EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsFor the first time in nearly two months, the Los Angeles Dodgers aren't the top team in baseball.Instead, the National League Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers take the No. 1 spot in this week's MLB Power Rankings -- ending a Dodgers run that dates back to Week 12.As for rest of the top 10? The biggest moves are the Tampa Bay Rays leapfrogging the Atlanta Braves into the No. 3 spot and the San Diego Padres joining the party at No. 10, with the Chicago White Sox slipping to No. 11.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 Alden Gonzalez, Jorge Castillo and David Schoenfield to weigh in with an observation for all 30 teams.Week 19 | Second-half preview | Preseason rankings1. Milwaukee BrewersRecord: 74-47Previous ranking: 2With rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt sidelined until late August due to a hamstring strain and Joey Ortiz temporarily out with a stiff neck, Brice Turang started at shortstop on Tuesday for the first time since 2023. Starting at second base: Jihwan Bae, who was signed last week after the Mets released him from Triple-A Syracuse. Andrew Vaughn even started at third base on Sunday and Monday as the Brewers look for more offense from that position. It's a bit of scrambling for the Brewers -- and not great timing, as they head to L.A. for a four-game series against the Dodgers that commences Thursday. -- Schoenfield2. Los Angeles DodgersRecord: 73-48Previous ranking: 1Heading into the week, before sweeping the last-place Royals, the Dodgers had lost eight of nine games and were just 14-18 since the start of July. During that 32-game span, their offense ranked 21st in OPS and their pitching ranked 23rd in ERA. Their concern isn't high, though: Tarik Skubal, who made his Dodger Stadium debut on Monday, is still getting acclimated; Blake Snell came back and looked sharp on Tuesday; Tyler Glasnow and Will Smith are making progress; and this team is obviously really good. But Dodgers manager Dave Roberts publicly challenged his players before this seven-game homestand. "We're a wild-card team right now," he said. "We've got to get going and play with urgency." -- Gonzalez3. Tampa Bay RaysRecord: 74-46Previous ranking: 4The Rays have owned the best record in the American League since June 28, and they're not slowing down, winning nine consecutive games and 18 of their past 22. Tampa Bay's 41-18 record at Tropicana Field is the best home mark in the majors. The Rays' 13 series sweeps are the most in baseball. In short, after two seasons without a playoff berth, they're real contenders again, thanks to one of the top pitching staffs in the sport. The Rays will be a tough out in October if the Junior Circuit runs through The Trop. -- Castillo4. Atlanta BravesRecord: 73-48Previous ranking: 3The Braves will need more performances like they got from Grant Holmes across his past two starts: six-inning scoreless outings that lowered his ERA to 3.47. Holmes always has a pretty limited pitch count, and he threw just 72 and 77 pitches in those contests; but he had maximum efficiency to allow for longer outings. Meanwhile, Spencer Strider and Hurston Waldrep have been cleared to start throwing, but manager Walt Weiss said the organization isn't counting on them returning this season. -- Schoenfield5. Chicago CubsRecord: 71-50Previous ranking: 5Since returning from the IL on June 25, Matthew Boyd is 6-0 with a 2.65 ERA and the Cubs are 8-1 in his nine starts. Some of the peripheral numbers don't match the ERA -- just 35 strikeouts in 55 innings and seven home runs allowed -- but he's letting the Cubs' standout defense help him. Chicago leads the majors in two defensive metrics: +85 in defensive runs saved and +62 in Statcast's fielding run value (a whopping 33 runs better than the Blue Jays, the No. 2 team). -- Schoenfield6. New York YankeesRecord: 68-52Previous ranking: 6It was a sight to behold at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday afternoon: Giancarlo Stanton running the bases. The exercise was an important step in the slugger's road to a return. Stanton has been out since April with two right calf strains -- the initial one he suffered in April and a second he sustained in July to send him back to square one. Aaron Boone said Stanton "does feel like he's getting closer," but the New York manager was short on