MLB Power Rankings: Where all 30 teams stand as slow starts take a toll

When does a small sample size become worrisome? That definition varies across MLB, but it might be time to start paying attention to the troubling starts of expected contenders like the Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros, among others. While we still expect these teams to finish near the top of their respective divisions, early struggles could be a sign of what's to come. This week's MLB Power Rankings will finally, mercifully, start to reflect that.

The same can be said of unexpected contenders. The Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves would like a seat at the table. The same can be said of the Athletics, which entered Sunday winners of four straight games, with some of those coming against the New York Yankees. It's time to start paying attention.

30. Chicago White Sox

• 2026 record: 5-10
• Last week's ranking: 29

Chicago is predictably in last place, but there’s actually something to be excited about with this White Sox team, which is a pleasant change of pace. Munetaka Murakami’s monster power has, in fact, translated stateside. Colson Montgomery is going to come around soon enough, while better health should boost the South Siders’ lineup eventually. Kyle Teel, Austin Hays and Brooks Baldwin all figure to help down the road.

The White Sox rotation was always going to suffer, but Shane Smith’s surprise demotion less than two weeks after his Opening Day start came as a shock — and an unfortunate setback. Still, Anthony Kay looks like one of the offseason’s better margin signings, while Davis Martin and Erick Fedde are at least holding their own. The impending arrival of top prospect Noah Schultz is extremely exciting; the 6-foot-10 southpaw will need to prove his command against Major League competition, but he profiles as Chicago’s best chance at an ace post-Garrett Crochet. –Christopher Kline

29. San Francisco Giants

• 2026 record: 6-10
• Last week's ranking: 22

This week was a better one for the San Francisco Giants, who went 3-3 against the Phillies and Orioles. Still, at 6-10 and with several key players like Rafael Devers, Logan Webb and Jung Hoo Lee vastly underperforming, what’s there to like about this team right now?

I don’t think this is all first-year manager Tony Vitello’s fault by any means, but he certainly isn’t helping matters. This team is poorly constructed, and it feels like every move Buster Posey has made since the Devers deal has been the wrong one (and even the Devers deal looks a bit iffy right now). The Giants can still be mediocre, as they’ve been for several years in a row now, but it’s hard to envision them seriously competing in the NL West. –Zach Rotman

28. Colorado Rockies

• 2026 record: 6-10
• Last week's ranking: 28

Even after getting swept in San Diego, this week was a success for the Colorado Rockies in every way. Sweeping the Astros, as bad as Houston looks right now, was a tremendous accomplishment, and the Rockies even won two of those three games quite handily. The series in San Diego wasn’t as fun, obviously, but the Rockies played them hard; they could’ve easily taken at least two of those games.

Competitive baseball is all Rockies fans can ask for after last season’s disaster. They won’t win many games, but Colorado certainly looks far more competitive than it did in 2025. Strong starts from guys like Mickey Moniak and TJ Rumfield should have Rockies fans paying attention, too. –ZR

27. Washington Nationals

• 2026 record: 7-8
• Last week's ranking: 26

Washington is predictably in last place, but the vibes aren’t terrible. The Nats took a series from a good Milwaukee team and seem to be finding their groove offensively, led by James Wood, who is up to four home runs with a .953 OPS. The top of Washington’s lineup stacks up well with almost any opponent.

What will ultimately hold the Nats back, of course, is their pitching. Miles Mikolas just cannot be starting on a regular basis in the year 2026; he serves up more meatballs than your local Italian restaurant. Jake Irvin isn’t exactly sharp either. Foster Griffin and Cade Cavalli could be a legitimate one-two punch for the Nats, but their sturdy work will too often be undone by an egregiously poor bullpen. Priority No. 1 in D.C. will be finding the arms to support what is a genuinely promising young offensive core. –CK

26. Toronto Blue Jays

• 2026 record: 6-9
• Last week's ranking: 5

An already nightmarish injury situation for the Blue Jays – Trey Yesavage, Cody Ponce, Shane Bieber, Jose Berrios, Alejandro Kirk, Addison Banger and Anthony Santander are all on the IL – somehow got even worse over the weekend, when George Springer fractured his toe in a loss to the Twins. It’s unclear how much time he might miss, but Toronto can’t afford many more losses, even in a division in which every team appears to be taking on water right now.

If you’re looking for good news, the pitching staff is on the mend. But Ponce is potentially out for the year, there’s no telling what Bieber and Berrios might look like when they return and this offense was already struggling to recapture last year’s magic even before Springer went down. A team can only hemorrhage so much talent. –Chris Landers

25. Houston Astros

• 2026 record: 6-10
• Last week's ranking: 12

Last week ended with the Astros blowing a game in excruciating fashion, and they haven’t won since. They were swept by the lowly Rockies (and outscored 23-9 in those three games) and then lost all three in Seattle. The second loss was extremely discouraging, as Houston led 7-2 after four innings and let that lead slip away.

