MLB Power Rankings: Where All 30 Teams Stand Heading into Final 2 Weeks
All that remains in the abbreviated 2020 MLB regular season are 14 short days.
No one has clinched a postseason berth, and 20 of the 30 teams are within two games of a playoff spot entering play on Monday. It's going to be a wild two weeks.
As the season progresses, teams will continue to rise and fall in our weekly power rankings relative to their placement the previous week and based on their recent production. In other words, if a team keeps winning, it will keep climbing. If it keeps losing, the slide will continue.
Ahead, you'll find a quick breakdown of each of the 30 teams, along with our highlight of the week, the top individual performers of the week and a look at the leaders for MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year, which will be updated weekly.
Let's get started.
Nos. 30-26
1 of 10
30. Pittsburgh Pirates (14-30)
The Pirates remain firmly anchored at the bottom of these rankings after getting swept by the Kansas City Royals over the weekend. Slugger Josh Bell went 9-for-19 with two home runs last week, and a strong finish would boost his trade stock heading into the offseason.
29. Boston Red Sox (17-31)
With the worst record in the American League and a minus-72 run differential, the Red Sox are headed for an early pick in the 2021 draft. They've been slotted in the top 10 just three times in the last 50 years, selecting Trot Nixon (No. 7 in 1993), Trey Ball (No. 7 in 2013) and Andrew Benintendi (No. 7 in 2015). At least Bobby Dalbec has been fun to watch.
28. Texas Rangers (17-30)
The Rangers took two of three from the Los Angeles Angels and split a four-game series with the Oakland Athletics last week, snapping a six-game losing streak and pulling out of a 3-18 tailspin in the process. Veteran Lance Lynn remains a bright spot, tossing two seven-inning quality starts last week to lower his season ERA to 2.40.
27. Arizona Diamondbacks (17-31)
Following a 13-11 start to the year, the D-backs have now lost seven straight series after dropping two of three to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Seattle Mariners. Left-hander Caleb Smith made his Arizona debut Friday, returning from the injured list to allow just one hit in three innings of work. He'll be a big part of the team's 2021 plans after coming over from the Miami Marlins in the Starling Marte deal.
26. Washington Nationals (17-28)
It's been a trying season for the reigning World Series champions, and they are one of just three National League teams more than five games out of a playoff spot. Juan Soto (.354 BA) and Trea Turner (.348) rank first and second in the NL batting average leaderboard, and that will be a compelling storyline to follow down the stretch.
Nos. 25-21
2 of 10
25. Detroit Tigers (20-26)
A surprise contender throughout much of July and August, the Tigers have stumbled to a 3-10 record in their last 13 games. Nevertheless, there is plenty of reason for excitement with the youth movement in full effect. Daz Cameron was the latest top prospect to join the MLB roster last week, though he went just 1-for-20 with eight strikeouts in his first six games.
24. Seattle Mariners (21-25)
The Mariners had a six-game winning streak snapped Tuesday, and after losing three straight, they scored back-to-back victories over the D-backs to claim another series win. The M's are now 14-7 in their last 21 games, but time is not on their side. They have a tough remaining schedule and a 4.5-game deficit to make up in the wild-card standings with 14 games remaining.
23. Kansas City Royals (20-28)
The Royals snapped a seven-game losing streak Tuesday and have since rattled off a six-game winning streak. With six games against the Tigers and three against the sub-.500 Milwaukee Brewers among their 12 remaining contests, a late wild-card push is not out of the question. Rookie Brady Singer took a no-hitter into the eighth inning against the Cleveland Indians on Thursday in the best start of his young career.
22. Los Angeles Angels (20-28)
A series loss to the scuffling Rangers was a blow to the Angels' playoff hopes, though they did rebound to take two of three from the Colorado Rockies over the weekend. Dylan Bundy had another terrific start Thursday, allowing four hits and two earned runs with 12 strikeouts in 7.1 innings. He's on track for a top-three finish in AL Cy Young voting.
21. Baltimore Orioles (20-26)
The Orioles have 20 wins and a minus-18 run differential through their first 46 games of the season. That might not sound like much, but they had a brutal minus-95 differential and just 15 wins at the same point last year, so it represents a significant step forward. Ryan Mountcastle is hitting .347/.415/.569 with four home runs and 15 RBI in 21 games after another productive week.
Nos. 20-16
3 of 10
20. Colorado Rockies (21-25)
The Rockies are still very much in the NL playoff picture, two games back for the second wild-card spot, but they are not playing good baseball right now. Their record is propped up by an 11-3 start to the year, and they've gone 10-22 with an ugly minus-81 run differential since, including 1-5 in their last six games. At least Kyle Freeland has bounced back from his disastrous 2019 season.
19. Milwaukee Brewers (20-24)
With a weekend series loss to the Chicago Cubs, the Brewers are now six games back in the NL Central standings and two games out for the second NL wild-card spot. An anemic offense has been an issue all season with a .698 team OPS (25th in MLB) and 4.1 runs per game. That said, Jedd Gyorko has been one of the best bargain signings of the year with a .945 OPS and seven home runs in 77 plate appearances.
18. New York Mets (21-26)
A 2-4 week leaves the Mets tied for fifth in the NL wild-card standings, and a big three-game series with a Philadelphia Phillies team currently slotted in one of those playoff spots awaits this coming week. Jacob deGrom has a 1.67 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 79 strikeouts in 54 innings. Will he join Greg Maddux (1992-95) and Randy Johnson (1999-2002) as the only pitchers in MLB history to win three straight Cy Young Awards?
17. Cincinnati Reds (21-26)
The Reds are still alive in the NL playoff picture after taking two of three from the St. Louis Cardinals over the weekend, and Trevor Bauer is still squarely in the NL Cy Young mix after striking out 10 over 7.2 scoreless innings Wednesday. The free-agent-to-be has a 1.74 ERA, 0.79 WHIP and 71 strikeouts in 51.2 innings.
16. San Francisco Giants (23-24)
If the season ended today, the Giants would be the No. 8 seed in the NL playoff bracket. However, they were swept by the San Diego Padres over the weekend, and their position remains precarious at best. After cooling off in August, Donovan Solano is swinging a hot bat again with a .410 average in 11 games this month. He's hitting .349 on the year and remains squarely in the NL batting title hunt.
.jpg?w=256 "MLB Farm System Rankings")
Nos. 15-11
4 of 10
15. Philadelphia Phillies (23-22)
The Phillies played three doubleheaders and nine games total last week, finishing 4-5 to remain one game over .500 and just a half-game back for second in the NL East standings. Zack Wheeler (fingernail), J.T. Realmuto (hip), Spencer Howard (shoulder) and Rhys Hoskins (forearm) all suffered injuries over the weekend, and their status will be crucial to the team's playoff hopes.
14. St. Louis Cardinals (20-20)
The Cardinals have three more doubleheaders on the slate this coming week, and they will have to play 20 games over the final 14 days of the season. Overshadowed by the fact that they have been playing catch-up, Paul Goldschmidt is hitting .310/.444/.504 with six home runs and more walks (31) than strikeouts (23). He once again looks like the MVP-caliber player the team was hoping for when he was signed to a five-year, $130 million extension in March 2019.
13. Houston Astros (23-24)
With a loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday Night Baseball, the Astros will start a week below .500 for the first time since Aug. 10. With the Oakland Athletics fading from view in the AL West standings, the question now becomes whether they can hold off the Mariners for the No. 2 spot in the division. The fact that 10 of their 13 remaining games are against the Rangers and D-backs helps their cause.
12. Miami Marlins (23-21)
The Marlins had a 6-3 week to climb back over .500 and into the No. 2 spot in the NL East standings. They are looking to punch their ticket to the postseason for the first time since 2003 and just the third time in franchise history. Sixto Sanchez looks like the real deal after turning in two more excellent starts last week. The rookie right-hander is 3-1 with a 1.69 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 29 strikeouts in 32 innings over his first five MLB starts.
11. New York Yankees (26-21)
Will a four-game sweep of the Orioles jumpstart a Yankees team that was rapidly plummeting out of the postseason picture? They were 5-15 in the 20 games leading up to their current five-game winning streak, and they remain a half-game back for second in the AL East. They play the Toronto Blue Jays, the team ahead of them in the standings, seven times in their final 13 games.
