After two weeks of baseball, there is no dethroning the Dodgers for top spot on the SportsTips’ MLB Power Rankings. However, there have been some big risers and big fallers as we prepare for Week 3 of the 2021 MLB season!
Here’s where all 30 MLB teams stand heading into Week 3 of the 2021 MLB season:
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
World Series Championship Odds: +310
Current Record: 13-3
Previous Rankings: 1
The Dodgers won their first five games of Week 2, sweeping the Rockies and claiming a series win after the first two games of their set against the Padres. Los Angeles finished their week on a loss, failing to complete a sweep over San Diego on the road on Sunday.
MOOKIE SAVES THE WIN FOR THE DODGERS (-115ML)
pic.twitter.com/sLNefdZLY0— Bet The Bases (@betthebases) April 18, 2021
However, with a 3.5 game lead in the NL West there is no denying that the Dodgers are the team to beat again in 2021. Los Angeles have scored the second most runs in the league and have a 2.79 team ERA at the mound, also the second best in the league. Over the past nine games, Los Angeles have outscored their opponents 46-23.
2. San Diego Padres
World Series Championship Odds: +850
Current Record: 10-7
Previous Rankings: 2
After splitting their two game series against the Pirates in Pittsburgh, San Diego dropped the opening two games of their three game home set against the Dodgers.
It was far from a must win, however Sunday’s 5-2 victory over the reigning World Series champions was important for San Diego, giving the Padres confidence going forward that they can compete with the Dodgers. Blake Snell responded from a poor outing against the Pirates, striking out seven Dodgers batters over five innings at the mound.
3. New York Mets
World Series Championship Odds: +900
Current Record: 7-4
Previous Rankings: 12
After starting the season with a 2-3 record, the New York Mets won five of their six games last week, propelling themselves into the No. 1 seed in the NL East.
New York swept Philadelphia and won two of their three games against the struggling Rockies last week, allowing three runs or fewer in each of their five wins. Marcus Stroman (0.90 ERA) and Jacob deGrom (0.45 ERA) have led the Mets to the fourth best ERA in the league, 2,93.
4. Boston Red Sox
World Series Championship Odds: +2500
Current Record: 10-6
Previous Rankings: 8
Although Boston extended their winning streak to nine consecutive games early last week, the Red Sox closed out Week 2 with just one win from their final four games. Largely thanks to the offensive production of J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts, the Red Sox are batting at a league best .277 team batting average, as their lineup has scored 7+ runs in six of their past 10 victories.
Martinez is leading the MLB with 20 RBIs and has the equal second most hits this season, while Bogaerts is right on Martinez’s tail, trailing his teammate by just one hit in 2021. Boston is 10-3 since their 0-3 start to the season.
5. Cincinnati Reds
World Series Championship Odds: +3500
Current Record: 9-6
Previous Rankings: 11
A .500 week from Cincinnati leaves the Reds three games above .500 as we enter Week 3. Cincinnati won two of their three games against San Francisco and one of their three games against Cleveland.
After kicking off the 2021 season with a flurry of big offensive performances, the Reds lineup did cool-down last week, suffering their first shutout loss of the season and only scoring more than three runs in two of their six games. However, Cincinnati are still leading the league in runs scored (91) and are still hitting at the fourth best team batting average in the majors (.264).
6. Milwaukee Brewers
World Series Championship Odds: +3500
Current Record: 8-7
Previous Rankings: 13
Milwaukee only managed a 3-3 record from their sets against the Cubs and Pirates last week, which leaves them a game above .500 heading into Week 3.
Although their lineup has scored 5+ runs in four of their six games last week, the Brewers bullpen has been more impressive this season. Milwaukee’s starting pitchers have the best ERA in the league (.207), thanks to Corbin Burnes’ 0.49 ERA through three starts and Brandon Woodruff’s 2.12 ERA.
7. Oakland Athletics
World Series Championship Odds: +2500
Current Record: 9-7
Previous Rankings: 20
Somehow after their 1-7 start to the season, Oakland will enter Week 3 of the 2021 MLB season two games above .500.
Series sweeps against the Diamondbacks and Tigers are no reason to lock the A’s into a playoff spot, however given their two Week 1 victories over the Astros, Oakland are on an eight game winning streak, which cannot be ignored.
