Dodgers Hold No. 1 After Tarik Skubal Trade as Cubs Jump to 5th
Updated
Updated · NBC Sports · Aug 4
Dodgers Hold No. 1 After Tarik Skubal Trade as Cubs Jump to 5th
3 articles · Updated · NBC Sports · Aug 4
Summary
Los Angeles stayed atop the rankings despite a four-game skid, with Tarik Skubal’s arrival reinforcing a club already holding a big NL West cushion and focused on October.
Chicago climbed to No. 5 after adding Kevin Gausman, Clay Holmes and Braxton Garrett, a deadline haul the rankings said boosted its World Series odds more than any rival’s.
San Diego rose from 16th to 11th on an 8-of-10 surge after landing Robbie Ray and Casey Mize, while Houston jumped from 19th to 12th with 11 wins in 13 games and outfielder Daulton Varsho.
Boston moved up to 7th after flipping from 11 games under .500 on July 3 to nine games over, then signaling urgency by paying a steep price for catcher Adley Rutschman.
The post-deadline reshuffle left Milwaukee at No. 2 and Atlanta at No. 3 but drew skepticism about their limited pitching upgrades, underscoring how much the final roughly 50 games could still reorder the field.