Cardinals return to top of MLB Power Rankings

LF Matt Holliday reached base in each of his first 45 games, having his streak snapped Tuesday against Milwaukee, as he's hitting .313 with an .860 OPS.

Key Injuries: RHP Adam Wainwright (Achilles), 1B Matt Adams (quad).

RHP Mike Bolsinger, who got rocked in 10 games for Arizona last season, has been excellent in five starts for the Dodgers, posting a 1.15 ERA and 0.96 WHIP. 
Key Injuries:  LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (shoulder), RF Yasiel Puig (hamstring), LF Carl Crawford (oblique), RHP Brandon McCarthy (elbow).

When it was looking like LHP Dallas Keuchel might be slipping after his incredible start to the season, allowing four earned runs in three of his previous four starts, he delivered a four-hit, 11-strikeout shutout against the White Sox. He leads the AL with a 1.76 ERA and 0.91 WHIP.
Key Injuries: SS Jed Lowrie (thumb).

Patience appears to be paying off when it comes to the development of 3B Mike Moustakas, the 26-year-old who had a .632 OPS in 500 plate appearances last year, but is hitting .318 with an .847 OPS during this breakout season.

Key Injuries: LHP Danny Duffy (biceps).

The amazing thing about the Nationals, is that they were supposed to be so supremely deep when it came to starting pitching, but with a couple of starters on the DL, they've already been forced to summon Tanner Roark and A.J. Cole for the rotation.
Key Injuries: 3B Anthony Rendon (knee), RHP Doug Fister (forearm), RF Jayson Werth (wrist), RHP Stephen Strasburg (back).

Had been rolling on a 13-2 run over a 15-game stretch before falling into their current four-game losing streak.

Key Injuries: RHP Matt Cain (forearm), RHP Jake Peavy (back).

He started slowly, but Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen is heating up, with a 1.201 OPS and 21 RBI in the past 25 games. He's not up to his level over the past three seasons, but the gap is closing rapidly and his production has helped the Pirates win 10 of the past 12 games.

Key Injuries: RHP Charlie Morton (hip).

For all the hype about the Cubs' young bats or a free agent pitcher like Jon Lester, one of their most valuable performers this year has been veteran RHP Jason Hammel, who re-signed with Chicago after going to Oakland last season, and has a 2.82 ERA and 0.90 WHIP.

Key Injuries: None.

1B Albert Pujols - remember him? - has six home runs in the past six games, picking up a sagging Angels offence as they've won five of those six games.
Key Injuries: RHP Tyler Skaggs (elbow).

Losers of five straight, the Tigers have lost ground in the AL Central -- now 3.5-games behind Minnesota -- but they are a different Tigers team, running more with outfielders Rajai Davis and Anthony Gose, as well as SS Jose Iglesias, leading the way.

Key Injuries: RHP Justin Verlander (triceps), RHP Joe Nathan (elbow), C Alex Avila (knee), DH Victor Martinez (knee).

Maybe Bartolo Colon gets the notoriety for his build, long career etc. but the power arms that the Mets have at the top of the rotation -- Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and now Noah Syndergaard -- are devastating. Could still use a few more runs for support though.
Key Injuries: RHP Zack Wheeler (elbow), RHP Jenrry Mejia (suspension), 3B David Wright (hamstring), C Travis d'Arnaud (hand), RHP Dillon Gee (groin).

11-3 in the past 14 games, the Indians are fighting their way back to respectability, with some of the credit due to RHP Trevor Bauer, who has a 1.53 ERA with 31 strikeouts in 29 1/3 innings over his past four starts.
Key Injuries: RHP Gavin Floyd (elbow).

Getting 1B Yonder Alonso back from the DL is probably a bigger deal than would be expected. He has as many walks (13) as strikeouts and his .439 on-base percentage ranks fourth among players with at least 50 plate appearances this season.
Key Injuries: LHP Cory Luebke (elbow), RHP Brandon Morrow (shoulder), CF Wil Myers (wrist).

In eight starts, since joining the A's rotation, RHP Jesse Chavez has a 2.38 ERA and 1.06 WHIP; nice to pull that out when others run into trouble.

Key Injuries: RHP A.J. Griffin (elbow), RHP Jarrod Parker (elbow), 1B Ike Davis (quad).
 

Losing LF Marlon Byrd to a broken wrist hurts the Reds' chances. While Byrd isn't irreplaceable, he ranks second on the team with 10 home runs, second to 3B Todd Frazier, who has 16 homers and ranks third in the National League with a 2.9 fWAR.
Key Injuries: RHP Homer Bailey (elbow), LF Marlon Byrd (wrist).

It says something about the Red Sox desperation that their pitching hopes may hinge on 22-year-old LHP Eduardo Rodriguez, who had a 2.98 ERA and 1.10 WHIP, with 44 strikeouts in 48 1/3 innings at Triple-A Pawtucket, before getting called to The Show.

Key Injuries: C Christian Vazquez (elbow), RF Shane Victorino (hamstring), C Ryan Hanigan (hand), RHP Justin Masterson (shoulder).

1B Justin Bour is hitting .333 with a .960 OPS, with five home runs in 72 at-bats, the kind of production that could keep him in the lineup full-time.
Key Injuries: RHP Jose Fernandez (elbow), RHP Jarred Cosart (vertigo), RHP Mat Latos (knee), RHP Henderson Alvarez (shoulder), 1B Mike Morse (finger).

Just as the Orioles neared .500, they have lost four straight, and have some holes in the lineup, notably in the middle infield, where SS J.J. Hardy and 2B Steve Pearce (!) are both below the Mendoza Line (.200 AVG).
Key Injuries: C Matt Wieters (elbow), 2B Jonathan Schoop (knee), 2B Ryan Flaherty (groin), RHP Kevin Gausman (shoulder), RHP Bud Norris (bronchitis).

CF A.J. Pollock is adding some punch to the lineup; of the five players who have double-digit steals and a .300 batting average this season, none has more than Pollock's six home runs.
Key Injuries: LHP Patrick Corbin (elbow), RHP Bronson Arroyo (elbow), 3B Jake Lamb (foot).

In 20 games since splitting their first 34 games of the season, the Jays are 7-13, and the middle infield is becoming an issue, with injuries depleting the cast at second base and shaky fielding from SS Jose Reyes combining for a mess behind a pitching staff that needs better.
Key Injuries: RHP Marcus Stroman (knee), 2B Maicer Izturis (groin), LF Michael Saunders (knee), 2B Devon Travis (shoulder), 2B Steve Tolleson (groin).

RHP Jeff Samardzija has had a couple blow-up starts (9 ER vs. Texas Tuesday, 7 ER at BAL in late April). It's not fair to just throw them out, but in his other nine starts, he has a 3.14 ERA.
Key Injuries: None.

Not only is he a brilliant fielder, but 3B Nolan Arenado is having himself a season, with 13 home runs and a .901 OPS.
Key Injuries: RHP Tyler Chatwood (elbow), RHP Adam Ottavino (triceps), RHP LaTroy Hawkins (biceps), 1B Justin Morneau (concussion), LF Corey Dickerson (foot), RHP Jordan Lyles (toe).

It's never easy for the Brewers. Just as they get SS Jean Segura and C Jonathan Lucroy back from the DL, LF Ryan Braun heads to the infirmary with more thumb problems.
Key Injuries: LF Ryan Braun (thumb).