The All-Star break kept teams out of action from Monday through Wednesday, but some big weekend series to kick off the second half of the regular season still led to shuffling in our weekly MLB power rankings.

The focus now shifts to the rapidly approaching trade deadline. For teams like the Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants, getting swept last week could dramatically impact their deadline approach.

As you dig into this latest power rankings update, remember that it is all about performance rather than potential and future outlook.

If a team is winning, it will climb the rankings. If a team is losing, a slide is inevitable. The beauty of this exercise is that it's a fluid process and things will continue to change.

Statistics and analysis reflect action through Sunday's games.

Nos. 30-26

30. Washington Nationals (33-65)

Previous: 30

Trade candidates Juan Soto (3.5 WAR) and Josh Bell (3.3 WAR) have been two of the most productive players in the National League, but the rest of the Nationals roster has contributed minus-1.7 WAR on the year. This team might lose 110 games if it trades both of those guys.

29. Oakland Athletics (36-63)

Previous: 28

Right-hander Frankie Montas allowed two hits and one walk while striking out five in three scoreless innings on Thursday in his return from the injured list. He's scheduled to take the ball again on Tuesday against the Houston Astros. That will be an extremely important start for Montas, the most valuable trade chip on the Oakland roster.

28. Detroit Tigers (39-58)

Previous: 27

The Tigers have been one of the worst offensive teams in baseball with a .614 OPS (29th in MLB) and only 300 runs scored (30th in MLB) entering play Monday. Left-hander Tarik Skubal is enjoying a breakout season in the rotation, and the bullpen quietly ranks fifth in the majors with a 3.18 ERA, but this team is going nowhere fast with its middling lineup.

27. Los Angeles Angels (40-56)

Previous: 25

Could we see a Shohei Ohtani trade in the coming days?

"The Angels would seek established major leaguers, trying to fulfill their goal of returning to the postseason as quickly as possible," according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. "In essence, they would be asking a contender to rip up its major-league roster, an objective that would be difficult to accomplish in the middle of a pennant race, if not impossible,"

It's more likely they stand pat, perhaps flip Noah Syndergaard if they can find a taker, and work on a bigger retooling during the offseason.

26. Chicago Cubs (39-57)

Previous: 29

The Cubs outscored the Philadelphia Phillies by a 25-7 margin in a three-game sweep over the weekend, but it's only a matter of time before the roster is dismantled. Catcher Willson Contreras and closer David Robertson are two of the most obvious trade chips in baseball, and the Cubs could go one step further and also move All-Star outfielder Ian Happ, who's under club control through the 2023 season.

Nos. 25-21

25. Kansas City Royals (39-57)

Previous: 26

The Royals improved to 11-10 in July after taking two of three from the Tampa Bay Rays to begin the second half. With a respectable 18-20 record against the rest of the AL Central, they could be a thorn in the side of contenders the rest of the way. Rookie Bobby Witt Jr. is hitting .312/.338/.468 with three home runs and eight steals in July.

24. Pittsburgh Pirates (40-57)

Previous: 22

After flipping slugger Daniel Vogelbach to the New York Mets on Friday, it's fair to wonder how much more the Pirates intend to sell. At the very least, rental starter Jose Quintana (19 GS, 3.70 ERA, 97.1 IP) is a safe bet to be moved, but they could hold beyond that for a run at third in the NL Central standings.

23. Arizona Diamondbacks (43-53)

Previous: 23

The D-backs took two of three from the Washington Nationals coming out of the break for only their third outright series win since June 1. First baseman Christian Walker (116 OPS+, 22 HR) and All-Star reliever Joe Mantiply (40 G, 10 HLD, 2.39 ERA) are two notable trade chips to watch, along with veteran outfielder David Peralta, who is in the final year of his contract.

22. Cincinnati Reds (37-58)

Previous: 24

The Reds climbed two spots following a series win over the St. Louis Cardinals, but most expect pitchers Luis Castillo and Tyler Mahle to be moved ahead of the trade deadline. That would leave a starting rotation that already ranks 29th in the majors with a 5.30 ERA without its two best arms, which could make for a long final two months.

