MLB Power Rankings Week 8 – Bill Murray Influenced Teams

After two months of games, the top 10 teams remain the same. For the first time this season, there are no new teams flexing their power.

“Groundhogs Day” is one of those movies that ages well with time. Bill Murray just happens to be the central figure in the movie that highlights the holiday. Each day, repeating. Nothing changes. This week, like the movie, nothing has changed in the Power Rankings. Yes, teams did move a little here and there. However, every single team from last week’s rankings to this week remain the same. Just like a groundhog seeing it’s shadow every single morning, so too are the Yankees the team to beat.

The Cardinals split with the Blue Jays early in the week didn’t hurt them. Add their split of four with the Brewers and there was little traction made in the division. An average week for a team trying to win the division one last time before Yadier Molina and Albert Pujols (possibly Adam Wainright) retire. With 16 wins in May, the Red Birds look to lower the team monthly team ERA to get back below 4.12 for the month. However, there is good news with the increased ERA in May – they led MLB with 292 ground balls. The bad news, they also gave up 37 HR’s. It’s a good thing Paul Goldschmidt is playing like it’s 2015 when he hit a career best .321.

Paul Goldschmidt is hitting .406 with 10 HR in the month of May.

He is looking to become the first Cardinals player with .400 BA and 10 HR in a calendar month since Stan Musial in Sept. 1953. pic.twitter.com/lcJj2tWHjd

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 31, 2022

Tampa Bay proved there is another team in the AL East than just the Yankees. They ended the week by beating the division foes in two straight games to salvage a series split. They did this by holding the Aaron Judge led offense to just 3 runs in 18 innings. Manuel Margo seems to be coming into his own as he just hits the ball. He leads the offense with a .339 AVG and a .881 OPS. Their top 5 pitching staff continues to spin consistent results by allowing just 1.10 WHIP to opponents while holding them to a measly .219 BA. The summer is shaping up to see the AL East heavyweights go toe to toe and produce classic games and another race where it may take 96 or more wins to finish on top.