Nos. 10-6
5 of 10
10. Cleveland Indians (26-21)
While they remain comfortably slotted in one of the AL wild-card spots, the Indians' division-title hopes took a major hit with a 1-6 showing last week that included series losses to the Royals and Minnesota Twins. A middling offense remains their biggest issue with a .680 team OPS that ranks 27th in the majors and just 4.0 runs per game.
9. Chicago Cubs (28-20)
A no-hitter by Alec Mills capped off an excellent week for the Cubs, who went 5-2 to build their lead in the NL Central to four games over the Cardinals. With two matchups against a sputtering Indians team and four against the lowly Pirates among the 12 left on their schedule, they're in great shape to return to the postseason. Slowly but surely, the bullpen pieces have fallen into place.
8. Toronto Blue Jays (26-20)
Bo Bichette and Ken Giles both returned from the injured list last week, and the Blue Jays kept rolling with series wins over the Yankees and Mets. Taijuan Walker has a 1.15 ERA in 15.2 innings with the Blue Jays, and Robbie Ray had one of his best starts of the season Saturday. Those two deadline pickups will be counted on to stabilize an inconsistent and banged-up rotation in October.
7. Minnesota Twins (30-18)
The Twins went 5-1 last week, including a three-game sweep of the Indians, and their upcoming four-game series with the White Sox in Chicago could decide the AL Central race. Nelson Cruz hit two more home runs last week, and he's now batting .331/.420/.669 with 16 home runs and 32 RBI in 45 games. No player who spent the majority of his games as a DH has ever won an MVP award. Will he be the first?
6. Oakland Athletics (29-17)
It was a successful week for the Athletics in the win-loss column with a 6-3 record that included taking four of five against the Astros. However, star third baseman Matt Chapman suffered a torn labrum in his right hip that required season-ending surgery. Rookie Vimael Machin will likely be tasked with replacing him down the stretch and into October.
Nos. 5-1
6 of 10
5. Atlanta Braves (28-19)
The Braves managed a 4-3 record last week, but the starting rotation remains a glaring red flag. Kyle Wright (10.0 IP, 15 H, 8 ER), Josh Tomlin (4.0 IP, 7 H, 5 ER), Robbie Erlin (4.2 IP, 11 H, 7 ER) and Tommy Milone (3.1 IP, 8 H, 8 ER) were all crushed last week. Suddenly, rookie right-hander Ian Anderson is the most important player on the roster. If only they could score 29 runs every game.
4. Tampa Bay Rays (30-17)
The Rays entered last week riding a 9-2 hot streak but stumbled a bit with a 2-4 record against the Nationals and Red Sox, who are both well outside the playoff picture. Ji-Man Choi was the latest key contributor to land on the injured list when he suffered a strained hamstring last week. On the flip side, outfielder Randy Arozarena has a chance to be an X-factor in an expanded role down the stretch.
3. Chicago White Sox (30-16)
The health of left-hander Dallas Keuchel might be the single biggest X-factor in the AL postseason picture right now. Back spasms landed him on the injured list last week in what was deemed an "abundance of caution," but it's unsettling nonetheless. A 4-1 week moved the South Siders into the top spot among AL teams, but they will need Keuchel healthy in October if they're going to make a legitimate title push.
2. San Diego Padres (31-17)
The San Diego front office went all-in at the trade deadline, and the locker room has responded with a 9-2 record and a plus-35 run differential in September. Fernando Tatis Jr. (.999 OPS, 15 HR, 40 RBI), Manny Machado (.973 OPS, 13 HR, 39 RBI) and Wil Myers (.976 OPS, 12 HR, 34 RBI) all have a case to show up on NL MVP ballots, the rotation is rock-solid from top to bottom, and the bullpen trio of Trevor Rosenthal, Drew Pomeranz and Emilio Pagan has a chance to be lethal in October.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers (33-14)
The Dodgers remain the team to beat with the best record in baseball and a staggering plus-103 run differential on the year. It will be interesting to see how the postseason rotation takes shape behind Clayton Kershaw, with Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May and Julio Urias currently slotted behind him on the staff, while Walker Buehler deals with a blister problem. Can those young arms shoulder the load in October?
