The Dodgers remain at the top of @RowanKavner’s MLB Power Rankings this week Check out all 30 team’s rankings featuring each team’s unsung hero on the FOX Sports app.
Dodgers Hold Firm at No. 1 in Power Rankings as MLB’s Unsung Heroes Step Into Spotlight
For the sixth consecutive week, the Los Angeles Dodgers sit atop @RowanKavner’s MLB Power Rankings, solidifying their status as the league’s most balanced, deepest, and most dangerous team. While superstar names like Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman continue to headline box scores and headlines alike, it’s been the Dodgers’ lesser-known contributors who’ve helped elevate them to a league-best record and a +140 run differential.
Kavner’s latest rankings, published on the FOX Sports app, go beyond the surface this week—highlighting the unsung heroes of each club. From bullpen revelations to unlikely contributors on offense, the feature spotlights the players whose names might not trend on social media but whose impact has been essential.
Here’s a look at the full rundown of all 30 teams, their current ranking, and the unsung hero carrying the quiet load.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
Unsung Hero: RHP Michael Grove
With injuries testing the Dodgers’ pitching depth, Grove has emerged as a reliable long-relief option, helping the bullpen bridge innings and saving arms. His ERA may not dazzle, but his timing and innings-eating ability have been crucial.
2. New York Yankees
Unsung Hero: OF Trent Grisham
Buried in a lineup full of sluggers, Grisham’s defense and timely hits have helped stabilize the outfield while Aaron Judge and Juan Soto do the heavy lifting.
3. Baltimore Orioles
Unsung Hero: RP Danny Coulombe
Coulombe leads the bullpen in inherited runners stranded and has quietly posted a sub-2.00 ERA as the bridge to closer Craig Kimbrel.
4. Atlanta Braves
Unsung Hero: C Travis d’Arnaud
While Sean Murphy has battled injuries, d’Arnaud has stepped in with veteran leadership, calling excellent games and keeping the pitching staff stable.
5. Philadelphia Phillies
Unsung Hero: INF Edmundo Sosa
He’s played nearly every infield position and supplied clutch hits in key series, providing valuable utility depth for a roster with championship aspirations.
6. Cleveland Guardians
Unsung Hero: RP Hunter Gaddis
Overshadowed by Emmanuel Clase, Gaddis has become one of the most dependable setup arms in the AL, quietly limiting hard contact and stranding runners.
7. Seattle Mariners
Unsung Hero: OF Dominic Canzone
Canzone’s improved plate discipline and gap power have helped an often-inconsistent Mariners offense scratch out runs when the stars haven’t delivered.
8. Milwaukee Brewers
Unsung Hero: RHP Bryse Wilson
With the rotation missing key pieces, Wilson’s ability to start and relieve has been vital for the NL Central leaders. His versatility is a manager’s dream.
9. Kansas City Royals
Unsung Hero: INF Garrett Hampson
Acquired in the offseason, Hampson has shined in a utility role, helping KC’s defense remain airtight while chipping in with crucial late-inning ABs.
10. Minnesota Twins
Unsung Hero: RP Caleb Thielbar
While Jhoan Duran gets the save opportunities, Thielbar has been the Twins’ quiet bullpen warrior, especially against left-handed power bats.
11. San Diego Padres
Unsung Hero: 1B Jake Cronenworth
His bat hasn’t returned to 2022 form yet, but Cronenworth’s defense and leadership at first base have helped anchor a shifting infield core.
12. Houston Astros
Unsung Hero: OF Mauricio Dubón
Dubón continues to be Houston’s all-purpose Swiss Army knife, hitting for average, playing multiple positions, and keeping the lineup moving during injuries.
13. Boston Red Sox
Unsung Hero: RHP Kutter Crawford
Crawford has quietly developed into one of Boston’s most reliable arms, keeping games close and eating innings with composure and command.
14. Tampa Bay Rays
Unsung Hero: C René Pinto
While the Rays shuffle players constantly, Pinto’s consistency behind the plate has offered rare stability for a young pitching staff.