details. Boone said he doesn't know Stanton's next step and that the team hasn't decided whether Stanton will go on a rehab assignment. Boone indicated Cody Bellinger (hamstring) will likely return before Stanton, with Aaron Judge (rib) third in line. Bellinger, who has been on the injured list since July 26, has progressed to hitting and fielding. Judge, out since May 31, has not been cleared for baseball activities. The Yankees hope they'll have all three in the lineup for October. -- Castillo7. Boston Red SoxRecord: 64-56Previous ranking: 7The Red Sox are suddenly playing like a World Series contender. Come October, two reinforcements could make them scarier. Roman Anthony, out since early May with a finger injury, recently began hitting high velocity from a Trajekt machine and is "getting closer" to a rehab assignment, according to Boston manager Chad Tracy. Garrett Crochet, on the injured list since late April with shoulder inflammation, resumed throwing last week. There might not be enough time for Crochet to build up a starter's workload, but having him in a relief role is on the table. Anthony and Crochet were considered Boston's two best players going into the season. Having them for the postseason could make Boston the favorite to win the pennant. -- Castillo8. Philadelphia PhilliesRecord: 64-58Previous ranking: 8After finishing July with eight losses in nine games, the Phillies began August with seven wins in 11 outings. They got a huge win on Sunday after blowing a 5-2 lead in the eighth inning, scoring twice in the 10th on RBI singles from Bryson Stott and Derek Hill. Kyle Schwarber homered twice in the win, snapping a 17-game homerless drought. The Phillies also got a big lift from Andrew Painter on Monday, as the rookie took a no-hitter into the sixth. He has a 2.93 ERA in three starts since returning to the majors. -- Schoenfield9. Arizona DiamondbacksRecord: 64-58Previous ranking: 10The Diamondbacks are 21-16 since the start of July and are currently tied with the Phillies for the final NL wild-card spot, with a big road trip through Atlanta and Boston ahead. With 6 weeks remaining in the regular season, it is crucial that Arizona's best hitters get going. Corbin Carroll is slashing just .180/.290/.396 since the start of July. Ketel Marte hasn't been much better in that stretch (.221/.304/.364). Somehow, the D-backs have still managed to average more than five runs per game. But that can't be sustained for much longer. -- Gonzalez10. San Diego PadresRecord: 65-57Previous ranking: 11On Monday night, Jackson Merrill homered for the third time in as many games with a seventh-inning two-run shot that propelled the Padres to a victory over the first-place Brewers. It was Merrill's ninth home run since the All-Star break, tied for the most in the majors since that point. Since the start of July, his OPS is .945. Fernando Tatis Jr., meanwhile, has looked like his superstar self basically since June, while Ty France and Luis Rengifo have provided major contributions. The Padres' offense is finally getting in gear, which makes the Robbie Ray and Casey Mize additions -- not to mention the potential Joe Musgrove return -- feel that much more important. -- Gonzalez11. Chicago White SoxRecord: 62-57Previous ranking: 9The White Sox remain atop the AL Central despite glaring regression from their starting rotation. Chicago starters have posted a 4.34 ERA since the All-Star break, 21st in the majors. As a result, the front office hunted for starting pitching at the trade deadline and emerged with one underwhelming acquisition: Luis Castillo. The right-hander arrived with a 5.06 ERA in 20 outings with the Mariners and gave up five runs over four innings in his first start with the White Sox. Chicago will need better performances across the board from its rotation to hold off the Guardians, Twins and Tigers for the division crown. -- Castillo12. Houston AstrosRecord: 62-60Previous ranking: 12There has perhaps been no bigger development in the Astros' surge to the top of the AL West standings than Bryan Abreu finding himself as a late-game weapon. The hard-throwing right-hander had a 12.54 ERA at the end of April and no real role in the Astros' bullpen. But over a stretch of 35 appearances since May 3, he's 4-1 with six saves, a 1.87 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 33 innings. Veteran closer Josh Hader joined Abreu in the back