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.

Baseball began Wednesday night with the Yankees defeating the Giants 7-0, kicking off an exciting 2026 season. The Dodgers still have a target on their heads coming off back-to-back World Series rings, and will look to be the first team to three-peat since the Yankees from 1998-2000.

Meanwhile, the other 29 teams will look to dethrone the champs, especially in the National League, which features a loaded resume of teams. The Mets, Phillies, and injury riddled Braves will compete for an NL East title, the Reds bolstered their roster by re-signing Eugenio Suarez to battle the Cubs and Brewers for the NL Central, and the Giants will have a full season of Rafael Devers to try and keep up with the Padres and Dodgers, who have mainly fought for the NL West the past two seasons.

Will anyone knock the Dodgers off? Probably not. They spent another offseason reloading their roster with All-Stars, signing Edwin Díaz away from the Mets and winning the arms race for Kyle Tucker. But if anyone in the NL can’t end their season prematurely, maybe the Yankees and Aaron Judge can in the American League.

Still, it’s too early to be talking about October. It’s March. And I know you all missed these absolutely, positively correct power rankings every week. This season, every article will include a link to the old power rankings at the bottom of the article. Let’s kick off 2026 with a fresh top-10.

Juan Soto
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

1. Dodgers

Until they’re dethroned, the champs are No. 1.

The Dodgers loaded up again to go for a third consecutive World Series. They signed the best closer in Díaz after their bullpen was suspect in the playoffs, and poached Tucker away from the Cubs, Yankees, and Mets in free agency to shore up their offensive hole in the outfield.

They’re incredibly talented, but also banged up. This, funnily enough, might be the only time they sit in first on the power rankings. Their strategy of coasting to a playoff spot, then attacking with a healthy roster in October has worked the last two seasons.

That being said, there are some questions surrounding the Dodgers. Is Mookie Betts going to bounce back from a .732 OPS in 2025? What does Freddie Freeman offer in his age-36 season? And can the rotation provide enough to survive a strong division that holds the Giants and Padres?

2. Blue Jays

I won’t lie. I incorrectly slept on the Blue Jays the entire 2025 season. I won’t make the same mistake twice.

This roster is loaded, and the front office bolstered it in the offseason. The Jays inked Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year, $60 million contract in the offseason, shoring up third base with a righty that OPS’d 1.014 with the Yomiuri Giants last season in Japan. They also signed power-throwing Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million deal to lead a strong rotation already headlined by Kevin Gausman and rookie Trey Yesavage.

The Jays are ready to make a push at another pennant. And with power in their lineup and rotation, they’re positioned to win a tough division that features the Yankees, Orioles, and Red Sox.

3. Mariners

Seattle quietly had an impressive offseason. They traded for Brendan Donovan from the Cardinals, a gap-to-gap lefty bat who will fit nicely in T-Mobile Park.

They also signed Josh Naylor, who they acquired at last year’s deadline, to play first again, spacing out their big right-handed bats in Julio Rodriguez and Randy Arozarena. The lineup is intimidating, even after losing Suarez and Jorge Polanco in free agency.

Of course, the talk of the roster is their loaded pitching. The lineup features four arms that could win the Cy Young. Take your pick against Logan Gilbert, Bryan Woo, Bryce Miller, or Luis Castillo, it most likely won’t end well. Then there’s the bullpen, which is anchored by the most underrated closer in the game: Andrés Muñoz. The flamethrower put up a 1.73 ERA and 38 saves in 62 1/3 innings, and has a cohort of strong options behind him in Matt Brash, Jose A. Ferrer, and Gabe Speier.

4. Phillies

Philadelphia is running it back with the same core for 2026. Which isn’t necessarily bad.

The club won 96 games last year and took home the NL East. They also re-signed Kyle Schwarber, who clubbed 56 homers last season and drove in 132 runs. So what is there to complain about?

The fan base will say this core hasn’t done anything since 2022. And that’s fair. But they did add Adolis García, who could return to his 2023 form, and will insert Justin Crawford into their lineup at center, the son of former major leaguer Carl Crawford who batted .334 with 49 stolen bases in Triple-A last season.

Additions were also made in the bullpen. Philadelphia signed Brad Keller, acquired Jonathan Bowlan from the Phillies, and will get a full season from Jhoan Duran and José Alvarado, the later who was suspended in 2025 for steroids. It has the potential to be the best ‘pen in the sport.

Pair that with a starting rotation that’s led by Cristopher Sanchez and Jesús Luzardo, and you’re in business. This team is good. World Series level good. Oh, and did I mention they’ll be adding Zack Wheeler and Andrew Painter at some point this season?

5. Yankees

The Bombers are poised to make a run at their 28th World Series title.

They’re the favorites again to win the AL, and it’s for a good reason. Judge is the best right-handed hitter of all-time (argue with a wall), and he’s backed up by household names in Cody Bellinger, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Giancarlo Stanton.

