Fastball On SI Poll (June 2)

As the calendar turns to June, an unexpected team leads MLB in wins.

That’d be the 39-21 Detroit Tigers, who were projected to win just 79 games and finish fourth in the AL Central by PECOTA in February. Manager A.J. Hinch’s club pitched especially well of late, allowing one earned run or fewer in five of their last seven games. With four straight losses by the Phillies, the Tigers regain the No. 1 spot in this week’s power rankings.

The next four spots are owned by the National League, which has certainly established itself as the stronger league as most clubs near the 60-game mark of the season. The Dodgers just won two of three games against the Yankees, while the Cubs and Mets keep rolling.

The bottom tier looks about the same as hit has all season, as the Rockies are on pace to break MLB’s modern era loss record, which was set last season by the White Sox. The Pirates and Orioles round out the bottom four to no surprise. But there were some changes to the middle of the rankings after recent surges by the Rays, Blue Jays and Brewers.

(This poll takes into account votes from five Fastball On SI MLB writers: Tom Brew, Jack Ankony, Brady Farkas, Teren Kowatsch and Sam Connon. First-place votes are worth 30 points, and last-place votes are worth one point. Ties broken by highest vote or votes, then record. Total votes and first-place votes in parentheses.)

1. Detroit Tigers (149) (4)
2. Los Angeles Dodgers (142) (1)
3. Chicago Cubs (142)
4. New York Mets (134)
5. Philadelphia Phillies (131)
6. New York Yankees (127)
7. San Diego Padres (113)
8. San Francisco Giants (109)
9. St. Louis Cardinals (106)
10. Seattle Mariners (106)
11. Cleveland Guardians (104)
12. Minnesota Twins (101)
13. Houston Astros (94)
14. Kansas City Royals (82)
15. Milwaukee Brewers (79)
16. Tampa Bay Rays (76)
17. Toronto Blue Jays (72)
18. Atlanta Braves (58)
19. Cincinnati Reds (58) 
20. Boston Red Sox (56)
21. Texas Rangers (49)
22. Arizona Diamondbacks (48)
23. Washington Nationals (47)
24. Los Angeles Angels (37)
25. Miami Marlins (26)
26. The Athletics (23)
27. Baltimore Orioles (23) 
28. Pittsburgh Pirates (18)
29. Chicago White Sox (10
30. Colorado Rockies (5)

Here’s how each writer voted.

1. Detroit Tigers
2. Chicago Cubs
3. New York Mets
4. Los Angeles Dodgers
5. Philadelphia Phillies
6. New York Yankees
7. San Diego Padres
8. San Francisco Giants
9. Seattle Mariners
10. Minnesota Twins
11. St. Louis Cardinals
12. Cleveland Guardians
13. Kansas City Royals
14. Houston Astros
15. Milwaukee Brewers 
16. Tampa Bay Rays
17. Toronto Blue Jays
18. Cincinnati Reds
19. Boston Red Sox
20. Atlanta Braves
21. Texas Rangers
22. Los Angeles Angels
23. Arizona Diamondbacks
24. Washington Nationals
25. The Athletics
26. Miami Marlins
27. Pittsburgh Pirates
28. Baltimore Orioles
29. Chicago White Sox
30. Colorado Rockies

Comments: The Dodgers-Yankees World Series rematch wasn’t much of a series, with LA taking two of three, including an 18-2 rout. Every game was won by at least three runs or more. Both teams are good, but still some flaws. The Tigers just keep rolling around, and for the first time all year, I’ve got the same No. 2 two weeks in a row. Tarik Skubal continues to dominate, and is the best pitcher in the game right now. He’s pitched 16 scoreless innings in a row. Let’s keep an eye on the Tampa Bay Rays. They’ve won 9 of 12 and they are getting great starting pitching. Their bats are heating up as well, scoring 13 and 16 runs in games this week. 