end of the bullpen on June 3, and since then, no team has received a better ERA from its relievers. The Astros' rotation remains a concern, but a stout bullpen to complement a good-enough offense might be enough to take the division this year. -- Gonzalez13. Miami MarlinsRecord: 62-59Previous ranking: 15Eury Perez is starting to live up to the high ceiling he projected as a rookie in 2023, before he missed the 2024 season with Tommy John surgery. He beat the Pirates on Tuesday with a dominant seven scoreless innings, and he has a 1.82 ERA over his past 11 starts (with a stint on the IL mixed in). He walked just 16 batters and allowed just three home runs in 64 innings during that stretch. If you're looking for a sleeper Cy Young Award pick for 2027, Perez might be the guy. -- Schoenfield14. Detroit TigersRecord: 59-61Previous ranking: 20The Tigers just traded their two best starting pitchers -- and remain very much in the playoff hunt. Yes, Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize are gone, but they were far from the only reasons the Tigers have been one of the top teams in baseball after an atrocious May. Their 37-23 record since June 1 ranks fifth in the majors. Their plus-126 run differential during that span is first. Jackson Jobe replaced Skubal in the rotation and was dominant in his return from Tommy John surgery on Saturday. The 23-year-old right-hander, who wields a triple-digit fastball, held the Giants to one hit over five scoreless innings. Top prospect Max Clark made his major league debut days before Skubal was dealt, and Clark looks the part at the plate and in center field. Dillon Dingler is the best catcher in baseball. Colt Keith has an OPS north of .900 since the All-Star break. Rookie shortstop Kevin McGonigle continues playing with metronomic consistency. The Tigers still might be the best team in the AL Central -- and there's time to prove it. -- Castillo15. Texas RangersRecord: 60-61Previous ranking: 18If it feels as if the Rangers have been a .500 team all year, it's because they basically have been. They were 45-45 then 50-50 then 55-55 -- and, after losing to the Angels on Tuesday night, then 60-60. And yet, they were merely a half-game out of first place in the AL West by that point. Their rotation recently lost Nathan Eovaldi to elbow inflammation. And while it could be a relatively short stint on the injured list for Eovaldi, there is talk that perhaps Jordan Montgomery, who hadn't pitched since September 2024 until returning to a bullpen role on Sunday, might occupy his vacant spot. The last time Montgomery started games for the Rangers, they won the World Series. Just saying. -- Gonzalez16. Cleveland GuardiansRecord: 59-62Previous ranking: 13Parker Messick would be on pace to be named AL Rookie of the Year during most seasons. But most seasons don't have a rookie of Kevin McGonigle's caliber delivering end-to-end production. It's been nonetheless a remarkable rookie All-Star campaign for Messick, a second-round pick in 2022. The left-hander's 2.57 ERA is sixth in the majors, behind Jacob Misiorowski, Chris Sale, Cam Schlittler, Dylan Cease and Cristopher Sanchez. Those are all leading Cy Young contenders. The 25-year-old Messick belongs in that conversation. -- Castillo17. St. Louis CardinalsRecord: 61-60Previous ranking: 19The Cardinals announced they will be wearing their navy blue caps on the road the rest of the season. The blue caps had been part of the Cardinals' primary away uniforms from 1992 to 2012; but after that, they wore the blue caps only for Sunday home games and road games against teams such as the Reds that wore red caps. The club sent a questionnaire to fans, with 80% of the 15,000 surveyed in favor of the blue caps. Meanwhile, Andre Pallante matched zeroes with Phillies' ace Cristopher Sanchez on Tuesday, a game the Cardinals won 2-0 after scoring against the Philly bullpen. -- Schoenfield18. Washington NationalsRecord: 59-63Previous ranking: 22When pitcher Miles Mikolas laid down an RBI sacrifice bunt in the 11th inning last week, it was the first plate appearance all season the Nationals gave to a hitter age 29 or older. Using the average-age method at Baseball-Reference, which adjusts for playing time, the average for Nationals position players is just 24.9 -- youngest in the majors. Yet they continue to lead the majors in runs scored (and also stolen bases). We'll see if