The narrative is the same as always with the Yanks. Health. Will Stanton play this season? Can Chisholm stay on the field? Can Bellinger and Trent Grisham play, and repeat their phenomenal 2025 seasons? If they can, they’ll push for the AL East title.

Pitching health will also be a storyline this season. Gerrit Cole is returning from Tommy John at 35, yet was sitting at 96 miles per hour Tuesday. If he can return, Cole has the juice to compete for a Cy Young. Luis Gil‘s return will also be massive for the Yankees, and give them much-needed depth. It’s reported the Yankees will begin the season with a four-man rotation, but a rotation that sends Max Fried and Cam Schlittler out will be fine to begin the first two weeks of the season.

6. Mets

The narrative of the Mets’ offseason was that they got worse. I disagree.

The lineup lost Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo, yes. But they added Polanco, Bo Bichette, and Luis Robert Jr. It’s deeper, and contact-oriented. Emphasis on contact-oriented. Too often last season, Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto would get on base, then jog back to the dugout after consecutive strikeouts to end the inning. It’s completely rethought. And they removed two players in their top four who swung and missed a lot.

Also, remember the rotation is set to be healthy in 2026, and features a true ace in Freddy Peralta. That takes pressure off rookie Nolan McLean to pitch like a No. 1, allows David Peterson to slot into the third spot and hopefully return to his 3.06 first-half ERA, and Kodai Senga to be a No. 4 starter with No. 1 stuff. It’s all in front of them.

Plus if it doesn’t work out, the rotation has depth. Sean Manaea is waiting in the wings, Tobias Myers has the potential to be a back-end guy, and Jonah Tong and Jack Wenninger are close to being major league starters. Last season, the rotation faltered. 2026 won’t see the same issue.

The fate of the season truly hangs on the bullpen. Is Devin Williams still among the best closers in baseball? Or did New York break him? And what are they going to get out of Luke Weaver? If one of those two arms don’t produce, this team’s in trouble.

7. Cubs

Give Chicago credit. The ownership has been blasted due to missing the playoffs since 2018 (COVID doesn’t count), and they added this offseason after an NLDS appearance in 2025.

The big signing was Alex Bregman. He’ll man third base and is coming off his third All-Star appearance in 2025, where he clubbed 18 homers and OPS’d .821 in 111 games with the Red Sox. Combine that with a loaded offense featuring Pete Crow-Armstrong, Seiya Suzuki, Nico Hoerner, and Michael Busch, and the Cubs are positioned to score more runs than in 2025 (793).

Don’t sleep on the rotation either. They traded for Edward Cabrera from the Marlins, who has always had the stuff to develop into a top-of-the-rotation arm. And even if he doesn’t, the rotation is top-heavy with Cade Horton, Shota Imanaga, and Matthew Boyd.

8. Red Sox

Boston has made moves the last couple of offseasons to build a championship team. Now, they’re ready to push for a pennant.

The young core of Roman Anthony, Wilyer Abreu, and Ceddanne Rafaela will be the cog that turns the wheel for the Red Sox, and veteran bats of Trevor Story, Jarren Duran, and Willson Contreras will carry the weight.

The rotation will also limit runs, headlined by Cy Young candidate Garrett Crochet and young-budding star Brayan Bello, and finished by veteran additions in Sonny Gray and Ranger Suarez. They’re talented, but find themselves in the toughest division in baseball.

9. Giants

San Francisco had a weird 2025. They went 81-81 despite a threatening roster, and missed the playoffs with an experienced manager in Bob Melvin.

I’m willing to bet on the 2026 Giants being a playoff-caliber team. The lineup is dangerous with Devers, Matt Chapman, Willy Adames, and Heliot Ramos, plus the additions of Harrison Bader and Luis Arraez should help lengthen it.

The rotation also is playoff caliber. Logan Webb is never talked about despite consistently pitching like an ace, and Robbie Ray made 32 starts last season and pitched to a 3.65 ERA. Round that out with Tyler Mahle and Adrian Houser, and this team has the arms to compete with the top teams in the West.

The bullpen is a little suspect compared to the All-Star names on the Padres and Dodgers 40-man rosters. Ryan Walker registered a 4.11 ERA last season and will be the closer heading into 2026. Plus, the Giants should do themselves a favor and call up Bryce Eldridge.

10. Royals

Kansas City finalizes the first top-10 of 2026. And it’s not hard to love them.

They’re led by the best shortstop in baseball in Bobby Witt Jr., and rounded out by other impressive infielders in Maikel Garcia and Vinnie Pasquantino.

It’s a scary top-three in the lineup. But the 4-6 are just as strong. Salvador Perez is coming off another 30-homer season, Jac Caglianone slashed .304/.448/.522 in spring, and Jonathan India provides a solid floor. Add in Carter Jensen as well, the Royals’ exciting top prospect.

The rotation also has a great floor. Seth Lugo looks to bounce back after an average 4.15 ERA and Cole Ragans is only one year removed from looking like an ace. The bullpen will also hold leads, primarily due to Carlos Estévez and Nick Mears, who was acquired from Milwaukee.

