MLB Power Rankings: Tigers reach rock bottom as AL contenders (finally) emerge

We've spent most of the 2026 season so far trying to figure out just what on Earth is happening in the American League, where hardly anyone has wanted to stay above .500 — much less claim a playoff spot — for any extended period of time. But was this the week where order began to be restored? The Cleveland Guardians look less like a plucky story and more like a wagon; the Seattle Mariners have finally grabbed hold of the AL West; and while they still have lots of work to do, both the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays started to look more like the contenders we expected at the start of the season.

One team we didn't mention above, though? The Detroit Tigers, who continue to find a new rock bottom with every passing day — including another come-from-ahead loss to the Chicago White Sox on Sunday. The Tigers now have the worst record in all of baseball, a Tarik Skubal trade now seemingly a matter of when rather than if. And as if that weren't bad enough, they've reached a new low in our latest MLB power rankings, too.

30. Detroit Tigers

• Last week's ranking: 28

Yes, the Detroit Tigers are the worst team in baseball. Trust me, I've watched them too much this season. The Tigers started the 2026 campaign assuming they could make up for the distraction that was Tarik Skubal's trade deadline dilemma. Little did they know Skubal would injured his elbow in May. The Tigers are a mess and in free-fall. I have no defense for their poor play in May. Their wins are in the single-digits and they are the worst team in the AL Central, of all divisions. This time last season, I made the case that these same Tigers were the best team in baseball. Perhaps that's the problem.

–Mark Powell, FanSided.com

29. Colorado Rockies

• Last week's ranking: 29

The Colorado Rockies remain more competitive than expected, whether their record suggests it or not. Look at this week, for example: The Rockies were swept at Dodger Stadium, and a 15-0 loss was ugly, but they also played the back-to-back defending champions close in two of the games — ven holding a late lead in one of them. From Mickey Moniak to Hunter Goodman to TJ Rumfield, Colorado is starting to build a position player core worth getting somewhat excited about, and their pitching has even been a bit better than expected, too.

–Zach Rotman, FanSided.com

28. Kansas City Royals

• Last week's ranking: 27

Congratulations, you found the only AL Central team better than the Tigers. Somehow, the Royals just as disappointing. (Again, the Central is so winnable.) Kansas City has one of the best players in MLB in Bobby Witt Jr. That makes their failure all the more depressing. Witt Jr. could become this generation's Mike Trout if Kansas City cannot make the best of their young talent quickly. KC started this season with playoff potential. At this rate, they'll end it with a Patrick Mahomes first pitch to draw fans. Not what you want to see.

–MP

27. San Francisco Giants

• Last week's ranking: 26

A disastrous season only got worse this week as the San Francisco Giants remain one of the worst teams in the National League. Rafael Devers is continuing to show some signs of life, and it was nice to see Logan Webb return, but barring a massive and immediate turnaround, the Giants will be deadline sellers without much to sell, with many of their players on bad contracts.

–ZR

26. Los Angeles Angels

• Last week's ranking: 30

How down bad are the Tigers right now? Even the Angels are getting licks in at their expense, taking two of three in Detroit to start the week. Of course, they proceeded to get lit up by the Rays in Tampa, and this pitching staff – heck, this team – remains a mess. It’s past time to start thinking about which veterans might not be here after the trade deadline, with Mike Trout obviously the biggest question mark.

–Chris Landers, FanSided.com

25. Boston Red Sox

• Last week's ranking: 22

Signs of life, maybe? Boston put up a nine-spot on both Saturday and Sunday, as Jarren Duran in particular continues to rake in the month of May. The Red Sox have yet to make up much ground in the standings, of course, so that hot streak might only serve to boost Duran’s trade value – this is still a below-average lineup seriously lacking in power, and Garrett Crochet appears no closer to a return. But hey, with the way this year has gone, runs are runs.

–CL

24. Miami Marlins

• Last week's ranking: 21

It looked as if the Miami Marlins were turning a corner when they split the first two games of this weeks series against a tough Blue Jays team on the road, but it quickly turned into disaster. Eury Perez struck out nine in four dominant innings in Toronto, only to suffer a hamstring injury while stretching in the dugout, knocking him out for a couple of months. Miami then lost a series against a Mets team they just swept.