they can keep it up with James Wood on the IL with an oblique strain and after the trades of Curtis Mead and Luis Garcia Jr., but it's been a terrific breakout season for the lineup. -- Schoenfield19. Minnesota TwinsRecord: 60-62Previous ranking: 17The Twins, according to FanGraphs, had a 33.8% chance to reach the postseason on July 30. That night, they acquired left-handed reliever A.J. Minter to help their foundering bullpen, which started a series of acquisitions ahead of the trade deadline. In the ensuing days, they added right-handed starter Dean Kremer and relievers Jeff Hoffman and Tommy Nance to the pitching staff for a playoff push. But those additions don't make up for ace Joe Ryan landing on the injured list with a glute strain last week. The two-time All-Star recorded a 2.85 ERA through his first 20 starts before allowing 16 earned runs in 15 innings over three outings ahead of his IL stint. -- Castillo20. Pittsburgh PiratesRecord: 58-64Previous ranking: 14The questions surrounding Paul Skenes continue after he was pulled from his Tuesday start after throwing just 65 pitches and allowing two runs (one earned) in five innings. Manager Don Kelly said it wasn't injury-related. "Anybody this time of year is ... not injured, but guys in August aren't 100%," he said. Skenes pitched more than 5 innings just twice in his past nine starts and posted a 5.79 ERA over that stretch. The Pirates dropped to 9-16 in games he has started this season. -- Schoenfield21. Seattle MarinersRecord: 56-65Previous ranking: 16The Mariners were seven outs from their first World Series berth last fall then entered 2026 with one of the best and deepest rosters in the AL. Now, they're in a free fall. The Mariners have lost six in a row to drop to 5 games out of first place in the AL West. Since the start of July, they're 12-22 while posting the third-lowest OPS in the majors. After another loss at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, Cal Raleigh said "the approach is not there" offensively. "To me," he said, "it's just off-balance swings. Late to the heater and early on the off-speed. I'm not pointing fingers. Ultimately, I'm the worst of the group right now." -- Gonzalez22. Baltimore OriolesRecord: 58-63Previous ranking: 21Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson were supposed to serve as the foundation for an annual World Series contender. Instead, Rutschman, after a series of injuries and underperformance over the past three seasons, was traded to the rival Red Sox last week, and Henderson has been a disappointment this year. Two years removed from belting 37 home runs with a 155 OPS+ and 8.8 bWAR in an All-Star campaign, Henderson is slashing .214/.297/.390 with a 93 OPS+ and 1.5 bWAR in 120 games. Henderson's under-the-hood numbers suggest the drop-off is not a fluke; his bat speed, barrel rate, hard-hit rate, strikeout rate and average exit velocity have all plummeted over the past two years. The good news for Baltimore is that Jackson Holliday and Coby Mayo, two other members of a hyped young core, have found their stroke recently. Mayo is slashing .293/.328/.586 since the All-Star break, while Holliday has a slash line of .290/.375/.382 during that span. -- Castillo23. Toronto Blue JaysRecord: 59-63Previous ranking: 23The Blue Jays, ravaged by injuries this season, took another blow when Trey Yesavage underwent surgery Tuesday to repair his left meniscus. Manager John Schneider said the rookie right-hander could return this season, but the club won't know for a few weeks. Yesavage, who took last postseason by storm, has a 3.65 ERA with 91 strikeouts over 18 starts this season. He's one of seven starting pitchers on Toronto's injured list. Jameson Taillon, acquired last week from the Cubs, became the latest addition with right forearm tendinitis. -- Castillo24. Cincinnati RedsRecord: 57-62Previous ranking: 24Chase Burns saw his streak of 12 straight winning decisions end Saturday when he allowed five runs in a loss to the Nationals. It was the longest such streak by a Reds pitcher since Brooks Lawrence won 13 in a row in 1956. Meanwhile, the offense continues to struggle, ranking last alongside the Mariners with a .228 team average. Elly De La Cruz is the only position player with more than 1.6 WAR, although barring a late-season slump, Sal Stewart should become the first Reds rookie since Jim Greengrass in 1953 to drive