The Japanese slugger was the most sought-after foreign free agent, then statistics came out that he couldn’t hit velocity, and he had to settle for a two-year, $34 million contract with the White Sox. Well, Murakami is proving just about everyone wrong, and currently is tied with Yordan Alvarez for the major league lead in homers with 11. Oh, and he’s batting .273 with seven homers against fastballs.

It’s fun to highlight White Sox players, because they’ve often been at the bottom of these lists. Might as well mention Everson Pereira while we’re on the South Side too. The former Yankee prospect has a .908 OPS with a .357 OBP and three homers in 49 at-bats.

Other news around the league? The Phillies asked the Mets to politely hold their beer. Philadelphia enters Saturday on a 10-game losing streak, dropping to 8-18 on the season while being outscored 69-26 during the stretch. Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber have played like MVPs, but the remainder of the lineup has come up short. The Cubs have also been a benefactor of the Mets and Phillies struggles, as eight of the 22 combined losses between the two NL East rivals have come at the hands of the Cubbies.

Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

1. Dodgers

Are the Dodgers mortal? It sure looks like it over their last seven games.

In the last seven games, LA has gone 2-7 against the likes of the Giants, Rockies, and Cubs. Only one of the loses came against Chicago, with the meat of the stretch coming against two lesser rivals.

There’s still no reason to drop the Dodgers or panic. The club got an excellent performance Thursday from Tyler Glasnow, who punched out nine Giants over eight scoreless innings. The real culprit for their poor stretch is their lack of offense. The club has scored only eight runs over their last four games. Andy Pages has considerably cooled off during this seven-game blip, slashing just .120/.185/.160.

2. Braves

Atlanta is building its case as a World Series contender for 2026.

Did they have the talent to do it? Yeah, obviously. But injuries and underperformance has kept this club from Dodger-level good since 2023. Fast forward to now, and the Braves have built themselves a comfortable lead in the NL East before May.

They’re 9-1 in their last 10 games, which includes four wins over the floundering Phillies. Matt Olson has been the sparkplug for this offseason, and has seven homers, a .944 OPS, and a major league leading 11 doubles in 27 games. Then of course is the pitching, which continues to limit runs and enters Saturday tied for first in the majors in ERA (3.11). Oh, and here’s your weekly reminder that this is all without Spencer Strider and Spencer Schwellenbach.

3. Yankees

There was a reason I didn’t drop the Yankees too far last week. They have the talent, and will be OK.

Well since that decision, the Yanks have rattled off a seven-game winning streak, including a three-game sweep of the Red Sox in Boston.

So how have the Yankees dominated this past week. Easy. Pitching and Ben Rice. The lefty slugger from Massachusetts homered in four consecutive games dating back to last week, and has also slugged five homers in last eight games. I’m not joking, if the season ended today, Rice would be the American League MVP. He’s slashing .316/.450/.747 with nine homers and 20 RBIs. Rice is also second in the majors in slugging, OBP, OPS, fourth in homers, and 14th in batting average.

Then there’s the starting rotation. It dominated in Boston. Luis Gil pitched 6 1/3 scoreless Wednesday, Max Fried pitched eight scoreless innings with nine strikeouts Thursday, and Cam Schlittler allowed one run over eight innings Saturday. Entering Saturday, the Yankees are tied for the lead in ERA (3.11) in MLB.

4. Cubs

The Cubs might be ranked fourth, but they’re playing like the best team in baseball right now.

Chicago has ripped off a 10-game win streak, catapulting them to the top of the NL Central. Sure, nine of those ten wins have come against the Mets and Phillies, but it’s still a massive accomplishment. They even backed up the performance with a comeback win over the Dodgers Friday night, which saw Alex Bregman and Dansby Swanson club later homers to win 6-4.

During this stretch the offense has been torrential. They’re averaging 7.2 runs per game, and producing despite Pete Crow-Armstrong and Michael Busch being invisible. The rotation has also held up during this streak. Edward Cabrera and Shota Imanaga continue to shove and have ERAs under three, plus Javier Assad has looked good in his last two outings, allowing just one run in 6 2/3 combined innings.

5. Pirates

Did everyone see that Oneil Cruz homer off the top of the foul pole in Texas? If not, I give you permission to leave this article.

Seriously though, it’s could finally be the Cruz breakout season that fantasy experts have been waiting for. The lefty is slashing .271/.333/.542 with eight homers and five doubles. The slugging number in that slashline is the most important. The power was always going to be there for the 6’7 Cruz, the question was if he could translate it into in-game power. There were glimpses of it in 2024 when Cruz slugged .449, but April has been promising for the potential breakout candidate.

Of course there’s also the pitching. It’s the backbone of this team. It’s shockingly registered the third-lowest ERA (3.32) in the majors, and has led the Pirates to a 15-11 record and +26 run differential. There’s obviously the big names like Paul Skenes and Mitch Keller, but a breakout arm in the rotation has been Braxton Ashcraft. The 26-year-old has pitched to a 2.43 ERA in five starts, and is striking out 9.7 batters per nine.

6. Padres

San Diego was one of baseball’s hottest teams last week.

They swept a four-game series on the road against the Rockies, came home to sweep the Mariners to claim Eddie Vedder, then traveled to Anaheim to take a three-game series against the Angels.

Overall, the stretch saw the Padres go 9-1 in 10 games. Then earlier this week they won two of three against the Rockies at home. This run of course is aided by timely hitting and one of the best bullpens the sport has ever seen. Mason Miller is working on a 12 1/3 scoreless streak this season, and a 33 2/3 consecutive scoreless streak dating back to August 6 of last season. Another name everyone should learn is Bradgley Rodriguez. The righty has a 0.73 ERA in 12 1/3 innings and wears glasses. The latter makes him cool.

7. Rangers

Texas has been steady this season. They’re 13-13, have a +8 run differential, and are second in a weak AL West.

So why are they so high on this list? Well, the pitching has been elite. Coming into Saturday, they have the eighth-lowest ERA in the majors (3.86), propped up by a vintage Jacob deGrom (2.13 ERA) and young Kumar Rocker (3.48 ERA).

The offense has been middling, and took a hit two days ago when the Rangers placed Wyatt Langford on the 10-day IL with a flexor strain. At least Josh Jung seems to have found his stroke. The third baseman, who was a crucial piece for Texas during their 2023 World Series run, has an .877 OPS through 23 games.

8. Diamondbacks

The Snakes have jumped out to a 14-11 start. And it’s because of their… pitching?

Yeah, the rotation has held up a slow offensive start for the D-backs. Through their first five starts in the rotation, Eduardo Rodríguez has a 2.89 ERA, Michael Soroka has a 2.60 ERA, and Zac Gallen has a 3.51 ERA.

Yet, despite these stellar performances, the Diamondbacks have the 20th-lowest ERA in the majors. And outside Corbin Carroll, Ildemaro Vargas, and Geraldo Perdomo, the entire D-backs lineup is flopping around. In fact most of them have OPS+’s under 100. Still, there’s hope for many D-backs hitters to bounce back and power this team toward a wild-card spot. Especially Ketel Marte, who has a .694 OPS through his first 24 games.

