MLB Power Rankings: Diamondbacks Move up to 14

Aug 31, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder A.J. Pollock (11) hits a home run during the third inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. The Rockies won 5-4. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

When I went to check the latest MLB.com Power Rankings this morning, I expected the Arizona Diamondbacks to be near the bottom of the Top 20 or fall out completely. After all, they went 1-6 last week including two losses to the Oakland A’s, the team with the worst record in the American League. So imagine my surprise when I scanned the list and found the D-backs at #14. Beleive it or not, that is two spots higher than they were last week.

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For the third straight week, Arizona will play two teams that are near the opposite ends of the poll. First up is four games in Colorado against the Rockies, who are the only National League West team not to be ranked. It is followed by a trip to play the #7 team, the Chicago Cubs. The North Siders slipped down a bit after coming in last week at number five. As far as the rest of the NL West goes, the Los Angeles Dodgers moved up three slots to #6, even after being no-hit for the second time in nine days. The San Francisco Giants continue to trickle down, this time out of the Top 10, landing at #11. The San Diego Padres continue to occupy the #19 position.

For the first time since we have begun tracking the rankings, all five teams in one division made the cut.  The American League East is represented by the Toronto Blue Jays at #4, the New York Yankees at #9, the Tampa Bay Rays at #16, the Baltimore Orioles at #17 and the Boston Red Sox at #20. Once again, the National League East places only two teams, the New York Mets at #8 and the Washington Nationals at #13.