Week 3 MLB power rankings: Nationals overtake Cubs for top spot
The Washington Nationals, who haven't lost in more than a week, have taken over the top spot in USA TODAY Sports' power rankings from the Chicago Cubs.
It's the first time the Cubs have not held the No. 1 ranking since July 25.
From 1 to 30, how they stack up based on voting from our 10-person panel:
TEAM. MOVEMENT
1. Washington Nationals: +4
►Daniel Murphy has .324/.359/.541 slash line, looks like a chump next to Harper, Zimmerman.
2. Chicago Cubs: -1
►10-8, +7 run differential. In 2016: 13-5, +59.
3. Houston Astros: -1
►Yuli Gurriel boosted his slugging percentage nearly 200 points in a week.
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4. Baltimore Orioles: --
►Dust-up with Pedroia overshadows fact Manny Machado batting .202 with 88 OPS-plus.
5. Cleveland Indians: +2
►Edwin Encarnacion slowly starting to take flight.
6. Boston Red Sox: --
►Getting by without David Price, whose absence figures to stretch through May.
7. Colorado Rockies: +2
►Look out: Combined 9-3 against Giants, Dodgers.
8. New York Yankees: +3
►Wednesday should be fun: Masahiro Tanaka vs. Chris Sale at Fenway.
9. Los Angeles Dodgers: -7
►Brandon McCarthy trending up, Kenta Maeda down - and perhaps out of rotation.
10. Arizona Diamondbacks: +3
►Can Jeremy Hazelbaker extend his magic into May this year?
11. Detroit Tigers: -1
►Offensive questions continue to mount with Cabrera, Iglesias on DL; J.D. Martinez returning soon will help.
12. Miami Marlins: --
►J.T. Realmuto leads NL catchers in all offensive categories, except RBI.
13. New York Mets: -5
►Their big three starters are healthy. Everything else is a mess.
14. Texas Rangers: +2
►Carlos Gomez batting .200 with .667 OPS. Was '16 renaissance just a two-month mirage?
15. St. Louis Cardinals: +8
►Lance Lynn starting to look like a dude again: 1.03 WHIP through four starts.
16. Tampa Bay Rays: -3
►Greatest Outfield in the Land: Corey Dickerson's .360 OBP worst in the group.
17. Cincinnati Reds: +3
►Respected veteran infielder sits atop NL in hitting. Zack Cozart, not Joey Votto.
18. Pittsburgh Pirates: --
►A weird year already, and Marte suspension only makes them harder to peg.
19. Philadelphia Phillies: +8
►Cesar Hernandez, your early-season MVP?
20. Oakland Athletics: +8
►Can mash with anyone - ranking second in AL in homers, slugging - but pitching's a mystery meat.
21. Milwaukee Brewers: +1
►The Eric Thames PED witch hunt is already tired, and off base.
22. San Francisco Giants: -8
►That Madison Bumgarner told the truth won't get him on the mound any sooner.
23. Kansas City Royals: -6
►Division even tougher than imagined. Hard to see them avoiding a sell-off.
24. Seattle Mariners +2
►Leonys Martin takes the fall for club's not-so-surprising slow start.
25. Los Angeles Angels: -4
►Andrelton Simmons' surprisingly pleasant production (.300/.364/.443)
26. Minnesota Twins: -11
►Now that the Wild are eliminated from the NHL playoffs, the Twins are the only game in town.
27. Toronto Blue Jays: -2
►Tulowitzki joins Donaldson, Happ and Sanchez on the DL.
28. Chicago White Sox: -4
►Rookie Jacob May snaps an 0-for-26 stretch to start his career with the pinch-hit single.
29. San Diego Padres: +1
►-33 run differential worst in major leagues.
30. Atlanta Braves: -1
►Freddie Freeman has nine RBI in spite of seven home runs and a slugging percentage of .810.
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