MLB Power Rankings Have a New No. 1 Team After Tigers Stumble
The 2025 MLB season surpassed the 50-game mark last week for all 30 teams, and while we are starting to see a more clear divide between contenders and also-rans, there is still a large group of teams hovering in the gray area between the two paths.
The Tampa Bay Rays moved to the head of that middle pack with a series win over the Houston Astros and a sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays, while the Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers fell to the bottom of that same group after going a combined 3-14 last week.
Meanwhile, shuffling also continued at the top of the rankings, with the Detroit Tigers staying in the No. 1 spot proving to be short-lived after they dropped three of four at home to the Cleveland Guardians.
All of that to say, these weekly MLB power rankings remain an extremely fluid process. If a team is winning, it will climb; if a team is losing, it will fall.
It's as simple as that.
Nos. 30-28
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30. Colorado Rockies (9-44)
Previous Rank: 30
Last Week: 0-4 vs. PHI, 1-2 vs. NYY
The Rockies have the worst pitching staff in baseball (5.73 ERA), one of the least potent offenses in the league (3.25 runs per game) and an eye-poppingly awful minus-171 run differential. That ill-fated combination of ineptitude has them on pace for a staggering 134 losses.
29. Baltimore Orioles (18-34)
Previous Rank: 28
Last Week: 1-2 @ MIL, 2-2 @ BOS
The Orioles snapped an eight-game losing streak with a win over the Brewers on Wednesday, and they are 6-16 overall since the beginning of May. They are paying the price for their lack of offseason aggressiveness, and if the front office has no intention of spending the money necessary to bolster the roster around their young core, their window might have already slammed shut.
28. Chicago White Sox (17-36)
Previous Rank: 29
Last Week: 1-2 vs. SEA, 2-1 vs. TEX
The White Sox quietly picked up their fourth series win of the month by taking two of three from the Rangers over the weekend, and they are a respectable 10-13 since going 7-23 over their first 30 games. Right-hander Shane Smith and infielder Miguel Vargas both look like potential keepers as they continue to rebuild.
Nos. 27-25
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27. Pittsburgh Pirates (19-35)
Previous Rank: 27
Last Week: 2-1 vs. CIN, 2-2 vs. MIL
The Pirates improved to 7-12 against NL Central foes with a strong showing against the Reds and Brewers last week, and the 18 runs they scored while splitting their four-game series with the Brew Crew represented an offensive explosion for what has been the worst lineup in baseball. They still rank 30th in runs per game (3.04) and 29th in team OPS (.635).
26. Miami Marlins (21-30)
Previous Rank: 26
Last Week: 1-2 vs. CHC, 2-1 @ LAA
The Marlins stole one win each in their two quick meetings with the Cubs, and around those six games they picked up series wins over the Rays and Angels in what stands as one of the better stretches of their season. Outfielder Kyle Stowers (.309 BA, .922 OPS, 10 HR, 31 RBI) remains one of the biggest breakout hitters of the 2025 season.
25. Athletics (23-31)
Previous Rank: 24
Last Week: 0-4 vs. LAA, 1-2 vs. PHI
The A's losing streak reached 10 games before they finally picked up a win over the Phillies on Sunday, and what was shaping up to be a promising season in April has quickly devolved into a mess. With three more hits in Sunday's win, rookie Jacob Wilson is now hitting .350 on the year, good for second in the AL batting title race behind Aaron Judge (.397).
Nos. 24-22
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24. Los Angeles Angels (25-27)
Previous Rank: 25
Last Week: 4-0 @ ATH, 1-2 vs. MIA
It's hard to know what to make of a week that starts with a four-game sweep of a bad team and ends in a series loss at home to an equally bad team. The takeaway might simply be that the Angels are also a bad team, roughly on par with those two other teams. On a positive note, Taylor Ward (11-for-27, 3 HR, 12 RBI) and Logan O'Hoppe (10-for-27, 4 HR, 7 RBI) both had solid weeks at the plate.
23. Washington Nationals (24-29)
Previous Rank: 21
Last Week: 2-0 vs. ATL, 1-2 vs. SF
The Nationals ran their winning streak to a season-high five games before suffering back-to-back losses to the Giants over the weekend, and they continue to hover a few games below the .500 mark while teasing a potential step forward. With another big week at the plate, James Wood is now hitting .284/.378/.542 with 13 doubles, 13 home runs and 36 RBI in 53 games.