21. Colorado Rockies (44-53)

Previous: 19

After an 8-3 stretch of games to close out the first half, the Rockies promptly lost three in a row to the Milwaukee Brewers coming out of the break, solidifying their standing as a clear seller at the deadline. First baseman C.J. Cron, closer Daniel Bard and starter Chad Kuhl are the team's top trade chips, and all three are likely to be moved.

Nos. 20-16

20. Texas Rangers (43-52)

Previous: 21

The Rangers remain one of the tougher teams to nail down at this year's trade deadline following their offseason spending spree. Outfielder Kole Calhoun and starter-turned reliever Matt Moore could be moved, but don't count on All-Star Martin Perez being flipped. An extension might be the more likely outcome.

19. Miami Marlins (45-51)

Previous: 20

With second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. moved to the 60-day injured list with a stress fracture in his back, the Marlins' slim playoff hopes have been dealt a major blow. Slugger Jesus Aguilar, All-Star Garrett Cooper and reliever Anthony Bass are all logical trade chips if the team does decide to sell.

18. Boston Red Sox (49-48)

Previous: 18

A 20-6 month of June has rapidly devolved into a brutal month of July for the Red Sox. They were swept by the Toronto Blue Jays coming out of the All-Star break to fall to 1-9 in their last 10 games. It's tough to justify aggressively buying at this point, though a full-scale pivot to selling could also be tough to swallow.

17. Baltimore Orioles (48-48)

Previous: 16

The O's lost back-to-back series to the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees after ripping off a 10-game winning streak that briefly pushed them above .500. They may still be a year or two from legitimate contention, but there's value in marked improvement by a young team, and the chance at a winning record will likely be enough to keep them from selling aggressively at the deadline.

16. San Francisco Giants (48-48)

Previous: 14

The Giants were swept in a four-game series by the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium last week for the first time since 1995, and it's fair to wonder if they might consider selling if the losing continues. Left-hander Carlos Rodon has an opt-out this offseason before the second season of his two-year, $44 million deal that he is likely to exercise, and he could net the Giants a significant prospect haul if they flip him.

Nos. 15-11

15. Cleveland Guardians (48-47)

Previous: 17

With the top three teams in the AL Central separated by only four games entering play Monday, the race is still wide open. The Guardians don't play a single divisional opponent until Aug. 9 after splitting a four-game series with the Chicago White Sox last week, so the next two weeks could significantly impact their postseason outlook.

14. Chicago White Sox (48-48)

Previous: 15

The White Sox have played 19 straight games against AL Central foes, going 10-9 during that stretch. They'll now have a chance to reset with scheduled days off on Monday and Thursday this week. Slugger Eloy Jimenez homered on Saturday and Sunday to double his season total, and he could be a major in-house addition for the stretch run if he finds his groove.

13. Philadelphia Phillies (50-46)

Previous: 13

The Phillies deserve to drop after getting swept by the Chicago Cubs, but there's no one in their general vicinity that deserves to move ahead of them. So for the time being, they stay put at No. 13. With five of their next nine games against the Atlanta Braves, they have a golden opportunity to make up some ground in the NL East race.

12. St. Louis Cardinals (51-46)

Previous: 10

The Cardinals have not been more than 3.5 games back in the NL Central standings throughout July, but they have been unable to bridge the gap. Losing two of three to the Cincinnati Reds to begin the second half of the season didn't help. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Cardinals are viewed as potential front-runners in the Juan Soto sweepstakes, so they should have an interesting week leading up to the trade deadline.

11. Minnesota Twins (52-44)

Previous: 12

With an offense that ranks fifth in the majors with a .743 OPS, the Twins will likely be focused on upgrading their pitching staff leading up to the trade deadline. They wrap up an odd seven-game, three-city road trip this week against the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres as they look to stay atop the AL Central race.