9. Brewers

Brandon Woodruff this. Jacob Misiorowski that. How about Chad Patrick?

The 27-year-old has a 2.35 ERA in 23 innings, and leads a strong rotation in ERA. The aforementioned two starters have also been great. Woodruff has a 3.77 ERA in his comeback year, and Misiorowski leads starters with a 14.2 K/9 and has a 3.04 ERA.

Outside the pitching, the offense has mustered enough runs. Brice Turang has a .900 OPS entering Saturday and Garrett Mitchell has put up a more than respectable .804. Just imagine what the lineup will look like when Christian Yelich returns from the 10-day IL.

10. Twins

Well, the Twins have lost six of their last seven. That’s what I get for slotting them at five last week.

They got swept by the Reds, dropped a series to the Mets, and lost Friday 6-2 to the Rays. So why are they still here?

The lineup is strong, especially when this healthy. We always talk about Royce Lewis and his potential, Byron Buxton as a superstar when on the field, but let’s give some flowers to Ryan Jeffers. The catcher is one of the most underrated catchers in baseball, and has a .889 OPS entering Saturday. He’s had an OPS+ above 100 dating back to 2023, and hit a clutch grand slam Thursday in a loss to the Mets.

The major question mark will be the rotation. Joe Ryan allowed seven earned runs Thrusday to the Mets, but is usually among the best in the AL. Mick Abel is on the IL right now, but when he was pitching, he was striking out 10.2 batters per nine to go with his 3.98 ERA.

Rest of the Field

11. Marlins
12. Tigers
13. Orioles
14. Guardians
15. Reds
16. Mets
17. Rays
18. Phillies
19. Mariners
20. Athletics
21. Angels
22. Astros
23. Cardinals
24. Blue Jays
25. Giants
26. Red Sox
27. Royals
28. Nationals
29. Rockies
30. White Sox

Previous Rankings: W3 | W2 | W1 | OD

The post 2026 MLB Power Rankings: Week Four Update appeared first on Metsmerized.

After the losing streak hit 12 consecutive games, the Mets finally put an end to the downslide by taking two out of three from the Minnesota Twins.

It wasn’t always pretty or straightforward, and the series win did come with a cost with Francisco Lindor picking up a potentially serious injury. However, it was important that the Mets stopped the losing and began to take positive steps forward.

On that note, let’s recap everything from the Minnesota series in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

Photo By: Roberto Carlo

3 UP

ENDING THE STREAK

The nightmare officially came to an end on Wednesday night. After enduring a miserable 12-game losing streak, the Mets finally won a game of baseball. It wasn’t exactly a work of art, but the main thing was ending the slide and getting back in the win column. Then, this team managed to win again on Thursday for their first series win since the start of the month. The Mets still have a long way to go, but they took two positive steps forward against Minnesota.

COMING THROUGH

Even in snapping the losing streak on Wednesday, the Mets still struggled offensively. Therefore, it was a one-run game entering the final two innings, and Citi Field was on red alert. Enter Luke Weaver. The reliever worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth, before coming back out for the ninth. He was stellar, striking out Byron Buxton to get the job done and secure the win. When his team needed a stabilizing presence with the pressure on, Weaver delivered and played a huge role in picking up a crucial win.

SHOWING LIFE

As already mentioned, the offense wasn’t exactly great in the win on Wednesday night. However, it was a different story on Thursday. The lineup exploded for 10 hits and 10 runs. Brett Baty led the way with a momentum-shifting, game-changing three-run homer in the first to set the tone. He finished the game with two hits, two runs scored, and an RBI. Carson Benge had arguably his best game in a Mets uniform with a home run, two runs scored, and an RBI. And then the Bo Bichette show happened. After the bullpen allowed the Twins to make it a tied ballgame, Bichette came up with his biggest moment as a Met with a three-run double that effectively won the game.

It was without a doubt Bichette’s breakthrough moment, with the infielder finishing with three hits, two runs scored, and three RBIs. Hopefully, Thursday night’s explosion can act as the turning point for both Bichette and the offense in general.

Apr 23, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Christian Scott (45) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

HAMMER BLOW

Even when things go right for the Mets, things still go wrong. While finally winning on Wednesday should have been the headline, Lindor’s injury overshadowed everything else. The shortstop was forced to leave the game with a left calf strain. He is now on the 10-Day IL and admitted that there is concern around the injury. When Lindor will be back remains to be seen, but it doesn’t look to be any time soon. Just look what happened to this team when Juan Soto missed three weeks. Lindor looks set to miss more than that, which is a shame considering that he was showing signs of turning things around. He recorded four RBIs in the first two games against Minnesota. Now, the Mets will need to navigate life without one of their best players for the foreseeable future.

UNWANTED START

As one of the moves made to try and stop the losing, David Peterson was bumped from his latest start with Christian Scott getting called up. However, things didn’t exactly go to plan for both the player and the team. Scott was all over the place, walking five batters, hitting one, and also giving up a balk. He threw 33 pitches in the first inning alone. Granted, Scott only gave up one run, but he also lasted just 1 1/3 innings. Now, it may be possible that Scott was just too amped up for his first MLB start since 2024. Either way, Scott hardly did his chances of fighting his way into the rotation any good.

CONFUSION IN THE AIR

When you are chasing a second-straight win after dropping 12 in a row, the last thing you want is chaos in the bullpen. Well, that’s exactly what the Mets got on Thursday night. Huascar Brazobán, who had given up a grand slam in the eighth, came back out in the ninth only to hear Devin Williams‘ closer music playing. Brazobán was on autopilot mode and forgot the plan that he would only come back out if it was a tied game. However, having crossed the foul line, Brazobán was told that he must face one batter before Williams would be allowed to enter the game. Brazobán did his bit, retiring Austin Martin before Williams came in for the final two outs.

The Mets eventually got the win but not until after Williams gave up one run and three hits. That came after Williams had imploded in the ninth inning of Tuesday’s loss. Tasked with getting just two outs, Williams still nearly blew another lead. It is clear that the confidence issues that were impacting him early with the Yankees are impacting him now. Going forward, I’m not sure the Mets can afford to have a long leash on Williams.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Snap Skid With Twins Series Win appeared first on Metsmerized.

Christian Scott’s first start since July 2024, after undergoing Tommy John surgery, was a short one. He walked four in the first inning, but to his credit only gave up one run and stranded the bases loaded. Scott lasted just one out into the second inning.

The Mets punched back in the bottom of the first inning thanks to Brett Baty’s three-run homer, his first of the year. They put up another three spot an inning later, scoring on a passed ball, a Francisco Alvarez sacrifice fly, and a Luis Robert double. Carson Benge added a solo homer in the fourth, his second of the year and first since Opening Day.

Scott’s brief outing turned it into an unexpected bullpen day for the Mets, and their first pair of relievers delivered. Tobias Myers and David Peterson held the Twins to just one earned run over the next 5 2/3 innings to keep the Mets ahead 7-3.

The next man up was not nearly as effective. Craig Kimbrel loaded the bases, then Huascar Brazobán gave up a game-tying grand slam to Ryan Jeffers in the eighth to tie the game.

