The last week of the season is here and we have updated the SportsTips’ MLB Power Rankings to reflect how each team is looking down the stretch, what their form is like and their chances of making it into the postseason.
FanDuel continues to change their World Series odds and there are six teams that have put themselves above the rest of the pack heading into the final week of the 2021 MLB season.
Here’s where all 30 MLB teams stand after 25 weeks of baseball:
The Giants are the first team to win 100 games this season.
San Francisco hasn’t been the first team to 100 wins since 1913, when they were still in New York. pic.twitter.com/0ZnmUxg5K9
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 25, 2021
1. San Francisco Giants
World Series Championship Odds: +700
Current Record: 102-54
Previous Rankings: 1
Can anyone catch the Giants? LA is the only other team that has reached 100 wins so far but they are still two games behind with only six games to play. The Giants look set to finish on top of the league and have home-field advantage throughout the postseason.
2. Tampa Bay Rays
World Series Championship Odds: +600
Current Record: 97-59
Previous Rankings: 5
The Rays move up the MLB Power Rankings thanks to a 5-1 week. It has allowed them to secure the top seed in the American League and they have the equal-best recent form, going 7-3 over their last 10, of anyone making the postseason in their conference.
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
World Series Championship Odds: +300
Current Record: 100-56
Previous Rankings: 2
While they have given it their best shot, the Dodgers have been a bit too inconsistent down the stretch and it has cost them. They are still favorites to win the World Series but their odds have slipped over the last few weeks and there are questions about how they would go against the Giants, on the road, in the postseason.
4. St Louis Cardinals
World Series Championship Odds: +2500
Current Record: 87-69
Previous Rankings: 7
Are the Cardinals the fourth best team in baseball? Probably not. However, they went 8-0 last week and it extended their winning streak to 16 games, which includes four wins over the Brewers. They also split a four game series with the Dodgers, proving that they have what it takes to mix it with the best in the National League.
WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
The longest win streak in the NL since 1951. pic.twitter.com/abhyVX9dIQ
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) September 27, 2021
5. Milwaukee Brewers
World Series Championship Odds: +750
Current Record: 94-62
Previous Rankings: 4
While the Brewers went 3-4 last week, they went 3-0 against non-Cardinals opponents. Milwaukee have secured top spot in the NL Central but have a brutal week ahead. They play all six games on the road against the red-hot Cardinals and the Dodgers, who are still fighting for seeding in the NL West. It isn’t exactly the type of lead up you want heading into the postseason.
6. Houston Astros
World Series Championship Odds: +480
Current Record: 91-65
Previous Rankings: 3
The Astros are lucky not to have slipped further down our MLB Power Rankings but they have the fifth best record in baseball and need just one win this week to secure top spot in AL West, and in-turn securing their postseason ticket. They have the second best World Series odds and second best run differential but they have been wildly inconsistent and it may cost them in the playoffs.
7. New York Yankees
World Series Championship Odds: +1700
Current Record: 89-67
Previous Rankings: 13
After looking down and out a week ago, the Yankees are back to life. They are the biggest movers in our MLB Power Rankings this week thanks to a perfect 6-0 week. It was capped off with a three-game sweep of the Red Sox, in Boston, with Giancarlo Stanton hitting a home run in each of the three games. The worry is that they only have a two game gap on missing the playoffs and face the Blue Jays and Rays to round out the season.
8. Chicago White Sox
World Series Championship Odds: +750
Current Record: 88-68
Previous Rankings: 8
While Chicago has secured their ticket into the playoffs by virtue of winning the disastrous AL Central, they only have the equal-seventh best record in baseball and have gone just 5-5 over their last 10 games. It would be surprising to see Chicago eliminated easily in the playoffs, unless they can find a spark somewhere.
9. Atlanta Braves
World Series Championship Odds: +1700
Current Record: 83-72
Previous Rankings: 10
There are three teams with a better record than the Braves who are going to miss out on playing in the postseason, but due to how weak the NL East is, Atlanta will likely represent the division in the playoffs. Last week saw Atlanta go 6-1 with an extra loss that was the finish of a previously suspended game, allowing them to sit just 2.5 games ahead of the Phillies. Making it even more interesting, the two teams face each other in a three-game series to start the week.
