For the first few weeks of the 2026 MLB season, trying to make sense of the standings page every day felt like trying to square 2+2=5. Up was down. Left was right. The Rays, Reds and A’s led their respective divisions. The Red Sox, Phillies and Cubs were mired in the basement. The Dodgers … OK, so the Dodgers were awesome as usual. You get the point.
As we get towards the end of April, though, it feels like the shape of this season is starting, finally, to emerge. Teams that we thought would be contenders are beginning to surge. Surprisingly slow starts feel less like flukes and more like fatal flaws that we maybe should’ve seen coming. It was a week in which the cream began to rise to the top a little bit — which resulted in some major movement in the latest MLB power rankings.
30. Philadelphia Phillies
- 2026 record: 9-19
- Last week’s ranking: 22
What can go wrong will go wrong for the Philadelphia Phillies. If you thought the Mets’ losing streak was embarrassing, at least they had the excuse of Juan Soto’s injury. What’s Philly’s excuse? The Mets won two of three since Soto’s return (though they then fell back to Earth against the Rockies), while the Phillies lost in Zack Wheeler’s return. Not only do the Phils have sole possession of MLB’s worst record, but they have the worst run differential in the sport by far. It’s bad, and while it will get a bit better just by virtue of math, this team, as constructed, just isn’t good enough. At least Phillies fans don’t have to watch Taijuan Walker every fifth day anymore. –Zach Rotman
29. New York Mets
- 2026 record: 9-19
- Last week’s ranking: 28
The New York Mets finally won a game. In fact, they took two of three from the Minnesota Twins … before faltering immediately after against the lowly Rockies. It was good to see the Mets snap the winless streak, but right as Juan Soto came back, Francisco Lindor suffered an even more serious injury, and offensive inconsistency continues to haunt this team. With this being the easy part of their schedule, it’d behoove the New York to start stringing some wins together. –ZR
28. Chicago White Sox
- 2026 record: 11-17
- Last week’s ranking: 30
Here come the White Sox! Well, relatively speaking, but winning two series against the A’s and Diamondbacks is nothing to sneeze at. I’m skeptical that Munetaka Murakami’s current tear is anywhere near sustainable – his contact numbers are the sort of thing you just don’t see from successful MLB hitters – but he’s combining with Colson Montgomery and Miguel Vargas to give Chicago a lineup with some surprising bite. And between Davis Martin, Sean Burke and top prospect Noah Schultz, there’s at least a semi-viable pitching staff. Baby steps! –Chris Landers
27. Colorado Rockies
- 2026 record: 13-16
- Last week’s ranking: 29
Look, the Rockies aren’t going anywhere this season. But a split four-game series against the Dodgers was exemplary of their very real improvement. Colorado has some dudes: Mickey Moniak is blossoming into a legitimate star, while TJ Rumfield, Hunter Goodman and Troy Johnston are all producing — all on the right side of 30 and all under long-term club control. The Rockies continue to pitch Chase Dollander behind an opener, but their former top prospect looks every bit an ace when he checks into games. In Tuesday’s 1-0 home loss to San Diego, he threw 102 pitches and struck out nine across six innings of one-run ball, including a stretch of six straight Ks. The Rockies have some more bats coming up through the pipeline and a 24-year-old rotation anchor to build around. Things are finally looking up in the Mile High City. –Christopher Kline
26. Washington Nationals
- 2026 record: 13-16
- Last week’s ranking: 25
The Nationals continue to crush the ball, scoring four or more runs in all but twp of the games they played this week. Yet they finished the week with a losing record because the pitching staff remains nightmarish: The Nationals have scored the second-most runs and have allowed the second-most runs. That is a recipe for fun but sloppy baseball, and that’s exactly what we’ve seen. James Wood and CJ Abrams are tearing the cover off the ball, which is wildly encouraging, but the pitching is just so hard to watch. –ZR
25. Houston Astros
- 2026 record: 11-18
- Last week’s ranking: 27
Houston has dug itself a deep hole — one it might not be able to climb out of. Yordan Álvarez should top your AL MVP leaderboard, but the rest of Houston’s lineup is far too hit-or-miss, especially all their combined experience (and salary). The rotation is in shambles, meanwhile, as injuries continue to stack up. Tatsuya Imai has begun his rehab assignment, but it will be a minute until we can evaluate the Astros’ pitching staff as a complete product. –CK
24. Kansas City Royals
- 2026 record: 11-17
- Last week’s ranking: 26
Can Kansas City pick itself up off the deck? They managed to stabilize things somewhat after an eight-game losing streak, and the offense is finally showing a pulse; here’s your reminder that Bobby Witt Jr. won’t be a league-average hitter for much longer, nor will Vinnie Pasquantino hit below the Mendoza Line. That said, they’ve dug themselves quite the early hole to dig out of, and this bullpen has become a legitimate concern – especially for a team that, even if it starts hitting a bit better, is going to need to mount a playoff push via pitching and defense. –CL