New York bounced back in the bottom half of the eighth, showing a resilience that was lacking during the losing streak. After the Mets loaded the bases with two outs, Bo Bichette delivered a bases-clearing double to put the Mets back in front, 10-7.

“I think he’s been looking for that moment, especially here at home,” said Carlos Mendoza of Bichette’s big hit. “Meaningful to do it here in front of our fan base.”

Yet the ninth was another roller coaster for the Mets, starting with a rarely seen pitching change mix-up. As Devin Williams jogged in from the bullpen, Huascar Brazobán exited the dugout and crossed the foul line. That meant he would have to pitch to at least one batter, and Williams would have to run back off the field.

Mendoza tried to clear up the mishap: “The messaging there was if it’s tied, you’re gonna go back out. We take the lead, Devin is in the game. What stuck with him was going back out. I speak Spanish, I need to go tell him.”

Williams eventually secured the save despite another shaky outing. He gave up three hits and a run before ending the game on a strikeout with the tying run on second base, and Mets fans could finally exhale.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

Bichette saved the day after the Mets had given up a big lead. His go-ahead double was his best moment as a Met so far.

UP NEXT

The Mets start a three-game series against the 10-16 Colorado Rockies at Citi Field. Freddy Peralta (1–2, 4.05 ERA) takes the mound against righty Michael Lorenzen (1–2, 7.48 ERA). Game time is 7:10 PM ET on WPIX. 

The post Bichette Delivers, Mets Hang On For Wild 10-8 Win appeared first on Metsmerized.

The Mets look to win a series for the first time in what feels like 37 years tonight!

Last night, the Mets squeaked by the Twins 3-2 to snap their 12-game losing streak. It was a bittersweet end to a tough stretch as Francisco Lindor injured his calf and is now on the injured list. So once again, the Mets head into play tonight with one of their key bats. Ronny Mauricio is rejoining the team, and he’s coming off a tremendous game this week in which he hit three home runs. There’s a lot working against the Mets right now, but hopefully the team can push through!

Photo by: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Mets Lineup

1. Bo Bichette – 3B
2. Juan Soto – DH
3. Francisco Alvarez – C
4. Luis Robert Jr. – CF
5. Brett Baty – RF
6. Mark Vientos – 1B
7. Marcus Semien – 2B
8. Ronny Mauricio – SS
9. Carson Benge – LF

Starting Pitcher: Christian Scott

Christian Scott returns to the majors! Scott made nine starts for the Mets in 2024, pitching 47 1/3 innings with a 4.56 ERA, 4.60 FIP, 1.204 WHIP and an 87 ERA+. He tore his UCL and spent all of 2025 recovering from Tommy John surgery. He’s made three starts in Syracuse this season with a 5.27 ERA over 13 2/3 innings. Home runs have been an issue (3), but he has struck out 17 batters. Only Josh Bell (1-for-5, BB, K) has faced Scott in a Major League game before.

Opposing Lineup

1. Byron Buxton – CF
2. Trevor Larnach – LF
3. Josh Bell – DH
4. Ryan Jeffers – C
5. Kody Clemens – 1B
6. Austin Martin – RF
7. Luke Keaschall – 2B
8. Brooks Lee – SS
9. Tristan Gray – 3B

The Mets’ bats draw the ace of the Twins staff, Joe Ryan. Ryan has made five starts this season, totaling 27 1/3 innings with a 3.29 ERA, 2.44 FIP, 0.878 WHIP and a 135 ERA+. Ryan has allowed only three earned runs, four total in his last two starts (13 innings). Last season, Ryan held the Mets to one run over five innings. The Mets have the following career numbers against Ryan:

• Bo Bichette 3-10, 2 BB, 3 K
• Francisco Lindor 1-3, K
• MJ Melendez 1-15, 4 BB, 10 K
• Tommy Pham 1-5, 3 K
• Luis Robert Jr. 0-9, BB, 6 K
• Marcus Semien 1-7, R, BB, 2 K
• Juan Soto 0-6, 3 K
• Tyrone Taylor 0-2, 2 K
• Luis Torrens 0-2, 2 K
• Mark Vientos 0-2

Game Notes

• The Mets sent Austin Warren to Triple-A Syracuse to make room for Scott.
• Ronny Mauricio is expected to get most of the playing time at shortstop while Francisco Lindor is on the injured list. Bo Bichette will remain at third base.
• Carlos Mendoza said he spoke to Mark Vientos about his base-running blunder on Wednesday, and Vientos now understands that he doesn’t have the green light to ignore signs from base coaches. Vientos said after Wednesday’s game that it was his “instinct” to try to score on Marcus Semien’s sixth-inning double despite getting a stop sign from third base coach Tim Leiper.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Juan Soto. Juan Soto went 1-for-3 with a walk at the plate yesterday. His single was the weakest ball that he hit all night, leaving his bat at 74.2 mph but with an xBA of 0.570. His other two outs were loud, though. He had a 104.3 mph lineout with a .680 xBA and a 104.2 mph flyout out with a .730 xBA. Here’s hoping he makes more hard contact this evening!
2. Sean Manaea. Manaea hasn’t pitched for the Mets since last Friday, and it was his worst outing of the season so far. He allowed five runs on six hits and a walk over four innings. It was a game in which Kodai Senga allowed the Cubs to take the lead early, and Manaea put the game out of reach for the offense at the end. Before that outing, Manaea allowed only three runs on 10 hits with six walks over 12 innings while striking out 10.
3. Contain Byron Buxton. Byron Buxton has gone 2-for-10 this series, hitting a critical home run in each game. Last night, Luke Weaver was able to get Buxton out to end the game last night, but he’s been a constant threat this entire series.

Let’s go Mets!

The post Game Chat: Twins vs Mets, 7:10 PM appeared first on Metsmerized.

The Mets and Yankees both struggled mightily last week, costing the Bombers a few spots on the top 10 and the Mets to fall off the list. The Amazins’ have dropped nine games in a row after starting 7-4 and fundamentally look like one of the worst teams in baseball. And the Yankees got swept by the Rays, split a series with the Angels, and survived the Royals Friday with a late homer from Ryan McMahon.

It’s been rough for two teams projected to be among the best in their leagues. But they’re not the only “power houses” struggling. The Mariners and Astros are both 8-13 after positive starts, the Phillies are 8-11 and are on a three-game losing streak, and the Tigers are 10-10 despite a positive run differential.

Instead, it’s been teams that were supposed to be bottom feeders dominating early. The Twins through three weeks especially have been undeniably good. So much so I put them on the list. The Angels have also been right there with Minnesota, surging thanks to a renaissance from Mike Trout in the Bronx last week.

All this is the long way of saying the list has gone through another metamorphosis. And will continue to throughout the first month or so of the season. Remember last year when the Braves were regulars in the top-10 till May?

