Amid a topsy-turvy start to the 2026 MLB season, we were begging someone, anyone, to emerge from the muddled middle. It took until May, but we finally got our wish — so much so that, for the first time all year, the Los Angeles Dodgers are not the No. 1 team in our weekly power rankings. Heck, they're not even No. 2.
Of course, the two-time defending champs remain the two-time defending champs until proven otherwise. But the Dodgers have wobbled a bit of late, both at the plate and on the mound, and a couple different teams have taken that crack in the door and busted it open. Who now sits in the top spot? Let's dive in.
30. Los Angeles Angels
- 2026 record: 13-21
- Last week's ranking: 21
After a surprisingly game first month or so, reality has set in swiftly and harshly for the Angels, who lost seven in a row recently — including one against the Mets, of all teams, which shows you just how bad things are right now. A previously plucky offense has fallen off a cliff, and Los Angeles doesn’t have the horses in its rotation or its bullpen to make up for that loss of production. But really, this is who the Halos always were, a team with precious little impact talent and several rebuilding years ahead of it. At least we’ve got Mike Trout.
-Chris Landers
29. New York Mets
- 2026 record: 11-22
- Last week's ranking: 29
Whatever hope Mets fans got from their 8-0 win against the Nationals on Tuesday quickly vanished as the team lost the final two games of that series, ending a 3-6 homestand against three teams that’ll likely finish with losing records. They were able to eke out a comeback win against the Angels, but it’s still a chore for this team to score a run, let alone enough to win a game, and the pitching remains inconsistent at best. Juan Soto can only do so much.
-Zach Rotman
28. San Francisco Giants
- 2026 record: 13-20
- Last week's ranking: 20
The Giants will not fire Tony Vitello, at least not anytime soon, but the fans can only wonder how their players might respond after watching the Phillies sweep them immediately after letting Rob Thomson go. San Francisco's struggles continue, and they’re in all facets. Rafael Devers continues to lead arguably the worst offense in the sport right now, and Ryan Walker continues to prove that he cannot be trusted late in games. Logan Webb isn’t even at his best right now. I don’t know the path forward. This is a team that’s poorly built, and that’s on Buster Posey.
-ZR
27. Minnesota Twins
- 2026 record: 15-20
- Last week's ranking: 22
The Minnesota Twins are not a good baseball team, and their primary trade asset just got injured. If the Twins are going to succeed anytime soon, they should trade Joe Ryan. I'd offer Byron Buxton up to sacrifice, but I'm not that mean, as the Twins outifleder as said multiple times how much he loves playing in Minneapolis. Buxton is a Twins legend. Ryan is not, though he suffered an elbow injury on Sunday. Nothing can go right for this Minnesota team. The Guardians are two games over .500 and lead the division. The Twins are still out of reach. Yeah, I said it.
-Mark Powell
26. Houston Astros
- 2026 record: 13-21
- Last week's ranking: 25
Catch Houston on the right day, and you’ll swear they’re a pennant contender, with AL MVP frontrunner Yordan Alvarez leading an offense that comes at you in waves. Of course, catch them on the wrong day, and that righty-heavy lineup goes silent, while a threadbare pitching staff can’t hold up its end of the bargain. The Astros have lost four of five series, and it’s hard to see how things are going to get much better – much less how this team is going to look like the AL West contenders we expected before the season began.
-CL
25. Colorado Rockies
- 2026 record: 14-20
- Last week's ranking: 27
The Rockies continue to play solid baseball. They lost a series in Cincinnati this week, but came pretty close to winning it in comeback fashion. They blew a 6-0 lead against the powerhouse Braves on Friday, but holding a 6-0 lead against that team is still impressive. It remains night and day with where this team is now from where it was at this time last year. The Rockies are competitive, and with guys like Chase Dollander, Mickey Moniak and Hunter Goodman leading the way, they have real building blocks. I don’t know how much longer they’ll stay out of the NL West cellar, but they’re so much fun to watch.
-ZR
24. Boston Red Sox
- 2026 record: 13-20
- Last week's ranking: 23
Three-game winning streak notwithstanding, Boston began its post-Alex Cora era in a familiar way: by losing a series. They’ve been playing slightly better baseball of late, but all the offensive concerns that got Cora (and basically the entire hitting staff) fired remain. This is not a lineup with the pop to slug its way to very many victories, which is a problem now that the pitching staff is down both Sonny Gray and Garrett Crochet. Run prevention is difficult when you’re handing the ball to Brayan Bello every fifth day.
