Experts laud Yankees as top team in latest MLB power rankings

Experts laud Yankees as top team in latest MLB power rankings

The New York Yankees have enjoyed a stellar start to the 2024 MLB season and find themselves receiving heaps of praise from the experts in the latest power rankings.

They’ve lost two games in a row for the first time this season, dropping the series finale against the Cleveland Guardians and the series opener against the Toronto Blue Jays. However, they’re still arguably the most dominant team in MLB to open the season.

For more Yankees coverage, check out Kevin Hickey’s work on Sporting News.

Through their first five series, the Yankees have been victorious in all of them. They’re doing so without the help of ace Gerrit Cole, who remains on the injured list as he works his way back from elbow inflammation.

MORE: Yankees legend John Sterling announces retirement

In the latest roundup of MLB power rankings, the Yankees continue to sit at the top.

Yankees are top team in latest MLB power rankings

The Athletic | Ranking: No. 1 | +2

What they said: “Anthony Volpe had an ominous .666 OPS last season, and ZiPS gave him a reasonable-if-boring .730 OPS projection this year. But sometimes players — especially the ones who were top-10 prospects — just start mashing the figured-it-out button with both palms. There’s a chance that Volpe is this year’s guy, as he has more walks than strikeouts as of this writing, and he’s spraying the ball all over the ballpark. The best part might be his comically low whiff percentage, which is among the best in the league.”

Bleacher Report | No. 1 

What they said: “After a 6-0 start, the Yankees finally lost a one-run game on Sunday. That was inevitable, but let’s be real that any win this team gets while it awaits Gerrit Cole’s return ought to count double. What they need is for Aaron Judge to really get locked in, for which yesterday’s 450-foot tank in Cleveland certainly qualifies as a good sign.”

USA TODAY | No. 1 | +3

What they said: “Clay Holmes (0.00 ERA in eight innings) leads the majors with six saves.”

MLB.com | No. 2 | +1

What they said: “Well, for all the things the Yankees are doing right this year, perhaps the most important one is winning those close ones: Of their 12 wins this year, six have been by one run: They’re 6-1 on the year in such contests, with their only loss coming Sunday. The bullpen has a lot to do with that: Clay Holmes has been fantastic (he hasn’t given up a run yet), but he has been flanked by an equally terrific Nick Burdi, Jonathan Loáisiga, Caleb Ferguson, Ian Hamilton and Victor González. New York’s stars are playing like stars, but the team is, at last, doing the little things right.”

CBS Sports | No. 1 | +1

What they said: “My guess: Things will continue on this path with Juan Soto and it’ll make the Yankees front office desperate to retain him in free agency. Will ownership cooperate? Is this a question that should even be asked with the Yankees?”