Yu Darvish

Welcome to the fourth edition of theScore's MLB Power Rankings for the 2024 regular season. The last edition was published April 29. 1. Los Angeles Dodgers Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 27-15 8-2 +74 2 (+1) This Dodgers offense is simply on another level. Their 220 runs scored are seven ahead of the second-place Phillies, and all six of their qualified position players have an OPS above .800 (seven if you count rookie Andy Pages). The pitching's also been great despite another rash of injuries to their staff. To put it simply, the Dodgers are exactly who we thought they were.2. Philadelphia Phillies Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 28-13 8-2 +62 5 (+3) The Phillies picked up right where they left off after winning 19 games in April, going 8-2 to begin this month. Bryce Harper's been a beast, slugging .647 with three homers, 11 RBIs, and nine runs scored in May, while Bryson Stott (1.158 OPS in his past eight games) has turned things around after a tough start. The rotation's been ridiculous, with Ranger Su rez (1.50 ERA) and Zack Wheeler (2.53 ERA) looking like early Cy Young front-runners.3. Baltimore Orioles Scott Taetsch / Getty Images Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 26-13 7-3 +49 4 (+1) The Orioles boast one of baseball's most well-rounded offenses. Gunnar Henderson is tied for second in MLB with 12 home runs, Adley Rutschman has a 131 OPS+, and both Jordan Westburg and Colton Cowser look like major pieces to the puzzle moving forward. This team's only question mark is closer Craig Kimbrel - he's had several rough outings in May (6.75 ERA in four innings).4. New York Yankees Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 27-15 7-3 +54 3 (-1) It's a dogfight between the Yankees and Orioles atop the AL East, and two of New York's biggest pups are turning it on. Aaron Judge and Anthony Rizzo rank first and second in team OPS to begin the month after combining for five homers, 14 RBIs, and 18 hits through 10 games. When factoring in Juan Soto in the heart of the order, it's no wonder the Bronx Bombers are the second-highest scoring team in the AL.5. Atlanta Braves Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 24-13 5-5 +45 1 (-4) With the exception of Marcell Ozuna, the Braves' vaunted offense isn't quite out of its early-season sputter. But you'd be foolish to count them out. Brilliant pitching, led by Max Fried's return to form, has kept things steady, and the staff nearly threw a combined no-hitter against the Mets. This team will be fine.6. Milwaukee Brewers Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 24-16 5-5 +35 6 (-) Milwaukee's bats, which have long been their undoing, are finally clicking. The Brewers have scored 203 runs and own the third-most fWAR (8.7) in baseball, behind only the Dodgers. As a result, they head into a crucial week sitting a half-game ahead of the Cubs in the NL Central, a place few expected this Brewers team would be in mid-May.7. Minnesota Twins Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 24-16 7-3 +27 17 (+10) While the Twins' summer sausage is making the headlines, the real story of this team is catcher Ryan Jeffers. He's slugged nine homers, driven in 30 runs, and posted a .292/.371/.617 slash line. His efforts, combined with the return of Carlos Correa and Max Kepler, have turned the Twins' lineup into a buzzsaw for opposing pitchers.8. Kansas City Royals Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 25-17 6-4 +49 8 (-) Seth Lugo might be the best signing of the offseason. The 34-year-old, who inked a two-year, $30-million deal in December, owns an AL-best 1.66 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 48 strikeouts in 59 2/3 innings. Meanwhile, Vinnie Pasquantino is starting to help out Bobby Witt Jr. on the offensive side, with seven extra-base hits and a .992 OPS this month.9. Texas Rangers Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 22-20 5-5 +20 9 (-) The Rangers are 6-6 in May with a rotation ravaged by injuries. Dane Dunning, Nathan Eovaldi, and Cody Bradford hit the injured list, while Max Scherzer is now dealing with a nerve issue amid his recovery from offseason back surgery. Marcus Semien's kept the team afloat with his bat, recording a hit in 10 of 12 games this month. Texas just needs to get healthy.10. Cleveland Guardians Steph Chambers / Getty Images Sport / Getty Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 25-16 5-5 +42 7 (-3) The Guardians' lineup took a big hit with Steven Kwan out four weeks due to a hamstring strain. The 26-year-old was slashing .353/.407/.496 with a team-leading 1.9 fWAR before the injury. Luckily, Triston McKenzie is pitching much better after a slow start. The right-hander owns a 2.28 ERA and 30 strikeouts over his last five starts (27 2/3 innings). 