-CL
23. Chicago White Sox
- 2026 record: 16-17
- Last week's ranking: 28
Okay, I am on the White Sox bandwagon. If Munetaka Murakami won't get you there, I don't don't what will. Murakami is on pace to break Shohei Ohtani's record for the most home runs for a Japanese-born player. I understand it's may, but Murakami's accomplishments are worth celebrating. Chicago is still a few years away, but assuming they call up Colson Montgomery in the not-so-distant future, the White Sox lineup could be scary. You can add me to the list of White Sox believers, especially in a putrid AL Central division.
-MP
22. Washington Nationals
- 2026 record: 16-19
- Last week's ranking: 26
The Nationals continue to outperform expectations. Sure, their 8-0 loss in Queens was rough, but they followed that up with a 14-2 bludgeoning of the Mets and then a 5-4 comeback win in the series finale. Things got tougher against the Brewers, particularly offensively, but Washington continues to hover around the .500 mark. I’m not sure how long that’ll last if they aren’t hitting at an elite level since their pitching is in brutal shape, but it’s been fun to watch so far.
ZR
21. Philadelphia Phillies
- 2026 record: 13-20
- Last week's ranking: 30
The Phillies fired Rob Thomson and all of a sudden, dare I say, look functional? They swept the Giants on the strength of a pair of walk-offs on the same day, and then took the opener in Miami thanks largely to a dominant Zack Wheeler outing. I don’t think firing the manager is a guarantee to turn the season around - there are still clear holes on this team Dave Dombrowski must address if he wants the Phillies to actually be competitive - but it’s clearly lit a spark, and we’ve seen the Phillies run rampant after a manager gets fired before.
-ZR
20. Kansas City Royals
- 2026 record: 14-19
- Last week's ranking: 24
The Royals are ready to win-now, which is why they are ranked higher than Chicago. Every team in the AL Central is within reach. The Tigers and Guardians have failed miserably to make this a two-team race. Kansas City's rotation gives them an edge over Detroit and Cleveland, especially whe it comes to depth. And none of these teams has someone like Bobby Witt Jr. in their lineup — and I say that with the utmost respect to Jose Ramirez.
-MP
19. Texas Rangers
- 2026 record: 16-17
- Last week's ranking: 13
The Rangers are hanging in there, though one wonders for how much longer that can last. The offense was struggling even before Wyatt Langford and Brandon Nimmo hit the shelf with injury, and while Nathan Eovaldi finally delivered a vintage start against the Yankees last week, there’s precious little behind he and Jacob deGrom that inspires confidence. Texas is a top-heavy team, one that needs stars like Eovaldi, deGrom, Langford, Corey Seager and MacKenzie Gore to carry the load. If that’s not happening, they’re going to keep hovering around the .500 mark.
-CL
18. Miami Marlins
- 2026 record: 16-17
- Last week's ranking: 19
It looked as if the Marlins were headed towards a disastrous week, as they had to face the Dodgers fresh off a series loss in San Francisco. All Miami did was take two of three from the two-time defending champions on the road, even watching Janson Junk outduel Shohei Ohtani in the middle game of that series. It’s been an inconsistent start to their season, but the Martlins’ rotation is quite good, as expected (and has reinforcements on the way), and there’s enough in their lineup thanks to guys like Liam Hicks, Xavier Edwards and Otto Lopez to make you believe they can compete for a Wild Card spot.
-ZR
17. Baltimore Orioles
- 2026 record: 15-18
- Last week's ranking: 19
A weekend series against the Yankees felt like an important litmus test for an O’s team that’s been frustratingly mediocre to date. And then Baltimore came out and lost the first two games, and not in particularly competitive fashion either. You can talk about the potential of this lineup all you want, but this rotation (and entire staff, really) simply isn’t very good right now, and will remain that way as long as Kyle Bradish keeps pitching like this. Mike Elias better hope for better results in a hurry.
