The line between contenders and non-contenders becomes clearer after the annual trade deadline, but there are inevitably still a handful of teams that will reside on the fringe of contention heading into September.

We’re graduating from our usual MLB power rankings and moving to weekly contender rankings, turning the focus to the teams worth paying attention to down the stretch.

Featured in this week’s MLB Power Rankings, the final "ace-off" between Clayton Kershaw and Max Scherzer, the Astros, Padres, and Reds are all getting help down the stretch, the Red Sox keep locking up their young core,