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MLB power rankings: Dodgers overtake Yankees for No. 1 spot as calendar turns to August

Jesse Yomtov
USA TODAY

With Major League Baseball's 2022 trade deadline on Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET, teams are jockeying to make deals for the stretch run.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have gone 7-3 since the All-Star break to move ahead of the New York Yankees for the top ranking in USA TODAY Sports' MLB power rankings.

The Yankees, 5-5 since the break, lost both games against the Mets early in the week but bounced back to take three of four from the Kansas City Royals. Leading the American League East by 11 ½ games, the Yankees have a tough week ahead with series against the Seattle Mariners and St. Louis Cardinals.

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Here's how USA TODAY Sports' eight-person panel voted this week:

Max Muncy, Gavin Lux, Cody Bellinger and Mookie Betts in the Dodgers' dugout.

Rank (movement from last week)

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (+1) 

  • Landed veteran reliever Chris Martin in exchange for Zach McKinstry.

2. New York Yankees (-1)

  • Aaron Judge (42 HR through Saturday) could break Roger Maris' AL record of 61.

3. Houston Astros (–) 

  • Yordan Alvarez had a 1.146 OPS in July ... down nearly 200 points from torrid June.

4. New York Mets (–)

5. Atlanta Braves (–)

  • Five-game series in New York starting Thursday will be pivotal in NL East.

6. Toronto Blue Jays (+1)

  • Matt Chapman in July: .325 average, 9 HR, 22 RBI, 1.095 OPS.

7. San Diego Padres (-1)

8. Milwaukee Brewers (–)

  • Devin Williams put together 30 consecutive scoreless appearance through Saturday.

9. Seattle Mariners (+2)

  • Luis Castillo joins Logan Gilbert, Robbie Ray and George Kirby in one of MLB's top rotations.

10. Philadelphia Phillies (+4)

  • Five-game winning streak has Phillies in possession of NL's final wild-card spot.

11. Tampa Bay Rays (-2)

  • Holding the AL's third wild-card spot with a 1.5-game lead over Cleveland.

12. Minnesota Twins (-2)

  • Max Kepler and Miguel Sano both head to the injured list.

13. St. Louis Cardinals (-1)

Hosting the Cubs for three before a weekend set against the Yankees at Busch Stadium.

14. Cleveland Guardians (-1)

  • Guardians enter Monday one game behind the Twins in the AL Central.

15. Baltimore Orioles (+2)

  • Orioles are very much in the playoff race, so they'll probably trade Trey Mancini.

16. Chicago White Sox (+2)

First baseman Jose Abreu hit .350 (36-for-103) in July.

17. San Francisco Giants (-2)

  • Will be without Thairo Estrada, who was placed on 7-day concussion IL.

18. Boston Red Sox (-2)

  • During 8-19 July, Boston hitters racked up an MLB-worst 265 strikeouts.

19. Miami Marlins (–)

  • Reliever Anthony Bass had a 0.66 ERA in 13 July appearances.

20. Texas Rangers (–)

  • Leody Taveras hit .371 (29-for-85) in July with five steals and 16 RBI.

21. Arizona Diamondbacks (+1)

  • After nine seasons and 961 games with Arizona, David Peralta traded to Tampa Bay.

22. Colorado Rockies (-1)

  • Reliever Daniel Bard signs two-year, $19 million deal to stay through 2024.

23. Los Angeles Angels (+1)

24. Detroit Tigers (+2)

  • This team, currently 42-61, was a hipster pick to compete in 2022.

25. Chicago Cubs (–)

  • Prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong (Javier Baez trade) is hitting .307 with 41 RBI and 20 SB in 68 games.

26. Cincinnati Reds (+1)

  • Jonathan India looks back to full strength, hitting five home runs with an .892 OPS across 25 games in July.

27. Pittsburgh Pirates (-4)

  • Top pitching prospect Quinn Priester has a 1.87 ERA in seven Class AA starts.

28. Kansas City Royals (–)

  • Bobby Witt Jr. (14 HR, 20 SB) could have KC's first 20-20 year since Jeff Francoeur in 2011.

29. Oakland Athletics (–)

  • Chad Pinder had a nice July with 17 RBI and an .869 OPS in 17 games

30. Washington Nationals (–)

  • Juan Soto, Josh Bell and Nelson Cruz await their trade deadline fate.
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