MLB Power Rankings: Where Sox stand after strong start

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So far, the 2021 season hasn't exactly gone as expected.The Boston Red Sox picked up where they left off in 2020 with three straight losses to the Orioles, then turned it around to win nine of their next 10. Suddenly, Boston is looking like a serious threat in the American League East with the rest of the division scuffling.Of course, there's a lot of baseball left to be played, but that doesn't mean we can't overreact to the start of the season in our first batch of power rankings. Here's how all 30 teams stack up halfway through April.

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1/30
<p>With rookie Ke'Bryan Hayes injured, there isn't much to get excited about in Pittsburgh right now. They did split their series with the Padres, though, so they'll always have that...<br />
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<h5><strong><a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/red-sox/winning-streak-was-blast-red-sox-must-beware-potential-trouble-spots?b">Tomase: Winning streak was fun, but Sox must beware of trouble spots</a></strong></h5>

With rookie Ke'Bryan Hayes injured, there isn't much to get excited about in Pittsburgh right now. They did split their series with the Padres, though, so they'll always have that...
 

Tomase: Winning streak was fun, but Sox must beware of trouble spots
2/30
<p>After a surprising opening series sweep of the Red Sox, the O's have come crashing back down to earth going 2-8 since then. They are who we thought they were.<br />
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<h5><a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/red-sox/red-sox-alex-verdugo-earns-praise-david-ortiz-big-day-vs-twins?b"><strong> Verdugo earns praise from Big Papi after big day vs. Twins</strong></a></h5>

After a surprising opening series sweep of the Red Sox, the O's have come crashing back down to earth going 2-8 since then. They are who we thought they were.
 

 Verdugo earns praise from Big Papi after big day vs. Twins
3/30
<p>The Rockies have had the misfortune of having to play against the Dodgers in seven of their first 13 games. They were swept in their series vs. the Giants too. That has resulted in the worst record in the majors so far.</p>

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The Rockies have had the misfortune of having to play against the Dodgers in seven of their first 13 games. They were swept in their series vs. the Giants too. That has resulted in the worst record in the majors so far.

 

 

4/30
<p>This Tigers team is likely headed toward a last-place spot in the AL Central, but you know what? They're fun. Akil Baddoo has been a big reason why as the rookie homered on the first pitch of his MLB career and has been on fire ever since with four homers and a whopping 1.172 OPS.</p>

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This Tigers team is likely headed toward a last-place spot in the AL Central, but you know what? They're fun. Akil Baddoo has been a big reason why as the rookie homered on the first pitch of his MLB career and has been on fire ever since with four homers and a whopping 1.172 OPS.

 

5/30
<p>Madison Bumgarner has been a disaster since signing his $85 million deal with Arizona. Outside of him, though, the D'Backs rotation hasn't been terrible. Zac Gallen is a capable front-end starter and Luke Weaver has looked strong so far in his starts. Unfortunately for the D'Backs, the lackluster bullpen has been a real issue.</p>

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Madison Bumgarner has been a disaster since signing his $85 million deal with Arizona. Outside of him, though, the D'Backs rotation hasn't been terrible. Zac Gallen is a capable front-end starter and Luke Weaver has looked strong so far in his starts. Unfortunately for the D'Backs, the lackluster bullpen has been a real issue.

 

6/30
<p>The Nationals' season got off to a horrid start with COVID-19 protocols delaying their opening series, then they lost five of their first six. The 1-2-3 of Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Patrick Corbin needs to be a lot better if they're going to contend in a tough NL East division. Corbin allowed nine runs in two innings against the Diamondbacks on Thursday night. That won't get it done.</p>

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The Nationals' season got off to a horrid start with COVID-19 protocols delaying their opening series, then they lost five of their first six. The 1-2-3 of Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Patrick Corbin needs to be a lot better if they're going to contend in a tough NL East division. Corbin allowed nine runs in two innings against the Diamondbacks on Thursday night. That won't get it done.

