As it happens in most leagues, MLB teams are divided into tiers, which is an intangible exercise fans and analysts perform to identify the difference or talent drop-offs between groups of clubs.
The true World Series contenders, in MLB, are the New York Yankees, the Atlanta Braves, the New York Mets, the Houston Astros, and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Of course, other teams such as the St. Louis Cardinals, the San Diego Padres, the Tampa Bay Rays, the Toronto Blue Jays, or even the Seattle Mariners are good enough to go all the way too, but that scenario is not as likely.
There is a strong argument to be made, however, that the Dodgers are a tier of their own.
They are head and shoulders above everybody else in the league, and they just welcomed back a potential ace in Dustin May.
The Dodgers Are In A Tier Of Their Own
The Dodgers, unsurprisingly, continue to pace MLB’s weekly power rankings.
Consistency in the top 3 of this week's power rankings. 😤
(MLB x @SorareMLB) pic.twitter.com/hmHeSaglnp
— MLB (@MLB) August 22, 2022
They are followed by the Astros, Mets, Braves, and Yankees, in that order.
The Cards appear in sixth place, and the Blue Jays, Mariners, Cleveland Guardians, and the Philadelphia Phillies complete the top ten.
With a 84-36 record, however, there is little doubt that the Dodgers are the best team in baseball.
They have won seven of their last ten games, including three in a row, and the closest team, the Mets, are 6.5 games back in the standings.
Their run differential of +264 is miles better than the second-placed Yankees, at +184.
When they have their entire roster healthy, there is no doubt that the Dodgers are favored to win any playoff series, no matter the opponent.
They are incredibly solid all around.
NEXT: 2 Dodgers Stars Remain In An Exciting MLB Battle