Cody Christie

Image courtesy of Jon Endow-Imagn Images With the final week of August here, the MLB playoff picture is beginning to take shape. The final month of the regular season will feature several critical divisional matchups, with teams battling head-to-head for postseason positioning. With playoff spots on the line, it's time to separate the contenders from the pretenders as every game carries added weight. Third-order wins remain a useful tool for providing additional context when evaluating each team. Based on Clay Davenport's adjusted standings, the metric looks beyond a club's actual record by considering run differential, strength of schedule, and ballpark effects. It provides another perspective on how teams have performed and whether their records accurately represent their overall level of play. These Power Rankings place a greater emphasis on sustainable performance than short-term results. The arrows indicate which teams are gaining momentum, moving in the wrong direction, or maintaining their position as the regular season moves toward its most important stretch. With the postseason approaching, every win becomes more valuable, and the remaining weeks will determine which teams are ready to make a run in October and which will be watching from home. 1. Brewers — 82.1-47.8 (.632) Biggest Weekly Storyline: NL Cy Young frontrunner Jacob Misiorowski lowered his MLB-best ERA in a duel versus Chris Sale as the Brewers outlasted the Braves 2-1. He allowed no earned runs on four hits with six strikeouts to bring his ERA down to 1.68. 2. Dodgers — 80.4-49.5 (.619) Biggest Weekly Storyline: In the midst of the Dodgers’ four-game winning streak, center fielder Andy Pages broke his hand after being plunked by a 100 mph pitch. He’s expected to miss 4-5 weeks. 3. Yankees — 74.4-54.5 (.577) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Outfielder Giancarlo Stanton strained his left calf while running the bases as he is recovering from a strained right calf. His return to the Yankees this season is in doubt. 4. Red Sox — 73.0-55.9 (.566) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Sonny Gray and Tim Wakefield are the only Sox hurlers in the last 50 years to win at least 16 of their first 24 starts with Boston. On Friday, he moved to 16-4 with a 2.79 ERA this season. 5. Rays — 72.0-56.4 (.561) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Tampa Bay Rays, the city of Tampa and Hillsborough County reached an agreement on a $2.3 billion ballpark proposal located across from Raymond James Stadium. 6. Cubs — 72.8-57.1 (.560) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Shortstop Dansby Swanson is expected to miss 4-6 weeks due to oblique strain. There is a chance that he doesn’t return for the rest of the regular season. 7. Marlins — 72.2-57.8 (.555) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Miami has struggled versus teams with above .500 records. They have posted a 23-36 record when facing winning teams. 8. Pirates — 71.8-59.1 (.549) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Paul Skenes turned in another concerning start this week. He was removed after just 81 pitches after Pirates gave him extra rest leading into the appearance. 9. Tigers — 70.6-58.3 (.548) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Keider Montero had his most recent start pushed back because he isn’t recovering well enough to throw his bullpen sessions between starts. 10. Braves — 69.9-60.1 (.538) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Grant Holmes took a no-hitter into the 7th inning on Thursday as the Braves held the White Sox to one hit in a 2-0 win. 11. White Sox — 65.5-63.5 (.508) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Catcher Jake Rogers hit a tiebreaking two-run homer off Jefry Yan with two out in the ninth inning on Friday. Earlier in the game, Miguel Vargas, Randal Grichuk and Colson Montgomery hit back-to-back-to-back homers. 12. Phillies — 65.1-64.9 (.501) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Philadelphia trailed the Cardinals 4-0 on Sunday and had a 0.5% win probability. Kyle Schwarber capped the improbable comeback with a walk-off two-run homer for the club's ninth straight win. 13. Nationals — 65.4-65.6 (.499) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Catcher Keibert Ruiz has a career-high 107 wRC+ and has worked with new catching coach Bobby Wilson to turn into a slightly above average defensive catcher. 14. Padres — 64.7-65.3 (.498) Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Padres won their eighth straight home game on Saturday. The Padres have gone 45-17 in games when they record eight or more hits. 15. Blue Jays — 65.1-65.9 (.497) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: First baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was activated this weekend after being placed on the seven-day concussion injured list. 16. Orioles — 65.1-66.9 (.493) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Pete Alonso stirred up a new technology controversy with a near home run that was ruled foul. Some are calling for MLB to fix fair-foul technology for critical plays. 17. Diamondbacks — 64.1-65.9 (.493) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Many were concerned for Ketel Marte after he didn't show up during the Diamondbacks' Monday night game despite being in the lineup. He was moved to the injured list, and this past week, he was seen liking a post on Instagram saying that he no longer wanted to play for the Diamondbacks 18. Guardians — 63.1-66.9 (.485) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Rookie Travis Bazzana tied a career high with four hits on Friday night. For the season, he has a 101 OPS+, a 1.7 rWAR, and 18 steals. 19. Cardinals — 63.1-67.9 (.482) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Cardinals had a six-run rally in the 9th that led to a comeback win. Jordan Walker had the biggest knock with a three-run homer. 