It’s a very small sample size, but perhaps it’s not too early in the 2021 Major League Baseball season to start reading into everything.
While the Dodgers and Padres burst out of the gates as expected, other presumed contenders such as the Yankees, Rays and Mets have stumbled. Meanwhile, the Angels and Reds have vastly outperformed preseason predictions and the Astros are cementing themselves as a team to fear in the American League.
The first in-season power rankings of the year always provides some oddities, so take a look at how USA TODAY Sports’ seven-person panel voted:
Rank (movement from preseason rankings):
1. Los Angeles Dodgers (–)
2. San Diego Padres (–)
3. Houston Astros (+6)
4. Atlanta Braves (–)
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Mike Soroka, rehabbing from Achilles injury, now dealing with a shoulder issue.
5. Minnesota Twins (–)
6. New York Yankees (-3)
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Corey Kluber trying to shake off the rust: 6.1 IP with five BB, 10 H, four ER in first two starts.
7. Tampa Bay Rays (-1)
8. Cincinnati Reds (+10)
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Jonathan India, who had never played above AA, turning heads: .379 BA, 11 RBI in eight games.
9. Chicago White Sox (-2)
10. Los Angeles Angels (+9)
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All Jared Walsh does is hit: .385 BA, 3 HR, 9 RBI in 8 games
11. St. Louis Cardinals (-3)
12. New York Mets (-2)
13. Cleveland (+4)
14. Milwaukee Brewers (–)
15. Philadelphia Phillies (+1)
16. Boston Red Sox (+6)
17. Toronto Blue Jays (-6)
18. Washington Nationals (-5)
19. Oakland Athletics (-7)
20. Chicago Cubs (-5)
21. San Francisco Giants (–)
22. Miami Marlins (-2)
23. Kansas City Royals (+1)
24. Arizona Diamondbacks (-1)
25. Seattle Mariners (–)
26. Baltimore Orioles (+3)
27. Colorado Rockies (-1)
28. Detroit Tigers (-1)
29. Texas Rangers (-1)
30. Pittsburgh Pirates (-)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB power rankings: 2021 season starts with a bang