23. Boston Red Sox
- 2026 record: 11-17
- Last week’s ranking: 20
Hey, did anything noteworthy happen in Boston this weekend? The Red Sox may be in complete disarray organizationally, but the team responded with two straight wins over the Orioles, one of which included a vintage Garrett Crochet performance and finally, at long last, an offensive explosion. So: Is that an anomaly or a sign of life? There really isn’t anywhere for this lineup to go but up, at least if Roman Anthony’s recent back issue isn’t anything serious. But even if some positive regression is coming, there’s still a profound lack of pop here, and that’s going to put a lot of pressure on a pitching staff that might not be up for it. –CL
22. Minnesota Twins
- 2026 record: 12-16
- Last week’s ranking: 17
Well, it was fun while it lasted. Minnesota’s offense was among the flukier developments of the early season, and now that the annual Josh Bell Heater has begun to subside, this unit is going to fall out of the top third in the league and probably down toward the bottom third – a big reason why the Twins have now lost five in a row. If they’re going to establish a foundation this year, it’s going to come on the other side of the ball, where Taj Bradley is finally putting it all together and Mick Abel was doing the same before landing on the IL. Figure out which young pitchers to build around, get Luke Keaschall going and go from there. –CL
21. Los Angeles Angels
- 2026 record: 12-17
- Last week’s ranking: 17
In completely predictable fashion, it’s all starting to fall apart for the Angels. Dropping consecutive series to San Diego, Toronto and now Kansas City, it feels like the early-season magic has worn off for Kurt Suzuki’s team. Mike Trout is a tank and Zach Neto is electric in the leadoff spot, but there’s just not enough consistent offensive production elsewhere. Also, a Cy Young-worthy month from José Soriano has masked how weak the rest of Anaheim’s rotation is. We knew the Angels weren’t talented enough to give Trout a real shot at contention this season. It’s still early, but we all know how this ends. –CK
20. San Francisco Giants
- 2026 record: 13-15
- Last week’s ranking: 23
The Giants aren’t a complete embarrassment. The lineup has some depth to it, with Luis Arráez particularly impressive in the early going (he’s also one of the best defensive second basemen in MLB right now, an unexpected development). Robbie Ray and Landon Roupp are dealing, and Logan Webb should turn his ship around sooner than later; he’s been too good for too long to believe these struggles are a negative bellwether. That said, Rafael Devers is lost at the plate right now. His strikeouts are way up and he’s generating very little power. If the Giants’ one true star can’t turn it around, it will be hard to believe in the rest of their lineup to climb out of this hole — especially in a competitive division with two potential superpowers in San Diego and L.A. –CK
19. Baltimore Orioles
- 2026 record: 13-15
- Last week’s ranking: 16
Well, at least the offense has finally started to perk up a bit, now that Adley Rutschman is back healthy and youngsters like Samuel Basallo and Dylan Beavers are finding their groove. This lineup remains dangerous, but the real question is in the rotation, where Trevor Rogers’ regression to the mean after a spectacular run last season is hitting hard. Baltimore wagered just about everything on Rogers, Shane Baz and Kyle Bradish anchoring their staff, and so far that bet has emphatically not paid off. There’s upside there – and the underlying numbers point to better days ahead – but it’s been a frustratingly mediocre start. –CL
18. Toronto Blue Jays
- 2026 record: 12-15
- Last week’s ranking: 24
It’s undoubtedly been a disappointing start for the defending AL champs, but if you’re looking for a silver lining here, it’s that the cavalry is finally coming. Toronto has been arguably the most injury-bitten team in the Majors in the early going, but Trey Yesavage and Jose Berrios are due back very soon, and George Springer and Addison Barger don’t seem too far behind. It’s been an uphill battle, and I’m unsure what the ceiling is here. Still, Kazuma Okamoto is warming up, they’ve won two series in a rowo and staying within shouting distance – in part thanks to the mess that is the AL Wild Card race right now – feels like a win. –CL
17. Miami Marlins
- 2026 record: 13-15
- Last week’s ranking: 19
The Marlins might be the team that’s benefitted the most from the NL East (minus the Braves) being an absolute mess, because they, themselves, have not played the best baseball of late. They’ve gotten strong starts from guys like Otto Lopez and Liam Hicks, and Kyle Stowers has looked good fresh off the IL. But Miami is still waiting for Jakob Marsee and Agustin Ramirez to get going, and Eury Perez has been wildly inconsistent thus far. The pieces are there for Miami to push for a Wild Card spot, but we haven’t seen the pieces click yet. –ZR
16. St. Louis Cardinals
- 2026 record: 14-13
- Last week’s ranking: 10