1. Detroit Tigers
2. Chicago Cubs
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
4. New York Mets
5. Philadelphia Phillies
6. New York Yankees
7. San Diego Padres
8. San Francisco Giants
9. Minnesota Twins
10. St. Louis Cardinals
11. Cleveland Guardians
12. Seattle Mariners
13. Houston Astros
14. Kansas City Royals
15. Tampa Bay Rays
16. Toronto Blue Jays
17. Milwaukee Brewers
18. Boston Red Sox
19. Atlanta Braves
20. Texas Rangers
21. Washington Nationals
22. Cincinnati Reds
23. Arizona Diamondbacks
24. Los Angeles Angels
25. The Athletics
26. Miami Marlins
27. Baltimore Orioles
28. Pittsburgh Pirates
29. Chicago White Sox
30. Colorado Rockies

Comments: The Phillies’ time as my No. 1 team lasted just a week as they followed an 11-1 stretch with four straight losses to the Braves and Brewers. As a result, the Tigers regain the top spot with an MLB-most 39 wins. They’re not doing so in dominant fashion, per se, as their last five wins have come by a total of eight runs. The Dodgers moved up to No. 2 after taking two of three games from the Yankees, and the Cubs are on a roll with six straight series wins. Keep an eye on the Brewers, Rays and Blue Jays, who’ve moved up in recent weeks.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. Detroit Tigers
3. Philadelphia Phillies
4. Chicago Cubs
5. New York Yankees
6. New York Mets
7. San Diego Padres
8. Cleveland Guardians
9. Seattle Mariners
10. San Francisco Giants
11. St. Louis Cardinals
12. Houston Astros
13. Minnesota Twins
14. Milwaukee Brewers
15. Kansas City Royals
16. Atlanta Braves
17. Toronto Blue Jays
18. Arizona Diamondbacks
19. Tampa Bay Rays
20. Boston Red Sox
21. Cincinnati Reds
22. Washington Nationals
23. Texas Rangers
24. Los Angeles Angels
25. Baltimore Orioles
26. Miami Marlins
27. Pittsburgh Pirates
28. The Athletics
29. Chicago White Sox
30. Colorado Rockies

Comments: The Tigers have certainly proven they are for real, and while I think they need some rotation help, they are going to be tough to beat in October. The Mets overtook the Phillies in the NL East, but the Phillies pitching is still built to withstand the playoffs better.

1. Detroit Tigers
2. Chicago Cubs
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
4. New York Mets
5. Philadelphia Phillies
6. New York Yankees
7. San Diego Padres
8. Cleveland Guardians
9. San Francisco Giants
10. St. Louis Cardinals
11. Seattle Mariners
12. Minnesota Twins
13. Houston Astros
14. Kansas City Royals
15. Milwaukee Brewers
16. Tampa Bay Rays
17. Toronto Blue Jays
18. Cincinnati Reds
19. Washington Nationals
20. Arizona Diamondbacks
21. Boston Red Sox
22. Texas Rangers
23. Atlanta Braves
24. Los Angeles Angels
25. Miami Marlins
26. The Athletics
27. Baltimore Orioles
28. Pittsburgh Pirates
29. Chicago White Sox
30. Colorado Rockies

Comments: The National League’s top contenders have all had rough stretches in recent weeks, which has allowed the ever-consistent Detroit Tigers to supplant the league for the most wins in baseball. It’s still early enough in the season where things can change, but the other competitive teams in the AL Central such as the Cleveland Guardians, Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals might have to accept fighting for a Wild Card. Other top 10 and middle-of-the-pack teams are all within striking distance of the playoffs, which could set up for an interesting trade deadline.

1. Detroit Tigers
2. Los Angeles Dodgers
3. Chicago Cubs
4. New York Mets
5. New York Yankees
6. Philadelphia Phillies
7. St. Louis Cardinals
8. Seattle Mariners
9. Houston Astros
10. Minnesota Twins
11. San Francisco Giants
12. Cleveland Guardians
13. Tampa Bay Rays
14. San Diego Padres
15. Milwaukee Brewers
16. Toronto Blue Jays
17. Kansas City Royals
18. Cincinnati Reds
19. Atlanta Braves
20. Texas Rangers
21. Boston Red Sox
22. Washington Nationals
23. Arizona Diamondbacks
24. Los Angeles Angels
25. Baltimore Orioles
26. Miami Marlins
27. Pittsburgh Pirates
28. Athletics
29. Chicago White Sox
30. Colorado Rockies

Comments: Between the Mets, Cubs and Dodgers, the cream of the crop in the National League more than proved themselves this past week. New York and Chicago took care of business against inferior competition, while Los Angeles reminded the Yankees who won the World Series last fall. And yet, the Gritty Tigs have won six of seven – five by two runs or fewer – and just continue to hold serve atop the standings.