MLB Power Rankings, Award Tracker: An All-Star break vibe check
Each week, The California Post will power rank MLB’s 30 teams and check in on one intriguing awards race.Here is this week’s edition, where we take a midseason vibe check on each club going into the All-Star break (records through Saturday morning):Vibes are: High, but restless.
October can’t get here quickly enough for the two-time defending champions, who have already built an insurmountable lead in the NL West.Their top priority now is getting through the rest of the season healthy, a task that got a little more daunting with the news of Shohei Ohtani’s continued knee problem on Friday.
(Last week: 1st)Vibes are: Optimistic, but still cautiously so.Brewers fans have seen dominant regular seasons before.
What they really want now is October success, having advanced to just two NL Championship Series in seven playoff appearances since 2018.Jacob Misiorowski’s dominance is giving those hopes renewed fuel.
A big addition at the deadline could only help too.(Last week: 2nd)Vibes are: Back to normal, thankfully.
The Rays have returned to the Trop, and are once again in the thick of a pennant race, overachieving with their familiar formula of low-cost contributors and overachieving stars.(Last week: 4th)Vibes are: Still on the rise.
The Phillies have cooled off somewhat lately, their pursuit of the first-place Braves having stalled for now at three games back.But as the All-Star Game comes to town, the season at least remains on track to be salvaged; a far cry from where things were headed in April.
(Last week: 3rd)Vibes are: Nervous.The Yankees have slowed their recent nose dive, winning consecutive games this week for the first time since June 23-24.
Still, their 2-11 rut before then exposed some underlying concerns –– ones they can only hope the returns of Aaron Judge, Max Fried and others can paper over.(Last week: 5th)Vibes are: Unpredictable.
Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised that a team revolving around Pete Crow-Armstrong would be subject ...