8. Los Angeles Angels
World Series Championship Odds: +2500
Current Record: 8-5
Previous Rankings: 7
Los Angeles had a 2-2 record entering their weekend games against Minnesota, however the Twins COVID-19 outbreak cut their week short.
Having scored 10 runs in each of their two wins last week, the Angels are entering Week 3 having scored the ninth most runs in the league, despite having only played 13 games this season.
9. Chicago White Sox
World Series Championship Odds: +1300
Current Record: 8-8
Previous Rankings: 15
A .500 record probably doesn’t indicate how well the White Sox have been playing this season, having won four of their seven games last week against Cleveland and Boston.
Yermín Mercedes is out of this world. 💫 pic.twitter.com/MriYTmaqCr
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) April 15, 2021
Yermin Mercedes is continuing to lead Chicago’s lineup this year, with a team high batting average of .404 (third best in the league) and team high 23 hits (equal second most in the league), as the White Sox 77 runs are the fifth most of any team this season. However, Chicago’s bullpen allowed just 2.7 runs per game last week, and were the reason behind their recent success.
10. Seattle Mariners
World Series Championship Odds: +12000
Current Record: 10-6
Previous Rankings: 24
With series wins against the Giants, Twins and Astros under their belt already this year, Seattle are leading the AL West with a 10-6 record, thanks to five wins from their seven games in Week 2.
Given that the Mariners aren’t a top 10 team when looking at batting average (17th) and ERA (16th) as we enter Week 3, their upcoming stretch of games will be a better indication of where they are at. Seattle will take on the Dodgers at home then head to Boston and Houston before returning home to face the Angels.
11. Kansas City Royals
World Series Championship Odds: +7000
Current Record: 9-5
Previous Rankings: 19
A 5-2 week for Kansas City sees them sitting on top of the loaded AL Central Division as we enter Week 3. The Royals won two of their three games against the Angles, before winning three of their next four games against the Blue Jays.
Whit Merrifield is having an underrated breakout season, batting at .321 with three homers, 11 RBIs, five stolen bases and a .918 OPS. Kansas City have won each of their five series so far this season.
12. Philadelphia Phillies
World Series Championship Odds: +3800
Current Record: 8-7
Previous Rankings: 6
After kicking off their week by being swept by the Mets in New York, Philadelphia responded with two wins from their final three games against the Cardinals at home.
The Phillies bullpen is keeping them competitive in games this year, while their lineup continues to struggle. After being a top five offense in 2020, Philadelphia’s 57 runs through 15 games are the 23rd fewest in the league.
13. Houston Astros
World Series Championship Odds: +1500
Current Record: 7-8
Previous Rankings: 3
Houston played without four members of their starting lineup in Week 2, including José Altuve and Alex Bregman, after a COVID-19 outbreak sidelined several players. As a result, the Astros were on the wrong side of a three-game sweep against the Tigers, which has turned their 6-1 start to the year into a 7-8 record.
Given their start to the season, it’s tough to judge Houston based off last week’s performances, and we like them to bounce back when healthy.
14. Atlanta Braves
World Series Championship Odds: +1500
Current Record: 7-9
Previous Rankings: 9
After being swept by the Marlins earlier last week, the Braves won three of their four games against the Cubs, including a 4-13 loss and a 13-4 win in their two most recent games. Their two recent results are a great look into Atlanta’s season so far, big hitting and poor pitching.
Led by Ronald Acuna Jnr, the Braves have the fourth most runs in the league this season. Acuna has the second best batting average in the league (.419), most home runs (7), equal second most RBIs (16) and most hits in the legaue (26) so far this year. However, Acuna left Sunday’s game with an abdominal strain. The Braves bat deep, but if Acuna is out for an extended period of time, Atlanta will struggle.
15. San Francisco Giants
World Series Championship Odds: +12000
Current Record: 9-6
Previous Rankings: 16
A 3-3 week for the Giants has kept San Francisco three games above .500 heading into Week 3. The Giants won two of their three games against the Reds and one of their three games against the Marlins.
SUPER SLATER pic.twitter.com/rEKYVY380a
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) April 18, 2021
Although they have scored the third fewest runs in the league this season (49), San Francisco’s bullpen has been excellent so far this year. The Giants starters have pitched to a 2.39 ERA and 1.06 WHIP, allowing the second fewest earned runs in the league.