Sure, it’s early, but the Astros are now 6-9 after starting the year 6-3 and are falling apart in every way. Not only is their on-field play subpar, but both Hunter Brown and Cristian Javier are going to be out for a while, and there’s a chance that Tatsuya Imai and Jeremy Pena will join them on the IL. Yordan Alvarez is awesome, but he can only do so much. This team is in trouble. –ZR

24. New York Mets

• 2026 record: 7-9
• Last week's ranking: 8

Five straight losses has Mets fans in a twist, and understandably so. Juan Soto is on the IL and New York’s expensive lineup is flailing a bit. Luis Robert Jr., Mark Vientos and Francisco Alvárez are bright spots, to be sure, but Francisco Lindor, Bo Bichette and Jorge Polanco are all sub-.700 in OPS right now. That should come back around eventually, but with Soto hurt and others due for regression, it’s fair to be a little concerned about the Mets’ offense.

New York’s frigid lineup — which scored three runs in a three-game span prior to Saturday’s 11-6 loss to the A’s — is exacerbated by shaky performances on the mound. Freddy Peralta’s metrics hint at better days ahead, but he hasn’t been the shutdown ace Mets fans wanted. Kodai Senga and David Peterson aren’t living up to past All-Star billing either. New York should turn things around eventually; there’s too much talent on this roster. Then again, we said the same thing last year, so for Carlos Mendoza and the Mets brass, the pressure is mounting. –CK

23. Chicago Cubs

• 2026 record: 7-8
• Last week's ranking: 6

Just when it seemed like the Cubs might finally be ready to get on track, they drop a listless series at home to the Pirates and lose Cade Horton for the year due to elbow surgery. The rotation is officially on red alert, with Matthew Boyd also on the IL and precious little in the way of upside beyond Shota Imanaga and Edward Cabrera. But the real concern is the offense: It’s still awfully cold at Wrigley Field, but hardly anyone in this lineup not named Nico Hoerner is hitting right now, and that was always going to be where Chicago’s bread was buttered.

Again, patience is needed. Alex Bregman is always a slow starter, and the Cubs have gotten almost literally nothing from proven quantities like Michael Busch and Dansby Swanson. Eventually the ball will start carrying again, and the runs will come. That said, it’s fair to wonder whether there’s as much upside here as previously thought if Pete Crow-Armstrong is going to hit more like the second half of last year than the first. –CL

22. St. Louis Cardinals

• 2026 record: 8-7
• Last week's ranking: 25

Nothing matters nearly so much in St. Louis as what Jordan Walker is doing right now. In year one of the Chaim Bloom era, the record can more or less be thrown out the window; we knew going into the year that this was not going to be a contending pitching staff, and the goal was mostly to chart a path for the future. If Walker is ready to make good on his prodigious physical tools, that changes everything for the Cards’ long-term trajectory, a middle-of-the-order bat to anchor everything around. And hey, more arms are coming as Bloom continues to replenish the farm system. –CL

21. Boston Red Sox

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

Saturday night was what it was supposed to look like. Ranger Suarez spun six shutout innings in St. Louis, while every single Boston hitter reached base to push across seven runs without the benefit of a single homer. Granted, five of those seven runs came in the top of the ninth inning, but hey: Beggars can’t be choosers right now. The lack of punch in this lineup remains a concern, but Suarez and Sonny Gray are coming off their best starts of the season, and if they’re able to build on that momentum, this Red Sox team can still pitch its way out of this early hole and into the postseason picture. –CL

20. Los Angeles Angels

• 2026 record: 8-8
• Last week's ranking: 28

This Angels team might not be very good, but it’s a lot more fun than most probably assumed. Zach Neto continues to establish himself as a star, Jorge Soler is having a bounce-back season, Jose Soriano would win the AL Cy Young award if the season ended today and, heck, does it get more fun than a benches-clearing brawl?

Ultimately, the Angels are a .500 team right now. I don’t know how long this will sustain, especially with a tough week ahead, but at the very least, there are glimmers of hope that hadn’t really existed the past couple of years. –ZR

19. Kansas City Royals

• 2026 record: 7-8
• Last week's ranking: 15

Con: Kansas City has struggled to come by consistent offense. Pro: Bobby Witt Jr. will finish the season with better than a .654 OPS. The Royals are waiting for the right bats to warm up, but Maikel Garcia is red-hot and Carter Jensen is recording some truly absurd exit velocities. If Jac Caglianone can start to elevate and pull with the thump he showed in the Minors, the Royals will find more support for a thriving rotation.

