It’s June and the usual suspects are cementing their names as among pennant chasers. The Dodgers, Braves, Yankees, and Brewers are all at the top of

the league again.

There are some newbies coming into their own as well. The Pirates are competitive as of the first week of June. And the White Sox would host a playoff game if the season ended today.

The pool of teams has been fun. We’ll see what changes over the course of the season heading toward the trade deadline.

1. Dodgers

Sometimes all it takes is one run.

Friday night saw Freddie Freeman blast a solo shot in the ninth, taking down the cross-town Angels to secure a 41st win for the Dodgers.

It kept the Dodgers rolling, who I might say, are on an absolute heater right now. They’ve only lost five games dating back to May 13, and have built a 7.5 game lead over the second-place Diamondbacks. They lead the majors in run differential (+134), OPS (.783), and ERA (3.03). The juggernaut continues to decimate the league.

2. Braves

Atlanta’s been knocked to number two on this list. But that says more about the Dodgers finally playing to their potential.

The Braves have done nothing wrong. They continue to rack up wins despite injuries. The club has a major league-leading 43 wins, has only lost multiple games in a row three times this season, and is pacing its way to its fifth NL East crown this decade.

With All-Star balloting also open, it’s also likely to see a cohort of Braves on the NL roster. Matt Olson has 17 homers and an .896 OPS, Drake Baldwin has a .303/.389/.543 slashline with 13 homers despite being out for almost a month now, and even Michael Harris II has bounced back to a .853 OPS this season.

3. Yankees

The Bombers got brutal news this week.

Aaron Judge is hitting the IL for four to six weeks with a fractured right rib. The 34-year-old looked poised to win his fourth MVP, holding a .907 OPS with 17 homers.

We’ll see if the Yankees can tread water without Judge. So far they’ve lost three of their last four games, and were unable to claw back in Friday’s 5-3 loss to Boston. Luckily for the Yanks, their schedule in June is manageable for the Judge-less roster. They face off against the Red Sox, Twins, White Sox, Blue Jays, Tigers, and Nationals for the majority of the month.

4. Brewers

Despite a slew of injuries, the Brew Crew keep pulling wins out of their back pocket.

The club is 38-23, holds +91 run differential, and has the best one-two punch in the league with Jacob Misiorowski and … Kyle Harrison?

Yep, the lefty who was traded for Rafael Devers to the Red Sox was actually an ace. Just turns out it took him going to the Brewers to unlock it. He’s pitching to a 1.57 ERA, 2.47 FIP, and is striking out 11.5 batters per nine.

Yeah. He’s nasty.

The lineup is also doing what it always does. Scoring runs off contributions through small ball. It’s also getting some serious thump from Jake Bauers, who leads the team with 10 homers and is posting an .858 OPS through Saturday. Jackson Chourio is also heating up, and is slugging .808 over his last seven games.

5. Rays

The past couple weeks I’ve given the Rays the respect they deserve. But I warned caution and cited last season’s June.

Well, even my clock is right twice a day. The Rays are 3-8 in their last 11 games. Including being swept by the Orioles in Baltimore, who were struggling to string together consistency.

Still, the Rays are 37-23 and are 1.5 games up on the Yankees for first in the AL East. There’s more than enough time to plug the holes. The offense has been hoisted by Junior Caminero, Jonathan Aranda, and Yandy Díaz. When those three don’t hit, Tampa loses.

The Rays have an interesting decision to make come July. Do they believe in this core? Because if so, they need to seriously tape this lineup. And even get a fifth starter. Nick Martinez has been good, but he imploded and allowed six earned runs in his last start against the Tigers.

6. Mariners

Eight-game winning streaks always play. Especially when missing Cal Raleigh in the lineup.

Seattle rode the streak to first in the AL West, and is finally starting to pull away in the division. Julio Rodríguez has caught fire after his annual slow start, and has done enough to win ball games behind a supporting staff of Randy Arozarena, Luke Raley, and Dominic Canzone.

This club, like most in the league, needs to start getting their fighters back. Brendan Donovan glued immediately, but hasn’t played since May 15. The aforementioned Raleigh hit the shelf after struggling in the first couple months of the season. And J.P. Crawford just hit the shelf after taking a pitch off his right hand from Framber Valdez.

7. Pirates

I’m starting this train early. Can the Pirates trade for Aroldis Chapman? The lefty closer is essentially on a one-year deal, and is mowing down hitters on the 27-win Red Sox.

It would reunite the lefty with the city of Pittsburgh, and give the 34-30 Pirates a legitimate closer in the ‘pen. The team is finally competitive and getting consistent offense. Imagine what Chapman would do for this roster.

Gregory Soto has pitched to a 2.86 ERA. And Evan Sisk to a 1.37 ERA. But the rest of the bullpen has been a hot mess.

8. Guardians

How about the man from Down Under?

Travis Bazzana has jolted the Guardians lineup, providing the lineup with another consistent bat. He’s slashing .288/.371/.472 and has 14 extra base hits in 34 games. The Aussie has been a must in this lineup filled with the inconsistencies of Kyle Manzardo and Chase DeLauter.

The pitching also continues to shove, mostly behind Gavin Williams and Parker Messick. The bullpen has also bounced back from a slow start, and has been rejuvenated by Colin Holderman.

9. Cubs

Remember earlier in the article when I mentioned the Dodgers have only lost five games since May 15? Well, the Cubs have only won six games since May 9. Yeah.

This club looked like a favorite to win the pennant earlier in the year. They held the best offense and run differential in the league at one point. They went on two separate 10-game winning streaks. Now, they’re just 33-31.

The rotation is the culprit for this team. It was already a question mark heading into the season, and injuries to Matthew Boyd and Cade Horton didn’t help. But the entire staff holds negative bWARs. Colin Rea leads the staff with a 4.59 ERA.

Of course a lot of the losses can be attributed to injury. And they’re still in wild-card contention. But even the Titanic didn’t sink this fast.

10. Cardinals

A 6-9 record over the last 15 doesn’t excite anyone. But if the season ended today, the Cardinals would finish as the top wild card in the NL.

Does that mean they’re playoff ready? I don’t know. But like most teams in the third wild-card era, they might be forced into premature buying. The club is young, has legitimate talent with JJ Wetherholt and Jordan Walker, and one big trade could position the club for a chance at the pennant.

They could also sell. Riley O’Brien would be a coveted closer come the July deadline. Same with JoJo Romero. Chaim Bloom has decisions to make.

Rest of the Field

11. Rangers
12. Phillies
13. Diamondbacks
14. Padres
15. White Sox
16. Nationals
17. Orioles
18. Reds
19. Athletics
20. Mets
21. Blue Jays
22. Twins
23. Red Sox
24. Marlins
25. Tigers
26. Astros
27. Royals
28. Angels
29. Giants
30. Rockies

Previous Rankings: W8 | W7 | W6 | W5 | W4 | W3 | W2 | W1 | OD

The post 2026 MLB Power Rankings: Week 10 Update appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The club has jumped to a 25-26 record, going 16-7 under their new skipper to put Philadelphia back in the playoff hunt. Sánchez has been an important cog in the machine, and is currently trying to make history for the Phillies.

After pitching eight scoreless innings Friday against Cleveland, Sánchez has increased his scoreless innings streak to 37 2/3 innings. He’s chasing Grover Alexander for the Phillies’ record of 41 innings.

Anways, let’s get into the rankings.

Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

1. Braves

As Sal Licata would say, “The NL East is over!!!”

But seriously, no joke, the Braves are running away with the division before the beginning of June. Last week the club went 5-2 and widened their lead over the Phillies to 10.5 games.

They’re 36-16 and hold a +105 run differential. Both first in the majors. They’re also getting healthier, despite the recent thumb injury to Ronald Acuña Jr.  In fact, through May 23, the only series they’ve lost this season is to the Seattle Mariners.

2. Dodgers

The Dodgers were never “flopping around” per se. But they’ve corrected the wild-card pace they were on and are back to dominating baseball.

They’re 7-3 in their last 10 games, are back in front of the Padres for first in the west by half a game, and recently got Mookie Betts back from his IL stint.

This team is positioned to separate from the rest of the pack. They still need more out of Kyle Tucker, who has put up a modest .740 OPS after signing his mega deal.

3. Yankees

Last week was the first test for the Yankees in division.

They hosted the Blue Jays for four games and promptly split the series. No issue. But Friday saw the first-place Rays come to town and rally for four runs in the eighth to knock off the Yankees.

Division play will be an emphasis for New York (AL) this season. We all remember their first-place tie and incredible finish at the end of 2025 with the Jays, but they went 5-8 against Toronto to lose the tiebreaker.

Well. The Yankees have quietly gone 10-11 in May and have lost five of their last seven. Yet despite trailing the Rays for the division right now, the club is first in the league in homers (74), third in OPS (.754), and fourth in ERA (3.30). They’re undeniably one of the best teams in baseball. They just have to win the important games.

4. Rays

Tampa Bay could easily be number one on this list. Hell, they’ve been the best team in baseball in May.

The club is 22-4 dating back to April 22. They’ve propelled themselves to first in the division after starting 12-11. And more impressively, they’ve done it against division rivals in the Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Orioles.

This team has proven it’s better than most of their competition in the division. They’re fifth in the league in ERA (3.54), tied for sixth in OPS (.725), and their +42 run differential is the second best in the AL.

Nick Martinez also continues to pitch like a Cy Young candidate. The right-hander scattered nine hits against the Yankees Friday and allowed just one earned run. His ERA is down to 1.51 through his first 10 starts.

A reason why the Rays aren’t higher on the list? I point back to last May and June of 2025. The club went 33-22 and had one of the best records in baseball. Then they nosedived. I’d like to see this club be consistent before knocking off the big dogs.

5. Brewers

Last week was almost perfect for Milwaukee.

They took two of three from the Twins, then obliterated their division foe Cubs in a three-game sweep. The Brew Crew outscored Chicago 19-5 in the three-game series, jumped them for first in the division, and then followed that up with a 5-1 win over the Dodgers Friday.

The regular-season warriors are back at it again. They’re 30-18, have a +79 run differential, and hold the league’s second-best ERA at 3.12. Christian Yelich also returned May 12 and has clubbed two homers in his last six games. This club is always exponentially better when Yelich is driving the ball in the lineup.

6. Cubs

What a rollercoaster ride it’s been for the Cubs this season.

They’ve had two 10-game winning streaks. But it’s been negated by their current six-game losing streak. And also their current stretch where they’re 2-10 in their last 12.

Their offense is always going to be the driving force. But when it’s not, the pitching hasn’t held up. They only scored five runs in three games against the Brewers. Their pitching folded in their series to the White Sox and allowed 22 runs in three games on the road.

The injuries have been awful. But this offense is so loaded one would expect it to find consistency soon. Everyone has an OPS+ above 100 except for Dansby Swanson, and even he’s clubbed seven homers this season.

7. Guardians

Everything is going right for Cleveland right now. Friday’s 1-0 win was an encapsulation of it.

The club got shut out over eight innings by Sanchez. The offense was dead. But then facing Jhoan Duran, Kyle Manzardo smoked a solo homer and the Guards’ pitching shut out the Phillies.

Cleveland’s riding a seven-game winning streak. Their pitching has allowed just 16 runs over their last seven games. Two of those series include facing strong lineups in the Reds and Phillies.

Brayan Rocchio‘s coming-out party has been a key factor in the team’s success as well. The 25-year-old has a 126 OPS+ through 51 games and a .376 OBP. That’ll play.

8. Pirates

A 2-5 week wasn’t ideal for Pittsburgh. Giving up 38 runs over those five losses also wasn’t ideal.

The pitching has faltered a little in May. And the club has fallen into last in the NL Central because of it. But the club is still 26-25 and holds a positive run differential of +22.

The one weakness of this team has been the bullpen. They’re 18th in the league in ERA (4.21) and have let a lot of games get away. Gregory Soto has been fantastic with his 2.31 ERA, but has been unreliable or abysmal. This club could really use some bullpen arms at the deadline. Or even David Bednar who they traded last deadline.

9. Cardinals

St. Louis continues to be the epitome of consistent.

They haven’t had a losing streak of more than three games. They’ve sprinkled in two winning streaks of five games plus. It’s a well-run ball club. Chaim Bloom has seriously turned this team around, and keeping Oli Marmol as the manager continues to pay dividends.

The youth movement also continues to provide. JJ Wetherholt has an OPS+ of 123, Jordan Walker‘s is 165, and Iván Herrera‘s is at 136. Heck, even the 95 OPS+ from Masyn Winn is acceptable.

The club is among the best six teams in the National League. They could really use starting rotation help if they want to push for higher aspirations this season. Dustin May, Matthew Liberatore, and Andre Pallante all have ERAs and FIPS around four.

10. Padres

San Diego is a conundrum.

Their offense is putrid. Seriously putrid. Only Gavin Sheets and Miguel Andujar have OPS+’s above league average. Jackson Merrill has an OPS of .595. Fernando Tatis Jr. has an OPS of .594 with only one homer.

Yet their pitching keeps them in games. It’s been their foundation. It’s been so good the team’s record is 30-20 and has the club only half a game back of the Dodgers.

This team has the star power and potential to be up there with the Yankees, Braves, and Dodgers. But something needs to change. Pitching doesn’t stay this good the whole season.

Rest of the Field

11. Mariners
12. Diamondbacks
13. Phillies
14. Rangers
15. Athletics
16. Reds
17. White Sox
18. Blue Jays
19. Nationals
20. Twins
21. Marlins
22. Mets
23. Red Sox
24. Royals
25. Tigers
26. Astros
27. Orioles
28. Rockies
29. Giants
30. Angels

Previous Rankings: W7 | W6 | W5 | W4 | W3 | W2 | W1 | OD

The post 2026 MLB Power Rankings: Week Eight Update appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Numerous teams have seen stars hit the injury list mid-way through May — and as a Mets website, you readers don’t need to be reminded of that.

The Tigers have seen players such as Tarik Skubal, Javier Baez, Kerry Carpenter, and Gleyber Torres go down, the Yankees have seen Max Fried, Jasson Dominguez, and José Caballero join Gerrit Cole on the IL, and then of course, we all know the Mets’ injuries.

But that’s just a small sample size. Every team’s injury list is loaded with major league talent. Ronald Acuña Jr. for the Braves. Jordan Westburg for the Orioles. Garrett Crochet for the Red Sox. Matthew Boyd and Cade Horton for the Cubs. Christian Yelich and Jacob Misiorowski for the Brewers. Really, it’s been bad. And if you have some extra time this weekend, click this link to get the entire list.

It’s even left its mark early on the standings and run differential. Only 10 teams have positive run differentials. Four of them are in the NL Central. A lot of teams are fighting to win games with B-level talent, and it seems whoever gets healthy first will be heading toward October.

Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

1. Braves

The theme of this week is injuries. And the Braves have been rolling despite some serious names on the shelf.

No Acuña. No Spencer Schwellenbach, Sean Murphy, Hurston Waldrep, and AJ Smith-Shawver either. Yet this team continues to roll through the majors with ease.

They entered Saturday as the only team to reach the 30-win mark, and have the best run differential in the league at +92. Last week also saw the Braves dominate two top-10 teams in the majors in the Dodgers and Cubs. They went 4-2 against their most potent threats for a pennant. The offense has been powered by Drake Baldwin and Matt Olson, but let’s give some flowers to Dominic Smith. It’s mid-May and the former Met is slashing .349/.376/.523 with four homers in 94 plate appearances.

2. Yankees

The Yanks got an injury scare on their road trip last week.

Fried was removed in a start in Baltimore, and it looked initially to be a serious injury to his elbow. Fortunately for the club, Fried’s injury was a bone bruise, and the lefty won’t miss serious time.

It’s a sigh of relief for the Yankees, who are getting Carlos Rodon back for a Saturday start against the Mets and Gerrit Cole back sooner than later.

Meanwhile, the aforementioned road trip has been nightmarish for the Yankees. They went 1-5 against the Brewers and struggling Orioles, but had a bounce-back win against the Mets Friday behind Cam Schlittler.

3. Dodgers

Last week was polarizing for the Dodgers.

First, they suffered a four-game losing streak in two series to the Braves and Giants. Then, they recovered and split the series with San Francisco en route to their current three-game winning streak.

The losing streak was the first real dip for the Dodgers, who enter Saturday 27-18 and are top-three in the majors in both OPS and ERA. Mookie Betts also returned Wednesday and promptly homered, offering the Dodgers some hope that Betts has recovered from his oblique injury.

Also yes, we all saw the Edwin Díaz news. Let’s carry on.

4. Cubs

Chicago was another top team that struggled last week.

They were shut out back-to-back games by the Rangers, featuring one game on the opposite side of a dominant Jacob deGrom start.

Then after dropping a series to the Braves, they salvaged the last game of the series and defeated the White Sox Friday 10-5 to get back in the win column.

This team looks like the dominant force in the NL Central and they’re starting to pull away. The offense continues to roll, and the rotation of Shota Imanaga, Edward Cabrera, and Jameson Taillon has been good enough to win them games. This rotation however is missing an ace.

5. Brewers

Remember when the Red Sox received Kyle Harrison from the Giants for Rafael Devers and we all laughed? We’ll, now he’s a Cy Young candidate for the Brewers.

The lefty is carving batters up, pitching to a 2.09 ERA with an 11.2 K/9 and 2.86 FIP through 38 2/3 innings. His 196 ERA+ is better than his teammate Misiorowski, and is a driving force for a Brewers rotation that fuels wins.

Brice Turang has also taken a step forward for the offense this season, posting a .418 OBP and .922 OPS entering Saturday. He’s been the big bopper in the lineup, which is missing Yelich due to injury. Also Gary Sánchez has a .796 OPS. I find that cool.

6. Rays

What a heater Tampa is on.

The Rays are 11-2 in the month of May, propelling them to first in the AL East behind stellar pitching. Nick Martinez and Shane McClanahan lead the roster in bWAR, and are two main factors in the team’s success.

The offense hasn’t produced much, but Jonathan Aranda, Junior Caminero, and Yandy Díaz have provided just enough to win games. It’s early, but with June approaching, this team could push some chips to acquire a bat for an October push. The AL’s weak and they could easily pitch their way to a World Series.

7. Pirates

You know what’s ironic? The Pirates finally put together a top-10 team OPS (7th) in the league and now their pitching has faltered. Yeah, funny.

The lineup has functioned fluidly to start the season and has led Pittsburgh to a 24-21 record. Brandon Lowe and Oneil Cruz have eclipsed double-digit homers before Memorial Day, Ryan O’Hearn has a .832 OPS, and Nick Gonzales is batting .313 with a 109 OPS+.

It should be more than enough to have the Pirates among the best in the NL. But outside Paul Skenes, the rest of the rotation has been average. Bubba Chandler entered Saturday with a 4.62 ERA before being blown up by the Phillies, Carmen Mlodzinski has posted a 4.40 ERA, and Mitch Keller and Braxton Ashcraft‘s ERAs are in the threes. Those last two are good, but not the extravagant numbers we expected from this crew.

8. Cardinals

We’ve highlighted Jordan Walker in previous rankings. But his coming-out party is official.

It’s mid-May and Walker is still dominating. He’s slashing .309/.382/.606 with 13 homers and an NL-leading 188 OPS+. The former first-round pick has charged an offense full of young talent, and has the Cardinals 26-18 entering Saturday.

This is another team that has the offense to roll, but not the rotation to cruise. Outside Michael McGreevy, the entire rotation has ERAs that start with four, and the bullpen has three arms that have already passed the 20-innings-pitched plateau. They need more arms before it collapses in the second half.

9. Mariners

Don’t think I forgot about our injury theme tonight. I was just waiting till we got to the Mariners to resume.

Seattle has had two brutal blows to their lineup this week. Cal Raleigh hit the IL with an oblique injury, leading to the team missing one of the biggest power threats in the game. Brendan Donovan was also scratched from the lineup before the Saturday game against the Padres.

Still, this team is one of the few with a positive run differential and is crawling back to .500. The lineup has gotten a jolt from Luke Raley, who has clubbed 10 homers and posted a .920 OPS through 40 games.

10. Guardians

Cleveland used last week’s series against the Angels to get right.

They swept the Halos, and used the momentum to get above .500 and enter Saturday with a 24-22 record. The pitching is still the winning factor for the Guards, and Parker Messick and Joey Cantillo have been studs in the rotation heading into May.

The offense has been a slog this season, but given enough to have the Guardians in first place. José Ramírez has underperformed to a .727 OPS, but does lead the league with 18 stolen bases. That’s something, right?

Rest of the Field

11. Padres
12. Reds
13. Athletics
14. Rangers
15. Orioles
16. Twins
17. Blue Jays
18. Phillies
19. White Sox
20. Diamondbacks
21. Nationals
22. Marlins
23. Mets
24. Red Sox
25. Royals
26. Tigers
27. Astros
28. Giants
29. Rockies
30. Angels

Previous Rankings: W6 | W5 | W4 | W3 | W2 | W1 | OD

The post 2026 MLB Power Rankings: Week Seven Update appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

That division through April looks like the real deal. Every single team is above .500 and chock full of talent. The Pirates have finally put together a competent offense behind their rotation, the Reds have finally developed a rotation behind their star-studded infield, the Cubs are mashing with newcomer Alex Bregman, the Brewers are still winning with infield singles, and the Cardinals are … good?

Yeah, the Cardinals are good. Way earlier than anyone anticipated. JJ Wetherholt looks like the steal of the draft at seventh overall, and enters Saturday’s games with a .824 OPS and seven homers through 32 games. Jordan Walker has also finally found his swing. The COVID draft pick was one of the top prospects in baseball, floated around for quite sometime, and in year four has a .308/.373/.583 slashline and 1.9 bWAR. For reference, Walker has never registered a season with positive bWAR.

The NL Central hasn’t been this loaded since 2015.

Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

1. Braves

Life is all about ebbs and flows. Well after a couple seasons of ebbing, the Braves are flowing.

They hold the best record in baseball at 23-10. They hold the best run differential at +63. They’re second to the Dodgers in team OPS (.789), second to the Yankees in homers (45), and second to none in runs scored (185).

The team is also clutch. Last week alone they saw dramatic, comeback wins. Matt Olson clubbed a walk-off two-run dinger against the Tigers in the ninth. Then Friday saw Atlanta claw back from an early 6-0 deficit against Colorado, capped off by a Michael Harris II go-ahead homer in the ninth.

Anyways, it’s May now. This is the last time I’ll play into the “Atlanta is back” card. They’re legit and look like the only team in the NL who can usurp the Dodgers.

2. Yankees

The Yankees are back in full force.

They had an eight-game winning streak stopped Wednesday via a 3-0 loss to the Rangers, but let’s not overreact — they’re 10-2 in their last 12 games.

And it’s all because of Ben Rice. No, really. This isn’t the first time we’ve highlighted the Dartmouth product either, because he’s still putting up AL MVP numbers into May. Entering Saturday, Rice is slashing .330/.441/.728 with 11 homers and 26 RBIs. His .728 slug and 220 OPS+ leads the majors. He’s the protection for Aaron Judge.

Then there’s the pitching. It still leads the majors with a 3.01 ERA without Gerrit Cole or Carlos Rodon, the latter who struck out eight in 5 1/3 Thursday in a rehab outing.

3. Dodgers

A three-game losing streak for the Dodgers? Looks like their reign of dominance is over.

Anways joking aside, it was an okay week for the Dodgers. They dropped a series to the Marlins for the first time since 2018, and left the bases loaded in the ninth Wednesday to drop the series finale 3-2. There’s nothing really new to highlight with the Dodgers.

We could highlight a good and bad for the club. Hyeseong Kim has quietly slashed .302/.375/.411 in 22 games for the club. That’s a positive with Mookie Betts injured. A negative? Kyle Tucker is batting .237 with a .693 OPS.

Imagine if Tucker had signed and performed like that in Queens? Helps when the fans are making TikToks all game.

4. Cubs

Judging the NL Central teams is incredibly hard right now. But the Cubs look like the frontrunner out of the five teams.

Sure, they’re in first right now. But that’s not why. They have the second-best run differential at +36, and have a loaded lineup of proven guys who have won. That’s no knock on the Brewers, but I’ll take a star-studded lineup over the Cleveland Guardians of the National League.

They did lose two of three in LA last weekend following a 10-game win streak, but Chicago has bounced back with three straight wins over the Padres and Diamondbacks. Mostly due to Seiya Suzuki leading the charge. He’s got a .965 OPS and five homers in 19 games. He’s come back from the WBC injury on fire and could earn himself a lot of money in his contract year.

5. Pirates

Pittsburgh had a horrid week. But not bad enough for me to drop them in the power rankings.

The Red Birds came to town and swept Paul Skenes and co. for four games. The pitching allowed 30 runs over the four games, and the offense produced only 18.

Still, there shouldn’t be concern for the offense or the lineup. They currently have six players with OPS+s over 100, including a 131 OPS+ from Bryan Reynolds through April. If that held, it would be the first time since 2018 the Pirates would finish with six above league-average hitters in their lineup. Last season they had just one.

Also can the Pirates get a closer? Dennis Santana was fun for the first couple weeks, but has stumbled as of late. A reliable, big-name reliever would transcend this team. Maybe a guy like David Bednar? Jokes guys, jokes.

6. Cardinals

From 23 to six. Maybe I don’t know ball.

The Cardinals dominated the Pirates last week, going on the road and taking all four games in the series. Wetherholt was the dominating force for the Red Birds, clubbing two homers and one against Skenes. He’s filled in nicely for Brendan Donovan.

Pay attention to St. Louis going forward. They’re a couple years ahead of schedule under Chaim Bloom, and could transform their team with a strong deadline. The young guys are hitting, and Alec Burleson is driving them in.

Also, for fantasy purposes, check to see if Riley O’Brien is on waivers in your league. The 31-year-old closer has a sparkling 1.17 ERA and is 8/8 in save opportunities.

7. Padres

The path is diverging for the Friars.

They sold their club and switched controlling ownership earlier Saturday, which doesn’t mean anything as of now due to the Padres being one of the league’s biggest spenders.

But that has nothing to do with their ranking on this list. Just important Padres news. The club is 19-12. Mason Miller had his scoreless streak snapped but is still perfect in the ninth. The offense, especially Fernando Tatis Jr., has been lackluster. But they still score enough runs to win.

They have the talent to be much higher on this list. And the record to be top-5. But they need Manny Machado (101 OPS+) and Jackson Merrill (67 OPS+) need to be better.

8. Brewers

I might be doing the same with the Brewers as I did with the Blue Jays last season.

I slept on them. Didn’t believe in them. Refused to rank them for awhile. But I’m getting ahead of the curve this season, and will begrudgingly rank them.

In a loaded NL Central, the Brewers are 17-14 and have the best run differential at +43. Their team leads the majors in stolen bases (38), is fifth in OBP in the majors (.338), and they have thumping bats like William Contreras in the middle of the order to drive guys in.

It’s the same formula every year. Get on base, move runners via bunts and stolen bases, and pray a couple guys hit enough homers to drive them in. It’s good enough to get the team on the list and make the playoffs. But I don’t believe it’ll ever be enough to hoist a World Series trophy.

9. Rays

How about another 19-12 team that nobody is paying attention to?

The Rays have hung around the Yankees for first in the AL East. A team that most, if not none, had better than the Orioles, Red Sox, and Blue Jays. They’re winning behind strong pitching (what’s new), and right now Nick Martinez is pitching to a 1.70 ERA through six starts. His career ERA before joining the Rays from the Reds was 4.16.

Along with Martinez is a healthy Shane McClanahan (3.10 ERA) and Drew Rasmussen (2.64 ERA). The rotation is back in full swing, and a lot of their arms could dominate in a playoff setting. We’ll just have to see if Junior Caminero, Yandy Díaz, and Jonathan Aranda is enough at the plate.

10. Rangers

Texas had a scare last week.