11. Chicago Cubs Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 24-17 5-5 +18 10 (-1) The Cubs persevered through injuries to Cody Bellinger and Seiya Suzuki on the strength of their pitching. It hasn't just been Shota Imanaga, either. Javier Assad (1.70 ERA) and Jameson Taillon (1.13 ERA) have also been great, giving the team a formidable trio atop its rotation. Christopher Morel's really turned it on in May, hitting .235/.342/.588 with four homers in 10 games after slashing .215/.292/.374 with four home runs in 29 games in March/April.12. Seattle Mariners Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 22-19 5-5 +6 13 (+1) The Mariners are atop the AL West by a half-game almost entirely thanks to their brilliant starting pitchers. Despite scoring 17 runs against Oakland over the weekend, their offense continues to sputter, with star Julio Rodr guez (.633 OPS) leading the way in that regard. The Mariners are facing the Royals, Orioles, and Yankees over the next 11 days and need Rodr guez to start hitting if they're to survive this stretch with that division lead intact.13. San Diego Padres Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 22-21 7-3 +16 18 (+5) The addition of Luis Arraez seems to have lit a spark under the Padres. San Diego's won five of eight since his arrival, including a series win over the rival Dodgers on the weekend. Great pitching has also helped, of course, with Dylan Cease (7 IP, 0 ER, 12 K) and Yu Darvish (7 IP, 0 ER, 7 K) both turning in recent gems. 14. Boston Red Sox Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 21-19 4-6 +33 12 (-2) The impact of numerous injuries to position players is starting to be felt, as the offense has really struggled in recent weeks. The Red Sox scored two or fewer runs in six of their last nine games and have hit an MLB-worst three home runs over the last two weeks (12 games). Tyler O'Neill's really struggled in May, hitting .143/.250/.286 with 18 strikeouts and no home runs in 10 games.15. Arizona Diamondbacks Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images Sport / Getty Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 19-22 5-5 +17 14 (-1) We're all just waiting for Corbin Carroll to snap out of this funk. He's hitting .201/.287/.266 with two home runs on the season, a far cry from the all-around excellent numbers he put up during his 2023 NL Rookie of the Year campaign. The Diamondbacks need their young star to rediscover his form (and fast) if they want to avoid falling into an even deeper hole in the NL West.16. New York Mets Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 19-20 4-6 +1 15 (-1) It's been a rough start to May for Mets pitching. Jose Quintana owns a 14.09 ERA, Adrian Houser was moved to the bullpen, and the rotation as a whole combined for a 5.68 ERA, which ranks 28th in the majors. Brandon Nimmo's kept the team afloat on offense, but he was injured over the weekend, putting additional pressure on Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso, and J.D. Martinez to produce.17. Tampa Bay Rays Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 20-21 6-4 -32 22 (+5) The Rays are hovering around .500 and have a winning record this month despite a revolving door of injured players. Tampa Bay would be absolutely lost without Isaac Paredes, who continues to look like an All-Star, while Randy Arozarena (.618 SLG in May) and Yandy Diaz (.333 AVG in his last 10 games) are turning corners.18. Detroit Tigers Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 20-20 3-7 +3 16 (-2) Kerry Carpenter's found his stroke, slugging .696 with five extra-base hits in his last eight games. The Tigers are going to need him and Riley Greene to pick up the slack with Spencer Torkelson, Mark Canha, and Javier B ez struggling at the dish. Baez has three hits in 30 at-bats this month and hasn't homered since April 18.19. Toronto Blue Jays Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 18-22 3-7 -47 19 (-) Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is showing signs of his previous All-Star self. The first baseman is hammering the ball and enjoyed a 10-for-20 stretch over his last five games. The only problem is that none of those hits were for extra bases. As the Blue Jays continue to tinker with a lineup that's scored the third-fewest runs in the majors, the pitching staff is springing leaks and has posted a 5.65 ERA in May, which is only better than the Marlins.20. Cincinnati Reds Dylan Buell / Getty Images Sport / Getty Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 17-23 1-9 -5 11 (-9) The Reds saw the biggest drop in the rankings following an eight-game losing streak. Cincinnati's bats went ice cold, scoring a combined 17 runs with a .279 slugging percentage. But Elly De La Cruz continues to put up video-game numbers. He's collected seven more steals in May to give him a whopping 25 through 39 games.21. Pittsburgh Pirates Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 18-23 4-6 -27 21 (-) Paul Skenes has arrived. Baseball's top-ranked pitching prospect showed signs of what makes