.png?w=1280)
MLB Power Rankings as Phillies, Yankees Surge and Dodgers, Tigers Stumble
Just three weeks remain in the 2025 MLB season, and two-thirds of the league's teams can still be considered at least viable long-shot candidates to reach the postseason.
Aside from the six division leaders, there are a staggering 14 teams either slotted into one of the six wild-card spots or within five games of the third-place team in the wild-card standings.
Strength of schedule is not always relevant over the course of a long 162-game season, but it could be the deciding factor in how the final playoff spots are decided in the closing weeks.
For now, it's time for an updated look at the MLB landscape and how all 30 teams stack up.
Nos. 30-21: Season's over
1 of 10
30. Colorado Rockies (40-103)
29. Minnesota Twins (63-80)
28. Atlanta Braves (64-79)
27. Miami Marlins (66-77)
26. Washington Nationals (58-84)
25. Chicago White Sox (55-89)
24. Pittsburgh Pirates (64-80)
23. Los Angeles Angels (67-76)
22. Athletics (66-78)
21. Baltimore Orioles (66-77)
The Orioles closed out August with three straight series losses and a 2-9 record during that span, but they were back to being a thorn in the side of contenders last week with series wins over the Padres (3-0) and Dodgers (2-1).
Even further down the rankings, the White Sox (4-0 @ MIN, 2-1 @ DET) and Nationals (3-0 vs. MIN, 2-1 @ CHC) both picked up a pair of series wins, taking two of three from a playoff contender on the road along the way. The Angels (2-1 at KC) and Pirates (3-0 vs. LAD) also successfully played the role of spoiler last week.
The Rockies will need to win out the rest of the way to avoid 2025 being the worst season in franchise history, as their 103 losses are currently tied with the 2023 team for the most since their inception in 1993.
Nos. 20-13: Still Alive
2 of 10
20. Tampa Bay Rays (71-72)
19. Cincinnati Reds (72-71)
18. San Francisco Giants (72-71)
17. St. Louis Cardinals (72-72)
16. Cleveland Guardians (72-70)
15. Kansas City Royals (73-70)
14. Texas Rangers (74-70)
13. Arizona Diamondbacks (72-72)
According to the latest playoff odds from FanGraphs, the Rangers (15.6%) and Royals (12.5%) have the best chance of reaching the postseason from this group, while the Cardinals (1.2%) and Rays (2.0%) are at the bottom of the list of teams that still have non-zero postseason odds.
The Diamondbacks have either split or outright won each of their last six series, including taking two of three from the Rangers and Red Sox at home last week, but they have the third-toughest remaining schedule of any team.
The only two teams with a harder schedule are the Cardinals and Reds, so keep an eye on the Giants as the team with perhaps the best chance of pushing for the third NL wild-card spot if someone stumbles above them in the standings.
Nos. 12-11
3 of 10
12. New York Mets (76-67)
Previous Rank: 12
Last Week: 2-1 @ DET, 1-2 @ CIN
With Kodai Senga optioned to the minors and Brandon Sproat (6.0 IP, 3 H, 3 ER) fresh off a terrific MLB debut on Sunday, it's going to be interesting to see how the Mets playoff rotation takes shape in the coming weeks. Is there a scenario in which rookies Nolan McLean (4 GS, 1.37 ERA, 28 K, 26.1 IP), Jonah Tong (2 GS, 4.09 ERA, 12 K, 11.0 IP) and Sproat are the top three starters in a best-of-five series?
11. Seattle Mariners (75-68)
Previous Rank: 11
Last Week: 0-3 @ TB, 2-1 @ ATL
After a 1-6 start to their latest road trip, the Mariners won back-to-back games against the Braves on Saturday and Sunday to stop the skid and stay alive in the AL West race. With 13 of their final 19 games at home where they are 41-27 on the year, they will look to protect a 1.5-game cushion for the final AL wild-card spot.
Nos. 10-9
4 of 10
10. Houston Astros (78-66)
Previous Rank: 10
Last Week: 1-0 vs. LAA, 1-2 vs. NYY, 1-2 @ TEX
With a pair of series losses, the Astros' lead in the AL West standings has shrunk to 2.5 games over the Mariners, and those two teams will meet for a three-game series at Daikin Park on Sept. 19-21. Jake Meyers returned to the lineup on Saturday after missing nearly two months with a calf strain, and he could be a major X-factor down the stretch.
9. Los Angeles Dodgers (79-64)
Previous Rank: 6
Last Week: 0-3 @ PIT, 1-2 @ BAL
The Dodgers are expected to get Max Muncy and Alex Vesia both back from oblique strains on Monday, though the health of catcher Will Smith remains a question mark after he missed his fourth game in a row on Sunday with a bone bruise on his right hand. A three-game series against the Rockies starting on Monday should serve as a nice palette cleanser after a rough week.
Nos. 8-7
5 of 10
8. San Diego Padres (78-65)
Previous Rank: 9
Last Week: 0-3 vs. BAL, 2-1 @ COL
With four games against the Rockies and three against the White Sox still left on their schedule, the Padres have the second-easiest road ahead as they try to chase down the rival Dodgers and claim their first NL West title since 2006. Center fielder Jackson Merrill went 4-for-18 with a double and a home run in his first six games back from an IL stint with an ankle sprain.