16. Tampa Bay Rays
World Series Championship Odds: +2500
Current Record: 8-8
Previous Rankings: 10
In what was an up and down week for the Rays, Tampa Bay won their opening game of Week 2, 1-0 over the Rangers before losing their next three consecutive games to Texas. However, the Rays responded with a three game sweep against the Yankees in New York, finishing with a 4-3 record for the week and a 8-8 record for the year.
Tyler Glasnow has continued his dominant start to the season, throwing the equal third most strikeouts in the league (36) and pitching at a 0.73 ERA, the fourth best in the league. However 2020’s breakout postseason star, Randy Arozarena (.148) is one of six Rays starters hitting below .200.
17. Cleveland Indians
World Series Championship Odds: +5000
Current Record: 8-7
Previous Rankings: 18
A 3-2 week sees the Indians one game above .500 as we prepare to enter Week 3 of the 2021 MLB season. Coming in at 17th in the Power Rankings does feel low for Cleveland, however having scored less than five runs in 11 of their 15 games this year, it is tough to rationalise them being any higher.
Shane Bieber’s league high 48 strikeouts have led Cleveland’s bullpen to a 3.14 ERA, which is the seventh best in the league, and their rotation will need to continue to carry them with upcoming series against the White Sox, Yankees and Twins.
18. Toronto Blue Jays
World Series Championship Odds: +2200
Current Record: 7-9
Previous Rankings: 14
Having been picked as a preseason breakout team, Toronto have ultimately failed to live up to the hype so far this season, currently two games below .500 after a 3-4 week.
The Blue Jays won their second series for the year against the Yankees early last week, however now find themselves 3-7 against other opponents in 2021. That record has the potential to get worse in the coming weeks, with sets against Boston, Tampa Bay and Atlanta on the horizon.
19. Minnesota Twins
World Series Championship Odds: +1500
Current Record: 6-8
Previous Rankings: 5
Minnesota’s COVID-19 concerns have resulted in the Twins slipping from a top five ranking down to 19th, thanks to a 1-4 record in Week 2. After losing the first three games of their series against the Red Sox, Minnesota snapped Boston’s nine game winning streak on Thursday with a 4-3 victory.
However, the Twins then lost their most recent game against the Angels 10-3. A contingent of their sidelined roster is expected to return on Tuesday, however it is uncertain which players will be returning.
20. Washington Nationals
World Series Championship Odds: +5000
Current Record: 5-8
Previous Rankings: 22
Although they are still trying to recover from a 1-5 start to the year, Washington’s four wins from seven games last week was a strong step forward. The Nats won their series against the Cardinals 2-1, then split their four game set against the Diamondbacks, 2-2.
Washington’s bullpen currently boasts the second best ERA in the league (.267), however the Nationals are now going to be without Stephen Strasburg in Week 3. Strasburg will miss at least 10 days with shoulder inflammation.
21. Miami Marlins
World Series Championship Odds: +10000
Current Record: 7-8
Previous Rankings: 28
After starting the season with a 2-6 record, Miami’s 5-2 week has propelled them into the third best record in the NL East Division.
The Marlins recorded a pair of series wins against the Braves and Giants last week, largely due to Starling Marte and Jesús Aguilar leading the way offensively.
22. New York Yankees
World Series Championship Odds: +600
Current Record: 5-10
Previous Rankings: 4
In terms of talent, there is no way that the Yankees are the 22nd ranked team in baseball. However given their 1-5 week and 5-10 start to the season, we can’t rationalise ranking New York any higher. Gerrit Coles’ 39 strikeouts are the second most in the MLB so far this season, however New York’s lineup has been one of the worst in the league.
The Yankee’s are a bottom 10 batting team so far this year, having scored just 55 runs (25th in the league) at a team batting average of .210 (26th in the league). New York should be able to get things going offensively later in the year, but until then, the Yankees can’t be considered a top 20 team in the MLB.
23. St Louis Cardinals
World Series Championship Odds: +2800
Current Record: 7-8
Previous Rankings: 17
With only one series win so far this year, the Cardinals haven’t been impressive to start the 2021 season. St Louis won just two of their six games last week going down 1-2 in sets against the Nationals and Phillies.
When they are on, the Cardinals batting lineup is one of the strongest in the league, having scored the equal eighth most runs so far this year (71). However their hitting consistency and pitching rotation has been the issue. St Louis followed their 14-3 win over Washington with a 0-6 shoutout loss, and their bullpen has 5.15 ERA, which is the worst in the league.
