These are not your normal power rankings. Having a good baseball team is one thing. What might be more distinctive in MLB in 2022 is having a franchise geared toward maximizing the present season. It’s the mindset that took the Braves out of an injury-instigated malaise and made them champions last year.
Spending more doesn’t always mean winning more, as the numbers show. And making exciting moves doesn’t guarantee exciting results. Still, the proclivity to improve the team — subjective as it may be — sets the tone for the summer ahead.