ESPN ranks Braves No.1 in Week 7 power rankings

ESPN moved the Atlanta Braves to No. 1 in its Week 7 MLB power rankings on May 14, putting them ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the latest reshuffle near the top of the list. The update came with every major league team at or beyond the 40-game mark, giving the rankings a broader sample than in the season’s opening weeks. Atlanta entered Friday with a 30-14 record, a.682 winning percentage and 237 runs scored, according to MLB’s official standings. The change at the top tracked with Atlanta’s position in the standings as well as its run production. MLB’s standings page listed the Braves first in the National League East through games of May 14, while Baseball-Reference showed a plus-91 run differential and a 31-13 Pythagorean record. ESPN’s rankings page described the Braves’ offense as red-hot in explaining the move. (mlb.com) ### How far ahead of the field are the Braves right now? Atlanta’s 30-14 record gave it a nine-game lead over both the Philadelphia Phillies and Washington Nationals in the NL East entering May 15, according to MLB’s team standings page. The Braves had gone 6-4 in their last 10 games and were 14-7 at home and 16-7 on the road. Baseball-Reference listed Atlanta with 237 runs scored and 146 runs allowed through 44 games. (mlb.com) That left the Braves with one of the strongest early run profiles in the majors and a Pythagorean mark one game better than their actual record. ### Where did the Dodgers, Cubs, Yankees and Rays stand around them? (mlb.com) Los Angeles entered May 15 at 26-18, leading the National League West by a half-game over San Diego, according to MLB’s standings. The Dodgers had scored 217 runs and allowed 151. Chicago reached May 15 at 28-16 atop the NL Central, while Tampa Bay stood at 28-14 in first place in the American League East and the New York Yankees were 27-17, two games behind the Rays. (baseball-reference.com) Those records matched the group of clubs ESPN highlighted in the Week 7 package around Atlanta’s rise. ### Why did ESPN focus on offense in Atlanta’s case? (mlb.com) ESPN’s Week 7 write-up pointed to Atlanta’s offense in elevating the Braves to the top spot. The underlying numbers supported that emphasis: MLB’s standings page showed Atlanta with 237 runs, more than the Dodgers’ 217 and the Rays’ 189 through games of May 14. (mlb.com) Baseball-Reference’s team page also showed Atlanta’s run differential at plus-91, reflecting both scoring volume and prevention. That combination has helped separate the Braves from the rest of the NL East early in the season. ### Why was Aaron Judge mentioned in a story topped by Atlanta? ESPN’s rankings package also singled out Aaron Judge among the top players featured in the Week 7 write-up, even though the Braves held the No. 1 slot. (espndeportes-akamai.espn.go.com) Judge’s Yankees entered May 15 at 27-17 and remained in the AL East race behind Tampa Bay. (baseball-reference.com) The mention underscored how ESPN’s weekly rankings package typically combines team movement with individual player notes from around the league, rather than limiting the story to the club ranked first. ### What comes next for Atlanta after the ranking? (espndeportes-akamai.espn.go.com) Friday’s schedule had Atlanta set to open a series against the Boston Red Sox at Truist Park at 7:15 p.m. ET on May 15, according to MLB’s scoreboard and the Braves’ standings page. Boston entered that game at 18-25, while Atlanta carried the majors’ best record listed on MLB.com into the matchup. Sunday’s finale against Boston is scheduled for May 17, and ESPN’s next weekly power rankings update will follow another slate of regular-season games across all 30 clubs. (espndeportes-akamai.espn.go.com) (mlb.com)