The Colorado Rockies are off to a historically bad start, but their 4-23 disaster has accomplished a lot more than falling one game shy of the 1988 Baltimore Orioles and 2003 Detroit Tigers for worst 27-game start in major league history.
They’ve also managed to unseat the Chicago White Sox at the bottom of USA TODAY Sports’ power rankings.
For the first time in 55 weeks, the White Sox – who finished last season with a record 121 losses – are not No. 30, not after something even worse has come along. Colorado finished the week on a six-game losing streak, got no-hit for six innings on Sunday and carries a minus-69 run differential after a month worth of games.
After years of being at least an entertaining franchise, the Rockies now have the worst of both worlds: They still can’t pitch credibly, with a 5.33 ERA that ranks 27th in the majors, yet have added an impotent offense to the mix, ranking 28th in both average (.213) and OPS (.635) despite playing half of their games at Coors Field.
At least by our measures, they can’t sink any lower.
A look at our updated rankings:
1. Los Angeles Dodgers (-)
- Tyler Glasnow’s rocky April finishes with bout of shoulder discomfort.
2. New York Mets (+1)
- Francisco Lindor is 13-for-26 with three homers leading off games this season.
3. San Francisco Giants (+3)
- Take two of three from Brucy Bochy’s Rangers to climb atop NL West.
4. New York Yankees (-)
- Max Fried leads majors with five wins and 1.43 ERA ranks third in AL.
5. San Diego Padres (-3)
- 8-2 before Jackson Merrill got hurt, 9-9 since.
6. Chicago Cubs (+2)
- Pete Crow-Armstrong went from ‘can’t hit’ to ‘probable All-Star’ faster than he goes first to third.
7. Detroit Tigers (+2)
- Casey Mize (4-1, 2.12 ERA, 1.05 WHIP) has biggest turnaround on team with several of ’em.
8. Boston Red Sox (+4)
- Alex Bregman is happening in Boston – .319 average, .937 OPS.
9. Philadelphia Phillies (-4)
- For the moment, the Mets look like a perpetual nightmare.
10. Seattle Mariners (+4)
- What team is this? They’ve scored at least seven runs in five of past eight games.
11. Texas Rangers (-4)
- Have lost 10 of 15 on the road.
12. Cleveland Guardians (+4)
- Emmanuel Clase’s shoulder discomfort means Cade Smith is closing games for now.
13. Cincinnati Reds (+4)
- Noelvi Marte starting to bang the ball one year after PED suspension.
14. Houston Astros (-1)
- Hunter Brown stretches scoreless streak to 28 innings before finally giving up run.
15. Arizona Diamondbacks (-5)
- They’ve suddenly lost three consecutive series.
16. Toronto Blue Jays (-5)
- If not for Devin Williams’ final blown save, they’d be on an eight-game losing streak.
17. Tampa Bay Rays (+3)
- 6-2 since calling up Chandler Simpson, and there’s probably a connection.
18. Milwaukee Brewers (-3)
- José Quintana becomes first lefty since CC Sabathia to win first four starts as a Brewer.
19. Kansas City Royals (-)
- Rotation posts 21-inning scoreless streak.
20. Atlanta Braves (+3)
- Are they back-back? Seven wins in nine games to crawl toward .500.
21. Washington Nationals (+3)
- Went 2-11 against Mets last year, but already equaled that win total with a pair of walk-off wins.
22. St. Louis Cardinals (-)
- Lefty Matthew Liberatore (0.97 WHIP) asserting himself.
23. Baltimore Orioles (-5)
- Are they simply going through it or legitimately bad?
24. Los Angeles Angels (-3)
- Yusei Kikuchi’s strikeout rate has dropped from 31.8% to 20%.
25. Athletics (+2)
- Slugging prospect Nick Kurtz summoned to Yolo County, singles in first career at-bat.
26. Minnesota Twins (-)
- Joe Ryan posts his 10th career 10-strikeout performance.
27. Miami Marlins (-2)
- The Agustin Ramírez era begins with three homers in his first 19 at-bats.
28. Pittsburgh Pirates (-)
- Paul Skenes beats Dodgers, Yoshinobu Yamamoto with 6 1/3 shutout innings.
29. Chicago White Sox (+1)
- Miguel Vargas hits third home run in 233 plate appearances in Chicago.
30. Colorado Rockies (-1)
- Can it get worse than 4-23? It can – they don’t play another presumed non-contender until Miami, June 2.
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