Also, before we get into the list, I want to personally attribute a portion of this article to Garret Anderson. The all-time great passed away at 53 Friday, shocking the baseball world. On the field, Anderson holds the Angels franchise record for games played (2,013), total bases (3,743), extra-base hits (796), doubles (489), grand slams (8), and RBIs (1,292). Anderson was also a crucial piece for the Halos in 2002, helping the club win its first and only World Series. He passed away from a heart attack and is survived by his wife and three children.

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

1. Dodgers

We all knew the Dodgers were going to be insanely good. But it’s April 18, and the club still hasn’t lost to a National League team.

They swept the Mets last week behind dominant performances from Justin Wrobleski and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, then went to Colorado to play a snow game with the Rockies Friday. And yes, they won that game 7-1.

The usual suspects are dominating again, but I want to point out Dalton Rushing. The 25-year-old has scorched the baseball to begin the season, slashing .529/.556/1.353 with four homers in 17 at-bats. Yeah, you read that right. Four homers in 17 at-bats.

2. Braves

Atlanta is back in full force.

The club has started 13-7 in their first 20 games, getting production from their entire roster. Everyone in their lineup outside Michael Harris II has an OPS+ above 100. The pitching rotation features five arms with ERA+’s over 120, including Bryce Elder who leads the NL with a 0.77 ERA. The bullpen has four arms with ERAs in the ones. Oh they also lead baseball with a +53 run differential.

It’s been an incredible start for a team trying to bounce back from an injury-riddled 2025. And they’re still waiting for Spencer Strider and Spencer Schwellenbach to come back.

3. Pirates

Is placing the Pirates all the way to three aggressive? Yeah. But they have the firepower to stay.

Everybody knows about the treachorous staff the Pirates throw at the league, but the offense has finally clicked for Pittsburgh. The additions of Brandon Lowe (184 OPS+) and Ryan O’Hearn (149 OPS+) have infused runs into this lineup, Bryan Reynolds has bounced back from a mediocre 2025 with an .810 OPS, and Oneil Cruz is finally blossoming into a superstar with a .313/.382/.588 slashline, six homers, and nine stolen bases.

The offense has been steady. And the pitching staff led by Paul Skenes can carry this team through the ineviatable offense woes they go through later in the season.

4. Yankees

The media has been hyperfixated on the Mets. But the Yankees have been equally as bad.

They dropped a series to the Athletics at home, were swept by the Rays on the road, then returned to the Bronx to split a series with the Angels. All and all, they went 2-7 and endured a five game losing streak.

Still, the club stays this high on the list due to their underlying numbers. They’re 11-9 and are the only team in the AL East with a positive run differential. Max Fried and Cam Schlittler are carrying a despondent offense, which is really being carried by Ben Rice (1.205 OPS) and Aaron Judge (.929 OPS).

5. Twins

Minnesota? The Twins?

Yeah, in case you weren’t paying attention, the Twins are among the best teams in baseball right now. Trevor Larnach and company last weekend swept the Red Sox out of Minneapolis, including a game where they walloped Garrett Crochet for 10 earned runs.

It’s been a fun start for the Twins. And the decision to keep Joe Ryan may lead to a fun summer. The rotation is strong behind Ryan, which features a ressurgent Taj Bradley (1.25 ERA) and righty Mick Abel (3.98 ERA), who was one of the returns for closer Jhoan Duran.

6. Padres

Mason Miller. Korn. What else do you need?

Seriously, have you seen what Miller is doing. The flamethrower hasnt’ allowed a run in 9 1/3 innings, has a 22.2 K/9, and a -1.45 FIP. If the season ended today he would be the NL Cy Young winner.

Miller has spearheaded the best bullpen in baseball. Behind him are David Morgan, Bradgley Rodriguez, and Wandy Peralta, all who have ERAs under two. It’s been a winning formula for San Diego the past two seasons, and with the offense still finding its groove, the ‘pen has been the backbone for this 13-7 San Diego team.

7. Rangers

Jacob deGrom has a 2.21 ERA. Brandon Nimmo has a .313/.396/.538 slashline with four homers. The Mets must be good!

All joking aside, Nimmo and the pitching staff has led the Rangers out of the basement of the AL West. They’re 11-9, have a +17 run differential, and could make a run toward the division if their rotation stays healthy.

The Rangers have the fifth best team ERA in baseball (3.38), 12th best team OPS (.714), and seventh most homers (23). That’ll play.

8. Diamondbacks

Is Corbin Carroll the most underrated player in major league baseball?

I’m serious. With all the Shohei Ohtani hype around baseball, it’s easy to forget about the other superstars in the league. Carroll has quietly put up a .308/.395/.585 slashline with two homers, six doubles, and a major league leading three triples. He might win an MVP one day.

Him and José Fernández (122 OPS+) are carrying a cold D-Backs offense right now, which is getting bailed out Eduardo Rodríguez (1.96 ERA) and Michael Soroka (2.78 ERA).

9. Cubs

Chicago might be the hottest team in baseball right now.

They’ve scored 10 or more runs in three straight games, leading to a series win over the Phillies on the road and a win Friday over the Mets. Despite being in last in the NL Central, they have the best run differential among their rivals and second best expected record.

Nico Hoerner has been the biggest surprise this early season. He spent the offseason trying to improve his power output, which has led to three homers and a .973 OPS in 19 games. Hoerner has only clubbed seven homers the past two seasons. His career high was 10 in 2022.

10. Guardians

Cleveland has been trading wins and losses in the early season. Mostly due to their struggling ‘pen.

Coming into Saturday, the bullpen’s 5.55 ERA is 25th in baseball. It’s blown numerous leads already, including Friday where Shawn Armstrong and Erik Sabrowski blew a six scoreless inning outing from Tanner Bibee.

Fortunately for the Guardians, the offense and starting pitching has done enough to mitigate. José Ramírez is breaking out of a early, short slump and Angel Martínez has a 122 OPS+. Daniel Schneemann has also done a fantastic job, putting up video game numbers early (.313/.353/.563).

Rest of the Field

11. Brewers
12. Phillies
13. Mets
14. Mariners
15. Astros
16. Marlins
17. Orioles
18. Rays
19. Tigers
20. Angels
21. Reds
22. Athletics
23. Giants
24. Blue Jays
25. Red Sox
26. Cardinals
27. Royals
28. Nationals
29. Rockies
30. White Sox

Previous Rankings: W2 | W1 | OD

The post 2026 MLB Power Rankings: Week Three Update appeared first on Metsmerized.

Overall, the unit ranks seventh on the season with a 3.72 ERA and is tied for fifth with 18 blown saves. The Minnesota Twins, who seem destined to be sellers at this year’s trade deadline (they traded Chris Paddack yesterday), have a few relievers who could be on the market. The Mets have already expressed interest in lefty Danny Coulombe, but he isn’t the only arm that could help the team.

Jhoan Durán, RP

Position: RP B/T: R/R
Age: 27 (01/08/1998)

2025 Traditional Stats: 49 G, 49 1/3 IP, 2.01 ERA, 1.176 WHIP, 5-4, 16 SV, 53 K, 18 BB
2025 Advanced Stats: 211 ERA+, 25.7% K%, 8.7% BB%, 2.67 xERA, 2.48 FIP, 2.94 xFIP, 1.2 fWAR, 2.3 bWAR

Rundown

By his standards, Jhoan Durán had a disappointing 2024 season. He battled an oblique injury and saw his ERA climb to a career-worst 3.64 while the Twins slipped out of the playoff picture.