22. Toronto Blue Jays (25-27)
Previous Rank: 23
Last Week: 3-0 vs. SD, 0-3 @ TB
It was a roller coaster week for the Blue Jays, who went from sweeping a good Padres team at home to getting the favor returned by the Rays over the weekend, including a 13-0 thrashing on Sunday. It might be time to start asking how many games out of a playoff spot they will need to be at the deadline to move Bo Bichette, Chris Bassitt and others.
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Nos. 21-19
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21. Cincinnati Reds (26-28)
Previous Rank: 19
Last Week: 1-2 @ PIT, 1-2 vs. CHC
The Reds had every opportunity to sweep the Cubs over the weekend, but instead blew leads on Friday and Sunday, and it was two of their more reliable relievers in Tony Santillan and Taylor Rogers who faltered. The starting rotation has been a strength, but it has been undermined by a relief corps that now has eight blown saves and 10 losses.
20. Milwaukee Brewers (26-28)
Previous Rank: 22
Last Week: 2-1 vs. BAL, 2-2 @ PIT
The Brewers took advantage of a favorable week on the schedule, and they are now 5-2 since getting shut out four times in a span of five games earlier this month. They have the pieces to be a far more productive offensive team than they have shown to this point, and plating 34 runs in seven games last week could be the start of them finally turning a corner.
19. Texas Rangers (26-28)
Previous Rank: 14
Last Week: 0-3 @ NYY, 1-2 @ CWS
With a 2-7 record in their last nine games, the Rangers have tumbled from second to fourth in the AL West standings. Their starting rotation could be a major strength in the playoffs if they can turn things around, but they could make for some sought after trade chips at the deadline, including Tyler Mahle (11 GS, 5-2, 1.80 ERA, 60.0 IP) who is headed for free agency next winter.
Nos. 18-16
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18. Atlanta Braves (25-27)
Previous Rank: 13
Last Week: 0-2 @ WAS, 1-2 vs. SD
Welcome back, Ronald Acuña Jr.! After missing the first 49 games of the season while continuing his recovery from a torn ACL, he returned to action on Friday. He homered on the first pitch he saw and went 4-for-12 with one double, two home runs and three RBI in his first three games back. He could be exactly the spark the Braves need to jump start their season.
17. Arizona Diamondbacks (26-27)
Previous Rank: 12
Last Week: 1-2 @ LAD, 0-3 @ STL
The D-backs will return home looking to regroup following a 1-5 road trip, and welcoming the Pirates and Nationals to town should provide a golden opportunity to quickly climb back up these rankings. Ketel Marte has a .957 OPS with eight home runs in 21 games since returning from a month-long stint on the injured list on May 2.
16. Boston Red Sox (27-28)
Previous Rank: 18
Last Week: 2-1 vs. NYM, 2-2 vs. BAL
The Marcelo Mayer era is underway after the hyped Red Sox prospect was promoted from Triple-A on Saturday to replace Alex Bregman at third base after he suffered a "significant" quad strain. How much longer before we see Kristian Campbell at first base, Ceddanne Rafaela at second base and Roman Anthony making his own MLB debut in the outfield?
Nos. 15-13
6 of 12
15. Kansas City Royals (29-25)
Previous Rank: 17
Last Week: 2-1 @ SF, 1-2 @ MIN
With two more terrific starts on Monday (W, 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER) and Sunday (ND, 7.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER), Kris Bubic continued one of the biggest breakout seasons of 2025, stepping up in the absence of Cole Ragans and Seth Lugo. The 27-year-old now has an AL-best 1.45 ERA in 68.1 innings over 11 starts after spending last season in the bullpen.
14. Houston Astros (28-25)
Previous Rank: 16
Last Week: 1-2 @ TB, 3-1 vs. SEA
The Astros went a combined 9-17 against the Mariners in 2023 and 2024, and they dropped two of three in Seattle in early April, so winning three of four against them over the weekend stands as a statement of sorts. Isaac Paredes is swinging one of the hottest bats in baseball this month, and he has an .867 OPS with 11 home runs and 31 RBI on the year.
