MLB Power Rankings: Who can win muddled AL wild card race?

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Entering Monday, eight teams were within six games of the American League's final wild card spot. Texas currently is in position to face the AL East runner-up -- be it Toronto or New York -- though with so many teams bunched together, all it could take is one late-season hot streak for a muddled wild card race to be cleared up.

With that comes another week of MLB Power Rankings from CSNChicago.com's Tony Andracki and JJ Stankevitz. Stay with us every Monday from here through October for a fresh set of rankings.

Stay tuned for updated rankings every Monday throughout the 2015 campaign. Here's where we're at so far: Preseason rankings | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 | Week 14 | Week 15 | Week 16 | Week 17 | Week 18

Rank Team
Last Week Comment
1 1

They could insert a pair of senior citizens in as injury replacements and still somehow play .600+ baseball. Unreal.

2   2

Greg Holland looks mortal (3.55 ERA, 5.45 BB/9), so what would it take for Wade Davis to be their playoff closer?

3 3

In such a tough position where even a mediocre week at any time could have them looking up at Cubs in wild card race instead of gunning for the division.

4   4

You could make the case that they're the most exciting team in baseball, but will they be able to rise above their latest injuries?

5 7

Josh Donaldson: 34 HR, 100 RBI, 7.2 WAR. He's the AL MVP if the season ended today.

6 10

An impressive sweep of the Dodgers over the weekend was bookended by Mike Fiers' no-hitter and Jason Castro's walk-off home run.

7 6

The geriatric trio of Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez and Carlos Beltran has combined for 70 home runs.

8 9

David Wright returning should be a boost, even if he doesn't play. His presence and clubhouse influence has to give them a shot in the arm.

9 5

Clinging to a 1.5 game lead on the Giants in the NL West.

10 8

Suddenly six games back in the wild card and it looks like their best bet into the playoffs is through the division.

11 12

Enter the week leading the race for the AL's No. 2 wild card spot, but do they have the pitching to hang on to it?

12 17

Could've been left for dead in the wild card race before putting together an impressive four-game sweep of Baltimore at Camden Yards.

13 15

Don't look now, but the Diamondbacks are coming up on the Giants and Nationals in the NL wild card race.

14 11

The only team in the race for the AL's second wild card spot with a positive run differential, but that didn't stop them from blowing that disastrous four-game series against the Twins.

15 15

At least Anthony Rendon is starting to hit, but is it too late?

16 13

They don't have a single pitcher with two or more fWAR. That's not good.

17 14

They come across as a pretty mediocre side, but could have good enough pitching to make things interesting in September.

18 20

The offense turned on the jets and coasted to a five-game winning streak before running into the Cardinals' brick wall Sunday.

19 21

Their defense has improved, but it looks like too little, too late.

20 19

Six games under .500, five and a half games out of a playoff spot. Yep, that's the AL wild card race.

21 18

Miguel Cabrera has been incredible, albeit in only 88 games: .367/.472/.601.

22 22 Nelson Cruz is on pace to set a career high in home runs (has 37, career best is 40) and it's done nothing to help Seattle carve out a spot in the playoff race.
23 24

There are a lot of aging, expensive players here, but they've seen encouraging seasons from Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts and Brock Holt, at least.

24 27

"It's not that hard, tell him Wash."

25 26

Khris Davis is mashing the ball again, but it's just too little, way too late.

26 25

Considering they're in the midst of a nine-game losing streak, you could make the case they should be No. 30 on this list, but then again, so could any of these bottom five teams (all NL).

27 23

As if they already didn't know they were out of it, seven-game losing streak kicks them while they're down.

28 29

Fast becoming one of the most disappointing seasons in Marlins history.

29 28

They now have the worst record in baseball by percentage.

30 30

It's going to take some time to get used to seeing the Phillies without Chase Utley.

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