MLB Power Rankings: Preseason favorites are panicking all over the place

Has MLB considered blowing on the cartridge and trying this whole thing again? I only ask because we're now officially past the 20-game mark of the 2026 season — the point at which it gets a little harder to chalk things up to small sample sizes — and the standings still look like someone took our Opening Day expectations and flipped them upside down.

Teams like the Tampa Bay Rays, Cleveland Guardians, Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers, Athletics and St. Louis Cardinals find themselves at or near the top of their respective divisions at the start of the week, while preseason contenders like the Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners, Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets and Chicago Cubs find themselves buried at or near the bottom. Welcome to opposite day.

Which of those pleasant surprises might actually be built to last? And, just as importantly, which slumping giant might actually be able to wake up and turn things around before it's too late? That's what our latest MLB power rankings are here to answer.

30. Chicago White Sox

• 2026 record: 8-14
• Last week's ranking: 30

Progress isn’t linear. White Sox fans would do well to remember that, as the start to the 2026 season has done less than nothing to build on the relative progress that was made in 2025. Shane Smith unraveled so badly that he got demoted to Triple-A, and the offense and bullpen have been straight-up disastrous. 

Perhaps more concerning is that the young pieces Chicago wants to build around, guys like Colson Montgomery and Edgar Quero and Chase Meidroth and Miguel Vargas, aren’t looking like part of a future foundation worth caring about. Top prospects Noah Schultz and Sam Antonacci are now here, which is exciting, and Kyle Teel will be back at some point, but the young guys need to start showing something. –Chris Landers

29. Colorado Rockies

• 2026 record: 9-13
• Last week's ranking: 28

The Colorado Rockies did not lose a series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. I repeat, the Colorado Rockies did not lose a series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. And no, Dalton Rushing, they did not do this by cheating; the Rockies legitimately won two out of three against the back-to-back defending champions over the weekend, and have a chance to win the series on Monday.

Who says World Series aren’t won in April? In all seriousness, we know this Rockies team isn’t any good, but they’re 9-13 and just earned at least a split against a superteam. They’re playing competent baseball on most nights, which, after last year’s debacle, is a welcome sight. –Zach Rotman

28. New York Mets

• 2026 record: 7-15
• Last week's ranking: 24

The NL East is a test case for which expensive contender can most frustrate their fan base on a daily basis. Between the Phillies and the Mets, there’s plenty of disappointment to go around in the northeast corridor these days. New York is somehow in last place, with Juan Soto’s recent IL spell shining a bright ol’ spotlight on how disastrous the rest of the lineup is at the moment. 

It’s important to not get too high or too low this early in the campaign. The Mets have a couple bona fide aces in Freddy Peralta and Nolan McLean, while Francisco Lindor and Bo Bichette can’t possibly stay this impotent for an entire season. On the other hand, Brett Baty and Carson Benge are really letting the Mets down on the margins, while the Marcus Semien-Brandon Nimmo trade is shaping up as a full-blown David Stearns disasterclass. The vibes in Queens were rotten toward the end of last season and they have not improved whatsoever in 2026. –Christopher Kline

27. Houston Astros

• 2026 record: 8-15
• Last week's ranking: 25

The good news is that the Astros finally won a game this week – two of them, in fact, to snap an ugly eight-game losing skid. The bad news is that they got swept by the Cardinals over the weekend to fall to 8-15 on the year, a stunning mark for a team that ran the AL West not all that long ago.

And the scariest part is that it doesn’t even feel all that much like a fluke. A pitching staff that was already a question mark has been just devastated by injury, and while the offense has done its best to keep things upright, there’s only so much they can do – especially when they’re so vulnerable against right-handed starters. This reckoning has been coming for a little while now, and it might get worse before it gets better. –CL

26. Kansas City Royals

• 2026 record: 7-15
• Last week's ranking: 19

What was simply a sluggish start threatened to come totally off the rails over the weekend, as manager Matt Quatraro was ejected in a loss to the Yankees on Saturday and then appeared to be shown up by franchise legend Salvador Perez after electing to give him a rare – and seemingly unappreciated – day off. Given how much this offense is already struggling right now amid a seven-game losing streak, that sort of internal dysfunction is the absolute last thing you want to see.