However, he’s come back strong in 2025. While his strikeout rate has dropped and his walk rate has increased, his ERA sits at 2.01, and he’s allowed just one home run in 49 1/3 innings. Durán’s success has been aided by a career-high 64.4% ground-ball rate and a 14.4% fly-ball rate, the second-best mark of his career.

Durán is still among the hardest throwers in the sport, averaging 100.3 miles per hour on his fastball. However, the pitch he’s leaned on the most is his splinker, which averages 97.5 mph and has a whiff rate of 26.5% in 2025, up from 21.3% in 2024. His splinker’s plus-9 run value is the highest it’s ever been. Durán also mixes in a knuckle curve that sits in the high-80s and has a 41.5% whiff rate, and occasionally he throws a sweeper. Durán’s hard-hit rate has increased to 40.2% this year, but his opponents’ xBA sits at just .222, and their xSLG is only .303.

The Twins will certainly field a lot of calls about Durán, but he seems to be the least likely to be dealt from their arms. He’s in his first year of arbitration and won’t be a free agent until after the 2027 season. Unless Minnesota is completely blown away by a trade offer, Durán will stay put.

Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Griffin Jax, RP

Position: RP B/T: R/R
Age: 30 (11/22/1994)

2025 Traditional Stats: 49 G, 46 IP, 3.91 ERA, 1.217 WHIP, 1-5, 72 K, 13 BB
2025 Advanced Stats: 108 ERA+, 36.9% K%, 6.7% BB%, 2.97 xERA, 2.07 FIP, 1.71 xFIP, 1.5 fWAR, 0.6 bWAR

Rundown

After a career year in 2024, Griffin Jax stumbled out of the gate in 2025. He got tagged for 10 earned runs and 14 hits in eight innings over his first nine appearances of the season. Since April 22, though, Jax has looked like the 2024 version of himself. Since then, he has a 2.37 ERA and a 1.48 FIP, striking out 60 batters against just 10 walks in 38 innings.

In some ways, Jax has been better than he was a year ago. His 36.9% strikeout rate is the highest of his career, and he has a 2.00 FIP and 1.71 xFIP–the latter is the best of his career. While his hard-hit rate has increased, he’s also been quite unlucky–his opponents have a .375 BABiP, over 100 points higher than his .269 mark from last year. Jax has given up four homers this year, the same amount he had last year, but he also has a 15.4% home run to fly ball ratio, which seems unsustainable.

Jax is throwing his fastball at an average 97 mph, but it’s been getting hammered by his opponents, to the tune of a .742 SLG and .689 xSLG. He’s leaned heavily on his sweeper, which sits in the high-80s and has a 45.9% whiff rate and a plus-4 run value. Jax is also throwing his low-90s change-up more, which opponents have just a .171 xBA and .223 xSLG against, to go with a 48.3% whiff rate. Jax’s change-up has a plus-5 run value, already higher than its plus-2 mark from 2024.

Like Durán, Jax is in his first year of arbitration and has two more years of club control left after this season. However, he is three years older than Durán, which likely lowers his cost a little and makes him slightly more likely to be traded.

Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Louis Varland, RP

Position: RP B/T: L/R
Age: 27 (12/09/1997)

2025 Traditional Stats: 50 G, 48 IP, 2.06 ERA, 1.083 WHIP, 3-3, 47 K, 13 BB
2025 Advances Stats: 206 ERA+, 24.6% K%, 6.8% BB%, 3.56 xERA, 2.88 FIP, 2.97 xFIP, 1.0 fWAR, 2.0 bWAR

Rundown

Working as a reliever full-time for the first year in his career, Louis Varland has enjoyed a breakout season. He’s turned in a sparkling 2.06 ERA, while appearing in 50 games, and after giving up 12 homers in 49 2/3 innings in 2024, he’s allowed just three in 48 innings in 2025. Varland’s strikeout rate has increased from 20.6% to 24.6%, and his ground-ball rate has skyrocketed to a career-high 54.8%, while his fly-ball rate has plummeted to a career-low 23%.

While Jax has gotten unlucky, Varland’s 3.56 xERA, 2.88 FIP, and 2.97 xFIP indicate he might be getting a bit of good fortune. His opponents have a .286 BABiP, which is over 60 points lower than his 2024 mark. His opponents also have an xBA of .251 compared to their actual mark of .227, and their xSLG of .393 is over 60 points higher than their actual slugging percentage.

Across the board, Varland’s velocity has increased sharply. His four-seamer has gone from averaging 96.3 mph to 98.1, and his average curveball velocity has jumped from 84.6 mph to 88.1. This usually happens when a starter converts to being a reliever. Varland also mixes in a high-90s sinker, a slider, and a change-up that both sit in the low-90s.

Varland is the least established of these three relievers, but he also carries the most club control. He won’t hit arbitration until after the 2026 season and would be under club control through 2030. The Twins could get a hefty return if they choose to deal him.

Package

All three of these relievers carry a hefty price tag that will likely include at least one organizational top-10 prospect and multiple top-20 prospects. Jeff Passan of ESPN reports that Minnesota is asking for multiple top-100 prospects in the sport for Durán and Jax.

The Mets likely won’t want to move any of their top-100 guys–Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong, Jett Williams, or Carson Benge–nor do they seem inclined to trade Brandon Sproat. From the team’s top 10 prospects, trade candidates include Jesus Baez, Ryan Clifford, Jacob Reimer, and A.J. Ewing, while top-20 prospects such as Drew Gilbert, Nate Dohm, Will Watson, and Jonathan Santucci could also be on the move. Perhaps the Mets could also interest Minnesota in one of Mark Vientos or Ronny Mauricio to help clear their infield clutter.

Recommendation

The Mets have a glaring need for some high-leverage relievers, but is it worth mortgaging the farm to help the bullpen? Durán is likely out of the question–the team already has an elite closer in Edwin Díaz, and Durán’s combination of pedigree and club control gives him the highest price tag. Varland could be the most helpful, given his five years of club control.

Jax, who is the oldest of three, has thrived ever since becoming a reliever full-time in 2022, and maybe won’t cost as much prospect capital as Durán. If the Mets were to trade from the farm to acquire one of these arms, Jax is the one they should target. They could offer Mauricio and Ryan Clifford or Brandon Sproat for the reliever.

The post Trade Profile: Minnesota Relievers appeared first on Metsmerized.

But as the season goes on, teams start to reveal who they are, whether that be regression, progression, or injury.

One of those teams has been the Diamondbacks. Injuries to their bullpen, along with poor performances from the rotation, has led to a 2-8 record in their last 10 games and 27-30 record. Another team, on the positive side, has been the Braves. After an 0-7 start, the team has gone 26-23 and put themselves back in the playoff hunt.

Memorial Day weekend is over. And now begins a pivotal month for every team that is holding on to playoff hopes. Either dominate in June and make yourself a buyer at the deadline, or falter and look to put players on the trade block. Let’s buckle in.

Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

1. Phillies

Philadelphia continued their strong May last week, solidifying themselves at No. 1 overall for this week’s update. They had an argument to be here last week, but just fell short.

The record was juiced by playing bad teams, but the Phillies hosted the Atlanta Braves at full strength at home May 27 and 29, and took care of business by beating Spencer Strider and taking two of three games. In that game against Strider, the Phils got a strong performance from Ranger Suárez, who now holds a 2.97 ERA on the season. That rotation is elite, and dare I say, better than the early 2010s rotation that featured Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels.

2. Tigers

Detroit started their week in a rough spot. They hosted the Guardians for a four-game series, but lost three to give ground in the division. But, they saved themselves a serious demotion in the top-10 by sweeping the Giants behind some serious pitching performances.

Yet, despite the Tigers holding the Giants to five runs over three games, the most impressive pitching performance came Sunday against the Guardians. Tarik Skubal pitched a Maddux to salvage the final game, ending his shutout performance with a 103-mile-per-hour fastball to strike out Gabriel Arias. It was special. The lefty now holds a 2.49 ERA and 92 punchouts in only 68 2/3 innings.

3. Yankees

I try to finalize these rankings before Saturday morning, so there’s an argument to slot the Yankees down after their Friday night meltdown to the Dodgers. But, outside that game, the Yanks had a fantastic showing in their second West Coast trip of the season. They took a series against the Rockies, swept the Angels who were one of the hottest teams in baseball, and fell short in an 8-5 loss to the Dodgers, started by Max Fried.

Aaron Judge homered again, improving his total to 19 longballs on the season. Oh by the way, he’s also batting .392. Hitting isn’t supposed to be that easy. Fried was his counterpart on the pitching side, but allowed more than two earned runs in a start for the first time this season with a rare poor outing, highlighted by two homers from Shohei Ohtani.

4. Dodgers

The Dodgers at four? Sound the alarms!

Seriously, though, this could be the lowest I ever rank them. The Tigers are playing elite baseball, the Yanks are winning, the Phillies have the best record, plus they didn’t play great baseball last week. The Dodgers lost a series to the Mets on the road, being held to just two and one runs in the final two games.

Ohtani no-showed in that series, but bounced back in the next two series against the Guardians and Yankees. Ohtani clubbed a longball for the only Dodgers run against the Mets May 25, then two against the Guardians May 26 and 27, then another two Friday night against Fried. Woof, that’s a lot of home runs.

It’s starting to play out like last year in the MVP races. Just Judge and Ohtani at this point. And by the way, the man is pitching, and will be pitching soon.

5. Mets

The past week was great for Met land. They took two of three from the Dodgers, handled business with a series win against the White Sox, and secured a Game 1 win against the Rockies Friday.

So why are they five? Well, Juan Soto having a batting average below .230 doesn’t help. In fact, the offense being the third worst club in the majors with runners in scoring position doesn’t help either. Only the White Sox and Pirates were worse for most of May.

I only highlight this because it won’t last. It can’t last. Eventually, Brandon Nimmo and Soto’s numbers will reflect their hard-hit rates. Eventually, Jesse Winker and perhaps Ronny Mauricio will be on the roster healthy. I’m not too worried. Plus, once that happens, the Mets will be able to pair the best team ERA in the majors with it.

6. Cubs

The Cubs were beneficiaries of a light schedule the last week. They got the Reds on the road, the Rockies at home, and now play the Reds at Wrigley this weekend. Still, they took care of business and continue to score runs. 37 runs in six games secured a 5-1 stretch against those clubs before their Friday night loss.

The offense is elite. And Pete Crow-Armstrong continues to display the power not many believed was in the tank. Seiya Suzuki has also been a massive part of the lineup, and now leads the National League with 51 RBIs while maintaining a .900 OPS.

7. Padres

San Diego took care of some NL East foes the past week. They traveled to Atlanta to promptly take two of three from the Braves, then hosted the Marlins at home where they barely missed a sweep with a 10-8 loss Wednesday.

The Friars are getting a team effort so far to keep pace with the Dodgers. Tatis, Manny Machado, and Gavin Sheets have led the offense, while Nick Pivetta and Michael King have stabilized the rotation. The club is 5-5 in their last 10 games with a +19 run differential, but could really use a left fielder and fourth starter to soar.

8. Giants

Talk about a rough go-around for the Giants. They handled the young Nationals for a series win last weekend, but got knocked on their behinds by the AL-best Tigers. Not ideal when you only score five runs in three games.

Still, the club rebounded with a win over the Marlins Friday and continue to be MLB’s biggest surprise team in the majors. The rotation has been the horse of this team, with Logan Webb and Robbie Ray registering ERAs under three heading into June. They might be the best 1-2 pitching combo in the league.

Plus, the offense is being held up by the outfield and Matt Chapman in the infield. The only weak spot on this club has been first base. LaMonte Wade Jr. has a 60 OPS+. (Ryan O’Hearn has the second-best OPS in the AL, just saying.)

9. Twins

When Minnesota first got on the list, I didn’t know if they had the fire to stay. A 12 game win streak propolled them here, but solid baseball and roster construction has kept them here.

Last week was another success for them as well. A series win against division foe Kansas City was a plus, then they salvaged a game against the hot Rays before heading to Seattle. Pitching has helped this squad get to a 31-25 record, and it’s time to give Joe Ryan his flowers. The 29-year-old has a 2.57 ERA and 10.3 K/9. He might finish top-three in the Cy Young this year. The club, however, desperately needs infield help. No one in the dirt has an OPS+ of 100.

10. Cardinals

Like the Twins, the Cardinals also find themselves planted in the top-10 after a hot streak.

The offense has finally started clicking as constructed. Iván Herrera has been an excellent catching replacement for Willson Contreras, and has a 185 OPS+ at the plate to back up the glove. Lars Nootbaar has been productive with a 115 OPS+, and Brendan Donovan leads the NL in hits (70) and doubles (18).

The bullpen has also been elite for a solid overall rotation. Phil Maton and Kyle Leahy both have ERAs that start with two, and Ryan Helsley has performed much better after a poor start. The club could use another bat as the season goes on, but as constructed, this club probably makes the postseason with some aid from the mediocre NL Central.

Rest of the Field

11. Astros
12. Mariners
13. Guardians
14. Brewers
15. Rays
16. Diamondbacks
17. Braves
18. Royals
19. Rangers
20. Nationals
21. Red Sox
22. Blue Jays
23. Reds
24. Angels
25. Athletics
26. Orioles
27. Pirates
28. Marlins
29. White Sox
30. Rockies

The post MLB Power Rankings: Week Nine Update appeared first on Metsmerized.

Seriously, this team cracked our top 10 almost every week, but early struggles and offensive mediocrity forced them outside the list in the first two weeks of the season. But they’ve stormed back, have the best record in baseball Saturday morning, and sit in first place in the National League East. But that’s enough about Philadelphia. I’ll highlight them below.