–ZR

23. Minnesota Twins

• Last week's ranking: 19

The Minnesota Twins were so close! The Twins were in the AL Wild Card race just a week ago, which is why I dared to rank then 19th. This is the issue with ranking MLB teams each week. A couple series went by, and Minnesota fell to 23rd. When you lose series to the White Sox and Pirates, that's what happens. Chicago is without Munetaka Murakami and the Pirates are shorthanded at well. The Twins had a chance to prove their worth, and they failed.

–MP

22. New York Mets

• Last week's ranking: 24

A rough start to the New York Mets’ week got a bit better when they were able to win a series against a frustratingly pesky Marlins team, but for the team to get back into the postseason hunt, they’re going to need to string several wins together. With Freddy Peralta and Nolan McLean struggling of late and their offense remaining remarkably inconsistent at best, it’s still hard to believe that this team has a 2024 type of run in them.

–ZR

21. Houston Astros

• Last week's ranking: 23

Houston got Jacob Misiorowski’d on Sunday, but hey, that happens to just about everybody these days. On the bright side, it was a very encouraging week for the Astros, as they completed a four-game sweep of the Rangers before playing a great Milwaukee team very tough. The lineup, Yordan Alvarez in particular, remains good enough to contend. Can the pitching pull its weight? Who knows whether this was merely a flash in the pan, but Hunter Brown is on the mend, and the AL Wild Card picture is wide open.

–CL

20. Texas Rangers

• Last week's ranking: 18

Texas was in desperate need of some good news, and an emphatic sweep of the Royals certainly qualifies. (Okay, so Kansas City is truly dire right now, but hey: baby steps.) Still, this offense has not been good enough, and there’s only so much that Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi can do to keep things afloat. This just feels like a .500 team without the requisite depth to make a meaningful push, though Corey Seager’s return could change that.

–CL

19. Washington Nationals

• Last week's ranking: 26

We’ve reached a point where we can’t do anything but respect the Washington Nationals. Pitching (outside of Cade Cavalli) remains a major issue, as they’ve allowed the most runs in the sport, but they also lead the Majors in runs scored. James Wood is playing like an MVP candidate, CJ Abrams is either playing like a franchise cornerstone or a player who is going to fetch an absurd haul at the deadline and Curtis Mead is showing people why he was once a top prospect. I don’t know if Washington will continue to hover around the .500 mark with their pitching as bad as it is, but their offense relentless and so fun to watch. We certainly know that the Nationals will not end up as bad as they were expected to be in spring training.

–ZR

18. Baltimore Orioles

• Last week's ranking: 25

Now that’s the offense we expected to see all year. Even amid questions about whether Mike Elias had done enough to fix the starting rotation, the O’s lineup felt dangerous. It didn’t show much of that over the first two months or so, but five or more runs in six of the last seven games is much more like it. The division will be a tough road to hoe, but the Wild Card chase is wide open; keep hitting up to their potential, and Baltimore might yet make something of this season after all.

–CL

17. Athletics

• Last week's ranking: 15

The A’s officially ceded first place in the AL West to the Mariners this week, and this is beginning to have the feel of a team that’s running out of gas a bit. Not that you can blame them: They simply don’t have the horses in either the rotation or the bullpen – as the massacre this weekend against the Yankees’ formidable lineup can attest – and there’s only so much burden your lineup can carry. It’s hard to imagine something more than mediocrity without better pitching, and with Seattle now rolling, mediocrity might not be enough.

–CL

16. Toronto Blue Jays

• Last week's ranking: 20

Two tough losses in Baltimore took the wind out of the sails a bit, but it was still a promising week for those of us who refused to sell our Blue Jays stock just yet. It was also a testament to what this team could yet do it if can finally get healthy – especially in the rotation, which simply ran out of gas by the end of the week with Dylan Cease now on the IL as well. We might just never see the full compliment of talent in Toronto, but they’ve refused to let go of the rope.

