Week 7 MLB power rankings: Rangers surge as Astros retain top spot
The Houston Astros may have cooled off but still claimed the top spot in USA TODAY Sports' MLB power rankings. For the second straight week, the Astros - who swept the Miami Marlins but were swept by Cleveland - topped the Washington Nationals after receiving all but one first-place vote.
Meanwhile, the Texas Rangers have won 11 of their last 12 games and are now 5 1/2 games behind Houston in the AL West.
From 1 to 30, how they stack up based on voting from our 10-person panel:
TEAM. MOVEMENT
1. Houston Astros: --
►Luke Gregerson auctions off World Baseball Classic eagle for $51,000.
2. Washington Nationals: --
►Stephen Strasburg has faced 244 batters and given up just four homers.
3. New York Yankees: --
►Masahiro Tanaka has given up more runs (36) than any AL starter.
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4. Los Angeles Dodgers: +1
►Cody Bellinger (nine homers, 30 strikeouts) mastering two of the three true outcomes.
5. Baltimore Orioles: -1
►They've started "Beef" chants at Camden Yards for Welington Castillo, rolling along at .348/.375/.543.
6. Colorado Rockies: +2
►Greg Holland has 19 saves and a career-best 4.8 strikeout-walk ratio.
7. Cleveland Indians: +1
►Yan Gomes starting to cook with .815 OPS.
8. Arizona Diamondbacks: +3
►Run differential of +47 second only to Dodgers in NL.
9. Chicago Cubs: +2
►Kris Bryant low-key putting together another MVP-worthy campaign.
10. Milwaukee Brewers: +2
►RainGate highlights a most unlikely story: Cubs-Brewers, battling atop the NL Central.
11. Texas Rangers: +5
►Nine of their wins in 10-game streak came against Padres, A's and Phillies.
12. St. Louis Cardinals: -5
►Matt Adams finishes St. Louis career with 56 homers, .769 OPS.
13. Boston Red Sox: -3
►Eduardo Rodriguez (3-1, 3.10 ERA) keeping them afloat as David Price works way back.
14. Tampa Bay Rays: +3
►Never been more than three games above or below .500.
15. Minnesota Twins: -2
►Lots of little reasons why they're above water. Robbie Grossman (.846 OPS) is one.
16. Detroit Tigers: -2
►Staff WHIP of 1.45 ranks last in AL.
17. Chicago White Sox: +2
►Cuban connection remains strong with $25 million investment in Luis Robert.
18. Cincinnati Reds: -3
►Devin Mesoraco has 13 hits in first 41 at-bats.
19. Los Angeles Angels: -1
►Can Mike Trout hit 50 homers in a season? We may find out.
20. New York Mets: -2
►Look away from the misery and enjoy Michael Conforto's excellent start.
21. Toronto Blue Jays: --
►Marcus Stroman needs one more homer to tie Josh Donaldson.
22. Pittsburgh Pirates: -1
►Josh Harrison headed toward a second All-Star appearance.
23. San Francisco Giants: +3
►About as predictable as the June weather in China Basin.
24. Seattle Mariners: --
►Far from time to pull the plug, but: This team has lots of tradeable assets.
25. Oakland Athletics: +2
►AL-best 63 homers, trailing only 2000 A's (66) for most after 43 games.
26. Kansas City Royals: -2
►Very quietly, Salvador Perez on pace for 41 homers, 105 RBI.
27. Atlanta Braves: +3
►Freddie Freeman produced NL-best 2.5 WAR - same as Bryce Harper - before wrist fracture.
28. Philadelphia Phillies: -3
►Vince Velasquez admits he's totally lost on mound.
29. Miami Marlins: -1
►Perhaps the most depressing host in All-Star Game history.
30. San Diego Padres: -1
►If this is it for Jered Weaver, he'd go out with a 150-98 career record.
Gallery: MLB photo of the day