Nos. 10-6

10. Seattle Mariners (52-45)

Previous: 6

While most teams welcomed the All-Star break with open arms, it came at an inopportune time for a Mariners squad riding the momentum of a 14-game winning streak. The M's were swept by the Houston Astros to begin the second half, and an awful start from Robbie Ray on Sunday (3.0 IP, 10 H, 6 ER) was particularly troubling, but this team is still poised to push for a long-awaited postseason berth.

9. Tampa Bay Rays (52-44)

Previous: 7

A series loss to the Kansas City Royals is a less-than-ideal way to kick off the second half, but the Rays are still in great position in the AL wild-card race. With 15 players on the injured list, depth is going to be the name of the game at the deadline, especially on the pitching side of things, where they have seen 31 different players make at least one appearance in 2022.

8. Milwaukee Brewers (53-44)

Previous: 11

With a walk-off win on Friday and a come-from-behind win on Sunday, the Brewers built some nice momentum with three-straight wins vs. the Rockies coming out of the All-Star break. Despite their payroll limitations, expect them to be on the hunt for an impact bat at the deadline.

7. San Diego Padres (54-44)

Previous: 8

After taking two of three from the Mets in New York, the Padres have a great opportunity to make up some ground in the standings with eight of their next 11 games against the Detroit Tigers and Colorado Rockies. Injured star Fernando Tatis Jr. took batting practice with the team over the weekend and could start a rehab assignment as soon as early next week.

6. Toronto Blue Jays (53-43)

Previous: 9

The Blue Jays have won six in a row and eight of their last nine, climbing from fourth to second in the AL East standings in the process after sweeping the Red Sox in Boston over the weekend. Even with Jose Berrios rounding into form, this team still needs starting pitching help for the stretch run.

Nos. 5-1

5. Atlanta Braves (58-40)

Previous: 5

The Braves gained a game on the New York Mets over the weekend by taking two of three from the Los Angeles Angels, and those two NL East contenders are poised to battle it out the rest of the way. With Spencer Strider rapidly approaching a career high in innings and Ian Anderson struggling to a 8.03 ERA in his last six starts, finding a starting pitcher will likely be on the deadline to-do list.

4. New York Mets (59-37)

Previous: 4.

The Mets have seen their lead in the NL East standings shrink from 10.5 games at the start of June to only 1.5 games entering play Monday, and a minor setback in the Jacob deGrom comeback tour has cast a cloud of unease over the organization. They're now headed into two games against the New York Yankees and then three with the Miami Marlins in which they're scheduled to see both Sandy Alcantara and Pablo Lopez.

3. New York Yankees (66-31)

Previous: 1

After seven straight weeks at No. 1, the Yankees finally dropped after losing a double-header against the Houston Astros to begin the second half. They bounced back to take two of three from the Baltimore Orioles over the weekend, but they are still just 10-10 in July, which has opened the door for another team to claim the top spot.

2. Los Angeles Dodgers (64-31)

Previous: 2

With a four-game sweep of the San Francisco Giants over the weekend, the Dodgers ran their winning streak to eight games and improved to 17-2 in July. Even with left-hander Andrew Heaney expected to return from the injured list on Wednesday, they could still look to add another arm to the starting rotation. They should be in the mix for Luis Castillo and Frankie Montas at the deadline.

1. Houston Astros (64-33)

Previous: 3

After winning both ends of a double-header against the New York Yankees and then sweeping a red-hot Seattle Mariners team over the weekend, the Astros stake a well-deserved claim to the No. 1 spot in this week's rankings. Even with the largest division lead in baseball entering play Monday, they still figure to be busy at the deadline adding complementary pieces to a stacked roster.