Rest of the Field

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

The post 2026 MLB Power Rankings: Opening Weekend 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.

The big news from Friday was that the Mets signed infielder Bo Bichette to a three-year, $126 million contract with opt-outs after Years 1 and 2. The news was first reported by Will Sammon of The Athletic.

Bichette is the Mets’ answer after losing the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes to the Dodgers. Bichette is a career .294 batter who hit .311/.357/.483/.840 with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs across 139 games last season. He is expected to play third base, a position he has never played before in the major leagues.

Not only did the Mets add a formidable bat to their lineup, but they potentially persuaded him from going to a vaunted division rival. Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Phillies agreed Thursday night to Bichette’s ask of a seven-year, $200 million contract, but the Mets came with an offer that would not be beat.

Photo Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

In a follow-up article for The Athletic after Bichette signed with the Mets, Will Sammon detailed the team’s preparation on the infielder that allowed them to pivot off of Tucker so quickly. Per Sammon, “The Mets’ talks with Bichette began at the GM meetings, league sources said. Not knowing what to make of their chances with Tucker, the Mets met with Bichette via video within the last week.”

Per Jon Heyman of MLB Network, the Mets are expected to play Brett Baty at multiple positions, including left field.

Per Sarah Langs of MLB Network, the Mets could become just the second team in the last 100 years to start two non-rookie infielders on Opening Day with one career game or fewer played at their position. This would occur if Bo Bichette starts at third and Jorge Polanco starts at first, positions that will be new for both players.

The Mets claimed infielder Tsung-Che Cheng off waivers from the Rays. Cheng has just seven career at-bats at the major league level, all of which came in 2025 with the Pirates. He spent most of the season in Triple-A with the Pirates, where he struggled mightily with a .578 OPS.

Mets prospect Ryan Clifford came in as MLB Pipeline‘s no. 5 first base prospect. Clifford had an .826 OPS and 29 home runs across Double-A and Triple-A in 2025.

Latest MLB News

The Phillies, who thought they were getting Bichette before the Mets swooped in, instead re-signed catcher J.T. Realmuto to a three-year, $45 million contract. Realmuto was once one of the best catchers in the game, but his numbers have trailed off the past few years. He had a .700 OPS in 134 games in 2025.

The Twins signed catcher Victor Caratini to a two-year, $14 million deal. Caratini spent the past two seasons with the Astros, where he performed well offensively. In 2025, he recorded a .728 OPS in 114 games.

Latest on MMO

In the latest MMO Roundtable, we react to Kyle Tucker signing with the Dodgers.

Jack Markowski discusses how Bo Bichette signing with the Mets will impact their lineup.

David Melendi details the latest rumors, including that the Mets might still be in on Cody Bellinger.

On This Date in Mets History

Born on This Date: Colin Poche (1994), Dario Álvarez (1989), Don Zimmer (1931).

The post Morning Briefing: Bo Bichette Nearly Had Agreement With Phillies appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Position: SP B/T: L/L

Player Data: Age: 30 (08/26/1995)

2025 Traditional Stats: 26 G, 157 1/3 IP, 3.20 ERA, 1.220 WHIP, 12-8, 151 K, 38 BB

2025 Advanced Stats: 137 ERA+, 23.2% K%, 5.8% BB%, 3.15 xERA, 3.21 FIP, 3.61 xFIP, 4.0 fWAR, 4.7 bWAR

Rundown

Ranger Suárez has been in the Phillies organization ever since he signed with them as an international free agent when he was 16 years old in 2012. He began his major league career mostly as a reliever, but transitioned to being a starter during his spectacular 2021 season. While he hasn’t quite reached the heights of his breakout season, Suárez has remained a steady contributor for the Phillies during their contention window.

In 2025, Suárez began the season on the injured list, but then he had his best season since becoming a full-time starter. He set career-best marks in strikeouts, ERA, ERA+, xERA, FIP, strikeout rate, walk rate, and fWAR. While he didn’t qualify for the ERA title, Suárez threw a career-high 157 1/3 innings, averaging over six innings per start. Suárez was strong in his lone outing of the postseason, too, tossing five innings of one-run ball and earning the win in Game 3 of the NLDS.

Suárez is far from a flamethrower – he averages a touch over 90 miles per hour on his fastball. However, he excels at generating weak contact, allowing an average exit velocity of just 86.5 mph (95th percentile in the majors) and a hard-hit of 31.1% (98th percentile). While his opponents’ batting average increased from .243 to .256, their BABiP jumped from .302 to .318 while their xBA dropped from .250 to .233.

Suárez uses a six-pitch mix – throwing a sinker, four-seamer, change-up, curveball, and cutter at least 14% of the time, while also occasionally mixing in a slider. His curveball and change-up graded as his best pitches – registering run values of plus-7 and plus-6, respectively. The curveball recorded a hard-hit rate of just 17.8% and an xSLG of .229, while the change-up had a whiff rate of 33% and a 22.5% hard-hit rate.

