Top 10 MLB Teams 2023 May Rankings

Ranking the best teams in baseball right now for the MLB 2023 Season as Shane McClanahan and the Tampa Bay Rays lead the way

By Fan Rankings | May 13, 2023 - 11:14 PM

The 2023 MLB Season has kicked off with fireworks as teams in both the National and American League have gotten off to hot starts. One of those teams that have gotten off to a red-hot start and a record-breaking potential start is the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Rays who have won a league high 29 games while losing just seven games over their first 36 games of the season. The Rays hot start lands them atop the Top 10 MLB Teams 2023 Rankings list.

As the Rays continue to win, so do the four other teams in the American League East with the Baltimore Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays, and Boston Red Sox all playing themselves among the best teams in baseball.

Joining those four AL East teams among the list includes the Atlanta Braves who currently have the second-best record in all of baseball as well as the Milwaukee Brewers, Texas Rangers, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Here is a look at the Top 10 MLB Teams 2023 Rankings list.

Honorable Mention

Los Angeles Angels

Landing just outside of the Top 10 MLB Teams 2023 Rankings list is the Los Angeles Angels who are looking to compete for a playoff spot.

Despite featuring two of the best players in baseball in Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani on the roster the team has struggled in years past.

That isn’t the case through the first month plus of the season as the Angels currently sit in second place inside the American League West division. Currently the Angels lineup ranks 7th in all of baseball with a .261 batting average while scoring the 5th most runs (190) in baseball.

Minnesota Twins

Despite leading the AL Central division with an 19-16 record the Minnesota Twins find themselves outside of the top 10 teams in baseball entering mid-May.

The Twins have been solid at home posting a 10-6 record but have failed to win on the road winning just nine of their first 19 road games.

Much of their struggles have come at the plate scoring just 152 runs on the year however the teams pitching has kept them in ball games all season.

Currently the Twins have rode the hot arm of Sonny Gray to start the season while the team’s entire rotation has pitched to the 2nd lowest earned run average mark in baseball at 3.33 over their first 35 games.

Top 10 MLB Teams

10. Arizona Diamondbacks

Coming in at number 10 on the Top 10 MLB Teams 2023 Rankings list is possibly the biggest surprise team among the National League teams, the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Entering the season, the NL West was expected to be a two-team race between the loaded San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

That said, the Diamondbacks have gotten off to a hot start winning 20 of their first 35 games on the year while posting a winning record at home (11-7) as well as on the road (9-8).

In 35 games this season the Diamondbacks have gotten production from a wide range of players including four players who have posted five home runs and seven players picking up at least 11 runs batted in.

9. Milwaukee Brewers

Entering the season expectations were set high for the Milwaukee Brewers who feature one of the top starting rotations in all of baseball.

While they have struggled over late losing four of their last 10 games entering May 9th, 2023, the team still holds on to a 20-15 overall record while trailing the Pittsburgh Pirates by a half game within the NL Central Division.

The Brewers have ridden their strong pitching to start the season while ranking 8th in baseball with a 3.58 mark and 5th in runs allowed with 135 over their first 35 games of the season.

Four different pitchers have picked up at least three wins to start the season including Freddy Peralta who leads the team with a 4-2 record.

8. Boston Red Sox

If it wasn’t for playing the American League East, the Boston Red Sox could potentially be within the top five teams in all of baseball.

Nonetheless despite winning 21 games to start the season, the Red Sox have found their way to 4th place in the AL East while ranking among the best hitting teams in all of baseball.

Currently the Red Sox rank 4th in runs scored (208), 1st in doubles (80), 6th in home runs (47), 3rd in runs batted in (199) and are currently tied for 2nd in on base percentage (.341). The Red Sox hitting has helped the team outscore their opponents by 25 runs over their first 36 games of the season.

7. Texas Rangers

Another surprising team in the American League is the Texas Rangers who currently hold the top spot among the American League West after winning 21 of their first 34 games.

The Rangers have dominated both on the mound and at the plate this season while outscoring their opponents by 86 runs to start the season.

