When you've won two World Series in a row — and when you employ over half a billion dollars worth of talent — you earn a certain amount of benefit of the doubt. The Los Angeles Dodgers have been in trouble before; heck, just last fall, they were two outs away from a loss in Game 7 to Toronto, only to once again pull things out of the fire. Doubt them at your own peril.
And yet ... boy, this weekend sure felt like a wake-up call, didn't it? The Atlanta Braves came into Dodger Stadium and took two of three from the defending champs, and did so convincingly. Meanwhile, the streaking Chicago Cubs have now opened up a multigame lead in the NL Central and pulled ahead of L.A. in the NL standings. For the first time in a long time, the National League feels like it might be open for the taking, and our latest MLB power rankings reflect just that.
30. San Francisco Giants
- 2026 record: 15-24
- Last week's ranking: 21
In the messed-up game of musical chairs called “who has the worst vibes in baseball,” the Giants might be winning. Tony Vitello’s managerial tenure has been a disasterclass that may spoil the big league dreams of college baseball managers everywhere, and Rafael Devers is perhaps the worst player in baseball by total WAR. That’s an apocalypse.
–Oliver Fox
29. New York Mets
- 2026 record: 15-25
- Last week's ranking: 29
The worst team money can buy has been fairly stable but still not all that inspiring. Pitching has been spotty, and there’s really no saving an offense that can’t get on base 30 percent of the time. It borders on shocking that the Mets are not making any organizational changes, though there’s still time! To get to my completely arbitrary goal of .500 by the 50 game mark, the Mets would have to go on a serious tear.
–OF
28. Los Angeles Angels
- 2026 record: 16-25
- Last week's ranking: 30
The Angels stabilized things somewhat after an ugly skid dropped them toward the bottom of the AL West, but let's be real here: This is still a franchise in desperate search of a new direction. There's precious little young talent to build around, and the one truly viable trade asset, Mike Trout, is the best player in team history with no desire to go anywhere. Where does that leave Zach Neto and Jose Soriano? Your guess is as good as mine.
–Chris Landers
27. Colorado Rockies
- 2026 record: 16-25
- Last week's ranking: 25
The Rockies continue to show signs of life. Chase Dollander had another quality outing, and while Hunter Goodman has slumped lately, guys like Mickey Moniak, TJ Rumfield and even Jake McCarthy, who hit a game-winning grand slam this week, have picked up the slack. The Rockies don’t have the talent to win many games, but they’re starting to show that they have some exciting players to build around, which wasn’t the case in 2025.
–ZR
26. Houston Astros
- 2026 record: 16-25
- Last week's ranking: 26
A tour de force in how rock bottom is an illusion. Carlos Correa will need season-ending ankle surgery, adding another name to the most snake bitten team that has already been ravaged by injuries to their entire pitching staff. Because of this, Houston has been by far the worst pitching team in baseball so far, posting a completely unserious, MLB-worst team ERA. When Lance McCullers Jr. is your healthiest pitcher, it’s time to freak out.
–OF
25. Minnesota Twins
- 2026 record: 18-23
- Last week's ranking: 27
The only team worse than my Tigers in the AL Central are the Twins. Minnesota is not trying to lose, but their ownership group is fine with the results. It’s why they hired Derek Shelton and fired former general manager Derek Falvey. It’s also why they’ll be willing to listen on Joe Ryan and possibly even Byron Buxton — a beloved face of the franchise — at the MLB trade deadline. The rules of power rankings are simple: I don’t have to take you seriously if you can’t do so yourself. The Twins primary concern is profit, not winning. End of story.
–Mark Powell
24. Washington Nationals
- 2026 record: 19-22
- Last week's ranking: 24
The Nationals brought more of the same this week. They scored a ton of runs, aided by strong performances from guys like CJ Abrams and James Wood, but outside of Foster Griffin they didn’t really pitch that well. As has been the case all year, the pitching is going to hold them back from winning many games, but this lineup, particularly when Wood and Abrams are up, is just so fun.
