If the Texas Rangers are going to mount any meaningful defense of their World Series title, Max Scherzer will have to be a significant part of it. Now he’s back, and for at least one start looking like his old self, and the Rangers are on a little roll as they enter another trying stretch of their season.
The Rangers completed a three-game sweep of the respectable Kansas City Royals, an outcome that could simply be a positive blip in this year of great inconsistency, or an eventually significant development in what will be a typically bloated wild-card race.
For now, the Rangers have moved up three places in USA TODAY Sports’ power rankings, and within 4 ½ games of a wild-card spot. Scherzer, who turns 40 next month, provided five one-hit innings, tied Greg Maddux for 11th on baseball’s all-time strikeout list and perhaps inspired a little more hope for a 37-40 ballclub.
A look at this week’s rankings:
1. Philadelphia Phillies (+2)
- Cristopher Sanchez signs new contract, throws seven shutout innings. Charmed year, or what?
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2. New York Yankees (-1)
- Ben Rice’s debut, J.D. Davis acquisition spice up the infield corners.
3. Cleveland Guardians (+1)
- Steven Kwan with a career-high seven homers in just 49 games.
4. Baltimore Orioles (-2)
- Series win in Bronx, swept in Houston as starting pitching concerns deepen.
5. Los Angeles Dodgers (-)
- Tyler Glasnow tops 100 innings, jsut 20 shy of his career high.
6. Atlanta Braves (+3)
- Starters Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez, Max Fried all look All-Star worthy.
7. Milwaukee Brewers (-)
- Rookie Tobias Myers now 4-0 with 0.71 ERA in first four starts.
8. Seattle Mariners (-1)
- Dropping a series at Miami not what you want.
9. Minnesota Twins (+1)
- Bailey Ober tosses an 89-pitch complete game, striking out 10.
10. Boston Red Sox (+1)
- Choosing relevance once more.
11. Kansas City Royals (-3)
- After 2-7 road trip, out of playoff position for first time since April 6.
12. San Diego Padres (-)
- Jackson Merrill rips seven homers in a 10-game stretch.
13. St. Louis Cardinals (+2)
- 24-13 since May 12, best mark in NL.
14. Texas Rangers (+3)
- Seven-game trip to Milwaukee, Baltimore will be telling.
15. Washington Nationals (+1)
- Won a series in Denver for first time since 2017, despite walk-off pitch clock violation.
16. Houston Astros (+9)
- With Kyle Tucker and Justin Verlander still out, they sweep Baltimore.
17. New York Mets (+5)
- Edwin Diaz’s crazy season takes another turn with sticky-stuff violation.
18. Arizona Diamondbacks (+2)
- Catcher Gabriel Moreno on IL with thumb sprain.
19. Tampa Bay Rays (+5)
- Minus-62 run differential, yet hanging around.
20. Pittsburgh Pirates (+3)
Paul Skenes through eight starts: 61 strikeouts, eight walks, 2.14 ERA.
21. Chicago Cubs (-)
- In first start facing team for second time, Shota Imanaga gives up 10 runs to Mets.
22. Cincinnati Reds (-9)
- Abrupt landing in NL Central cellar.
23. Toronto Blue Jays (-9)
- Story of their season: Prospect Orelvis Martinez makes major league debut, draws 80-game PED suspension.
24. Detroit Tigers (-6)
- Riley Greene has 15 home runs in 76 games.
25. San Francisco Giants (-6)
- Rare turn in spotlight devolves into sweep at hands of Cardinals.
26. Los Angeles Angels (+1)
- Now 1-11 in last dozen games against Dodgers.
27. Oakland Athletics (-1)
- Former Yankees prospect Armando Alvarez, 29, finally makes major league debut.
28. Colorado Rockies (-)
- Kyle Freeland tosses six scoreless innings in first start since April 14.
29. Miami Marlins (-)
- Stanley Cup Finals provide just one more night of cover from grim season.
30. Chicago White Sox (-)
- A beer shower for Drew Thorpe after first big league win.
