Dodgers News: LA Continues to Slide in Post-Deadline Power Rankings
In the latest edition of MLB.com's official weekly power rankings, the Los Angeles Dodgers slid down to No. 6 after a lackluster deadline day for Andrew Friedman and company.
The two teams that overtook the Dodgers from their previous place at No. 4 last week are two Texan AL West teams, the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers, respectively.
Both franchises in the Lone Star State acquired star aces to bolster their own playoff rotations from the New York Mets.
Houston traded for last year's AL Cy Young recipient in Justin Verlander in their quest to defend their World Series title with the power rankings indicating just as much.
Verlander sure is going to look nice back in that Astros uniform, isn’t he? The Astros certainly are delighted to have Verlander back atop their rotation, and it’ll be a blast watching him and his new/old team battling his former rotation mate Scherzer and the Rangers down the stretch.
Meanwhile, the Rangers pounced on former Dodger Max Scherzer and more rotation help in Jordan Montgomery in their quest to make it back to the postseason for the first time since 2016
The Rangers are barely holding onto the American League West lead, and they suddenly have to deal with Justin Verlander in their division again, but clearly the voters liked the Rangers’ aggressiveness at the Deadline. For all the (understandable) discussion of Max Scherzer, it’s worth pointing out that the pitcher on the move with the highest WAR this season is the other rotation piece Texas added: Jordan Montgomery.
Ranking these two ahead of the Dodgers makes sense after a comparatively quiet deadline for the Boys in Blue, but LA will have to prove to writers and fans alike that the plan for more buy low moves will prove more successful come October.
