The New York Mets are looking really smart right now.
In the trade-deadline frenzy that saw the Queens team acquire former Toronto Blue Jays starter Marcus Stroman, it was difficult trying to grasp what drove New York — under .500 for a large portion of the season — to give up their No. 4 and No. 6 prospects for Stroman, retain another upside starter in Zack Wheeler and try to overcome a four-game deficit in the chase for a post-season spot.
In MLB’s all-or-nothing era, where teams seem to steer clear of risky mid-season moves, it’s fitting that the team’s stance was met with skepticism.
Now that the dust has settled, however, the Mets’ vision is starting to become a little clearer, and there are several interesting storylines to watch for in this regular-season stretch.
Led by superstar rookie Pete Alonso, who’s currently chasing Aaron Judge’s rookie home-run record, New York is riding a six-game win streak — including 13 wins in their past 14 games — for a 59-56 mark, just 0.5 games behind in the wild-card race.
The Mets’ pitching staff has the best ERA in baseball in that stretch (2.55) and Stroman, although a little shaky with seven hits and three runs allowed, helped New York to a win in his first start with his new team. New York hitters have slugged .483 over these 14 games, and Alonso now has 37 homers. That leaves him 47 games to surpass Judge’s 52 home runs as a rookie, and bring the record from the Bronx to Queens.
Entering a crucial three-game home series against the Washington Nationals, the Mets still have a long way to go until October. But, at least for now, it seems like they are clear winners following the trade deadline, both in the diamond and these Power Rankings.
At the top of the ranks, the Houston Astros are winners by inertness, as they managed to retain the No. 1 spot with a six-game win streak this past week, highlighted by a combined no-hitter that saw former Blue Jay Aaron Sanchez earn his first win in his new uniform.
The Minnesota Twins, on the other hand, might be entering a rough stretch. Currently on a three-game losing streak, the team saw its top slugger, Nelson Cruz, leave Thursday’s game with a left-wrist sprain. Cruz, who has 32 home runs in 2019, is currently listed as day-to-day.
Also on the losing side in the Power Rankings, the Los Angeles Angels have now been bested seven times in a row and have only won two of their past 10 contests.
After leaping up last week, the St. Louis Cardinals have backtracked once again. They’re currently in a five-game slump that has seen them fall half a game out of a post-season spot.
Here are this week’s MLB Power Rankings.
1 (1) 
Houston Astros
2 (2) 
Los Angeles Dodgers
3 (3) 
New York Yankees
4 (5) 
Tampa Bay Rays
5 (4) 
Minnesota Twins
6 (6) 
Cleveland Indians
7 (7) 
Atlanta Braves
8 (8) 
Chicago Cubs
9 (9) 
Oakland Athletics
10 (10) 
Boston Red Sox
11 (11) 
Washington Nationals
12 (13) 
Milwaukee Brewers
13 (14) 
Philadelphia Phillies
14 (15) 
Arizona Diamondbacks
15 (17) 
New York Mets
16 (12) 
St. Louis Cardinals
17 (16) 
San Francisco Giants
18 (19) 
Texas Rangers
19 (18) 
Los Angeles Angels
20 (20) 
Cincinnati Reds
21 (21) 
San Diego Padres
22 (22) 
Colorado Rockies
23 (24) 
Toronto Blue Jays
24 (23) 
Pittsburgh Pirates
25 (26) 
Chicago White Sox
26 (25) 
Seattle Mariners
27 (27) 
Miami Marlins
28 (28) 
Kansas City Royals
29 (30) 
Detroit Tigers
30 (29) 
Baltimore Orioles
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