EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsWhat's changed since Week 4 of our MLB power rankings? Well, let's see ... two of baseball's most high-profile teams fired their managers.The Boston Red Sox, No. 19 this week, fired Alex Cora over the weekend amid their difficult start to the season. Three days later, the Philadelphia Phillies followed suit, letting go of Rob Thomson as they sit at the bottom of the standings -- and at No. 22 on our list -- with the second-worst record in baseball. The worst? The New York Mets.Nobody expected either of these contenders to struggle so much out of the gate -- it's almost as surprising as the hot starts from a number of unexpected teams, such as the Pittsburgh Pirates (No. 9) and Cincinnati Reds (No. 6). They're now joined by the Tampa Bay Rays in the top 10, who made their debut at No. 8.Where does every other team stand five weeks into the season?Our expert panel has ranked every team based on a combination of what we've seen so far and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that is a full baseball season. We also asked ESPN MLB experts Buster Olney, Jorge Castillo and Alden Gonzalez to weigh in with an observation for all 30 teams.Week 4 | Preseason rankings1. Los Angeles DodgersRecord: 20-11Preseason ranking: 1The Dodgers didn't produce an extra-base hit in their 2-1 loss to the Marlins on Tuesday, and perhaps there was a reason for it: Shohei Ohtani, their best hitter, was out of the lineup -- because Shohei Ohtani, arguably their best pitcher, was on the mound. The Dodgers kept Ohtani out of their lineup on his start day for the second time this season and will continue to do so when it makes sense moving forward. It's all part of their effort to keep him fresh as he approaches his 32nd birthday and embarks on his first two-way season in three years. A struggling offense with him absent won't impact that. "The main thing is to do right by Shohei," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. -- Gonzalez2. Atlanta BravesRecord: 22-9Preseason ranking: 2Atlanta has several players who could draw top 10 MVP votes at year's end, from catcher Drake Baldwin to center fielder Michael Harris II. But once again, the steadiest performer has been Matt Olson, who has an early-season OPS close to 1.000 and is now within range of his 300th career homer. And he has just as much impact on defense, as arguably the best first baseman of his generation: Since Olson began at the position in 2018, he has 85 defensive runs saved -- nearly twice as many as any other first baseman in that time. (Carlos Santana is second, with 46). -- Olney3. New York YankeesRecord: 20-11Preseason ranking: 3Aaron Judge celebrated his 34th birthday Sunday and he isn't slowing down. The three-time American League MVP clubbed home runs in three straight games (ending Tuesday) and is tied for the MLB lead 12. He's fifth in OPS (1.002) and wRC+ (174), and while his .252 batting average isn't up to the historic standards he established the past two seasons, he's batting closer to .300 over his last 17 games. Most importantly, his arm isn't an issue after dealing with a flexor strain during the second half of last season. A third straight -- and fourth career MVP -- is well within reach. -- Castillo4. Chicago CubsRecord: 19-12Preseason ranking: 5The Cubs have one of the best records in baseball, but it will be difficult to sustain that pace with their decimated pitching staff. Their IL includes 10 pitchers -- seven relievers and three starters. Eight have been added in April. The latest additions were left-hander Caleb Thielbar (hamstring) and Riley Martin (elbow). Martin is expected to miss at least eight weeks. Manager Craig Counsell said Thielbar's injury is "on the mild side" but it's still a tough blow for a bullpen without closer Daniel Palencia and Porter Hodge. Meanwhile, Justin Steele, who is recovering from elbow surgery, was expected to return in May when he was eligible to come off the 60-day IL until he recently suffered a setback that will delay his return until July. -- Castillo5. San Diego PadresRecord: 19-11Preseason ranking: 4Try to make sense of this: Fernando Tatis Jr. is slugging .286. Jackson Merrill is carrying a .270 on-base percentage. Jake Cronenworth has a .146 batting average. Walker Buehler, German Marquez and Matt Waldron, who make up three-fifths of the rotation, have combined for a 5.97 ERA. And yet the Padres ... are tied for the fourth-best record in baseball? It helps that lights-out closer Mason Miller is on the verge of a historic season. And that the likes of Randy Vasquez, Luis Campusano and Ty France have been bright spots. But what's more important is that reinforcements are coming for the rotation, specifically Lucas Giolito and Griffin Canning, and that Tatis and Merrill will eventually get hot. -- Gonzalez6. Cincinnati RedsRecord: 19-11Preseason ranking: 6The Reds are in first place in the NL Central with the division's fourth-best run differential (minus-5), a 7-0 record in one-run games and two qualified hitters with above-average production at the plate. Conventional wisdom screams that those facts indicate an unsustainable level of luck over the course of a 162-game season. But wins are wins, and the Reds are banking them early under