MLB Power Rankings for all 30 teams in the first week of the season. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
In the first week of the 2022 season, this is what the MLB Power Rankings look like.
Will your team win it all this year? Did they wave the white flag before the season even began? It’s still early on in the season. Even if your team had a rough first weekend, it shouldn’t have much of an effect on the MLB Power Rankings. Some teams drew tougher opponents. Others had a waltz.
Based on the offseason moves, the depth of the rosters, and the health of the top players, the MLB Power Rankings have a tendency to change from time to time. Of course, nothing matters more than the standings.
As each MLB team continues with the early part of the season, it’s time to start looking at where each of them ranks.
30) MLB Power Rankings: Baltimore Orioles
Are the Baltimore Orioles the worst team in baseball? They might be but that’s not why they are in last place to start the year. The division they play in is going to get in the way of any positive hopes for overcoming a weak roster.
The Orioles were tied for the worst record in 2021 at 52-110. Buried in a division with four teams that won 90+ games, they are the whipping boy of the American League East. They can climb out from last-place but won’t get too far.
29) MLB Power Rankings: Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates were 61-101 last year and may be even worse than the Orioles. Because they played in a weaker division over in the National League Central, they do have an advantage record-wise.
Still, fans in Pittsburgh won’t have much to look forward to when it comes to baseball. The team has one of the league’s lowest payrolls. Bryan Reynolds can’t carry them to victory all 162 games.
28) MLB Power Rankings: Oakland Athletics
No team has fallen further than the Oakland Athletics. They came up a few games short of the postseason last year despite a low payroll. This year, the payroll is even lower. So is the talent.
Nobody sold more quality players than the Athletics over the offseason. Matt Chapman and Matt Olson are gone. So are Chris Bassitt and Sean Manaea. Several free agents also parted from them. It’s a transitional period for the Athletics. This will not be the year when they surprise us.
27) MLB Power Rankings: Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks aren’t fully taking yet they aren’t invested in winning quite yet either. They did sign Ketel Marte to an extension. Aside from keeping one of their good players, there isn’t much to really look forward to this year other than maybe a few baby steps forward.
The Diamondbacks were another one of those 100-loss clubs from last season and not much should change this year. They continue to play in a division with some of the better National League ball clubs.
26) MLB Power Rankings: Washington Nationals
For those who didn’t follow them last year, the Washington Nationals managed to finish last in the National League East. They should find themselves there again this season with very few offseason moves to improve their ball club. Don’t forget, they had Max Scherzer, Trea Turner, and others for several months last year and couldn’t manage to win.
The addition of Nelson Cruz won’t do much for the win column. Far too many questions on their roster, despite the presence of Juan Soto, puts them low on the early season MLB Power Rankings with plenty of room to fall further.