-CL
16. Detroit Tigers
- 2026 record: 17-17
- Last week's ranking: 9
The Tigers were one game away from the ALCS last season. Truly, they were a team on the rise in 2025. One winter later, and they're fighting for their lives. Sure, signing Framber Valdez to a multiyear deal was a nice step. But that will all go away if they lose out on the Tarik Skubal sweepstakes. The Tigers are playing like a .500 team because they are constructed like one. I give AJ Hinch and Co. a lot of credit for outperforming their weight in the first half of last season, but folks in Detroit are finally getting the team they expected. A season-long battle with the Guardians is upon us.
-MP
15. Toronto Blue Jays
- 2026 record: 16-18
- Last week's ranking: 18
Toronto is doing its best to keep its head above water amid a slew of injuries. Trey Yesavage is back, Kazuma Okamoto has gotten scorching hot and Patrick Corbin, of all people, has been holding it down in the rotation. And yet, you have to wonder what the ultimate ceiling is here. The lineup just lost George Springer to another toe injury; is there enough firepower here? Will Dylan Cease ever find a way to turn his swing-and-miss stuff into actual quality starts? It feels like the Jays are fighting tooth and nail just to hover around .500, and I’m not sure last year’s magic is around the corner.
-CL
14. Pittsburgh Pirates
- 2026 record: 19-16
- Last week's ranking: 6
The Pirates are technically last in the NL Central, but they're better than we thought! As a standalone product, that's an improvement. Pittsburgh spent some money this offseason — perhaps they saw that NFL Draft revenue coming. Paul Skenes and Konnor Griffin are building blocks for the Buccos, but this veteran core expects more. If the Pirates don't make the playoffs this year, there's a good chance Ben Cherington is fighting for his job.
-MP
13. Cleveland Guardians
- 2026 record: 18-16
- Last week's ranking: 9
If I weren't a Tigers fan, I would love the Guardians. Jose Ramirez is a baseball hero of sorts for staying in Cleveland when he had every option to leave. Ramirez should be a career Clevelander. He's been involved in countless Guardians postseason runs, including their last World Series appearance when they lost to the Chicago Cubs. The Guardians are consistently fine, and in the AL Central, that's good enough!
-MP
12. Seattle Mariners
- 2026 record: 16-18
- Last week's ranking: 15
Don’t look now, but Seattle might be starting to find it. The offense is warming up a bit, with Julio Rodriguez getting into his second-half form ahead of schedule and Cal Raleigh and Josh Naylor showing some signs of life. The supporting cast hasn’t been the problem; the Mariners’ stars need to start hitting like stars, and that’s the biggest reason why they won five of six entering their weekend series against the Royals. They’re right back in the thick of the West race, and the smart money is still on this team emerging as a legitimate contender in the AL in time. Just how legit depends on the big bats.
-CL
11. Arizona Diamondbacks
- 2026 record: 16-16
- Last week's ranking: 11
The Diamondbacks’ pitching is starting to look like the problem it was expected to be. Zac Gallen, Eduardo Rodriguez and Michael Soroka all had subpar to bad starts this week after promising starts to their seasons, and Merrill Kelly doesn’t quite look like himself yet. There’s only so much this offense (which also wasn’t great this week) can do. Ildemaro Vargas’ hitting streak even came to an end! The pitching can get better when guys like Corbin Burnes and AJ Puk return, but who knows if Arizona can keep its heads above water until then.
-ZR
10. Athletics
- 2026 record: 17-16
- Last week's ranking: 15
We always knew the A’s would hit, and sure enough the bats have begun to come alive of late, with Nick Kurtz getting back to his 2025 ways and Brent Rooker returning to the lineup and Carlos Cortes coming out of nowhere. They took a crucial early series against the Rangers last weekend, then followed that up by winning two of three against the Royals midweek. The pitching remains as big a concern as ever, but Jack Perkins has emerged to stabilize high-leverage situations, and there’s a chance they just might slug enough to win every game 8-6. We might have a three-way race atop the AL West.
-CL
9. Milwaukee Brewers
- 2026 record: 18-15
- Last week's ranking: 7
Yes, the Brewers have dropped in our MLB Power Rankings. That does not mean they are a bad team! Milwaukee had the best record in baseball last season, and it would not surprise me if they made a run before the All-Star Break. That's what good teams do, and the Brewers develop talent better than anyone, especially when it comes to starting pitching.