One knock against Suárez is that his performance appeared to weaken as the season progressed. He had a 1.99 ERA following his outing on July 5, but posted a pedestrian 4.37 mark through the rest of the season. However, his opponents had a .364 BABIP during that stretch, and he had a 3.38 FIP, suggesting he got rather unlucky. Perhaps this was just a reversal of fortunes from his early-season success – through July 5, Suárez had an opponents’ BABIP of .263 and an 86.6% strand rate, but that pristine strand rate dropped to 74% the rest of the season. Still, his overall strand rate of 79% represents the best mark of his career.

Contract

Suárez will command a hefty contract, as most pitchers do in free agency. He leads a pitching free agent class headlined by Framber Valdez and Michael King this offseason. Sean Manaea earned a three-year $75 million contract after the 2024 season, and he had a bit less of a track record than Suárez does currently. Suárez might not get an eight-year deal like fellow lefty Max Fried, but it’s reasonable to expect him to net a contract worth nine figures and an annual salary over $25 million. Spotrac projects that Suárez will receive a six-year contract worth $161 million.

Recommendation: Try to Sign

After the 2019 season, the Mets saw Zack Wheeler sign with the Phillies. Now, the Mets have a chance to enact some revenge. Suárez would fit in well at the front of the rotation alongside Nolan McLean and take some of the pressure off the budding ace who’s entering his first full season in the majors. The Mets struggled badly to get length from their starting pitchers in 2025 – McLean was the only starter to average six innings per outing, and he only made eight starts. Suárez would have ranked third on the team in innings pitched despite missing the first month of the season. Suárez also has an excellent postseason track record, owning a sparkling 1.48 ERA in 42 2/3 playoff innings. Not only would the Mets be poaching a player from a division rival, but they would be adding a player who could make a huge impact in an area of need.

The post Free Agent Profile: Ranger Suárez, SP appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are advancing to the NLCS after an 11-inning pitchers’ duel, as they narrowly defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1. Roki Sasaki shined with three perfect innings to hold the lead after Tyler Glasnow went six scoreless.

The game ended when Andy Pages hit a walk-off grounder to the pitcher, Orion Kerkering, who made a wild throw to home.

The NL East champions’ season has come to an end.

THE @DODGERS WALK IT OFF AND ARE #NLCS BOUND! pic.twitter.com/7GKwsscWkZ

— MLB (@MLB) October 10, 2025

The Dodgers will face either the Milwaukee Brewers or Chicago Cubs in the NLCS. Chicago won 6-0 to keep its season alive on Thursday.

There’s one game scheduled for Friday: a big Game 5 of the ALDS between the Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners. Tarik Skubal takes the mound for the Tigers against George Kirby at 8:08 p.m ET. Game 5 between the Cubs and Brewers will follow on Saturday.

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Latest Mets News

Pete Alonso and his wife Haley welcomed their first child, a baby boy, on Sept. 21!

Banana Ball is coming to NBT Bank Stadium for two games on Sept. 11-12, 2026, and fans can enter the ticket lottery by Oct. 31, 2025, at this link. Standard tickets start at $35, with Meet and Greet options from $100, and all tickets must be purchased through the official lottery.

Latest MLB News

The Nationals have parted ways with at least 12 members of their player development staff and four members of their international scouting department, according to a report from the Washington Post’s Andrew Golden and Spencer Nusbaum.

Per Chandler Rome of The Athletic, the Houston Astros have let go of hitting coaches Troy Snitker and Alex Cintrón, catching coach Michael Collins and two other staffers. Houston’s offense struggled in 2025, missing the playoffs for the first time in nine years. GM Dana Brown promised a full review of the team’s approach.

Former Red Sox outfielder Mike Greenwell has passed away at 62. Greenwell spent his entire 12-year career in Boston, earning two All-Star selections and helping the team reach the postseason four times. A lifetime .303 hitter, his standout year came in 1988 when he batted .325 with 22 home runs, 119 RBIs and finished second in AL MVP voting.

Latest on MMO

Christian De Block grades infielder Brett Baty‘s 2025 season.

On This Date in Mets History

1973: The Mets win the National League pennant for the second time in their team’s history.

2015: Chase Utley breaks Rubén Tejada‘s leg after sliding directly into him.

Born on This Date: Grover Powell (1940), Ramón Martínez (1972), Elvin Ramírez (1987), Fernanado Martínez (1988), Jeurys Familia (1989), Génesis Cabrera (1996).

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The Yanks and Tigers sent their division rivals packing, the best bullpen in the field lost in a three-game set at Wrigley Field to the Cubs, and the Dodgers won the most lopsided wild-card series this era of playoffs has ever seen.

Now, with both leagues kicking off their division series, the only thing left to do is rank the teams heading toward their pennants. Which team is the best? And which team did I slight? Read below to find out.

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

1. Phillies

Philadelphia has all the talent to go win a World Series. Now, it’s about executing.

A rotation of Cristopher Sanchez, Ranger Suarez, and Aaron Nola won’t be fun for any remaining offense in October, and if you don’t get those guys, then Jhoan Duran is waiting in the ninth.