On the opposite spectrum, the Padres have struggled immensely. They’re 3-7 in their last 10 games and suffered a six-game losing streak that lasted from May 16 to May 22. They bounced back with a 2-1 win over the Braves that featured a base running blunder in the bottom of the ninth, and somehow find themselves only three games behind the first-place Dodgers.

One other team that won’t get much attention or love in this article are the Angels. When looking back at 2025, this might have been their best week of the season. They swept the Dodgers on the road, swept the Athletics in four games in Sacramento, then won 7-4 against Sandy Alcantara and the Marlins Friday. They’re back to .500 and only four games behind the Mariners heading into Memorial Day.

Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

1. Dodgers

Let’s just address this now: Yes, the Dodgers were swept this weekend by the Angels during “rivalry” week. And I put that in quotes, because the Dodgers should have played the Giants. The Red Sox play the Yankees. Anyway, I digress.

But the Dodgers are still by far the best team in baseball. They bounced back with a series win at home against the Athletics, and survived an insanely wild game at Citi Field Friday that saw a 5-2 lead disappear in the ninth, then neither they nor the Mets scored for three innings with a ghost runner at second. They’re comfortably in front of the Giants and Padres in the division, have a multitude of injuries that have held them back, along with leading the NL in homers (81) and OPS (.808), and second behind the Cubs in runs (291) and run differential (+64).

2. Phillies

Philadelphia is scorching hot right now. They’ve won eight in a row, sit in first in the NL East, and now hold the best record in baseball.

Sure, they’ve played the Pirates, Rockies, and Athletics in this stretch, but you still have to win the games. And this roster is loaded. Kyle Schwarber is having an insane contract season, slashing .251/.364/.563, and is tied for the major league lead in homers at 17. Bryce Harper‘s bat has awoken to help, and the future Hall of Famer is batting .407 with a .667 slugging percentage in his last seven games. Also, Trea Turner is quietly leading the league in hits at 63.

3. Tigers

It’s been the same recipe for the Tigers. Elite pitching and timely hitting.

The club enters Saturday with the best record in the American League and holds a comfortable four-game lead over the Guardians. They’ve got a 3.35 team ERA (6th in MLB) and have a 14-7 record in May.

4. Yankees

We’ve highlighted the Phillies as one of the hottest teams in baseball, but the Bombers are right there with them. Outside their 3-2 loss to the Rockies Friday, the club dominated last week. They barely missed sweeping the Mets, then hosted the Rangers and swept them in a series that featured Jacob deGrom‘s return to New York.

They lead a surprisingly lackluster AL East, and are 30-20 as of May 24. They’re without Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Giancarlo Stanton, and pitchers like Luis Gil and Jake Cousins, leading me to believe that the Yankees are only at the dawn of a great season.

5. Cubs

Like the Tigers, the Cubs are more or less the same: Winning games by crushing the baseball.

They scored 26 runs in a three-game weekend sweep over the White Sox, then went to Miami and scored 23 runs in a series win. Friday was no different, where they beat down on their division rival Reds in a 13-6 win.

The offense has scored the most runs in baseball (306), hit the fourth most homers (71), and has the third best team OPS (.789). Pete Crow-Armstrong has been at the forefront for the Cubbies, and has a .908 OPS with 14 bombs before June. Who saw that coming?

6. Padres

Yeesh, what a week for the Padres. They went 3-7. Withstood a six-game losing streak. Got absolutely rocked by the stale Blue Jays. It’s been befuddling.

Yet they’re still a top baseball team and hold a 28-21 record. They’ve still got a +21 run differential. This team will be okay. Friday was a nice bounceback, as the club won 2-1 over the Braves in Atlanta, and got timely homers from Gavin Sheets and Manny Machado.

7. Giants

San Francisco had another nice week to maintain ground in the NL West.

They swept their “rival” Athletics over the weekend, then lost a close series with the Royals at home. The club recovered quickly Friday with a solid 4-0 win over the Nationals in D.C., and finds themselves only three games behind the Dodgers heading into Memorial Day.

The Giants continue to win behind a veteran pitching staff, with Logan Webb (2.67 ERA) and Robbie Ray (2.67 ERA) leading the charge. Wilmer Flores has also shined for the offense, and leads the team in homers (10). It would be awesome if he were the first Giant to hit 30 homers since Barry Bonds reached the mark in 2004.

8. Mets

How the Mets hurt me so. Did anyone else go right to that Friday game from the Knicks losing at the Garden? Talk about a night that will give you a heart attack before age 40.

The Mets have struggled. There’s no witty or sly way to say it. They’re 4-6 in their last 10, got thrown around by the Yankees in Juan Soto‘s grand return over the weekend, then went to Boston but forgot their bats back in New York.

The team has scored 18 runs in seven games. And two of those games included five-run performances. It’s been a struggle. Particularly for Brandon Nimmo, who was removed from Friday’s game with a stiff neck and entered as a below-average offensive player per OPS+.

But, the Mets are still here because of the talent. Like the Phillies earlier in the season, they’re too talented to struggle this much. They still lead the majors in ERA (2.86) and are 30-21. Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas are returning. The dog days for the club just might be now.

9. Twins

Minnesota could have been like the Royals, who won 16 of 18, then faded a little. But they’ve maintained their winning ways, despite losing Byron Buxton to the seven-day IL.

After their 13-game winning streak was snapped by the Brewers May 18, they took a series against the Guardians at home and then won a Friday night matchup against the Royals 3-1.

The team’s offense scores just enough to win with their elite pitching. Joe Ryan has a 2.68 ERA in 10 games, Pablo López a 2.31 ERA in nine starts, and both Chris Paddack and Bailey Ober have sub-four ERAs.

10. Cardinals

The Red Birds had an insane week to catapult themselves to 13 on our list, barely missing out on the top-10. But another solid week got them the final spot for week eight.

They took two games from the Royals on the road over the weekend, and had a close series with the Tigers, which saw them barely lose Game 2 and then the series. They don’t hit for power. Their pitching has been middle of the pack. But they keep winning games.

The club has gotten victories behind timely hitting. The team is batting .268 with runners in scoring position and doing enough to hand the ball over to a strong bullpen headed by Kyle Leahy and Ryan Helsley.

The club is very much competitive. And finds itself only three games back of the Cubs on May 24. A strong +41 run differential shows this team is for real, and could be an interesting buyer at the deadline this season.

Rest of the Field

11. Mariners
12. Astros
13. Diamondbacks
14. Guardians
15. Braves
16. Red Sox
17. Angels
18. Reds
19. Royals
20. Rangers
21. Blue Jays
22. Brewers
23. Nationals
24. Rays
25. Orioles
26. Athletics
27. Pirates
28. Marlins
29. White Sox
30. Rockies

The post MLB Power Rankings: Week Eight Update appeared first on Metsmerized.

Yet, this time, it’s been the Twins that have been on fire. They’ve won 12 straight games as of Saturday morning, and are just one of four AL Central clubs that have dominated the sport.

The Royals are still doing well, but they dropped below the top-10 after winning 16 of 18 themselves. The Tigers are also still going strong, and the club found its way barely missing the number one spot.

