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For those of you who have always clamored for parody in pro sports, congratulations. This is what parody looks like. At least, in the American League this MLB season, as 11 of the 15 teams in the Junior Circuit have between 41 and 48 wins through 90+ games as we approach the All-Star Break. Teams will have some tough choices to make this month as everybody has a shot to win the AL, but does any team really have a shot at anything more?
Obviously, without a salary cap we don’t truly have parody in the league and it all still feels like a contest to see who gets to lose to the Dodgers, but we do have some interesting divisional races developing with a surprise 3-team race popping up this month in the National League. Let’s get right into this week’s power ranking and see where all 30 teams stand as the league prepares to break for the Mid-Summer Classic.
MORE: Ranking MLB players based on their chances of being traded this season
Mar 23, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout (27) reacts in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
#30: Los Angeles Angels. This is the only team in the league that hasn’t been able to win 40% of their games. It’s been a painful season for the Halos.
#29: Kansas City Royals. They looked like they were going to come back to life for a moment when they scored 31 runs over a two game span, but that was just gas. They’re still dead and starting to bloat.
#28: Colorado Rockies. Look on the bright side: they’re the worst team in the NL, but there are still two teams worse than them. For now.
#27: San Francisco Giants. The Giants are right there with the Rockies at the bottom of the NL West. They need to sell off whatever they can and start over.
#26: The Athletics. The party is over. This team has lost 9 of its last 10 and has an AL-worst -84 run differential as we enter the All-Star Break.
#25: New York Mets. Firing the manager wasn’t necessarily the wrong move, but it hasn’t done anything to shake things up either. Maybe they just stink.
#24: Cincinnati Reds. It seems unfair to rank this team this low when it feels like they would be a contender in the AL. They don’t play in the AL, and this season is slipping away from Terry Francona and his squad.
#23: Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles are still stagnant, sinking to the bottom of the A.L. East.
#22: San Diego Padres. They still have a better record than some of the teams ranked ahead of them, but they just aren’t very good right now. Losing 7 of their last 10 games has them well behind in the NL wild card hunt and they may end up trading away Mason Miller.
May 24, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Sonny Gray (54) pitches during the third inning against the Minnesota Twins at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
#21: Boston Red Sox. Look who woke up! They’ve won 8 of their last 10, including a 6-game winning streak and have climbed from the cellar of the AL East and now sit just a handful of games below .500. The firesale is on hold for now.
#20: Toronto Blue Jays. The Jays are still hovering where they’ve been for the past few weeks, and now the Red Sox are right behind them in the standings.
#19: Detroit Tigers. The winner of the Skubal sweepstakes might end up being the Tigers. A recent 5 game win streak has them within striking distance of the division leaders in the Central.
#18: Arizona Diamondbacks. The division isn’t happening and it feels like the wild card race is just too crowded to think this team really has a chance with their pitching staff. It’s not likely that Corbin Burnes will make it back to contribute and it makes more sense for these guys to sell.
#17: Washington Nationals. They’re still above .500, and I think that’s going to be about the best possible final outcome for this season when all is said and done with this team. They need a pitching staff.
#16: Minnesota Twins. They’ve caught fire as of late, winning 7 of their last 10 games and jumping right into the AL Central race. They’re another team who has had recent success and have put a hold on their firesale.
#15: Houston Astros. They have hovered around .500 for the past month and they still sit just 2 games out of the top spot in the AL West. They’re a middling team that feels like a good fit right in the middle of our rankings.
#14 : Pittsburgh Pirates. If we asked fans during Spring training, they’d likely say that a .500 season would be a step in the right direction. But right now, it feels like the Bucs are leaving some meat on the bone here if that’s where they finish.
#13: St. Louis Cardinals. A wild card spot is the goal right now, but I don’t know that they will add to this roster to get there. They feel a bit rudderless to me, but they’re young and fun to watch.
#12: Cleveland Guardians. They are still treading water without Jose Ramirez. They sit tied with the White Sox atop the wide open AL Central.
Oct 20, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) runs after hitting a solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in the fifth inning during game seven of the ALCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
#11: Seattle Mariners. They’re still stuck in second gear, but they’re tied for first in the West. All of their pitching should eventually separate them from the pack. If Cal Raleigh can wake up, this team will take off. Nothing has changed here.