manager Terry Francona with encouraging developments.Cincinnati's bullpen -- sporting the best ERA in the majors -- might just be the real deal after starting 2026 with low expectations, Nick Lodolo is closing in on his season debut after beginning the season on the IL, Sal Stewart is the early NL Rookie of the Year favorite with a .963 OPS and Elly De La Cruz is finally flirting with his sky-is-the-limit potential. Oh, and Hunter Greene is expected to return in July. -- Castillo7. Detroit TigersRecord: 15-16Preseason ranking: 8The Tigers entered Wednesday having won 11 of their previous 16 games, but they were also fresh off absorbing two key injuries. One was to Javier Baez, who sprained his right ankle on an awkward slide into first base on Tuesday night, a tough development for a team that is carrying only one other healthy shortstop (Kevin McGonigle). Casey Mize exited that same game with what was later diagnosed as an adductor strain and joined an IL that already had seven Tigers pitchers on it, including four starters: Justin Verlander, Reese Olson, Jackson Jobe and Troy Melton. Baez and Mize will await the results of further testing. The Tigers will collectively cross their fingers. -- Gonzalez8. Tampa Bay RaysRecord: 18-12Preseason ranking: 14The Rays, after a strange 2025 season playing their home games at Steinbrenner Field, are back at The Trop exceeding external expectations with a scant payroll and little fanfare. They have the second-best record in the AL, behind the Yankees, who were their landlords last season, with a roster that costs under $90 million. Nick Martinez, signed to a $13 million deal over the offseason, is one of the best starters in baseball with a 1.70 ERA. Drew Rasmussen has a 2.64 ERA. Offensively, Chandler Simpson is creating havoc on the basepaths while Yandy Diaz (152 OPS+), Junior Caminero (126 OPS+) and Jonathan Aranda (118 OPS+) are supplying the punch. The Rays, after fourth-place finishes in the division the past two seasons, appear on their way back to postseason contention. -- Castillo9. Pittsburgh PiratesRecord: 16-15Preseason ranking: 9Paul Skenes is being Paul Skenes again. The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner has rebounded from his unusually ugly Opening Day outing against the Mets with a 0.95 ERA over his next five starts as the Pirates resemble postseason contenders for the first time in his career. He was at his best Friday, carrying a perfect game against the Brewers into the seventh inning before yielding a two-out hit. His ERA has plummeted from 67.50 after that first showing to 2.48 across 29 innings this season. He's back on track to repeat as the NL's best pitcher. -- Castillo10. Seattle MarinersRecord: 16-16Preseason ranking: 13The middle of the Seattle lineup has started to produce, and, not surprisingly, it's stabilizing the Mariners in the standings. There is a working theory among some highly ranked team executives that clubs that had heavy representation in the WBC have suffered, with the typical player spring preparation being altered. Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodriguez and Josh Naylor were all core players on their respective WBC teams, and all three started slowly. Now, a month into the season, they are doing damage again. -- Olney11. Milwaukee BrewersRecord: 15-14Preseason ranking: 7It's been a rough week for Red Sox fans, so look away -- because the Brewers have turned Kyle Harrison into a dominant pitcher. The left-hander has a 2.28 ERA over five starts this season. He was dominant in his last outing, limiting the Pirates to one hit with 12 strikeouts and one walk over six scoreless innings. Less than a year ago, Boston acquired him from the Giants as part of the surprise trade for Rafael Devers. But the Red Sox dealt Harrison to the Brewers as part of a six-player trade. The former top prospect is still just 24 years old, and while it's early, it's a deal that could look terrible in retrospect. -- Castillo12. Arizona DiamondbacksRecord: 16-13Preseason ranking: 12Ildemaro Vargas has hit safely in each of his first 22 games, during which he has slashed .372/.393/.698 with six homers and 20 RBIs. Vargas is a 34-year-old journeyman, somebody who had never put up more than 1.4 FanGraphs WAR in a season. He has already reached that mark ... before the end of April. And he has been a godsend for an offense that is without Gabriel Moreno, Carlos Santana, Jordan Lawlar and Pavin Smith, and has seen basically every key guy -- minus Corbin Carroll -- struggle. -- Gonzalez13. Texas RangersRecord: 15-16Preseason ranking: 11Texas has taken some hits early this season, but perhaps the most positive development is the return to form of third baseman Josh Jung, who has been derailed by injuries since the 2023 championship season. Jung has 11 doubles and four homers in his first 28 games this season for a .925 OPS. "He made a significant adjustment with his setup -- went back to '23 [setup]," Rangers manager Skip Schumaker wrote in a text. "Bat on his shoulder, flatter bat path/plane, and he has his sights set to where he isn't chasing as much. He's also been very disciplined in his game-planning." -- Olney14. Baltimore OriolesRecord: 14-15Preseason ranking: 15After two baffling subpar seasons, Adley Rutschman