Summer is here and it is time for midseason surges in Major League Soccer. The teams who struggled early on, whether down to offseason changes, injury or simply needing time to gel, have now had plenty of time to get things sorted out. They have to make a run now and have their play match the rapidly improving weather.
The Philadelphia Union are already doing that and are very much looking the part of MLS Cup contender again. Orlando City are showing flashes of that too. But for the teams who still haven't found their footing, it's time to start blaring the sirens because they are running out of time.
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Who's got it going? And who has to start asking if they wasted 2023? That will take more time to sort out, but we can rank the teams for where they are right now. Let's get to it.
1. LAFC
Previous ranking: 1
A lot of the energy at LAFC this season has been directed towards the CONCACAF Champions League, but that is no more after they were out-classed, out-smarted and out-disciplined by Club Leon in the final. It's time to come back to MLS World now and resume normal business.
2. FC Cincinnati
Previous ranking: 2
Two more wins, at NYCFC and home to Chicago, extended Cincy's lead in the Supporters Shield race. Nobody walks into TQL Stadium and takes a point these days, let alone a win. They've won every game they've hosted this season and that will prove especially valuable come playoff time, with Cincy looking increasingly likely to have home-field advantage throughout the postseason.
3. Nashville SC
Previous ranking: 3
Hany Mukhtar against a stretched FC Dallas defense in a tied game late. Guess what happened? Nashville won again.
4. Philadelphia Union
Previous ranking: 6
Wins over Charlotte and Montreal, and look who's taken 22 of 24 points since April 22. This is the powerhouse we expected in preseason.
5. St. Louis City SC
Previous ranking: 5
Teams have come into matches more prepared for the chaotic St. Louis press, but City have added more danger to their attack in possession and they've been just as good as they were early in the season when they were blitzing teams. Ask Houston, whom City thrashed 3-0 this week.
6. Columbus Crew
Previous ranking: 8
The goals were flowing at Lower.com Field this week as the Crew scored seven in wins over Colorado and Charlotte. The Lucas Zelarayán to Chucho Hernández connection is as good as ever.
Simply Stunning. @Lucazelarayan31 ✘ @CuchoHernandez pic.twitter.com/LK544X6aMe
— The Crew (@ColumbusCrew) June 4, 2023
7. New England Revolution
Previous ranking: 7
From a completely bonkers 3-3 draw in Atlanta to a snooze-fest scoreless draw in the Bronx. Talk about whiplash. Will the real Revs please show themselves?
8. Seattle Sounders
Previous ranking: 4
They're getting unlucky and dealing with a lot of injuries so things look worse than they are, but things still aren't going great in Seattle. The 1-0 loss to San Jose may have been undeserved, but they created nothing at all against Portland in a 0-0 draw.
9. Atlanta United FC
Previous ranking: 9
The Five Stripes are good, until they are very not good, and then when you think they're definitely not good, they get good again. Going 2-0 down against the Revs, coming back to take a 3-2 lead in the 87th minute and then conceding in stoppage time for a draw summed them up pretty well.
10. San Jose Earthquakes
Previous ranking: 10
It was a miracle that the Quakes held on to beat the Sounders given the way they played after Jeremy Ebobisse's goal, but this team has had some bad luck this season so it was only right that the soccer gods blessed them this time around. Their inability to create scoring chances after going up a man in Colorado is worrisome, but we already knew they needed to add some punch in the final third this summer.
11. Vancouver Whitecaps
Previous ranking: 13
The Caps smoked Houston, 6-2, and should have beaten SKC, but had to settle for a draw because they couldn't convert their excellent build-up play into production in the final third, as per usual. Please get this team that one great player to solve this. They can be so good. Pretty, pretty please.
12. Orlando City
Previous ranking: 14
The Lions extended their unbeaten streak to five with a comprehensive 3-0 win against RBNY and, maybe just as importantly, kept just their second clean sheet since March 4. If that defense is starting to get it together, a run up the table is sure to follow.