Complete Rankings

Complete Rankings

1. Houston Astros
2. Los Angeles Dodgers
3. New York Yankees
4. New York Mets
5. Atlanta Braves
6. Toronto Blue Jays
7. San Diego Padres
8. Milwaukee Brewers
9. Tampa Bay Rays
10. Seattle Mariners
11. Minnesota Twins
12. St. Louis Cardinals
13 Philadelphia Phillies
14. Chicago White Sox
15. Cleveland Guardians
16. San Francisco Giants
17. Baltimore Orioles
18. Boston Red Sox
19. Miami Marlins
20. Texas Rangers
21. Colorado Rockies
22. Cincinnati Reds
23. Arizona Diamondbacks
24. Pittsburgh Pirates
25. Kansas City Royals
26. Chicago Cubs
27. Los Angeles Angels
28. Detroit Tigers
29. Oakland Athletics
30. Washington Nationals

Highlight of the Week: AL Continues to Dominate NL in All-Star Game

For the ninth year in a row, the American League reigned supreme in the All-Star Game.

An RBI single from Mookie Betts and a solo home run from Paul Goldschmidt gave the National League squad an early 2-0 lead against AL starter Shane McClanahan, but the NL lineup would manage only two more hits and zero runs the rest of the way.

Slugger Giancarlo Stanton evened things up with a two-run shot off Tony Gonsolin in the fourth inning, and Byron Buxton followed with a go-ahead blast of his own to give the AL the lead for good.

With all but one run scored via a home run and 22 combined strikeouts between the two teams, the exhibition was a fitting microcosm of the game today.

With that said, the addition of mic'd up players throughout the national broadcast also did a nice job showcasing perhaps the best avenue the game has to connect with a younger audience.

Team of the Week

C Sean Murphy, OAK
(5-for-15, 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI)

1B Paul Goldschmidt, STL
(6-for-13, 4 HR, 7 RBI)

2B Christopher Morel, CHC
(7-for-12, 3 2B, 3 RBI)

3B Matt Chapman, TOR
(6-for-13, 2 2B, HR, 4 RBI)

SS Amed Rosario, CLE
(7-for-17, 2 2B, 3B, 4 RBI)

OF Aaron Judge, NYY
(9-for-19, 2 2B, 4 HR, 11 RBI)

OF Hunter Renfroe, MIL
(6-for-12, 3 HR, 7 RBI)

OF Adolis Garcia, TEX
(8-for-17, 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI)

DH Yordan Alvarez, HOU
(3-for-9, 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI)

SP Zac Gallen, ARI
(1 GS, W, 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K)

SP Jose Quintana, PIT
(1 GS, W, 7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K)

SP Brady Singer, KC
(1 GS, ND, 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 12 K)

SP Tarik Skubal, DET
(1 GS, W, 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 K)

SP Justin Verlander, HOU
(1 GS, W, 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 9 K)

RP Rafael Montero, HOU
(3 G, 1 SV, 2 HLD, 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K)

Award Rankings

AL MVP

1. Aaron Judge, NYY
2. Yordan Alvarez, HOU
3. Rafael Devers, BOS
4. Shohei Ohtani, LAA
5. Jose Ramirez, CLE
6. Mike Trout, LAA
7. Xander Bogaerts, BOS
8. Julio Rodriguez, SEA
9. Alejandro Kirk, TOR
10. Clay Holmes, NYY

NL MVP

1. Paul Goldschmidt, STL
2. Freddie Freeman, LAD
3. Austin Riley, ATL
4. Manny Machado, SD
5. Pete Alonso, NYM
6. Nolan Arenado, STL
7. Dansby Swanson, ATL
8. Sandy Alcantara, MIA
9. Trea Turner, LAD
10. Juan Soto, WAS

AL Cy Young

1. Shane McClanahan, TB
2. Justin Verlander, HOU
3. Dylan Cease, CWS
4. Alek Manoah, TOR
5. Nestor Cortes, NYY

NL Cy Young

1. Sandy Alcantara, MIA
2. Tony Gonsolin, LAD
3. Corbin Burnes, MIL
4. Joe Musgrove, SD
5. Max Fried, ATL

AL Rookie of the Year

1. Julio Rodriguez, SEA
2. Jeremy Pena, HOU
3. Bobby Witt Jr., KC

NL Rookie of the Year

1. Spencer Strider, ATL
2. Michael Harris II, ATL
3. Christopher Morel, CHC

Stats courtesy of MLB.com and Baseball Reference unless otherwise noted.