MLB Analysis: Power Rankings and Season-Ending Outlook
As September approaches, MLB teams are divided into three main categories: those preparing for the playoffs, those seeking to secure a place in contention, and those already focused on next season. Despite this division, there is still much at stake for everyone.
The teams that have a secure position in the playoffs continue to fight to improve their position, either in the wild card race (like the Yankees and Red Sox) or in the divisional races (like the Dodgers and Padres). The second group, which is looking for a postseason spot, has shrunk considerably, as more teams have been knocked out of the wild card race. And the third group probably includes half of the Major League teams.
Where does your favorite team stand as the final month of the regular season approaches? A panel of experts has ranked all the teams based on what we’ve seen so far and pre-marathon knowledge of 162 games.
MLB Power Rankings
Record: 83-51. Previous ranking: 1. Almost one in eight Brewers victories this season have been dramatic, including two in their last six games. Although the bullpen has given up some leads recently, Milwaukee still has reliable players for the final moments, such as William Contreras, who hit a home run to win the game against the Giants in the ninth inning on Friday.
Record: 77-57. Previous ranking: 4. The Dodgers placed Alex Vesia, one of their most effective and used relievers, on the injured list on Tuesday, but he is expected to miss only the minimum time. With the return of Tanner Scott, Kirby Yates, and Enrique Hernandez from the injured list, and the proximity of Max Muncy, Tommy Edman, and Michael Kopech, the Dodgers believe their best baseball is yet to come.
Record: 78-57. Previous ranking: 3. Riley Greene’s first grand slam came with the longest home run by a Tigers player since Statcast began tracking them 15 years ago. The hit traveled 471 feet, clearing the batter’s eye in center field in Sacramento on Tuesday night. Although the Tigers lost that game, Greene’s hit was an indication of the power advancements he has made in his season at age 24.
Record: 76-57. Previous ranking: 2. Zack Wheeler’s health is paramount, and the good news is that he is expected to return to his former form in 2026 after being diagnosed with venous thoracic outlet syndrome. However, it’s a hard blow to the Phillies’ chances in the 2025 World Series, as Wheeler was having another Cy Young-worthy season. The Phillies still have Cristopher Sanchez and Ranger Suarez, but the rotation, the team’s strong point, will not be as dominant in October without Wheeler.
Record: 78-56. Previous ranking: 5. Although it’s early, the Blue Jays’ bet on Shane Bieber looks promising. The 2020 Cy Young Award winner, acquired from the Guardians at the trade deadline, was impressive in his season debut on Friday. He allowed one run and two hits with nine strikeouts and no walks in six innings in his first start since undergoing Tommy John surgery in April 2024. With Bieber, Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, Eric Lauer, Jose Berrios, and Max Scherzer as starting options, the first-place Blue Jays are shaping up as a threat in October.
Record: 76-57. Previous ranking: 6. There isn’t enough time or space here to describe the streak that rookie starter Cade Horton is having. Let’s start with his ERA since the All-Star break: it’s a minuscule 0.49. We could stop there, but the way he’s achieving it is even more impressive. The Cubs are limiting his pitches in the second half, considering this is his first full year in the Major Leagues, which has made him focus even more on throwing strikes. And he’s done it in a big way. In two of his starts this month, Horton threw a total of 141 pitches, including an astonishing 111 strikes. And his stuff in the zone is exceptional. He’s an ace in the making.
Record: 75-59. Previous ranking: 7. Mason Miller spearheaded the Padres’ epic acquisition at the trade deadline, but among the new additions, there has been no player who makes more of a difference, perhaps in all of sports, than Ramon Laureano, the veteran outfielder acquired from the Orioles along with Ryan O’Hearn. Laureano hit a grand slam in the first inning in a wild victory against the Mariners on Tuesday and is batting .315/.370/.598 with six home runs since joining the Padres in late July. The Padres’ offense desperately needs power, especially with Jackson Merrill’s return to the injured list. Laureano is providing it.