–CL

15. Cincinnati Reds

• Last week's ranking: 12

The Reds ranking is a byproduct of their division. Cincinnati is in last place in the NL Central. They are over .500. That's not necessarily fair, but the Reds have failed every test they get. Cincinnati is well below .500 against teams with a winning record. Thus, they can only be ranked so high. Terry Francona is good for a positive WAR himself were it measured. But the Reds play like the odd man out against the likes of the Pirates, Cubs and Cardinals. When you're six games back, No. 15 in the MLB Power Rankings is actually a positive review. Take it while you can get it.

–MP

14. Chicago White Sox

• Last week's ranking: 11

The White Sox are such a fun story. I would love to rank them higher, though my coworker Chris Landers disagrees. Tobe fair, the White Sox will be without Munetaka Murakami for the next 4-6 weeks. He was their best offensive player. This is what happens in so-called power rankings columns when you lose your best player. Chicago is well within striking distance of Cleveland, and if they can tread water without Murakami, maybe they'll be trade deadline buyers. For now, that's not the case, despite a series win against the lowly Tigers.

–MP

13. St. Louis Cardinals

• Last week's ranking: 8

The Cardinals are among the best stories in baseball. Just last week, they were well within our top-10. That changed quickly when they ran into the gauntlet of Milwaukee and Chicago. The Brewers swept the Cards out of town. The Cubs, despite their poor play of late, split the first two games in St. Louis. This included a Pete Crow-Armstrong exclamation point home run into the 'tarps off' section of Busch Stadium. Maybe I'm crazy, but I like to think that sort of statement carries over. The Cubs and Brewers are the class of the Central until further notice.

–MP

12. Arizona Diamondbacks

• Last week's ranking: 9

The Arizona Diamondbacks reminded MLB fans who they were this week: a decent, but far from stellar team. The Diamondbacks were able to take care of business in a two-week stretch playing only the Giants and Rockies, but their first test against better competition went poorly in Seattle. The dynamic duo of Ketel Marte and Corbin Carroll has helped keep Arizona afloat, but Ildemaro Vargas has really cooled down and the pitching is just too unreliable to trust.

–ZR

11. Pittsburgh Pirates

• Last week's ranking: 14

The Pirates? This high? Pittsburgh has one of the best rotations in baseball. No matter what their record says, the Pirates have the potential to make a run in the National League thanks to their pitching alone. The reason they aren't in the top-10 is due to injury. Ryan O'Hearn is coming off the injured list soon, but Konnor Griffin will replace him. Pittsburgh's lineup, much like last year, remains a question mark. Jared Jones return should help the rotation depth plenty, assuming Carmen Mlodzinski's feelings aren't too hurt.

–MP

10. Philadelphia Phillies

• Last week's ranking: 13

The Philadelphia Phillies had a successful road trip out west, but they didn’t score more than four runs in a single game. In fact, they haven’t scored more than four runs in any of their last 11 contests. The Phillies have gotten absurdly good pitching over this stretch (and really ever since they fired Rob Thomson), so they’ve been able to win some games despite their non-existent offense, but the bats being this bad is worrisome. There’s only so much the pitchers can do; Cristopher Sanchez is bound to allow a run eventually. Kyle Schwarber is as good as ever, and guys like Brandon Marsh and Bryce Harper have had good years, but the Phillies' arms need more help if they want to even make the playoffs — let alone go on a World Series run.

–ZR

9. Seattle Mariners

• Last week's ranking: 17

Don’t look now, but here comes Seattle, winners of consecutive series against the A’s and D-backs to finally wrest control of first place in the AL West. We knew this team was in there, and now that they’re finally starting to hit like we saw down the stretch last season, they look every bit the part of a pennant contender. We know the pitching is going to be there for the long haul; if the Mariners are consistently scoring five, six, seven runs a game like they did this week, the sky is the limit.