13. Tampa Bay Rays (26-26)
Previous Rank: 20
Last Week: 2-1 vs. HOU, 3-0 vs. TOR
The Rays matched a season-high by winning five in a row last week, and they will put that winning streak to the test when they welcome the Twins to town on Monday for a three-game series. They have a half-game lead over the Red Sox for second in the AL East, but a middling 8-11 record on the year against teams with a winning record.
Nos. 12-10
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12. Seattle Mariners (29-23)
Previous Rank: 11
Last Week: 2-1 @ CWS, 1-3 @ HOU
With Logan Gilbert and Bryce Miller both on the injured list and George Kirby (3.2 IP, 6 H, 5 ER) shelled in his long-awaited season debut on Thursday, the Mariners are not the same starting pitching juggernaut we saw a year ago. However, they are finding other ways to win games, and they were 27-25 at this same point a year ago.
11. San Diego Padres (29-22)
Previous Rank: 10
Last Week: 0-3 @ TOR, 2-1 @ ATL
A season-high, six-game losing streak was enough to knock the Padres out of the top 10 for the first time this year, but they did some damage control with a series win on the road against the Braves. The team's left fielders are hitting .189/.236/.278 with three home runs on the year, and not properly addressing the loss of Jurickson Profar during the offseason is proving to be a massive mistake.
10. San Francisco Giants (31-22)
Previous Rank: 9
Last Week: 1-2 vs. KC, 2-1 @ WAS
With Justin Verlander shelved with a pectoral strain, the Giants are now relying on a trio of unproven starters in Hayden Birdsong, Landen Roupp and Kyle Harrison, but that group has a chance to emerge as a strength behind Logan Webb and Robbie Ray if they pitch to their potential. They improved to 14-13 on the road with their weekend series win over the Nationals, and the road trip continues against the Tigers and Marlins this week.
Nos. 9-7
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9. Cleveland Guardians (29-23)
Previous Rank: 15
Last Week: 1-1 @ MIN, 3-1 @ DET
The Guardians were putting the finishing touches on a season-high, five-game losing streak last Monday, but they responded by taking three of four on the road against a Tigers team that had climbed to No. 1 in these rankings. Tanner Bibee (7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER) and Slade Cecconi (6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER) opened the series with a pair of gems on the mound, and the rotation finally seems to be rounding into form.
8. Minnesota Twins (29-23)
Previous Rank: 6
Last Week: 1-1 vs. CLE, 2-1 vs. KC
With a 16-5 record in May, the Twins completely turned their season around on the strength of a 13-game winning streak, and they took care of business against a Royals team hot on their trail in the AL Central standings over the weekend. Shortstop Carlos Correa went 2-for-8 with a home run in his first two games back after a stint on the 7-day concussion injured list.
7. St. Louis Cardinals (30-23)
Previous Rank: 7
Last Week: 1-2 vs. DET, 3-0 vs. ARI
One of the biggest climbers in last week's rankings, the Cardinals stayed hot with a sweep of the D-backs following a hard-fought series with the Tigers. They have struggled on the road this year with an 11-15 record away from Busch Stadium, and they will look to reverse that trend this week as they travel to take on two teams trending in the opposite direction in the Orioles and Rangers.
Nos. 6-4
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6. Philadelphia Phillies (34-19)
Previous Rank: 8
Last Week: 4-0 @ COL, 2-1 @ ATH
On the one hand, the Phillies have played extremely well of late, winning nine in a row before Sunday's loss. On the other hand, that stretch of games has come against the Pirates, Rockies and Athletics. Good teams take care of business against bad teams, and that's exactly what the Phillies are doing. Jordan Romano, Matt Strahm and Orion Kerkering have tightened things up in the late innings since José Alvarado was suspended.
5. Detroit Tigers (34-20)
Previous Rank: 1
Last Week: 2-1 @ STL, 1-3 vs. CLE
The Tigers suffered just their fifth series loss of the year when they dropped three of four to the Guardians over the weekend, though ace Tarik Skubal managed to stop the skid with the first complete game shutout of his career on Sunday. He is the first pitcher to throw a shutout of fewer than 100 pitches with 13 or more strikeouts since pitch counts started being officially tracked in 1988, according to the Associated Press (via ESPN).