15. Arizona Diamondbacks
Unsung Hero: RP Ryan Thompson
With injuries testing Arizona’s bullpen, Thompson has handled the 7th and 8th innings with calm and precision, maintaining late-inning order.
16. St. Louis Cardinals
Unsung Hero: OF Alec Burleson
In a year filled with inconsistency, Burleson has delivered timely hits and offered solid corner outfield defense, giving the Cards a spark.
17. San Francisco Giants
Unsung Hero: 1B Wilmer Flores
Flores may not play every day, but when he does, he produces. His situational hitting and clubhouse steadiness have kept the Giants competitive.
18. Texas Rangers
Unsung Hero: RP José Leclerc
After a rocky start, Leclerc has settled in as a go-to middle reliever, helping Texas manage games even as the rotation battles injuries.
19. Detroit Tigers
Unsung Hero: SS Zach McKinstry
McKinstry’s glove and versatility have made him invaluable for a Tigers team leaning heavily on defense to win low-scoring games.
20. Pittsburgh Pirates
Unsung Hero: RP Colin Holderman
Quietly one of the most effective relievers in the National League, Holderman has been Pittsburgh’s bullpen anchor when leads need protecting.
21. Cincinnati Reds
Unsung Hero: OF Will Benson
While Elly De La Cruz draws headlines, Benson has delivered sneaky power and speed, often changing the tone of a game with one swing or steal.
22. New York Mets
Unsung Hero: RHP Reed Garrett
Garrett’s high-leverage emergence has been one of the few bullpen bright spots, earning trust and results in a turbulent Mets season.
23. Miami Marlins
Unsung Hero: INF Otto López
Thrust into the spotlight amid injuries, López has been a quiet constant, hitting for average and helping shore up Miami’s infield defense.
24. Washington Nationals
Unsung Hero: OF Jacob Young
A sparkplug at the top of the lineup, Young has disrupted pitchers with his speed and set the table for Washington’s improving offense.
25. Chicago Cubs
Unsung Hero: RP Mark Leiter Jr.
Leiter Jr. has been a bullpen rock, keeping the Cubs afloat in tight games and handling key matchups with elite splitter usage.
26. Toronto Blue Jays
Unsung Hero: OF Davis Schneider
The mustachioed slugger has been a rare offensive bright spot, showing patience and pop in a lineup that’s struggled to find consistency.
27. Colorado Rockies
Unsung Hero: 2B Brendan Rodgers
Overshadowed by the team’s youth movement, Rodgers has provided steady defense and modest power amid the chaos of Coors Field.
28. Chicago White Sox
Unsung Hero: RP Steven Wilson
On a team buried in the standings, Wilson’s ability to pitch through jams and maintain intensity has quietly kept several games respectable.
29. Oakland Athletics
Unsung Hero: C Shea Langeliers
Langeliers continues to develop behind the plate, managing a young rotation while providing rare pop in a rebuilding lineup.
30. Los Angeles Angels
Unsung Hero: INF Luis Rengifo
Rengifo does a bit of everything—he’s played nearly every position, gotten on base, and remains one of the few steady producers in Anaheim.
While the stars of the sport continue to capture headlines and awards, Kavner’s rankings this week underscore a timeless baseball truth: championships aren’t won by superstars alone. It’s the glue guys—the setup men, the utility fielders, the quiet veterans—who often tip the scale from contender to champion.
As the season barrels toward the All-Star break, the Dodgers’ depth remains the gold standard, but every team on this list has someone doing the dirty work without the spotlight. These are the players keeping clubhouses intact, games close, and dreams alive.
So next time you tune into a game, don’t just look for the MVPs. Watch for the moments that don’t show up on Twitter. Because the guy grinding out a seventh-inning walk, turning a double play, or working a clean eighth inning? He might just be the real reason his team is winning.
And according to Rowan Kavner’s latest breakdown, every contender has one.