20. Mets — 62.6-67.4 (.482) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Right fielder Carson Benge adjusted his stance at the end of April. He has a slugging percentage of .453 since May 1, which puts him in the top 50 among qualified hitters. 21. Mariners — 61.5-68.5 (.473) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: On Saturday, Seattle called up their top pitching prospect Kade Anderson to face the Cubs. He pitched 5 2/3 innings while allowing three runs on five hits with five strikeouts and two walks. 22. Giants — 60.6-68.4 (.470) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Infielder Rafael Devers got booed by Red Sox fans in his first game at Fenway Park since being traded to the Giants. He quieted the crowd a little by hitting a homer. 23. Twins — 60.0-70.0 (.462) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Minnesota completed a three-game sweep of the Braves on Wednesday. It moved the Twins into the AL’s final Wild Card spot. 24. Rangers — 60.0-70.1 (.461) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Jacob deGrom collected his 2,000th career strikeout. He became the second fastest pitcher in MLB history to reach the milestone by both games and innings pitched. 25. Angels — 59.2-70.8 (.455) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Shortstop Zach Neto had a career-high five hits and seven RBIs, tying Freddie Patek for the most RBIs in a game by an Angels shortstop while going a triple shy of the cycle. 26. Astros — 58.4-71.7 (.449) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Shortstop Jeremy Pena missed multiple games this week. He suffered a right-hand contusion after being hit by a 100 mph pitch. 27. Royals — 56.8-74.3 (.433) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Despite a disappointing season, general manager J.J. Picollo told reporters that he didn't expect any "wholesale changes" to the coaching staff this winter. 28. Reds — 54.5-75.6 (.419) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Outfielder Dane Myers missed a routine putout in left-center field that would have ended the game. Instead, Myers dropped the final out, and the Cardinals scored the game-tying and go-ahead runs in a crazy ninth inning. 29. Rockies — 49.0-80.1 (.380) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Kyle Freeman left his most recent start after clutching his back in the fourth inning. The Rockies broadcast later announced that Freeland departed due to neck tightness. 30. Athletics — 47.3-82.8 (.364) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Shortstop Jacob Wilson is expected to miss the remainder of the season due to a left shoulder injury. Wilson dislocated his left shoulder in May and has dealt with the injury, and several others, ever since. What storylines stood out this week? Do you agree with the rankings above? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of David Dermer-Imagn Images Even in the middle of August, there are still plenty of unanswered questions surrounding the AL and NL Wild Card races. The standings remain tightly packed, and one hot week of baseball could dramatically change the postseason picture for several clubs. With the regular season entering its final stretch, every series presents another opportunity for a contender to gain ground, separate itself from the pack, or fall out of the race entirely. Third-order wins remain a useful tool for providing additional context when evaluating each team. Based on Clay Davenport's adjusted standings, the metric looks beyond a club's actual record by considering run differential, strength of schedule, and ballpark effects. It provides another perspective on how teams have performed and whether their records accurately represent their overall level of play. These Power Rankings place a greater emphasis on sustainable performance than short-term results. The arrows indicate which teams are gaining momentum, moving in the wrong direction, or maintaining their position as the regular season moves toward its most important stretch. With fewer games left on the schedule, every win becomes more valuable, and teams will soon find out whether they have enough to reach the postseason and make an impact once October arrives. 1. Brewers — 77.8-47.1 (.623) Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Brewers took three of four over the weekend from the Dodgers. Jacob Misiorowski had his Cy Young moment, pitching six innings and allowing one run with six strikeouts and a walk. 2. Dodgers — 77.1-47.8 (.617) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Blake Snell made a victorious return to the Dodgers with 10 Ks in six innings after three months on the IL. He had missed time with loose bodies in his pitching elbow. 3. Rays — 71.2-51.8 (.579) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Rays won nine straight road games, and are the second team in MLB history with a West Coast trip of that kind. Tampa Bay joined the 1977 Boston Red Sox team that accomplished the same feat. 4. Yankees — 71.7-52.2 (.579) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Outfielder Aaron Judge played catch for the first time as he rehabs from a broken rib. His return date is still unclear as he hasn’t played since May 31. 5. Red Sox — 68.9-51.2 (.574) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: MLB announced that the Red Sox and Royals will play in next year’s Field of Dreams Game. The game is scheduled for Thursday, August 12, 2027. 6. Cubs — 69.6-55.4 (.557) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Clay Holmes looked at home in his second Wrigley Field start. He retired the first 16 batters he faced and finished with one hit allowed over 6 2/3 innings. 7. Tigers — 68.3-55.6 (.551) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: On Friday, the Tigers shut out the Guardians without throwing a strikeout. It was the first time a team had done that in 12 years. 