 

 

7/30
<p>To say the Cubs offense is struggling would be a major understatement. They have a league-worst .163 batting average as a team and have scored only 32 runs through their first 12 games. Yikes.</p>

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To say the Cubs offense is struggling would be a major understatement. They have a league-worst .163 batting average as a team and have scored only 32 runs through their first 12 games. Yikes.

 

 

8/30
<p>We knew the rotation was going to be worse with Blake Snell and Charlie Morton gone. Ryan Yarbrough has a 6.48 ERA through his first three starts and the rest of the rotation isn't providing much reason for optimism either. The offense also ranks near the bottom of the league in runs produced.</p>

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We knew the rotation was going to be worse with Blake Snell and Charlie Morton gone. Ryan Yarbrough has a 6.48 ERA through his first three starts and the rest of the rotation isn't providing much reason for optimism either. The offense also ranks near the bottom of the league in runs produced.

 

9/30
<p>The Rangers were on the other side of the first no-hitter in Padres history as they simply had no answer for Joe Musgrove. It isn't hard to see why as Nate Lowe and Joey Gallo are the only notable hitters in the lineup, though Charlie Culberson has been a pleasant surprise. The pitching staff isn't exactly overflowing with talent either. Still, Texas took three out of four from Tampa Bay, so it's doing something right.</p>

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The Rangers were on the other side of the first no-hitter in Padres history as they simply had no answer for Joe Musgrove. It isn't hard to see why as Nate Lowe and Joey Gallo are the only notable hitters in the lineup, though Charlie Culberson has been a pleasant surprise. The pitching staff isn't exactly overflowing with talent either. Still, Texas took three out of four from Tampa Bay, so it's doing something right.

 

10/30
<p>James Paxton being done for the year with an elbow injury stinks. Other than that, the Mariners have had an encouraging start to the season. They won't be contending for a division title or anything, but this is a talented young team worth watching.</p>

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James Paxton being done for the year with an elbow injury stinks. Other than that, the Mariners have had an encouraging start to the season. They won't be contending for a division title or anything, but this is a talented young team worth watching.

 

11/30
<p>Give the Marlins credit for taking three out of four from the Braves, but that says more about Atlanta's issues than it does about Miami's talent. Jazz Chisholm and Adam Duvall have been outstanding so far, though.</p>

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Give the Marlins credit for taking three out of four from the Braves, but that says more about Atlanta's issues than it does about Miami's talent. Jazz Chisholm and Adam Duvall have been outstanding so far, though.

 

12/30
<p>The Braves bullpen needs to figure it out, but there's no reason to panic yet about Atlanta's slow start. Ronald Acuña Jr. is the most exciting player in baseball right now and once the rest of the lineup gets cooking, they're going to be a problem.</p>

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The Braves bullpen needs to figure it out, but there's no reason to panic yet about Atlanta's slow start. Ronald Acuña Jr. is the most exciting player in baseball right now and once the rest of the lineup gets cooking, they're going to be a problem.

 

13/30
<p>The A's have started to turn things around with five consecutive wins after a miserable six-game skid to begin the season. They took two out of three in their recent series against Houston, followed by a two-game sweep of the D'Backs. They still have the second-worst run differential in the league (-22), but there's too much talent up and down the roster. Oakland is going to be just fine.</p>

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The A's have started to turn things around with five consecutive wins after a miserable six-game skid to begin the season. They took two out of three in their recent series against Houston, followed by a two-game sweep of the D'Backs. They still have the second-worst run differential in the league (-22), but there's too much talent up and down the roster. Oakland is going to be just fine.

 

 

14/30
<p>The bullpen was the major concern heading into 2021 and so far, it's stepped up. The offense, however, has not. They rank toward the bottom of the league in runs scored and only one starter (J.T. Realmuto) has an OPS above .800. Pitching has been a pleasant surprise, so the Phillies should see those improvements pay dividends once the lineup gets going.</p>

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The bullpen was the major concern heading into 2021 and so far, it's stepped up. The offense, however, has not. They rank toward the bottom of the league in runs scored and only one starter (J.T. Realmuto) has an OPS above .800. Pitching has been a pleasant surprise, so the Phillies should see those improvements pay dividends once the lineup gets going.