It looked like Brandon Nimmo had gotten injured in a game versus the Yankees, but after being pulled with a hamstring issue, the outfielder eventually jumped back in the lineup.

Losing Nimmo would have been disastrous for the Rangers. Despite registering a .690 OPS over his last 10 games, he leads the Rangers with a 150 OPS+ and is one of the main reasons they jumped out to a hot start.

The Rangers entered Saturday with a 16-16 record. Not great. But they’re second in the division and have a +9 run differential to lead the AL West.

Their pitching is also strong in name. MacKenzie Gore and Nathan Eovaldi have struggled to begin the year, but both have too much raw talent to register ERAs north of four. If they can get one of those guys to take a leap forward, it would help Jacob deGrom at the top with his 2.01 ERA.

Rest of the Field

11. Reds
12. Mariners
13. Diamondbacks
14. Guardians
15. Tigers
16. Blue Jays
17. Marlins
18. Athletics
19. Twins
20. Orioles
21. Phillies
22. Giants
23. White Sox
24. Royals
25. Astros
26. Red Sox
27. Nationals
28. Mets
29. Rockies
30. Angels

Previous Rankings: W4 | W3 | W2 | W1 | OD

The post 2026 MLB Power Rankings: Week Five Update appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Japanese slugger was the most sought-after foreign free agent, then statistics came out that he couldn’t hit velocity, and he had to settle for a two-year, $34 million contract with the White Sox. Well, Murakami is proving just about everyone wrong, and currently is tied with Yordan Alvarez for the major league lead in homers with 11. Oh, and he’s batting .273 with seven homers against fastballs.

It’s fun to highlight White Sox players, because they’ve often been at the bottom of these lists. Might as well mention Everson Pereira while we’re on the South Side too. The former Yankee prospect has a .908 OPS with a .357 OBP and three homers in 49 at-bats.

Other news around the league? The Phillies asked the Mets to politely hold their beer. Philadelphia enters Saturday on a 10-game losing streak, dropping to 8-18 on the season while being outscored 69-26 during the stretch. Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber have played like MVPs, but the remainder of the lineup has come up short. The Cubs have also been a benefactor of the Mets and Phillies struggles, as eight of the 22 combined losses between the two NL East rivals have come at the hands of the Cubbies.

Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

1. Dodgers

Are the Dodgers mortal? It sure looks like it over their last seven games.

In the last seven games, LA has gone 2-7 against the likes of the Giants, Rockies, and Cubs. Only one of the loses came against Chicago, with the meat of the stretch coming against two lesser rivals.

There’s still no reason to drop the Dodgers or panic. The club got an excellent performance Thursday from Tyler Glasnow, who punched out nine Giants over eight scoreless innings. The real culprit for their poor stretch is their lack of offense. The club has scored only eight runs over their last four games. Andy Pages has considerably cooled off during this seven-game blip, slashing just .120/.185/.160.

2. Braves

Atlanta is building its case as a World Series contender for 2026.

Did they have the talent to do it? Yeah, obviously. But injuries and underperformance has kept this club from Dodger-level good since 2023. Fast forward to now, and the Braves have built themselves a comfortable lead in the NL East before May.

They’re 9-1 in their last 10 games, which includes four wins over the floundering Phillies. Matt Olson has been the sparkplug for this offseason, and has seven homers, a .944 OPS, and a major league leading 11 doubles in 27 games. Then of course is the pitching, which continues to limit runs and enters Saturday tied for first in the majors in ERA (3.11). Oh, and here’s your weekly reminder that this is all without Spencer Strider and Spencer Schwellenbach.

3. Yankees

There was a reason I didn’t drop the Yankees too far last week. They have the talent, and will be OK.

Well since that decision, the Yanks have rattled off a seven-game winning streak, including a three-game sweep of the Red Sox in Boston.

So how have the Yankees dominated this past week. Easy. Pitching and Ben Rice. The lefty slugger from Massachusetts homered in four consecutive games dating back to last week, and has also slugged five homers in last eight games. I’m not joking, if the season ended today, Rice would be the American League MVP. He’s slashing .316/.450/.747 with nine homers and 20 RBIs. Rice is also second in the majors in slugging, OBP, OPS, fourth in homers, and 14th in batting average.

Then there’s the starting rotation. It dominated in Boston. Luis Gil pitched 6 1/3 scoreless Wednesday, Max Fried pitched eight scoreless innings with nine strikeouts Thursday, and Cam Schlittler allowed one run over eight innings Saturday. Entering Saturday, the Yankees are tied for the lead in ERA (3.11) in MLB.

4. Cubs

The Cubs might be ranked fourth, but they’re playing like the best team in baseball right now.

Chicago has ripped off a 10-game win streak, catapulting them to the top of the NL Central. Sure, nine of those ten wins have come against the Mets and Phillies, but it’s still a massive accomplishment. They even backed up the performance with a comeback win over the Dodgers Friday night, which saw Alex Bregman and Dansby Swanson club later homers to win 6-4.

During this stretch the offense has been torrential. They’re averaging 7.2 runs per game, and producing despite Pete Crow-Armstrong and Michael Busch being invisible. The rotation has also held up during this streak. Edward Cabrera and Shota Imanaga continue to shove and have ERAs under three, plus Javier Assad has looked good in his last two outings, allowing just one run in 6 2/3 combined innings.

5. Pirates

Did everyone see that Oneil Cruz homer off the top of the foul pole in Texas? If not, I give you permission to leave this article.

Seriously though, it’s could finally be the Cruz breakout season that fantasy experts have been waiting for. The lefty is slashing .271/.333/.542 with eight homers and five doubles. The slugging number in that slashline is the most important. The power was always going to be there for the 6’7 Cruz, the question was if he could translate it into in-game power. There were glimpses of it in 2024 when Cruz slugged .449, but April has been promising for the potential breakout candidate.

Of course there’s also the pitching. It’s the backbone of this team. It’s shockingly registered the third-lowest ERA (3.32) in the majors, and has led the Pirates to a 15-11 record and +26 run differential. There’s obviously the big names like Paul Skenes and Mitch Keller, but a breakout arm in the rotation has been Braxton Ashcraft. The 26-year-old has pitched to a 2.43 ERA in five starts, and is striking out 9.7 batters per nine.

6. Padres

San Diego was one of baseball’s hottest teams last week.

They swept a four-game series on the road against the Rockies, came home to sweep the Mariners to claim Eddie Vedder, then traveled to Anaheim to take a three-game series against the Angels.

Overall, the stretch saw the Padres go 9-1 in 10 games. Then earlier this week they won two of three against the Rockies at home. This run of course is aided by timely hitting and one of the best bullpens the sport has ever seen. Mason Miller is working on a 12 1/3 scoreless streak this season, and a 33 2/3 consecutive scoreless streak dating back to August 6 of last season. Another name everyone should learn is Bradgley Rodriguez. The righty has a 0.73 ERA in 12 1/3 innings and wears glasses. The latter makes him cool.

7. Rangers

Texas has been steady this season. They’re 13-13, have a +8 run differential, and are second in a weak AL West.

So why are they so high on this list? Well, the pitching has been elite. Coming into Saturday, they have the eighth-lowest ERA in the majors (3.86), propped up by a vintage Jacob deGrom (2.13 ERA) and young Kumar Rocker (3.48 ERA).

The offense has been middling, and took a hit two days ago when the Rangers placed Wyatt Langford on the 10-day IL with a flexor strain. At least Josh Jung seems to have found his stroke. The third baseman, who was a crucial piece for Texas during their 2023 World Series run, has an .877 OPS through 23 games.

8. Diamondbacks

The Snakes have jumped out to a 14-11 start. And it’s because of their… pitching?

Yeah, the rotation has held up a slow offensive start for the D-backs. Through their first five starts in the rotation, Eduardo Rodríguez has a 2.89 ERA, Michael Soroka has a 2.60 ERA, and Zac Gallen has a 3.51 ERA.

Yet, despite these stellar performances, the Diamondbacks have the 20th-lowest ERA in the majors. And outside Corbin Carroll, Ildemaro Vargas, and Geraldo Perdomo, the entire D-backs lineup is flopping around. In fact most of them have OPS+’s under 100. Still, there’s hope for many D-backs hitters to bounce back and power this team toward a wild-card spot. Especially Ketel Marte, who has a .694 OPS through his first 24 games.

9. Brewers

Brandon Woodruff this. Jacob Misiorowski that. How about Chad Patrick?

The 27-year-old has a 2.35 ERA in 23 innings, and leads a strong rotation in ERA. The aforementioned two starters have also been great. Woodruff has a 3.77 ERA in his comeback year, and Misiorowski leads starters with a 14.2 K/9 and has a 3.04 ERA.

Outside the pitching, the offense has mustered enough runs. Brice Turang has a .900 OPS entering Saturday and Garrett Mitchell has put up a more than respectable .804. Just imagine what the lineup will look like when Christian Yelich returns from the 10-day IL.

10. Twins

Well, the Twins have lost six of their last seven. That’s what I get for slotting them at five last week.

They got swept by the Reds, dropped a series to the Mets, and lost Friday 6-2 to the Rays. So why are they still here?

The lineup is strong, especially when this healthy. We always talk about Royce Lewis and his potential, Byron Buxton as a superstar when on the field, but let’s give some flowers to Ryan Jeffers. The catcher is one of the most underrated catchers in baseball, and has a .889 OPS entering Saturday. He’s had an OPS+ above 100 dating back to 2023, and hit a clutch grand slam Thursday in a loss to the Mets.

