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MLB power rankings: Yankees' sustained excellence has them back in elite company

Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY
·3 min read

Don't look now, but there's a decent chance the New York Yankees are an excellent baseball team this season.

With a rash of early injuries - $162 million lefty Carlos Rodon is only now throwing bullpen sessions - and listless play through the season's first month, the Yankees were a last-place club with burning questions throughout the lineup and rotation.

Yet since falling to 15-15 on May 1, nobody's been better.

The Yankees have won 21 of 31 games since that day, just a half-game off the Texas Rangers' record in that span for best in baseball. Those rampaging Tampa Bay Rays? Just six games ahead. The Baltimore Orioles are just two games up on them for second place. And after a stirring series at Dodger Stadium, where the Yankees won two of three and Aaron Judge wrecked a fence, New York has won seven of its last eight series.

They've moved up to sixth in USA TODAY Sports' MLB power rankings, and another strong week would vault them into the top five for the first time since the season's earliest stages.

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Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe, left, is greeted by center fielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa after hitting a two-run homer in the ninth inning of Sunday's 4-1 win over the Dodgers.
Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe, left, is greeted by center fielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa after hitting a two-run homer in the ninth inning of Sunday's 4-1 win over the Dodgers.

A look at this week's rankings:

1. Tampa Bay Rays (-)

  • Building up: Tyler Glasnow strikes out 14 in his first 9 2/3 innings.

2. Texas Rangers (+1)

3.  Baltimore Orioles (-1)

4.  Los Angeles Dodgers (-)

5. Houston Astros (+1)

  • Pitching prospect Forrest Whitley out four months with lat strain.

6.  New York Yankees (+1)

  • Won three straight series and Carlos Rodon just tossed a 30-pitch bullpen.

7. Atlanta Braves (-2)

  • Ready Eddie: Rosario's grand slam decisive blow in Arizona series, gives him 1.239 OPS in eighth inning or later.

8. Arizona Diamondbacks (-)

  • Manager Torey Lovullo gets one-year extension through 2024, aligning him contractually with GM Mike Hazen.

9. Toronto Blue Jays (+1)

10. Boston Red Sox (-1)

  • Quick healer: Adam Duvall could be back from broken wrist by Friday.

11. Milwaukee Brewers (-)

  • Perseverance: Jon Singleton returns to majors after nearly eight-year absence.

12. Minnesota Twins (-)

13. Miami Marlins (+4)

  • Luis Arraez in Gwynn Territory as average reaches .392.

14. Los Angeles Angels (-1)

  • Carlos Estevez is 13-for-13 in save opportunities.

15. Pittsburgh Pirates (+1)

  • Now 5-2 against Cardinals.

16. New York Mets (-2)

17. San Francisco Giants (+1)

18. Seattle Mariners (-3)

  • Rangers' sweep was just a little too definitive.

19. Philadelphia Phillies (-)

20. San Diego Padres (-)

21. Cleveland Guardians (-)

22. Detroit Tigers (-)

  • Riley Greene's stress fracture in fibula comes as he batted .365 with 1.008 OPS in May.

23. Chicago Cubs (+3)

24. St. Louis Cardinals (-1)

  • Until further notice, they're the worst team in baseball's second-worst division.

25. Cincinnati Reds (-1)

  • What will it take for Kirk Herbstreit to know of Elly De La Cruz's existence?

26. Washington Nationals (-1)

  • Gigantic outfield prospect James Wood reaches Class AA.

27. Chicago White Sox (+1)

  • Sweep of Tigers suggests maybe Liam Hendriks really can bring good vibes.

28. Colorado Rockies (-1)

  • Ryan McMahon's 15-for-31 streak was much needed.

29. Kansas City Royals (-)

  • .305 win percentage would easily be worst in club history (.346, 2005).

30. Oakland Athletics (-)

  • The record: 12-49. The run differential: -212. The number of "SELL" T-shirts sold for June 13 reverse boycott in Oakland: 27,000.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Yankees flying high, moving up in weekly MLB power rankings