8. Pirates — 69.1-56.8 (.549) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Something isn’t right with starter Paul Skenes. In his latest start, Skenes' four-seam fastball velocity dipped to a career single-game low of 95.7 mph. 9. Braves — 67.3-56.7 (.543) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Chris Sale is one seven pitchers since 1920 to post a 2.20 ERA or better through the first 22 starts of their age 37 or older season. The others are Spud Chandler (1946), Dutch Leonard (1948), Kevin Brown (2003), Roger Clemens (2005), Max Scherzer (2022) and Justin Verlander (2022). 10. Marlins — 63.4-55.1 (.535) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Sandy Alcantara's career-best scoreless run ended at 25 2/3 innings in a 1-0 Marlins loss on Friday. 11. White Sox — 62.8-60.2 (.511) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: White Sox pitcher Davis Martin was ejected after airmailing back-to-back pitches and hitting Sal Stewart in a loss to the Reds. Cincinnati rallied after the benches-clearing hit-by-pitch. 12. Diamondbacks — 63.0-62.0 (.504) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Infielder Ketel Marte is day-to-day after leaving a win over the Braves with left knee soreness. The team said the knee has been bothering Marte since earlier this month. 13. Blue Jays — 60.1-60.0 (.500) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: First baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was placed on the seven-day concussion injured list. He exited Friday's game after colliding with Yankees shortstop George Lombard Jr. while sliding into third base. 14. Padres — 61.6-63.4 (.493) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Padres have stormed back into playoff contention. On Friday, San Diego overcame a three-run deficit to win their sixth straight. 15. Phillies — 61.3-63.7 (.490) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Kyle Schwarber hit two home runs to help lift the Phillies over the Twins in MLB’s annual Field of Dreams Game. 16. Mariners — 61.1-63.9 (.489) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: On Thursday, starter Logan Gilbert pitched six strong innings as the Mariners stopped a 6-game skid. He held the Yankees to four hits in his fifth scoreless start this season. 17. Nationals — 60.0-63.2 (.487) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Nationals announced on Friday that they are going to phase C.J. Abrams out as their starting shortstop, as he will become the team's starting second baseman instead. 18. Orioles — 60.3-63.7 (.486) Biggest Weekly Storyline: On Friday, the Orioles dropped Gunnar Henderson in the lineup because of poor performance. He responded with a four-hit effort in a win over Tampa. 19. Mets — 60.3-64.7 (.482) Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Mets placed closer Devin Williams on the injured list with shoulder strain. Since joining New York, he has a 4.66 ERA and a 1.66 WHIP with 16 saves in 19 opportunities. 20. Astros — 57.2-61.7 (.481) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Houston's Christian Walker smacked a walk-off three-run homer with two outs in the 10th inning to cap a wild Astros comeback. 21. Guardians — 60.1-64.9 (.481) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: In 18 games since coming back from a hamate bone procedure, infielder Jose Ramirez was hitting just .197 with a .530 OPS. Perhaps a more troubling sign is he hadn't recorded an extra-base hit over that time. 22. Cardinals — 59.5-64.5 (.480) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Cardinals prospect Joshua Baez homered in his first three big-league at-bats. He’s the first player ever to hit three homers in his debut. 23. Twins — 56.9-61.8 (.479) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Outfielder Byron Buxton returned to the Twins lineup for Thursday night’s Field of Dreams Game. He last played on July 28 due to a right hip impingement. 24. Giants — 58.9-65.1 (.475) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Infielder Matt Chapman is out for the year after undergoing surgery to repair a hernia and core muscle tear on Tuesday. 25. Rangers — 57.5-67.6 (.460) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Jacob deGrom left his most recent start with right triceps fatigue and will undergo an MRI. He has been dealing with a left hip and glute injury since the All-Star break. 26. Angels — 55.6-69.4 (.445) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Los Angeles fired pitching coach Mike Maddux and two others on his staff (Darryl Scott, Dom Chiti). The Angels organization is a mess. 27. Reds — 52.4-70.6 (.426) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Hunter Greene underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery and will be out for 2027. He also had reconstructive surgery on his right elbow in 2018 while in the minors. 28. Royals — 52.6-72.5 (.420) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Catcher Salvador Perez continues to deal with a bothersome elbow. He left a game earlier this week after being hit by a pitch, and it’s the same elbow that cost him two games in July. 29. Rockies — 47.5-76.7 (.382) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Kyle Freeman pitched eight innings of one-run ball on Friday. He struck out two and walked one. 30. Athletics — 45.9-78.2 (.370) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Jeff McNeil stayed red hot and nearly hit for the cycle. On Friday, he finished 4-for-5 with three RBI, including the go-ahead home run, as the Athletics snapped a three-game slide. What storylines stood out this week? Do you agree with the rankings above? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

With the calendar turning deeper into August, the margin for error continues to shrink across Major League Baseball. Every series carries greater significance as division leaders attempt to create separation, Wild Card hopefuls battle for positioning, and struggling clubs watch their postseason odds fade with each passing day. There is still time for teams to make a push, but opportunities to dramatically alter the standings are becoming increasingly limited. Third-order wins continue to provide valuable context when evaluating each team. Based on Clay Davenport's adjusted standings, the metric looks beyond a club's actual record by factoring in run differential, strength of schedule, and ballpark effects. It offers another way to determine how teams have truly performed and whether their records accurately reflect their level of play. These Power Rankings emphasize sustainable performance over short-term results. The arrows highlight which teams are trending upward, slipping backward, or holding steady as the regular season enters its decisive stretch. With fewer games remaining and every win carrying greater weight, clubs must prove they have what it takes to either secure a postseason berth or make a meaningful October run. 1. Brewers — 73.3-43.6 (.627) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Jacob Misiorowski reached 200 strikeouts on Sunday, the second fastest to do it in MLB history (129 1/3 IP). In 2023, Spencer Strider of the Braves did it in six fewer frames. 2. Dodgers — 72.2-44.7 (.618) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Tarik Skubal made his Dodger debut and posted a 60% strike rate, his lowest total in four years. He went six innings and allowed two earned runs on four hits. 3. Yankees — 68.3-48.6 (.584) Biggest Weekly Storyline: New York’s top prospect George Lombard Jr. drilled a home run for first career hit in his MLB debut. 4. Rays — 66.9-49.1 (.577) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Newly acquired starter Freddy Peralta had a disastrous first start for Tampa. In 3 1/3 innings, he allowed seven earned runs on nine hits with three strikeouts and one walk. 5. Tigers — 66.5-50.4 (.569) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: On Thursday, Dillon Dingler homered for the third straight game and finished with three hits and three RBIs. It helped Detroit win for the fifth time in six games. 6. Cubs — 66.1-51.9 (.560) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong is starting to get some steam for NL MVP. On Wednesday, he smashed two homers and tallied 10 total bases to take down the Dodgers. 7. Red Sox — 64.8-51.2 (.559) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Red Sox rallied five different times to beat the White Sox one of baseball’s craziest games of the season. Caleb Durbin’s walk-off single in the 13th inning capped a wild finish. 8. Pirates — 65.9-53.0 (.554) Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Pirates cut ties with veteran slugger Marcell Ozuna after a nightmarish slump. He hit just .203 with eight home runs and 29 RBIs in 70 games. 9. Braves — 64.7-52.3 (.553) Biggest Weekly Storyline: A Marlins' outfield collision (between Heriberto Hernández and Esteury Ruiz) caused a deflection that gave Ronald Acuña Jr. a homer in Braves' eighth straight win. 10. Marlins — 63.9-52.6 (.548) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Sandy Alcantara becomes Marlins’ career leader in innings pitched with seven shutout innings on Sunday. He surpassed Ricky Nolasco, who pitched 1,225 2/3 innings for the Marlins from 2006-13. 11. Nationals — 60.0-59.0 (.504) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: On Tuesday, the Nationals placed outfielder James Wood on the 10-day injured list due to a minor oblique strain. The club is hopeful that it will be a minimum stay. 12. White Sox — 57.2-58.8 (.493) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: After being acquired in a trade deadline deal with the Atlanta Braves, White Sox catcher Joey Bart appeared in just three games before he broke his hand on a hit-by-pitch. 13. Mariners — 57.6-60.4 (.488) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Mariners reliever Gabe Speier and manager Dan Wilson were suspended after an intentional hit-by-pitch on Tigers infielder Gleyber Torres. 14. Rangers — 57.0-60.1 (.487) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starting pitcher Cody Bradford pitched 4 1/3 shutout innings in first outing since 2024. He scattered five hits and struck out five. 15. Diamondbacks — 57.0-61.0 (.483) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Mitch Bratt struck out nine and allowed one hit in seven innings for his first career victory. In his sixth career start, he set career bests for innings, strikeouts and hits. 16. Guardians — 57.0-61.1 (.483) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Infielder Angel Genao became the first Cleveland player with four hits in a major league debut. 17. Phillies — 56.9-61.1 (.482) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Infielder Luis Arraez knocked an RBI single and RBI double in Phillies debut to help the club to their fourth straight win on Tuesday night. 18. Orioles — 56.2-60.9 (.480) Biggest Weekly Storyline: First baseman Pete Alonso has his first two-homer game with the Orioles on Sunday. 19. Astros — 56.2-61.8 (.476) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Houston's Yordan Alvarez is the front-runner for AL MVP and has a chance to become the first Triple Crown winner since Miguel Cabrera in 2012. 20. Blue Jays — 56.0-62.0 (.475) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Trey Yesavage landed on 15-day IL due to knee inflammation. For the season, Yesavage has registered 18 regular-season starts, posting a 3.65 ERA. 21. Giants — 55.3-61.8 (.472) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Longtime Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow announced his retirement at the end of the 2026 season. 22. Cardinals — 55.2-61.8 (.472) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Cardinals first baseman Alec Burleson knocked three home runs (all two-run blasts) as St. Louis spoiled Luis Garcia Jr’s Yankees debut. 23. Padres — 55.4-62.6 (.469) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Padres starter Casey Mize gave up a career-high eight earned runs in his San Diego debut after being acquired at the trade deadline. 24. Mets — 55.0-63.0 (.466) Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Mets were sellers at the deadline and quickly turned things around by sweeping the Cleveland Guardians. Francisco Lindor smacked a three-run homer to help New York win its third straight. 25. Twins — 54.2-63.8 (.459) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Minnesota called up top prospect Kaelen Culpepper on Friday to help an offense that has struggled in the second half. He promptly homered in his first game. 26. Angels — 52.2-64.9 (.446) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Shortstop Zach Neto heard his name in trade rumors last week, but stayed in Los Angeles. He hit a three-run home run on Thursday that turned out to be the difference in an Angels win. 27. Reds — 51.1-65.0 (.440) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Hunter Greene was placed on the IL with right elbow soreness and the Reds don’t believe he will pitch again this season. 28. Royals — 50.2-67.9 (.425) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Noah Cameron owned the Minnesota Twins for his second straight start. On Wednesday, he pitched eight innings by allowing one earned run on three hits with nine strikeouts. 29. Rockies — 45.2-71.9 (.386) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Kyle Freeman completed the first career complete game of his 10-year career. He allowed one earned run on five hits with eight strikeouts and two walks. 30. Athletics — 42.6-74.6 (.363) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson set an MLB record by going 111 straight games without an error. He surpassed the Orioles' Mike Bordick, who went 110 games in 2002. What storylines stood out this week? Do you agree with the rankings above? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect With the MLB trade deadline now in the rearview mirror, the focus shifts to the final two months of the regular season. Monday's flurry of deals reshaped rosters across the league, strengthening World Series contenders while rebuilding clubs added talent for the future. As those moves begin to take effect, the gap between baseball's true contenders and pretenders could become much more apparent. Third-order wins continue to provide valuable context when evaluating each team. Based on Clay Davenport's adjusted standings, the metric looks beyond a club's actual record by factoring in run differential, strength of schedule, and ballpark effects. It offers another way to determine how teams have truly performed and whether their records accurately reflect their level of play. These Power Rankings emphasize sustainable performance over short-term results. The arrows show which teams are rising, falling, or holding steady as the stretch run begins. With most contenders making their deadline additions and sellers turning toward the future, the coming weeks will reveal which clubs are built for a deep postseason run and which ones are already looking ahead to 2027. 1. Dodgers — 71.2-40.7 (.636) Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Dodgers acquired arguably the trade deadline’s biggest prize, two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. Now, they push for their third straight World Series. 2. Brewers — 69.7-41.2 (.628) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Milwaukee was rumored to be in multiple trade conversations for some bigger names. In the end, the Brewers added a trio of pitchers (Antonio Senzatela, Dustin May, and JoJo Romero) at the deadline. 3. Yankees — 65.7-46.2 (.587) Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Yankees surprised some by only adding to their lineup at the deadline. Luis García Jr. and Heliot Ramos can help with injuries to other outfielders. 4. Rays — 64.0-46.9 (.577) Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Rays are hoping to work some magic after acquiring Freddy Peralta from the Mets. They also added Liam Hicks to bolster their catching group. 5. Marlins — 63.4-49.5 (.562) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: On the edge of contention, Miami traded Braxton Garrett and Liam Hicks for five prospects. Neither player fit into the team’s long-term plans, especially with Joe Mack poised to be Miami’s primary catcher. 6. Cubs — 62.3-49.6 (.557) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Cubs went big by adding Kevin Gausman, Clay Holmes, Braxton Garrett, Ryan Zeferjahn, and Tyrone Taylor. It will be tough to catch the Brewers in the NL Central, but Chicago is better set up for October. 7. Tigers — 61.4-50.5 (.549) Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Tigers retreated from the playoff hunt by dealing their top two starting pitchers, Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize. 8. Pirates — 62.0-51.0 (.549) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Pirates acquired Luke Weaver, arguably the best reliever traded at the deadline. In 44 innings, he owns a 1.84 ERA and 0.82 WHIP with 45 strikeouts. 9. Braves — 61.0-51.0 (.545) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Atlanta sits 22 games above .500 and could have made a trade deadline splash. Instead, the Braves added Tyler Mahle, Lane Thomas, Bailey Falter, Brent Suter and Tyler Uberstine. 10. Red Sox — 59.8-51.1 (.539) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Boston shocked the baseball world by giving up a huge prospect package for Adley Rutschman. Now the Red Sox need to continue their strong momentum from recent weeks. 11. White Sox — 56.4-54.5 (.509) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The White Sox are a surprise at the top of the AL Central and acted like a team trying to win. Luis Castillo, Joey Bart, Brenton Doyle, and Huascar Brazoban could be enough to win a bad division. 12. Nationals — 57.5-55.5 (.509) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Washington has fallen back in the Wild Card race, leading to them being sellers. Luis Garcia Jr. and Foster Griffin were their biggest departures. 