Record: 74-60. Previous ranking: 11. Boston’s trio of Garrett Crochet, Brayan Bello, and Lucas Giolito forms a dangerous rotation in a short playoff series, but the Red Sox must get there first, and the back end of their group is tenuous. Dustin May, the fourth starter, has been inconsistent since being acquired from the Dodgers at the trade deadline, and the fifth spot is unclaimed. Walker Buehler recently relinquished the spot and moved to the bullpen. His replacement, Richard Fitts, went on the injured list on Wednesday with an arm injury. The remaining options are both in Triple-A: Kyle Harrison, acquired from San Francisco in the Rafael Devers trade, and Payton Tolle, the organization’s top pitching prospect.
Record: 73-60. Previous ranking: 8. Aaron Judge’s elbow injury, and the mystery surrounding his return to the outfield, and Anthony Volpe’s considerable struggles are creating anguish among Yankees fans, but Cam Schlittler has been an overlooked revelation. The rookie right-hander has an ERA of 2.76 in eight starts behind a triple-digit fastball and encouraging pitches to complement it. A strong finish could put the Massachusetts native in the Yankees’ postseason rotation, behind Max Fried and Carlos Rodon.
Record: 73-60. Previous ranking: 9. Carlos Correa is adapting well in his return with the Astros, accumulating hits this month. He had a 10-game hitting streak and has had three multi-hit games over the past week, as Houston scored 26 runs in three straight wins over the Orioles. Since being acquired, Correa has covered the loss of Isaac Paredes, batting near .350 in August while helping keep the Astros at the top of the American League West Division. The trade could prove to be the move Houston needed for another October run.
Record: 72-62. Previous ranking: 10. The Big Dumper made history last week, connecting home runs number 48, 49 and 50 in a span of two days against the Braves and the Padres and breaking the record for most home runs by a primary catcher, and he still has a month left to keep adding. The American League MVP race could come down to the final games, as Raleigh has caught up to Aaron Judge in WAR. If Raleigh gets enough bonus due to the position he plays, he will win it. If voters simply believe Judge is better due to a variety of other offensive categories, it will be his.
Record: 72-61. Previous ranking: 12. Jonah Tong will make his Major League debut on Friday against the Marlins, following in the footsteps of Nolan McLean from Double-A to Triple-A and then to Queens this season. However, Tong’s rise was faster than the Mets could have imagined. The Canadian right-hander was not invited to Major League camp and made only two starts for Triple-A Syracuse. But his sustained dominance this season (11¼ scoreless innings for Syracuse and an overall ERA of 1.43 this season) pushed the front office to make the move, as veterans Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea continue to struggle.
Record: 68-66. Previous ranking: 13. The Reds simply can’t overcome the hurdle in the race for the wild card: they have been out of contention for quite some time, behind the Mets for the last spot. Nor will it be easier, as Cincinnati owns the second most difficult remaining schedule in MLB after losing series against the Diamondbacks and Dodgers last week. September includes visits from the Blue Jays and Mets, followed by another trip to the West Coast to San Diego and Sacramento before hosting the Cubs for four at home at the end of the month. It seems that the Reds will end up where they are now: above .500 and a good team, but not a playoff one.
Record: 69-65. Previous ranking: 15. Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh have been hogging all the MVP conversation in the American League, understandably, but Bobby Witt Jr. has had a quiet MVP-caliber season. He may not be as flashy as last year, but his numbers (a .298 batting average, .855 OPS, 19 home runs, 34 steals, 21 outs above average, and 6.6 FanGraphs WAR) look good enough for a third-place finish. And if the Royals somehow make a playoff spot in September, maybe, just maybe, he’ll move up. Witt, at least, is on an upward trend; his .959 OPS in August is the highest of any month.