has bounced back to All-Star form with free agency looming next winter. The catcher is slashing .345/.400/.618 with a 182 weighted runs created plus in 15 games sandwiched around a 10-day stint on the injured list with an ankle injury. It's a tiny sample size -- just 60 plate appearances -- but it remains encouraging for a club off to a middle-of-the-pack start. The potential is there between Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, Pete Alonso, Taylor Ward and Samuel Basallo for the Orioles to have a terrifying offense when Camden Yards warms up this summer. -- Castillo15. Cleveland GuardiansRecord: 16-16Preseason ranking: 10Travis Bazzana became the first No. 1 overall pick in franchise history in the summer of 2024. And on Tuesday, he became the Guardians' most anticipated callup since probably Francisco Lindor -- which was more than 10 years ago. On the heels of a spring that saw him represent Australia in the World Baseball Classic, then put up a .937 OPS in his first 24 Triple-A games, Bazzana has reached the big leagues, and it seems he'll get a nice runway at second base. When he joined them, the Guardians had scored three runs or less in four of their previous five games. As manager Stephen Vogt said: "We kind of need a little jolt." -- Gonzalez16. AthleticsRecord: 16-14Preseason ranking: 20Nick Kurtz's camp turned down a big contract offer in the offseason, and when he got off to a slow start, evaluators wondered if that decision was initially weighing on him. But no matter the reason, he is getting back to being one of the big damage hitters in the AL, patiently waiting out opposing pitchers and capitalizing when he gets pitches to hit. Kurtz has drawn walks in 18 straight games, with five homers. -- Olney17. Toronto Blue JaysRecord: 14-16Preseason ranking: 16The Blue Jays finally saw a positive injury development Tuesday when Trey Yesavage resembled the pitcher from Toronto's World Series run in his season debut. The rookie right-hander, who began the season on the IL with a shoulder impingement, held the Red Sox scoreless, giving up four hits with four strikeouts and no walks over 5 innings. Even more encouraging: Yesavage didn't even have his best stuff. The Blue Jays will need strong starts from him every fifth day to dig themselves out of an early hole in the standings with five other starters still on the IL. -- Castillo18. St. Louis CardinalsRecord: 17-13Preseason ranking: 17Jordan Walker jumped out to a torrid start in 2026 by hitting more balls in the air. Now in his fourth season, but still a month shy of his 25th birthday, he's batting .279 with eight home runs and a .884 OPS in 125 plate appearances. The right fielder's groundball rate has increased recently, so he'll need to adjust to maintain that All-Star-level production, but Walker's first month has been encouraging as the Cardinals proceed with their rebuild under first-year president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom. -- Castillo19. Boston Red SoxRecord: 12-19Preseason ranking: 21Make no mistake: Craig Breslow was behind the decision to fire manager Alex Cora and six of his coaches. But Boston's head of baseball operations didn't offer specifics when asked for reasons to pull the plug on one of the most successful managers in franchise history other than to repeat that he believed a new direction was necessary to gain ground with 135 games remaining. His rationale -- and lack of communication with players -- sparked blowback from the clubhouse. Now the heat is solely on Breslow, who constructed a roster centered around a pitching staff that has underachieved with an unbalanced position player group lacking pop. -- Castillo20. Miami MarlinsRecord: 15-16Preseason ranking: 22Liam Hicks had a good rookie season in 2025, but the Marlins' catcher is doing far more damage at the plate this year. He had six homers in 119 games last season, and he already has seven in 29 games this year, improving his slugging percentage by almost 200 points while hitting .315. Hicks has taken an unusual path to the big leagues: A native of Toronto, he played at Mineral Area College for two years before transferring to Arkansas State. He was a ninth-round pick by the Rangers in 2021 before being traded to the Tigers; then he was plucked in the Rule 5 draft by the Marlins. -- Olney21. Minnesota TwinsRecord: 13-18Preseason ranking: 19Byron Buxton has shaken off a slow start and turned things around offensively of late, slashing .270/.330/.539 with seven home runs over his last 20 games. Now the Twins need something similar from Royce Lewis, who has put up only a .696 OPS through the first five weeks. The Twins have shown some fight while playing in an AL Central that seems pretty wide open. Their starting pitching -- with Taj Bradley dominating, Joe Ryan potentially turning it around and Bailey Ober solid -- looks pretty good. But their offense needs Buxton and Lewis to carry it. -- Gonzalez22. Philadelphia PhilliesRecord: 10-19Preseason ranking: 18Interim manager Don Mattingly is very similar in personality to Rob Thomson in how even-keeled he is, how he's someone who doesn't overreact in a moment. Mattingly was asked after the Phillies' win on Tuesday if he had spoken to the players after the game, and he smiled slightly