Every week, we ask a selected group of our baseball writers — local and national — to rank the teams from first to worst. Here are the collective results.
Two months into the season, the New York Mets remain so much worse than we expected, while the Tampa Bay Rays are so much better than anyone predicted.
The all-in Detroit Tigers are somehow a last-place team in a bad division, while the rebuilding St. Louis Cardinals are legitimately competitive in a division full of winning teams. The Washington Nationals have a better offense than the Philadelphia Phillies. The Milwaukee Brewers are outpitching the Seattle Mariners. Jordan Walker and Brice Turang are in the MVP conversation, while Davis Martin is among the major league leaders in wins (and, admit it, you don’t even know which team he pitches for).
Baseball always finds a way to catch us off guard, and while this week’s Power Rankings reflect some of the surprises of the first two months, we’re taking this opportunity to make a few predictions about the next two months. And, yes, we’re prepared to be wrong about most of them.
Stats are through Monday morning unless otherwise noted.
Record: 34-20
Last Power Ranking: 2
In the next two months: Shohei Ohtani’s ERA climbs over 2.00
The Dodgers have won every NL West title except one since Barack Obama’s first presidential term, and it’s getting harder to be mad about it. It’s become a permanent fixture of the baseball landscape.
You have to remain vigilant, however! It is still unacceptable for a pitcher to say, “I’m going to try to win the Cy Young because it sounds neat.” While Ohtani did not say this explicitly, it is widely assumed that he’s actively seeking a Cy Young Award this season, and I reject the level of talent it takes for someone to make a lil’ extra push for the award and have it work. Ohtani’s ERA is currently under 1.00, but his FIP is nearly two runs higher. He already has all the talent; he should give whatever luck he finds to someone who needs it. — Grant Brisbee
Record: 36-18
Last Power Ranking: 1
In the next two months: This isn’t a fluke
The Braves have the most wins and the second-best run differential in baseball. It’s a modest surprise — especially considering they’re in a division that was expected to be three-team Royal Rumble — but the next two months will prove that the Braves are not, in fact, overachievers. In fact, Ronald Acuña Jr. has yet to really get going, Ha-Seong Kim has barely played at all, and the pitching staff has been so deep that losing streaks have been non-existent (the Braves have yet to lose more than three in a row and have lost back-to-back games only three times). What’s going to happen in the next two months? More of the first two months. — Chad Jennings
Record: 34-17
Last Power Ranking: 5
In the next two months: Nick Martinez makes his first All-Star team
The Rays are doing it again. Expected to be more good than great, they’ve gotten off to the best start in the American League, and the method is familiar. They’ve brought impact up from the minor leagues, Yandy Díaz might win another batting title, Junior Caminero is the next Evan Longoria, and their pitching — it’s always their pitching — is excellent. Shane McClanahan is back and Drew Rasmussen is as good as last year, but the leader of their rotation has been 35-year-old Nick Martinez, who has the second-best ERA in the majors and could be a first-time All-Star after a long journeyman career. — Jennings
Record: 32-22
Last Power Ranking: 6
In the next two months: Pulling away from the pack
The Yankees are not even leading their division at the moment, but they’re in position to pull away from the rest of the American League in the next two months. Cam Schlittler is an early Cy Young favorite, Gerrit Cole just returned from the IL — with six scoreless innings — Carlos Rodón is back, and the rotation was already humming with Ryan Weathers and Will Warren. Aaron Judge is Aaron Judge, Ben Rice is for real, Cody Bellinger is even better than last season, and the Yankees’ farm system has enough pieces to make a splash at the deadline. The Yankees have been inconsistent, but by the time they face the Dodgers in the first series after the All-Star break, it could be a showdown between the two best teams in baseball. — Jennings
Record: 31-20
Last Power Ranking: 4
In the next two months: An All-Star record for The Miz
This prediction is a two-parter: First, it relies on Jacob Misiorowski being named the starter for the NL All-Star team. That doesn’t feel like a huge stretch — the 24-year-old struck out 12 and took a no-hitter into the sixth inning on Sunday, and leads the league in strikeouts (100) and K/9 of 14.06, which is bordering on absurd.
