27. Los Angeles Angels (38-59)
Previous Rank: No. 27
Last Week: 1-2 @ TEX, 1-2 @ MIN
The good news is Mike Trout is back, belting a 438-foot home run in his first game off the IL. But in what has been classic Angels fashion for more than a decade at this point, they continued to struggle despite having one of the greatest players of this generation at their disposal, rivaling the Royals and Rockies for the worst record in baseball. We’re all waiting to see if they’re going to put José Soriano and Reid Detmers up for grabs, each with two years of arbitration eligibility remaining.
26. Colorado Rockies (39-59)
Previous Rank: No. 26
Last Week: 1-2 @ LAD, 1-3 @ SFG
Colorado’s first-round pick in the 2022 draft, Gabriel Hughes, made his MLB debut on July 3 with a three-inning save. This past week, in the first start of his career, he logged a quality start against the Dodgers. That is something to keep an eye on in the second half. Maybe he can help keep them from losing 100 games?
25. San Francisco Giants (41-55)
Previous Rank: No. 28
Last Week: 1-2 vs. TOR, 3-1 vs. COL
There has been a lot of talk about Luis Arraez and Robbie Ray as top trade candidates, but could Tyler Mahle be entering the mix, too? Also a free agent to be, Mahle has a 3.38 ERA in his four starts since returning from the IL, including a seven-inning, one-run outing against the Rockies on Saturday. And depending upon how San Francisco lines up its rotation coming out of the break, his final three appearances before the deadline could come against the Royals, Angels and Padres.