The lineup is also potent. Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and Trea Turner at the top can do instantaneous damage, then the bottom is filled out with underrated players in Harrison Bader, Bryson Stott, and Brandon Marsh. If they get past their first test in the defending champ Dodgers, there won’t be much after to stop them.

2. Yankees

Cam Schlittler. That’s it, that’s the argument.

Joking aside, Schlittler emerging as an ace for the Yanks’ postseason push is exactly what this club needed. The righty helped put the Red Sox to bed, and will get another crack against a tough lineup in the Blue Jays.

Him, along with Max Fried and Carlos Rodón, are in contention with the Phillies for best rotation in the playoffs. And then of course, Aaron Judge and co. is the best lineup in the entire field of teams this postseason.

3. Cubs

Please don’t sleep on the Cubs this postseason.

The offense has guys all around, including a healthy Kyle Tucker and a hot Seiya Suzuki. They can put up runs against any pitching left on their schedule, which included tough opponents in the San Diego rotation and bullpen.

The major question will of course be the rotation, but even without Cade Horton for the NLDS, the bullpen proved it can play in the wild card series. If they can push runs on the board against the Brewers, the pitching should be able to hold off a team that relies on base hits rather than slug.

4. Mariners

It could be Seattle’s year in 2025.

They have the Big Dump. A dominant closer in Andrés Muñoz. And lineup 1-through-9 that can do damage while also playing stellar defense. As Aaron Boone and Carlos Mendoza would say, it’s all right in front of them.

It also benefits the Mariners that they have a pretty path to the pennant. They’ll get a Tigers team that struggled down the stretch in September and barely got past a Guardians’ team that had two above league average (OPS+) hitters, then one of the Yankees and Blue Jays, who might beat up on each other just to advance to the next round.

We’ll see how health impacts them. Bryan Woo is still out with a pectoral injury, and is in danger of missing the ALDS.

5. Dodgers

The Dodgers could easily be No. 1 on this list. But we all saw what’s holding them back in their wild-card series against the Reds.

The bullpen looked fraudulent in a short series against the Reds. So much so that it made Dave Roberts and us at home really think that the Reds could come back from six to seven-run deficits.

Now imagine that implosion against the Phillies. They might not survive. Luckily, they have uber-talented arms in Shohei Ohtani, Blake Snell, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the rotation to navigate the early innings, and then Roki Sasaki available in the later innings to fill the void of the bullpen.

And then of course there’s the offense. But I don’t think we need to highlight how insanely good they are.

6. Brewers

The Brew Crew might be the hardest team to rank this postseason.

They led the majors in wins. Looked dominant throughout the season as well. But the team doesn’t slug, and relies on station-to-station offense to put runs on the board. I’m not sure if that method will play in short series against top teams in the NL and AL, and I’m not sure you are all convinced either.

But if they can score runs, the pitching looks scary for another season. Freddy Peralta is as strong a game one starter as any team has, and a bullpen of Trevor Megill and Abner Uribe isn’t going to give up many runs.

7. Blue Jays

Everything this October for the Jays will depend on their rotation.

Will Kevin Gausman, Max Scherzer, Chris Bassitt, and Trey Yesavage all hold up in a series against the Bombers? I’m not sure. And if you’re a Mets fan like me, two of those names especially stick out.

On the other hand, the lineup is nothing to scoff at. It’s strong, and if the Jays get the playoff George Springer we’re all accustomed to, they’ll put pressure on other lineups to score.

8. Tigers

Detroit was an intriguing team in 2025.

They blew a massive division lead to the Guardians in the second half, just to knock them out of the playoffs in Cleveland to advance to Seattle. Baseball is a funny sport.

But in that wild-card series, the flaws of the Tigers stood out. The lineup strikes out a lot, and at times, you wonder if they’ll score runs. The bullpen also looked suspect, especially closer Will Vest,who had a moment in Game 3 where he almost blew a 6-1 lead.

Tarik Skubal looks like the only sure thing this team has going. After his bump day, anything and everything is possible.

The post MLB Postseason Power Rankings appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Unfortunately for most the readers involved, the penultimate day of the season will be filled with anxiety and potentially disappointment.

The Mets, who had the best record in baseball in mid-June, and the second wild card spot in August, are on the verge of completing their collapse. They are “tied” with the Reds entering Saturday’s affair with the Marlins, but need to finish one game better than the Reds to make the playoffs.

Detroit, however, is going through an even worse collapse. Perhaps the biggest in baseball history. On September 10, the Tigers held a 9.5-game lead over the Guardians for the division lead and looked bound for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Now, on September 27, they’re deadlocked with the Guardians at 86-74, and would be the third wild card if the season ended today.

That leaves the Astros as the team looking up in the American League playoff race. They’re one game behind the Tigers for the third wild card, and would need to win the last two games of the season and see one of the Tigers or Guardians lose the remaining two to secure a playoff spot.