A few bumpy starts from Cole Ragans should not raise alarm bells. The rest of Kansas City’s starters are shoving. Seth Lugo has a 1.53 ERA across 17.2 innings, which is especially encouraging after his second-half meltdown last year. He’s outperforming his metrics, but he always does. If Lugo can keep weaponizing his eight-pitch mix to full effect, with Kris Bubic looking as sharp as ever, the Royals will soar up in the standings before long. –CK

18. Philadelphia Phillies

• 2026 record: 7-8
• Last week's ranking: 7

The Phillies can expect better results from Jesús Luzardo as the season progresses. Taijuan Walker should cede his rotation spot to Zack Wheeler before long, too. So Philadelphia needn’t panic about its shaky performances on the mound, especially with the bullpen looking so sharp.

The concern, per usual, is the lineup. Bryce Harper had a great week at the plate, which is encouraging, and Justin Crawford is third in qualified batting average in the National League. It seems like his unique style will play in the Majors. Until Philadelphia can figure out the middle of the order, however — that vaunted 4-8 range — it will be hard to trust the Phillies. Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott have been real dead weight so far. –CK

17. Seattle Mariners

• 2026 record: 7-9
• Last week's ranking: 4

The Mariners began their week by getting swept by the Rangers, and now just swept the hated Astros. They were 4-9 after the Texas series, and are now 7-9 with a massive up arrow given how they’ve played and fought against Houston.

Their record still isn’t great, but their rotation (other than Luis Castillo) has been as advertised, the bullpen has been stellar and slumping stars like Julio Rodriguez, Cal Raleigh and Josh Naylor will wake up eventually, right? Hey, at least Rodriguez finally hit his first home run of the year. The Mariners are completely fine, and are still the team to beat in the AL West. –ZR

16. Detroit Tigers

• 2026 record: 7-9
• Last week's ranking: 9

Kevin McGonigle is a miracle made flesh, but Detroit’s slow start to this year has led to understandable panic. This is Tarik Skubal’s last year under contract — effectively his last year with the Tigers. If Detroit stays below .500 for too long, it will be hard not to trade him at the deadline. Their “one last run” might implode before it really picks up steam.

If there’s a silver lining, it’s that Detroit is basically performing like it always does at the surface level. The lineup is chock full of good-not-great hitters. AJ Hinch nows how to pick and choose his matchups. Skubal is Skubal, and Framber Valdez looks the part as Detroit’s long lost second ace. If the Tigers can get a bit healthier on the mound and find a bit more slugging from the heart of the order (Riley Greene finally homered this week), things will turn for the better. –CK

15. Minnesota Twins

• 2026 record: 9-7
• Last week's ranking: 27

A four-game sweep of Detroit has the Twins riding high. Minnesota’s success comes as a surprise after the front office basically cleaned house at the 2025 trade deadline. Ownership’s money-saving mandate — plus a season-ending injury to No. 1 ace Pablo López — meant expectations weren’t high coming in, but the Twins are out to prove that pure talent isn’t everything.

Minnesota’s rotation hasn’t exactly dominated opponents, but Joe Ryan is a steady presence and Taj Bradley is finally putting the pieces together, with his electric stuff translating to a 1.08 ERA through three starts. If Mick Abel can discover the magic he showed in spring training, the Twins’ lineup is good enough to keep them competitive. Josh Bell might be the offseason’s best value signing; he has three homers and a .941 OPS. If Byron Buxton and Luke Keaschall turn it around — and they will — the Twins are capable of reaching even loftier heights. –CK

14. Tampa Bay Rays

• 2026 record: 8-7
• Last week's ranking: 24

Somehow the Rays just keep finding ways to win games, cobbling together a top-10 offense around guys like Nick Fortes, Chandler Simpson and Richie Palacios – and Junior Caminero hasn’t even woken up yet. Do I think that’s sustainable over the long haul? Not really, no. But Jonathan Aranda and Yandy Diaz are two perennially underrated hitters, and the pitching staff has room to improve. Tampa might not be a playoff team at year’s end, but they’re going to be annoying all season long. –CL

13. Miami Marlins

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

The Marlins are beginning to regress after a flaming-hot start to the year, but there’s still plenty for Miami fans to be excited about. Sandy Alcántara looks like the Cy Young winner of old after two years on the struggle bus. Their youthful lineup is sixth in average (.252) and fourth fewest in strikeouts. There is a remarkable amount of discipline and clutch hitting on display for such an inexperienced group — one that entered the season light on expectations.

