There has been plenty of movement in the standings and the postseason picture beginning to take shape! We have adjusted the SportsTips’ MLB Power Rankings accordingly and noticed the big jumps in FanDuel’s World Series odds heading into Week 21 of the 2021 MLB season!
Here’s where all 30 MLB teams stand after 20 weeks of baseball:
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
World Series Championship Odds: +290
Current Record: 78-47
Previous Rankings: 2
While the Dodgers may be just behind the Yankees in terms of being the most in-form team in the majors, they deserve to finally take over from the Giants at the top of the MLB Power Rankings. A 6-1 week means they are now just 2.5 games behind the Giants for top of the NL West and they are the only team with a run differential greater than +200 (+204).
The ‘pen. pic.twitter.com/5pmmqtI97q
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 21, 2021
2. San Francisco Giants
World Series Championship Odds: +950
Current Record: 80-44
Previous Rankings: 1
While a 4-2 week is nothing to be ashamed of, the tide is definitely turning in this battle. The Giants are two games worse off when comparing their record over the last 10 games to that of the Dodgers, and if that trend continues then San Francisco will have to settle for a Wild Card slot rather than the NL West title.
3. New York Yankees
World Series Championship Odds: +900
Current Record: 73-52
Previous Rankings: 7
A perfect 7-0 week sees the Yankees make one of the biggest moves in our MLB Power Rankings, jumping from 7th up to 3rd. Wins over the Angels, Red Sox and Twins have extended their winning streak to nine games and also seen them cut Tampa’s lead in the AL East to just four games, while sitting 2.5 games clear of the Red Sox, who own the final Wild Card Slot. Can they keep winning and catch the Rays over the next five weeks?
4. Milwaukee Brewers
World Series Championship Odds: +850
Current Record: 76-49
Previous Rankings: 3
The Brewers are giving away games that they shouldn’t, dropping a game in each of their last three series, against the Pirates, Cardinals and Nationals. They will be kicking themselves that they weren’t able to sweep any, if not all, of those series but luckily they still hold a 7.5 game lead in the NL Central. That lead is over the Reds and they open the week against each other, which will be an intriguing test.
5. Tampa Bay Rays
World Series Championship Odds: +1100
Current Record: 77-48
Previous Rankings: 4
While their lead in the AL East is down to just four games, the Rays are playing good baseball at the moment and are pretty stiff to be moving down a spot in the MLB Power Rankings. They went 6-1 last week including a 2-1 series win over the White Sox and remain the best team in the American League and have the third best record in the majors.
6. Atlanta Braves
World Series Championship Odds: +1500
Current Record: 68-57
Previous Rankings: 9
A perfect 6-0 week saw the Braves extending their winning streak to nine games. This allowed them to move 4.5 games ahead of the Phillies in the race for the AL East crown, giving them some wiggle room down the stretch. While all of their wins came against teams that are below 0.500 and they start the week against the Yankees, they are playing better than the Phillies & Mets, who are the only teams that could knock them out of postseason contention.
7. Houston Astros
World Series Championship Odds: +430
Current Record: 73-52
Previous Rankings: 5
The Astros are just 4-6 over their last 10 games, which included going 3-4 last week. That 4-6 record is tied for the worst amongst division leaders, however they still have a four game lead in the AL West. Losing 1-3 to the Royals was shocking, but they open the week against them and should atone for their poor play last week.
8. Chicago White Sox
World Series Championship Odds: +650
Current Record: 72-54
Previous Rankings: 10
A 4-3 week is very good for the White Sox, considering they played the A’s and Rays. Tampa is a division leader while Oakland is a chance to play in the postseason, so escaping with a positive record and extending their lead in the AL Central to nine games is all the team could have asked for.
9. Cincinnati Reds
World Series Championship Odds: +4000
Current Record: 69-57
Previous Rankings: 11
While they started the week with a 1-2 series loss to the Cubs, at home, the Reds made up for it by sweeping the Marlins, to finish 5-2 for the week. They are still 7.5 games back from the Brewers for top of the NL Central but are now one game clear of the Padres for the final Wild Card slot in the National League and are in much better form.
