ISC MLB Power Rankings – 1st Edition – Impact Sports Cincinnati

The 2020 MLB season has been anything but normal. The coronavirus pandemic has caused chaos for some teams and their schedules. The virus hit the Miami Marlins hard, causing them to only play four games this season and delaying many other teams from their games. With the 60 games in 66 days, teams are having to overcome many obstacles and the team(s) that handle it best, will be there in the end. Note, these rankings were done before this weekends action.

2020 MLB Top 10 Power Rankings – 1st Edition

1. New York Yankees (Previous Rank: N/A)

Plain and simple, it’s Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole. Aaron Judge has been on an absolute tear to start the season and is a huge reason for the Yankees hot start. Cole has been as advertised and is justifying his massive contract. Cole has three wins so far this season and coupled with Judge, will be heavily relied on if the Yankees hope to win their 28th World Series championship and first since 2009.

2. Chicago Cubs (Previous Rank: N/A)

The Chicago Cubs were an interesting team heading into the season. The Cubs were a team that was either going to be competing for the division or they would be somewhere in the middle. The Cubs have been nothing short of fantastic this season, looking to be one of the top teams in the National League. However, like most of the top teams around baseball, the starting rotation is great while the bullpen is struggling. The offense has been using the long ball, hitting 19 homeruns through 11 games and will need to continue to rely on their bats to get around the bullpen issues.

3. Minnesota Twins (Previous Rank: N/A)

The Minnesota Twins have one of the scariest offenses in the game and have shown that so far this season. Led by Nelson Cruz, the Twins have a +27 run differential and lead the AL Central by 2 games over the White Sox. Over the last few days, the Twins have placed pitchers Zack Littell, Homer Bailey and Rich Hill on the 10-day injured list, along with star third baseman Josh Donaldson being day-to-day, more pressure will be placed on Cruz and the rest of the offense to keep this run going.

4. Colorado Rockies (Previous Rank: N/A)

The top team out west, the Colorado Rockies were not expected to compete for the division but the Rockies have defied any expectations and are currently sitting atop the NL West. The Rockies have been just as good on the road as they have at Coors Field. The Rockies have the second best average (.272) and eighth best ERA (3.03) in baseball so the combination of good hitting and good pitching is a recipe for success. Charlie Blackmon is the one leading the Rockies offensively and with Nolan Arenado finding his groove at the plate, things could continue to look good for Colorado.

5. Los Angeles Dodgers (Previous Rank: N/A)

The 2020 season was supposed to be the Dodgers best chance to bring home their first World Series title since 1988. The NL West has been owned by the Dodgers over the last decade, seeing Los Angeles capture seven division titles. After making consecutive World Series appearances in 2017 and 2018, the Dodgers are ready to come back and this time bring back some hardware. This season, Los Angeles started off the season with a stunning four game split with the San Francisco Giants. Since starting 2-2, Los Angeles has gone 7-2 and continue to roll. With an explosive offense and solid pitching staff, look for the Dodgers to continue to climb the rankings as the season moves on.

6. San Diego Padres (Previous Rank: N/A)

San Diego are undoubtedly one of the youngest and most exciting teams coming into the season and they have lived up to the hype. The talent that A.J. Preller has amassed in San Diego is something that will be fun to watch this season. That has been the case so far this season. Led by Wil Myers, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Trent Grisham, the Padres are in a position to stay competitive and compete for the NL West division crown. It the Padres pitching can improve, look for the Padres to make some noise out west.

7. Atlanta Braves (Previous Rank: N/A)

Once again, expectations were there for the Atlanta Braves to win the National League East. The Braves are another team that have some young, exciting talent on the roster and are relying on that youth to help carry the team early on. Dansby Swanson and Ronald Acuna Jr. are some of the stars on the team and have started off the season with quality play. So far, through 13 games, the Braves have quietly gone about their business, winning 8 of their first 13 games.

8. Oakland Athletics (Previous Rank: N/A)

The Oakland A’s are a team that continues to impress. Oakland had high hopes of competing with the Houston Astros for the AL West division but their great start to the season backs that up. Aside from dropping a two game series to the Rockies, the A’s have dominated every series this season and have won seven straight games. Chris Bassitt and Frankie Montas lead a very talented pitching staff. Along with a powerful offense, stud pitching prospects A.J. Puk and Jesus Luzardo are expected to be a factor this season. Look for the A’s to quickly rise up the American League.

9. Cleveland Indians (Previous Rank: N/A)

The Cleveland Indians have been the class of the AL Central for years and are in a battle to keep that distinction this season. The starting pitching rotation is one of the best in baseball, led by Shane Bieber (3-0, 0.83 ERA, 35 SO in 21.2 innings). The rotation has been fantastic all season but their bullpen has had its struggles. Cleveland has been consistently inconsistent all season, which is why they currently sit 3rd in the division.

10. Chicago White Sox (Previous Rank: N/A)

Aside from the incredible starting pitching, the White Sox are in the same position as the Cleveland Indians (see above). The White Sox made some big moves over this offseason with the expectation they would compete for the division and make a serious run in the playoffs. Top prospect Luis Robert has been as advertised and will need to continue his hot start if Chicago wants a spot in the playoffs.

On the cusp: Cincinnati Reds

This season has been a lot of fun to watch so far and baseball fans have been treated to some great moments and surprising results. With the season being a sprint, this season will only continue to get better as we move towards the playoffs.

Chris Asbrock is a staff writer and analyst for Impact Sports Cincinnati and can be followed on Twitter Follow @iamchrisasbrock and Follow @ISCincy