The major question mark will be the rotation. Joe Ryan allowed seven earned runs Thrusday to the Mets, but is usually among the best in the AL. Mick Abel is on the IL right now, but when he was pitching, he was striking out 10.2 batters per nine to go with his 3.98 ERA.

Rest of the Field

11. Marlins
12. Tigers
13. Orioles
14. Guardians
15. Reds
16. Mets
17. Rays
18. Phillies
19. Mariners
20. Athletics
21. Angels
22. Astros
23. Cardinals
24. Blue Jays
25. Giants
26. Red Sox
27. Royals
28. Nationals
29. Rockies
30. White Sox

Previous Rankings: W3 | W2 | W1 | OD

The post 2026 MLB Power Rankings: Week Four Update appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets and Yankees both struggled mightily last week, costing the Bombers a few spots on the top 10 and the Mets to fall off the list. The Amazins’ have dropped nine games in a row after starting 7-4 and fundamentally look like one of the worst teams in baseball. And the Yankees got swept by the Rays, split a series with the Angels, and survived the Royals Friday with a late homer from Ryan McMahon.

It’s been rough for two teams projected to be among the best in their leagues. But they’re not the only “power houses” struggling. The Mariners and Astros are both 8-13 after positive starts, the Phillies are 8-11 and are on a three-game losing streak, and the Tigers are 10-10 despite a positive run differential.

Instead, it’s been teams that were supposed to be bottom feeders dominating early. The Twins through three weeks especially have been undeniably good. So much so I put them on the list. The Angels have also been right there with Minnesota, surging thanks to a renaissance from Mike Trout in the Bronx last week.

All this is the long way of saying the list has gone through another metamorphosis. And will continue to throughout the first month or so of the season. Remember last year when the Braves were regulars in the top-10 till May?

Also, before we get into the list, I want to personally attribute a portion of this article to Garret Anderson. The all-time great passed away at 53 Friday, shocking the baseball world. On the field, Anderson holds the Angels franchise record for games played (2,013), total bases (3,743), extra-base hits (796), doubles (489), grand slams (8), and RBIs (1,292). Anderson was also a crucial piece for the Halos in 2002, helping the club win its first and only World Series. He passed away from a heart attack and is survived by his wife and three children.

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

1. Dodgers

We all knew the Dodgers were going to be insanely good. But it’s April 18, and the club still hasn’t lost to a National League team.

They swept the Mets last week behind dominant performances from Justin Wrobleski and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, then went to Colorado to play a snow game with the Rockies Friday. And yes, they won that game 7-1.

The usual suspects are dominating again, but I want to point out Dalton Rushing. The 25-year-old has scorched the baseball to begin the season, slashing .529/.556/1.353 with four homers in 17 at-bats. Yeah, you read that right. Four homers in 17 at-bats.

2. Braves

Atlanta is back in full force.

The club has started 13-7 in their first 20 games, getting production from their entire roster. Everyone in their lineup outside Michael Harris II has an OPS+ above 100. The pitching rotation features five arms with ERA+’s over 120, including Bryce Elder who leads the NL with a 0.77 ERA. The bullpen has four arms with ERAs in the ones. Oh they also lead baseball with a +53 run differential.

It’s been an incredible start for a team trying to bounce back from an injury-riddled 2025. And they’re still waiting for Spencer Strider and Spencer Schwellenbach to come back.

3. Pirates

Is placing the Pirates all the way to three aggressive? Yeah. But they have the firepower to stay.

Everybody knows about the treachorous staff the Pirates throw at the league, but the offense has finally clicked for Pittsburgh. The additions of Brandon Lowe (184 OPS+) and Ryan O’Hearn (149 OPS+) have infused runs into this lineup, Bryan Reynolds has bounced back from a mediocre 2025 with an .810 OPS, and Oneil Cruz is finally blossoming into a superstar with a .313/.382/.588 slashline, six homers, and nine stolen bases.

The offense has been steady. And the pitching staff led by Paul Skenes can carry this team through the ineviatable offense woes they go through later in the season.

4. Yankees

The media has been hyperfixated on the Mets. But the Yankees have been equally as bad.

They dropped a series to the Athletics at home, were swept by the Rays on the road, then returned to the Bronx to split a series with the Angels. All and all, they went 2-7 and endured a five game losing streak.

Still, the club stays this high on the list due to their underlying numbers. They’re 11-9 and are the only team in the AL East with a positive run differential. Max Fried and Cam Schlittler are carrying a despondent offense, which is really being carried by Ben Rice (1.205 OPS) and Aaron Judge (.929 OPS).

5. Twins

Minnesota? The Twins?

Yeah, in case you weren’t paying attention, the Twins are among the best teams in baseball right now. Trevor Larnach and company last weekend swept the Red Sox out of Minneapolis, including a game where they walloped Garrett Crochet for 10 earned runs.

It’s been a fun start for the Twins. And the decision to keep Joe Ryan may lead to a fun summer. The rotation is strong behind Ryan, which features a ressurgent Taj Bradley (1.25 ERA) and righty Mick Abel (3.98 ERA), who was one of the returns for closer Jhoan Duran.

6. Padres

Mason Miller. Korn. What else do you need?

Seriously, have you seen what Miller is doing. The flamethrower hasnt’ allowed a run in 9 1/3 innings, has a 22.2 K/9, and a -1.45 FIP. If the season ended today he would be the NL Cy Young winner.

Miller has spearheaded the best bullpen in baseball. Behind him are David Morgan, Bradgley Rodriguez, and Wandy Peralta, all who have ERAs under two. It’s been a winning formula for San Diego the past two seasons, and with the offense still finding its groove, the ‘pen has been the backbone for this 13-7 San Diego team.

7. Rangers

Jacob deGrom has a 2.21 ERA. Brandon Nimmo has a .313/.396/.538 slashline with four homers. The Mets must be good!

All joking aside, Nimmo and the pitching staff has led the Rangers out of the basement of the AL West. They’re 11-9, have a +17 run differential, and could make a run toward the division if their rotation stays healthy.

The Rangers have the fifth best team ERA in baseball (3.38), 12th best team OPS (.714), and seventh most homers (23). That’ll play.

8. Diamondbacks

Is Corbin Carroll the most underrated player in major league baseball?

I’m serious. With all the Shohei Ohtani hype around baseball, it’s easy to forget about the other superstars in the league. Carroll has quietly put up a .308/.395/.585 slashline with two homers, six doubles, and a major league leading three triples. He might win an MVP one day.

Him and José Fernández (122 OPS+) are carrying a cold D-Backs offense right now, which is getting bailed out Eduardo Rodríguez (1.96 ERA) and Michael Soroka (2.78 ERA).

9. Cubs

Chicago might be the hottest team in baseball right now.

They’ve scored 10 or more runs in three straight games, leading to a series win over the Phillies on the road and a win Friday over the Mets. Despite being in last in the NL Central, they have the best run differential among their rivals and second best expected record.

Nico Hoerner has been the biggest surprise this early season. He spent the offseason trying to improve his power output, which has led to three homers and a .973 OPS in 19 games. Hoerner has only clubbed seven homers the past two seasons. His career high was 10 in 2022.

10. Guardians

Cleveland has been trading wins and losses in the early season. Mostly due to their struggling ‘pen.

Coming into Saturday, the bullpen’s 5.55 ERA is 25th in baseball. It’s blown numerous leads already, including Friday where Shawn Armstrong and Erik Sabrowski blew a six scoreless inning outing from Tanner Bibee.

Fortunately for the Guardians, the offense and starting pitching has done enough to mitigate. José Ramírez is breaking out of a early, short slump and Angel Martínez has a 122 OPS+. Daniel Schneemann has also done a fantastic job, putting up video game numbers early (.313/.353/.563).

Rest of the Field

11. Brewers
12. Phillies
13. Mets
14. Mariners
15. Astros
16. Marlins
17. Orioles
18. Rays
19. Tigers
20. Angels
21. Reds
22. Athletics
23. Giants
24. Blue Jays
25. Red Sox
26. Cardinals
27. Royals
28. Nationals
29. Rockies
30. White Sox

Previous Rankings: W2 | W1 | OD

The post 2026 MLB Power Rankings: Week Three Update appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

After an unusual down year in 2025, the Braves have been imposing to begin the season. They’re 9-5, lead the majors in run differential (+40), and have spawned another promising prospect in Drake Baldwin. They’re back in full force, and despite injury to their rotation, it looks like they’ll be sticking around.

They’re atop the National League East, which appears to be the most talented division in baseball. The Marlins’ young hitters have arrived and are 8-6 without Kyle Stowers in their lineup, plus the Mets and Phillies are hovering around .500 despite undesirable starts. It’s going to be a dog fight between four teams this season, which doesn’t include the Nationals who have their own young superstars in James Wood and CJ Abrams.

It’s business as usual around the rest of the league. The Yankees are still a powerhouse, the Dodgers continue to bully teams, and the American League might be weaker than last season. Oh, and the Pirates are in first place in the NL Central. Weird.

William Navarro-Imagn Images

1. Dodgers

Yeah, they’re still number one.

The Dodgers lead the majors in OPS (.875), homers (25), and slugging (.506) early in the season, and are getting incredible production from Andy Pages. The 25-year-old enters Saturday with a major league-leading .449 batting average and an NL-leading 1.6 bWAR. He also entered Friday’s game with an NL-leading 22 hits, eight of which are extra-base hits.