10. Boston Red Sox
World Series Championship Odds: +1900
Current Record: 88-68
Previous Rankings: 6
Boston’s week couldn’t have gone much worse, getting swept at home by the Yankees and going from playoff sure-things to fighting for their lives. The Red Sox have just a one-game buffer on the Blue Jays for the last Wild Card slot but have been gifted games against the Orioles and Nationals, who are both on the bottom of their respective divisions, to round out the season.
11. Seattle Mariners
World Series Championship Odds: +15000
Current Record: 86-70
Previous Rankings: 16
Well, the Mariners have given themselves every chance to make the playoffs. Their incredible form over the A’s this season has allowed them to crawl within two games of a Wild Card slot. They went 6-1 last week and face the same two teams again this week, so they just need those above them to slip up and they might have a chance.
12. Toronto Blue Jays
World Series Championship Odds: +2700
Current Record: 87-69
Previous Rankings: 9
Losing four of seven games when your season is on the line isn’t exactly what the Blue Jays would have wanted, especially when they went just 2-2 against a team that is 0.442 for the season. They now host the Yankees for three games and the outcome of that series could determine whether they make the playoffs or not, however they are lucky enough to finish with three against the Orioles, at home, meaning the door is still slightly ajar.
13. Philadelphia Phillies
World Series Championship Odds: +4500
Current Record: 81-75
Previous Rankings: 12
The Phillies have their postseason fate in their own hands. After a 5-2 week they sit just 2.5 games behind Atlanta for the top slot in the NL East and face them for three games to start the week. If they can manage to win even two of those games, they are well positioned to make a last second push for the division title, given they finish with three games against Miami.
14. Oakland Athletics
World Series Championship Odds: +50000
Current Record: 85-71
Previous Rankings: 11
The A’s inability to beat the Mariners has cost them a shot at the postseason and seen them slip down our MLB Power Rankings. They faced Seattle for four games to start last week, at home, and got swept. With just six games remaining, three games to make up and two other teams ahead of them chasing a Wild Card slot, they are as good as done for this season.
15. Cincinnati Reds
World Series Championship Odds: +25000
Current Record: 81-75
Previous Rankings: 15
It was just a few weeks ago where the Reds were leading a three-team race for the final National League Wild Card but they now find themselves six games behind the Cardinals and eliminated from contention. They close out the week with four of their six games against the Pirates, so they may be able to finish on a high note.
16. Detroit Tigers
World Series Championship Odds: Off the charts
Current Record: 75-80
Previous Rankings: 18
The Tigers went 3-2 last week after going 2-0 against the White Sox before falling 1-2 to the Royals. It is that sort of inconsistency that saw Detroit cost themselves at making a genuine push at the postseason and they now sit five games below 0.500 with just seven games remaining.
17. Cleveland Indians
World Series Championship Odds: Off the charts
Current Record: 76-79
Previous Rankings: 20
Cleveland sits three games below 0.500 and they will want to to build some momentum heading into a new era for the club. This team is due for a massive off-season of rebranding and they will be hoping that it allows their on-field performance to turn as well.
Two at-bats, two run-scoring hits for Salvy!!That’s good for an MLB-leading 117 runs batted in. #Royals pic.twitter.com/MtGvcmX1RV
— Bally Sports Kansas City (@BallySportsKC) September 27, 2021
18. Kansas City Royals
World Series Championship Odds: Off the charts
Current Record: 71-84
Previous Rankings: 21
While their season might be over, the Royals are letting teams know that they are going to be big improvers for next season. They went 2-1 against both Cleveland and Detroit last week, two of the three teams ahead of them in the AL Central. They finish the season with more in-divisional rivalry games so will want to continue that form into the offseason.
19. San Diego Padres
World Series Championship Odds: Off the charts
Current Record: 78-78
Previous Rankings: 14
San Diego should honestly be much further down the MLB Power Rankings this week but there is no one else worthy of moving up ahead of them. Once the clear fifth best team in the National League and a Wild Card lock, the Padres are now fighting amongst each other, going 2-8 over their last 10 games and have fallen to 0.500 for the first time in months.
