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The calendar has turned to July, which means the temperature is going to get even hotter across the entire country. Likewise, there are a few division races that have gotten pretty hot over the last couple of weeks in Major League Baseball . Here’s our weekly power rankings of all 30 MLB teams from worst to first as the dog days of summer begin.
MORE: Red Sox won’t be good again until they make a major change
Jun 23, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies first baseman TJ Rumfield (7) hits a single in the third inning against the Boston Red Sox at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
#30: Colorado Rockies. They still have the worst record in the league, and there isn’t much hope on the horizon.
#29: Kansas City Royals. They’ve cratered over the last week and have actually managed to fall to the level of the Rockies. The front office likely regrets giving manager Matt Quatraro that 3-year extension this winter.
#28: Los Angeles Angels. They’re so bad that they can’t even compete in the worst division in baseball. Nothing will change here until Arte Moreno sells this team. Firing Perry Minasian is akin to changing the head chef on a sinking ocean liner.
#27: New York Mets. The dumpster fire that has been the Metropolitans’ 2026 season is now fully ablaze, and in this summer heat it stinks.
#26: San Francisco Giants. There are a handful of teams that could lose 100 games this season, and the Giants are one of them.
Mar 29, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran (16) at bat in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
#25: Boston Red Sox. Even sweeping the Yankees doesn’t change the fact that this season has been a bust in Bean Town. The four straight home wins probably made the fans happy for a fleeting moment, but the reality is they still stink.
#24: Detroit Tigers. There isn’t much to pay attention to here other than the Tarik Skubal sweepstakes.
#23: Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles seem like a nice car that somebody drove into a swamp. Now we just have to watch helplessly as the car sinks further and further into the muck and mire.
#22: Cincinnati Reds. They are likely done at this point. The division is out of reach, and the wild card is pretty far out of reach. There’s enough young talent that they can reload and run it back next year with a few bullpen upgrades and some better luck with injuries.
#21: Toronto Blue Jays. There was some hope that when they got healthy, the team could hop into the wild card race in the AL. They aren’t dead, thanks to the dismal state of the AL, but they aren’t doing themselves any favors by dropping 7 games in their last 10.
#20: The Athletics. This team is sliding back and should soon be out of this weird three-legged donkey race that’s happening in the AL West. Just wait until they take the field in Vegas in 2028.
#19: Minnesota Twins. The Twins are just another turd floating in the cesspool that we’re calling the American League wild card race. They’re 4 games under .500 and right in the mix.
May 27, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (44) rounds the bases after he hits a home run against the Texas Rangers during the eighth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
#18: Houston Astros. The American League, in general, is pretty disgusting this season. The Stros sit 3 games under .500, yet are just 2.5 games behind both a wild card spot and 1st place in the AL Waste….I mean West. Aside from Hunter Brown and Yordan Alvarez, this team is terrible.
#17: San Diego Padres. Their record is starting to reflect how bad a team they truly are. A 6-game losing streak has them right at .500, and I think there are worse days coming. Their farm system is one of the worst in the league, so AJ Preller is going to be pretty handcuffed at the deadline.
#16: Arizona Diamondbacks. The division isn’t happening, but a wild card spot is possible. The lineup is good enough to keep them relevant, but the pitching isn’t. Their current .500 record feels about right.
#15: Pittsburgh Pirates. The Bucs are at a crossroads right now as they sit at .500, just a handful of games out of an NL wild card spot. It’s a pretty big group of teams in the race, and it will be interesting to see if Ben Cherington makes a move to add to this roster. If they added Aroldis Chapman, that would move the needle. But can they add him to the roster when he’s actually in demand?
#14: Washington Nationals. Another young team that is having a great season. Like the Bucs and Cards, the Nats have the misfortune of playing in a division with other really good teams. The pitching staff isn’t anywhere close to good enough to compete this season, but this offense is super fun to watch.
#13: St. Louis Cardinals. Similar to the Pirates and White Sox, the Cardinals are a young team that’s ahead of schedule. They need a bona fide ace starting pitcher to anchor this rotation, but will they pull the trigger to add at the deadline? I tend to think they’ll wait until the offseason to address those needs.
#12: Miami Marlins. Well, look who’s caught fire a little bit. The Marlins have thrown a bit of a monkey wrench into the front office’s rebuild plan with a recent hot stretch that has them just a game out of a wild-card spot. Long term, it’s still better that they sell at the deadline, but this has been fun.
Oct 20, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez (44) celebrates with catcher Cal Raleigh (29) after hitting a solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in the third inning during game seven of the ALCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-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.
#10: Cleveland Guardians. Life without Jose Ramirez has been rough, but the Guardians are scrappy. They aren’t going away as they sit tied with Chicago at the top of the AL Central.
#9: Texas Rangers. If I asked you who the best team in the American League was over the last month of the season, how many guesses would it take before you said the Rangers? Before we get too excited, their record is 16-11, and there are about 6 NL teams with better records over that same span. But hey, they’re sitting in 1st place.