Owen Caissie might mess around and earn NL Rookie of the Year votes. Xavier Edwards feels like a real candidate to win the batting title and steal 30-plus bags on his current trajectory. Miami has a ton of speed and athleticism on the base paths — with an ability to get on base. There should hopefully be more slugging in the Marlins’ future, too. You should buy some stock here, just in case. –CK

12. Cincinnati Reds

• 2026 record: 9-7
• Last week's ranking: 14

To be honest, I’m not quite sure how the Reds are doing it. Sure, they’re above .500, but it comes with a -13 run differential and quite literally the worst offense in baseball. And the rotation has been just okay without Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo.

Add it all up, and it sure feels like the other shoe is going to drop in Cincy some time soon. It’s hard to keep defying the close-game gods forever, and unless someone other than Sal Stewart can start hitting, I don’t know how this team is going to stay afloat for much longer. –CL

11. Texas Rangers

• 2026 record: 8-7
• Last week's ranking: 16

The Rangers’ week began with a sweep over the rival Mariners and ended with a hard-fought series loss at Dodger Stadium. That feels like a win, even if their record hovers around .500. As disappointing as the series in L.A. was, the Dodgers are the Dodgers. Texas sweeping Seattle has to mean something though, right?

Some of the individual performances we’ve seen should have Rangers fans particularly excited. Brandon Nimmo had a multi-homer game in Los Angeles and has been raking all season long. Evan Carter looks more like the promising rookie he was in 2023. MacKenzie Gore has been everything the Rangers could’ve hoped for. Wyatt Langford hasn’t even gotten going yet. This team can be good, even if they aren’t as good as the Dodgers. –ZR

10. Athletics

• 2026 record: 8-7
• Last week's ranking: 23

The Athletics entered what projected to be a tough week with a 3-6 record, but went to New York and won back-to-back series against the Yankees and Mets, sweeping the latter in impressive fashion. Brent Rooker went down with an injury, but it was easy to forget that since both Tyler Soderstrom and Nick Kurtz finally found their power strokes and Shea Langeliers continues to rake.

What was most impressive about the A’s was their pitching. They finished this week with shutouts in three of their last four games, even finding ways to win a pair of 1-0 contests. The Athletics were looked at as sneaky Wild Card contenders entering the season, and this week only added validity to those who viewed them in that way. –ZR

9. Arizona Diamondbacks

• 2026 record: 9-7
• Last week's ranking: 21

No hamate bone, no problem for Corbin Carroll, who led the Diamondbacks this week to back-to-back road series wins against the Mets and Phillies. Carroll went 6-for-15 with three doubles and a triple, proving that his spring injury didn’t sap his power. But what was most impressive about Arizona this week was its pitching, as they held the Mets and Phillies to four runs or fewer in each of the six games.

This was particularly interesting to see, because pitching looked like the team’s clear weakness entering the year, especially with so many injuries on that front. Well, guys like Eduardo Rodriguez and Michael Soroka have been great in the rotation, and Paul Sewald already has five saves. If this can sustain, watch out for Arizona, whose offense should be among the league leaders once it gets going. –ZR

8. Baltimore Orioles

• 2026 record: 8-7
• Last week's ranking: 11

Trevor Rogers is doing it again, but this pitching staff feels almost as hard to trust this year as it did last year – and now Zach Eflin’s been lost for the year due to Tommy John surgery, a huge blow to Baltimore’s depth. Trevor Rogers is doing it again, and Kyle Bradish won’t have an ERA that starts with a 5 for long, but this is still shaping up to be a year in which the O’s need their bats to lead them to the postseason. 

Which is why Adley Rutschman landing back on the IL is such a blow; Baltimore needs Pete Alonso to start living up to his paycheck, because homegrown guys like Colton Cowser, Samuel Basallo and Coby Mayo don’t appear ready for prime time. –CL

7. San Diego Padres

• 2026 record: 10-6
• Last week's ranking: 11

Holy Sheets! Slam Diego! Walk-off home runs from Gavin Sheets and Xander Bogaerts were electrifying to watch, even if they came against the Rockies, and a win on Sunday against Colorado would give San Diego a 6-1 week. That’s not too shabby, and that’s even with guys like Jackson Merrill, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Bogaerts not even finding their grooves yet.