20. Colorado Rockies
World Series Championship Odds: Off the charts
Current Record: 71-84
Previous Rankings: 19
The Rockies had a tough week, hosting the Dodgers and Giants for six games and only managing one win. That was almost expected of them though and they get a much better finish to the year with games against the lowly Nationals and Diamondbacks. Exciting to see how many explosive hitting games they have from their last six.
21. Minnesota Twins
World Series Championship Odds: Off the charts
Current Record: 69-87
Previous Rankings: 25
Minnesota had an exceptional week, taking both games from the Cubs, in Chicago, before splitting a four game series with the Blue Jays, who are fighting for a Wild Card slot. They have become big-game hunters and killers in the back half of this season and they may have cost Toronto a shot at making it.
22. Los Angeles Angels
World Series Championship Odds: Off the charts
Current Record: 74-82
Previous Rankings: 23
The Angels only went 2-5 last week but Shohei Ohtani’s elbow was good enough to allow him to return to pitching and we may get to see him in action one last time before the season is out. LA have fallen to a clear fourth in the AL West and now finish the season with six on the road, including three in Seattle against a Mariners side that needs to win to make the postseason.
23. New York Mets
World Series Championship Odds: Off the charts
Current Record: 73-82
Previous Rankings: 17
The Mets keep underperforming and this season will definitely end as a disappointment. They once owned the AL East division but are now nine games below 0.500 and 10 games back from the lead of the division.
24. Washington Nationals
World Series Championship Odds: Off the charts
Current Record: 64-92
Previous Rankings: 28
The Nationals are playing as if they don’t want to finish on the bottom of the NL East. A 3-4 week, including a 2-1 win over the fourth-placed Marlins, means they are now just half a game behind Miami with seven games to play.
25. Miami Marlins
World Series Championship Odds: Off the charts
Current Record: 64-91
Previous Rankings: 22
The Marlins may end up on the bottom of their division, thanks to the above-mentioned series loss to the Nationals. That is extremely disappointing as they have had a fringe top-10 bullpen this season but they just haven’t been able to back it up on the other side of the ball.
26. Pittsburgh Pirates
World Series Championship Odds: Off the charts
Current Record: 58-97
Previous Rankings: 24
Splitting the first two games against the Reds looked positive for Pittsburgh but they went on to go just 1-3 against the Phillies and had to settle for a 2-4 week. They have the Cubs and Reds to round out the season so they could end on a positive note and attempt to avoid joining the 100 loss club.
27. Chicago Cubs
World Series Championship Odds: Off the charts
Current Record: 67-89
Previous Rankings: 26
With a 0-6 week and going just 1-9 over their last 10 games, the Cubs have well and truly slipped away in the back-end of the season. This is quite disappointing but far from surprising for this club, which needs to make some serious moves in the offseason.
28. Texas Rangers
World Series Championship Odds: Off the charts
Current Record: 57-99
Previous Rankings: 27
The Rangers are just one loss away from joining Baltimore and Arizona with 100+ losses for the season. The positive is that they play their last six games at home, where they have been much better and also face two teams that are below 0.500. Could the Rangers have a perfect week and end the season on 99 losses?
Austin Hays has hit safely in 21 of 24 games this month, reaching base safely in 23 of the 24 September games with eight home runs and 21 RBI 👏 pic.twitter.com/iP0K3AUZDS
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) September 27, 2021
29. Baltimore Orioles
World Series Championship Odds: Off the charts
Current Record: 50-106
Previous Rankings: 30
With a 3-4 week, the Orioles have played well enough to give themselves a chance to move off the bottom of the standings. They find themselves in the toughest division in the league, given the four teams above them all deserve to make the postseason, with only three of them actually going to make it.
30. Arizona Diamondbacks
World Series Championship Odds: Off the charts
Current Record: 50-106
Previous Rankings: 29
The Diamondbacks are now tied for the worst record in baseball and are playing worse than the Orioles of late, meaning they have slipped to the bottom of our MLB Power Rankings.
*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel
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