Now more than ever, power is a huge part of baseball. Naturally, we can’t help but ask ourselves which MLB lineups are the most potent.
Teams like the Houston Astros and New York Yankees have dealt with an abundance of injuries. Despite that, both check in on our list. Christian Yelich and Cody Bellinger are both having tremendous seasons and hitting with unreal power. What has their output done for the overall offense of their teams?
MLB teams are on pace to shatter the league wide home run record that was set two years ago. These are the most dangerous lineups in the game.
10. Colorado Rockies
Nolan Arenado, Charlie Blackmon, and Trevor Story grab the attention – and deservedly so. All three have at least 16 homers. Story’s line of .292/.359/.549 is the “worst” of any of the three in the slash categories. Not many lineups can boast that kind of trio. Guys like David Dahl, Daniel Murphy, and Ian Desmond do a lot to provide depth. It’s true that the numbers on the road don’t stack up to what the Rockies do at Coors Field. Still, the thump that this lineup provides places it as one of the best in MLB.
9. Atlanta Braves
The downside is that guys like Nick Markakis and Ozzie Albies aren’t quite as productive as they were in 2018. Fortunately, the acquisition of Josh Donaldson and the promotion of hot-hitting rookie Austin Riley have more than made up for that. They’ve also made the Atlanta lineup feel a lot more powerful than it did last year. In all, the Braves may not be the best in any category. Across the board, though, they’re darn good. More than any individual element, the overall threat makes Atlanta one of baseball’s most dangerous offenses.
8. Chicago Cubs
The Cubs are in the top 10 in OBP, slugging, and home runs. While Yelich and Bellinger are the clear frontrunners, Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Javier Baez, and Willson Contreras are all legitimate MVP candidates. Not many offenses boast four hitters who are that potent. What’s really scary is that looking at the Cubs, it’s hard to shake the feeling that this offense could be better. Really, that only strengthens Chicago’s case. The Cubs are already a top-10 offense. As some of the other hitters get going, the rest of the season only figures to be better.
7. Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox have dealt with some consistency issues in 2019. That does keep them from our top five. Still, while the consistency hasn’t been there, Boston checks in as a top-10 team in extra-base hits, batting average, OBP, and slugging. The Sox are also 11th in home runs and feature six guys with double-digit home run totals. So, while home runs might not be a specialty, Boston hitters are more than capable of launching them when need be. What this group can do with everyone clicking is quite dangerous.
6. Arizona Diamondbacks
Trading Paul Goldschmidt was supposed to signal a rebuilding period for Arizona. Nobody told the offense. The D-Backs are seventh in runs per game, ninth in slugging, fifth in home runs, and second in extra-base hits. This isn’t a matter of one guy carrying the load, either. Ketel Marte has 20 home runs, Eduardo Escobar has 17, Adam Jones has 13, and Christian Walker has 12. David Peralta and Carson Kelly are both close to double-digits, despite neither having played in even 60 games. Arizona’s pitching can definitely be more consistent. Offensively, though, the Diamondbacks are quite potent.
5. Los Angeles Dodgers
Bellinger has always had power. In 2019, the rest of his game has followed suit. That’s a microcosm of what’s happened to his team. The Dodgers have fielded some darn powerful lineups in recent years. What’s plagued Los Angeles has been an overdependence on home runs. That hasn’t been an issue in 2019, though. The Dodgers are seventh in home runs, but they’re also a top-five team in average, OBP, and slugging. The better overall threat makes Los Angeles more dangerous now. It will certainly make the Dodgers more dangerous as we get deeper into the season and the playoffs.
4. Houston Astros
The Astros are favored to win the AL pennant. It’s not hard to see why. Stalwarts like Jose Altuve, George Springer, and Carlos Correa have all missed significant time in 2019. Despite that, Houston ranks in the top-five in home runs, extra-base hits, average, OBP, and slugging percentage. That begs a simple question, which must be absolutely terrifying for opposing pitchers, pitchers, and managers trying to line up their bullpens: If the Astros could be this good offensively with those stars in limited time, how good will they be when everyone is healthy?
3. Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers lead the NL in home runs are among the NL leaders in stolen bases. That’s not something we see very often. In terms of power, Yelich is the obvious star. But Mike Moustakas also has more than 20 home runs already. Additionally, Yasmani Grandal and Ryan Braun aren’t exactly easy outs. This isn’t a group with a lot of over-achievers, either. In fact, guys like Lorenzo Cain, Jesus Aguilar, and Travis Shaw have left much to be desired. So, as good as the Brewers have been, there’s plenty of room to get better.
2. Minnesota Twins
Based strictly on what’s happened so far, the Twins would be an easy No. 1. No team has scored as many runs per game, hits as many homers, extra-base hits, or has a higher slugging percentage. We’re nearly halfway into the season. We can’t call these numbers simply a product of a small sample size. This is just a good lineup. In total, seven players have 10 or more home runs. Two others have nine while another has eight. That’s just a scary amount of depth for opposing pitchers to think about. Yet there is one other lineup that is set to surge ahead of the pack.
1. New York Yankees
Statistically, the Yankees haven’t been the best offense in baseball this season. They have been close, however, which is darn impressive. Aaron Judge has played in 20 games, Miguel Andujar has played 12, while Giancarlo Stanton has played only three. Andujar is out for the year, but both Judge and Stanton are set to return soon. This lineup has held up pretty well with them sidelined. Imagine what will happen when they return and the newly acquired Edwin Encarnacion gets going. Going forward, expect this team to live up to the Bronx Bombers moniker and be MLB’s most dangerous lineup.