7. Boston Red Sox (79-65)
Previous Rank: 7
Last Week: 2-1 vs. CLE, 1-2 @ ARI
The Red Sox have three games each against the Yankees (Sept. 12-14), Blue Jays (Sept. 23-25) and Tigers (Sept. 26-28), good for the sixth-toughest remaining schedule in baseball. First baseman Nathaniel Lowe is hitting .319/.389/.553 with three doubles, two home runs and nine RBI in 16 games since joining the Red Sox.
Nos. 6-5
6 of 10
6. Detroit Tigers (82-62)
Previous Rank: 2
Last Week: 1-2 vs. NYM, 1-2 vs. CWS
The Tigers have dropped three of their last four series, including a 1-5 showing against the Athletics and White Sox, but their 8.5-game advantage over the Royals in the AL Central standings is still the largest division lead of any team. Parker Meadows has battled through an injury-plagued season, but he is getting healthy at the right time after returning from the IL on Friday.
5. Toronto Blue Jays (82-61)
Previous Rank: 5
Last Week: 2-1 @ CIN, 1-2 @ NYY
Even after dropping two of three at Yankee Stadium over the weekend, the Blue Jays are still a combined 15-8 against the Yankees and Red Sox this season, and they enter the week clinging to a two-game lead in the AL East standings. They plated 29 runs in three games against the Reds last week, and they are now the fourth-highest scoring offense in baseball this season.
Nos. 4-3
7 of 10
4. Chicago Cubs (81-62)
Previous Rank: 3
Last Week: 2-1 vs. ATL, 1-2 vs. WAS
With a 24-22 record since the All-Star break, the Cubs have not been the same dominant force they were at times during the first half of the season, but they also still sit 19 games above .500 with a plus-117 run differential on the year. Kyle Tucker missed his fourth straight game on Sunday with left calf tightness, and he could be headed for an IL stint.
3. New York Yankees (80-63)
Previous Rank: 8
Last Week: 2-1 @ HOU, 2-1 vs. TOR
The Yankees are 11-3 in their last 14 games, and they picked up a pair of series wins over presumptive playoff teams in the Astros and Blue Jays, making them the biggest risers in this week's rankings. The pieces are falling into place in the bullpen, with Fernando Cruz, Luke Weaver and David Bednar emerging as the go-to trio in the late innings.
Nos. 2-1
8 of 10
2. Philadelphia Phillies (83-60)
Previous Rank: 4
Last Week: 2-1 @ MIL, 2-1 @ MIA
With Zack Wheeler done for the season and Aaron Nola getting shelled on a semi-regular basis, major question marks remain about the Phillies playoff rotation, but they keep winning games in the meantime. The gap between them and the Brewers was big enough that a series win in Milwaukee didn't quite vault them to the No. 1 spot, but it certainly closed the gap.
1. Milwaukee Brewers (89-55)
Previous Rank: 1
Last Week: 1-2 vs. PHI, 3-0 @ PIT
The Brewers need to go 8-10 over their final 18 games to set a new franchise record with 97 wins, surpassing the 2011 and 2018 teams that both finished with 96 wins and reached the NLCS. Second baseman Brice Turang would have a strong case for second-half NL MVP honors, hitting .333/.395/.614 with 11 doubles, 11 home runs and 34 RBI in 45 games since the break.
Complete Rankings
9 of 10
Complete Rankings
1. Milwaukee Brewers
2. Philadelphia Phillies
3. New York Yankees
4. Chicago Cubs
5. Toronto Blue Jays
6. Detroit Tigers
7. Boston Red Sox
8. San Diego Padres
9. Los Angeles Dodgers
10. Houston Astros
11. Seattle Mariners
12. New York Mets
13. Arizona Diamondbacks
14. Texas Rangers
15. Kansas City Royals
16. Cleveland Guardians
17. St. Louis Cardinals
18. San Francisco Giants
19. Cincinnati Reds
20. Tampa Bay Rays
21. Baltimore Orioles
22. Athletics
23. Los Angeles Angels
24. Pittsburgh Pirates
25. Chicago White Sox
26. Washington Nationals
27. Miami Marlins
28. Atlanta Braves
29. Minnesota Twins
30. Colorado Rockies
Stars of the Week
10 of 10
Hitter of the Week: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays
Stats: 6 G, 14-for-25, 3 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 8 R
Only five qualified hitters have a 1.000 OPS or better since the All-Star break, and Guerrero (1.049) is part of that short list, alongside teammate George Springer (1.174), Shea Langeliers (1.037), Shohei Ohtani (1.031) and Brice Turang (1.009). He is hitting .301/.394/.499 with 33 doubles, 23 home runs and 79 RBI in 139 games on the year.
Pitcher of the Week: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers
Stats: 1 GS, ND, 8.2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 10 K
One out away from finishing off a no-hitter on Saturday against the Orioles, Yamamoto allowed a solo home run to Jackson Holliday. Five batters and two relievers later, a 3-0 lead for the Dodgers had devolved into a 4-3 loss, but it still stands as one of the more dominant pitching performances of the season.
Rookie of the Week: Daylen Lile, Washington Nationals
Stats: 6 G, 11-for-23, 2B, 4 3B, HR, 6 RBI, 8 R
In a season where many were expecting Dylan Crews to emerge as a core piece of the Nationals rebuild, it has instead been another rookie outfielder in Lile who is enjoying a breakthrough performance. The 22-year-old is hitting .319/.359/.518 with 17 extra-base hits in 39 games since the All-Star break.