That’s where the second part of the prediction comes in. Looking back over every All-Star Game starting pitcher, the highest K/9 was Randy Johnson, who was at 13.7 K/9 when he started the 1999 All-Star Game.
But even if Misiorowski doesn’t start the All-Star Game, he could still set a first-half record: Jacob deGrom’s 14.28 K/9 in 2021 was the highest first-half mark ever (just holding off Spencer Strider’s 14.27 in 2023). — Levi Weaver
Record: 29-25
Last Power Ranking: 3
In the next two months: Two turnarounds and a problem
Going into Monday’s game, I noticed an odd thing on the Cubs’ Baseball-Reference page. Of the nine players listed as starters, only three had OPS marks of sub-.700: Alex Bregman, Dansby Swanson and Pete Crow-Armstrong.
Not that any of the three have been immune to slumps in their career, but it feels unexpected that they would be the team’s three worst hitters. Nevertheless, here we are encroaching on June, and the numbers are right there for all to see.
I think all three of these players are better hitters than we’ve seen this year. But I also think it seems overly credulous to suggest that all of them will break out in the next two months. So I think we’ll see two of the three looking more like themselves by the All-Star break, with one giving Cubs fans severe agita by the deadline.
Which one? Absolutely no idea. — Weaver
Record: 31-22
Last Power Ranking: 7
In the next two months: Fernando Tatis Jr. hits a home run.
There have been a lot of players in recent seasons to go homerless over their first 50 games. Heck, José Iglesias did it for the Pads just last season. It’s a different story when the player involved is a perennial MVP candidate and power hitter, though. If you exclude famously feckless batters like Ben Revere and Juan Pierre from the homerless-through-50-games club, you’re left with little more than cautionary tales (Anthony Rendon, José Abreu) close to the end of their career. (Delmon Young did it once when he was 23, but I’m not sure which side of the cautionary/reassuring ledger that goes on.)
So, hey, Fernando Tatis, Jr: cut it out. Baseball’s confusing enough without stuff like this. Hit a danged dinger. (And if you want to remember some feckless middle infielders, friend, is this the link for you.) — Brisbee
Record: 28-26
Last Power Ranking: 8
In the next two months: I’m sorry, are you saying “Byers?” Like, that kid from “Stranger Things?”
No, sorry. I know it’s been a while since you’ve heard this word in Pittsburgh, but what you’re hearing is the word B-U-Y-E-R-S. As in, “acquiring more talent at the trade deadline,” rather than trading it away for prospects.
What’s that? No, no, no, I assure you it’s entirely legal … yes, even in Pittsburgh; there are no city ordinances that I’m aware of. No, Paul Skenes is not going to be kidnapped by a demogorgon — again, it’s buyers.
Yes, I’m sure you do have questions for Bob Nutting; I can’t say for sure if he forgot that the playoffs existed, or if he was doing some avant-garde performance art about austerity amongst the billionaire class, or if there was some other reason that the Pirates haven’t won the division since 1992 (and since then, have only made the playoffs in 2013, 2014 and 2015).
But yes, I think the Pirates will be buyers. Don’t worry, there’s time to read up on the concept between now and then. — Weaver
Record: 32-24
Last Power Ranking: 9
In the next two months: Austin Hedges won’t still lead Guardians catchers in OPS
While I think the ABS system will gradually change this in the coming years, here in 2026, a catcher can still keep a job for a long time without being able to hit much — assuming their defense and leadership are above-average.
That’s how Hedges has stayed in the league since 2015. (No, it’s not that his visage and career slash line of .186/.246/.313 (.559 OPS) make it seem like Charlie Kelly from “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” made it to the big leagues.)
But so far this year, Hedges and his respectable .659 OPS have led Guardians catchers. Bo Naylor (.438) is in the minors. Patrick Bailey (.482) hasn’t been the answer since a trade from San Francisco.
