updated 11/3/21
1) Atlanta Braves – Midseason acquisitions ended up paying huge dividends for the 2021 World Series champions.
2) Houston Astros – The American League champs silenced a lot of critics this year, and were only two wins away from a second World Series title in five seasons.
3) Los Angeles Dodgers – The Dodgers have plenty of decisions to make after falling short of a second straight World Series.
4) Boston Red Sox – Their offense brought them within two wins of the World Series, but inconsistent pitching ultimately undid the Red Sox
5) San Francisco Giants – The 107-win Giants defied the odds all season, but fell short against the defending champion Dodgers in the NLDS.
6) Tampa Bay Rays – The potent Red Sox offense proved to be too much for the AL’s top seed.
7) Milwaukee Brewers – Brewers pitching showed up as usual, but six runs scored in four NLDS games is not going to get the job done.
8) Chicago White Sox – White Sox starters had a 10.21 ERA against the Astros in the ALDS.
9) New York Yankees – Despite having the AL’s highest payroll, the Yankees fell short of the World Series for the 12th straight season.
10) St. Louis Cardinals – The Cardinals were 21-4 to end the regular season, but facing a 106-win Wild Card team is just unfair.
11) Toronto Blue Jays – The Blue Jays fell one game short of a playoff spot, but the future is bright in Toronto.
12) Seattle Mariners – The Mariners exceeded expectations in 2021, falling just two games short of a Wild Card.
13) Oakland A’s – As usual the A’s were competitive, but inconsistent pitching has them on the outside looking in.
14) Cincinnati Reds – The Reds will need to find some bullpen help if they hope to get over the hump in 2022.
15) San Diego Padres – The Padres entered September with a chance at a Wild Card, and finished the month 7-21.
16) Philadelphia Phillies – The Phillies fell short in the NL East, despite the play of MVP candidate Bryce Harper.
17) Cleveland Indians – Injuries to the Indians starting staff proved to be insurmountable.
18) Los Angeles Angels – The Angels may have finished below .500, but two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani gave fans a season for the ages.
19) New York Mets – Injuries and underperforming stars were the story of the Mets’ 2021 season.
20) Colorado Rockies – The Rockies had the biggest home-road win discrepancy in the majors at 22 games.
21) Detroit Tigers – The Tigers were better than expected in 2021, but they still have a long way to go to be a contender.
22) Chicago Cubs – Despite having one of baseball’s biggest bankrolls, it may be a while before the Cubs compete for another World Series.
23) Kansas City Royals – Salvador Perez had one of the best seasons ever by a catcher, but he got little help from his teammates in 2021.
24) Minnesota Twins – The Twins entered the season as a potential top five team in Major League Baseball, and finished last in the weak AL Central.
25) Miami Marlins – The Marlins had a disappointing 2021, but the starting combo of Trevor Rogers, Sandy Alcantara and Pablo Lopez offer hope for the future.
26) Washington Nationals – The Nationals’ 2019 World Series championship seems like a long lost memory.
27) Pittsburgh Pirates – The Pirates finished with the lowest run total and third-highest ERA in the majors.
28) Texas Rangers – The Rangers lost over 100 games for the first time since 1973.
29) Baltimore Orioles – The Orioles had a tough 2021, but Cedric Mullins and Ryan Mountcastle gave fans something to cheer for.
30) Arizona Diamondbacks – The D-Backs ranked second last in the majors in ERA and home runs, and last in wins.
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