Nov 7, 2022; Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (2) and second baseman Jose Altuve (27) celebrate with the 2022 CommissionerÂ’s Trophy in the Houston Astros Championship Parade in Houston, Texas, USA. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
MLB power rankings: Which team starts the New Year on top?
It has been a wild offseason so far, with plenty of franchise-shifting trades and big names switching teams, but which team starts the New Year on top of our first MLB power rankings of 2023? Let’s dive in.
In our first MLB power rankings of 2023, the Houston Astros stay on top while the New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, and New York Yankees aren’t far behind.
While Steve Cohen has spent plenty of money this offseason, there is still one big question mark looming with the New York Mets as these MLB power rankings are compiled: What in the world is going on with Carlos Correa? The silence has been deafening out of Queens, and that question helps to keep the Mets out of the top spot as 2023 begins.
With that in mind, the top spot belongs to the defending World Series champion Houston Astros, a team that did make an early splash by signing Jose Abreu to hold down first base. How much will the Astros miss Justin Verlander, part of that big spend in New York? The rotation is deep, but it’s a question to watch.
In the Bronx, the New York Yankees paid for Aaron Judge and Carlos Rodon, but it still feels like there are pieces missing. Atlanta, while losing Dansby Swanson, seems to believe the middle infield of Ozzie Albies and Vaughn Grissom will be fine. And in San Diego, there are plenty of questions about what happens in what will be a very crowded infield with the addition of Xander Bogaerts.
That’s a look at the storylines around the top five teams in our first MLB power rankings of 2023. Here’s the complete list.