–ZR
23. Baltimore Orioles
- 2026 record: 18-23
- Last week's ranking: 17
Well, the O's responded to getting swept by the Yankees by going 3-3 this week, so that's something at least. But this lineup remains stuck in the mud, and there just isn't the sort of pitching here to make up for that shortcoming. Baltimore is going to need to hit its way out of this, and that starts with the homegrown guys like Gunnar Henderson and the returning Jackson Holliday. If they can't find more consistency, prepare for a very interesting trade deadline.
–CL
22. Boston Red Sox
- 2026 record: 17-23
- Last week's ranking: 24
The Mets have consistently distracted from the seismic disappointment that has been your 2026 Boston Red Sox, but this team has (somehow) started winning some baseball games despite short-ish term injuries to much of their pitching staff, including Garrett Crochet and Ranger Suárez. Despite having dug a deep hole to climb out of, Boston is arguably the best defensive team in baseball by Fielding Run Value, and the offense has started to wake up under the interim management of Chad Tracy. #ChadSox all the way.
–OF
21. Chicago White Sox
- 2026 record: 19-21
- Last week's ranking: 23
The White Sox winning the AL Central would be one of the more fun storylines in MLB. As of last week, it looked like a real possibility, especially once Tarik Skubal went down with an elbow injury. He’ll miss 2-3 months. The White Sox won’t. It’s okay to admit the south siders are ahead of schedule and that they don’t have a high-percentage chance of winning the division. That’s a leap that probably won’t happen for another year or two. Calling up Colson Montgomery might help their odds, though.
–MP
20. Detroit Tigers
- 2026 record: 18-22
- Last week's ranking: 16
Our very own Mark Powell declared last week that “folks in Detroit are finally getting the team they expected,” which some are calling the most cursed sports prediction since Patrick Ewing guaranteed a Game 6 victory in 2000. The Tigers lost Tarik Skubal, probably the best pitcher in the world, to elbow surgery that could take months for him to return from, sending the Skubal Sweepstakes into complete freak out mode. Because of his injury, the Tigers will probably be unable to trade Skubal even if he indicates he won’t re-sign with Detroit summer. Understandable delirious, Detroit was promptly swept by the Boston Red Sox and Framber Valdez was ejected and suspended for rage-fastballing Trevor Story between the numbers after giving up back-to-back home runs. It’s going great.
–OF
19. Kansas City Royals
- 2026 record: 19-21
- Last week's ranking: 24
I liked the Royals a lot before the season. On paper, I still like them a lot. Bobby Witt Jr. should be an AL MVP candidate. Salvador Perez, somehow, as been doing this forever. Jac Caglianone and Vinne Pasquantino are intriguing spare parts. The starting rotation, headlined by the now-IL bound Cole Ragans and Seth Lugo, should be better than it is. And Kansas City are 7-3 in their last 10 games. If any team is going on a run to take a sizable lead in the Central, my money is on the Royals by mere talent alone. The rest is perfectly fine playing in the mud.
–MP
18. Miami Marlins
- 2026 record: 19-22
- Last week's ranking: 18
The Marlins were aggressive this week, not only catcher demoting Agustin Ramirez — who had been struggling both offensively and defensively — to Triple-A, but promoting top prospects Joe Mack and Robby Snelling to the Majors. They even DFA’d Chris Paddack, who inked a $4 million deal with the club over the offseason, to make room for Snelling in their rotation. The Marlins made moves with urgency that teams trying to win typically show. I don’t know if they’ll lead to winning results, as the team continues to have its share of ups and downs, but Snelling looked very impressive after a shaky first inning in his debut, and Mack has long been one of MLB’s most underrated prospects.
–ZR
17. Texas Rangers
- 2026 record: 19-21
- Last week's ranking: 19
The upside of this Texas team was on full display over the weekend, when Jack Leiter and Jacob deGrom combined to blank a very potent Cubs lineup. The problem, though, has been the guys behind the Rangers' star players; they simply haven't been good enough to make waves in the crowded AL West, and for that matter neither has Corey Seager. If Seager can't start hitting to the back of his baseball card, this offense simply isn't going to be good enough, no matter how many zeroes deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi and Co. put up.
