MLB Power Rankings: One week after the trade deadline, new faces and familiar forces are shaping the stretch run. The Brewers hold the top spot for the third straight week while the Yankees skid, the Red Sox surge, and the Marlins hint at a late push. Here’s where all 30 teams stand, with what’s driving them now and what could matter most down the stretch.
Milwaukee Brewers
Record: 70-44
Previous ranking: 1
Milwaukee didn’t need headline-grabbing trades to keep rolling. They went 16-9 in June, 17-7 in July and opened August 6-0, including 16-9 and 14-3 drubbings of Washington. Brandon Woodruff looks sharp in his return (2.22 ERA in five starts) and Freddy Peralta is delivering his best season. The rotation’s lift from Quinn Priester since he moved in full-time on June 10 has been pivotal, with five straight winning starts and a 2.45 ERA in that span. The Brewers look like the NL’s steadiest machine.
Philadelphia Phillies
Record: 65-49
Previous ranking: 6
Kyle Schwarber’s value keeps rising even if MVP voters favor multi-position stars. He sits top 10 in NL WAR and remains a game-changing middle-of-the-order presence. With free agency looming, league chatter suggests he could consider a Midwest landing spot—but regardless of geography, his production should command a premium market.
Chicago Cubs
Record: 66-48
Previous ranking: 2
A quiet deadline looks riskier after Michael Soroka exited his debut early and hit the IL with shoulder discomfort. Chicago knew about the recent dip in his velocity and took the swing anyway. Ben Brown could re-enter the rotation, and upcoming off days help, but the Cubs face a 13-game grind (including a doubleheader vs. Milwaukee on Aug. 18) that will test their depth.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Record: 66-49
Previous ranking: 3
Mookie Betts—historically an .800-plus OPS lock—is fighting through a rare extended lull, with an OPS in the .600s and prolonged slumps since late May. He’s a perfectionist by nature, so the bar he sets for himself can be both fuel and weight. Given his track record, a recalibration isn’t just possible—it’s likely—but the Dodgers need his bat to re-center their offense.
Detroit Tigers
Record: 66-50
Previous ranking: 7
Detroit steadied after a rocky stretch and still holds a firm AL Central lead. The schedule softens, the lineup has reawakened, and Kerry Carpenter, Dillon Dingler and Wenceel Perez have provided needed spark. Even without replicating their early-season blaze, the Tigers look in control in the division.
Toronto Blue Jays
Record: 68-48
Previous ranking: 4
Shane Bieber needs a few more tuneups before joining the rotation, where he’ll follow fellow former Cy Young winner Max Scherzer. When Bieber debuts, he’ll become the franchise’s 12th former Cy Young recipient to pitch for the Jays—an elite club that includes Pat Hentgen, Roy Halladay, Roger Clemens and Robbie Ray among others. If Bieber’s stuff holds post-rehab, Toronto’s ceiling rises.
New York Mets
Record: 63-52
Previous ranking: 5
A rotation that carried them early is now the biggest question. Frankie Montas gets at least one more turn, but results need to trend up quickly. Griffin Canning is out for the year, and Clay Holmes’ regression has added pressure across the staff. New York needs reliable innings to keep its footing.
San Diego Padres
Record: 64-51
Previous ranking: 10
San Diego fortified a bullpen that might be the deepest in MLB by adding Mason Miller and other high-leverage options. The depth allows Mike Shildt to rest arms and mix matchups late. It’s a postseason blueprint: shorten games, protect leads and manage workloads smartly.
Boston Red Sox
Record: 64-52
Previous ranking: 13
From 43-45 on July 4 to back in the top 10, Boston’s revival is real. The bats are hot, the pitching is stabilized, and any disappointment about a quiet deadline hasn’t dented the clubhouse. They’ve won seven of eight and just blew past the Yankees in the AL East standings. Suddenly, seeding possibilities broaden well beyond a wild card.
Houston Astros
Record: 64-51
Previous ranking: 8
A tough July (12-15) bled into an August sweep in Boston. Pitching contact quality rose sharply in July, and Jeremy Peña’s absence contributed to the defensive dip. Peña returned with a three-hit game; Carlos Correa, back in Houston at third, added some early thunder. Houston’s margin for error is thinner, but health and infield stability should help.
