MLB Power Rankings for All 30 Teams After 2026 Trade Deadline
The dust has settled on the 2026 trade deadline, and it's time for an updated look at the MLB landscape in the aftermath of a busy few days of wheeling and dealing.
The biggest move of the summer came over the weekend when two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers, but there was still plenty of action left for deadline day on Monday.
Adley Rutschman going from the Orioles to the Red Sox was the big surprise of the day, while Luis Arraez, Robbie Ray and Casey Mize were on the move as impact rentals.
Ahead is an updated version of our MLB power rankings, with trade deadline activity considered alongside recent performance this time around to reset the table for the stretch run.
In case you missed it, B/R's MLB Power Rankings from last week and every fresh power rankings throughout the season can be found at the new MLB Power Rankings hub.
Nos. 30-28
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30. Athletics (45-67)
Previous Rank: No. 30
Last Week: 1-3 vs. BOS, 0-3 vs. DET
Trade Deadline Recap: The only notable move for the Athletics at the trade deadline was a swap of former top prospects, as they sent outfielder Colby Thomas to the Phillies in exchange for right-hander Seth Johnson. They will need to finish 31-19 to avoid having a worse record than last year.
29. Los Angeles Angels (43-69)
Previous Rank: No. 28
Last Week: 0-3 vs. HOU, 1-2 vs. MIL
Trade Deadline Recap: The Angels finally underwent a long-overdue fire sale under interim general manager John Mozeliak. Outfielder Jo Adell, starter José Soriano, catcher Logan O'Hoppe and relievers Ryan Zeferjahn, Kirby Yates, Brent Suter and Chase Silseth all found new homes, while shortstop Arjun Nimmala (No. 44 on B/R Top 100) and catcher Moisés Ballesteros headline the incoming wave of young talent.
28. Kansas City Royals (46-67)
Previous Rank: No. 24
Last Week: 1-2 @ MIN, 0-3 @ COL
Trade Deadline Recap: The Royals stuck to their guns and held onto veteran starters Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo, though they did flip injured left-hander Kris Bubic to the Dodgers on Monday. They also traded Lane Thomas and Bailey Falter to the Braves over the weekend, but stopped short of moving any major controllable pieces.
Nos. 27-25
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27. Colorado Rockies (45-68)
Previous Rank: No. 29
Last Week: 0-2 @ SD, 3-0 vs. KC
Trade Deadline Recap: No one met the steep asking price for All-Star catcher Hunter Goodman, but the Rockies still had a busy trade deadline. The White Sox took a flier on former Gold Glove center fielder Brenton Doyle, reliever Victor Vodnik was flipped to Miami for former top prospect Connor Norby and fellow relievers Antonio Senzatela and Seth Halvorsen also found new homes.
26. San Francisco Giants (48-65)
Previous Rank: No. 27
Last Week: 2-1 vs. MIL, 1-3 @ SD
Trade Deadline Recap: Newly acquired pitchers Ramon Marquez (via PHI) and Henry Lalane (via NYY) both slot into San Francisco's top 10 prospects, while the buy-low move to acquire Marcelo Mayer for reliever Erik Miller could pay major dividends. Rentals Luis Arraez, Robbie Ray and Tyler Mahle were all cashed in, while Heliot Ramos netted a solid return even with diminished production.
25. New York Mets (47-66)
Previous Rank: No. 26
Last Week: 2-1 vs. ATL, 1-3 vs. MIA
Trade Deadline Recap: The Mets pitching staff will have a different look going forward after Freddy Peralta, Luke Weaver, Brooks Raley, A.J. Minter and Huascar Brazobán were all traded. They also turned a rehabbing Clay Holmes and fourth outfielder Tyrone Taylor into Top 100-caliber prospect Jefferson Rojas in a deal with the Cubs that looks like a nice win.
Nos. 24-22
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24. Detroit Tigers (54-58)
Previous Rank: No. 15
Last Week: 1-2 vs. BAL, 3-0 @ ATH
Trade Deadline Recap: It looked for a while like the Tigers were simply going to stop at trading Tarik Skubal over the weekend, but the Padres swooped in at the last minute to acquire Casey Mize in exchange for a package built around former first-round pick Kash Mayfield (No. 87 on B/R Top 100). Coupled with Zyhir Hope (No. 38 on B/R Top 100), who headlined the Skubal return, the farm system got a nice boost.