The rest of the lineup is also flourishing. Freddie Freeman and Kyle Tucker have turned early woes around, the team has survived with Mookie Betts on the 10-day IL, and Max Muncy broke out Friday with a three-homer night. They won five games in a row before dropping Wednesday’s finale to the Blue Jays, and have a healthy +35 run differential.

2. Yankees

Will Ben Rice win the AL MVP? I’m not sure, but if the season ended today he’d have a case.

Rice is third in baseball in OPS, and second in slugging percentage and OBP. He’s been elite while others have not. Aaron Judge has a pedestrian .738 OPS, Trent Grisham hasn’t matched his 2025 form early, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. has struggled mightily, which he attributed to cold weather.

The real engine has been the pitching. The staff hasn’t slowed down after its historic start, and leads the AL with a team 2.50 ERA. The “worst” starter in the four-man rotation has been Will Warren, and he has a 3.07 ERA. Still, they need more offense. The club started 8-1. Now they’re 8-5.

3. Braves

Atlanta’s back! What? Didn’t you read the open?

The club is enjoying a resurgence, mostly due to catcher Baldwin. He’s slashing .328/.391/.621 with a major league-leading 15 homers and 16 RBIs. Matt Olson also hit his groove early, and a .982 OPS with four homers through 14 games.

Along with a strong offense is their MLB-best 2.25 ERA. Bryce Elder has started 2026 with 13 scoreless innings, Reynaldo López has a 1.15 ERA and some bruises in three starts, and Grant Holmes‘s ERA sits at 2.25 through three starts. Chris Sale‘s 3.94 ERA is the highest on the staff.

4. Mets

The Mets seemed to be treading water after losing Juan Soto.

The club took three of four from the Giants, then defeated the Diamondbacks to open a three-game set. Yet, despite initial positive signs from the offense, the Mets have lost three in a row. The offense has scored three runs over their last three games, and hasn’t scored in 17 straight innings.

Still, there isn’t much room for concern. Soto will return eventually, Jorge Polanco‘s Achilles seems fine for now, and the club is still 7-7 despite the offense being non-existent in the beginning of the season. Their pitching has been excellent and is sixth in the majors with a 3.26 ERA. It did take a hit when Clay Holmes left Friday’s game vs. the Athletics with a left hamstring injury, but the righty said post-game he’s optimistic he’ll make his next start.

5. Mariners

The M’s snapped a five-game losing streak with a 9-6 win over the Rangers Friday. Randy Arozarena clubbed a massive two-run homer in the fifth, giving the Mariners a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

The win and offensive outburst was much needed for Seattle. Their offense is going through their early woes, but a 5-9 record can be hard to claw your way back from. The only consistent bats have been trade acquisition Brendan Donovan and the 22-year-old Cole Young. Still, this team is loaded, and once the regulars get going, this team will prosper. There’s no reason for concern.

6. Marlins

The Marlins rebuild might be over.

The fish have started 2026 on the right foot, jumping to an 8-6 record and +11 run differential. They’re getting incredible offensive production from Xavier Edwards (1.016 OPS), Connor Norby (122 OPS+), and Otto Lopez (.836 OPS), plus the new guy Owen Caissie is slugging .583 with 12 runs batted in. The offense is rolling and they don’t even have Stowers healthy.

The one concern has been the pitching. Ironic, right? Sandy Alcantara has pitched to a vintage 0.74 ERA, but Janson Junk has the next best ERA at 3.09. The bullpen has also been abysmal. Every arm in the ‘pen has an ERA+ under 100 outside Andrew Nardi.

7. Guardians

José Ramírez has been uncharacteristically bad to start the year. He’s slashing .151/.250/.264 and only one homer through the first two weeks, leaving the offensive load to younger names.

Chase DeLauter has been the main cog, but other guys like offseason signee Rhys Hoskins have fit perfectly so far. Hoskins doesn’t have a homer yet, but his five doubles have been more than enough and he’s second on the team in OPS+.

The offense has started slow. But the Guardians have always won from great pitching, and it’s been no different in 2026. Gavin Williams, Parker Messick, and Joey Cantillo have been fantastic, so much so that it’s distracted from the sinking bullpen that’s normally among the best in baseball. But like the other teams ahead of the Guardians, I’ll say it’s early. Baseball is a marathon and I doubt Cade Smith will finish as one of the worst relievers in baseball.

8. Phillies

It’s been a poor start for the reigning NL East champs.

Their team .662 OPS is 21st in baseball, and outside a series with the Nationals, they’ve been manhandled in the first two weeks. They dropped a series to the Rangers and Giants, plus dropped Friday’s game to the Diamondbacks 5-4.

The offensive production from their infield may be the worst in baseball. Bryson Stott (.443 OPS) and Alec Bohm (.505 OPS) have been non-existent, and make up the middle of the Philadelphia order. Trea Turner also has been mediocre, and is slugging just .327 with 13 strikeouts in 13 games.

The one bright spot has been Cristopher Sanchez. He’ll be on NL Cy Young watch the whole season, and has a 1.65 ERA and 12.7 K/9 in 16 1/3 homerless innings.

9. Blue Jays

It’s never a great week when you get swept by the White Sox. No matter what part of the season you’re in.

But the Blue Jays sandwiched a series sweep with the Sox between a loss to the Rockies and two more to the Dodgers to suffer an early six-game losing streak. It was an offense that might have dropped them off the list if not for it being April, but it seems like the reigning AL champions have bounced back.

They survived the series finale against the Dodgers, then beat down on the Twins Friday 10-4 to get back to 6-7. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has put up an early .863 OPS, plus Kevin Gausman and Dylan Cease both have ERAs under three and are tied in the AL for the most strikeouts (26).

The only serious issue early for the Jays has been health. Both Addison Barger and Alejandro Kirk have hit the 10-day IL, Anthony Santander is nowhere to be found, and the five crucial arms started the season on the shelf. Cody Ponce was supposed to fill time with Trey Yesavage, José Berríos, and Shane Bieber all hurt, but now he’s on the 60-day IL and most likely will miss the remainder of the season. Yeah, not great.

10. Astros

Some might ask why a team that’s 6-8 and has a -2 run differential is on this list. Especially coming off a failed season in 2025.

Well, it’s because the Astros have quietly been one of the best offenses in baseball. Only two teams have OPSs over .800. That would be the Dodgers and Houston. The results are mostly due to Yordan Alvarez being healthy, and the full-time DH has a ridiculous .516 OBP and .750 slug through his first two weeks. Christian Walker has also hit his stride after a forgettable 2025, and is OPSing .994 with three homers as of Saturday.

Of course, not enough can be said about Cam Smith. The rookie got a cup of coffee last season, but has flourished in the first two weeks. He’s slashing .250/.357/.479 with three homers in 14 games, and is making the decision to trade Tucker look better every day.

Rest of the Field

11. Brewers
12. Cubs
13. Rangers
14. Padres
15. Orioles
16. Reds
17. Rays
18. Pirates
19. Diamondbacks
20. Twins
21. Giants
22. Red Sox
23. Nationals
24. Tigers
25. Cardinals
26. Royals
27. Angels
28. Rockies
29. Athletics
30. White Sox

Previous Rankings: W1 | OD

The post 2026 MLB Powering Rankings: Week Two Update appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

JJ Wetherholt has looked comfortable with St. Louis so far, taking his walks and holding second base defensively for a young and upcoming Cardinals team. Konnor Griffin signed a 9-year, $140 million extension at 19 and then promptly hit an RBI double in his first major league at-bat Friday, signaling a beacon of hope offensively for a Pittsburgh team already loaded with pitching.

Then of course there’s Chase DeLauter. MLB Pipeline’s No. 43 prospect has already clubbed five homers in seven games, putting up a .923 slugging percentage through 27 plate appearances. Safe to say he’s scorching hot, and could be another offensive weapon for Cleveland.

The young guys are rolling. And so is the rest of the majors. The Dodgers and Yankees are still elite, the Marlins look like a team that could fight their way into a regular top-10 team through seven games, and the Braves have also jumped to a 6-2 record with a healthy core.

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

1. Dodgers

The Dodgers started the 2026 season in classic fashion. They swept the Diamondbacks to open the year 3-0, lost a series to the Guardians thanks to DeLauter going nuclear, and then bounced back with by slaughtering the Nationals 13-6.

They’ve done all this despite slow starts from Mookie Betts, Will Smith, and Freddie Freeman. The pitching has been the leading factor for the club, with Roki Sasaki proving doubters wrong in his first start and Shohei Ohtani struck out six in six scoreless innings to start his season.

2. Yankees

The Bombers are poised to have another dominant season. But right now, it’s not because of the bats.

The pitching staff was historic in the first week of the season for the Yankees. They allowed just three runs over their first five games, matching the record set by the 1943 Cardinals, and through seven games have allowed just eight runs. Max Fried and Cam Schlittler haven’t allowed an earned run through two starts, and Will Warren has a 2.70 ERA and nine strikeouts in 10 innings.

This is not to say the offense has been lagging behind either. Ben Rice looks like another Brian Cashman gem, and Giancarlo Stanton has begun the season on a tear with three extra-base hits in 25 plate appearances.

3. Mariners

The M’s have started the season exchanging wins and loses, but there’s no cause for panic.

They ran into the Guardians for a four-game set to begin the year, resulting in an even split down the middle. Then they hosted the Yankees at home, where they dropped the final two games to lose the series.

