

The Rays are quietly taking care of business and now have the bat of Nelson Cruz to help them out. Thanks to a colossal choke job by the Yankees, the Tampa Bay Rays are a game out of first in the AL East, although they are 7-3 in their last 10 games. They will need to start taking care of their smaller competition though, as they can’t rely on beating the Dodgers every series. San Francisco is second in team ERA and 12th in team batting average, so this is far from a fluke. 3) San Francisco Giants (62-37) (2)Īlthough the San Francisco Giants lost two of three games at home to the lowly Pirates, they did take three of four at Dodger Stadium to keep a small lead in the NL West. Boston has been one of the most solid teams all year and their consistency will be crucial if they want to lock up the top spot in the American League. Their roster may not be as stacked as a Los Angeles or San Diego, but they know how to win and that says a lot. If you need any proof, they were down four and no-hit going into the eighth against the Yankees and won on Sunday. This Boston Red Sox team has “it.” They just find ways to win. They are eighth in team ERA and tied for first in team batting average.
Among the five major batting stat categories, four players fill them, showing they aren’t just your average top-heavy team. Still, the Astros, while not as consistent as the Red Sox so far, arguably have the highest ceiling in the American League.
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The Houston Astros are 7-3 over their last 10 games, although the last three of those were against the Rangers, who look more like a minor league team than anything. Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea/USA TODAY Sports Week 17 MLB Power Rankings 1) Houston Astros (61-39) ( Previous: 5)
