2015 MLB Power Rankings: Here come the Angels

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Jul 7, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) and first baseman Albert Pujols (5) celebrate after the game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. The Angels won 10-2. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Angels had baseball’s best record last season. In 2015, they have spent the majority of their time under .500 and looking up to the Houston Astros and even the Texas Rangers.

Over the last 30 days, they carry the American League’s best record and now sit in first place in the AL West.

The Angels rise back to the top started with a rebirth of Albert Pujols and has continued behind strong pitching staff. Pujols is tied with teammate Mike Trout for the AL lead in home runs with 26. Half of those Pujols homers came in the month of June alone.

The Astros have also done their part to help out the Angels by dropping six out of seven games last week.

The Angels are not alone however in climbing their way back to relevance.

In the AL, the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians are riding hot streaks and starting to demand attention in the Wild Card race.

In the NL, the story is the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Dodgers distancing themselves from the rest of the competition.

Here are the power rankings for the week.

Next: Pirates and Cardinals making quite the rivaly.

Jul 11, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen (center facing) is mobbed at home after hitting a game winning two run home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the fourteenth inning at PNC Park. The Pirates won 6-5 in fourteen innings. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

33. The Cardinals have gone into the all-star break looking human. With the Dodgers and Pirates on their heels, it will be interesting to see how active they will be at the trade deadline.. 56-33. Previous: 1st. St. Louis Cardinals. 1. team

Kansas City Royals. 2. team. 7. The Kansas City Royals enter the all-star break as the best team in the AL but also with some concern. <a href=. 52-34. Previous: 5th

The Pirates have won 13 of their last 16 games and are coming off of taking three of four from the Cardinals. No team has more momentum heading into the break.. 53-35. Previous: 3rd. Pittsburgh Pirates. 3. team. 4

4. team. 71. The Dodgers are one of four teams with at least 50 wins this season and have five players on the All-Star team. Yet the talk around baseball concerning them is the need of another frontline starter.. 51-39. Previous: 6th. Los Angeles Dodgers

Los Angeles Angles. 5. team. 102. From long reliever to spot starter to all-star, the Angels would not be where they are this season without the efforts of <a href=. 48-40. Previous: 7th

Washington Nationals. 6. team. 90. Baseball fans were let down twice last week by news from two of the Nationals’ best players. <a href=. 48-39. Previous: 4th

Previous: 2nd. Houston Astros. 7. team. 135. It has been an incredible season thus far for the Astros but they may need a boost at the trade deadline to keep things going. They would benefit as much as any team by acquiring a starting pitcher.. 49-42

8. team. 2. Fans in Chicago (White Sox) and Cleveland are heading into the break with new-found belief in their teams. After winning six of seven to close the first half of the season, the Minnesota Twins are not concerned about any team in their rear view mirror.. 49-40. Previous: 12th. Minnesota Twins

Previous: 9th. New York Yankees. 9. team. 43. The New York Yankees are happy to have both <a href=. 48-40

10. team. 9. The Chicago Cubs will have both <a href=. 47-40. Previous: 8th. Chicago Cubs

Next: Mets, Giants continue push for NL Wild Card.

Jul 10, 2015; New York City, NY, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard (34) heads to the dugout during the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

team. 3. When you have two pitchers on a staff named after two of the greatest comic book super heroes ever created, they better be pretty good. <a href=. 47-42. Previous: 15th. New York Mets. 11

46-43. Previous: 14th. San Francisco Giants. 12. team. 40. The San Francisco Giants have seen <a href=

13. team. 21. Back to back rough weeks for the Tampa Bay Rays leave me wondering if this team has another run left in them. Without much room to take on payroll, they will be limited at the trade deadline if the plan is to add.. 46-45. Previous: 13th. Tampa Bay Rays

Just like the Rays, the Baltimore Orioles have also taken one step back after taking two steps forward. The offense is good enough to keep them in contention but the pitching is in need of another starter.. 44-44. Previous: 10th. Baltimore Orioles. 14. team. 11

Previous: 16th. Detroit Tigers. 15. team. 63. The Detroit Tigers have fallen to .500 and may need a mental break more than any other team in the league. It seems like every pitcher on this team not named <a href=. 44-44

team. 39. Over the last two weeks, the Toronto Blue Jays have been roughed up by the AL Central. If this recent slide continues after the break, last place in the AL East is certainly in their future.. 45-46. Previous: 11th. Toronto Blue Jays. 16

Arizona Diamondbacks. 17. team. 8. Despite the Arizona Diamondbacks’ record, <a href=. 42-45. Previous: 18th

team. 128. The White Sox are winners of nine of their last 12 games, and have not faced any pushovers during that stretch. Series wins over the Cardinals, Orioles, Blue Jays and Cubs before the break make this a team to watch in the second half of the season.. . Previous: 25th. Chicago White Sox. 19

20. team. 14. The Red Sox will be another team to watch in the second half. If they can acquire a starting pitcher or two before the trade deadline, they stand a very good chance to win the AL East.. 42-47. Previous: 21st. Boston Red Sox

Next: The Padres and Mariners continue their disappointing seasons.

Jun 21, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano (22) reacts to striking out in the third inning while Houston Astros catcher Jason Castro (15) throws the ball at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports

42-46. Previous: 17th. Texas Rangers. 21. team. 126. The Texas Rangers go into the break as a team likely to be selling. If they can find a team to take on the contract of <a href=

<a href=. 42-47. Previous: 19th. Atlanta Braves. 22. team. 17

The San Diego Padres are now just one game out of last place in the NL West. Unfortunately, they are only half way through this disappointing, ugly season.. 41-49. Previous: 20th. San Diego Padres. 23. team. 127

Seattle Mariners. 24. team. 62. The Seattle Mariners are in the same boat as the Padres. What makes things worse for them is the main culprit in the Mariners struggles, <a href=. 41-48. Previous: 22nd

96. If I am a team in need of pitching, I am calling the Oakland Athletics before anybody else. Arms like <a href=. 41-50. Previous: 24th. Oakland Athletics. 25. team

108. Over the last month or so, <a href=. 39-49. Previous: 27th. Colorado Rockies. 26. team

61. The Cincinnati Reds have a chance to steal the show in front of their home crowd during this All-Star week. <a href=. 39-47. Previous: 28th. Cincinnati Reds. 27. team

76. The Milwaukee Brewers received some good news as <a href=. 38-52. Previous: 26th. Milwaukee Brewers. 28. team

29. team. 82. The Miami Marlins are a .500 team since the return of <a href=. 38-51. Previous: 29th. Miami Marlins

6. The Philadelphia Phillies are currently on a five game losing streak. It is their fifth losing streak this season of five games or more.. 29-62. Previous: 30th. Philadelphia Phillies. 30. team

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