So what’s the solution? I dunno man, this kid Cooper Ingle is ripping it up in Triple A. Maybe it’s time to see what he’s got? — Weaver
Record: 29-24
Last Power Ranking: 17
In the next two months: Geraldo Perdomo gets scorching hot
Sometimes, when a young player’s numbers dip, the answer is simple: be patient, and with the benefit of youth and additional experience, the numbers will return to normal. With Perdomo, it’s hard to know what his “normal” actually is. When he was 24, he had a .718 OPS and 3 home runs. When he was 25, he had a .851 OPS and 20 home runs, finishing fourth in the MVP voting. Now he’s 26, and his numbers (.222/.340/.341, two home runs) sure look a lot like the ones from two seasons ago. Maybe that’s the real Perdomo?
Not buying it. There’s a reason why his MVP-caliber season was so convincing last year. He has the talent to be a superstar, and we know this because he already was one. He goes back on the list. — Brisbee
Record: 26-29
Last Power Ranking: T-10
In the next two months: They reclaim their spot at the top
It could be Cal Raleigh shaking off whatever needs to be shaken off, it could be Colt Emerson becoming an instant superstar, it could be Luis Castillo reclaiming his past form. It could be all of the above.
All I know is that I’ve reviewed the applications for the other teams in the AL West, and they do not fit with our needs at the current time. These other teams are welcome to resubmit their applications in the future, but for now, everything would make more sense if the talented-but-struggling Mariners stopped all the danged struggling. Of all the teams that don’t make sense on paper, they might be at the top. — Brisbee
Record: 29-23
Last Power Ranking: T-10
In the next two months: A few stumbles as the league adjusts
The Cardinals are a supremely young team, with 27-year-olds like Alec Burleson and Pedro Pagés the grizzled veterans of the lineup, and they’re surpassing expectations by a bunch. You can imagine a spirited, youthful clubhouse that’s too inexperienced to know that they shouldn’t be doing this, not unlike the Road Runner being able to defy gravity if he never looks down.
The Cards aren’t sneaking up on anyone anymore, though, which means there are going to be adjustments to be made against the rookies and the newly ascendant players like Jordan Walker, and they’ll have to adjust to the adjustments. Don’t count them out. The actual roadrunner can just … fly, you know. — Brisbee
Record: 24-29
Last Power Ranking: 13
In the next two months: A direction for 2027-28-29 is determined
If the Rangers played in the NL Central, they’d be a last-place team with a few imminently tradable starting pitchers and relievers to kick-start their next rebuild. In the AL West, they’re 2 1/2 games out of first place.
So once Corey Seager and Wyatt Langford and the Joshes Jung and Smith are healthy … and Seager and Evan Carter and Danny Jansen get those batting averages above .200 … and Jacob deGrom stops leading the AL in home runs allowed … and …
Look, there’s a lot that needs to start going right, but nearly the entire AL is bad, and the West is chief among the divisions without a single good team. Both the division and a wild-card berth are in play.
Also in play: Realizing that it’s time to set your sights on a rapid turnaround while you still have tradable assets. I don’t think that decision has been made yet, but I do think it needs to be made before the trade deadline. — Weaver
Record: 27-27
Last Power Ranking: 12
In the next two months: Kyle Schwarber builds his legacy
Only one player came through the weekend with more than 17 home runs, and it was Schwarber with 20. His last two homers moved Schwarber ahead of Yogi Berra and Johnny Mize on the all-time list, and his next home run will tie Joe DiMaggio. If he hits another 20 in the next two months, he’ll move ahead of — among others — Ralph Kiner, Todd Helton, Gill Hodges and Jeff Kent, and he’ll be on the verge of passing Jim Rice, Ryan Howard and Larry Walker. Schwarber just keeps doing it, and all around him, Bryce Harper and Cristopher Sánchez, the rest of the Phillies have at last shown signs of life again. — Jennings
Record: 25-29
Last Power Ranking: 14
In the next two months: A pivotal stretch determines the direction
The Blue Jays should be better than this, but they’ve been too injured to put their best foot forward. Some of their role players have stepped up — Brandon Valenzuela, Louis Varland, Patrick Corbin — but this team is built on star power, and too much of it is missing. What determines their next two months (and their direction at the trade deadline) might be a 12-game stretch in mid-June when they face the Phillies, Yankees, Red Sox and Cubs. That’s a potentially tough spell, but the defending AL champs are supposed to be up for that kind of challenge. If they can hold their own — even short-handed — it could get the ball rolling in the direction they intended heading into this season. — Jennings
Record: 27-27
Last Power Ranking: 15
In the next two months: Carlos Cortes keeps it going
Back when Twitter was Twitter, this tweet would occasionally reappear in my timeline without notice, retweeted by a frustrated Mets fan:
The #Mets have non-tendered Scott Atchison, Jeremy Hefner, Omar Quintanilla, Justin Turner and Jordany Valdespin.
