Way too early MLB power rankings: Cubs have a lot to prove early on

MLB Power Rankings: Marlins, Orioles carry some intrigue in 2023

• 24: Colorado Rockies
• 23: Miami Marlins
• 22: Boston Red Sox
• 21: San Francisco Giants
• 20: Baltimore Orioles

We'll always have a soft spot for Kris Bryant here on the North Side and you have to hope his second year in Denver goes better than his first, when he battled injuries and fell woefully short of expectations with the Rockies. Even if he turns in a monster season, though, it's hard to envision any sort of scenario where that team competes (even their ownership knows as much).

The Red Sox finally extended Rafael Devers, but that felt like something that had to happen if Chaim Bloom wanted to keep his job. Boston won just 78 games in 2022 and this offseason hasn't done much to inspire confidence in the fanbase or throughout the industry.

Two teams that are, at the very least, poised to be fun in 2023 are the Miami Marlins (23) and Baltimore Orioles (20). Miami boasts a loaded starting rotation, headlined by NL Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara and the Orioles fell just short of punching their postseason ticket last year - and have a seemingly endless list of young players and prospects on the rise. Keep an eye on Birdland as a sleeper squad this summer under former Cubs bench coach and first base coach Brandon Hyde.