–CL
16. Toronto Blue Jays
- 2026 record: 18-22
- Last week's ranking: 15
Maybe this is foolish of me but I'm still not totally giving up on the Blue Jays, even after getting swept in Tampa to start the week. The pitching injuries have been downright comical, but Patrick Corbin of all people has stabilized the rotation, and Trey Yesavage's return couldn't come at a better time. Now it's the offense's turn to wake up, and there's still enough talent here to see that happening — especially if Kazuma Okamoto is going to keep hitting like an All-Star.
–CL
15. Arizona Diamondbacks
- 2026 record: 19-20
- Last week's ranking: 11
The strength of this Diamondbacks team was supposed to be their offense, and for whatever reason, they just haven’t been hitting much at all lately. Now, their pitching has been better than expected, but with all of their pitching injuries, they need their lineup to start carrying them. Perhaps top prospect Ryan Waldschmidt’s call-up will be what sparks a turnaround there.
–ZR
14. Philadelphia Phillies
- 2026 record: 19-22
- Last week's ranking: 21
Whether firing Rob Thomson is the reason for this is something I cannot definitively state, but the Phillies have looked like a different team under Don Mattingly. Don’t get me wrong, the lineup can still be maddeningly frustrating and Jesus Luzardo continues to not look quite right, but they’ve been hitting and pitching at a much higher level than they were under Thomson, and the results, albeit against mostly subpar competition, speaks for itself. I mean, Justin Crawford even hit a home run! I question if this roster has what it takes to make a meaningful October run, but getting there looks a whole lot more realistic than it has at really any point this season.
–ZR
13. Seattle Mariners
- 2026 record: 19-22
- Last week's ranking: 12
Every time I try to get back in on the Mariners, they go ahead and lose two of three against the White Sox. That's what can happen when your offense is liable to disappear for whole series at a time, no matter how much pitching firepower you have at your disposal. It's a simple proposition for Seattle: If tentpole hitters like Cal Raleigh and Josh Naylor aren't living up to their billing, this team's ceiling is reduced dramatically. There's still plenty of time and track record on their side, but we can't keep saying that forever.
–CL
12. Cincinnati Reds
- 2026 record: 22-19
- Last week's ranking: 6
How do you go from first to last in the NL Central in two weeks? Well, follow the Reds model of course! As our Zachary Rotman laid out, Cincinnati’s bullpen came back down to earth, and the Reds couldn’t win close games all of a sudden. Add in a rare slump for young Sal Stewart, and you have all the makings of an eight-game losing streak. The good news for the Reds is that they play in the best division in MLB. No, I’m serious! This division is incredibly close in terms of quality, minus the standout Cubs. They’re still a few games over .500 and in the NL Wild Card race. Relax.
–MP
11. Cleveland Guardians
- 2026 record: 21-21
- Last week's ranking: 13
Does anyone want to win the AL Central? It’s an honest question I’ve been asking myself for a few weeks. Sometimes, the winner is the friends we made along the way. Cleveland has, on paper, the best chance to win this division. They also just added Patrick Bailey, who despite his offensive struggles is one of the best defensive catchers in baseball. They still have Jose Ramirez, and a pitching staff that will not quit. It also helps that their biggest competition for the Central, the aforementioned Tigers, are all kinds of messy. But please, don’t mistake ‘leading the Central’ for ‘good baseball team,’ as those are two vastly different things.
–MP
10. Athletics
- 2026 record: 21-19
- Last week's ranking: 10
The A's pitching staff is not to be trusted. I get that. But it is at least better than what we saw last season, and this offense is getting better and better now that Brent Rooker is back hitting like his old self after an oblique injury. Are they the most talented team in the West? Almost certainly not. But the Astros are a mess, and it sure seems like the Mariners aren't running away with anything. Why not bring playoff baseball to Sacramento?
–CL
9. Pittsburgh Pirates
- 2026 record: 22-18
- Last week's ranking: 14
The Pirates have become impossible to ignore. We tried; namely, FanSided’s Chris Landers tried. But the Buccos' savvy offseason moves are paying off, albeit not in their entirety. Marcell Ozuna isn’t a good baseball player at this stage of his career despite hitting his 300th career home run the other night. Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn, though? Solid contributors! Konnor Griffin is a star after a tough start to his first big-league season. Paul Skenes and this rotation remain, unsurprisingly, solid minus Bubba Chandler.
