to join our OT Heroics MLB Facebook group, and feel free to join our new Instagram –  @overtimeheroics_MLB, and listen to our baseball podcast, Cheap Seats Chatter! We"ll see ya there!

Come join the discussion made by the fans at the Overtime Heroics forums! A place for all sports!

Main image credit: Embed from Getty Images