Phillies power ranking roundup: Where do they stand in the league?

The Phillies are finding their groove in recent weeks, winning five of their last six series. How do they rank among all 30 MLB teams?

For the first time in years, the Phillies are legitimate playoff contenders. They survived a rough month and a half of games and remain eight games above .500. The team is three games back in the NL East just after the halfway point of the season.

With this in mind, here is how various media outlets ranked the team in their most recent power rankings:

• Call to the Pen: No. 12 (+2)
• CBS Sports: No. 9 (+1)
• USA Today: No. 11 (–)
• MLB.com: No. 11 (–)
• ESPN: No. 14 (-1)
• Bleacher Report: No. 13 (-3)

On average, Philadelphia ranked 12th in these rankings. This average ranking is about right considering, their overall 45-37 record ranks 10th, simple run score of 0.3 ranks 11th, and Pythagorean win-loss of 42-40 ranks 13th in the league.

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Despite a 6-4 record in their last 10 games and 5-2 in their last seven, they actually fell in both the Bleacher Report and ESPN rankings. BR’s Joel Reuter didn’t offer any explanation on the fall, but the mercurial rise of teams like the Athletics and Giants in the rankings may be the reason why.

Sarah Lang of ESPN explained the drop by looking at Philadelphia’s 13-14 record in June, comparing it to their records in April and May:

"The Phillies won at a .571 clip in March and April, which tied for 10th-best in the majors — quite an unexpected turn of events for a team most didn’t expect to compete until at least next year. They followed that up by posting a .577 winning percentage in May, which was tied for seventh-best. But then June hit, and the above-.500 records stopped. The Phillies went 13-14 in June, a .481 winning percentage. One positive from the month? Rhys Hoskins‘ return and resurgence. He hit eight home runs in 20 June games after returning from the DL, after hitting six homers in 52 games to start the season."

More from That Balls Outta Here

• Phillies-Mets owners’ rivalry grows after shocking Carlos Correa deal
• Could Rich Hill become ‘Jamie Moyer 2.0’ in Phillies rotation?
• Does Bailey Falter have a future in Phillies’ rotation?
• Prospect Andrew Baker could help Phillies bullpen in 2023
• Bryce Harper’s absence should lead to Phillies lineup tinkering

Meanwhile, Matt Snyder of CBS Sports noted Philadelphia’s five wins in their last six series and how their only loss came to the top-ranked Yankees. Snyder considered them a contender for his “NL Pleasant Surprise Award”, but that ultimately went to the East-leading Braves. That shouldn’t be shocking considering how low expectations were for the Braves this year.

How you view the Phils among the league ultimately depends on how large of a scale you look at them. If you take the season overall, they are a borderline top-ten team. Looking at how they fared altogether in June, it isn’t surprising that they fell somewhat. On the other hand, in the last three weeks, they have been much better against some of the top teams in the league.

Between now and next Monday, Philadelphia plays five games: two against the 24-59 Orioles and 40-43 Pirates. It will be hard for them to rise on wins alone as they aren’t playing top-tier teams, but if they lose more than one game, it will likely cost them.

Next: Phils host Orioles: Five players to watch

Check back here next week to see how the Phils rank among all 30 teams in baseball.