2024 MLB Power Rankings: Top contenders post-trade deadline?

Major League Baseball

Updated Aug. 5, 2024 3:56 p.m. ET

The MLB trade deadline has passed and August is here.

While it was a quieter deadline, there were still several trades made by contenders that gave us a taste of how the best clubs might look in October. A pair of AL East teams have already received key contributions from their deadline pickups.

There’s also some change at the top this week, as one of baseball’s best teams has been incredibly cold since the All-Star break.

So, here’s our first post-deadline power rankings, with World Series odds from FanDuel Sportsbook.

10. Arizona Diamondbacks (60-52, last week unranked)

World Series odds: +3000

Unlike this time last year, the Diamondbacks have suddenly turned into one of the best teams in baseball coming out of the break. Arizona has won nine of its past 11 games, moving into a playoff spot and earning an outside chance of winning the NL West. Eugenio Suarez (.333/.398/.733 slash line, 10 homers) and Ketel Marte (.357/.429/.619, seven homers) were incredible in July, while Brandon Pfaadt was strong on the mound (2-0, 2.31 ERA in four starts). If Jordan Montgomery improves at all, this team could be well-situated to make another run.

9. Kansas City Royals (61-52, LW unranked)

World Series odds: +4600

The Royals took care of business this past week, adding to the Chicago White Sox‘s long losing streak and taking two of three from the Detroit Tigers. It’s imperative for them to pick up those gimme wins as they have the second-toughest remaining schedule in baseball entering Monday (.530 winning percentage of remaining opponents). Bobby Witt Jr. has at least opened up a conversation about AL MVP, hitting .479 with seven homers in July. Vinnie Pasquantino has also been hitting well lately, posting a .339 batting average to go with seven homers over his past 30 games.

8. San Diego Padres (61-52, LW unranked)

World Series odds: +2600

The Padres are creeping up the NL West standings after sweeping the two-game set against the Dodgers last week. They sit just 4.5 back of the lead and are 11-2 in their past 13 games. The middle of their lineup has been on a tear, with Jurickson Profar and Manny Machado combining for nine homers over the past 15 days. Xander Bogaerts is playing his best baseball since he arrived in San Diego, hitting .465 with a 1.163 OPS over that same stretch. Oh, and Dylan Cease had another strong outing last week as he’s allowed only four earned runs over 34.2 innings in the past month.

7. Milwaukee Brewers (62-49, LW 5)

World Series odds: +3000

The Brewers didn’t have a great week, losing four of six to the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals. But they’ve stayed the course with Christian Yelich out. Jackson Chourio has gotten better, hitting .323 with a .852 OPS and three homers since the start of July.

6. Minnesota Twins (62-48, LW 6)

World Series odds: +1600

In addition to the Royals, the Twins were the other beneficiary of having the White Sox on their schedule this week. They swept Chicago over the weekend, scoring 29 runs over three games. Bailey Ober has sneakily been one of the best pitchers in baseball since June, going 6-1 with a 1.95 ERA and a 0.745 WHIP in his past eight starts. Carlos Correa told reporters over the weekend that his foot is progressing, so maybe the Twins can make a push to win the AL Central in the final two months.

5. Los Angeles Dodgers (65-47, LW 3)

World Series odds: +320

After a hot streak in the first week following the All-Star break, the Dodgers cooled off a bit last week. They lost five of six before winning the final two games of their three-game set against the Oakland Athletics. Obviously, Freddie Freeman’s absence doesn’t help, though it was great to see his son is on the mend following a recent health scare. Among the positive developments on the field: Gavin Lux is in the middle of a nine-game hit streak and River Ryan has a 1.72 ERA in three starts since being called up.

4. New York Yankees (67-46, LW 7)

World Series odds: +550

The Yankees are looking like the team we saw in April and May again. They went down I-95 and swept the Phillies this past week. Jazz Chisholm might have already earned his pinstripes, hitting .300 with four homers in his first seven games. Aaron Judge and Juan Soto are still mashing, but Anthony Volpe has also stepped up, hitting three homers this past week to help the Yankees’ star sluggers.

Anthony Volpe crushes two-run home run to extend Yankees’ lead

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3. Cleveland Guardians (67-44, LW 4)

World Series odds: +1700

The Guardians just split a four-game series with the Orioles, only they lost the final two games. José Ramírez has five homers over his past seven games, reminding everyone he’s the best third baseman in baseball. Tanner Bibee’s shoulder looks to be a real concern. He was scratched from his last start due to a shoulder issue. He sounded hopeful that he won’t be placed on the injured list when he spoke with reporters over the weekend. Guardians have to hope that’s the case because they haven’t gotten much out of their rotation outside of him.

2. Philadelphia Phillies (66-45, LW 1)

World Series odds: +500

The Phillies are in a rut. Prior to Sunday’s win against the Seattle Mariners, they had lost six in a row and 12 of their past 15. Most of those losses came against other playoff contenders (Yankees, Guardians, Twins). Sunday’s game, however, demonstrated why they still own the best record in the NL. Zack Wheeler pitched eight shutout innings while three of their most reliable hitters (Bryson Stott, Bryce Harper, Alec Bohm) hit homers in the eighth inning.

1. Baltimore Orioles (67-46, LW 2)

World Series odds: +600

The Orioles positioned themselves to make a deep run at the deadline, adding Zach Eflin, Trevor Rogers, Seranthony Domínguez, Gregory Soto, Eloy Jimenez and Austin Slater. Eflin rewarded them with a quality start on Saturday, while Jimenez and Slater had key moments over the weekend. Jackson Holliday has been stellar since being recalled, hitting .389 with two homers in his first five games back. Adding all those players to a core that was arguably the best in baseball makes Baltimore even more dangerous.

Out:

– Houston Astros (55-50, LW 8), World Series odds: +1300

–New York Mets (55-50, LW 9), World Series odds: +4500

–Atlanta Braves (56-48, LW 10), World Series odds: +1300

Ben Verlander is an MLB Analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the “Flippin’ Bats” podcast. Born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, Verlander was an All-American at Old Dominion University before he joined his brother, Justin, in Detroit as a 14th-round pick of the Tigers in 2013. He spent five years in the Tigers organization. Follow him at @BenVerlander.

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