I’m not sure if many disagree with the list so far, but I will say the league this year has been back and forth, up and down, plus sideways the entire 2025. It’s been weird. Just look at the Orioles.

Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

1. Dodgers

The boys in blue had another great week. They took two of three from the Diamondbacks, and then took two dominating games from the Athletics. The offense finally looks consistently connected, and scored 53 runs dating back to May 9.

2. Tigers

Detroit’s week (which ours starts on Saturday) didn’t start strong. They dropped two against the Rangers, but came back strong with a three-game sweep over the Red Sox.

Javier Baez continues to be an amazing story, and was monumental in the sweep over the Sox. If you haven’t checked out the two-homer, six RBI game from May 13, please open YouTube now.

3. Padres

The Friars’ offense absolutely raked last week. Granted, they did get some help from the Colorado Rockies.

Jackson Merrill has been on the forefront of all things related to offense. He slashed .370/.370/.481 last week and has proved to be one of the best bats in a lineup filled with MVP-type names.

San Diego continues to tread water with the Dodgers, treading the first-place club by one game in the standings with a +46 run differential as well.

4. Mets

The Amazins had another great week, yet fall to four on the power rankings for week seven. They shut down the strong Cubs lineup, took care of business at home against the Pirates, but then fell flat on the road against the Yankees Friday.

Entering Saturday morning, the Mets have the third-best run differential in the National League at +61, are 1.5 games ahead of Philadelphia atop the NL East, and still aren’t healthy or clicking. I’ll keep saying it: This team could be the best in baseball once everyone starts contributing.

5. Yankees

The Yanks took care of business last week. They took two series on the West Coast against the Mariners and Athletics, and scored 40 runs in their first four games on the road.

Aaron Judge gets highlighted every week. And he should. He’s averaging better league comparative stats than Barry Bonds. Who, by the way, ate incredibly helpful and non-controversial cereal that made him a superhero.

The Yanks fell to eighth on our list a couple weeks back, which I highlighted might be the lowest they ever fall. Well, it seems to be the case. The Yankees have the second-best run differential in the league at +85 and should continue to climb toward the top of the list.

6. Cubs

The Cubbies had an early test against another frequent on this list in the Mets last Saturday. And they ended up scoring only two runs in two of the games, taking a series loss on the road.

But since then, they went home and bounced back in a series against the Marlins, and took the first game of three against the White Sox 13-3.

They continue to fall on the list because the rotation is starting to look thin with all the injuries. But the bullpen is still elite. And some of the scoring issues have come with a recent slump from Kyle Tucker.

7. Giants

San Francisco had a tough week. They ran into the red-hot Twins, who swept them for three games, then got knocked down by the division rival D-backs at home.

Outside Logan Webb, the rotation is starting to regress to the mean. Jordan Hicks last only two innings May 14 8-7 loss. Landen Roup didn’t have a spectacular outing either against the Twins May 11. Yet, they haven’t fallen off due to their 26-19 record and +45 run differential.

8. Twins

Minnesota!!

Wow, the Twins are hot. Just like their counterparts in the Royals, the AL Central club has now won 12 games in a row entering Saturday.

The streak dates back to May 3, and in the middle of it have been six wins against the confusingly bad Orioles. Yet, with a three-game sweep over the Giants sprinkled in and two of three against the Red Sox, it’s time to give them their flowers.

The only concerning part of this team was the injuries to Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa. The two collided in Baltimore, but both seem to be okay in the long run. The club has been impressive, and has catapulted themselves to 25-20 and in the division race.

9. Phillies

Philadelphia probably deserved to be on the list last week. But again, the AL Central was HOT.

After getting swept in New York, the Phillies have turned their season around. They’re 8-5 in May, getting a strong season from Bryson Stott, and are only 1.5 games behind the Mets. A division that could flip-flop with the Phillies facing the Rockies and Athletics to end May.

10. Guardians

Please respect Daniel Schneeman.

The Schnee has been hot, it’s way I point him out. A 133 OPS+. A .484 slugging percentage.

Okay all joking aside, Schneeman is great. So is Kyle Manzardo with his 10 homers in 39 games. And of course, the great José Ramírez, who is slashing .294/.360/.525 with nine homers.

The club is legit, and they haven’t gotten a lot from their starting rotation or bullpen. I mean, Emmanuel Clase has a 4.91 ERA, and the Guardians are still 25-19. The teams legit, and should keep pace with the Tigers throughout the summer.

Rest of the Field

11. Mariners
12. Diamondbacks
13. Cardinals
14. Royals
15. Braves
16. Rangers
17. Blue Jays
18. Astros
19. Reds
20. Red Sox
21. Brewers
22. Athletics
23. Rays
24. Nationals
25. Angels
26. Orioles
27. Marlins
28. Pirates
29. White Sox
30. Rockies

The post MLB Power Rankings: Week Seven Update appeared first on Metsmerized.

It’s safe to say Wednesday afternoon’s rubber game in Minnesota wasn’t exactly the Mets’ finest showing, but there was a silver lining.

Justin Hagenman, called up from Triple-A after Griffin Canning fell ill, made his MLB debut in the second inning and made the most of it. The 28-year-old Penn State alum struck out four over 3 1/3 innings, allowing just one earned run.

Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

“It was fun,” Hagenman said postgame. “It was everything you hope for and more.”

Hagenman’s journey to the big leagues has been a long one. Drafted by the Dodgers in the 23rd round back in 2018, he bounced around the minors for years before landing with the Red Sox in 2023 via the trade that sent Enrique Hernández back to L.A.

After a strong showing in 2023 (a 2.95 ERA and 1.15 WHIP across Triple-A stops with the Dodgers and Red Sox), Hagenman struggled in Worcester the following year, posting a 4.91 ERA over 91.2 innings. He accumulated enough MiLB service time to elect free agency and was picked up by David Stearns and the Mets this past winter.

Things didn’t exactly click right away in Syracuse, however. In 10 1/3 innings, Hagenman gave up 15 hits and eight earned runs, with opponents batting .319 off him and a WHIP north of 1.80, but sometimes, opportunities pop up out of nowhere. Canning got sick, and suddenly, Hagenman found himself boarding a flight to Minneapolis, walking onto a major league mound with his family in the stands cheering him on.

Two stikeouts for Justin Hagenman in his first MLB inning and his family loves it 👏 pic.twitter.com/ao3mg06wgg

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 16, 2025

Now the question is, will Hagenman stick? Realistically, probably not just yet. He’s likely headed back down to Triple-A today, but he has minor league options, and that’s important. The Mets can bring him back up when needed, and after yesterday’s showing, they know he can hang.

Hagenman doesn’t have electric stuff, but he’s got a solid mix. His low-90s sinker, which he throws nearly 50% of the time, has had decent whiff and chase numbers in the minors. He pairs that with a low-80s changeup, slider, and cutter, mixing them fairly evenly. In Wednesday’s outing, Hagenman generated five whiffs on 24 attempts – two each on his sinker and change-up and one on his slider.

It’s not a flashy repertoire, but it’s effective, and sometimes, that’s all you need. For now, Hagenman showed he belongs, and maybe that’s the start of something.

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