Cards continue to rule MLB Power Rankings

Being strong up the middle is more about defence, but the Cardinals are getting solid productino out of their keystone combination, SS Jhonny Peralta and 2B Kolten Wong, who have combined for a .302 average, 11 home runs, 40 RBI, 40 runs and an .841 OPS.

Key Injuries: LHP Jaime Garcia (shoulder), RHP Adam Wainwright (Achilles).

Closer Kenley Jansen is off the DL and while he's not officially in the closer role, that won't be too far off. Five of the six outs he's recorded since returning to the bigs have been via strikeout.
Key Injuries:  LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (shoulder), RF Yasiel Puig (hamstring), LF Carl Crawford (oblique), RHP Brandon McCarthy (elbow).

LHP Danny Duffy has run into trouble, giving up 14 earned runs in 9 2/3 innings over his past three starts. One problem is that he's walked 10 in those 9 2/3 innings.

Key Injuries: RF Alex Rios (hand), LHP Jason Vargas (elbow).

10 wins in the past 12 games snaps the Nationals out of their early-season mediocrity and into a tie for top spot in the National League East. It doesn't hurt to have the game's hottest hitter, LF Bryce Harper, leading the way with a 1.503 OPS in May - the best in baseball this month, ahead of Indians 2B Jason Kipnis (1.352) and Brewers OF Gerardo Parra (1.239).
Key Injuries: 3B Anthony Rendon (knee), RHP Doug Fister (forearm), RF Jayson Werth (wrist).

The Tigers are sitting Victor Martinez down, because he's hobbling, but he also has a .578 OPS and taking a break from that is okay too.

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

There was a lot of hype surrounding 3B Kris Bryant in the preseason, and when he was subsequently demoted to Triple-A, but he's lived up to it, with an .888 OPS and 24 RBI in his first 30 games, but he's also started taking the ball out of the yard, hitting his first four home runs in the past 10 games.

Key Injuries: None.

The Astros are competitive, perhaps a year ahead of schedule, but they've got some surprising pop from 3B Luis Valbuena (10 HR) and LF Colby Rasmus (8 HR).
Key Injuries: SS Jed Lowrie (thumb).

It's amazing enough that Bartolo Colon has walked just one batter in 51 1/3 innings this season, but check out the location of the 3-1 pitch in his lone walk this year.
Key Injuries: RHP Zack Wheeler (elbow), RHP Jenrry Mejia (suspension), 3B David Wright (hamstring), C Travis d'Arnaud (hand), RHP Dillon Gee (groin).

RHP Jered Weaver has put together a couple of quality starts -- a welcome break from getting crushed -- and there has been a slight uptick in his velocity (85 MPH average fastball over last two starts, compared to 83.6 MPH for the season).
Key Injuries: RHP Tyler Skaggs (elbow).

The Red Sox are making incremental bits of progress, mostly as the pitching becomes adequate, but they still need something more out of 1B Mike Napoli, who is scuffling with a .174 average and .589 OPS.

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

Petco Park used to be a safe haven for pitchers, but it's not quite working out that way this season, as the Padres' 4.36 home ERA ranks 22nd in MLB. Is it a change in park effects? Well it hasn't helped San Diego's hitters, who have a .690 OPS at home, ranking 23rd.
Key Injuries: LHP Cory Luebke (elbow), RHP Brandon Morrow (shoulder), 1B Yonder Alonso (shoulder).

RF Avisail Garcia is still growing into his power, but hitting .336 with an .846 OPS is doing his part for the White Sox.
Key Injuries: None.

3B Todd Frazier gets his money's worth at the plate, with 19 of his 36 hits going for extra bases. His isolated power ranks sixth in baseball.
Key Injuries: RHP Homer Bailey (elbow), .

3B Josh Harrison is emerging from his slump; now the Pirates need CF Andrew McCutchen and RF Gregor Polanco to get going offensively if they are going to hold hope of contending.

Key Injuries: RHP Charlie Morton (hip).

It's a story of extremes for the Orioles' starting pitchers. Ubaldo Jimenez, Wei-Yin Chen and Miguel Gonzalez have been great and Bud Norris has been awful. In between it all is Chris Tillman, whose results have been awful, but his underlying numbers paint a more promising picture.
Key Injuries: C Matt Wieters (elbow), 2B Jonathan Schoop (knee), 2B Ryan Flaherty (groin), RHP Kevin Gausman (shoulder), RHP Bud Norris (bronchitis).

There's some talk about whether manager John Gibbons or pitching coach Pete Walker will keep their jobs, but it's hard to imagine any manager faring well with a starting rotation that has a 5.24 ERA.
Key Injuries: RHP Marcus Stroman (knee), 2B Maicer Izturis (groin), SS Jose Reyes (rib), DH Dioner Navarro (hamstring), LF Michael Saunders (knee).

The A's are better than their record, so prime for favourable regression, but they're already 12.5-games out of the AL West, so the climb back is going to be long.

Key Injuries: RHP A.J. Griffin (elbow), RHP Jarrod Parker (elbow), LF Ben Zobrist (knee), RHP Sean Doolittle (shoulder), 1B Ike Davis (quad).
 

With ace LHP Corey Kluber getting back on track, the Tribe have the makings of a formidable young staff, particularly with Trevor Bauer and Danny Salazar offering high upside.
Key Injuries: 1B Nick Swisher (knee), RHP Gavin Floyd (elbow), C Yan Gomes (knee).

3B Yasmany Tomas may not field worth a nickel, but he's hitting .342 with an .824 OPS; that will buy some time to work out fielding issues.
Key Injuries: LHP Patrick Corbin (elbow), RHP Bronson Arroyo (elbow), 3B Jake Lamb (foot).

With the Marlins slumping, they switch managers, naming GM Dan Jennings to the post. It might work out, but Jennings has no managerial experience and this is a young enough team that they could probably use someone who knows the job.
Key Injuries: RHP Jose Fernandez (elbow), RHP Jarred Cosart (vertigo).

2B Scooter Gennett, who hit .300 through the 2013 and 2014 season, is off to a miserable start, having missed time with injury and hitting .154 through 65 at-bats through this season.
Key Injuries: C Jonathan Lucroy (toe), SS Jean Segura (finger).