Which hot teams improved on our list
Where does your team stand heading into Week 9?
Our panel of experts combined to rank all baseball teams based on a combination of what we’ve seen so far and what we already knew before the 162-game marathon that is a full baseball season. We also asked ESPN MLB experts David Schoenfield, Bradford Doolittle, Joon Lee, Jesse Rogers and Alden Gonzalez to weigh in with an observation of the 30 teams.
- New York Yankees
Record: 40-16
Previous ranking: 2
The Yankees continue to dominate and Nestor Cortes, along with a dominant starting pitching staff, leads the way, with a slower fastball but a high strikeout rate. While Aaron Judge puts together an MVP campaign, the starting rotation has carried this group, with strong seasons from Gerrit Cole, Jordan Montgomery, Jameson Taillon and Luis Severino. New York looks like the juggernaut many expected the team to be during the 2021 season.
- Los Angeles Dodgers
Record: 36-20
Previous ranking: 1
The Dodgers’ pitching depth has been tested by the loss of Clayton Kershaw and Andrew Heaney. And while both are close to returning, another problem has arisen, Walker Buehler , the ace of the staff, is going through some weird issues. The 27-year-old righty allowed five runs in 2⅔ innings against the Mets on Saturday and has a 6.66 ERA in his last five starts, striking out just 20 over a 24⅓-inning streak. The Dodgers have lost six of his last nine.
- New York Mets
Record: 38-21
Previous ranking: 3
The Mets finished with a 2-2 record in a big series at Dodger Stadium, losing the first two games (one run in two losses) before knocking out Walker Buehler in the third inning of the third game and winning the fourth game in 10 innings after Seth Lugo squandered a ninth-inning lead (closer Edwin Diaz had pitched the eighth against the thick of the Dodgers’ lineup). Eduardo Escobar hit for the cycle Tuesday against the Padres, the first for the Mets since Scott Hairston in 2012, and the first at Petco Park, which opened in 2004.
- Houston Astros
Record: 36-21
Previous ranking: 4
If there were such a thing as an ace emeritus in baseball, a designation for the sport’s most successful active starter, it would be a lively discussion about whether it should be Justin Verlander, Kershaw or Max Scherzer. Verlander claimed this non-existent title by striking out 12 in another great outing against Seattle on Tuesday, which moved him ahead of the injured Scherzer as the strikeout leader among active pitchers lifetime. Verlander is also the active leader in lifetime bWAR and is the leader in career wins (233) by a good margin. After his last start, Verlander led the American League in wins, innings and WHIP. Not bad for a 39-year-old who made one start in the previous two seasons.
- Toronto Blue Jays
Record: 33-23
Previous ranking: 9
Toronto is gaining some momentum after a slow start to May by picking up wins in their series against the Mariners and Reds. One of the under-the-radar contributors to the team’s offense has been catcher Alejandro Kirk, who leads all American League catchers in batting average, slugging percentage, wRC+ and WAR.