— New York Mets (@Mets) December 3, 2013
Every generation of Mets fan gets the Justin Turner they deserve. While Cortes didn’t leave in minor-league free agency with some weird vibes left behind, he’ll fit perfectly with the ennui and general energy of the franchise’s recent history.
While Cortes’ .350 batting average is more than a little unsustainable, the bat-to-ball skills seem legitimate, and he’s walking more than he’s striking out. Whatever the A’s told him to do, it’s worked. Even the batted-ball data loves him. He’ll have a multi-year run as the great what-if for a Mets franchise that always needs at least one, and the A’s will just enjoy the excellent production, completely oblivious to their part in a larger cosmic drama. — Brisbee
Record: 26-28
Last Power Ranking: 20
In the next two months: Reverse fire sale?
Normally, I wouldn’t predict a team with this record to be a big buyer. But after last year’s everything-must-go deadline, the Twins entered play Monday in the third AL wild-card position, and were one of just six AL teams with a positive run differential.
World Series? No. Playoffs? Ehhhh, you know what? Maybe! With an owner who seems to have discovered that baseball is interesting, maybe the front office will have some more leeway to pull a reverse and bring in some talent this summer.
No, I don’t see them as the favorites to land Tarik Skubal. But with Royce Lewis and Matt Wallner currently in the minor leagues due to performance issues, and Josh Bell with a sub-.700 OPS, there are definitely some holes in the lineup that could be plugged with a well-placed trade or two. — Weaver
Record: 26-29
Last Power Ranking: 22
In the next two months: Sandy Alcantara Watch (take two)
For a while, the Marlins were a surprise contender in the unexpectedly wide-open National League East, but aside from a few good stretches — including a weekend sweep of the Mets — they’ve not maintained that relevance, and now they’re just slightly better than they were at this time last year. Which means these next two months should look familiar, because once again, Alcantara is going to be a fascinating trade chip in a market that could be loaded with front-end starters. Xavier Edwards and Otto Lopez look pretty good as pre-arb middle infielders, but where exactly are the Marlins going? And what can they get for their last superstar to help them get back to postseason relevance? — Jennings
Record: 28-27
Last Power Ranking: 25
In the next two months: CJ Abrams takes his place among top shortstops
This has been called another golden era at the shortstop position. Bobby Witt Jr. remains the standard-bearer, but Elly De La Cruz is having a career year at the plate, Kevin McGonigle and Colson Montgomery are young standouts, and Konnor Griffin and Colt Emerson are getting their first looks at 20 years old. In the next two months, Abrams will solidify his place among those elite players. He’s still just 25 years old, and he’s having his best year at the plate. His defensive metrics are still underwhelming, but no qualified shortstop has a higher wRC+ this season. The Nationals are decent, almost entirely because of their lineup. James Wood tends to get a lot of the offensive attention, but Abrams actually has the team’s best OPS. — Jennings
Record: 22-30
Last Power Ranking: 23
In the next two months: Rotation fuels rise to relevance
Garrett Crochet is about to face hitters again, meaning it shouldn’t be long before he returns to a Red Sox rotation that already has Ranger Suárez, Sonny Gray, Connelly Early and Payton Tolle with ERAs of 3.30 or better. In the American League dumpster fire, that rotation alone could be enough to make the Red Sox playoff-relevant heading into the trade deadline. Of course, for them to be relevant within the playoffs, they’re going to have to start hitting at some point. Roman Anthony is also hurt at the moment. Any chance he’s going to return as Ted Williams? — Jennings
Record: 27-26
Last Power Ranking: 19
In the next two months: Finally, more than one All-Star
Davis Martin pitches for the White Sox, by the way. And hey, maybe you did know that — the White Sox have gone from “must-watch” (derogatory) to “might watch once in a while” (complimentary). Did you know they’re currently in a wild-card position? Anyway, Martin has been a big contributor to that success, at 7-1 (2.04 ERA).