Eric Canha-Imagn Images

1. Phillies

Losing Zack Wheeler for the season hasn’t slowed down the Phillies.

They’ve gone 16-7 in September, inserted Aaron Nola back into the rotation, and have pulled two within one game for the best record in the majors.

Nola shoved in Friday’s start against the Twins, punching out nine batters across eight innings of one-run ball. If they win the last two games and the Brewers are swept by the Reds, then they’d get home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

2. Yankees

The AL East might actually be within grasp for the Bombers.

They’ve won six consecutive games, backed by Aaron Judge‘s latest heater. He’s hit four homers in his seven games, and bolstered his case for MVP. And yes, he should win the MVP. Every number in Judge’s .330/.458/.687 slash line leads the league, including his 124 walks and 9.5 bWAR. He’s also clubbed 52 homers, driven in 111 RBIs, scored 135 runs and recorded 366 total bases (both second in MLB), despite missing 10 games. Yeah, I don’t really care that Cal Raleigh catches.

With Judge, along with Giancarlo Stanton, leading the way, the Yankees easily have a path to the division crown. Beat up on the Orioles two more times, and hope the Rays can win one of the final two games against the Blue Jays.

3. Brewers

The Brew Crew is about to get a big arm back heading into the postseason.

Trevor Megill is expected to come off the 15-day IL Sunday after hitting the shelf with a right flexor strain. Him, paired in the backend of the ‘pen with Abner Uribe, would lock down the scariest duo in the bullpen heading into October.

Till then, the Brewers are in a position where they would like to win a game this weekend over the Reds. Just one would give them home-field advantage throughout October and lock down the best record in baseball. They could achieve that with a loss by the Phillies, but they’re playing the Twins and that’s a big ask.

Jackson Chourio also made history in Friday’s 3-1 loss to the Reds. With his 20th stolen base, he is now the youngest player in major league history with multiple 20-20 seasons. The youngest before him was Mike Trout.

4. Dodgers

The Dodgers finally popped champagne last week.

Thursday’s win over the Diamondbacks secured the club’s fourth straight National League West title, their 12th in the last 13 seasons.

It’s been an incredible run for the defending champs, who seemingly haven’t even hit their full potential. They recently added Max Muncy, Roki Sasaki, and Blake Snell off the IL, adding to a team that struggled to a 91-win season as of Saturday morning.

Plus, with Mookie Betts back in form, this team could easily run the table for one final month of the season. They’ll start October with either the struggling Mets or average Reds, then get a crack against a strong Phillies team for five in the NLDS if they advance.

5. Blue Jays

Nathan Lukes played hero Friday night for the Jays.

Tied at two against a Rays team that has the Jays’ number this season, Lukes clubbed a two-run homer in the fifth to stave off Tampa. The win kept the Jays tied with the Yanks at 92-68 and atop the AL East.

Because they have the tiebreaker, all the Jays have to do to win their first AL East crown since 2015 is finish with the same record as the Yankees. They’ll have two more games against the Rays, including one Saturday where they’ll throw rookie Trey Yesavage. As of now, they have home-field advantage through the playoffs, but would lose it if the Yankees win the division or the Mariners (tiebreaker) finish with the same record.

6. Mariners

Seattle has been the best team in baseball the last calendar month. They’re 17-6 in September, but have gone 17-3 in their last 20 games. At one point in September, the Mariners and Astros were only separated by a game, but the M’s rode the elevator up and left the Astros in the lobby.

Cal Raleigh continues to club homers at a ridiculous pace, and became the first catcher to ever hit 60 homers in a season last week. He doubled last night in a 3-2 loss to the Dodgers, and has two more games to try and pass Aaron Judge (63) for the most homers ever hit in an AL season.

With their ridiculous pace of winning, the Mariners also bypassed the wild card round. They could take home-field advantage for the AL side of the playoffs, but they’d need to win two games against the Dodgers, and the Rays and Yankees would have to lose out.

7. Cubs

The Cubs got a massive win over the Cardinals.

Pete Crow-Armstrong homered to reach the 30-30 club in his age 23 season, helping the Cubs reach the 90-win mark to pull two games ahead of the Padres for home-field advantage in the wild card series. Crow-Armstrong also became the sixth player this season to record a 30-30 season, marking a new MLB record.

Friday also saw the return of Kyle Tucker to the lineup. The lefty went 1-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored. Getting a healthy Tucker back would be massive for the Cubs’ playoff push, along with Cade Horton, who hurt his back in his start against the Mets Tuesday.

8. Red Sox

Boston has climbed their way back into the top-10 for the final list of the season.

Despite trading away Rafael Devers, losing Alex Bregman for time in the middle of the season, and now Roman Anthony for a month, the Sox have clinched a playoff spot.

It came Friday with a wild win over the Tigers. Tied 3-3 in the ninth, Aroldis Chapman stranded a runner on third with only one out, and then Ceddanne Rafaela drove a ball off the wall in center to score Romy Gonzalez to win the game.