I honestly don’t know what to make of this Padres team. On one hand, the bullpen, led by the unhittable Mason Miller, is very good, and the lineup, assuming Tatis and Merrill wake up, isn’t bad, but there are clear concerns with this rotation. It lacks depth, and Nick Pivetta just left Sunday’s game with an injury. Even if Randy Vasquez is truly taking a leap, I’m not sure the Padres can survive a Pivetta absence. –ZR

6. New York Yankees

• 2026 record: 8-7
• Last week's ranking: 2

New York started the week 7-2 and on top of the American League. They end it reeling after a five-game losing streak. It’s been quite the reversal of fortune, and while I can’t bring myself to panic about the slow start at the plate – this was the best offense in baseball by a country mile last season, and it seems much more likely that this is a bad couple weeks than that they all collectively forgot how to hit – I’m at least concerned about the state of this bullpen. 

It was a thin unit to begin with, and that was before David Bednar came out looking like a fraction of the guy who carried the Yankees down the stretch last season. Aaron Boone simply doesn’t have enough guys he trusts right now, and it’s unclear how that will change in the near future. The rotation remains dynamite, and they’ll win a lot of games once they start hitting, but it turns out they do bleed after all. –CL

5. Milwaukee Brewers

• 2026 record: 8-7
• Last week's ranking: 3

The bloom has come off the rose a little bit for Milwaukee, as a previously red-hot offense hit the skids this week against Boston and Washington. It’s easy to bet on William Contreras and Brice Turang, but it’s also worth noting how flimsy things feel around them right now with Jackson Chourio and Andrew Vaughn on the IL and Christian Yelich soon to join them. Granted, the Brewers have done more with less for years now, and this is still a pesky and athletic team. But that formula offers little margin for error, especially with the pitching sketchier than usual amid Brandon Woodruff’s and Trevor Megill’s struggles. –CL

4. Cleveland Guardians

• 2026 record: 9-6
• Last week's ranking: 17

The Guardians are back in the win column on a regular basis despite another quiet offseason. A predictably mediocre lineup has been buoyed somewhat by the arrival of rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter, who’s up to five homers and 12 RBI with a .991 OPS. If he can keep on his current trajectory, it will give the Cleveland offense — always so reliant on simple contact and frisky base-running — a necessary power influx.

If the Guards snag the division crown at season’s end, it will be the result of an awesome pitching staff. Rookie southpaw Parker Messick has a 0.51 ERA through three starts, all against quality opponents. In addition to the 25-year-old Messick, 26-year-old Joey Cantillo is teasing a major breakthrough, while Tanner Bibee and Gavin Williams are the aces we know them to be. Cleveland prevents runs and consistently out-executes its opponents; it’s a time-proven formula. –CK

3. Pittsburgh Pirates

• 2026 record: 9-6
• Last week's ranking: 20

Break up the Pirates! Pittsburgh won a series at Wrigley over the weekend, even if Sunday's late-inning collapse was a bit of a letdown, and this pitching staff has the potential to be absolute dynamite if Braxton Ashcraft and Bubba Chandler keep throwing like this behind Paul Skenes. Oh, and did we mention Jared Jones is back this summer, too? 

With arms like that, the Pirates offense just has to do enough to make them at the very least a Wild Card team. And if Oneil Cruz is truly, finally breaking out, there might be enough veteran competence – and certainly enough room for growth with Konnor Griffin – to clear that bar. –CL

2. Atlanta Braves

• 2026 record: 9-6
• Last week's ranking: 10

Atlanta ranks fourth in batting average, second in home runs and second in ERA — oh, and second in wins. Are the Braves simply beating up on bad opponents? It’s a fair question, but this is what we’ve expected from Atlanta for years. The core of the lineup is healthy. Drake Baldwin, proving his Rookie of the Year campaign was no fluke, is ascending the ladder to stardom. We know the Braves can hit with the best of ‘em.

The greatest surprise so far in their pitching. Chris Sale’s 3.94 ERA is the rotation’s worst right now. Bryce Elder, Grant Holmes, Reynaldo López and even Martín Pérez are shoving. That feels less sustainable, but Elder has made critical adjustments — leaning far heavier on his slider, which he fine-tuned with Greg Maddux over the winter. If Elder is now a dependable option in place of the injured Spencer Schwellenbach, the Braves are set up for a restorative, competitive season. –CK

1. Los Angeles Dodgers

• 2026 record: 11-4
• Last week's ranking: 1

The Dodgers are who everyone thinks they are: a superteam. They won back-to-back series this week to improve to 11-3 on the season. They have the best record in baseball despite injuries to Blake Snell and Mookie Betts and an uncharacteristically rough start for Kyle Tucker. 

There just isn’t much to say here that you don’t already know. The Dodgers are the team to beat, and it feels like they haven’t even hit their ceiling yet. Just wait until we get closer to October — we’ll see just how scary this team truly is. –ZR