I predict that he’ll be one of …more than one (?) White Sox players to be named to the AL All-Star roster. That’s significant because the White Sox haven’t had more than one All-Star since 2022, when shortstop Tim Anderson and reliever Liam Hendriks — neither of whom is currently in the big leagues — represented the team.
This year, in addition to Martin, you could make a case for Munetaka Murakami, Miguel Vargas, and (if you squint hard enough to make the batting average line blurry) Colson Montgomery to join Martin on the foul line in Philadelphia. — Weaver
Record: 28-25
Last Power Ranking: T-20
In the next two months: Hunter Greene’s return doesn’t help them score more runs
It’s never a bad thing to get your All-Star starter back from the injured list (loose bodies, what else? It’s 2026’s hottest trend). But while the Reds do need the rotation help — Rhett Lowder and Brandon Williamson are also on the IL, and Brady Singer and Nick Lodolo haven’t looked great — the biggest problem hasn’t been run prevention, it’s been run creation.
Going into Monday’s action, the Reds had gotten just 4.6 fWAR from their hitters. That ranks 24th out of 30 teams (with a range of 12.4 for the Dodgers and 1.1 for the Rockies). They’re in the bottom half in runs scored, batting average and on-base percentage.
The one thing they’re doing well? Hitting home runs (66, tied for fifth-best), which has led to a .393 team slugging percentage (tied for eighth-best).
So here’s a little sub-prediction: if they’re still within striking distance of a playoff spot, I’d imagine the Reds try to pick up a hitter or two with an OBP in the high-threes. — Weaver
Record: 21-33
Last Power Ranking: 16
In the next two months: Tarik Skubal, pitching for a contender … elsewhere
It’s gotta be a frustrating time to be a Tigers fan. After two straight years coming one game short of advancing past the ALDS, the Tigers signed Framber Váldez to get them over the hump and contend in an American League that looked vulnerable.
Instead, Skubal’s “loose bodies” surgery came at an inflection point, when the team was trying to overcome a slow start. They’re in last place in the AL Central, and there have been very few indications that another second-half surge is lurking.
Even if it is, I’m not sure the Tigers can afford to wait for it. Skubal — let’s just be real honest about it — isn’t going to sign an extension. The team would almost certainly be outbid in free agency, getting only a draft pick in compensation.
It’s looking more and more like the logical (albeit heartbreaking) move is to trade the ace for a multi-prospect package and hope for better results in 2027. — Weaver
Record: 22-32
Last Power Ranking: 18
Next two months: David Stearns decides to go for it
When Stearns took over the Mets’ baseball operations in late 2023, he was considered one of the great young executives in the sport. When the Mets made an unexpected run to the NLCS in 2024, it seemed his new team was closer to contention than expected. But for two years now, the Mets have underperformed, and this season has been a stunning failure. Stearns, though, has stuck with manager Carlos Mendoza and tried recently to turn things around by injecting some young players into the mix.
The Mets have played winning baseball — barely — in May. The bet here is that the Mets make enough of a run these next two months for Stearns to give his roster a real chance down the stretch. No trade deadline sale, but instead, an attempt to repeat 2024’s late-season climb, with Francisco Lindor perhaps getting healthy in time to give the Mets a boost late in the year. — Jennings
Record: 22-32
Last Power Ranking: 26
In the next two months: The disappointment just lingers
When the Royals made the playoffs in 2024, things were looking up. Ownership was investing in the roster; Bobby Witt Jr. had established himself as a franchise cornerstone; Maikel García looked like an imminent second star, and hope was in the air.
But after last year’s 82-80 finish, this year’s squad has been, in a word, uninspiring.
Witt is still a star — he entered play Monday at 3.3 bWAR — but García has been just OK (1.5 bWAR), and only two other members of the team (Michael Wacha at 1.8 and Seth Lugo at 1.0) have been worth more than 1.0 bWAR. The fifth-most valuable player (0.8 bWAR) has been Stephen Kolek, who has started just four games.