Seattle Mariners
Record: 62-53
Previous ranking: 9
Seattle took three of four from Texas, highlighted by J.P. Crawford’s walk-off homer Friday. Eugenio Suárez popped his first as a Mariner, top prospect Cole Young flashed big power at the big-league level, and Bryan Woo continues to stack six-inning starts. New addition Josh Naylor is swiping bags despite modest top-end speed—a sneaky new dimension for their lineup.
New York Yankees
Record: 61-54
Previous ranking: 11
Aaron Judge returned quickly from an elbow issue, but New York is skidding—five straight losses since July 31 and their lowest ranking of the season. Relief help arrived at the deadline, yet the bullpen has stumbled and sloppiness on the bases and in the field has been costly. They need cleaner baseball and upticks from the middle relief crew to halt the slide.
Texas Rangers
Record: 60-56
Previous ranking: 12
Nathan Eovaldi has been absurdly good—13 of his past 14 starts with one run or fewer. He’s within reach of qualifying for the ERA title with a microscopic mark in the 1.30s. History suggests sustained dominance requires workload management and health; Texas will balance chasing wins with keeping their ace fresh.
Cincinnati Reds
Record: 60-55
Previous ranking: 14
Zack Littell’s first Reds start was a gem: seven innings, one run, 15 whiffs powered by a nasty splitter. With Nick Lodolo hitting the IL (blister) and a recent bullpen scramble due to a rain-delay game, Cincinnati needed exactly that. If Littell’s splitter holds, it’s a rotation-shifting development.
Cleveland Guardians
Record: 59-55
Previous ranking: 20
Cleveland’s deadline was modest, swapping Shane Bieber for promising arm Khal Stephen while sticking with a hot offense. The blueprint mirrors last year’s Tigers: sneak into October on steady run prevention and opportunistic hitting. If the rotation firms up, the Guardians have a real wild card shot.
San Francisco Giants
Record: 58-57
Previous ranking: 15
Rafael Devers’ power to left and left-center fit Fenway perfectly; Oracle’s vast alleys are a tougher match. It’s too soon for conclusions, but his early home numbers are muted. Adapting swing and approach to home park quirks is often a months-long process.
Tampa Bay Rays
Record: 57-59
Previous ranking: 16
The Rays straddled the line at the deadline—moving and adding vets while holding Brandon Lowe. A stopgap starter in Adrian Houser signals an eye toward 2025, but they finally cracked an ice-cold stretch with a much-needed win. Keeping Lowe looks smart when their offense needs instant juice.
Kansas City Royals
Record: 57-58
Previous ranking: 21
Until Boston cooled them off, Kansas City’s bats were surging with an unusual power punch to pair with elite contact skills. Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez have led an extended burst of slug. If that blend of low strikeouts and top-10 power holds, the Royals can hang in the race.
St. Louis Cardinals
Record: 58-58
Previous ranking: 17
Ivan Herrera’s bat has been a bright spot around two IL stints, but he may be moving away from catching long term after low caught-stealing rates. He’s seen time at DH and now a look in left field. Even average outfield defense paired with his bat would give St. Louis useful roster flexibility.
Miami Marlins
Record: 56-57
Previous ranking: 22
Sandy Alcantara stays put and the focus is now on finding consistency post-Tommy John. He tossed 12 straight scoreless across two starts in late July but has also had a few bumpy outings. If he stabilizes, Miami has the pitching backbone to make a .500 push and flirt with the wild card picture.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Record: 54-61
Previous ranking: 18
Arizona held Zac Gallen, keeping the qualifying-offer pathway open after the season. That gives them optionality—draft compensation if he departs, or a one-year pact if he accepts. For a team retooling on the fly, preserving leverage around a talented arm makes sense.
Boston Red Sox (second note on closer)
Record: 55-60
Previous ranking: 23
Kenley Jansen has been steady: 20-for-21 in saves with a 2.79 ERA, and he’s closing in on Lee Smith on the all-time list. While his peak dominance is in the past, sustained effectiveness and longevity could keep his Hall of Fame case alive if he continues to pile up saves.