#8: Chicago Cubs. The streaky Cubs are riding the hot bats of Dansby Swanson and Pete Crow Armstrong and have won 9 of their last 10 games. If they can add another pitcher and get a few other arms healthy, they might be good enough to win a wild-card round.
#7: Chicago White Sox. They haven’t gone away, and they may be too young and dumb to realize that they aren’t supposed to be in this position yet. Like the other young teams that are ahead of schedule, we’ll have to wait and see if the front office is willing to make moves to add to the roster. The Sox just might since the AL is so wide open.
#6: New York Yankees. What happened? With this pitching staff, how do they manage to lose 7 straight games? That’s right, the offense stinks. They have only averaged about 2.5 runs a game over the last week. They better figure something out soon since Aaron Judge is still a couple of weeks away.
Jun 20, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the New York Mets in the seventh inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
#5: Philadelphia Phillies. Things are getting real in the NL East. The Phils are right on the Braves’ heels now after another hot week. It feels like it’s just a matter of time before the two teams flip-flop in the standings and in our rankings.
#4: Atlanta Braves. Robert Suarez has now joined the ranks of the walking wounded and has landed on the IL with a sore elbow. The boat is leaking in a few places, and Alex Anthopoulos had better start working the phones to bring in some reinforcements. Hurston Waldrep could give them a shot in the arm, but it’s a big ask to think he’s the guy who will save this season.
#3: Tampa Bay Rays. The best team in the American League. Yep, the Rays are the prettiest pigs in the barnyard right now. Let’s not diminish what these guys have been doing, as Junior Caminero has basically put them on his back during this recent 8-game winning streak that shot Tampa past the Yankees into the top spot in the East.
#2: Milwaukee Brewers. Jacob Misioroski and Kyle Harrison are absolute studs, and now Brandon Woodruff is finally healthy and contributing. The Brewers have a roster that has a realistic shot at knocking off the Dodgers, but I feel like they are one piece short. If they were to add that one piece, they would have a legitimate shot at a World Series title this fall. That one piece rhymes with Shmarik Shmubal.
#1: Los Angeles Dodgers. The machine is on track, and it’s working its way towards a third straight title. Nothing is going to stop them from making the playoffs, and Dave Roberts has already started giving his pitchers extra rest days to save some bullets for October. The scary part is that they also have the best farm system in the league, and they can easily add Skubal just to keep him off of the other rosters.
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MORE: Red Sox won’t be good again until they make a major change
See You Next Season
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Jun 23, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies first baseman TJ Rumfield (7) hits a single in the third inning against the Boston Red Sox at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
#30: Colorado Rockies. They still have the worst record in the league, and there isn’t much hope on the horizon.
#29: Kansas City Royals. They’ve cratered over the last week and have actually managed to fall to the level of the Rockies. The front office likely regrets giving manager Matt Quatraro that 3-year extension this winter.
#28: Los Angeles Angels. They’re so bad that they can’t even compete in the worst division in baseball. Nothing will change here until Arte Moreno sells this team. Firing Perry Minasian is akin to changing the head chef on a sinking ocean liner.
#27: New York Mets. The dumpster fire that has been the Metropolitans’ 2026 season is now fully ablaze, and in this summer heat it stinks.
#26: San Francisco Giants. There are a handful of teams that could lose 100 games this season, and the Giants are one of them.
A Mixed Bag
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Mar 29, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran (16) at bat in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
#25: Boston Red Sox. Even sweeping the Yankees doesn’t change the fact that this season has been a bust in Bean Town. The four straight home wins probably made the fans happy for a fleeting moment, but the reality is they still stink.
#24: Detroit Tigers. There isn’t much to pay attention to here other than the Tarik Skubal sweepstakes.
#23: Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles seem like a nice car that somebody drove into a swamp. Now we just have to watch helplessly as the car sinks further and further into the muck and mire.
#22: Cincinnati Reds. They are likely done at this point. The division is out of reach, and the wild card is pretty far out of reach. There’s enough young talent that they can reload and run it back next year with a few bullpen upgrades and some better luck with injuries.
#21: Toronto Blue Jays. There was some hope that when they got healthy, the team could hop into the wild card race in the AL. They aren’t dead, thanks to the dismal state of the AL, but they aren’t doing themselves any favors by dropping 7 games in their last 10.
#20: The Athletics. This team is sliding back and should soon be out of this weird three-legged donkey race that’s happening in the AL West. Just wait until they take the field in Vegas in 2028.
#19: Minnesota Twins. The Twins are just another turd floating in the cesspool that we’re calling the American League wild card race. They’re 4 games under .500 and right in the mix.
Playoffs? Maybe?