and responded, no, he hadn't. That's not his style, and never will be. Mattingly has managed 12 years in the big leagues; it's highly unusual that someone with that kind of experience was given an "interim" tag, which is a clue about how the Phillies are keeping the light on for Alex Cora, whenever he wants to manage again. -- Olney23. San Francisco GiantsRecord: 13-16Preseason ranking: 25There was a lot of consternation about the Giants, their offense and rookie manager Tony Vitello early on, when the first 11 games resulted in eight losses and few runs. Since then they've been, well, fine, suffering a four-game losing streak but also two separate three-game winning streaks. Logan Webb has been just OK in his starts, Rafael Devers has yet to get going offensively and Patrick Bailey, their brilliant defensive catcher, has been one of baseball's worst hitters. Assuming those things correct themselves -- and Harrison Bader gets back to who he's supposed to be when he returns off the IL -- perhaps Vitello's Giants will contend. -- Gonzalez24. Kansas City RoyalsRecord: 12-18Preseason ranking: 28The Royals had finally started to turn the corner, sweeping the Angels in a weekend series and taking the opener against the A's on Tuesday. But Vinnie Pasquantino, their second-best player, exited that game with tightness in his lower back, something he told reporters he has been dealing with for "a while." It might help to explain his .167/.276/.324 slash line to begin the season. Pasquantino isn't going on the IL right now, but this is certainly something to monitor -- especially with Jonathan India lost for the season, Bobby Witt Jr. hitting only two home runs and the likes of Salvador Perez, Maikel Garcia and Jac Caglianone still not fully clicking. -- Gonzalez25. New York MetsRecord: 10-20Preseason ranking: 27Sources say that Mets leadership doesn't believe manager Carlos Mendoza is responsible for the team's early-season collapse and has no interest in firing him -- but does recognize that something needs to change. The offensive issues are comprehensive: Among the nine spots in the lineup, the Mets are above league average in production at only two spots -- catcher (Francisco Alvarez, mostly) and left field (Juan Soto, mostly). So many veterans have underperformed. -- Olney26. Houston AstrosRecord: 11-19Preseason ranking: 24The Phillies' interest in Alex Cora has gotten the most attention, but the Astros could also be a match for the former Red Sox manager. Cora was their bench coach when the Astros won the World Series in 2017, and later, he was implicated as a central figure in the sign-stealing scandal from that season, for which he was suspended. But high-ranking executives with other teams don't believe that would prevent Astros owner Jim Crane from making a pitch to Cora if he felt Cora was the right guy to manage Houston. -- Olney27. Los Angeles AngelsRecord: 12-20Preseason ranking: 23Manager Kurt Suzuki's bullpen has completely collapsed just a month into the season. Angels relievers have a 5.58 ERA, second worst in the majors, and roles are changing quickly. Jordan Romano, signed to be a late-inning reliever, was designated for assignment. Drew Pomeranz has an 8.49 ERA and has allowed three homers in two of his last three outings. The Angels initially signed Kirby Yates for depth, but he could quickly become a natural fit at closer, given his experience, when he finishes his minor-league rehab work. -- Olney28. Washington NationalsRecord: 14-17Preseason ranking: 26It might take years for Washington to put together a pitching staff that will enable it to contend with the best opponents in the National League, but wow, the Nationals can hit. They have four players with OBPs over .370 and rank in the top five in the majors in runs scored. James Wood leads all NL hitters in walks, and he's tied with Elly De La Cruz for the NL lead in home runs. -- Olney29. Chicago White SoxRecord: 14-17Preseason ranking: 29All the attention -- rightfully so -- has been on Munetaka Murakami 's home run binge. But the White Sox have received nice contributions from two other foundational young players in their infield: Miguel Vargas and Colson Montgomery. Vargas, a headliner in the trade that sent Michael Kopech to the Dodgers in 2024, has struggled to find his footing in the big leagues over these past four years but is currently OPS'ing .805. Montgomery, a first-round pick out of high school in 2021, has picked up right where he left off as a rookie last year, slashing .236/.336/.495 with eight home runs and solid shortstop defense. -- Gonzalez30. Colorado RockiesRecord: 14-17Preseason ranking: 30The low point of this disastrous Mets season was also one of the brightest moments of this miserable era of Rockies baseball. Colorado went into Citi Field and swept the Mets, limiting their hitters to a mere four runs. Afterward, the Rockies' social media department took the liberty of trolling the Mets by suggesting the Empire State Building be adorned in Rockies purple. The Rockies, coming off three consecutive 100-loss seasons, seem a lot more competitive in Paul DePodesta's first year. The best part: Two of their foundational young players, starter Chase Dollander and catcher Hunter Goodman, are off to good starts. -- Gonzalez