–MP
8. Milwaukee Brewers
- 2026 record: 22-16
- Last week's ranking: 9
The Brewers are starting to look like the Brewers again. Milwaukee got a little too cocky before Opening Day, as they traded Caleb Durbin and Freddy Peralta — two important cogs to last year’s team that won 97 games. This team isn’t on pace for anything close to that, but it's a sound NL Wild Card contender nonetheless. If we’ve learned anything about the Brewers, it’s to never count out their pitching. Jacob Misiorowski has emerged as one of the best young pitchers in the National League. He’s a Cy Young candidate for a reason. The rest? Well, they’ll figure it out along the way.
–MP
7. San Diego Padres
- 2026 record: 24-16
- Last week's ranking: 5
We’re seven weeks into the season, and Fernando Tatis Jr. is still homer-less. He’s one of seven qualified hitters without a dinger, which is just astonishing. Guys like Michael King and Randy Vasquez have helped keep the rotation somewhat afloat, and Mason Miller remains otherworldly, but the Padres have not hit enough — and Tatis is right in the middle of that. For them to embark on a deep October run, they’re going to need Tatis to get going.
–ZR
6. St. Louis Cardinals
- 2026 record: 23-17
- Last week's ranking: 7
As the Cubs keep widening their gap in the NL Central (currently a 3.5-game lead), the Cardinals look like just about the only team within striking distance. It’s early, and that could change. But to the Cards’ credit, they continue to surpass my expectations. Before the season, FanSided and most outlets wrote of St. Louis' demise. This is Chaim Bloom’s team, after all, and there’s no way he intended to actually compete for a playoff spot in 2026. But Oli Marmol, Jordan Walker and a pitching staff better than the sum of its parts had other ideas. It should be a fun summer in St. Louis.
–MP
5. Tampa Bay Rays
- 2026 record: 26-13
- Last week's ranking: 8
Is it time to just give ourselves up to Rays devil magic (or Devil Rays magic)? They've been defying the naysayers all year long, thumbing their nose at those who look at their roster and their record in one-run games and insist that regression has to be coming, and now they're in first place in the AL East. Again, there's reason to be skeptical; this offense is not very good, and this pitching staff is punching way above its weight. But we've seen this act from this team before.
–CL
4. Los Angeles Dodgers
- 2026 record: 24-16
- Last week's ranking: 3
The rich got richer this week, as Blake Snell made his season debut against the Braves. Now, Snell didn’t look his sharpest, and he replaced the now-injured Tyler Glasnow, but getting the two-time Cy Young winner back only makes the Dodgers scarier. It feels like they haven’t hit their peak yet and won’t for a while, but Los Angeles still looks poised to run away with the NL West and compete for yet another World Series title.
–ZR
3. New York Yankees
- 2026 record: 26-15
- Last week's ranking: 2
Just when the Yankees seemed to have finally turned the corner and put the bad vibes of previous Aaron Boone teams behind them, they get swept by the Brewers, including an absolute howler of a loss on Saturday night that checked all of the worst 2025 Yankees boxes — from defensive miscues to bad at-bats to a shaky bullpen. It's not time to panic yet in the Bronx; this team is still very, very good, and one loss is only one loss. But they'd do well to remind everyone that this is a new team in a new year.
–CL
2. Chicago Cubs
- 2026 record: 27-14
- Last week's ranking: 4
The Cubs' second double-digit winning streak of the season came to an end this weekend thanks to the Diamondbacks, but there’s little denying they’re one of the best teams in baseball. What Chicago is lacking is reliable starting pitching. Sure, their depth can get them through tough times in the regular season, but the Cubs need to add another frontline starter if they hope to beat the Dodgers or Braves when it counts (and possibly both). Chicago is the class of the Central, and anyone still questioning Craig Counsell’s contract should take a serious look in the mirror.
–MP
1. Atlanta Braves
- 2026 record: 28-13
- Last week's ranking: 1
A series loss in Seattle followed by a disappointing showing in Game 1 of this weekend’s series at Dodger Stadium might’ve had Braves fans on edge, but Game 2 wiped any concerns away. Spencer Strider looked like vintage Strider in his second start of the season, allowing just one hit in six innings against the Dodgers and striking out eight. If the Braves get that version of their righty, they’re serious threats to win the World Series.
–ZR
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