 

 

15/30
<p>Nolan Arenado has immediately provided a boost to a Cardinals lineup that will be even more fearsome once Paul Goldschmidt heats up. The problem is, St. Louis' pitching has been among the worst in the majors. That's going to have to change if it's going to come out on top in this tightly-contested NL Central division.</p>

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Nolan Arenado has immediately provided a boost to a Cardinals lineup that will be even more fearsome once Paul Goldschmidt heats up. The problem is, St. Louis' pitching has been among the worst in the majors. That's going to have to change if it's going to come out on top in this tightly-contested NL Central division.

 

16/30
<p>We mentioned the Royals as a sleeper team in <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/red-sox/mlb-power-rankings-where-all-30-teams-stand-ahead-opening-day?b">our preseason power rankings</a>, and they've been solid to start the campaign. Even with Andrew Benintendi and Carlos Santana off to underwhelming starts, Kansas City is finding ways to win. Sal Perez and Whit Merrifield have carried the load on offense, but they'll need some help if the Royals are going to sustain this success.</p>

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We mentioned the Royals as a sleeper team in our preseason power rankings, and they've been solid to start the campaign. Even with Andrew Benintendi and Carlos Santana off to underwhelming starts, Kansas City is finding ways to win. Sal Perez and Whit Merrifield have carried the load on offense, but they'll need some help if the Royals are going to sustain this success.

 

17/30
<p>The Yankees have some serious issues to work out between their underperforming lineup and shaky rotation. Offseason additions Corey Kluber and Jameson Taillon haven't been impressive and Domingo German already has been demoted. Gerrit Cole has been his Cy Young-caliber self, but he can't start every day.</p>

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The Yankees have some serious issues to work out between their underperforming lineup and shaky rotation. Offseason additions Corey Kluber and Jameson Taillon haven't been impressive and Domingo German already has been demoted. Gerrit Cole has been his Cy Young-caliber self, but he can't start every day.

 

18/30
<p>The Angels have been one of the most fun teams to watch so far in 2021 and that's largely due to Shohei Ohtani being the modern-day Babe Ruth. He's hitting .340/.380/.745 with four homers through the first 12 games and looked strong on the mound as well. Pitching will make or break this team, but so far it looks like Mike Trout may finally have a real chance at a postseason berth.</p>

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The Angels have been one of the most fun teams to watch so far in 2021 and that's largely due to Shohei Ohtani being the modern-day Babe Ruth. He's hitting .340/.380/.745 with four homers through the first 12 games and looked strong on the mound as well. Pitching will make or break this team, but so far it looks like Mike Trout may finally have a real chance at a postseason berth.

 

19/30
<p>This Giants team has been a pleasant surprise so far. After losing their opening series vs. the Mariners, they took two out of three from the Padres, swept the Rockies and then took two out of three from the Reds. The pitching staff has been better than expected with Johnny Cueto and Kevin Gausman leading the way, though Cueto just hit the injured list with a lat strain.</p>

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This Giants team has been a pleasant surprise so far. After losing their opening series vs. the Mariners, they took two out of three from the Padres, swept the Rockies and then took two out of three from the Reds. The pitching staff has been better than expected with Johnny Cueto and Kevin Gausman leading the way, though Cueto just hit the injured list with a lat strain.

 

20/30
<p>The Twins avoided a four-game sweep vs. the Red Sox on Thursday to snap Boston's nine-game win streak. This is a scrappy bunch that will be in the mix for another AL Central title this year. Kenta Maeda and Jose Berrios is one of the most underrated 1-2 punches in the game, and this lineup can still mash.</p>

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The Twins avoided a four-game sweep vs. the Red Sox on Thursday to snap Boston's nine-game win streak. This is a scrappy bunch that will be in the mix for another AL Central title this year. Kenta Maeda and Jose Berrios is one of the most underrated 1-2 punches in the game, and this lineup can still mash.