23. Cincinnati Reds (53-58)
Previous Rank: No. 20
Last Week: 1-2 vs. CLE, 3-1 vs. PIT
Trade Deadline Recap: The extent of the Reds trade maneuvering ended up being turning first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and reliever Caleb Ferguson into a low-level pitching prospect and $250k in international bonus pool money. There is really no reason upcoming free agents Brady Singer, Tyler Stephenson and Brock Burke should still be on the Cincinnati roster.
22. St. Louis Cardinals (56-57)
Previous Rank: No. 16
Last Week: 1-3 vs. CHC, 1-2 @ TOR
Trade Deadline Recap: The long-rumored Lars Nootbaar trade finally happened, as he was flipped to the D-backs for a solid return headlined by right-hander Daniel Eagen. The Cardinals also sent a package of Dustin May and JoJo Romero to the rival Brewers for two solid prospects in Alexander Frias and Josiah Ragsdale, and it will be interesting to see who ends up winning that one a few years down the road.
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Nos. 21-19
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21. Toronto Blue Jays (53-60)
Previous Rank: No. 25
Last Week: 2-1 @ WAS, 2-1 vs. STL
Trade Deadline Recap: It was an interesting trade deadline for the Blue Jays, who sold off rentals Kevin Gausman and Daulton Varsho, but also traded consensus top 100 prospect Arjun Nimmala to acquire José Soriano from the Angels. Selling the present and buying for the future made perfect sense given the state of the franchise, and they also saved some money offloading Jeff Hoffman.
20. Baltimore Orioles (54-58)
Previous Rank: No. 22
Last Week: 2-1 @ DET, 1-2 vs. PHI
Trade Deadline Recap: Trading franchise catcher and team leader Adley Rutschman was always going to sting, but it stings an awful lot more after he was traded to the division rival Red Sox. It was truly an offer they couldn't refuse, headlined by Anthony Eyanson (No. 22 on B/R Top 100) and Kyson Witherspoon (No. 92 on B/R Top 100), with Eyanson becoming the team's new No. 1 prospect.'s new No. 1 prospect.
19. Washington Nationals (55-59)
Previous Rank: No. 10
Last Week: 1-2 vs. TOR, 0-4 @ ATL
Trade Deadline Recap: Lackluster returns for Foster Griffin and Luis García Jr. beg the question of whether the Nationals would have been better off simply holding and aiming for the club's first winning season since 2019. The Connelly Early for Curtis Mead trade at least has a chance to be a significant win.
Nos. 18-16
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18. Texas Rangers (55-58)
Previous Rank: No. 18
Last Week: 1-0 vs. SEA, 1-2 @ TB, 0-3 @ HOU
Trade Deadline Recap: The Rangers were by no means aggressive at the deadline, but they did add a pair of controllable relievers in Chase Silseth and Adam Macko, along with catcher Logan O'Hoppe who is an intriguing change of scenery candidate. Will that be enough to stay relevant in the AL West?
17. Miami Marlins (58-55)
Previous Rank: No. 23
Last Week: 3-0 vs. PHI, 3-1 @ NYM
Trade Deadline Recap: All things considered, the Marlins turned Liam Hicks, Lake Bachar and Braxton Garrett into a solid haul of prospects, even if the individual return on Hicks felt a bit light relative to his remaining club control. The path is now clear for Joe Mack to prove he is the guy behind the plate, and it's possible this is still a relevant team in the NL wild-card race.
16. Seattle Mariners (55-58)
Previous Rank: No. 21
Last Week: 0-1 @ TEX, 1-2 @ LAD, 2-1 vs. MIN
Trade Deadline Recap: The Mariners dumped Luis Castillo's salary for next season on the White Sox and landed an outfield upgrade in on-base machine Taylor Ward, but they remain heavily reliant on their in-house talent stepping up down the stretch. They could revisit the idea of flipping Emerson Hancock for a bat during the offseason, but for now the six-man rotation is back to five guys.
Nos. 15-13
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15. Houston Astros (58-56)
Previous Rank: No. 17
Last Week: 3-0 @ LAA, 3-0 vs. TEX
Trade Deadline Recap: The Astros found the left-handed hitting outfielder they've been after for some time now, acquiring Daulton Varsho from the Blue Jays, but the two-month rental came at a steep price as controllable starter Spencer Arrighetti went the other way. Considering they have looked like potential sellers for much of 2026, it's not surprising their deadline was relatively quiet.
14. Pittsburgh Pirates (57-57)
Previous Rank: No. 12
Last Week: 1-2 vs. ARI, 1-3 @ CIN
Trade Deadline Recap: The Pirates turned their bullpen from a glaring weakness into a potential strength by acquiring Luke Weaver, Camilo Doval, Kirby Yates and Lake Bachar to join Gregory Soto and Mason Montgomery in handling high-leverage duties. From that foursome, only Yates is a rental, so the upgraded relief corps will be in place to begin 2027.
13. Arizona Diamondbacks (60-53)
Previous Rank: No. 11
Last Week: 2-1 @ PIT, 2-1 @ CLE
Trade Deadline Recap: A soft buy to acquire Lars Nootbaar, who is controllable through the 2027 season, was a perfectly logical approach to the deadline for a D-backs team with a real chance to make the playoffs but an uphill battle to actually go anywhere in October. Will they regret not aggressively shopping Eduardo Rodríguez?
Nos. 12-10
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12. Minnesota Twins (56-57)
Previous Rank: No. 14
Last Week: 2-1 vs. KC, 1-2 @ SEA
Trade Deadline Recap: The Twins added A.J. Minter to the bullpen and Dean Kremer to the starting rotation before deadline day, then capped off their pitching staff upgrades by acquiring closer Jeff Hoffman from the Blue Jays. In a wide open AL Central, that might be enough to hang around, and after going 15-9 in July they have some legitimate momentum.
11. Cleveland Guardians (57-56)
Previous Rank: No. 13
Last Week: 2-1 @ CIN, 1-2 vs. ARI
Trade Deadline Recap: Tip of the cap to the Guardians, who added Foster Griffin, Jo Adell and Nathaniel Lowe without parting with anyone on their top 10 prospect list. They still have some holes offensively, but Adell and Lowe provide two immediate upgrades, and a rotation of Gavin Williams, Tanner Bibee, Parker Messick and Griffin could do some real damage in October.
10. San Diego Padres (58-55)
Previous Rank: No. 19
Last Week: 2-0 vs. COL, 3-1 vs. SF
Trade Deadline Recap: Much of the talk surrounding the Padres in the days and weeks leading up to the deadline centered around selling, most notably superstar closer Mason Miller and rental setup man Adrian Morejón. Instead, they were one of the league's most aggressive buyers, adding Casey Mize and Robbie Ray to the rotation in another round of gutting the farm system by AJ Preller.
Nos. 9-7
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9. Chicago White Sox (59-52)
Previous Rank: No. 9
Last Week: 2-2 vs. NYY, 2-1 @ TB
Trade Deadline Recap: The White Sox walked away from the deadline with a veteran workhorse (Luis Castillo), a controllable high-leverage reliever (Huascar Brazobán), a right-handed hitting outfielder (Brenton Doyle) and some much-needed catching depth (Joey Bart). The combined impact of those pickups can be debated, but they were at least aggressive in addressing their needs.
8. Philadelphia Phillies (60-53)
Previous Rank: No. 8
Last Week: 0-3 @ MIA, 2-1 @ BAL
Trade Deadline Recap: The Phillies added Luis Arraez to their star-studded lineup, kicking off a defensive reshuffling that will see Bryson Stott move to third base, Alec Bohm move to first base and Bryce Harper return to right field. They also bolstered the bullpen with Brooks Raley and Caleb Kilian, though they will ride things out with Andrew Painter as the No. 5 starter.
7. New York Yankees (63-50)
Previous Rank: No. 5
Last Week: 2-2 @ CWS, 2-1 @ CHC
Trade Deadline Recap: Luis García Jr. and Heliot Ramos will give the Yankees a boost offensively, but it will be interesting to see how all the pieces fit together once Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton return to action. Both newcomers are controllable beyond the 2026 season, and aside from flipping reliever Camilo Doval to the Pirates, they were the only notable moves for the Yankees.
