Padres Rise in National MLB Power Rankings Despite Middling Season

Noah Camras | May 23, 2024

May 23, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; San Diego Padres shortstop Ha-Seong Kim (7) high fives second baseman Jake Cronenworth (9) after the victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports / Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

The San Diego Padres are playing middling baseball.

Following their 6-4 extra innings win on Thursday against the Cincinnati Reds, the Padres sit at 27-26, one game above .500. The Padres have been hovering around .500 seemingly all season, and haven't gotten too high or too low.

Despite their average season, the Padres are showing signs of life, especially with their run differential of plus-16. That is one of the many reasons the team actually rose in a recent National MLB Power Rankings on Newsweek.

The Padres rose just outside the top 10 at No. 12, one spot ahead of the defending champion Texas Rangers.

The Padres have gotten everything they could have asked for and more from Luis Arraez, who was acquired in early May in a surprising trade with the Miami Marlins. Since joining San Diego, Arraez is slashing .419/.449/.514 with an incredible OPS of .963.

Arraez's role got much more important with the recent injury to All-Star infielder Xander Bogaerts, who's been playing second base this season. Bogaerts has a fracture in his shoulder, and will be out indefinitely.

The Padres are in the midst of a 12-8 month of May, and are 6.5 games back of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West. They've won back-to-back series against the Atlanta Braves and Reds, and will look to continue that over the weekend against the New York Yankees.

For the full Power Rankings, click here.