Angels Slip in Latest MLB Power Rankings Despite Positive Weekend

Something weird is going on here...

Lost in all the Shohei Ohtani buzz is the fact that the Angels have started winning games again. It has helped them stay alive in the American League wild-card race, at least for now, and has them playing well heading into their road trip.

But even though the Angels have won five of six games, they dropped in the latest MLB.com rankings. They went from 14 down to 17 in this current version. 

Maybe they believe the Angels winning was more an example of the poor teams that they played, rather than the Angels themselves. They swept the reeling New York Yankees and took two of three from the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates.

That has to be the explanation because the Angels are playing decent baseball right now and don’t deserve to be falling in the rankings. Of course, power rankings don’t mean much in the grand scheme of things. They are just a fun way for us as analysts and fans to put teams up against one another.

If these rankings have any meaning, it shows that not many have faith in the Angels. They aren't expecting these winning ways to continue, or it could be pushing a narrative. 

This next week for the Angels is going to ultimately determine how their season goes. Okay, maybe it won’t be that dramatic, but it will decide what direction the team takes with the trade deadline coming up next week.

Either way, the Angels continue to defy expectations as we get closer to the trade deadline. They head to Detroit for a few games, then to Toronto and finally to Atlanta as the trade deadline concludes. It's put up or shut up time for the Angels, and everything is on the line.