At the plate the Rangers rank 2nd in runs scored (223), tied for 2nd in on base percentage (.341), and 9th in total hits with 310. On the mound the team has the 9th lowest earned run average at 3.70 while holding opponents to a .31 on base average and 1.18 WHIP.

The spending during the last few off seasons has paid off early as the Rangers look to make it to the American League playoffs.

6. Pittsburgh Pirates

All the preseason hype around the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers have not bothered the Pittsburgh Pirates to start the season.

Despite being a dark horse within the division to start the year the Pirates have gotten off to a hot start to the season while outscoring their opponents by 20 runs through their first 36 games of the season.

While the club has only won three of their last 10 overall games, the Pirates are still a strong team with veteran leadership and talent both on the mound as well as at the plate.

While the lack of a true superstar is not within their lineup, the Pirate have five different players with at least four home runs and six players with at least 12 runs batted in.

On the mound four of the five starters have at least three wins including Mitch Keller who is 4-1 on the year with a 2.72 earned run average.

5. Toronto Blue Jays

Rounding out the top five teams on the Top 10 MLB Teams 2023 Rankings list is the Toronto Blue Jays. Another AL East team who has gotten off to a hot start winning 21 of their first 35 games on the year.

The Blue Jays who feature one of the top lineups in all of baseball continue to hit at a high level during the 2023 MLB schedule including Bo Bichette who currently leads all of baseball in hits.

Blue Jays rank 8th in baseball with a .261 batting average to go along with the 9th most runs scored (173). Meanwhile on the mound the Blue Jays have been solid pitching to a 4.06 earned run average while striking out 322 batters over 308 innings of work.

4. Los Angeles Dodgers

Another MLB season start and another hot start for the Los Angeles Dodgers who enter May 9th, 2023, sitting atop the NL West while posting a 21-15 record.

Despite not having Walker Buehler in the rotation the Dodgers have seen Clayton Kershaw as well as Julio Urias pitch strong at times to start the season while the team’s powerful lineup ranks among the best in baseball.

One of those hitters is Max Muncy who currently leads all of Major League Baseball in home runs with 12 to start the season.

With Muncy and company the Dodgers currently rank 4th in baseball in runs scored with 194 while also ranking tied for 2nd with 58 home runs.

3. Baltimore Orioles

The third of four AL East teams to land among the group of the best teams in all of baseball is the Baltimore Orioles. Yes, the same Orioles team that had lost 100 games multiple times over the past five seasons before posting a winning record last season.

Brandon Hyde’s team has played to the second-best record in all of baseball despite losing three straight after a difficult series against the Atlanta Braves.

While the Orioles don’t rank among the best hitting or pitching teams in baseball, they do everything right including finding ways to get on base, stealing bases, and making plays in the field to keep them winning.

2. Atlanta Braves

Coming off a series with the Baltimore Orioles, the Atlanta Braves currently hold onto the top spot in the NL East while building a seven-game lead over the New York Mets.

Currently the Braves are the only team in the division to have a winning record while posting a +56-run differential against their opponents.

Entering mid-May, the Braves rank 6th in baseball in runs scored (188) and 4th in baseball with a .340 on base percentage while also ranking tied for 2nd with 58 home runs.

Meanwhile on the mound the Braves have pitched to a 3.49 earned run average mark while holding opponents to a .238 batting average and 331 strikeouts. With Ronald Acuna Jr playing at an MVP level the Braves are the team to beat early on in the National League.

1. Tampa Bay Rays

In at number one as the best baseball team right now is the Tampa Bay Rays who are hot as any team in baseball after starting the season with a 29-7 record.

The Rays enter play the second week of May outscoring their opponents by 118 runs while winning eight of their past 10 games.

Currently the Rays lead Major League Baseball in runs scored (228), hits (336), total bases (634), batting average (.275), on base percentage (.346), and slugging percentage (.518).

On the mound the success is not far behind as the team has the current MLB leader in wins Shane McClanahan who has seven wins over his first eight starts.

As a team the Rays have pitched to a league best 2.93 earned run average while holding opponents to a .209 batting average and a 1.13 WHIP. Big question as many moves along is when will the Rays reach double digit losses?