//MLB Power Rankings: Padres’ Rise Shadowed Only by Dodgers

MLB Power Rankings: Padres’ Rise Shadowed Only by Dodgers

The Dodgers might be kings of the NL, but their closest competition (literally) isn’t far.

With the trade deadline in the rearview mirror and first-half awards already shipped off to their humble recipients, we’ve officially entered the stretch run of the 2020 season. If that feels like an abrupt shift from “still feeling things out” to “it’s gut-check time,” that’s OK—there are a little more than three weeks left to go, though we’ve only completed about six weeks of baseball, which normally would be right around the time trends are starting to carry more weight.

This juncture feels like as good a time as any to look back to the not-so-distant offseason and evaluate each club’s most impactful acquisition. Some were costly, while others came from the discount aisle, though all of the following newcomers have played key roles in his team’s success to this point.

30. Pittsburgh Pirates (Last Week: