The first month of the MLB season is nearly over, and for the fourth straight week we have a new No. 1 team in our MLB power rankings.
When putting together these rankings on a weekly basis, the following factors are considered:
- Previous week's record
- Quality of opponents
- Key injuries/trades
- Recent performance beyond the last week
That said, here in the early going, there is an extra factor that comes into play: expectations entering the season. If we were to simply base these rankings entirely on each team's performance so far this year, there would essentially be no difference between them and the current standings.
As teams start to get more games under their belts, preseason expectations will factor less and less into these rankings. For the time being, though, they do still play at least a minor role.
All that said, here is an updated look at where all 30 MLB teams currently stand. Be sure to check back here every Monday morning for the most recent edition of our MLB power rankings.