The Red Sox are the big story in Stan “The Fan” Charles’ latest MLB power rankings, and the jump is a massive one. Boston has ripped off 13 straight wins, turning itself from a clear deadline seller into a clear buyer and vaulting from No. 25 to No. 8 in two weeks.
That kind of climb is almost unheard of in Charles’ 15 seasons doing power rankings. He said no team had ever moved up 17 spots in two weeks before this.
The timing makes Boston’s rise even more interesting. The Red Sox are about to host the Orioles, who arrive on a seven-game winning streak of their own.
Between the two clubs, Charles noted, they have won 20 straight. He said checking whether that has happened before would be beyond his research capabilities, but added that it’s rare.
The pitching matchups are lined up for a three-game set that starts Monday at 7:10 p.m. Shane Baz faces Payton Tolle in the opener, followed by Kyle Bradish against an undecided starter on Tuesday, and Dean Kremer against Jake Bennett on Wednesday. Charles said both teams are trying to put themselves firmly into the serious wild-card picture, and he suggested both could be capable of even longer hot stretches.
Elsewhere, the Yankees are set to host the Pirates for three games before heading to Philadelphia for another tough series. The Rays, meanwhile, travel to face the Blue Jays for four games before returning to St. Petersburg for three against the Guardians.
At the top of the rankings, there’s no change: the Dodgers remain No. 1 at 63-37, followed by the Brewers at 62-37. The Phillies move up to No. 3, with the Rays slipping to No. 4 and the Braves climbing to No.
- The Yankees sit sixth, the Cubs seventh, and the Red Sox are the week’s biggest mover at No.
Here are Charles’ latest rankings:
- Los Angeles Dodgers (63-37, No. 1 last week)
- Milwaukee Brewers (62-37, No.
Philadelphia Phillies (55-45, No. 4)
- Tampa Bay Rays (56-42, No.
Atlanta Braves (57-41, No. 6)
- New York Yankees (55-44, No.
Chicago Cubs (56-43, No. 7)
- Boston Red Sox (50-48, No.
Cleveland Guardians (52-48, No. 9)
- Miami Marlins (52-48, No.
Chicago White Sox (52-46, No. 11)
- St.
Louis Cardinals (51-47, No. 10)
- Pittsburgh Pirates (52-48, No.
Texas Rangers (50-49, No. 12)
- Arizona Diamondbacks (51-48, No.
Seattle Mariners (50-50, No. 14)
- Minnesota Twins (49-51, No.
Baltimore Orioles (49-51, No. 22)
- Washington Nationals (50-50, No.
Detroit Tigers (46-53, No. 18)
- Houston Astros (47-54, No.
San Diego Padres (49-50, No. 17)
- Toronto Blue Jays (46-53, No.
Cincinnati Reds (45-53, No. 24)
- San Francisco Giants (42-57, No.
Kansas City Royals (40-60, No. 30)
- Colorado Rockies (40-61, No.
Athletics (42-57, No. 25)
- New York Mets (42-58, No.
Los Angeles Angels (39-61, No. 27)
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