Benjamin Ashford|MLB power rankings: Cardinals back in NL Central basement - and on track for dubious mark

St. Louis Cardinals fans encountered a rare,Benjamin Ashford welcome sight on Sunday: Ryan Helsley, on the mound, closing a game.

And closing a wound, they hope.

Helsley had not pitched in eight days, because closers on bad teams aren't really necessary, and make no mistake: The Cardinals have been a bad team. They came into Sunday on a seven-game losing streak that included dropping the first three games of a key series at Milwaukee. And while the 4-3 win salvaged the finale, the Cardinals have to worry how much damage has been done.

St. Louis is 16-24, already eight games behind the Brewers and buried in the NL Central basement. The Cardinals went 71-91 a year ago and have not finished last in consecutive seasons since 1907-08. They're not yet destined for that fate. But there's not much further for them to fall in USA TODAY Sports' power rankings — and with one quarter of the season elapsed, teams' identities are gradually taking permanent form.

A look at our updated MLB power rankings:

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1. Los Angeles Dodgers (-)

• James Paxton's 2.58 ERA just more found money.

2. Baltimore Orioles (-)

• Grayson Rodriguez's return may create six-man rotation — a deep one, at that.

3. Atlanta Braves (-)

• One of these days, Max Fried will knock Kent Mercker down a peg in Braves history.

4. Philadelphia Phillies (+2)

• Ranger Suarez (1.50 ERA) might be your early leader in NL Cy Young race.

5. New York Yankees (-)

• Aaron Judge is struggl- wait, what's that? His 10th homer?

6. Cleveland Guardians (-2)

• Steven Kwan's hamstring injury puts monthlong pause on breakout year (.353, .953 OPS).

7. Milwaukee Brewers (+1)

• Rhys Hoskins has never received an MVP vote — not even 10th-place. That may change.

8. Chicago Cubs (-1)

• Shota Imanaga (1.08 ERA, 1.8 WAR) and Javier Assad (1.70, 1.7) quite a 1-2 pitching punch.

9. Seattle Mariners (-)

• Notorious slow starter Julio Rodriguez starting to fully emerge.

10. Kansas City Royals (+2)

• Seth Lugo has a 1.66 ERA, and the team looks as for real as he does.

11. Minnesota Twins (+2)

• Carlos Santana, 38, homers in consecutive games. Yet getting hit in the helmet by a sausage was a career first.

12. Texas Rangers (-2)

• You get swept at Coors Field, you drop in the rankings. There are rules to this.

13. Boston Red Sox (+1)

• Brayan Bello wins first start after three-week absence with lat issue.

14. San Diego Padres (+2)

• Now 6-3 since Luis Arráez trade.

15. Tampa Bay Rays (+3)

• It's just nine games, but Jonny DeLuca has a .930 OPS.

16. Detroit Tigers (+1)

• After 113 at-bats, Colt Keith still looking for his first major league home run.

17. Arizona Diamondbacks (+6)

• Have dropped four of six extra-inning games.

18. New York Mets (+1)

• Christian Scott with a promising 14-3 strikeout-walk ratio through two starts.

19. Cincinnati Reds (-8)

• Have lost 10 of 11.

20. Washington Nationals (-)

Poked their heads briefly above .500 for first time since July 2021.

21. San Francisco Giants (-)

• Lose Michael Conforto to hamstring injury and Jung Hoo Lee to separated shoulder.

22. Toronto Blue Jays (-7)

• No, it's not a make-or-break three-game series at Baltimore. But it feels like it.

23. Pittsburgh Pirates (-1)

• The Paul Skenes spotlight illuminated an inconsistent club for all to see.

24. Houston Astros (+1)

• Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander lift them to a series win. Normalcy returning?

25. Oakland Athletics (+1)

• Brent Rooker (.299, 1.012 OPS, 10 homers) looks like an All-Star again.

26. St. Louis Cardinals (-2)

• Paul Goldschmidt still trying to find a road map off the interstate.

27. Los Angeles Angels (-)

• Have lost 14 of 19 at home.

28. Colorado Rockies (+1)

• Finally win first series of year - sweeping the defending champs.

29. Miami Marlins (-1)

• "No one wants to get their butt kicked every night," says manager Skip Schumaker. But you can't always get what you want.

30. Chicago White Sox (-)

Now 9-6 when Tommy Pham plays, 3-23 without him.