I’m not fully pushing the panic button, despite all that. Bobby Witt Jr. and Vinnie Pasquantino (not to mention Perez) are going to warm up eventually, and Jac Caglianone and Carter Jensen are showing real signs. Whether that will amount to something good enough to make real noise in the AL, though, is a different question, especially if this bullpen is going to remain a disaster zone. –CL

25. Washington Nationals

• 2026 record: 10-12
• Last week's ranking: 27

If the MLB season were a two-month exercise, CJ Abrams might win National League MVP. It’s not, of course, but his ascent has given Nationals fans something to look forward to on game days. Moreover, it gets new GM Paul Toboni a potential ace up his sleeve once the Aug. 3 trade deadline rolls around. The Nationals could transform Abrams’ red-hot start into a haul of historic magnitude. 

Beyond the Abrams breakout, Washington has little else to truly celebrate. James Wood has seven home runs and could hit 50-plus over a full season, but the lineup as a whole lacks consistency. The Nationals’ pitching, meanwhile, is a real embarrassment. Beyond Cade Cavalli and Foster Griffin, it’s hard to point to an arm worthy of confidence. Washington’s bullpen might be the NL’s worst and their rotation still includes meatball specialists Miles Mikolas and Jake Irvin, neither of whom will help much at all in the win column. –CK

24. Toronto Blue Jays

• 2026 record: 8-13
• Last week's ranking: 26

You never know these are the good old days while you’re actually in them. It felt like last year’s magical World Series run was merely a prelude for Toronto, but the 2026 season has swiftly and sadistically reminded the Blue Jays just how hard it is to get to the mountaintop. 

Just about everything that could go wrong, has gone wrong: The starting rotation has been decimated by injuries (though Trey Yesavage will be back very soon); the lineup for which everything went right last year is now down George Springer and Addison Barger, with little left to pick up the slack around Vladimir Guerrero Jr.; Jeff Hoffman was so bad in the closer’s role that he got demoted … only to enter in the eighth inning on Saturday night and immediately give up the game-winning grand slam to Corbin Carroll. Better health will help, but this team is scrambling right now, and there are no easy answers. –CL

23. San Francisco Giants

• 2026 record: 9-13
• Last week's ranking: 29

It feels like the Giants hitting Spencer Steer with a pitch, whether it was on purpose or not (it sure looked like it was) sparked something, as they’ve won three of four since and their offense showed some signs of life in Washington, D.C. over the weekend.

The Giants are still only 9-13, and they were shut out on Sunday after combining for 17 runs in their previous two games, but fans will take any wins where they can get them rigiht now. Things are trending in the right direction, ever so slowly, even with Rafael Devers still struggling and Logan Webb not kicking things into gear yet. There’s more talent here than they’ve shown, and perhaps their mostly solid past few games can be the start of a prolonged run. –ZR

22. Philadelphia Phillies

• 2026 record: 8-12
• Last week's ranking: 18

Please allow this Phillies fan some space: [SCREAMS INTO ENDLESS VOID] 

It’s really bleak in Philly right now. Jesus Luzardo, fresh off a well-deserved extension, has the worst ERA among qualified MLB pitchers through four starts. Taijuan Walker just isn’t qualified. Suddenly, Philadelphia’s bulletproof rotation does not feel so bulletproof. Luzardo will turn it around eventually; that isn’t a huge concern. Philadelphia’s lack of depth and the uncertainty behind Zack Wheeler’s eventual return, however, is a major bummer. 

If the Phillies can’t prevent runs at an elite level, which has been their formula for years, this lineup really won’t cut it. The bats are straight-up lifeless against left-handed pitching at the moment. Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper will get their licks in, but on the whole, Philadelphia has struggled to find consistent production beyond their core stars (and Brandon Marsh, who deserves credit). The Phillies gave up zero earned runs in their loss to Atlanta on Saturday. What are we doing here, exactly? –CK

21. Los Angeles Angels

• 2026 record: 11-12
• Last week's ranking: 20

The Angels have been kept afloat so far by their offense, which has shockingly enough been one of the best in baseball so far. And that’s not entirely a fluke: Mike Trout remains Mike Trout, Zach Neto is a burgeoning star and Jo Adell and Jorge Soler bring serious pop. 

It’s…at least a little bit of a fluke, though, unless you’re much higher on Oswald Peraza and Adam Frazier than I am. Which is a problem, because this pitching staff remains a mess beyond Apparent Cy Young Candidate Jose Soriano. It’s been a fun start, but I wouldn’t put too much stock into it. –CL

20. Boston Red Sox

• 2026 record: 8-13
• Last week's ranking: 21

Just when it felt like the Red Sox might finally be finding their footing, they go out and lose two of three to both the Twins and Tigers. It's hard to know what's a bigger concern right now: a lineup that managed just three runs all weekend against Detroit (facing Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez, to be fair) or the fact that Garrett Crochet threw up two consecutive clunkers and now has an ERA approaching 8.

