Featured in this week’s MLB Power Rankings, the streaking Blue Jays sweep the Yankees and take over the AL East, Brandon Woodruff has a triumphant return to the majors, the Mariners’ pitching staff is historically-stingy, Eury Pérez provides hope for the Marlins, and the Nationals hit the reset button.
(Please note these power rankings are a combination of current performance and long-term projected outlook)
Let’s get started!
Corbin Carroll’s return and José Ramírez’s slump further shake up the top 10 this week.
Note: Rankings are from the morning of Monday, July 7.
1) Detroit Tigers
Last week: 2
The Tigers had to scratch and claw their way to a series sweep of the downtrodden Guardians this weekend. After scoring just four runs combined across the first 27 innings of the series, the Tigers exploded for six runs in the 10th inning of Sunday’s victory. Detroit now boasts an MLB-best 13.5 game lead in the AL Central.
2) Houston Astros
Last week: 3
Capped off by a weekend sweep of the Dodgers in Los Angeles, the Astros have won 19 out of their last 24 games. Hunter Brown, who earned his first All-Star nod on Sunday, hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in a start since May 21.
3) Los Angeles Dodgers
Last week: 1
We had to put the Dodgers behind the Astros after the aforementioned sweep this weekend. Friday’s 18-1 loss was the Dodgers’ worst in the history of Dodger Stadium. Losing Max Muncy to a knee injury is a tough one, but Tyler Glasnow is expected to return on Wednesday against the Brewers and Blake Snell could return shortly after the All-Star break.
4) Chicago Cubs
Last week: 4
Seiya Suzuki was not named to the National League All-Star team on Sunday. This is where I’d usually add a Tim Robinson “You Sure About That?” gif, but we’ll let Suzuki’s 25th homer from Sunday Night Baseball do the talking here.
5) Philadelphia Phillies
Last week: 5
One day after Zack Wheeler delivered a one-hitter against the Reds, he was named to his third career All-Star team. With the midsummer classic taking place in his hometown, it makes all the sense in the world for him to get the starting nod.
6) Toronto Blue Jays
Last week: 13
What a difference a week makes. The Blue Jays were three back in the AL East to begin last week, but they swept the Yankees out of town and have extended their lead to three games in the division on the strength of their eight-game winning streak. George Springer has turned back the clock in a huge way of late, hitting .490 with six homers and 21 RBI over his last 13 games.
7) New York Mets
Last week: 10
The Mets have turned things around somewhat with series wins over the Brewers and the Yankees over the past week. They are down another starting pitcher (Paul Blackburn), but Sean Manaea is set to return this week and Kodai Senga isn’t far behind.
8) Milwaukee Brewers
Last week: 8
A huge day for the Brewers on Sunday, as Brandon Woodruff made his first start in majors in 652 days. Coming back from shoulder surgery, the 32-year-old allowed just two hits over six innings one-run ball (the lone run scoring on a solo homer) against the Marlins while posting eight strikeouts against zero walks. The Brewers have surprised again this season and they just got more dangerous.
9) New York Yankees
Last week: 6
Could Cody Bellinger’s shoestring catch and rocket throw from Sunday’s win over the Mets be the turning point of the Yankees’ season?
Maybe that’s hyperbole, but that’s as big as it gets for a team on a six-game losing streak who will have to get by without yet another starting pitcher.
10) Tampa Bay Rays
Last week: 7
After a slow start to the season, Yandy Díaz is looking like, well, Yandy Díaz. Only Tyler Freeman of the Rockies has a higher batting average than Diaz (.378) since the start of June.
11) San Diego Padres
Last week: 11
The Padres’ rotation is about to get a notable lift, as Yu Darvish is set to make his season debut Monday night against the Diamondbacks. Set to turn 39 years old next month, the veteran right-hander has been out all season due to right elbow inflammation. He was plenty effective between the regular season and playoffs last year, so the Padres are hopeful he can add some stability to a rotation which has been lacking it in the first half.
12) Seattle Mariners
Last week: 15
The Mariners are on the uptick once again after throwing three consecutive shutouts for the first time in franchise history during their series against the Pirates over the weekend. Just to put things in perspective, the Dodgers and Orioles have three shutouts all season. If the Mariners can add another bat before the trade deadline, look out.
13) San Francisco Giants
Last week: 12
The start of Willy Adames’ seven-year, $182 million contract has been a rough one, but he’s hit his stride of late with a .318/.400/.557 batting line along with six homers and 19 RBI over his last 25 games.
14) St. Louis Cardinals
Last week: 9
After getting swept by the Pirates and losing two out of three to the Cubs — including an 11-0 loss on Sunday and giving up a franchise record eight home runs on Friday — the Cardinals are entering a crucial stretch which will determine whether they will be a buyer or a seller at the trade deadline.