24. Chicago Cubs
World Series Championship Odds: +6000
Current Record: 6-9
Previous Rankings: 21
Chicago lost both of their Week 2 three games sets 1-2, going down to Milwaukee and Atlanta. The Cubs have slipped to a 6-9 record after starting the season 3-1, having lost each of their past four series.
Final: Braves 13, Cubs 4. pic.twitter.com/wh8N3DfSbb
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 19, 2021
Currently with the third worst ERA in the league (4.98) and the fourth fewest runs scored, Chicago has the worst run differential in the Nationals League. The Cubs offense finally showed some promise in their recent 13-4 victory over Atlanta, however Chicago followed that up with a 4-13 loss the next day.
25. Baltimore Orioles
World Series Championship Odds: +15000
Current Record: 7-9
Previous Rankings: 26
Since starting the season with a 3-0 sweep over Boston, Baltimore have won just four of their next 13 games, as a result of their 3-4 record in Week 2. After losing three of their four games against the Mariners in Baltimore, the Orioles narrowly missed out on a sweep against the Texans, losing the final game of their set 1-0 on Sunday.
Starting pitcher John Means has been a major bright spot for Baltimore this year, pitching a 1.52 ERA through his four starts, including seven scoreless innings and nine strikeouts in Sunday’s loss.
26. Texas Rangers
World Series Championship Odds: +20000
Current Record: 7-9
Previous Rankings: 23
After winning three of their four games against the Rays, the Rangers suffered a 1-2 series loss to the Orioles in Texas, resulting in a 4-3 week and a 7-9 overall record. Since scoring 21 runs in their opening three games of the year, the Rangers have managed just 38 runs in their past 13 outings.
However, Dane Dunning is looking like one of the acquisitions of the offseason so far, with a 0.60 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and 16 strikeouts in 15 innings since joining Texas from the White Sox.
27. Pittsburgh Pirates
World Series Championship Odds: +25000
Current Record: 7-9
Previous Rankings: 29
An above .500 week is a great improvement for the Pirates, having split their four game set against the Padres and managing a 2-1 series win against the Brewers. Pittsburgh’s lineup scored 5+ runs in each of their four victories last week, as the Pirates have shown a lot more fight against two quality opponents.
Although their 4.92 ERA is the 26th worst in the league, Pittsburgh are no longer a bottom 10 side when looking at batting average and runs scored. With an upcoming series against the Tigers in Detroit, Pittsburgh have a chance to improve their record to .500 or greater in Week 3.
28. Detroit Tigers
World Series Championship Odds: +15000
Current Record: 6-10
Previous Rankings: 30
The Tigers kicked off their week with a misleading three game sweep against the COVID-19 riddled Astros, however closed out Week 2 with a four game losing sweep at the hands of the A’s, resulting in a 6-10 overall record.
Although they got three wins last week, Detroit have the worst run differential in baseball and the worst team ERA in the American League. Only two Tigers batters (minimum 30 at bats) have an average above .240 so far this season.
29. Arizona Diamondbacks
World Series Championship Odds: +20000
Current Record: 6-10
Previous Rankings: 25
The Diamondbacks lost a pair of games against the A’s in Oakland last week, before bookending a four game series against the Nationals with a pair of victories, resulting in a 2-4 Week 2 record and a 6-10 record overall.
Arizona’s 73 runs so far this season are the sixth most in the league, largely thanks to Eduardo Escobar’s six homers (which is the equal second most in the league). However, the D-Backs bullpen isn’t doing their offense any favors, currently boasting the 24th ranked in ERA in the league, 4.74.
30. Colorado Rockies
World Series Championship Odds: +25000
Current Record: 4-12
Previous Rankings: 27
Colorado quite simply have the fewest wins in baseball to start the 2021 season. The Rockies were swept by the Dodgers and dropped two of their three games against the Mets last week. Things don’t get much easier for Colorado, with upcoming sets against the Astros and Phillies on the horizon.
Colorado are not the worst team in the league when looking at runs scored (15th) and ERA (22nd), however with just four wins to their name this season, it is hard to rank them higher than anyone else. Rockies shortstop Trevor Story is currently on an active 27 game home run dry-spell.
*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel
If you need more news, information and predictions, head over to our MLB hub page for all your baseball needs!
Watch the clock