him so special with seven strikeouts in his debut Saturday against the Chicago Cubs, impressing with a fastball that routinely exceeded 100 mph. He and fellow rookie flamethrower Jared Jones should form one of baseball's most exciting pitching duos for this fun-but-flawed Pirates team.22. Washington Nationals Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 19-20 5-5 -7 25 (+3) The Nationals have given good teams trouble in May and had a hard-fought series split against the Baltimore Orioles. A driving force behind their recent success has been Luis Garc a Jr., who's emerged as another dynamic threat alongside CJ Abrams. He's slashing .303/.378/.576 with two home runs and a team-leading nine RBIs in May.23. San Francisco Giants Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 19-23 4-6 -39 20 (-3) Logan Webb summed up the Giants' play in May as "dogshit" after the club went 3-7 to begin the month. The slumping Reds also ended their prolonged losing skid with a win against San Francisco. The club's lineup was supposed to take a step forward with the high-profile additions of Jung Hoo Lee, Matt Chapman, and Jorge Soler. However, the trio's combined for 0.3 fWAR, and Lee is now out with a dislocated shoulder.24. Oakland Athletics Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 19-23 4-6 -32 26 (+2) No, there's not going to be a Major League-esque run in Oakland, so let's just applaud what the A's have done so far. A team written off for dead and playing out the string before relocating to a temporary home is only 3.5 games out of first place and has the best closer in baseball. Shea Langeliers, whose A's career got off to a slow start, owns a 1.289 OPS in May, good for the third-highest mark in MLB.25. Houston Astros Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 15-25 5-5 -28 24 (-1) Astros GM Dana Brown thinks his team is too good to sell off pieces at the trade deadline, but the dominating squad of years past continues not to show up. Houston owns the third-worst winning percentage in the AL and a minus-28 run differential, mostly due to a starting staff that has been brutal (5.25 ERA, 4.65 FIP). Houston's had the toughest schedule in the majors so far, going 10-22 against teams .500 or better.26. Los Angeles Angels Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times / Getty Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 15-26 4-6 -37 27 (+1) Mike Trout was once again the Angels' only positive until his knee injury derailed what was looking like his best season in several years. After losing a weekend series to Kansas City, the Halos dropped to 4-7 in May and own the AL's third-worst run differential. Youngsters Zach Neto (.652 OPS), Nolan Schanuel (.638), Mickey Moniak (.659), Logan O'Hoppe (.690), and Jo Adell (.643) should all receive plenty of opportunity. Unfortunately they've all struggled this month.27. St. Louis Cardinals Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 16-24 2-8 -51 23 (-4) Things are not going well in Cardinals land. St. Louis dropped seven of its last eight games, star catcher Willson Contreras is expected to be out for 10 weeks with a fractured forearm, and manager Oliver Marmol appears to be on the hot seat. The club's offense was supposed to be strong but has the third-worst batting average (.220) in baseball to go along with the fourth-worst on-base percentage (.298). Paul Goldschmidt is 3-for-37 (.081) with 16 strikeouts this month, but he did homer for the first time in 16 games Sunday.28. Chicago White Sox Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 12-29 6-4 -90 30 (+2) The White Sox escaped the basement in the rankings after winning four of their last five with a pitching staff that allowed 14 runs during the stretch. Garrett Crochet is tops in the majors with a 12.34 K/9 among qualified starters after striking out a career-high 11 in his last start against the Guardians.29. Colorado Rockies Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 12-28 5-5 -67 29 (-) The Rockies' season-high four-game win streak, which included a sweep of the World Series champion Rangers, is a bright spot amid another tough campaign. Brenton Doyle had six hits, four runs, four RBIs, and one homer during the stretch while enjoying a solid start to his sophomore year. Overall, the 25-year-old outfielder is slashing .289/.340/.465 with four homers and seven stolen bases.30. Miami Marlins Record Last 10 RD Previous Rank 11-31 3-7 -89 28 (-2) Peter Bendix isn t winning over anyone in Miami. Disgruntled Marlins fans protested the team outside loanDepot Park after the first-year executive traded two-time batting champion Luis Arraez to the Padres. He then made some shocking comments following the trade, saying after just 34 games that his team was unlikely to make the playoffs.Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Padres activated Darvish (neck) from the 15-day injured list ahead of his start Tuesday against the Reds.