–CL

8. San Diego Padres

• Last week's ranking: 5

I wish I could be happier about Fernando Tatis Jr. breaking his home-run drought this weekend, but a 1-5 week against the Phillies and Nationals has San Diego Padres fans frustrated — and for good reason. It feels like it’s time to panic: The Padres have gotten historically great relief work from Mason Miller, and they’ve done well in clutch moments, but they rank 27th in runs scored and 13th in staff ERA. Does that sound like a playoff team to you? The pitching, even with the iffy back end of the rotation, has been mostly good enough; but this lineup, mainly due to struggles from star position players, has been infuriating to watch all year, and could doom San Diego in the end.

–ZR

7. Chicago Cubs

• Last week's ranking: 10

Oh no. They want me to say nice things about the Cubs? I can try to make that work. Chicago is streaky. They were that way with and without Kyle Tucker. Pete Crow-Armstrong, while a five-tool player. comes with his own flaws. But PCA hit a statement home run against the rival Cardinals at Busch Stadium as the 'tarps off' fans were calling him overrated. Even I have to give him credt for that. Crow-Armstrong should be a centerpiece of the Cubs-Cards rivalry for years to come. He backed upn his chatter with his mouth this time around.

–MP

6. Cleveland Guardians

• Last week's ranking: 6

The Guardians haven't moved an inch after I generously gave them the No. 6 ranking last week. That could all change this week, as they travel to the Bronx to face off against the Yankees. Seemingly every Central winner fails miserably when they head east. That includes the postseason. The Guardians are good baseball team, and have pulverized the Tigers, Twins and Royals into oblivion. At the same time, the difference in competition is striking. The Guardians ranking could change quite a bit next week depending on how they play when the lights are brightest. It's their first real test of the year.

–MP

5. New York Yankees

• Last week's ranking: 7

Just when it seemed like their offense was dead and buried, the Bronx Bombers have busted out for seven or more runs in four of their last five games. When this lineup is rolling like this, there are few teams with a higher ceiling, no matter how many questions there still are about the bullpen. Of course, they won’t face the Athletics forever, so there remains something to prove. The Yankees remain the team with the widest delta in all of baseball depending on which day you catch them.

–CL

4. Milwaukee Brewers

• Last week's ranking: 3

The Brewers passed every test except the most important one. Milwaukee hosted the two-time champion Los Angeles Dodgers with an impressive crowd and lost the series. That's going to sting for awhile. Milwaukee had the best record in the National League in 2025 and were just one of the Dodgers victims on the way to another Fall Classic win. Until the Brewers prove they can over the hump, it's tough for us to believe them. Sure, the Brew Crew are the class of the Central, but beyond that they have serious question marks. That's why the Rays, Braves and Dodgers are all ranked higher.

–MP

3. Tampa Bay Rays

• Last week's ranking: 1

A sweep at the hands of the O’s this week felt like the first time Tampa has really taken one on the chin this season. And while they righted the ship with a series win against the Angels over the weekend, allowing 21 runs across those three games won’t do much to quiet questions about the continued viability of this pitching staff. Granted, the Rays are still the class of the AL right now, and there’s a lot to like. Given the durability concerns of Shane McClanahan and Drew Rasmussen and the lack of depth behind them, though, it could be canary in the coal mine.

–CL

2. Los Angeles Dodgers

• Last week's ranking: 4

The Los Angeles Dodgers are still far from perfect, as Saturday’s excruciating loss would suggest, but they wrapped up a 5-1 week by winning two of three against the Phillies and they’ve built a fairly substantial lead in the NL West. Losing Teoscar Hernandez to a hamstring strain hurts, but the Dodgers, even after essentially sleepwalking through the regular season, will remain World Series favorites until someone knocks them out.

–ZR

1. Atlanta Braves

• Last week's ranking: 2

The Atlanta Braves just keep on winning, bouncing back from a disappointing series loss last weekend to win both of their series this week. Atlanta is now 40-20, holding the best record in the Majors, and the arrows are only pointing upwards as Ronald Acuña Jr. suddenly looks as good at the plate as he has in years. If Acuña can perform like the MVP he has been in the past, and the pitching can get healthier (Hurston Waldrep is about to begin a rehab assignment) who is beating this Braves team?

–ZR

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