13. Mariners — 56.6-56.4 (.501) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Seattle tried to walk the buyer and seller line. They acquired outfielder Taylor Ward, while trading away starting pitcher Luis Castillo. 14. Guardians — 55.3-57.7 (.489) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Cleveland added three big pieces at the deadline in starter Foster Griffin, outfielder Jo Adell, and first baseman Nathaniel Lowe. The Guardians want a third straight AL Central crown. 15. Rangers — 54.4-57.6 (.486) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Rangers claimed to be open for business, but nothing major materialized. Texas added lefty Adam Macko as their only move in a very winnable AL West. 16. Giants — 54.2-57.8 (.484) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Giants traded away some of the biggest names of the deadline, including Luis Arraez, Robbie Ray, and Tyler Mahle. However, they netted Marcelo Mayer from Boston as a buy-low candidate. 17. Phillies — 53.8-58.2 (.480) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Phillies added Luis Arraez to their infield picture, which forces Bryce Harper to move back to right field. 18. Orioles — 53.5-58.5 (.478) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Baltimore got a huge prospect package in the Rutschman deal, but it has left a bad taste for Orioles fans. He was the first overall pick in 2019, and the Orioles never won a playoff game during his tenure. 19. Padres — 53.4-58.6 (.477) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: A.J. Preller always seems to find a way to make some trade deadline noise. San Diego added Casey Mize and Robbie Ray in a move to bolster their rotation. 20. Diamondbacks — 53.3-58.7 (.476) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Arizona added outfield Lars Nootbaar, who is under team control through 2027. He helps to fit into an outfield that has dealt with multiple injuries. 21. Blue Jays — 53.1-58.9 (.474)⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Toronto had a wild deadline. They traded away Kevin Gausman, Jeff Hoffman, and Daulton Varsho. However, they also added Jose Soriano and Spencer Arrighetti to bolster their rotation. 22. Cardinals — 52.3-59.7 (.467) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: St. Louis traded Dustin May, JoJo Romero and Lars Nootbar as the Cardinals continue to rebuild. 23. Astros — 52.7-60.3 (.466) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Houston added Daulton Varsho, a left-handed outfielder, who filled one of the club’s biggest needs. 24. Mets — 52.3-60.7 (.463) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Mets traded almost one-third of their active roster ahead of the trade deadline. Their biggest pickup was top-100 prospect Jefferson Rojas from the Cubs. 25. Twins — 51.5-61.5 (.456) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Twins did what they needed to at the deadline by adding two relievers (A.J. Minter, Jeff Hoffman) and a back-end starter (Dean Kremer). Will it be enough for a below .500 team? 26. Angels — 50.5-61.6 (.451) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Angels traded almost everything and added eight prospects to one of baseball’s worst farm systems. It’s rebuilding time in Los Angeles. 27. Reds — 48.7-62.3 (.439) Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Reds stayed fairly quiet at the deadline, despite having seven players with expiring contracts. Nathaniel Lowe and Caleb Ferguson were their only moves. 28. Royals — 47.4-65.7 (.419) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Lefty Kris Bubic was sent to the Dodgers as Kansas City stayed relatively quiet at the deadline. 29. Rockies — 42.8-69.3 (.382) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Mickey Moniak agreed to a two-year, $16.25 million contract extension through 2028. He was rumored to be a trade candidate, but now stays in Denver. 30. Athletics — 41.7-70.4 (.372) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Two key players are dealing with injury concerns. Jacob Wilson is dealing with patellar tendinitis, and Nick Kurtz has to see a hand specialist for his right thumb issues. What storylines stood out this week? Do you agree with the rankings above? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect With the MLB Trade Deadline coming next Monday, August 3, the latest Power Rankings offer a useful snapshot of where every team stands heading into one of the most important dates on the baseball calendar. The rankings can help separate legitimate contenders from teams that may be better off selling, while also identifying the clubs that have positioned themselves to make an aggressive push for the postseason. With only days remaining before front offices have to make those decisions, every win, loss, and underlying metric matters. That’s where third-order wins can provide valuable context. Based on Clay Davenport’s adjusted standings, the metric looks beyond a team’s actual record by factoring in run differential, strength of schedule, and ballpark effects. It offers another way to measure how teams have actually performed and whether their records accurately reflect their level of play. These Power Rankings focus on sustainable performance rather than short-term results. The arrows indicate which teams are moving up, dropping down, or holding steady as the league approaches the trade deadline and the stretch run. For contenders, the rankings could help reinforce the case for buying. For struggling clubs, they might provide another reason to start looking toward the future. 