Record: 68-67. Previous ranking: 16. The Rangers need to decide if they are in the playoff hunt because time is running out. Reaching .500 is a start, but they haven’t exactly had a postseason push in the second half. They remain out of the playoff race due to massively inconsistent play, primarily at the plate, while dealing with a hit to their pitching staff, as Nathan Eovaldi missed the season with a rotator cuff injury. With a schedule strength among the 10 toughest down the stretch, Texas needs a mini miracle to play in October.
Record: 64-69. Previous ranking: 17. Junior Caminero recently hit four home runs in three games, raising his total to an astonishing 39 in his first full season in the Major Leagues. Only Cal Raleigh, Kyle Schwarber, Shohei Ohtani, Eugenio Suarez, and Aaron Judge have more in 2025. But Caminero’s production is historic beyond that: The Rays’ third baseman is already tied for fourth all-time in home runs by a player in their age-21 or younger season. Eddie Matthews set the mark with 47 home runs in 1953. Caminero is within striking distance with the entire month of September ahead.
Record: 66-66. Previous ranking: 14. Not long ago, the Guardians seemed to be in the midst of a surprising playoff run. On August 15, they were six games above .500 and half a game out of a wild card spot. Then they were swept by the Braves, lost two of three to the Diamondbacks, and, in what could end up being the death knell to their season, were swept over the weekend in Texas. On Monday, in the midst of a fourth straight loss, Guardians starter Tanner Bibee was caught walking through the dugout and sending a passionate message to his teammates before being pulled aside by Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, who told reporters afterward: “Everyone is frustrated.”
Record: 65-69. Previous ranking: 20. The D-backs’ fall has brought with it reports, mainly from The Arizona Republic, that at least some segments of the organization have felt dissatisfied with the effort and availability of star second baseman Ketel Marte, which sparked speculation that he could be traded during the offseason. Marte is arguably the best player at his position and should once again garner MVP votes. He will turn 32 in October, but his contract, signed just four months ago, is favorable for the team, as it pays him $91 million over the next five years with a player option of $11.5 million for 2031. It will be fascinating to see what happens there.
Record: 65-69. Previous ranking: 19. Although Willson Contreras was suspended this week (his temper tends to flare up from time to time), he has had a solid season as he begins the second part of his career as a non-catcher. In fact, he had been holding steady at first base while compiling a decent offensive year, which includes 19 home runs and an on-base percentage of .341. He is on track to be a roughly 3.0-WAR player, which is more or less what he has been since arriving in St. Louis in 2023. The Cardinals wanted to use this season to better understand their roster. Contreras gives them some certainty.
Record: 65-68. Previous ranking: 18. The Giants don’t have much to play for anymore, but their fans got to see Justin Verlander reach a milestone on Tuesday, recording his 3,516th strikeout to surpass Walter Johnson and rank ninth on the all-time list. Verlander is 42 years old, and these past few weeks have exemplified the inconsistency that comes with pitching at this age. He navigated a stretch of 15 innings in which he allowed only one run, then allowed 11 hits to the Nationals, bounced back with seven scoreless against the Rays, allowed seven runs in 4⅔ innings against the Padres, and then responded, most recently, with six two-run innings against the Cubs.
Record: 62-71. Previous ranking: 23. The Marlins’ chances of making the playoffs are almost ruled out, but they are better than projected and have the opportunity to play the role of spoiler during the last month with Sandy Alcantara, Edward Cabrera and Eury Perez at the top of their rotation. Miami has seven games against the Mets and six against the Phillies in the final stretch, so, while the Marlins will not play in October, they have a real chance to impact the postseason.
Record: 61-72. Previous ranking: 24. The emergence of Drake Baldwin has been a bright spot in an ugly season in Atlanta. The rookie catcher, who bats .279 with 14 home runs and an OPS of .803, has an OPS+ of 124 and 2.2 fWAR, both of which rank sixth among all rookies. While Cade Horton of the Cubs and Isaac Collins of the Brewers are less likely to win the National League Rookie of the Year award, Baldwin is in contention for the final month. Regardless, his performance this season could prompt the Braves to move veteran catcher Sean Murphy during the offseason, as Murphy is owed $15 million each of the next three years.