 

21/30
<p>The Astros have scuffled a bit since their hot start and now have a health issue on their hands as Alex Bregman, Yordan Alvarez, Martin Maldonado, and Jose Altuve have been placed on the injured list due to COVID-19 protocols. The lineup will do its thing once those guys return, but pitching definitely is a concern with Zack Greinke struggling and Jake Odorizzi looking rusty in his season debut.</p>

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The Astros have scuffled a bit since their hot start and now have a health issue on their hands as Alex Bregman, Yordan Alvarez, Martin Maldonado, and Jose Altuve have been placed on the injured list due to COVID-19 protocols. The lineup will do its thing once those guys return, but pitching definitely is a concern with Zack Greinke struggling and Jake Odorizzi looking rusty in his season debut.

 

22/30
<p>With 2020 Cy Young award winner Shane Bieber picking up where he left off, the Indians pitching staff has been dominant. The offense has been a different story as Cleveland ranks near the bottom of the league in runs scored. With little pop in the lineup following the Francisco Lindor trade, that's unlikely to change.</p>

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With 2020 Cy Young award winner Shane Bieber picking up where he left off, the Indians pitching staff has been dominant. The offense has been a different story as Cleveland ranks near the bottom of the league in runs scored. With little pop in the lineup following the Francisco Lindor trade, that's unlikely to change.

 

23/30
<p>The Blue Jays have been better than their early record shows. Vladamir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette are raking, offseason addition Marcus Semien has four homers, and Hyun-jin Ryu has a 1.89 ERA through three starts. Once George Springer returns from an oblique injury, look out.</p>

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The Blue Jays have been better than their early record shows. Vladamir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette are raking, offseason addition Marcus Semien has four homers, and Hyun-jin Ryu has a 1.89 ERA through three starts. Once George Springer returns from an oblique injury, look out.

 

 

24/30
<p>The rotation looks phenomenal as perennial Cy Young candidate Jacob deGrom, Marcus Stroman, and Taijuan Walker have combined for a 1.24 ERA thus far. After struggling offensively to start the year, the lineup is beginning to figure things out. Expect the Mets to go on a bit of a run if this pitching staff continues to play to its potential.</p>

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The rotation looks phenomenal as perennial Cy Young candidate Jacob deGrom, Marcus Stroman, and Taijuan Walker have combined for a 1.24 ERA thus far. After struggling offensively to start the year, the lineup is beginning to figure things out. Expect the Mets to go on a bit of a run if this pitching staff continues to play to its potential.

 

 

25/30
<p>Injuries to Eloy Jimenez and Tim Anderson were a blow to the White Sox offense, yet they still rank near the top of the majors in runs scored. Rookie phenom Yermin Mercedes certainly has helped in that regard. Anderson returned to the lineup Thursday, so that'll provide a boost.</p>

<p>Pitching-wise, Lucas Giolito is looking like a great AL Cy Young pick right about now, Lance Lynn didn't allow a run in his first two starts and only let up two in his third, and Carlos Rodon just tossed a no-hitter. Not too shabby, but it hasn't resulted in a winning record so far.</p>

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Injuries to Eloy Jimenez and Tim Anderson were a blow to the White Sox offense, yet they still rank near the top of the majors in runs scored. Rookie phenom Yermin Mercedes certainly has helped in that regard. Anderson returned to the lineup Thursday, so that'll provide a boost.

Pitching-wise, Lucas Giolito is looking like a great AL Cy Young pick right about now, Lance Lynn didn't allow a run in his first two starts and only let up two in his third, and Carlos Rodon just tossed a no-hitter. Not too shabby, but it hasn't resulted in a winning record so far.

 

 

26/30
<p>The Brew Crew is tied with the Reds at the top of the NL Central to start the year and it's because their pitching has been outstanding, particularly Corbin Burnes. Through his first three starts, he has 30 strikeouts and zero walks. He has a 0.49 ERA and a 0.218 WHIP. That's just absurd.</p>

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The Brew Crew is tied with the Reds at the top of the NL Central to start the year and it's because their pitching has been outstanding, particularly Corbin Burnes. Through his first three starts, he has 30 strikeouts and zero walks. He has a 0.49 ERA and a 0.218 WHIP. That's just absurd.