Probably the former, though. Crochet's fastball isn't what it was last year, which certainly isn't what you want to see, but the odds are still in favor of him figuring it out sooner rather than later. This offense looked light on pop entering the year, though, and nothing they've shown so far suggests that's no longer the case. They were hitting Andruw Monasterio in the two-hole against Valdez on Sunday, underlining concerns about Craig Breslow's inability to find another righty bat this winter. –CL

19. Miami Marlins

• 2026 record: 10-12
• Last week's ranking: 13

The Marlins are in a bit of a tailspin after their torrid start to the year, but thankfully so are most of their division rivals. Miami just activated Kyle Stowers on Sunday, which should bolster the heart of the order. In general, this lineup is still producing more than a lot of so-called “contenders” around the National League. Their athleticism and upward trajectory remain encouraging. 

What will ultimately hold the Marlins back is shaky pitching. Sandy Alcántara has finally fallen back to earth and Eury Pérez is far too volatile, despite sky-high preseason expectations. The rotation is a real mess, and it will take more than the inevitable Robby Snelling call-up to completely right the ship. Meanwhile, Pete Fairbanks has struggled in the closer spot and Miami’s lower-leverage bullpen arms are all sorts of chaotic. In a bad way. –CK

18. Seattle Mariners

• 2026 record: 10-13
• Last week's ranking: 17

If I may offer a solution to the Mariners: Have you considered just playing all 162 games at home? Seattle is now 9-5 at T-Mobile Park this season … but a dreadful 1-8 on the road. Of course, this pitching staff is built to thrive amid the marine layer, but that’s extreme under any circumstances. 

The good news is that the offense is showing more signs of life lately, as it was always going to. Cal Raleigh and Josh Naylor won’t be silent forever, and we’re all eagerly awaiting the annual Julio Rodriguez Midsummer Scorcher. It’s been a frustrating start, but you should still believe in the talent here. –CL

17. Minnesota Twins

• 2026 record: 11-11
• Last week's ranking: 15

Minnesota lost two of three at home to Cincinnati over the weekend, but both losses were close, and taking a series from the Red Sox to start the week was an awfully encouraging sign. Do I think that the Twins will remain a top-10 offense all year, or that Austin Martin or Josh Bell are going to keep raking? Certainly not. But Royce Lewis is almost back, and Byron Buxton, Luke Keaschall and Matt Wallner haven’t even got going yet. 

If Taj Bradley and Mick Abel are for real behind Joe Ryan – and it’s looking like that might be the case – this team could at least reach respectability, even if a Wild Card spot is probably too much to ask due to depth concerns. What that means come trade deadline time, though, is anyone’s guess. –CL

16. Baltimore Orioles

• 2026 record: 10-12
• Last week's ranking: 8

Just when it felt like the O’s were finally starting to figure things out, the boulder falls right back down the mountain. Baltimore dropped two of three at home to the D-backs to start the week, then went to Cleveland and lost three of four to the Guardians. Both of those teams have been better than expected to start the year, but it’s still a disappointing result, one that leaves the Orioles mired near .500 – mediocre at just about every aspect of the game so far.

The offense is still desperate for someone to start hitting around Gunnar Henderson and Taylor Ward, with basically none of the homegrown guys – Colton Cowser, Coby Mayo, Samuel Basallo, Dylan Beavers – taking the anticipated step forward. The rotation just doesn’t have enough, especially if Trevor Rogers is going to suddenly start crashing back to Earth. The upside remains, but it’s getting harder to see the ceiling. –CL

15. Athletics

• 2026 record: 11-11
• Last week's ranking: 10

We knew the A’s would be a roller coaster this season, and my goodness has that proved correct so far. The offense alternates between disappointing and devastating, and you simply never know what you’re going to get from this pitching staff on any given day – they just spent this past weekend getting lit up by the White Sox, of all teams.

The result is the most entertaining .500 team in baseball. That’s great for third-party onlookers, but maybe not so great when it comes to the A’s playoff chances this season. I want to believe, but there are just too many holes here for even this lineup to outslug. –CL

14. Texas Rangers

• 2026 record: 11-11
• Last week's ranking: 11

The Rangers really had a chance to make some headway in the AL West this week, but a split against the A’s was followed by losing two of three against the Mariners. I’m still buying this team moving forward, though: The bullpen is light years better than what we saw last year, and the offense is resurgent without even getting the best versions of Corey Seager, Wyatt Langford and Evan Carter. Those three, plus Brandon Nimmo, Jake Burger and Josh Jung (please stay healthy!) provide a rock-solid foundation moving forward.

