With the 2016 MLB regular season officially wrapped up and the 10-team playoff field now set, this week’s power rankings are going to be a little bit different than what you may be used to.
Looking at last week’s performance is not necessarily the best indicator of which direction each of these teams is headed, as some of them clinched prior to last week and were resting guys and setting up their playoff rotation, while others were battling just to make it in.
As a result, the criteria for this week’s rankings has changed and is more projection- and outlook-based than recent-performance-based.
The following factors were taken into account this time around:
- Postseason Outlook: How a team is lining up for playoff success was the No. 1 factor in these rankings, so things like projected postseason rotation and overall team health played a much bigger role than normal.
- Wild Card Round Disadvantage: Having to play in a one-game, do-or-die situation is a clear disadvantage to the four teams that will be playing in the Wild Card Round. As a result, you’ll see they occupy the No. 7-10 spots in the rankings. That doesn’t mean those are the four worst teams of the 10 playoff participants, but the odds are stacked against them from the get-go.
- Final Month Performance: While last week’s record may not be a good indicator, how a team has played in the past month (or in its last 30 games, in this case) can give a good idea of what direction it is trending.
Along with a postseason outlook for each team, a full breakdown of team leaders in notable stat categories was included for a quick overview of the top performers of 2016.
So here is a pre-postseason look at where this year’s 10 playoff-bound teams stand as we get set for what should be another exciting October.
Note: Season leaders reflect players who had at least 400 plate appearances for BA and OPS or 100 innings pitched in the case of ERA and WHIP.