WagerTalk MLB Power Rankings Week 3: Expert MLB Predictions & Betting Picks
WagerTalk MLB handicapper Tony Finn gives us his updated MLB power rankings heading into week 3 of the MLB season. Which teams are climbing up and falling down his power rankings? Read his MLB betting advice now! Also, check out WagerTalk’s ultimate guide to betting on baseball.
MLB Power Rankings: Week 3
1. Atlanta Braves – Record: 12-4 (Week 2 ranking: 1)
The Braves played their way to the top of the National League East without the services of Cy Young hopeful and starting pitcher Max Fried (out / hamstring) in the first full week of the season. This week the Braves were a perfect 5-0 to remain atop the WagerTalk MLB Power Poll.
Shortstop Orlando Arcia (wrist) left Wednesday’s contest with Cincinnati after a pitch hit his wrist; he’s on the 10-day IL and it’s unclear how long he will be out.
Catcher Travis d’Arnaud (concussion) landed on the 7-day IL this past Sunday following a collision at home plate.
OF Michael Harris II (back) had not been cleared to take live batting practice and was eligible to be activated today but his return is still in question.
For all of the talk about the two young lefties for Atlanta this spring (Shuster and Dodd) it is the vanilla-flavored Bryce Elder that has plugged the hole in the dyke.
His first 12 1/3 innings of work resulted in Atlanta victories. Elder worked consecutive scoreless quality starts and took a third turn in an Interleague matchup against the Royals on Saturday that resulted in the young righthander being the pitcher of record stretching his record to 2-0 on the young season.
Starter Kyle Wright, who led all of baseball a season ago with 21 wins was activated off the IL and took the ball for a three-inning start at Truist Park against the Reds on Tuesday and again on Sunday in Kansas City versus the Royals. Wright was not involved with either decision but the Braves earned wins in both of Wright’s starts.
2. Tampa Bay Rays – Record: 14-2 (Week 2 ranking: 2)
Rays ace Shane McClanahan pitched six effective innings in his fourth straight win on Sunday, and the Tampa Bay Rays avoided a three-game sweep by topping the Toronto Blue Jays 8-1 on Sunday. The victory ended the club’s two-game losing streak, Friday and Saturday night losses, the first and second of the season after beginning the new campaign 13-0.
Tampa Bay promoted one of the organization’s top prospects Taj Bradley to make his big-league debut on Wednesday against the Red Sox; the 22-year-old allowed three runs on five hits and a walk while striking out eight over five innings of work.
3. Milwaukee Brewers – Record: 11-5 (Week 2 ranking: 5)
The Brewers earned a sweep of the Mets and two of three from division rival St. Louis Cardinals. Their NL-leading pitching staff has bare-knuckled their way through an early schedule of good lineups. Injuries to the starting rotation have been subsidized by a bullpen that has performed above expectations with a sub-1.50 ERA.
4. New York Yankees – Record: 10-6 (Week 2 ranking: 8)
If New York could clone Gerrit Cole and request that Alice pull Groundhog Day out of the Mad Hatter’s top and conditions, rinse and repeat Cole’s first three turns (1.40 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 1.0 bWAR) the pinstripes would only need Anthony Volpe to play more like “The Captain” and less like a rookie they would challenge the Rays and the Braves for the top of WagerTalk MLB mountain.
5. Texas Rangers – Record: 9-6 (Week 2 ranking: 6)
The Rangers have morphed from being essentially invisible to wearing a bullseye on their back by taking three of four from the reigning NL Pennant winners on Opening Weekend taking one of three at Wrigley Field and Harry Carry’s Cubs, winning a fistfight with the Baltimore Orioles, and taking two of three from the World Series champs by running over both Fromber Valdez and Luis Garcia.
6. New York Mets – Record: 10-6 (Week 2 ranking: 9)
7. Los Angeles Dodgers – Record: 8-8 (Week 2 ranking: 3)
8. Houston Astros – Record: 7-9 (Week 2 ranking: 7)
9. San Diego Padres – Record: 8-9 (Week 2 ranking: 4)
10. Minnesota Twins – Record: 10-6 (Week 2 ranking: 12)
11. Toronto Blue Jays – Record: 10-6 (Week 2 ranking: 10)
12. Seattle Mariners – Record: 8-8 (Week 2 ranking: 17)
13. Cleveland Indians – Record: 9-7 (Week 2 ranking: 11)
14. Chicago Cubs – Record: 8-6 (Week 2 ranking: 14)
15. Los Angeles Angels – Record: 7-8 (Week 2 ranking: 13)
16. Baltimore Orioles – Record: 9-7 (Week 1 ranking: 20)
17. Pittsburgh Pirates – Record: 9-7 (Week 2 ranking: 19)
18. Boston Red Sox – Record: 8-8 (Week 2 ranking: 22)
19. Miami Marlins – Record: 8-8 (Week 2 ranking: 24)
20. St Louis Cardinals – Record: 7-9 (Week 2 ranking: 18)
21. Arizona Diamondbacks – Record: 9-7 (Week 2 ranking: 21)
22. Philadelphia Phillies – Record: 6-10 (Week 2 ranking: 16)
23. Chicago White Sox – Record: 6-10 (Week 2 ranking: 15)
24. San Francisco Giants – Record: 5-9 (Week 2 ranking: 23)
25. Cincinnati Reds – Record: 6-9 (Week 2 ranking: 26)
Had Ifs and buts been candy and nuts the Reds would have had a Merry Christmas and been gifted a bullpen arm with a putaway pitch. The result of St. Nick dropping a stopper through the chimney would find the Reds at 9-6 rather than 6-9 entering Week 4.
26. Colorado Rockies – Record: 5-11 (Week 2 ranking: 25)
The Rockies fall only one spot despite working on a five-game losing streak heading into this week’s Power Poll. The only reason they didn’t fall further is that Washington has lost four of five, Detroit just ended a six-game skid and found success against a porous San Francisco Giants roster while Kansas City and Oakland will hold the final two spots in the 2023 rankings until Hell freezes over.
27. Washington Nationals – Record: 5-11 (Week 2 ranking: 27)
The Nationals defeated the Cleveland Guardians 7-6 on Sunday to avert a three-game sweep and give away their 27th spot in the Power Poll to the Motown Tigers.
28. Detroit Tigers – Record: 5-9 (Week 2 ranking: 28)
The Tigers have won three straight after a 2-9 start. The three-game stretch of success allows Detroit to fend off the Royals and the Athletics. For now.
29. Kansas City Royals – Record: 4-12 (Week 2 ranking: 29)
The American League Central currently has three of four division members at the bottom of the league’s home run rankings. The 27th, 28th, and 29th slots of the league’s thirty franchises, Kansas City, Detroit, and Cleveland have combined to hit 31 home runs in 2023. The 31 combined homers are six shy of the Tampa Bay Rays’ 37 dingers on the season.
30. Oakland Athletics – Record: 3-13 (Week 2 ranking: 30)
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