 

 

27/30
<p>The Reds have the most runs scored in the majors to begin the season. Nick Castellanos has been one of the most electrifying hitters in the game and Tyler Naquin has been a pleasant surprise with five homers and 14 RBI already. Cincinnati currently boasts the third-best run differential in the majors at +19.</p>

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The Reds have the most runs scored in the majors to begin the season. Nick Castellanos has been one of the most electrifying hitters in the game and Tyler Naquin has been a pleasant surprise with five homers and 14 RBI already. Cincinnati currently boasts the third-best run differential in the majors at +19.

 

 

28/30
<p>Weird to see the Red Sox all the way up here, right? It's far too early to put any stock into this ranking, but they're the hottest team in baseball even after Thursday's walk-off loss to the Twins that snapped a nine-game win streak.</p>

<p>The starting rotation has greatly exceeded expectations. During the win streak, Sox starters owned a 3.38 ERA. Garrett Richards was far from perfect in Thursday's loss, but he found a way to post a goose egg in the earned run column.</p>

<p>The bullpen has mostly been impressive as well with Matt Barnes being unhittable (literally, he has given up zero hits), and the offense has heated up since its sluggish start to the campaign. J.D. Martinez has put his 2020 struggles far behind him and Alex Verdugo is quickly turning into a fan favorite with his recent play. Boston trails only the mighty Dodgers in run differential (+23).</p>

<p>Will the Red Sox be able to keep up this torrid pace? Probably not. There are 149 games to go and there are most certainly going to be some rough patches. So far though, they've at least shown they'll be a fun team to keep tabs on in 2021. That's a big step in the right direction, and it brings them all the way up to the No. 3 spot ... for now.<br />
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<h5><a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/red-sox/dont-look-now-yankees-stink-and-al-east-there-taking-if-red-sox-want-it?b"><strong>Tomase: AL East is there for the taking if Sox want it</strong></a></h5>

Weird to see the Red Sox all the way up here, right? It's far too early to put any stock into this ranking, but they're the hottest team in baseball even after Thursday's walk-off loss to the Twins that snapped a nine-game win streak.

The starting rotation has greatly exceeded expectations. During the win streak, Sox starters owned a 3.38 ERA. Garrett Richards was far from perfect in Thursday's loss, but he found a way to post a goose egg in the earned run column.

The bullpen has mostly been impressive as well with Matt Barnes being unhittable (literally, he has given up zero hits), and the offense has heated up since its sluggish start to the campaign. J.D. Martinez has put his 2020 struggles far behind him and Alex Verdugo is quickly turning into a fan favorite with his recent play. Boston trails only the mighty Dodgers in run differential (+23).

Will the Red Sox be able to keep up this torrid pace? Probably not. There are 149 games to go and there are most certainly going to be some rough patches. So far though, they've at least shown they'll be a fun team to keep tabs on in 2021. That's a big step in the right direction, and it brings them all the way up to the No. 3 spot ... for now.
 

Tomase: AL East is there for the taking if Sox want it
29/30
<p>Injuries have plagued the Padres to begin the season, but you wouldn't know it by looking at the numbers. They currently lead MLB in team ERA (with some help from a Joe Musgrove no-hitter) and the lineup is holding its own despite superstar shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. being out with a shoulder injury. Fortunately for San Diego, Tatis is set to return Friday.</p>

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Injuries have plagued the Padres to begin the season, but you wouldn't know it by looking at the numbers. They currently lead MLB in team ERA (with some help from a Joe Musgrove no-hitter) and the lineup is holding its own despite superstar shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. being out with a shoulder injury. Fortunately for San Diego, Tatis is set to return Friday.

 

30/30
<p>No surprises here. The defending champions remain the most dominant team in the league and likely will hold the top spot for most of the season. Trevor Bauer has been exactly what the Dodgers hoped they'd be getting when they signed him to a three-year, $102 million contract during the offseason.</p>

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No surprises here. The defending champions remain the most dominant team in the league and likely will hold the top spot for most of the season. Trevor Bauer has been exactly what the Dodgers hoped they'd be getting when they signed him to a three-year, $102 million contract during the offseason.

 

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