It was the 12th walk-off hit for the Red Sox this season, which is the most in the majors. They’ll go on the road for a wild-card series, but no one wants to face Garrett Crochet and Brayan Bello in a three-game series.

9. Padres

The Padres’ 7-4 win Friday kept them alive in the race for the top wild card spot.

Now two games behind the Cubs, the Padres could secure home-field advantage by completing a sweep over the Snakes, along with a two-game winning streak by the Cardinals to end the season.

Friday was also positive because it saw a good start from Yu Darvish. The veteran went five innings while allowing only two runs against a desperate D-backs team. A strong Darvish would be a positive for a Friars team that has struggled to find good, consistent rotation options.

10. Astros

Friday was an absolute blow to the Astros’ playoff hopes.

Tied 3-3 in the eighth, Mike Trout launched a go-ahead solo homer to take the lead for the Angels, eventually handing them a 4-3 loss. Now one game out of a playoff spot, the Astros are going to score board watch.

Luckily, the free-falling Tigers are only one game ahead of them, and face a tough Red Sox team in Boston. The Guardians also lost Friday 7-3 to the Rangers, leaving a second potential team to fall out of a spot for the Astros.

Houston will send AJ Blubaugh to the mound Saturday to keep their playoff hopes alive. If they lose today, the Astros will be eliminated from the playoffs, as they don’t hold the tiebreaker over the Tigers or Guardians. Luckily for Houston, they face a weaker Angels team

Rest of the field

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

The post MLB Power Rankings: Week 26 Update appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Phillies won their second consecutive National League East title Monday with an extra-innings win, the Brewers clinched a spot in October with a win Sunday that featured a made-up letter from Bob Uecker, and the Cubs also clinched a spot with their 88th win of the season Wednesday in Pittsburgh.

So far, these three NL teams have been the only clubs to clinch a spot in October. No team in the American League has the “x” marking their spot in the standings, mostly due to a competitive AL East, a falling Tigers team, and healthy group of middling teams with chances to mathematically rip off an unlikely trip to the dance.

But, we’re in the final run, and this is already our penultimate power rankings of the season. There will be heartbreak. And there will be magic. Just hope your team is in the latter.

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

1. Phillies

The city of Philadelphia partied Monday with a 6-5, division-clinching win over the Dodgers in L.A.

It marks the second straight season the Phillies have won the NL East, and another successful season under manager Rob Thompson. The team is dangerous; the offense made a statement with 15 runs over two wins in Los Angeles. This team also isn’t done yet, as they pursue the Brewers for the best record in baseball, along with home-field advantage throughout the entire playoffs.

Also, for a Mets spin on the Phillies, the fanbase should be rooting for the Phillies to secure the best record in baseball. The club went to Arizona for three games starting Friday night, where they took the first game 8-2. Let’s all root for a sweep.

2. Brewers

Milwaukee was one of three teams last week to clinch a playoff spot in October, which was another mark for a season dedicated to Uecker.

It even saw an emotional clubhouse and manager in Pat Murphy read a letter from Uecker, which was more a symbolic gesture. Still, the season has been spectacular, and like our last blurb for the Phillies, the Mets fan base should be rooting for a strong finish for Milwaukee.

The Brewers, who own the best record in baseball at 94-59 and run differential at +190, finish the season with the Padres and Reds. Both series could help the Mets secure a playoff spot, or even the second wild card with a poor finish by San Diego.

But, this is about the Brewers and how dominant they’ve been. Powered by a resurgent year of Christian Yelich and strong rotation of Freddy Peralta, Brandon Woodruff, and Quinn Priester, this club could easily go the distance. Even the loss of Trevor Rogers has been mitigated with the stellar pitching of Abner Uribe and his 1.77 ERA.

3. Dodgers

The Dodgers’ 2025 has been marred by lackluster performances and injury. But down the stretch in September, they’ve righted the ship.

Sure, they lost a series at home to the Phillies, basically ending a realistic chance at the top record in baseball, but they’ve won the games they’ve needed to win. Last week, the Dodgers went to San Francisco and won a series, then Friday night they followed it with a 2-1 win over the Giants at home.

They’ve managed to push the Giants away from a slim chance at the NL West, and also get healthy heading toward October. Yoshinobu Yamamoto sparkled Friday, striking out seven over 5 1/3 scoreless innings, and Blake Snell absolutely dominated the Phillies with 12 punchouts over seven scoreless innings. Factor in Mookie Betts slashing .335/.394/.548 with eight homers since August 5 coming into Friday’s game, and the Dodgers could remind everyone of their dominance over a three-week stretch in October.

4. Cubs

It should have been a celebratory week for the Cubs. They clinched a spot in the playoffs for the first time since the 2020 COVID season, and have a legitimate offense that could outscore the field.

Yet, Kyle Tucker — who’s been a major factor in that offense — plateaued in his recovery from a calf injury. The Cubs don’t know when Tucker will be back, and hope he’ll be a factor in the playoffs.

