Cleveland Indians ranked No. 6 in ESPN power rankings

The Cleveland Indians started the second half on a sour note but still remain in first place and are featured near the top of ESPN’s MLB power rankings.

Getting swept to open the second half of the season was not ideal for the Cleveland Indians, but a win Monday night will hopefully put the team back on track.

For some reason this 2017 version of the Indians just can’t seem to take advantage of great opportunities, such as the three games against a last-place Oakland Athletics team.

Fans are left wondering if this team will ever pull away in their own division, but as long as the Indians remain in first it is hard to get too angry. Make it to October and anything can happen, as we all saw last year.

The fact the Indians are in first and should be doing even better has the team ranked No. 6 overall in the latest edition of ESPN’s MLB power rankings.

From the article:

"So much for breaking away. After getting swept by the A’s to start their second half, is any first-place team in a more uncertain position than the Indians? Jose Ramirez may have blossomed into a star, but Francisco Lindor is struggling to get on base, with just a .283 OBP since the end of April. Jason Kipnis is back on the shelf with a groin injury and had yet to get on track at the plate, and Carlos Santana‘s home run rate has been cut in half from last season. — Christina Kahrl, ESPN.com"

The ultimate fear of Indians fans is that all this optimism won’t lead to anything and the team will miss out on the postseason, but it is still too early for any dire thoughts. Getting swept is frustrating, but as long as it doesn’t become a weekly thing, fans shouldn’t get too worried.

Next: 5 players who must step up in the second half

So here we are again. Another week of the Indians receiving a high ranking even after coming off a rough weekend. The team has been able to rebound most of the time, so let’s hope that continues today and moving forward.