Darvish (neck) will be activated from the 15-day injured list to start Tuesday's game against the Reds, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Darvish (neck) threw a bullpen session Wednesday, MLB.com reports.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.We swept our best bets Wednesday before skipping Thursday's quiet night slate.Let's try to pick up where we left off and end the week on a high with three more plays for a busy Friday.Chris Bassitt: Under 17.5 outsBassitt has exceeded this number in only two of five starts so far. He'll likely be in tough once again versus a Dodgers team that's very difficult to get out.Los Angeles has faced 17 right-handed starters so far, and only one of them completed six innings. One!Every other righty - including notables like Logan Webb, Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove, and Bailey Ober - has failed to finish six innings.The Dodgers lead the majors in xwOBA versus right-handed pitching. They're also near the top of the league in batting average, OBP, home runs, barrel rate, and walk rate. They boast a complete offense that can beat teams by hitting for average, power, or simply with plate discipline.Led by Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman, they also feature a healthy dose of dangerous left-handed hitters. That could be problematic for Bassitt. He's thrown more called balls than strikes against lefties and given up a ton of quality contact. His .510 xwOBA versus left-handed batters is by far the worst among all of Friday's projected starters.Bassitt is known for fighting through even when he doesn't have his best stuff, but this Dodgers lineup is essentially bulletproof.Given the Blue Jays saw their last game called after five innings due to inclement weather, their bullpen wasn't used, so there should be a full stable of arms available. They'll need 'em.Odds: -130 (playable to -150)Bailey Ober: Over 15.5 outsThe Royals teed off on Ober in his season debut, scoring eight runs inside of two innings. Ober has since responded with three excellent showings. The Twins hurler allowed only one run over five innings against the Dodgers and followed that up with two excellent outings versus the Tigers. He allowed only five hits and one run over those two games while posting sparkling underlying metrics.He's in fine form heading into a solid matchup against the Angels. They rank 21st in OBP and are gettable for opposing pitchers. The Angels have struck out at one of the league's highest rates over the past two weeks while walking very infrequently.Los Angeles will have to string together hits to chase Ober from this game before he goes over. That's easier said than done considering he has allowed three hits or fewer in three straight outings.Don't be surprised if Ober goes over this total and completes six innings once again.Odds: -110 (playable to -135)Kyle Harrison: Over 15.5 outsHarrison is not off to a great start this season. He's allowed multiple runs in every game and at least three in all but one start. Even so, the Giants southpaw has still done a fairly good job at chewing innings.Harrison has recorded 16 outs or more in three of five starts. The failures came against the powerhouse Dodgers and a Diamondbacks squad that's hitting a league-best .318 versus left-handed pitching. Those are miserable matchups even for the best starters.The Pirates offer a good opportunity to get back on track following a tough outing versus Arizona. They've hit just .203 against lefties in April and are keeping company with the Rockies, Athletics, and White Sox in terms of xwOBA.Harrison should be able to grind his way through five innings and change.Odds: -115 (playable to -140)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.