Julio Rodriguez is having his usual slow start, batting just .100 coming into Saturday. Cal Raleigh has also fallen back to earth to begin 2026, and has already gotten a mental day off in the first week of the season. He’s still looking for his first homer, and has struck out 16 times in 29 at-bats. Both these two superstars will find their groove, and this team should dominate the American League West.

4. Blue Jays

The Jays’ new pieces in 2026 have clicked.

Jesús Sánchez and Kazuma Okamoto have both hit in their new homes, registering OPS+’s over 120 and combining for three homers. They’ve fit nicely with guys in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Andrés Giménez, and the offense has averaged over four runs a game.

The pitching has been hit or miss. Jeff Hoffman has blown a couple saves already, but neither led to losses and he still has a sparkling 1.93 ERA. The rest of the bullpen has been rough, and holds four seperate players with ERAs over 10.

The Jays also got some unfortunate news Saturday. Alejandro Kirk was placed on the 10-day injured list with a fractured left thumb, resulting in the Jays losing a key piece of their offense.

5. Mets

The Mets’ 2026 season started out bumpy.

The offense exploded for 11 runs Opening Day against Paul Skenes, but then went on to score 14 runs over their next six games. Guys like Bo Bichette and Marcus Semien haven’t hit yet, but showed signs of progression Friday. Francisco Lindor also has mitigated his usual slow starts by walking an NL-leading 10 times.

It also helps that the pitching has been reliable. Nolan McLean, Clay Holmes, and Kodai Senga have been a strong 1-2-3, and the bullpen hasn’t faltered for Carlos Mendoza.

The only thing looming over the Mets right now is Juan Soto‘s calf. He was pulled in the first inning Friday and is getting an MRI to see how serious the injury is.

6. Phillies

Will Brandon Marsh win the NL MVP? Probably not, but he’s playing like one in March.

And the Phillies have needed it, because their offense has been stale. Bryce Harper is slashing .179/.258/.429, Trea Turner has a .646 OPS, and Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott have both registered OPS+’s under 70.

The backbone early has been their elite pitching. Cristopher Sanchez has a 0.79 ERA through two starts, Andrew Painter struck out eight over 5 1/3 in his major league debut, and Aaron Nola has 16 strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings.

7. Guardians

Cleveland might have developed another superstar.

DeLauter was called up to begin the season, and he’s already mashing. The lefty has five homers in seven games, and is OPS’ing 1.293. He’s been a life preserver for the lineup which is struggling right now, as José Ramírez and Steven Kwan haven’t hit through the first week.

The starting rotation is also being leaned on early in the season. Gavin Williams has a 2.25 ERA through two starts, 25-year-old Parker Messick threw six scoreless to begin the season, and Joey Cantillo has punched out 11 over nine innings.

8. Braves

The Braves are healthy. And that should scare the league.

The club has gone 6-2 in their first eight games, powered by Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies, Drake Baldwin, Dominic Smith, and Mauricio Dubón, who all have OPSs over .900.

Chris Sale is also already in midseason form, pitching to a 0.75 ERA over two starts and leading a Braves rotation that has survived despite numerous injuries. The bullpen also looks like the best in the sport, with just four earned runs allowed in 28 1/3 innings.

9. Cubs

Chicago has started slowly, and continues to deal with injury.

Seiya Suzuki is still out due to his injury in the WBC, and the club had Cade Horton pulled with right forearm tightness Friday. Not great.

Still, they have the glue to survive and the talent to win. Nico Hoerner and Ian Happ have been carrying the freight for a lineup trying to find their swing, and Alex Bregman broke out of a funk with a couple homers against Washington.

We’ll see how the rotation holds up. Edward Cabrera was lights out in his debut and struck out five over six scoreless innings, and Matthew Boyd struck out 10 over 5 2/3 innings after a rough debut.

10. Orioles

Baltimore’s record isn’t at .500 to start the year, but there have been positive signs.

Adley Rutschman is slashing .294/.429/.529 to start the season, hopefully putting worrisome thoughts about the type of player he is to bed. Pete Alonso has also fit in nicely, homering off Jacob deGrom in the first series of the year.

Trevor Rogers is also repeating his bounce back 2025. The lefty has registered a 1.38 ERA in two starts, and has provided Birdland with a reliable ace, something the club hasn’t had since Corbin Burnes.

Rest of the Field

11. Red Sox
12. Astros
13. Padres
14. Rangers
15. Royals
16. Brewers
17. Tigers
18. Marlins
19. Giants
20. Pirates
21. Reds
22. Rays
23. Nationals
24. Cardinals
25. Diamondbacks
26. Twins
27. Athletics
28. Angels
29. White Sox
30. Rockies

Previous Rankings: OD

The post 2026 MLB Powering Rankings: Week 1 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

No 5. Washington Nationals

Ranking the Nationals at number five is likely the easiest part of this list. Since trading MacKenzie Gore, they do not have a single starting pitcher whose projections average out to less than a 4.15 ERA. Most of their starting pitchers project to end up in the mid-fours to low-fives in ERA. They also do not have a single starter who projects to throw more than 138 innings this year.

Foster Griffin, who spent the last two seasons pitching in Japan, projects the best with a 4.15 ERA and 1.283 WHIP across 138 innings pitched. In Japan, he pitched to a 2.57 ERA and 1.03 WHIP across two seasons, and while he pitched to a 1.52 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 2025, it was only across 89 innings. Outside of him, the most interesting name may be former top prospect Cade Cavalli, who pitched to a 4.25 ERA and 1.48 WHIP across 48.2 innings pitched in 2025.

After those two, it is a mix of Trevor Williams after he returns from internal brace elbow surgery, Josiah Gray when he returns from Tommy John surgery, Jake Irvin, Mitchell Parker, Brad Lord, Andrew Alvarez, Riley Cornelio, Luis Perales, and more. It is very much a pitching staff built on quantity over quality.

No. 4 Atlanta Braves

Losing Spencer Schwellenbach for an extended period, potentially the entire season, is a major blow to the Braves’ rotation. At the point of writing this, the Braves have not signed a replacement starter, meaning Bryce Elder, who pitched to a 5.59 ERA the last two seasons is projected to fill the bulk of Spencer’s innings. The Braves’ rotation is very top-heavy, very injury-prone, and contains very little depth. There is not much room for anything else to go wrong.

Their best case involves Chris Sale not getting injured for the first time since 2017, or at least missing minimal time, which he has only done once in that time span – his Cy Young-winning 2024 season. It also requires him to pitch the same at age 37 as he has the last two seasons. Spencer Strider, meanwhile, needs to take a step forward from his 4.45 ERA and 1.40 WHIP 2025 season and return to his former ace quality self. A year further removed from an internal brace surgery, the hope is that he will bounce back, but there are real concerns since his velocity was down significantly in 2025. If both Sale and Strider pitch to their potential, they are one of the best one-two punches in the game. The Braves also need Reynaldo López, who only pitched 5 innings in 2025, to pitch like he did in 2024 despite undergoing shoulder surgery. Hurston Waldrep needs to show that his 2025 performance in the majors was not a fluke after he was very inconsistent in Triple-A. Grant Holmes needs to perform closer to his 3.99 ERA than his 4.40 FIP. Most of all, they need to stay healthy and get as many innings from Schwellenbach as possible.

If all of that happens, they are at least a top-eight rotation. But the Braves have really no room for error. Sale has been a massive injury risk for almost a decade now and at age 37 that isn’t less of a risk. Spencer Strider did not rebound well from his elbow surgery in either results or under the hood. López has not pitched more than 25 starts since 2019 and is coming off shoulder surgery. Hurston Waldrep and Grant Holmes both have had elbow issues in the last two seasons. And their depth isElder, Martín Pérez, and Joey Wentz. Number 90 overall prospect JR Ritchie ended 2025 in Triple-A and could be a big factor in 2026 after a strong 59.2 innings to a 3.02 ERA in Triple-A. But one depth starter with upside may not be enough for this Braves rotation. Last year, the Braves had the 22nd-best ERA in the game and with Schwellenbach missing significant time it is easy to see a path where that happens again.

The Braves do not have the ceiling of the Marlins if everything goes right, and their floor is likely as low if enough goes wrong. Truly, they need another high-floor starter in this rotation to take Schwellenbach’s innings and could always add one before opening day. That would shift them above the Marlins. But as they currently stand today they are in fourth place.

No. 3 Miami Marlins

The Marlins had the opportunity to enter the season with one of the deepest rotations in baseball but traded away Edward Cabrera to the Cubs and Ryan Weathers to the Yankees. Still, a rotation of Sandy Alcantara, Eury Pérez, Braxton Garrett, Max Meyer, and Chris Paddack is nothing to scoff at. Top prospects Robby Snelling and Thomas White also will likely make an impact in 2026 while Janson Junk, Ryan Gusto and Adam Mazur provide additional depth. There is legitimate upside here. There are also plenty of question marks.

There is a path where the Marlins are the clear best rotation in the National League East. If Sandy looks like he did in the second half with his 3.33 ERA and 1.04 WHIP, he will be a strong anchor for the rotation. If former number 13 overall prospect Pérez, another year removed from Tommy John Surgery, pitches like he did in 2023 when he had a 3.15 ERA and 1.13 WHIP, he and Sandy would provide a dominant one-two punch. If Garrett looks like he did from 2022-2023 pre Tommy John surgery with a 3.63 ERA and 1.18 WHIP, he will be one of the best third starters in the game. If former number 57 prospect Meyer takes a step forward and hits his potential, he could be one of the best fourth starters in the game. If current No. 17 prospect White and No. 39 prospect Snelling hit the ground running as rookies, they can be rookie of the year candidates. If all that happens, they would be one of the best rotations in baseball. But how often does everything go right?