Minnesota Twins
Record: 54-60
Previous ranking: 19
After a dispiriting deadline, the rotation outlook is more intriguing than it seems. Joe Ryan, Pablo Lopez (once healthy) and Bailey Ober lead, with exciting rookie Zebby Matthews and newcomers Taj Bradley and Mick Abel potentially rounding it out. Prospect Luke Keaschall homered in his first plate appearance back from a long injury absence—one of several signs of life for the future.
Baltimore Orioles
Record: 52-63
Previous ranking: 25
Jackson Holliday earned the team’s Heart & Hustle Award, a nod to how he’s handled hype and growing pains. His incremental gains this season position him to make a leap in 2026. The talent is obvious; the maturity is as encouraging.
Atlanta Braves
Record: 47-66
Previous ranking: 24
With the core locked in long term, Atlanta largely sat out the deadline. Shortstop is a bigger-picture question: Nick Allen’s glove is elite, but the bat needs to catch up. Finding a sustainable solution there is key to balancing an otherwise potent lineup.
Oakland Athletics
Record: 50-66
Previous ranking: 27
Shea Langeliers’ first turn in the leadoff spot produced a three-homer game—the rarest club for a catcher, and he now has two career three-HR games. Add a blistering month from Nick Kurtz, and Oakland remains one of baseball’s sneaky-fun watches despite the record.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Record: 49-66
Previous ranking: 26
Paul Skenes nabbed his first NL Pitcher of the Month with a 0.67 ERA in July. The Pirates are being careful with his pitch counts and innings, but his efficiency hints at a historically low ERA for the franchise’s modern era. The plan: keep him dominant and healthy for the long haul.
Chicago White Sox
Record: 42-72
Previous ranking: 29
The Sox have played winning ball for more than a month thanks to a suddenly thumping, youthful lineup. Colson Montgomery’s early quality of contact leaps off the page—consistency will come with reps. The tone on the South Side is markedly different from a year ago.
Washington Nationals
Record: 45-68
Previous ranking: 28
The youth movement hasn’t fully coalesced. Keibert Ruiz, a long-term piece behind the plate, remains stuck offensively with limited power output so far this season. His contract gives Washington runway, but the Nats need a developmental jump from their core group to accelerate the rebuild.
Colorado Rockies
Record: 30-84
Previous ranking: 30
Seth Halvorsen looked like a breakout high-octane reliever and a potential trade chip—until an apparent elbow injury soon after the deadline. It’s a tough reminder of bullpen volatility and the risk of not moving relievers at peak value during lost seasons.
Additional observations and context
– The post-deadline theme is depth. San Diego’s bullpen and Milwaukee’s rotation give those teams multiple paths to win late. That matters as workloads grow and injuries linger.
– Schedule pockets could reshape races. Detroit, for example, benefits from a calmer run after a heavy midseason slate, while the Cubs face a 13-game gauntlet that will test their thin rotation.
– Player development remains central. Teams like the Royals, White Sox and Mariners are seeing young hitters and prospects tilt outcomes, and that can change ceilings quickly.
– Health will decide margins. From Alcantara’s return to Bieber’s ramp-up and Lodolo’s brief IL stint, the contenders that get their best arms right in August will have the most playoff leverage.
Summary
– Brewers hold No. 1 for a third straight week on the strength of a relentless rotation and hot bats.
– Yankees slide to their lowest mark of the season after a five-game skid; Judge is back, but execution must improve.
– Red Sox surge back into the top 10 with seven wins in eight; clubhouse confidence is matching on-field results.
– Padres’ bullpen overhaul and Jays’ looming Bieber debut headline the most impactful deadline moves.
– Marlins climb to No. 20 with a realistic path to .500 if Alcantara stabilizes.
A hopeful note
There’s parity and opportunity everywhere. A week after the deadline, several clubs that didn’t “win” the headlines are still winning games, and a handful of under-the-radar roster tweaks (bullpen depth, prospect promotions, role shifts) could end up mattering more than any blockbuster. That’s good news for fans of teams on the edge of the race: there’s still time for a hot two-week stretch to rewrite October.