Giants, O’s now in Power Rankings’ Top 5

This week’s MLB Power Rankings show a slight shift in the middle of the pack, but little has changed at the top. The Cubs and Nationals, while not quite reaching in May the almost superhuman levels earned from their April performances, are still, by our calculations, the best of the best. Threats are coming, however — keep an eye on the streaking Giants and two more early-season pleasant surprises — the Chris Sale-led White Sox, and a Mariners team that is 21-9 in its last 30 games.

Biggest jump: Three teams jumped six spots: the Giants (10th to fourth), Indians (15th to ninth) and Rays (20th to 14th). In this space, let’s focus on the Indians, whose 12-8 May has pushed them over .500 and to second place in the American League Central. They’re in front of a whole mess of teams who were expected to be better than they’re performing: the suddenly mediocre Royals, the flailing Tigers and the struggling Twins. A sweep of the Tigers earlier this month and a recent four-game sweep over the Reds gives the Tribe a good springboard, but they’ll be tested soon enough, finishing off the month with three hot teams: the White Sox, Orioles and Rangers.

Biggest drop: The Blue Jays dropped a whopping eight spots, from 11th to 19th, although that might be a little harsh. Yes, the Blue Jays have dropped six of their last 10 and are struggling mightily offensively. But, these rankings are as much about where we envision teams being positioned at the end of the season as they are about what’s happening in present times, and it may be somewhat short-sighted to write off Toronto merely as the 19th-best team in baseball. Stay tuned.

The Top 5:

1. Cubs: The Cubs won their 29th game on May 20. A year ago, en route to a 97-win season, their 29th win arrived on June 6. The year …

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