Alcantara pitched to a 5.36 ERA in 2025. Pérez pitched to a 4.25 ERA. Meyer pitched to a 4.73 ERA. Garret has pitched 37 innings since 2023, missing all of 2025 with Tommy John Surgery. Snelling and White are rookies who have yet to pitch in the majors. A lot can go wrong here, and a lot of innings could end up being thrown by Paddack, Junk, Gusto, and Mazur. Sandy could also pitch well and then get traded at the deadline, similar to Cabrera and Weathers before the season began. That is why their large quantity of upside is important here, and likely why they felt they could trade away Cabrera and Weathers for more offense.

While the ceiling is sky high for this rotation, the floor is very low and with that level of variance, it is hard to justify putting them higher than this. But Alcantara and Pérez at their best are not too far off from Sale and Strider as a one-two-punch and the rest of their rotation, including their depth, dwarfs the Braves, which is why they currently leapfrog them. But it is close and the Braves could always sign another starter to leapfrog back.

No. 2 New York Mets

There is an argument with their depth that the Mets have the best rotation in the National League East. They arguably have the deepest top nine starters in the division with Freddy Peralta, Nolan McLean, Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes, Kodai Senga, David Peterson, Tobias Myers, Jonah Tong, and Christian Scott. Like all the rotations, there is also some level of variance to this rotation.

The Mets saw a pitching collapse in 2025. Peterson fell apart down the stretch as he blew past his career high in innings. Manaea never seemed to pitch healthy and in his small sample vastly underperformed his metrics and pitched to a 5.64 ERA. Senga seemed to never fully recover from his hamstring issue and struggled so much in the second half that he was demoted to Triple-A. They lost Griffin Canning to an Achilles tendon tear. McLean was amazing, but will still be a rookie pitcher. But the Mets recognized this and are not running out the same pitching staff plus more innings from the young pitchers like McLean and Tong. Peralta greatly increases the floor of this rotation while Myers greatly increases its floor. They are better positioned to withstand injuries with Scott returning from an internal brace surgery. Jonah Tong got his cup of coffee in the majors after dominating the minors and will be available to take more starts if needed in 2026 than in 2025. Jonathan Pintaro is likely more suited for the bullpen but has interesting stuff, while Brandon Waddell and Justin Hagenman are fine at 10th and 11th in the depth chart. The true depth comes from the large number of quality prospect starters in the high minors. Ideally, the moves the Mets made and the increased depth from their pitching development will better prepare them for the worst-case scenario.

On the flip side, the Mets’ rotation ceiling is very high. Peralta pitched to a 2.70 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in 2025. After a July overhaul, McLean pitched in the majors to a 2.06 ERA and 1.04 WHIP across 48 innings and everything under the hood looked like borderline ace material. Manaea seemed to take a step forward in 2024, pitching to a 3.47 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. Holmes, in his first year as a starter, pitched 165.2 innings to a 3.53 ERA and 1.30 WHIP and could ideally take a step forward in 2026. Senga is a career 3.00 ERA and 1.25 WHIP starter and is determined to stay healthy. Heading into August 2025, Peterson had pitched to a 2.68 ERA and 1.27 WHIP with a 3.53 FIP across 242 innings between 2024 and 2025. Tong was the minor league pitcher of the year per Baseball America and is ranked as high as the 23rd best prospect in baseball heading into 2026. Scott was the number 88 prospect per Baseball Prospectus going into the 2024 season.

The Mets have the ceiling to be one of the best rotations in baseball and their floor should keep them comfortable in the top half even if things do go wrong.

No. 1 Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies have a lot riding on Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo staying healthy, but they are one of the best one-two punches in baseball when they are. Zack Wheeler could be a bit of a question mark coming off thoracic outlet syndrome surgery at age 36, but when healthy, he is one of the best pitchers in the game. If each of those three throws even 150 innings to their potentia,l they are a force to be reckoned with. It is after those three that things get murkier. Aaron Nola looked like a shell of himself in 2025, pitching to a 6.01 ERA and 4.58 FIP. He missed time with an ankle and rib injury, but even when he was on the field his stuff and velocity was not the same. The Phillies will need a bounce-back season from their 33-year-old starter. Taijuan Walker had a bit of a bounce back in 2025, pitching to a 4.08 ERA and 1.41 WHIP though he arguably overperformed his metrics doing so. He will likely spend a decent chunk of time in the rotation and will need to pitch closer to that ERA than his 5.07 FIP. Bryse Wilson, Alan Rangel, Jean Cabrera, and Yoniel Curet make up the bulk of their depth, but all project to have an ERA near 5.00.

The Phillies’ true wild card is Andrew Painter. Once the sixth-best prospect in baseball, his stock has been on the decline since he underwent Tommy John Surgery in 2023. In December of 2024, per Matt Gelbs of The Athletic, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski stated he expected Andrew Painter to join the rotation around July 2025. Even with injuries to Wheeler and Nola, Painter did not make it to the majors in 2025. He struggled heavily in 2025 in the minors with a 5.26 ERA, and 1.49 WHIP, and his stuff did not look close to what it did pre-surgery. A year removed, he could bounce back to become the frontline starter he was projected to be, but at the time of writing, he is very much a big question mark.

The Phillies also did not replace Ranger Suárez, who pitched 157.1 innings to a 3.20 ERA and 1.22 WHIP, which makes a breakout season from Painter even more of a necessity.

Ranking the Phillies number one could be argued as a legacy ranking, or faith that Dave Dombrowski will continue to figure things out as he has. On paper, the top three of the rotation if healthy, should make up for the potentially very rough backend and come the playoffs you really only need three true starters. But this rotation really has no room for anyone to get hurt. Across the last three seasons the Phillies have only had to utilize 15 total starting pitchers, which is tied with the Mariners for the least in baseball. This ranking is based heavily on continuing to be one of the healthiest rotations in baseball.

The post 2026 NL East Positional Rankings: Starting Rotation appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Position: RP B/T: R/R

Player Data: Age: 34 (01/31/1991)

2025 Traditional Stats: 73 G, 72 2/3 IP, 3.96 ERA, 1.183 WHIP, 6-3, 73 K, 33 BB

2025 Advanced Stats: 117 ERA+, 23.7% K%, 10.7% BB%, 3.45 xERA, 3.69 FIP, 4.59 xFIP, 0.9 fWAR, 0.9 bWAR

Rundown

Once a promising arm in the Rockies’ bullpen, Tyler Kinley endured a pair of disappointing seasons in 2023 and 2024. The 2025 season didn’t get off to the start Kinley hoped for, as he posted a 5.66 ERA and issued 27 walks in 47 2/3 innings. The 34-year-old’s tenure in Denver mercifully came to an end on July 30 when he was dealt to the Braves. He finished his Rockies career with a 5.05 ERA across six seasons.

Upon arriving in Atlanta, Kinley enjoyed the best stretch of his career, allowing just two earned runs over 25 innings (0.72 ERA), holding opponents to just a .126/.191/.172 batting line with just one home run. While Kinley’s strikeout rate dropped in Atlanta, he only issued six walks, giving him a solid 3.67 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Despite this resurgence, the Braves decided to decline their $5.5 million team option on Kinley, making him a free agent.

Kinley’s turnaround can be partially attributed to his batted-ball luck turning in his favor – his opponents had a .318 BABiP in 2023 and 2024, but that number dropped to .244 in 2025 – and a minuscule .156 after the trade to Atlanta. Kinley excelled at limiting hard contact – his 29.6% hard-hit rate ranked in the 100th percentile on Baseball Savant, and his average exit velocity of 87 miles per hour ranked in the 93rd percentile. While his opponents’ expected stats show he may have gotten a little lucky, his xBA, xSLG, xwOBA, and xwOBACON all dropped at least 25 points from 2024. Kinley’s 3.45 xERA and 3.69 FIP suggest he has some room to improve heading into 2026.

Kinley relied heavily on his slider in 2025, using it 64.3% of the time. His slider held opponents to a weak .194 batting average and .297 xSLG with a 33.3% whiff rate. The pitch registered a plus-12 run value, a huge improvement from its negative-1 mark in 2024. Kinley’s four-seam fastball was hit hard, but it showed some improvement from 2o24, with its whiff rate increasing from 11.7% to 14.3% and its xSLG dropping from .568 to .428. Kinley also mixed in a curveball, which produced excellent results, holding opponents to a .054 batting average with no extra-base hits and a .134 xSLG. Despite only being used 146 times, Kinley’s curveball registered a plus-3 run value.

Contract

It was very surprising to see Atlanta decline Kinley’s option, considering how effective he was after getting traded. It’s not unreasonable to think Kinley could receive more than the $5.5 million he would’ve been owed in 2026, but considering he’s about to turn 35 years old, he likely won’t get more than a one or two-year deal.

Recommendation: Worth Checking In

It couldn’t hurt for the Mets to add another arm to their bullpen. Even if Kinley’s numbers aren’t as spectacular as they were in Atlanta, he could provide some solid depth to a relief corps that struggled mightily to finish games in 2025. Kinley also has experience closing games, which could be helpful if Devin Williams or Luke Weaver ever need a breather. Unless Kinley’s asking price is unrealistic, the Mets should consider him for the bullpen.

The post Free Agent Profile: Tyler Kinley, RP appeared first on Metsmerized Online.