1. Dodgers — 67.9-37.0 (.647) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Shohei Ohtani has been dealing with ongoing left knee discomfort that has forced him to only be a designated hitter. It will take him time to get back on the mound and there’s a chance it doesn’t happen this year. 2. Brewers — 65.1-38.9 (.626) Biggest Weekly Storyline: MLB.com is reporting that the Brewers have touched base with the Padres on a potential trade for closer Mason Miller. Milwaukee has one of baseball’s best farm systems and the prospect capital to swing a deal. 3. Yankees — 62.1-41.9 (.597) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Max Fried returned on Wednesday after missing two months due to a bone bruise in his pitching elbow. In five scoreless innings, he allowed one hit, one walk, and seven strikeouts on 57 pitches. 4. Rays — 60.6-43.3 (.583) Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Rays signed number two overall pick Grady Emerson for $9.75 million, the highest draft bonus ever for a high school player. 5. Pirates — 59.3-45.6 (.565) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Pirates acquired reliever Ron Marinaccio from San Diego in exchange for signing bonus pool considerations. Marinaccio went 1-0 with a 4.79 ERA in 33 games this season for the Padres. 6. Marlins — 58.4-46.6 (.556) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: All-Star starter Max Meyer was placed on the 15-day injured list due to a neck strain. In 20 starts this season, Meyer has a 2.68 ERA and has struck out 121 batters in 111 innings, ranking eighth in the majors. 7. Braves — 57.2-46.8 (.550) Biggest Weekly Storyline: On Friday, Matt Olson's 10th-inning homer lifted the Braves over the Orioles in a 7-6 thriller. With the win, they improved to 6-2 since the All-Star break. 8. Cubs — 57.0-47.0 (.548) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Cubs are on pace to shatter the franchise record for walks by hitters (656 walks in 2016). Chicago leads MLB in walks with 448 and are on pace to finish with 712 walks. 9. Red Sox — 54.6-48.3 (.531) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Boston’s 15-game winning streak ended on Thursday. Boston went from last place in the AL East to holding a playoff spot in three remarkable weeks. 10. Tigers — 55.1-49.9 (.525) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Tarik Skubal says he regrets not getting an offseason elbow MRI even though he felt something was off. He believes his arbitration hearing might have caused him to ignore the issue. 11. Nationals — 53.8-51.2 (.512) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Cade Cavalli threw six strong innings on Wednesday. He scattered four hits and walked two while striking out eight. 12. Mariners — 52.8-52.2 (.503) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Mariners dismissed assistant hitting coach Bobby Magallanes in an effort to shake up one of baseball’s most underperforming lineups. They rank last in batting average and second-to-last in slugging percentage and runs per game. 13. Rangers — 52.2-51.8 (.502) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: First baseman Jake Burger drove in three runs including a two run homer to help the Rangers take the first game of a pivotal series versus the Mariners. 14. Orioles — 52.3-52.7 (.498) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Kyle Bradish shut down the Red Sox to end Boston’s 15-game winning streak. It was his first start since signing a five-year, $90 million extension last Saturday. 15. White Sox — 50.9-52.1 (.494) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Multiple MLB Insiders are reporting that the White Sox are in search of a catcher. With Kyle Teel likely out until at least mid-September, Chicago appears to be wanting a catcher to fill the void until Teel can return. 16. Guardians — 51.7-54.4 (.487) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Gavin Williams recorded the franchise's 5th immaculate inning during an 11 strikeout outing against the Twins. 17. Giants — 50.0-54.0 (.481) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: First baseman Rafael Devers hit a clutch walk-off single in extra-innings on Friday. He had homered earlier in the game to drive in three of the team’s seven runs. 18. Diamondbacks — 50.2-54.8 (.478) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: After a tight win on Friday, Arizona had won four straight and 10 of 12 to get closer to an NL Wild Card spot. 19. Cardinals — 49.8-54.3 (.478) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Jordan Walker got a standing ovation in his first at-bat back in St. Louis after winning the Home Run Derby in dramatic fashion. He promptly cracked an RBI double. 20. Blue Jays — 49.9-55.1 (.475) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Reports say the Blue Jays are listening on starter Kevin Gausman and outfielder Daulton Varsho. Both players are on expiring contracts and are already drawing trade interest. 21. Phillies — 49.3-55.8 (.469) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Zack Wheeler might be having the best season of his career. In 100 innings, he has a career-best 2.16 ERA, a 2.19 FIP, and his 5.1 rWAR is tied with his total from 2025. 22. Padres — 49.2-55.8 (.469) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Infielder Luis Rengifo hit a pinch-hit two-run homer in the eighth inning to help the Padres take the first game of a critical series in Miami. 23. Angels — 48.0-57.1 (.457) Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Angels reportedly fired pro scout Justin "Boomer" Prinstein after he was caught filming Rockies coaches while he was working in the stands. Prinstein refers to himself as "The Baseball Spy." 24. Twins — 48.4-57.7 (.456) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: All-Star Joe Ryan tied an MLB record by allowing six home runs in one start versus the Guardians. Cleveland happens to be the AL’s worst home run hitting team entering the game. 25. Astros — 48.0-58.0 (.453) Biggest Weekly Storyline: First baseman Christian Walker is enjoying a resurgent season with the Astros, posting a .791 OPS and 20 home runs heading into the weekend. 