Record: 62-71. Previous ranking: 21. Taylor Ward’s power continues to increase each season, as he reached 30 home runs over the weekend for the first time in his career. He has established himself as a prototypical 2025 hitter: many strikeouts mixed with some walks and then the long ball. His career batting average of .248 is a reflection of his ability, although this season it has dropped to .232. Going forward, he is a player you can count on, but not necessarily one around whom to build an offense. If he decreases his strikeout-to-walk ratio, he becomes more dangerous.
Record: 60-73. Previous ranking: 22. Samuel Basallo is the name on the marquee who received the contract extension that changed his life, but he wasn’t the only top Orioles prospect who was recently called up. Dylan Beavers debuted the day before Basallo and has the look. In nine games, the 24-year-old outfielder, a first-round pick from Cal in 2022, is 11-for-32 with four doubles, a home run, and eight walks. Baltimore continues to produce position players. However, pitching is another matter.
Record: 63-72. Previous ranking: 26. Lawrence Butler had a tough week at the plate (he’s had too many this season), surpassing 150 strikeouts on the year after whiffing just 108 times last season. He has played in more games this year, but hasn’t shown the same dominance at the plate, compiling a below-league-average OPS+ after finishing at 130 in 2024. His strikeout-to-walk ratio, which is in line with last season, might need to improve before he can take the next step for the Athletics.
Record: 60-73. Previous ranking: 25. A Twins season that was going nowhere, and a fanbase still angry at the Pohlads for maintaining ownership, received a much-needed bright spot on Tuesday, when Mickey Gasper, a former 27th-round player of 29 years, ignited a four-run rally with a home run in the ninth inning. Before that game, his major league career consisted of seven hits in 79 at-bats. And yet, he remained unfazed after his first home run.
Record: 59-75. Previous ranking: 27. It’s rare to see the Pirates at the top of the league in any batting category, but that’s where they find themselves over the past week, as they demolished Colorado in a sweep and kept it up at the plate in a tougher environment in St. Louis. Pittsburgh was right behind the Mets in OPS during that time period, as seven different players hit home runs over the course of a 5-1 stretch. Shortstop Jared Triolo led the group, compiling 10 hits in a five-game span while going deep twice. First baseman Spencer Horwitz also hit two home runs. Let’s see if this surge continues against any team other than Colorado.
- 28. Nationals of Washington
Record: 53-80. Previous ranking: 29. James Wood was one of the best players in the majors during the first half of the season, rightfully earning an All-Star nomination with 24 home runs and an OPS of .915 in his first 95 games. But his production fell off after the break. In his next 17 games, the 22-year-old outfielder hit .123/.219/.154. He recorded only two extra-base hits, both doubles, and struck out 29 times in 73 plate appearances. But he seems to have turned a corner in recent weeks, recording an OPS of .848 in 19 games since August 7.
Record: 48-85. Previous ranking: 28. For the second time this season, the White Sox placed star center fielder Luis Robert Jr. on the injured list on Wednesday with a left hamstring strain. The injury came at a time when Robert was finally starting to turn his season around. Since the All-Star break, Robert was batting .298/.352/.456 with five home runs and 11 stolen bases in 31 games, looking very much like the type of player a team can build around. However, his return to the injured list was a reminder of why teams continue to hesitate to part with top-quality prospects to acquire him via trade.
Record: 38-95. Previous ranking: 30. The Rockies are no longer on pace to break the single-season loss record and have, in fact, managed to win eight of their last 15 games (with a four-game losing streak). Something else you might not have noticed: Brenton Doyle, their center fielder, has been one of the best hitters in the National League in the second half, batting .373/.393/.627 with seven home runs. His 1.020 OPS ranks third in the National League among those with at least 100 plate appearances since the All-Star break.
