It’s all about the Chicago Cubs.
We highlighted the NL Central to start off the last power rankings, but the Cubs have been so hot, we have to go right back into the division.
The club has rattled off their second 10-game win streak of the season, and has a comfortable 3.5 game lead in the division. They’ve also won 15 consecutive home games, a record that broke their old streak that dated back to 1931.
Everyone is smashing the ball. Even old friend Michael Conforto in his limited role. The lefty didn’t just mash against the Mets back in April, he holds a .375/.480/.675 slashline and walked off the Reds with a pinch-hit homer last Monday.
Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
1. Braves
Atlanta’s week coming into Saturday wasn’t phenomenal.
They ran into the Mariners in Seattle and dropped two of three. Then they went to Los Angeles Friday and lost the opening game of the series to the Dodgers. Still, there’s no reason to knock the Braves down from No. 1 on the list.
The club started the week with a three-game sweep of the Rockies, and holds the best run differential in the majors (+77). Plus Matt Olson is flirting with an NL MVP bid heading into May, leading the NL with 15 doubles and 13 homers.
2. Yankees
Winning six of your last eight ain’t too shabby.
That’s what the Yankees did last week, before dropping Friday night’s game in a tough matchup against Jacob Misiorowski. The club keeps on rolling, still behind MVP play from Ben Rice. Entering Saturday, the lefty bat leads the majors in OBP (.442), slugging percentage (.732), OPS (1.174), and OPS+ 221.
They’ve also got an AL Cy Young Candidate in Cam Schlittler. The young flamethrower leads the majors with a 1.52 ERA and 1.74 FIP, and the AL with a 0.866 WHIP. The Yankees need to stop poaching talent from Massachusetts away from the Red Sox.
3. Cubs
Two 10-game winning streaks on May 9? Crazy, I know. But it’s true. The Cubs have achieved such a feat.
The first came against the Phillies and Mets amidst their ghoulish losing streaks in April. But this second streak has come against the Padres, Reds, and Rangers. The Cubs are beating up on talented teams, and they look like the real deal heading toward Memorial Day.
They’re 27-14, have a healthy +54 run differential, and are starting to separate from the other winning teams in the NL Central. Every batter in their lineup has dominated, and all but Alex Bregman (99 OPS+) has an above league-average OPS+. Just how we all drew it up.
Shota Imanaga has done some serious heavy lifting for the Cubbies as well. His 2.28 ERA and 2.82 FIP have carried a rotation that is decimated by injuries, which wasn’t a lock after the lefty struggled down the stretch in 2025.
4. Dodgers
The Dodgers are starting to put together consistent baseball at the right time.
The week started with a series loss on the road to the Cardinals, but the boys in blue bounced back with a series win in Houston and then a Friday night 3-1 victory over the Braves.
Andy Pages is proving his hot start wasn’t a phase, and leads the majors with a 2.6 bWAR. Max Muncy has also been an all-around stud and is slashing .279/.380/.541 with nine homers.
Also, I know the league is always lauding about Shohei Ohtani, but the two-way star is shining brighter than ever right now. The righty has a 0.97 ERA through six starts and has put up an .822 OPS at the plate, putting up a case for a potential fifth MVP award. It’s still May, but if this holds up, Ohtani could challenge Barry Bonds for most MVP awards before the end of his career (7).
5. Cardinals
St. Louis continues to be one of the most surprising teams in baseball this season.
They started the week with an impressive series win against the Dodgers, then followed it with a two-game split against the Brewers, and then two straight wins over the Padres on Thursday and Friday.
Sure, we’ve discussed the emergences of JJ Wetherholt and Jordan Walker, but I’d love to point out how great Michael McGreevy has been. The 2021 first-round pick has pitched to a 2.21 ERA in eight starts and has been the ace of a rotation that features four other arms with ERAs above four. This team is good, but it’s been elevated by McGreevy.
6. Rays
Tampa Bay carried a seven-game win streak into Friday, helping the club reach a 25-12 record.
It ended Friday when the Rays were shut out over seven innings by Connelly Early, but the club has kept pace with the red-hot Yankees entering May.
They’re only half a game behind the Yankees, and continue to manufacture enough runs to help their pitching staff. Junior Caminero and Jonathan Aranda have slugged 17 combined homers, providing the real thump in a lineup that has combined for just 14 homers.
It’s been enough for the trio of Nick Martinez, Shane McClanahan, and Drew Rasmussen, all who entered Saturday with ERAs below three. Former Oriole Bryan Baker has also been fantastic as the closer this season, and enters Saturday with a 2.45 ERA and nine saves.
7. Brewers
Misiorowski had a historic Friday night against the Yankees.
The righty threw seven fastballs in the first inning against the Yankees that touched 103 miles per hour, all which set the major league record for fastest pitch thrown by a starter. Yeah, you read that right. Misiorowski has the seven fastest pitches thrown by a starter, and he threw them all in the first inning.
Oh, he also threw six scoreless innings and struck out 11 batters. It led to the Brew Crew dominating the Yankees in a 6-0 win Friday, capping off a week that has seen them go 4-2 entering Saturday.
The Brewers are dangerous at 20-16, and hold the second-best run differential (+52) in the NL Central despite being in third. The club doesn’t hit homers, but seven of their starting nine players have OBPs over .300. That will absolutely play.
8. Pirates
Last week was great for Pittsburgh fans.
The club went into Cincinnati and swept the Reds, then traveled to Arizona and took two games from the D-backs.
Usually the club wins behind their pitching, but the offense has been rolling. Especially Konnor Griffin. The rookie of the year candidate is slashing .361/.439/.583 with a homer in last 10 games. Griffin looks like the real deal, and has supplemented this lineup of signed studs with a homegrown star.
9. Padres
A 3-5 record isn’t too impressive for a team trying to chase the Dodgers. But a 22-16 record and even run differential is impressive in a league full of under .500 teams.
The Friars haven’t been scoring much late, and that’s what’s caused this slide. They’ve scored just 24 runs over their last eight games, and ten of those runs came in one game. The Padres have also been shut out twice in that stretch, and scored one and two runs in two of the other five losses.
Everyone is underperforming. It doesn’t help that 33-year-old Xander Bogaerts is leading the lineup in OPS+ (120) and homers (seven).
10. Mariners
A 3-3 stretch and 19-20 record might disuade people from putting the M’s in the top-10. But the club belongs here.
Firstly, they’ve got the only positive run differential (+8) in the AL West. Second, their stars are starting to heat up after frigid starts.
Julio Rodríguez has a .993 OPS and four homers in his last 10 games. Randy Arozarena has a .847 OPS in his last 1o games. Emerson Hancock and George Kirby both have anchored the rotation with Logan Gilbert, Bryan Woo, and Luis Castillo getting off to poor Aprils.
There’s a lot to be excited about with the Mariners. And they have the talent to be much higher on these lists.
Rest of the Field
11. Guardians
12. Rangers
13. Tigers
14. Reds
15. Blue Jays
16. Royals
17. Marlins
18. Athletics
19. Diamondbacks
20. Orioles
21. Phillies
22. Nationals
23. Twins
24. White Sox
25. Mets
26. Red Sox
27. Astros
28. Giants
29. Rockies
30. Angels
Previous Rankings: W5 | W4 | W3 | W2 | W1 | OD