4. Los Angeles Dodgers (32-21)
Previous Rank: 2
Last Week: 2-1 vs. ARI, 1-2 @ NYM
The Dodgers would have had a solid case for the No. 1 spot with a win over the Mets on Sunday Night Baseball, but instead they slipped to No. 4 while taking a series loss. They still have a one-game lead in the ultra-competitive NL West standings, though a grueling week awaits on the road against the Guardians and at home against the Yankees. How much longer until Michael Conforto (182 PA, .163 BA, .558 OPS) is shown the door?
Nos. 3-1
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3. New York Mets (32-21)
Previous Rank: 4
Last Week: 1-2 @ BOS, 2-1 vs. LAD
Despite the ongoing drama surrounding Juan Soto's performance—he has a .357 on-base percentage and an .813 OPS in May for what it's worth—the Mets continue to win games, and they made a statement over the weekend by taking two of three from the Dodgers in a 2024 NLCS rematch. They still lead the majors with a 2.87 ERA from the starting rotation, though their 17 quality starts are tied for 18th in the league.
2. Chicago Cubs (32-21)
Previous Rank: 5
Last Week: 2-1 @ MIA, 2-1 @ CIN
Aside from a rocky week in early May where they suffered consecutive series losses to the Giants and Mets, the Cubs have been one of the most consistent teams in baseball, and they went a combined 9-3 against the Marlins, White Sox, Marlins again and Reds over the last two weeks. After surviving an absolute gauntlet in April, they are now taking full advantage of a more favorable schedule. PCA for MVP?
1. New York Yankees (32-20)
Previous Rank: 3
Last Week: 3-0 vs. TEX, 2-1 @ COL
With six straight series wins and a 14-7 record and plus-55 run differential in May, the Yankees case for the No. 1 spot has become impossible to ignore. If the season ended today, they would have a strong contender for AL MVP (Aaron Judge), AL Cy Young (Max Fried) and AL Rookie of the Year (Jasson Dominguez). No team has ever swept all three major awards in the same year, according to Paul Casella of MLB.com.
Complete Rankings
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Complete Rankings
1. New York Yankees
2. Chicago Cubs
3. New York Mets
4. Los Angeles Dodgers
5. Detroit Tigers
6. Philadelphia Phillies
7. St. Louis Cardinals
8. Minnesota Twins
9. Cleveland Guardians
10. San Francisco Giants
11. San Diego Padres
12. Seattle Mariners
13. Tampa Bay Rays
14. Houston Astros
15. Kansas City Royals
16. Boston Red Sox
17. Arizona Diamondbacks
18. Atlanta Braves
19. Texas Rangers
20. Milwaukee Brewers
21. Cincinnati Reds
22. Toronto Blue Jays
23. Washington Nationals
24. Los Angeles Angels
25. Athletics
26. Miami Marlins
27. Pittsburgh Pirates
28. Chicago White Sox
29. Baltimore Orioles
30. Colorado Rockies
Stars of the Week
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Hitter of the Week: Seiya Suzuki, Chicago Cubs
Stats: 12-for-25, 4 2B, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 9 R
Suzuki has posted better numbers during the second half of the season the last two years, but he has gotten things going at the plate much faster this year while serving as one of the key run producers in a high-powered Cubs lineup. The 30-year-old is hitting .273/.330/.576 with 14 doubles, 14 home runs and a team-high 49 RBI on the year.
Pitcher of the Week: Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
Stats: 2 GS, W, ND, 14.2 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 21 K
After allowing five hits and three earned runs over 5.2 innings on the road against the Cardinals on Tuesday, Skubal tossed the first complete game of his career on Sunday. The reigning AL Cy Young winner needed just 94 pitches to blank the Guardians, allowing just two hits and zero walks while racking up 13 strikeouts, and he now has an absurd 92-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 68.2 innings on the year.
Rookie of the Week: Nick Kurtz, Athletics
Stats: 7-for-21, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 5 R
Kurtz entered last week hitting .219/.272/.315 over 81 plate appearances since making his MLB debut on April 23, but he finally broke through while flashing some of the power potential that made him the No. 4 overall pick in last year's draft. He homered once on Tuesday, twice on Wednesday and once on Friday, though he exited Saturday's game early with a hip injury.
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