After an offseason devoid of flashy acquisitions, and a plodding start to the season that made their 107-win 2021 campaign seem even more aberrational, the San Francisco Giants are suddenly everything they weren’t a few short weeks ago:
Entertaining and dominant.
The Giants finished off a history-making week Sunday by sweeping the rival Los Angeles Dodgers, their seventh consecutive win and a result that resonated on several levels.
It was their first Dodger Stadium sweep since 2012. The 29 runs scored were their most in a three-game series there, including a 15-0 shellacking on Saturday. They vaulted the Dodgers into second place in the National League West.
And they’re one of several teams rising quickly in USA TODAY Sports’ power rankings.
The Giants jumped seven spots to No. 9 entering a significant seven-game homestand against the division rival San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks, the latter leading them by 3 1/2 games. It will be a test for a roster that got much younger with the infusion of rookies Casey Schmitt, Patrick Bailey and top prospect Luis Matos, an outfielder recalled last week.
A look at this week’s rankings:
5. Arizona Diamondbacks (-)
6. Los Angeles Dodgers (-)
9. San Francisco Giants (+7)
18. San Diego Padres (+2)
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Bryan Woo (20), Bryce Miller (18) only trail Felix Hernandez (21) in club history for most strikeouts in first three career starts.
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Only on these Sox: Lance Lynn just the third pitcher since 1990 to strike out 16, give up three or fewer runs – and lose.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB power rankings: Giants rise after sweep of Dodgers