15) Cincinnati Reds
Last week: 14
The Reds have lost four out of their last six games, but there’s still momentum on their side, especially with Noelvi Marte and Graham Ashcraft coming off the IL this week. I originally planned to include Hunter Greene in this optimistic write-up, but he’s reportedly had a setback with his groin injury.
16) Boston Red Sox
Last week: 20
Alex Bregman was the oddest All-Star selection given that he hasn’t appeared in a game since May 23 due to a quad strain, but the good news for the Red Sox is that he could be back as soon as this weekend.
17) Texas Rangers
Last week: 16
Josh Jung was an All-Star as a rookie in 2021, but he appeared in just 46 games last season due to a wrist injury and found himself demoted to Triple-A last week after a prolonged slump. It was an unexpected move, but the Rangers are hoping that he can regain his confidence against minor league pitching and become the franchise cornerstone he once appeared on track to be.
18) Arizona Diamondbacks
Last week: 17
When it was initially reported that Corbin Carroll had a chip fracture in his wrist, it had the potential hallmarks of a long-term absence, but there he was with the Diamondbacks this past weekend after missing just a little over two weeks. That’s all well and good, but one wonders if the wrist will impact his offensive production moving forward.
19) Los Angeles Angels
Last week: 18
The Angels got swept by the red-hot Blue Jays this past weekend, which was all the more frustrating because all three losses were by one run, including two in extra innings. This is a team who has hovered around the .500 mark for long stretches this season, but just can’t seem to get over the hump.
20) Minnesota Twins
Last week: 22
Bailey Ober has been one of the biggest disappointments of the season for the Twins. After allowing seven runs in back-to-back starts, the Twins placed him on the injured list last week due to a hip impingement. The injury has been bothering him dating back to April, so the hope is that some downtime will enable him to return in the second half and resemble the pitcher he’s been in the past.
21) Kansas City Royals
Last week: 23
While the Royals are struggling to keep their heads above water, Bobby Witt Jr. is playing his best baseball of the season lately. He’s hit safely in 10 straight games and is slashing .349/.379/.590 with four homers, 12 RBI, and 19 runs scored over his last 20 games.
22) Atlanta Braves
Last week: 19
I’m getting the sense that this isn’t going to be the Braves’ year. In yet another blow, young right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach is dealing with an elbow fracture which puts the rest of his season in doubt.
23) Baltimore Orioles
Last week: 26
The Orioles took a lot of heat for trading Kyle Stowers (just named an All-Star) and Connor Norby to the Marlins for lefty Trevor Rogers last summer. And while there’s still plenty of reason to critique the Orioles’ decision-making over the past year, the 27-year-old has looked excellent over his last three starts with a 0.90 ERA and 15/5 K/BB ratio across 20 innings of work. Better late than never?
24) Miami Marlins
Last week: 24
Now that’s more like it. After scuffling out of this gate in his return from Tommy John surgery, Eury Pérez showed his ace potential last Thursday against the Twins by allowing just one hit over six scoreless frames with seven strikeouts and just one walk. If the Marlins are going to compete in the coming years, Pérez figures to be an important part of it.
25) Cleveland Guardians
Last week: 21
Losers of 10 straight games, the Guardians are sporting their first double-digit losing streak since 2012. Not only that, but they are just two losses away from tying the franchise record that was set in 1931.
26) Pittsburgh Pirates
Last week: 25
The talent doesn’t always match up with the results for Oneil Cruz, but then there are moments like this which remind you about the true athletic freak that he is.
27) Washington Nationals
Last week: 27
It’s a new era for the Nationals. The club made the surprising decision on Sunday to part ways with both manager Dave Martinez and general manager Mike Rizzo. Rizzo took over in 2009, when the team selected Stephen Strasburg No. 1 overall. They have the No. 1 pick again in the MLB Draft this coming Sunday, but this time it will be interim general manager Mike DeBartolo (formerly the assistant GM) making that all-important selection as they chart a new course for the franchise.
28) Athletics
Last week: 28
Denzel Clarke has made a habit out of highlight reel catches since his promotion to the majors, but here he is hitting one of the longest home runs of the 2025 season.
29) Chicago White Sox
Last week: 29
R.I.P. to Bobby Jenks, who died last week at the age of 44 following a battle with cancer. Jenks was a sensation upon his emergence in 2005 and was on the mound when the White Sox won the World Series later that fall.
30) Colorado Rockies
Last week: 30
Feel free to criticize the idea of every team getting an All-Star selection, but Hunter Goodman is a good story and deserving selection as a reserve. Far from a Coors Field creation, he actually has a .925 OPS on the road compared to a .765 OPS at home.
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