I don’t know if it’s time for another rebuild, but whatever’s happening here isn’t working. — Weaver
Record: 24-30
Last Power Ranking: 24
In the next two months: Hard decisions about what’s next
As we voted for these Power Rankings, the Orioles had a run differential better than only two teams: the Angels and the Rockies. That’s not good company, and the Orioles don’t have a Gerrit Cole, Garrett Crochet or Alejandro Kirk who can return from the IL to provide an immediate boost in the coming weeks. This looks like a second consecutive season of massive disappointment in Baltimore, and as the trade deadline nears, there’s going to be a lot of talk about just how close — or how far — the team is from sustainable contention.
Adley Rutschman has only one more year of team control. Gunnar Henderson and Kyle Bradish have two. When the Orioles sold at last year’s deadline, they had easy-to-deal veterans. The decisions are going to be more difficult — and potentially more interesting — this time around. — Jennings
Record: 24-31
Last Power Ranking: 28
In the next two months: (Some) stability in the rotation
Something you might not have noticed with the miserable start to the Astros’ season: They’re actually hitting the ball a little bit. Yordan Alvarez continues to lead the league in OPS and OPS+, and the team’s 105 OPS+ is putting them in the company of baseball’s hottest teams, like the Rays and Cardinals. Sure, they’re dealing with a plague of injuries in the infield, but the AL West is allowing them to hang around. Maybe they can hit enough to stay relevant.
They’ll need pitchers who can get outs, though, and that’s tough to get when a majority of the rotation is on the IL, and most of the replacements have ERAs in the fives, sixes or, gulp, worse. The next two months will give them some answers about who can stick (and who can stay healthy). And if they keep hitting, who knows? They’ve pulled this sort of nonsense before. — Brisbee
Record: 22-32
Last Power Ranking: 27
In the next two months: The Giants don’t win enough to make the trade deadline confusing
When 40 percent of the league makes the postseason, it gets harder to draw a line between contending and capitulating. A hot couple weeks can shoot a team to the fringes of contention, which makes deadline deals much trickier. Teams can start playing the “Well, we don’t have to trade him,” game and holding out for better prospects, which creates deadline inertia.
This will not happen with the Giants. They’ll stop losing as much as they have been, but they won’t win nearly enough to make up the damage they’ve already done. It will be a nice, normal deadline for them, as they trade whatever veterans they can and restock from within.
And if that sounds like something a lazy Giants writer might wish into existence to save himself some work, well … — Brisbee
Record: 20-34
Last Power Ranking: 29
In the next two months: The Angels will play between 40 and 60 baseball games
This is a rude prediction for a team that just swept the Rangers and are building a teensy bit of momentum after a brutal stretch (11 losses in 13 games), but trust me: The predictions can get much ruder. The Angels have an oft-injured superstar in the middle of a renaissance season, and if you value cynical accuracy in your predictions, he’s an easy target.
Instead, let’s all agree the Angels will play baseball games, some more promising than others. They’ll get mixed signals from their younger players, which will give them both long-term hope and immediate frustration. More games will be lost than will be won, but the weather will be great. Don’t worry about the details.
(If you want a more specific prediction, fine: Zach Neto will go 58 for 209 over the next two months, with eight home runs, 13 doubles and a triple.) — Brisbee
Record: 20-35
Last Power Ranking: 30
In the next two months: Ezequiel Tovar gets unstuck
When the Rockies were at their absolute nadir, Tovar was often the only legitimate major leaguer in the lineup. He was talented enough to overcome the organization’s structural problems, such as not believing in “statistics” or “computers” or “additional information.” They had one sticky note with a bunch of scouting stuff scribbled on it, but everyone on the roster had to share it. Now that Tovar has an actual modern-day front office to make him better, it’s messed with his game. It has to be a lot of new information to process. This is the working theory, anyway.
It’s all in the service of the next competitive Rockies team, though, and the extra efforts will eventually pay off. If Tovar was a solid major leaguer in his early 20s with the old Rockies, imagine what he can be when he reaches his prime with an organization built to help him. — Brisbee
