Cardinals Leapfrog Yankees in Latest MLB Power Rankings originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Following a three-game sweep of the Cleveland Guardians, the St. Louis Cardinals have made a big impression on MLB experts.
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So mush so, manager Oli Marmol and company checked in at No. 8 on Bleacher Report’s latest rankings released Monday, up four spots from No. 12.
After stumbling to a 3-9 start in June, the Cardinals have bounced back in a big way, righting the ship with strong pitching performances and timely hitting.
The highlight of the weekend sweep came from ace Sonny Gray, who turned in one of the best starts of the MLB season.
The veteran right-hander threw a “Maddux” — a complete game shutout on fewer than 100 pitches — needing just 89 to blank the Guardians. Gray allowed only one hit, struck out 11 and walked none in his dominant outing.
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It marked his first complete game shutout since July 2015 and earned him the Pitcher of the Week from Bleacher Report.
Matthew Liberatore followed up with a stellar performance of his own, throwing six scoreless innings with five strikeouts and three hits allowed.
Cardinals center fielder Victor Scott II (11) and designated hitter Nolan Gorman (16).Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
The two shutouts capped off a strong 5-2 week for the Cardinals and helped them gain valuable ground in the tight National League playoff race.
With 10 NL teams still within five games of a postseason berth, St. Louis will need to keep up its momentum to stay ahead.
Meanwhile, the New York Yankees dropped one spot to No. 9 following an inconsistent June. The Bronx Bombers went 13-13 over the month, and their once-commanding lead in the AL East has dwindled to just 1.5 games.
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With a 47-38 record, a surging rotation, and their offense starting to click again, the Cardinals are once again one of the hottest teams in baseball.
As the trade deadline approaches with just a month to go, they’re fast trending in the right direction, and experts are taking notice.
Related: Cardinals Farm Report: Luken Baker Turns Page After Rough Start at Memphis
Related: Cardinals Predicted to Acquire $18 Million Veteran Before Trade Deadline
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 30, 2025, where it first appeared.