#10: Texas Rangers. This is as low as I could rank a team that currently sits in 1st place in their division. They are just lucky they play in the AL West. I’m not quite sure how they’re doing it without Cory Seager and Wyatt Langford.
#9: Chicago White Sox. OK, and this is the second lowest I could rank a team that sits in 1st place. The Sox get a slight edge here because they’re young and more fun to watch.
#8: Miami Marlins. The fire is still burning here with the red hot Marlins. Burning in a good way, as the previously anticipated firesale has been cancelled. They’ve actually worked their way into a tie with the Phillies and sit just 3 games behind the Braves after a recent 6-game winning streak.
#7: Chicago Cubs. The Cubs sit in the front of the room in the NL Wild Card race, and it still feels like they haven’t clicked on all cylinders. They need some pitching help.
May 1, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice (22) celebrates after hitting a three run home run during the second inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
#6: New York Yankees. They managed to stop the bleeding a bit by splitting a 4-game set in Tampa, so they aren’t dead in the AL East quite yet. The bats need to wake up, and the bullpen needs another arm.
#5: Philadelphia Phillies. They’ve gone .500 over their past 10 games and they are still lurking 3 games behind the Braves. Having the All-Star game in their home park seems like it could go one of two ways. It could energize them for a wild second half run, or we could see both Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper mess up their swings by trying out do each other in the home run derby. Stay tuned.
#4: Atlanta Braves. Like the Phillies, they’ve split their last 10 games, which has allowed the surging Marlins to jump into the NL East race. They are going to need to add a pitcher if they want to win this division and be a factor in the postseason.
#3: Tampa Bay Rays. They still sit with a 4 game lead after splitting 4 games with the floundering Yankees in Tampa. When the season is over, they may look at that series as a lost opportunity to put away their arch nemeses. One more win there would have them with a much more comfortable 6 game lead as we enter the break.
#2: Milwaukee Brewers. The Brew Crew keeps on chugging along. Brandon Woodruff is hurt again, which isn’t a huge shocker, but it does add an emphasis on their need for one more starting pitcher before the playoffs.
#1: Los Angeles Dodgers. What is there left to say? They have a near 15-game lead on the next best team in the West, and they are firmly in cruise control as they head towards the playoffs.
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Obviously, without a salary cap we don’t truly have parody in the league and it all still feels like a contest to see who gets to lose to the Dodgers, but we do have some interesting divisional races developing with a surprise 3-team race popping up this month in the National League. Let’s get right into this week’s power ranking and see where all 30 teams stand as the league prepares to break for the Mid-Summer Classic.
MORE: Ranking MLB players based on their chances of being traded this season
See Ya Next Season
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Mar 23, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout (27) reacts in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
#30: Los Angeles Angels. This is the only team in the league that hasn’t been able to win 40% of their games. It’s been a painful season for the Halos.
#29: Kansas City Royals. They looked like they were going to come back to life for a moment when they scored 31 runs over a two game span, but that was just gas. They’re still dead and starting to bloat.
#28: Colorado Rockies. Look on the bright side: they’re the worst team in the NL, but there are still two teams worse than them. For now.
#27: San Francisco Giants. The Giants are right there with the Rockies at the bottom of the NL West. They need to sell off whatever they can and start over.
#26: The Athletics. The party is over. This team has lost 9 of its last 10 and has an AL-worst -84 run differential as we enter the All-Star Break.
#25: New York Mets. Firing the manager wasn’t necessarily the wrong move, but it hasn’t done anything to shake things up either. Maybe they just stink.
#24: Cincinnati Reds. It seems unfair to rank this team this low when it feels like they would be a contender in the AL. They don’t play in the AL, and this season is slipping away from Terry Francona and his squad.
#23: Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles are still stagnant, sinking to the bottom of the A.L. East.
#22: San Diego Padres. They still have a better record than some of the teams ranked ahead of them, but they just aren’t very good right now. Losing 7 of their last 10 games has them well behind in the NL wild card hunt and they may end up trading away Mason Miller.
Playoff Hopefuls
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May 24, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Sonny Gray (54) pitches during the third inning against the Minnesota Twins at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
#21: Boston Red Sox. Look who woke up! They’ve won 8 of their last 10, including a 6-game winning streak and have climbed from the cellar of the AL East and now sit just a handful of games below .500. The firesale is on hold for now.
