Houston Astros Take Surprising Dip in MLB Power Rankings
Despite winning four of seven games over the past week, the Houston Astros were surpassed by one team in this week's edition of Sports Illustrated's weekly MLB power rankings on Inside the Phillies.
The Astros (74-58) dropped from no. 6 to no. 7, making room for the surging Milwaukee Brewers (73-57) to move in front of them. The Brewers enter the new week on an eight-game win streak, having swept the Texas Rangers, Minnesota Twins and San Diego Padres. The Brew Crew has not lost a game in nearly two weeks, and now has a higher win percentage than the Astros do.
Houston dropping is simply a product of another team playing better than it is, right now. The Astros enter a new week one game back of the AL West division-leading Seattle Mariners. The Astros will open a three-game series in Boston Monday. Dusty Baker's club will have Thursday off, before returning home to host the New York Yankees at the Juice Box. If the Astros take care of the Red Sox and the Bronx Bombers, they could take the division lead and see a bump in next week's power rankings.
Here's a look at the full top-10 of the power rankings:
10) Toronto Blue Jays (71-60; +55 DIFF, 38-42 vs. >.500, LAST WEEK: no. 9 [down 1])
9) Arizona Diamondbacks (69-62; -3 DIFF, 31-41 vs. >.500, LAST WEEK: no. 12 [up 3])
8) Philadelphia Phillies (72-58; +68 DIFF, 39-37 vs. >.500, LAST WEEK: no. 10 [up 2])
7) Houston Astros (74-58; +88 DIFF, 32-38 vs. >.500, LAST WEEK: no. 6 [down 1])
6) Milwaukee Brewers (73-57; +19 DIFF, 37-36 vs. >.500, LAST WEEK: no. 7 [up 1])
5) Seattle Mariners (74-56; +102 DIFF, 32-33 vs. >.500, LAST WEEK: no. 5 [no movement])
4) Tampa Bay Rays (80-52; +174 DIFF, 36-32 vs. >.500, LAST WEEK: no. 4 [no movement])
3) Baltimore Orioles (81-49; +86 DIFF, 42-31 vs. >.500, LAST WEEK: no. 3 [no movement])
2) Los Angeles Dodgers (80-49; +152 DIFF, 38-30 vs. >.500, LAST WEEK: no. 2 [no movement])
1) Atlanta Braves (84-45; +219 DIFF, 44-27 vs. >.500, LAST WEEK: no. 1 [no movement])
Here's a look at the full, 30-team power rankings.
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