The only bugaboo so far has been the rotation, but as long as Texas gets good health there, better results will follow from Nathan Eovaldi and Jack Leiter. In a wide-open division, the Rangers don’t seem to be going anywhere. –CL

13. Chicago Cubs

• 2026 record: 12-9
• Last week's ranking: 23

The Cubs entered the week having not hit much, but they scored 46 runs in their next six games, averaging over seven per contest, and promptly went 5-1 in that span. Sure, playing the hapless Mets helps, but Chicago still deserves credit for swinging the bats the way they did.

The offensive breakout couldn’t have come at a better time, too, as the pitching staff continues to be ravaged by injuries. I have no idea how the bullpen will survive without Daniel Palencia, Phil Maton and Hunter Harvey for the foreseeable future, but at least lefty Matthew Boyd is expected to return next week. –ZR

12. Detroit Tigers

• 2026 record: 12-10
• Last week's ranking: 16

Just when it seemed like this Tigers season might be about to go up in flames, Detroit roared back, winning eight of nine to vault themselves right back toward the top of the always eminently winnable AL Central. The offense still has some inconsistencies to iron out, but when this pitching staff is rocking like this – and it absolutely has the potential to be among the best in the American League if Jack Flaherty and Casey Mize are in a groove – then just being average at the plate will still win you a lot of games. To finally reach a higher ceiling, though, the Tigers are going to have to hit more than we’ve seen, and that starts with Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson. –CL

11. Tampa Bay Rays

• 2026 record: 12-9
• Last week's ranking: 14

I continue to be skeptical that the Rays are actually built to last – Yandy Diaz, Jonathan Aranda and Chandler Simpson won’t prop up a top-10 offense forever, and regression there will expose what is a worryingly thin pitching staff – and yet they just keep on finding ways to win games and stay afloat. Granted, sweeping the White Sox is doing a lot of work there, but they did the same to the Yankees at the Trop to start the week. We’ve seen this team do more with less in the past, after all, and I do think their bullpen will improve – or at least get to “fine” rather than “nightmarish” – as the year goes on. –CL

10. St. Louis Cardinals

• 2026 record: 13-8
• Last week's ranking: 22

The Cardinals began their week with their third loss in a row, falling to .500, but they finished it winning five straight. Somehow, this St. Louis team that was written off before the season started is now 13-8, good for sole possession of second place in the toughest division in the league right now.

Is this going to sustain? Almost certainly not, but there’s still so much to like about how the Cardinals have played. Jordan Walker is still raging hot, JJ Wetherholt is starting to find his power stroke and Riley O’Brien has been as good as anyone in the back end of their bullpen. They might not end the year in the playoffs, but there are clear building blocks emerging, and that was ultimately the goal of this season. –ZR

9. Cleveland Guardians

• 2026 record: 13-10
• Last week's ranking: 4

The rotation has held up its end of the Guards Ball bargain. And heck, even the offense has been better than expected. (Yes, it says something about something that around league average is “better than expected,” but still.) In order for this formula to work once again, though, Cleveland’s bullpen needs to be a whole lot better than it’s been so far, starting with closer Cade Smith.

I’m cautiously optimistic on that front, only because this team’s track record in that department is so strong historically. And there’s cause for optimism that this lineup hasn’t had in quite some time, especially with more help on the way from the Minors. Don’t be surprised if this team is once again hanging around come August. –CL

8. Pittsburgh Pirates

• 2026 record: 13-9
• Last week's ranking: 3

On one hand, the Pirates only split a four-game series against a Nationals team that projects to be among the worst in the league this season, and should have swept the Tampa Bay Rays. On the other hand, Pittsburgh had a winning week, scoring five or more runs in five of their seven games, and they had a chance to go 7-0. You’d have liked them to seal the deal in some of the games they lost, but it feels like there were more positives than negatives overall.

Konnor Griffin is slowly starting to figure it out, the same can be said for Marcell Ozuna and the starting pitching remains a clear strength. They’re scoring runs, and pitching well. Overall, Pittsburgh is 13-9 on the year, and nothing suggests things will trend in the wrong direction anytime soon. –ZR

7. Milwaukee Brewers

• 2026 record: 12-9
• Last week's ranking: 5

Morale was incredibly low entering the week for the Brewers, as the team had lost five in a row and just placed Christian Yelich on the IL. But all they did this week was win both series they played, holding the opposition to two runs or fewer in three of their six contests.