The news is a massive blow to the Cubs, who through June looked to be one of the highest scoring offenses in baseball history. But injuries to Tucker and others have slowed down the Cubs. It’s the number one reason they’re not in contention with the Brewers for the NL Central.

But, even if they don’t get Tucker back, look out for this Chicago offense. Pete Crow-Armstrong homered last week against the Pirates, and if he can get going, he’ll be a spark plug around other guys like Seiya Suzuki, Michael Busch, and Ian Happ.

5. Blue Jays

Buckle up Blue Jays fans. You’re in for a ride.

Last week was no means a terrible week for the Jays. They took a series from the Astros, swept the Orioles, then split a four-game series on the road against Tampa. Yet, they hold only a three-game lead over the Yankees with a tough schedule ahead.

They started their three-game set on the road in Kansas City with a 20-1 whopping, then after host the Red Sox, who are on the verge of being the third wild card team in the AL, and host the Rays for the final series, a team that they’re 3-7 against this season.

This is not to say the Blue Jays will blow the division by any means. They’re five on the rankings for a reason. George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. continue to drive in runs for the club, and Daulton Varsho has provided lineup depth ever since returning from injury. Losing Bo Bichette for the remainder of September is a brutal blow, but he’s eyeing the postseason, which the Jays are bound for.

6. Mariners

A 12-5 September? A 9-1 stretch in their last 10 games? What year is it? 1995?

All jokes aside, the Mariners have been the hottest team in baseball in the month of September. Which they needed after ending August and starting September with a 1-5 stretch.

Cal Raleigh also made history — again — last week by passing Mickey Mantle for the most homers in a season by a switch-hitter. The M’s catcher has also sparked the offense over this hot stretch, slashing .286/.429/.607 with five homers over his last 15 games.

It feels like we’ve all said “just get in” for this Mariners pitching staff and they could go on a run to the World Series. And this year, they might get their first AL West title since 2001.

They started their final series against the Astros with a bang, taking a 4-0 win on the road in Houston to take sole possession of first place. And if they can win the series, they’ll get a buffer against the Rockies for three, and then end the year with the Dodgers, who might play it safe heading into October.

7. Yankees

The schedule Gods have blessed the New York Yankees to end the season.

After taking a series in Boston from the Red Sox, then winning two of three from the Twins, the Yankees will end the season with nine games against the Orioles and White Sox.

As of now, they’re only three games behind the Blue Jays, and realistically could jump them for the division in the final series of the season. It’s also an opportunity for Aaron Judge to really put up some numbers and double down on his .327/.452/.673 slashline. Not that he needs to.

And while we’re on Judge, may I use this time to push the Judge MVP narrative? I have no horse in this race. I’m a blogger. And not a Yankees fan. But the man leads the majors in almost every offensive category. Just click on his name and you’ll see a lot of bolded numbers.

8. Padres

Last week wasn’t necessarily a bad week for the Friars.

They took a four-game set from the Rockies, then went into Citi Field and lost a three-game series to a Mets team that desperately needs to win. But, it wasn’t where they wanted to finish, and still trail the Dodgers by four games.

However, the cookie crumbled nicely for the Padres, who will get to face off against the White Sox this week. It’s an opportunity to beat up on one of the worst teams in baseball, and hope that the Giants beat up on the Dodgers. Then after that, the Padres will face a Brewers club — who by then will probably have clinched the NL Central — and a Diamondbacks team chasing them in the wild card race.

I’m not saying the Padres will make up four games with seven games left to play. But it’s not impossible.

9. Astros

Houston has navigated the injury bug all season long.

Firstly, they’re tied for first place in the division despite losing Yordan Alvarez for the majority of the year and Isaac Paredes for half of it. They’ve also had to rely on a rotation made up of Ryan Gusto, Colton Gordon, and Jason Alexander (no, not the one you’re thinking of).

Yet, here they are, smack in the middle of a race for the division title. One I might add that they haven’t lost since 2016. (Yes, the A’s won in 2020, but are we counting that?)

It was announced Paredes will come off the IL for Friday’s game, giving the Astros more oomph in their lineup for a final series against the Mariners. Houston dropped Friday’s game 4-0, but could easily bounce back for a series win. Whoever wins this series will likely take the division, as both teams came into Friday’s match-up with a 5-5 head-to-head record.

10. Tigers

The second-half Tigers have been brutal.

They’re 26-31 since the All-Star break, really powered by an 11-14 July and now a 5-11 September. As a result, they’re stuck at 85 wins, and a hot stretch by the Guardians and sweep at their hands last week has dwindled their lead in the AL Central to only two and a half games. 

To make matters worse, the Tigers face the Guardians in Cleveland for three games next week before heading to Boston to end the series. Detroit was in the driver’s seat for most the season, but it looks as if they’re starting to head off the trail. They’ll get to face a down-and-out Braves team, but Atlanta has talent, which they proved with a 10-1 win Friday over Detroit to extend their winning streak to six games.

Rest of the Field

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

The post MLB Power Rankings: Week 25 Update appeared first on Metsmerized Online.