Jordan Walker finally had an off week, and, well, the results were not great for the St. Louis Cardinals, who lost both series they played. The Cardinals are still above .500, which is a success when considering preseason expectations, but they’ve started to show some of the expected cracks. This pitching staff is not particularly great, and when Walker isn’t doing MVP-caliber things, it’ll be hard for the Cards to score consistently enough to keep up with their rivals in what’s been the best division in the sport thus far. –ZR
15. Seattle Mariners
- 2026 record: 14-15
- Last week’s ranking: 18
The Mariners have strung together four straight wins, and the offense produced 11 runs on Saturday afternoon and stuck two runs and a loss on Riley O’Brien, becoming the first team this season to crack St. Louis’ closer. It feels like the tide is turning after a sluggish start, as Seattle is simply too talented, especially on the mound, to stay below .500 for long. The Mariners are a strong bet to finish the season near the top of these power rankings, especially since the American League appears otherwise devoid of teams ready to capitalize on Seattle’s early struggles. –CK
14. Athletics
- 2026 record: 15-13
- Last week’s ranking: 15
Remember when Nick Kurtz couldn’t buy a hit earlier this season? Those days are over: The A’s first baseman recorded three home runs this week, and he’s now up to an .865 OPS and 137 OPS+ (and climbing). The A’s are chock full of exciting bats, and it will only get better as Brent Rooker gets back from the IL. The rotation is a different story; this team probably doesn’t have the arms to support even an above-average lineup over a full season. JT Ginn and Jeffrey Springs both look incredibly sharp, though, and the A’s might keep mashing their way to wins regardless. This team has vibes on its side. –CK
13. Texas Rangers
- 2026 record: 14-14
- Last week’s ranking: 14
The Rangers took two of three against the ascendant Pirates and own the best run differential in the AL West. Texas is not built to blow teams out of the water, but the top of their lineup — led by Brandon Nimmo, who is making the Mets look foolish for the Marcus Semien trade — should sustain itself. The rotation is a bit wobbly at times, but Jacob deGrom is doing Jacob deGrom things every fifth outing and the Rangers continue to get excellent innings from their bullpen. If Kumar Rocker has finally put it together — he fired six innings of one-run ball against Pittsburgh — they should have enough pitching to potentially win the division, or at least to mount a Wild Card bid. –CK
12. Milwaukee Brewers
- 2026 record: 14-13
- Last week’s ranking: 7
The Brewers have been as banged up as any team in baseball, with guys like Christian Yelich, Jackson Chourio, Quinn Priester and Andrew Vaughn headlining those on the IL, yet they find ways to still be competitive. This week wasn’t the greatest, admittedly, but despite all that’s gone wrong, they’re hovering around the .500 mark and hanging around in the brutally tough NL Central. There’s every reason to believe they’ll take off once they’re healthier, which is a warning sign to everyone else in this division. –ZR
11. Arizona Diamondbacks
- 2026 record: 15-12
- Last week’s ranking: 5
Arizona has weathered an early storm of injuries to really emerge as a Wild Card threat in the National League. Most encouraging are the performances of Zac Gallen and Eduardo Rodriguez, who look a lot like their old selves after spending 2025 in various states of disarray. Merrill Kelly should settle in eventually, while Corbin Burnes is due for a midseason return. If the D-backs keep their heads above water long enough to reintroduce Burnes to a competitive environment, watch out. As for the Diamondbacks’ lineup, Ketel Marte and Geraldo Perdomo are slowly but surely heating up, while the red-hot Corbin Carroll and Ildemaro Vargas are putting in the work to stack wins in the meantime. –CK
10. Cleveland Guardians
- 2026 record: 15-14
- Last week’s ranking: 9
Sure, an offense buttressed by guys like Daniel Schneemann, Angel Martinez and Brayan Rocchio doesn’t feel super sustainable, but the underlying numbers support it, and there’s still room for growth with guys like Bo Naylor and Kyle Manzardo. And really, with the way this team pitches behind Gavin Williams, Joey Cantillo, Parker Messick and Tanner Bibee, they just need to stay around average offensively to be a winning team – which could be enough in this division and league. –CL
9. Detroit Tigers
- 2026 record: 15-14
- Last week’s ranking: 12
Would you believe me if I told you that Detroit has a top-10 offense by wRC+ right now? I swear it’s true, as Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter and Spencer Torkelson have finally joined the party. Combine that power potential with this pitching staff, and you should have a legitimate contender in a wide-open league. I don’t blame you if you feel like the Tigers haven’t earned the benefit of the doubt, but don’t forget about this team – they’re starting to warm up, and there’s a lot of talent here. –CL
8. Tampa Bay Rays
- 2026 record: 16-11
- Last week’s ranking: 11