-MP
8. Tampa Bay Rays
- 2026 record: 20-12
- Last week's ranking: 8
Somehow, some way, the Rays just keep on chugging. The offense has come crashing back down to Earth in recent days … just in time for the pitching staff to find itself, particularly in the bullpen. Can Tampa keep this up over the long haul? On paper, you’d probably have to say no; there’s frighteningly little pop behind Junior Caminero and Yandy Diaz, and I’m not sure how much I want to rely on Steven Matz, Nick Martinez and Jesse Scholtens. Then again, the Rays have never much cared for how things look on paper, and they’ve already shown they know how to win close, low-scoring games.
-CL
7. St. Louis Cardinals
- 2026 record: 20-13
- Last week's ranking: 16
This was supposed to be a rebuilding season for the Cardinals. I'll admit I was wrong, especially when I suggested St. Louis trade Jordan Walker. Y'all got mad at me for that one, and I don't remotely blame you. Walker has been a godsend for this team, and Chaim Bloom's retool (or whatever he wants to call it) has worked quicker than expected. The Cardinals are a good baseball team, and figure to play a role in the crowded NL Central all season long.
-MP
6. Cincinnati Reds
- 2026 record: 20-14
- Last week's ranking: 7
The Cincinatti Reds are in first place thanks to Sal Stewart and Elly De La Cruz. I have more to say about this team, but those two deserve the highlights. Both players lead the team in OPS and OPS+. The Reds pitching staff is a little lacking thanks to an early-season injury by Hunter Greene. The Reds made the NL Wild Card last season, but were swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers. For the Reds to take a step in the right direction, they'll need to win the division. It really is that simple.
-MP
5. San Diego Padres
- 2026 record: 19-13
- Last week's ranking: 5
The Padres had their first rough week in a while. They were able to salvage a game from the Cubs, but their starters struggled, their lineup didn’t hit outside of that one winning game, and even Mason Miller finally cracked. The Padres are still a good team, but there are clear flaws. It’s worrisome that Fernando Tatis Jr. still hasn’t homered. It’s worrisome that Jackson Merrill is mired in a major funk. It’s worrisome that it’s hard to trust any Padres starter not named Michael King. I don’t know what this team’s ceiling is at this point with the holes that are in place.
-ZR
4. Chicago Cubs
- 2026 record: 21-12
- Last week's ranking: 4
Give it to the Cubs for holding onto first place in the NL Central. Chicago has performed admirably without the help of Pete Crow-Armstrong. The Cubs won 10-straight games just a week ago, but this is not the same team. The Cubs are 7-3 in their last 10 games, and only because they won four straight heading into Sunday. Ian Happ leads the Cubs in OPS with an .890 OPS in 118 at-bats. Shota Imanaga has a 2.40 ERA in over 41 innings pitched. Essentially, you get it. The Cubs are a great team but haven't separated themselves from the rest of the division. That can happen later.
-MP
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
- 2026 record: 20-13
- Last week's ranking: 1
Nothing will ever get handed to the Dodgers, and this week proves just that. They lost a home series against the Marlins when they had their best starters lined up, and lost the series opener in St. Louis as well. This is still the favorite to win the World Series until another team actually beats them in October, but the Dodgers are a team with clear flaws, particularly in the bullpen.
-ZR
2. New York Yankees
- 2026 record: 22-11
- Last week's ranking: 3
The Yankees have not exactly earned the benefit of the doubt in recent years. That being said, New York looks like the clear class of the American League right now, with the best rotation in baseball and an offense that’s rapidly looking like the group that led the league last season. Oh, and Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and Anthony Volpe (stop laughing) are all due back soon from rehab assignments. They haven’t lost a series in three-plus weeks now, and it’s hard to see who among the muddled AL field has the horses to keep up. Now that we’ve said that, prepare for them to lose eight of their next nine games.
-CL
1. Atlanta Braves
- 2026 record: 24-10
- Last week's ranking: 2
This Braves team is good and does not quit. They stole a game against the Tigers on a Matt Olson walk-off, and just a couple of days later, rallied back from a six-run deficit at Coors Field to knock off the Rockies. Atlanta is running away with the NL East despite sluggish starts from Ronald Acuña Jr. and Austin Riley and a rash of pitching injuries. This team’s ceiling is absurdly high if those star hitters ever get going and their pitching can be remotely healthy.
-ZR
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