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MLB power rankings: Mets bash Braves in NL East showdown while Yankees slump

Jesse Yomtov, USA TODAY
·4 min read

The New York Mets won four of five against the Atlanta Braves in a crucial series over the weekend, expanding their NL East lead to 6½ games entering Monday, the largest the cushion since June 18.

Jacob deGrom returned after more than a year away from a big-league mound and in two starts has given up three earned runs with 18 strikeouts to only one walk. DeGrom looked dominant in 5 ⅔ innings Sunday against the Braves giving up one hit with 12 strikeouts to pick up his first win of the season.

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Mets starting pitchers had a 2.36 ERA in the last 25 games and have gone 12-3 since the All-Star break. New York (70-39) is tied for baseball's second-best record entering Monday and is 30 games over .500 for the first time since 2006.

Across town, the Yankees have gone 6-10 since the break and dropped from No. 2 to No. 4 in this week's MLB power rankings.

Here's how USA TODAY Sports' eight-person panel voted this week

Rank (movement from last week)

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (–)

  • Started August with seven consecutive wins against the Giants and Padres.

2. Houston Astros (+1)

  • Trey Mancini hit three homers with seven RBI in his first six games with Houston.

3. New York Mets (+1)

4. New York Yankees (-2)

  • Five straight losses through Sunday, heading into a tough three-game set in Seattle.

5. Atlanta Braves (–)

  • Losing four of five to the Mets was bad, but they'll play another four-game set next week.

6. San Diego Padres (+1)

  • Landing Juan Soto and immediately getting swept by the Dodgers sums things up pretty well.

7. Toronto Blue Jays (-1)

  • Within 10 games of the Yankees (9 ½ entering Monday) for the first time since June 15.

8. St. Louis Cardinals (+5)

  • Seven-game winning streak has St. Louis atop the NL Central.

9. Philadelphia Phillies (+1)

  • Having won nine of 10, the Phillies are only three games behind the Braves through Sunday.

10. Seattle Mariners (-1)

  • Luis Castillo gets the win in Mariners debut, striking out eight in 6 ⅔ innings.

11. Minnesota Twins (+1)

  • Deadline addition Michael Fulmer started his Twins career with three scoreless outings.

12. Milwaukee Brewers (-4)

13. Tampa Bay Rays (-2)

  • Tyler Glasnow on a 2022 return: "Not something I’m willing to rush into and make a stupid judgment call because my ego wants to get tickled for a week."

14. Baltimore Orioles (+1)

  • Only 2 games out of the wild-card entering Monday. Good thing they traded their All-Star closer.

15. Cleveland Guardians (-1)

  • Franmil Reyes (92 HR in 411 games from 2018-2021) designated for assignment.

16. Chicago White Sox (–)

  • Dylan Cease sets MLB record with 13 consecutive starts giving up one earned run or less.

17. Boston Red Sox (+1)

  • Eric Hosmer, who rejected trade to Washington, goes 2-for-10 to start his time in Boston.

18. San Francisco Giants (-1)

  • California native JD Davis homered twice in his first three games for the Giants.

19. Texas Rangers (+1)

  • Since the All-Star break, Martin Perez has a 1.35 ERA in three starts.

20. Miami Marlins (-1)

  • Jesus Luzardo looking sharp (2 ER in 12 innings) since returning from the injured list.

21. Arizona Diamondbacks (–)

22. Colorado Rockies (–)

  • Claimed Dinelson Lamet off waivers after the Brewers DFA'd him.

23. Los Angeles Angels (–)

  • Mickey Moniak broke his finger after homering twice in his first five games with Angels.

24. Chicago Cubs (+1)

  • Offseason signing Andrelton Simmons gets released.

25. Cincinnati Reds (+1)

  • Justin Dunn (Winker/Suarez trade) will make his Reds debut Monday.

26. Detroit Tigers (-2)

  • Matt Manning goes seven scoreless innings against the Rays.

27. Pittsburgh Pirates (–)

  • Dropped a weekend set in Baltimore after sweeping the Brewers.

28. Kansas City Royals (–)

  • MJ Melendez has 15 hits, 4 HR and 13 RBI in his last 15 games.

29. Oakland Athletics (–)

  • Seth Brown has five home runs in his last eight games through Sunday.

30. Washington Nationals (–)

  • Luis Garcia getting reps at second base with C.J. Abrams' arrival on the horizon.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB power rankings: Mets bash Braves in NL East series, Yankees slump