MLB Opening Day is still more than a month away and we've already done the pre-spring training power rankings, yet there are thirsty fans out there looking for all the power ranking they can get (yes, I've heard from all of you via telepathy). This means we need to find different things to rank in the coming weeks. This time around, let's go with the offenses.
Now, things could change with an addition, such as -- I don't know, let me randomly name someone -- Cody Bellinger. The Cubs seem to be the favorite there and the addition of Bellinger would put them at least on the cusp of the top 10, if not in it. As things stand, though, that's an offense full of supporting-cast-type players. Maybe Seiya Suzuki makes the leap into main character territory this season, but we haven't seen it from him in a full season just yet.
Every team in the top 10 has at least one main character, most of them more. That's important. Those types move the needle more than simply a deep lineup, but obviously a deep lineup matters, too, when we get toward the top. At the very top is a team that has a handful of main characters and a deep supporting cast.
1. Atlanta Braves
The Braves led the majors with 947 runs last season and second place finished with 906. Fifth was 827 and seventh was 807! That's how much of a juggernaut the offense was. The only change is Jarred Kelenic in for (mostly) Eddie Rosario, and there isn't really anyone expected to be significantly worse. They have an MVP (Ronald Acuña Jr.) along with several other stars (Matt Olson, Austin Riley, Ozzie Albies, etc.). There's really nothing to even nitpick with this stellar group, so why overthink it? They are the easy number one.
2. Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers ranked second in runs scored last season and they return their pair of MVP candidates in Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, neither of whom should be hitting age-related decline just yet. Will Smith and Max Muncy are a nice middle-order combo behind the stars, too. And, oh, did we not mention that Shohei Ohtani sits between these guys now? The back third of the lineup last season left something to be desired, but the return of Gavin Lux from ACL surgery along with the addition of Teoscar Hernández should alleviate any concerns.
3. Houston Astros
The team that never misses the ALCS ranked fifth in runs scored last season and returns everyone of consequence. They only got 114 games from Yordan Alvarez and 90 from Jose Altuve and still were a top-five offense. That's how loaded they are. If they avoid injuries with everyone, they could compete for the top spot here. More playing time for Chas McCormick and Yainer Diaz makes them even better.
4. Texas Rangers
Once upon a time, my favorite team won the World Series and I took to just calling them "the champs" all the time because it was still sort of surreal to be able to say it. Ever since, I've made it my mission to allow other fan bases to see the sentiment applied as often as possible. So let's do this...
THE CHAMPS were third in the majors last season in runs scored and that was with MVP candidate Corey Seager missing more than 40 games. The top three of Marcus Semien, Seager and Adolis García is among the best in baseball. Will Evan Carter produce like a star? How about big-time prospect Wyatt Langford? Can Josh Jung take another step forward? There's major potential here, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the Rangers higher by the end of the season.
5. Philadelphia Phillies
A lot went wrong for the Phillies' lineup last season and they were still a top-10 offense (eighth in runs scored). Bryce Harper missed the first month of the season and then it took a while for his power to come around after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Trea Turner seemingly forgot how to hit until August. They didn't really have a first baseman after Rhys Hoskins' spring training torn ACL. JT Realmuto had his worst offensive season since 2015. Everything is a bit more settled this time around and I'm expecting a major full-season bounce-back from Turner in addition to a monster (possibly MVP) season from Harper.
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6. Baltimore Orioles
The Baby Birds ended up seventh in runs scored last season and they were barely scratching the surface. Gunnar Henderson started slow in his first full season and Adley Rutschman was also playing his first 162-game MLB season. We'll see more from the wave of talented youngsters who were rookies last season along with a Jackson Holliday sighting. Plus, Cedric Mullins is capable of much better.
7. New York Yankees
The Bronx Bombers were anything but Bombers last year. They were 25th in runs scored, topping only anemic teams. So how did I move them all the way up to seventh? Well, they have the capability to have the two best hitters in baseball this season in Juan Soto and Aaron Judge. Judge only appeared in 106 games last season and Soto was on the other coast. Anthony Rizzo only played in 99 games and it came out late in the season that concussion issues hampered him at the plate for most of the year. Anthony Volpe gets another year of growth and Alex Verdugo adds lineup depth. If anything, this ranking might prove too conservative.
8. St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals were a last-place team last season and a lot of that had to do with a pathetic rotation. The offense was historically unlucky in multiple ways (as outlined here by my esteemed colleague Dayn Perry). They still have multiple main character types in Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado while Willson Contreras is potentially one of the best hitting catchers in the game. Young talent like Nolan Gorman, Jordan Walker and Masyn Winn make them potentially great.
9. Arizona Diamondbacks
The defending NL champs tied with the Jays for 14th in runs scored last season and will continue to wreak havoc on the bases (they were second in the majors with 166 steals). Corbin Carroll with a full year of experience is an MVP-caliber player and the lineup is much deeper and more powerful now after the additions of Eugenio Suárez and Joc Pederson. Gabriel Moreno and Alek Thomas are good enough to take a step forward, given their young ages, and watch out for Jordan Lawlar.
10. Toronto Blue Jays
With every team so far, I've thought "if everything breaks right, they could be the best or maybe top three." I'm a bit less bullish on the Blue Jays after the disappointing output last season. Still, they have plenty of star potential with George Springer, Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. If they get a step forward from Daulton Varsho along with a bounce-back season from Alejandro Kirk and one more year of staving off Father Time from Justin Turner, there's a potentially great offense in here. I'm open to moving them down. I could see arguments to knock them out of the top 10 and add the Rays or Reds, though the upside of Bichette and Guerrero is what prevails here.
Just missed the cut:Reds,Rays,Twins,Red Sox