Nos. 6-4
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6. Tampa Bay Rays (66-46)
Previous Rank: No. 4
Last Week: 2-1 vs. TEX, 1-2 vs. CWS
Trade Deadline Recap: There is a strong case to be made that this was the year the Rays should have gone all-in on Tarik Skubal, and they had the pieces in the farm system to top the Dodgers package. That said, they still walked away with starter Freddy Peralta, reliever Tyler Wells and catcher Liam Hicks, with Wells and Hicks both controllable beyond 2026.
5. Atlanta Braves (67-45)
Previous Rank: No. 3
Last Week: 1-2 @ NYM, 4-0 vs. WAS
Trade Deadline Recap: Is Tyler Mahle going to start a playoff game? If the answer is no, the Braves didn't do enough at the trade deadline. If the answer is yes, the Braves didn't do enough at the trade deadline. Outfielder Lane Thomas and reliever Brent Suter are solid complementary pickups, but this team needed a No. 2 starter to shoulder the load alongside Chris Sale.
4. Chicago Cubs (64-49)
Previous Rank: No. 7
Last Week: 3-1 @ STL, 1-2 vs. NYY
Trade Deadline Recap: The Cubs need for starting pitching was no secret, and they ended up with frontline veteran Kevin Gausman, a rehabbing Clay Holmes and a flier on Braxton Garrett as their deadline haul. They also landed swing-and-miss reliever Ryan Zeferjahn, who is controllable through 2030, though it cost them former top prospect Moisés Ballesteros. If Holmes returns close to his pre-injury form, the deadline was a success.
Nos. 3-1
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3. Boston Red Sox (60-51)
Previous Rank: No. 6
Last Week: 3-1 @ ATH, 3-0 @ LAD
Trade Deadline Recap: The Red Sox acquiring catcher Adley Rutschman was the surprise of the deadline, but before he can make an impact, he needs to recover from a wrist injury that has sidelined him since July 18. Rather than adding another infielder after newcomer Curtis Mead was injured, they actually subtracted one when Erik Miller was acquired from the Giants for former top prospect Marcelo Mayer, so the middle infield remains a question mark.
2. Milwaukee Brewers (69-43)
Previous Rank: No. 2
Last Week: 1-2 @ SF, 2-1 @ LAA
Trade Deadline Recap: Adding Dustin May to the starting rotation and JoJo Romero and Antonio Senzatela to the bullpen improves the Brewers staff, but it's far from the all-in move this season's performance may have warranted. With arguably the deepest farm system in baseball, it's hard to accept that they couldn't make a bigger splash.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers (69-44)
Previous Rank: No. 1
Last Week: 2-1 vs. SEA, 0-3 vs. BOS
Trade Deadline Recap: The Dodgers went from hoping Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow would return to form in time to round out the playoff rotation to potentially deciding which one gets bumped to the bullpen after adding Tarik Skubal. Then they picked up 2025 All-Star Kris Bubic for good measure as he works his way back from a shoulder injury. It was the Dodgers vs. The Field before the deadline, and that sentiment has only been reinforced with their latest superstar addition.
Complete Tier Rankings
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Tier 1
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
Tier 2
2. Milwaukee Brewers
3. Boston Red Sox
4. Chicago Cubs
5. Atlanta Braves
6. Tampa Bay Rays
7. New York Yankees
8. Philadelphia Phillies
Tier 3
9. Chicago White Sox
10. San Diego Padres
11. Cleveland Guardians
12. Minnesota Twins
13. Arizona Diamondbacks
14. Pittsburgh Pirates
15. Houston Astros
Tier 4
16. Seattle Mariners
17. Miami Marlins
18. Texas Rangers
19. Washington Nationals
Tier 5
20. Baltimore Orioles
21. Toronto Blue Jays
22. St. Louis Cardinals
23. Cincinnati Reds
24. Detroit Tigers
Tier 6
25. New York Mets
26. San Francisco Giants
27. Colorado Rockies
28. Kansas City Royals
29. Los Angeles Angels
30. Athletics
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