10. Boston Red Sox
World Series Championship Odds: +2500
Current Record: 71-55
Previous Rankings: 8
This was a gross week from the Red Sox, getting swept by the Yankees before splitting two games with the Rangers. Going just 1-4 when your season is on the line is almost inexplicable, especially losing to Texas 1-10 on your home field. However, they are 1.5 games ahead of the A’s for the last Wild Card slot in the American League and deserve to be a top 10 team because of that.
11. Seattle Mariners
World Series Championship Odds: +13000
Current Record: 69-58
Previous Rankings: 14
Are the Mariners timing their surge at the perfect time? Both the Astros and A’s are struggling right now, leaving the door open for Seattle to make a push up the standings. They are the only team in the AL West with a positive record (7-3) over their last 10 games and are now just 2.5 games back from the final Wild Card slot in the American League. A quick two-game series in Oakland is a real test for this team.
12. Oakland Athletics
World Series Championship Odds: +3400
Current Record: 70-57
Previous Rankings: 6
Oakland were right on the heels of the Astros heading into week 20 but then had to face the White Sox in Chicago and the Giants last week. They went just 2-5 and are now four games behind Houston for the AL West title, whilst also slipping 1.5 games back from the final wild card slot in the American League. They face the Mariners and Yankees this week and that could determine where they finish up.
#Royals starting pitching has recorded 49.1 innings over the last 8 games; they have combined to post a collective 2.74 ERA (15 ER) over that span, posting a 5-0 record while the team has gone 7-1.#TogetherRoyal pic.twitter.com/n0YU8gLtZZ
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) August 24, 2021
13. Kansas City Royals
World Series Championship Odds: Off the charts
Current Record: 56-68
Previous Rankings: 22
The Royals make the biggest move up the MLB Power Rankings are a 6-1 week. They are one of just a handful of teams that lost one game or fewer last week, but what is more impressive is the fact that they beat the AL West-leading Astros 3-1. Three straight wins over a division leader to start the week gets our attention, but can they keep it given that they start this week against Houston yet again.
14. Philadelphia Phillies
World Series Championship Odds: +6500
Current Record: 63-61
Previous Rankings: 12
While they managed to beat the Padres 2-1, in San Diego, that doesn’t hide the fact that they got swept by the Diamondbacks in their first three games of the week. The Phillies are heading in the wrong direction and the pointy end of the season and don’t seem like they are in a position to chase down the Braves for top of the NL East.
15. San Diego Padres
World Series Championship Odds: +3800
Current Record: 68-58
Previous Rankings: 13
The Padres are playing some terrible baseball at the moment, losing games they shouldn’t and seeing their grip on a National League Wild Card slot, which they have had for most of the season, disappear. They are now a game behind the Reds and are in much worse form, having a run differential of -6 last week and going just 2-8 over their last 10.
16. New York Mets
World Series Championship Odds: +7500
Current Record: 61-63
Previous Rankings: 17
The Mets have moved up a spot in the MLB Power Rankings despite going 2-5 last week. While that may not seem right, the Mets still have a chance of stealing the NL East crown based on who they have to play over the next few weeks. After playing the two best teams in baseball for two weeks straight, the Giants and Dodgers, the Mets will exclusively play the lowly Marlins and Nationals for a 14 game period, giving their season life.
17. Cleveland Indians
World Series Championship Odds: +60000
Current Record: 61-61
Previous Rankings: 20
While they may have the worst record out of all teams ranked 2nd in their division, Cleveland enjoyed a 4-2 week, which included sweeping the Angels and outscoring them 17-2. They head into this week on a three game winning streak and open up against the Rangers, so Cleveland could be headed in the right direction.
18. Toronto Blue Jays
World Series Championship Odds: +5500
Current Record: 65-58
Previous Rankings: 15
Toronto deserves to slip down more but there is no one below them that deserves to be higher. The Blue Jays are just 2-7 from their last nine and went just 1-4 last week but have one of the best pitchers in the game, Robbie Ray, and he deserves some recognition. Without him, Toronto would be much worse off and they are hanging on by a thread.
19. St Louis Cardinals
World Series Championship Odds: +20000
Current Record: 63-60
Previous Rankings: 16
The Cardinals were making a run at a Wild Card slot but a 2-4 week has set them back a step. While that would be ok if they lost to good teams, which they did to start the week when losing 1-2 to the Brewers, they followed that up with a 1-2 series loss to the struggling Pirates. That isn’t good enough and while they are only 4.5 games back from the last Wild Card slot in the National League, last week may come back to bite them.