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May 27, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (44) rounds the bases after he hits a home run against the Texas Rangers during the eighth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
#18: Houston Astros. The American League, in general, is pretty disgusting this season. The Stros sit 3 games under .500, yet are just 2.5 games behind both a wild card spot and 1st place in the AL Waste….I mean West. Aside from Hunter Brown and Yordan Alvarez, this team is terrible.
#17: San Diego Padres. Their record is starting to reflect how bad a team they truly are. A 6-game losing streak has them right at .500, and I think there are worse days coming. Their farm system is one of the worst in the league, so AJ Preller is going to be pretty handcuffed at the deadline.
#16: Arizona Diamondbacks. The division isn’t happening, but a wild card spot is possible. The lineup is good enough to keep them relevant, but the pitching isn’t. Their current .500 record feels about right.
#15: Pittsburgh Pirates. The Bucs are at a crossroads right now as they sit at .500, just a handful of games out of an NL wild card spot. It’s a pretty big group of teams in the race, and it will be interesting to see if Ben Cherington makes a move to add to this roster. If they added Aroldis Chapman, that would move the needle. But can they add him to the roster when he’s actually in demand?
#14: Washington Nationals. Another young team that is having a great season. Like the Bucs and Cards, the Nats have the misfortune of playing in a division with other really good teams. The pitching staff isn’t anywhere close to good enough to compete this season, but this offense is super fun to watch.
#13: St. Louis Cardinals. Similar to the Pirates and White Sox, the Cardinals are a young team that’s ahead of schedule. They need a bona fide ace starting pitcher to anchor this rotation, but will they pull the trigger to add at the deadline? I tend to think they’ll wait until the offseason to address those needs.
#12: Miami Marlins. Well, look who’s caught fire a little bit. The Marlins have thrown a bit of a monkey wrench into the front office’s rebuild plan with a recent hot stretch that has them just a game out of a wild-card spot. Long term, it’s still better that they sell at the deadline, but this has been fun.
Contenders?
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Oct 20, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez (44) celebrates with catcher Cal Raleigh (29) after hitting a solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in the third inning during game seven of the ALCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-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.
#10: Cleveland Guardians. Life without Jose Ramirez has been rough, but the Guardians are scrappy. They aren’t going away as they sit tied with Chicago at the top of the AL Central.
#9: Texas Rangers. If I asked you who the best team in the American League was over the last month of the season, how many guesses would it take before you said the Rangers? Before we get too excited, their record is 16-11, and there are about 6 NL teams with better records over that same span. But hey, they’re sitting in 1st place.
#8: Chicago Cubs. The streaky Cubs are riding the hot bats of Dansby Swanson and Pete Crow Armstrong and have won 9 of their last 10 games. If they can add another pitcher and get a few other arms healthy, they might be good enough to win a wild-card round.
#7: Chicago White Sox. They haven’t gone away, and they may be too young and dumb to realize that they aren’t supposed to be in this position yet. Like the other young teams that are ahead of schedule, we’ll have to wait and see if the front office is willing to make moves to add to the roster. The Sox just might since the AL is so wide open.
#6: New York Yankees. What happened? With this pitching staff, how do they manage to lose 7 straight games? That’s right, the offense stinks. They have only averaged about 2.5 runs a game over the last week. They better figure something out soon since Aaron Judge is still a couple of weeks away.
Top 5
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Jun 20, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the New York Mets in the seventh inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
#5: Philadelphia Phillies. Things are getting real in the NL East. The Phils are right on the Braves’ heels now after another hot week. It feels like it’s just a matter of time before the two teams flip-flop in the standings and in our rankings.
#4: Atlanta Braves. Robert Suarez has now joined the ranks of the walking wounded and has landed on the IL with a sore elbow. The boat is leaking in a few places, and Alex Anthopoulos had better start working the phones to bring in some reinforcements. Hurston Waldrep could give them a shot in the arm, but it’s a big ask to think he’s the guy who will save this season.
#3: Tampa Bay Rays. The best team in the American League. Yep, the Rays are the prettiest pigs in the barnyard right now. Let’s not diminish what these guys have been doing, as Junior Caminero has basically put them on his back during this recent 8-game winning streak that shot Tampa past the Yankees into the top spot in the East.
#2: Milwaukee Brewers. Jacob Misioroski and Kyle Harrison are absolute studs, and now Brandon Woodruff is finally healthy and contributing. The Brewers have a roster that has a realistic shot at knocking off the Dodgers, but I feel like they are one piece short. If they were to add that one piece, they would have a legitimate shot at a World Series title this fall. That one piece rhymes with Shmarik Shmubal.
#1: Los Angeles Dodgers. The machine is on track, and it’s working its way towards a third straight title. Nothing is going to stop them from making the playoffs, and Dave Roberts has already started giving his pitchers extra rest days to save some bullets for October. The scary part is that they also have the best farm system in the league, and they can easily add Skubal just to keep him off of the other rosters.
— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —
Continue reading...