Every Brewers starting pitcher looked good this week, and that was encouraging to see given how mixed the results their starters had been up to that point. I have questions about this offense, especially without Yelich and Jackson Chourio, and the back-end of the bullpen has been shaky, but Milwaukee being able to find ways to win in spite of its flaws is encouraging. –ZR

6. Cincinnati Reds

• 2026 record: 14-8
• Last week's ranking: 12

Offense remained hard to come by for the most part for the Reds this week, but they took two of three from the Giants and swept a road series in Minnesota. Now, at 14-8, despite being dead-last in the Majors in OPS, the Reds are in first place by themselves in the NL Central.

It’s concerning that the Reds still haven’t hit much, but can we appreciate how impressive it is that they continue to find ways to win despite their non-existent offense, injuries to Nick Lodolo and Hunter Greene and a rough start to the year from Andrew Abbott? The bullpen, even with an Emilio Pagan blown save on Sunday, has been mostly untouchable, Rookie Sal Stewart looks like a budding star, and Chase Burns has met the hype. The Reds are playing well, and seemingly have a lot of room to grow once they start hitting and get healthier. –ZR

5. Arizona Diamondbacks

• 2026 record: 13-9
• Last week's ranking: 9

You all wrote the Diamondbacks off, but they never wrote back. Arizona continues racking up series wins, wrapping up a 6-3 road trip by winning two of three in Baltimore and then taking two of three at home against the Blue Jays. The D-backs have now won or split five of the six series they’ve played, and sit in third place in the NL West, trailing only the Dodgers and the red-hot Padres.

The secret to their success has been their pitching, as Mike Soroka and Eduardo Rodriguez have anchored their rotation and Paul Sewald has gone 7-for-7 in save opportunities. I don’t know whether this will last, but I do know that struggling stars like Ketel Marte and Geraldo Perdomo will get going, and that Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is now healthy. If the pitching sustains (admittedly a big if), watch out for Arizona. –ZR

4. New York Yankees

• 2026 record: 13-9
• Last week's ranking: 6

It was a rickety week in the Bronx, one that began with a nervy series split against the Angels. But it ended with a bang, including a 13-run outburst against Noah Cameron and the Royals on Saturday. Is that a sign that this Yankees offense is finally beginning to wake up? You’d figure an outburst is coming sooner or later; this was the best lineup in the league last season by a fairly comfortable margin, after all.

And if it does, look out. Because early returns on the rotation have been good, and things will get even better as Carlos Rodon and Gerrit Cole return over the next few weeks. The bullpen remains a sore spot, one that Brian Cashman deserves criticism for not addressing. Once the bats warm up, though, New York should look more like a World Series contender – and finally kick its habit of constantly playing one-run games that take years off of fans’ lives. –CL

3. San Diego Padres

• 2026 record: 15-7
• Last week's ranking: 7

The Padres ran into the buzzsaw that is Jose Soriano, but other than that one loss, they kept things rolling. They swept the Mariners and then won their series against the Angels. They’re now 15-7 on the year, holding the best record in the Majors by a team not named the Dodgers. Is that good?

I’m still not a believer in this rotation or lineup as constructed, but they keep finding a way. They’ve been scoring enough, even with Manny Machado, Jackson Merrill and Fernando Tatis Jr. continuing to struggle, and their bullpen, thanks largely to the unhittable Mason Miller, remains tough to beat. I don’t know if this team has a World Series ceiling, but the playoffs are certainly on the table, and I wasn’t sure that was the case entering the year. –ZR

2. Atlanta Braves

• 2026 record: 14-7
• Last week's ranking: 2

Atlanta keeps on winning. There isn’t a better team in the NL East right now, point blank. All those injuries to the rotation have barely left a dent. This Bryce Elder thing looks and feels real; Greg Maddux really fixed him. Chris Sale served seven innings of one-run baseball in Philly on Saturday night. The Braves’ pitching can only get better from here, really. 

Better yet, the offense is back on the World Series track, and Ronald Acuña Jr. hasn’t even fully come alive yet. Matt Olson is swinging like a fringe MVP candidate, while Dominic Smith is one of MLB’s great early-season surprises. He will probably regress eventually, but with Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies feeling more like their old selves, Atlanta won’t want for run production. –CK

1. Los Angeles Dodgers

• 2026 record: 15-6
• Last week's ranking: 1

The Dodgers made quick work of the Mets in a sweet, only to then lose two of three to the Rockies. That says a lot about the state of things in Queens, but it’s also a wake-up call for L.A. Yes, they’re the best team in the world and are rightful favorites to pull off the three-peat, but it won’t be easy. They’ll need to be on their game, even against bottom-feeders.

Now, there’s obviously no reason for anyone to be concerned — the Dodgers are just fine, and it was nice to see Kyle Tucker start to get going somewhat offensively. It’ll still be interesting to see how they bounce back from not winning a series at Coors Field next week.

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