in 100 runs. -- Schoenfield25. New York MetsRecord: 53-69Previous ranking: 25Nolan McLean's rookie season hasn't been quite as dynamic as perhaps expected, with a 3.42 ERA and 2.0 WAR, but he has been pretty consistent other than a two-start stretch in May when he yielded 16 runs. He has allowed batters a .210 average, which ranks ninth lowest among starting pitchers. His sinker (.177 average), four-seamer (.218) and curveball (.107) have all been excellent, but his sweeper (.385) and cutter (.378) have been hit hard. He also throws a changeup, mostly to left-handed batters. McLean has used his sweeper less often lately in favor of a slider. Let's see if that helps. Or maybe he needs to dump the cutter given both his fastballs have been effective. -- Schoenfield26. San Francisco GiantsRecord: 50-71Previous ranking: 26If there's something that can be salvaged from this miserable year in San Francisco, it's the farm system. The industry perception is that Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey did really well in trading veteran players ahead of the trade deadline for future talent, most notably right-hander Ramon Marquez (for Luis Arraez), shortstop Joniel Hernandez (for Robbie Ray) and left-hander Henry Lalane (for Heliot Ramos). The trio have been added to a farm system in which Giants prospects on the whole have had good showings. When Baseball America updated its farm system rankings Wednesday, the Giants came in fourth. -- Gonzalez27. Kansas City RoyalsRecord: 49-73Previous ranking: 27Kansas City signed nine-time All-Star Craig Kimbrel on Monday to join a bullpen that ranks 29th in the majors in ERA. The Royals are the 38-year-old Kimbrel's third team this season -- he began with the Mets before joining the Rays -- and 12th team in his 17-year career. Kimbrel ranks fifth on the all-time saves list with 440. Chances are he won't reach Lee Smith's 478 for third place. But there's another record within reach for Kimbrel: He is two teams shy of tying Edwin Jackson and Rich Hill for most teams played for in MLB history. -- Castillo28. AthleticsRecord: 47-74Previous ranking: 28Last week marked the end of an era. David Forst, who had been with the organization since 2000 and had served atop baseball operations since 2015, was let go. It was described as a mutual parting of ways, and there had been a long-held belief throughout the industry that Forst would not make the move to Las Vegas with the team in 2028. But the reality is this: The young A's have taken a massive step back this season, sporting the worst run differential in all of baseball. An exciting offensive core is in place, and some young pitchers have taken steps forward this year; but this feels like the start of a complete front office reshaping as the franchise approaches its big relocation. -- Gonzalez29. Colorado RockiesRecord: 48-73Previous ranking: 29One of the first big acquisitions of the Paul DePodesta era in Colorado was outfielder Jake McCarthy, who possessed the speed and range that made him a fit for what the new front office was trying to build. That, at least, has certainly worked out. McCarthy was named the NL Player of the Week on Monday after compiling 14 hits in a span of 27 at-bats. He leads the Rockies with a .303 batting average and boasts an .851 OPS, one year after posting an OPS of just .591. "Last year, I got away from doing what I do well -- and that's being competitive on a daily basis," McCarthy told MLB.com. "A lot of at-bats ended in a popout or early, weak contact. Now, I'm just trying to hit as many line drives around the field as possible." -- Gonzalez30. Los Angeles AngelsRecord: 47-74Previous ranking: 30The Angels continue to tear down under interim general manager John Mozeliak. On Tuesday, eight days after a trade deadline that saw several controllable players get moved, the Angels fired their three pitching coaches, most notably Mike Maddux, one of the most influential at his position over the past two decades. Mozeliak, who had previously vowed not to make coaching changes until season's end, said the decision was made because the staff was not utilizing the team's in-house technology enough. If nothing else, the firings were a snapshot into the amount of work it's going to take to build the Angels into a competitive franchise -- and, perhaps, a sign of Mozeliak's willingness to make big changes in order to do that. -- Gonzalez