#20: Toronto Blue Jays. The Jays are still hovering where they’ve been for the past few weeks, and now the Red Sox are right behind them in the standings.
#19: Detroit Tigers. The winner of the Skubal sweepstakes might end up being the Tigers. A recent 5 game win streak has them within striking distance of the division leaders in the Central.
#18: Arizona Diamondbacks. The division isn’t happening and it feels like the wild card race is just too crowded to think this team really has a chance with their pitching staff. It’s not likely that Corbin Burnes will make it back to contribute and it makes more sense for these guys to sell.
#17: Washington Nationals. They’re still above .500, and I think that’s going to be about the best possible final outcome for this season when all is said and done with this team. They need a pitching staff.
#16: Minnesota Twins. They’ve caught fire as of late, winning 7 of their last 10 games and jumping right into the AL Central race. They’re another team who has had recent success and have put a hold on their firesale.
#15: Houston Astros. They have hovered around .500 for the past month and they still sit just 2 games out of the top spot in the AL West. They’re a middling team that feels like a good fit right in the middle of our rankings.
#14 : Pittsburgh Pirates. If we asked fans during Spring training, they’d likely say that a .500 season would be a step in the right direction. But right now, it feels like the Bucs are leaving some meat on the bone here if that’s where they finish.
#13: St. Louis Cardinals. A wild card spot is the goal right now, but I don’t know that they will add to this roster to get there. They feel a bit rudderless to me, but they’re young and fun to watch.
#12: Cleveland Guardians. They are still treading water without Jose Ramirez. They sit tied with the White Sox atop the wide open AL Central.
Playoffs?
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Oct 20, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) runs after hitting a solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in the fifth inning during game seven of the ALCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
#11: Seattle Mariners. They’re still stuck in second gear, but they’re tied for first in the West. All of their pitching should eventually separate them from the pack. If Cal Raleigh can wake up, this team will take off. Nothing has changed here.
#10: Texas Rangers. This is as low as I could rank a team that currently sits in 1st place in their division. They are just lucky they play in the AL West. I’m not quite sure how they’re doing it without Cory Seager and Wyatt Langford.
#9: Chicago White Sox. OK, and this is the second lowest I could rank a team that sits in 1st place. The Sox get a slight edge here because they’re young and more fun to watch.
#8: Miami Marlins. The fire is still burning here with the red hot Marlins. Burning in a good way, as the previously anticipated firesale has been cancelled. They’ve actually worked their way into a tie with the Phillies and sit just 3 games behind the Braves after a recent 6-game winning streak.
#7: Chicago Cubs. The Cubs sit in the front of the room in the NL Wild Card race, and it still feels like they haven’t clicked on all cylinders. They need some pitching help.
World Series Or Bust
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May 1, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice (22) celebrates after hitting a three run home run during the second inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
#6: New York Yankees. They managed to stop the bleeding a bit by splitting a 4-game set in Tampa, so they aren’t dead in the AL East quite yet. The bats need to wake up, and the bullpen needs another arm.
#5: Philadelphia Phillies. They’ve gone .500 over their past 10 games and they are still lurking 3 games behind the Braves. Having the All-Star game in their home park seems like it could go one of two ways. It could energize them for a wild second half run, or we could see both Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper mess up their swings by trying out do each other in the home run derby. Stay tuned.
#4: Atlanta Braves. Like the Phillies, they’ve split their last 10 games, which has allowed the surging Marlins to jump into the NL East race. They are going to need to add a pitcher if they want to win this division and be a factor in the postseason.
#3: Tampa Bay Rays. They still sit with a 4 game lead after splitting 4 games with the floundering Yankees in Tampa. When the season is over, they may look at that series as a lost opportunity to put away their arch nemeses. One more win there would have them with a much more comfortable 6 game lead as we enter the break.
#2: Milwaukee Brewers. The Brew Crew keeps on chugging along. Brandon Woodruff is hurt again, which isn’t a huge shocker, but it does add an emphasis on their need for one more starting pitcher before the playoffs.
#1: Los Angeles Dodgers. What is there left to say? They have a near 15-game lead on the next best team in the West, and they are firmly in cruise control as they head towards the playoffs.
— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —
Continue reading...