Just when it seems like reality might be setting in for the plucky Rays – who lost consecutive series to the Pirates and Reds – they find a way to punch back, beating up on the Twins this weekend. The cracks are starting to show, though: The offense is cooling off considerably, as it was always going to, and there might not be enough pitching behind Drew Rasmussen to compensate. Tampa Bay deserves credit for always being more than the sum of its parts, but it just doesn’t feel like there’s enough high-end talent here to last over a long summer. –CL
7. Cincinnati Reds
- 2026 record: 18-10
- Last week’s ranking: 6
Dare I say the offense is actually waking up? After essentially being the Sal Stewart and Elly De La Cruz show for the first three weeks of the season offensively, the Reds started to mash this week, scoring six or more runs four times. Matt McLain and Nathaniel Lowe finally went deep for the first time this season, Spencer Steer got things going and even Ke’Bryan Hayes chipped in. The Reds have been getting mostly stout starting pitching without Nick Lodolo and Hunter Greene, and their bullpen has been the best in the sport. Having a functional offense makes this team a sneaky sleeper. –ZR
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
- 2026 record: 16-12
- Last week’s ranking: 8
The Pirates are third in staff ERA and seventh in runs scored entering play on Sunday. Is that good? Vibes are ridiculously high in Pittsburgh. The pitching is ridiculously good, and doesn’t even feature Jared Jones yet. Konnor Griffin hit his first MLB home run on his 20th birthday and continues to make positive strides at the dish. It’s still early, but this has the makings of a playoff team — which I, admittedly, did not believe was going to be the case entering the year. I’m still skeptical that the lineup is this good, but it’s certainly good enough with the pitching the Pirates have, making them very scary. –ZR
5. San Diego Padres
- 2026 record: 18-9
- Last week’s ranking: 3
San Diego is surging right now, up there with Atlanta as one of the hottest teams in the National League. Oddly enough, many of the Padres’ best bats still haven’t warmed up: Fernando Tatis, Jackson Merrill and Manny Machado all have a sub-.700 OPS right now. Where the Padres are blitzing opponents is with their pitching. Michael King and Randy Vásquez look incredible, but San Diego’s bullpen is its real superpower. Mason Miller has 13.1 scoreless innings under his belt, while Bradgley Rodriguez, David Morgan and Wandy Peralta all deserve their flowers. San Diego protects leads. Sometimes it’s that simple. –CK
4. Chicago Cubs
- 2026 record: 17-11
- Last week’s ranking: 13
The Chicago Cubs finally lost a game, snapping their 10-game winning streak, but vibes are still at an all-time high on the North Side. The Cubs continue to flash the leather and crush the ball, and despite a myriad of pitching injuries, they find ways to piece wins together. Matthew Boyd is back, Phil Maton is on the doorstep of his return and offensively guys like Michael Busch and Pete Crow-Armstrong are showing some flashes. There’s a reason the Cubs were among the favorites to win the NL pennant entering the year, and they’re playing like a team capable of doing so. –ZR
3. New York Yankees
- 2026 record: 18-10
- Last week’s ranking: 4
This is more like the Yankees we saw in the season’s first week, a team that looked like it was finally ready to shake off its October underachiever label. The emergence of both Cam Schlittler and Will Warren has done wonders for this rotation, one that will be welcoming Carlos Rodon and Gerrit Cole back over the next few weeks. And even more importantly, the offense has started to look more like it did when it was the best in baseball last year. No matter how much their fans love to insist the sky is falling, this remains a deep, tough team, with an eight-game winning streak (snapped on Sunday) reasserting it as the class of the AL right now. –CL
2. Atlanta Braves
- 2026 record: 20-9
- Last week’s ranking: 2
The Braves feel like the team to beat right now. Despite a slew of pitching injuries and Jurickson Profar’s season-long PED suspension, they’ve yet to lose a single series — and every bit of it feels sustainable. Okay, Dom Smith might not have a near-1.000 OPS for much longer, and Bryce Elder might not have a sub-2.00 ERA, but this Braves team is hitting like it’s 2023 and pitching incredibly well despite the injuries. There’s every reason to believe they’re the biggest threats to the Dodgers in the NL right now. –ZR
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
- 2026 record: 19-9
- Last week’s ranking: 1
Are the Dodgers… vulnerable? A split series in Colorado, two of three lost in San Francisco and now a rocky homestand against the Cubs — Not exactly what we’ve come to expect from the two-time reigning champs. Of course, the Dodgers still lap the field in terms of run differential, and this is most easily described as a momentary bump in the road. Los Angeles has once again run into bullpen problems with Edwin Diaz on the IL, but the sheer volume of offensive production from the Dodgers’ lineup — not to mention a rotation comprised of multiple Cy Young and All-Star candidates — should keep L.A. well above water. –CK
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