Complete Rankings
7 of 10
Complete Rankings
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. San Diego Padres
3. Chicago White Sox
4. Tampa Bay Rays
5. Atlanta Braves
6. Oakland Athletics
7. Minnesota Twins
8. Toronto Blue Jays
9. Chicago Cubs
10. Cleveland Indians
11. New York Yankees
12. Miami Marlins
13. Houston Astros
14. St. Louis Cardinals
15. Philadelphia Phillies
16. San Francisco Giants
17. Cincinnati Reds
18. New York Mets
19. Milwaukee Brewers
20. Colorado Rockies
21. Baltimore Orioles
22. Los Angeles Angels
23. Kansas City Royals
24. Seattle Mariners
25. Detroit Tigers
26. Washington Nationals
27. Arizona Diamondbacks
28. Texas Rangers
29. Boston Red Sox
30. Pittsburgh Pirates
Highlight of the Week: Alec Mills' No-Hitter
8 of 10A thumb injury to Jose Quintana opened the door for Alec Mills to start the year with a spot in the Chicago Cubs rotation, and while the right-hander has dealt with some ups and downs, he's shown some flashes for the North Siders.
The 28-year-old tossed six scoreless innings on Sept. 8 to right the ship after a shaky handful of starts, and he followed that up by making history Sunday with a no-hitter against the Milwaukee Brewers.
"I'm just proud to be that person that can tell you to never give up," Mills said after the performance. "Never stop playing. Never let people tell you what you can and can't do and just keep persevering."
He needed 114 pitches to complete the no-hitter, tallying three walks and five strikeouts. It was the first no-no by a Cubs pitcher since Jake Arrieta no-hit the Cincinnati Reds in 2016.
The Cubs acquired Mills from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for outfielder Donnie Dewees prior to the 2017 season, and with club control through the 2025 season, he has a chance to be a future rotation piece.
Team of the Week
9 of 10
C J.T. Realmuto, Philadelphia Phillies
(7-for-23, 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 9 R)
1B Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves
(13-for-28, 4 2B, 3 HR, 13 RBI, 7 R)
2B DJ LeMahieu, New York Yankees
(8-for-27, 2 2B, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 8 R)
3B Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox
(13-for-25, 2 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 3 R)
SS Adalberto Mondesi, Kansas City Royals
(7-for-27, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 9 R, 6 SB)
OF Jeff McNeil, New York Mets
(10-for-21, 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 5 R)
OF Wil Myers, San Diego Padres
(8-for-21, 2 2B, 3B, HR, 6 RBI, 4 R)
OF Adam Duvall, Atlanta Braves
(7-for-26, 2B, 5 HR, 12 RBI, 8 R)
DH Nelson Cruz, Minnesota Twins
(6-for-17, 3 HR, 3 RBI, 5 R)
SP Alec Mills, Chicago Cubs
(2 GS, 2 W, 15.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 6 BB, 11 K)
SP Sixto Sanchez, Miami Marlins
(2 GS, 2 W, 13.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 10 K)
SP Brady Singer, Kansas City Royals
(1 GS, W, 8.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K)
SP Corbin Burnes, Milwaukee Brewers
(1 GS, W, 7.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 11 K)
SP Trevor Bauer, Cincinnati Reds
(1 GS, W, 7.2 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 K)
RP Greg Holland, Kansas City Royals
(4 G, 3/3 SV, 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K)
Award Rankings
10 of 10
AL MVP
1. Nelson Cruz, MIN
2. Mike Trout, LAA
3. Jose Abreu, CWS
NL MVP
1. Fernando Tatis Jr., SD
2. Mookie Betts, LAD
3. Freddie Freeman, ATL
AL Cy Young
1. Shane Bieber, CLE
2. Kenta Maeda, MIN
3. Dylan Bundy, LAA
NL Cy Young
1. Jacob deGrom, NYM
2. Yu Darvish, CHC
3. Trevor Bauer, CIN
AL Rookie of the Year
1. Luis Robert, CWS
2. Kyle Lewis, SEA
3. James Karinchak, CLE
NL Rookie of the Year
1. Jake Cronenworth, SD
2. Dustin May, LAD
3. Devin Williams, MIL
All stats courtesy of MLB.com and Baseball Reference unless otherwise noted.
.jpg?w=480 "MLB Farm System Rankings")
.png?w=600 "New NBA Mock Draft 📝")
.jpg?w=600 "Offseason Moves for Every Team 👉")