20. Los Angeles Angels
World Series Championship Odds: +60000
Current Record: 62-64
Previous Rankings: 19
While the Angels have now slipped to two games below 0.500 and are nine games back from a Wild Card slot, there are some positives to be taken out of the season. Considering Mike Trout has only played 36 of their 126 games, they have done well to be this close to 0.500 and have been unable to unearth Shohei Ohtani. They have a former MVP and soon-to-be MVP on their roster, which is positive for the years to come.
21. Colorado Rockies
World Series Championship Odds: Off the charts
Current Record: 57-68
Previous Rankings: 24
The Rockies are a victim of being in a tough division, the NL West, and could potentially be a fringe playoff team if they were going up against weaker opponents more regularly. They had a 5-1 week, which included a sweep of the Padres, so there are positive signs to take out of it.
22. Minnesota Twins
World Series Championship Odds: Off the charts
Current Record: 54-70
Previous Rankings: 18
After causing series upsets against the Astros, White Sox and Rays while also beating the Indians, Minnesota got a reality check last week. Yes they beat the Indians 2-1, but then they travelled to New York and got swept by the Yankees, getting outscored 24-8 across three games.
The 28th player in MLB history to hit 500 home runs.
Congrats, @MiguelCabrera! pic.twitter.com/ajmOAbVeZg
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) August 22, 2021
23. Detroit Tigers
World Series Championship Odds: +60000
Current Record: 60-66
Previous Rankings: 21
Does a 2-1 series win in Toronto make up for being swept, at home, by the Angels? It is hard to judge the Tigers given how inconsistently they play, but they are better than all of the teams below them in these rankings. The positive from their week is the fact that Miguel Cabera, who has been with the team since 2008, hit his 500th career home run during the week.
24. Arizona Diamondbacks
World Series Championship Odds: Off the charts
Current Record: 42-84
Previous Rankings: 25
While the Diamondbacks have the second worst record in the majors, they went 4-2 last week, including a sweep of the Phillies. With Arizona going 6-4 over their last 10 games, they are 1 of just 13 teams in the majors to have a positive record over that span.
25. Washington Nationals
World Series Championship Odds: Off the charts
Current Record: 53-70
Previous Rankings: 27
The Nationals are just 3-7 in their last 10 games, but actually went 3-2 last week. They won both games against the Blue Jays then stole one of three in Milwaukee. While their last month of action has been terrible, those are some positive signs moving forward, especially given they open the week against the Marlins.
26. Chicago Cubs
World Series Championship Odds: Off the charts
Current Record: 55-72
Previous Rankings: 29
While the Cubs got swept by the Royals to close out the week, they did beat the Reds 2-1 to start it. Given Cincinnati are a postseason team, that is a massive win for Chicago, especially considering it was on the road. However, they are one of the worst teams in baseball and are one of five teams with a run differential below -100.
27. Pittsburgh Pirates
World Series Championship Odds: Off the charts
Current Record: 45-80
Previous Rankings: 28
They may have been swept by the Dodgers to start the week the week but then they got over the top of the Cardinals, beating them 2-1 in St. Louis. They are 4-6 in their last 10 games, which isn’t even in the bottom five of their conference, meaning they are doing something right, sort of.
28. Texas Rangers
World Series Championship Odds: Off the charts
Current Record: 43-81
Previous Rankings: 26
While a 1-4 week isn’t anything to write home about, beating the Red Sox 10-1 in Fenway Park is. They had three different players score two runs in the game and showed that, on their day, they can match it with some of the league’s best.
29. Miami Marlins
World Series Championship Odds: Off the charts
Current Record: 51-74
Previous Rankings: 23
The Marlins went 0-7 last week, losing three straight at home to the Braves before dropping four games in Cincinnati. The issue for Miami is, the still only have the fifth worst record in the majors, meaning they need to tank hard, if that is what they are doing?
30. Baltimore Orioles
World Series Championship Odds: Off the charts
Current Record:
Previous Rankings: 30
The losing streak now sits at 18 games for the Orioles. They are the only team with a run differential lower than -200 and were outscored by 32 runs in the seven games they lost last week. They are just three losses away from their franchise record for consecutive losses…
*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel
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