If Major League Baseball warms to the idea of relegation, it may want to consider an entire division instead of just a single team.
Yes, it’s getting that bad in the American League Central.
None of its five teams has a winning record and, perhaps most alarmingly, three of them occupy the bottom five positions in USA TODAY Sports’ MLB power rankings − a tricky feat given that the historically terrible Oakland Athletics have signed a non-binding agreement for the No. 30 spot.
All hail the Minnesota Twins, who at 33-33 still lead the division − and should be embarrassed if they don’t run away with it. That’s because one of their expected roadblocks − the Chicago White Sox − continues flat-lining. They gave up five runs in the ninth inning Saturday and three more on Sunday to turn victories over the Miami Marlins into losses − and fell to 29-38.
But they actually move up in the rankings because the Detroit Tigers have lost nine consecutive games to fall to 26-37 − and 26th in our rankings. It will probably get worse − all five clubs play out-of-division series to begin the week. And Central teams are 88-140 when playing teams out of division.
A look at this week’s rankings:
1. Tampa Bay Rays (-)
- Josh Fleming is the third key pitcher lost to elbow injury.
2. Texas Rangers (-)
- Jon Gray (0.84 ERA in past four starts) is a big reason why club thrived − and will survive − minus Jacob deGrom.
3. Baltimore Orioles (-)
- Gunnar Henderson rips 462-foot shot to Eutaw Street, says he’s still waiting on his “grown man strength.”
4. Atlanta Braves (+3)
- Only an act of nature could prevent them from beating the Mets.
5. Arizona Diamondbacks (+3)
- Just watch the way they decimate inferior teams.
6. Los Angeles Dodgers (-2)
- Bobby Miller, season-saver.
7. Houston Astros (-1)
- What do Astros fans least want to hear? “Yordan Alvarez, oblique” ranks pretty highly.
8. New York Yankees (-2)
- Just plugging right along with Willie Calhoun, Jake Bauers, Billy McKinney, as we all anticipated.
9. Toronto Blue Jays (-)
- It’s not that the Blue Jays had anything against Anthony Bass. They just disagreed with his 4.95 ERA lifestyle.
10. Miami Marlins (+3)
- Luis Arraez stalks .400 like a predator and his prey.
11. Los Angeles Angels (+3)
- A 5-1 homestand, a winning record in every month. Is this team … consistent?
12. Pittsburgh Pirates (+3)
- Do you believe?
13. Boston Red Sox (-3)
- Rafael Devers hits 11th career homer at Yankee Stadium, passing Babe Ruth for most by a Red Sox player before age 27.
14. Milwaukee Brewers (-3)
- Getting swept by the A’s surely won’t be forgotten when they’re sweating a playoff berth.
15. Minnesota Twins (-3)
- Jorge Polanco’s injury means Edouard Julien will get a decent look at second base.
16. San Francisco Giants (+1)
- All the sweeter that Brandon Crawford’s first pitching appearance came in a blowout win, not loss.
17. Philadelphia Phillies (+2)
- Trea Turner, back in the No. 3 hole, has boosted his batting average 16 points in six games.
18. New York Mets (-2)
- Any time, fellas.
19. Seattle Mariners (-1)
- Fourth-best team in the AL West? Already 2-4 against the Angels.
20. San Diego Padres (-)
- They hope this topsy-turvy season ends as smoothly as Manny Machado’s circus catch.
21. Cleveland Guardians (-)
- Andres Gimenez’s OPS down to .669 from .837 last year.
22. Cincinnati Reds (+3)
23. Chicago Cubs (-)
24. St. Louis Cardinals (-)
- Willson Contreras has two extra-base hits in his last 60 at-bats.
25. Chicago White Sox (+2)
- News nobody wants to see: Liam Hendriks on IL with elbow inflammation.
26. Detroit Tigers (-4)
- Did they just ruin their season?
27. Washington Nationals (-1)
- Joey Meneses, Singles Hitter is also effective − he’s batting .307.
28. Colorado Rockies (-)
- Nolan Jones’ OPS now 1.088 after walking off the Padres.
29. Kansas City Royals (-)
- Just two games better than the …
30. Oakland Athletics (-)
- The record: 17-50. The run differential: -194. The daily cost for a special session in Nevada to ram through their stadium proposal: $250,000.