26. Mets — 47.3-57.7 (.450) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Outfielder Juan Soto left Friday night’s showcase with Dodgers due to soreness in his left calf. He has been dealing with calf discomfort since mid-July. 27. Reds — 43.8-59.3 (.425) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Reds and All-Star Chase Burns agreed to a 7-year, $105 million extension just 26 starts into his big-league career. The deal comes with the largest guarantee given to a pitcher with fewer than four years of MLB service. 28. Royals — 44.5-61.5 (.420) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Catcher Salvador Perez tied Kansas City’s all-time home run record on Wednesday. A fan jumped into the fountains to get the ball and was quickly arrested, which is the team’s posted policy. 29. Athletics — 40.3-63.8 (.387) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: A's catcher Shea Langeliers suffered a torn meniscus and could miss the remainder of the season. This is a blow for what could have been one of the deadline’s top trade candidates. 30. Rockies — 40.5-65.6 (.382) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Hunter Goodman became the fourth catcher to have 30-plus homers in consecutive seasons, joining Todd Hundley, Mike Piazza, and Roy Campanella. What storylines stood out this week? Do you agree with the rankings above? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of © Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images The All-Star break offers every organization a chance to take an honest look in the mirror. Contenders can identify the pieces they need for a postseason push, fringe clubs must decide whether they have enough to justify buying, and rebuilding teams begin preparing for the future. With the MLB Trade Deadline just a few weeks away, this brief pause gives front offices one last opportunity to evaluate where they truly stand before making franchise-altering decisions. That is why third-order wins remain one of the best tools for evaluating team performance. Based on Clay Davenport's adjusted standings, the metric looks beyond a team's record by incorporating run differential, strength of schedule, and ballpark effects. It provides a clearer picture of which clubs are playing the best baseball and which may be benefiting from favorable sequencing or circumstances. These rankings are designed to highlight sustainable performance rather than short-term momentum. The arrows below show which teams are climbing, falling, or holding steady as clubs head into the All-Star break and prepare for the season's defining stretch leading up to the trade deadline. 1. Dodgers — 62.3–33.6 (.650) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Shohei Ohtani hit his 300th career home run earlier this week. It’s just another milestone as he continues adding to his GOAT status. 2. Brewers — 60.3–34.6 (.635) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Brandon Woodruff returned to IL with right shoulder inflammation. This is his second IL stint of the season, which has limited him to nine starts. 3. Yankees — 56.8–38.1 (.599) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Yankees announcer Michael Kay spread a false rumor this week that shortstop Anthony Volpe refused to play second base while rehabbing in the minors. He had to backtrack from that statement after talking to Volpe. 4. Rays — 54.0–38.9 (.581) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Shane McClanahan held the Yankees scoreless in his longest start since 2023. In 6 1/3 innings, he struck out five, didn’t issue a walk for the second straight start, and pitched into the seventh inning for the first time since June 2023. 5. Marlins — 55.7–40.3 (.580) Biggest Weekly Storyline: According to Ken Rosenthal, the Marlins plan to keep Sandy Alcantara and be buyers at the trade deadline. Alcantara had the potential to be one of the biggest starters moved prior to the deadline. 6. Pirates — 54.0–42.0 (.563) Biggest Weekly Storyline: On Tuesday, Ryan O’Hearn smashed three home runs and set a Pirates record with 10 RBI in the game. 7. Braves — 51.2–42.8 (.545) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Joey Bart smacked a decisive homer against his former club, the Pirates. Pittsburgh’s Jared Jones had a perfect game into the seventh before the Braves came back to win for only the eighth time in their last 25 games. 8. Tigers — 51.0–43.9 (.537) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander announced that he will retire following the 2026 season. He will be an honorary member of the AL All-Star team in Philadelphia. 9. Red Sox — 49.7–43.2 (.535) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Boston completed a three-game sweep of the White Sox, and then the team’s plane got stuck in Chicago due to multiple issues. The Red Sox had won eight straight games heading into Sunday's first-half finale. 10. Cubs — 50.0–45.0 (.526) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: On Wednesday, Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a pair of homers to reach the 20-20 club. He’s only the third player in Cubs history with 20 homers and 20 steals in back-to-back seasons. 11. Mariners — 48.6–47.4 (.506) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: On Thursday, Seattle lost to Miami, closing out a three-game sweep after the Mariners had arrived in Miami as winners of five of their past six games. In the final two losses of the series, the Mariners were outscored 10-4 and went 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position. 12. Nationals — 48.1–47.9 (.501) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: CJ Abrams and Luis Garcia Jr. both reached the 20 home run mark earlier this week. Garcia reached 20 homers for the first time in his career, while Abrams tied a career-high. 13. Cardinals — 47.1–46.9 (.501) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Cardinals and rookie infielder JJ Wetherholt are reportedly in agreement on an eight-year, $112.5 million contract. The deal will buy out multiple years of free agency, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. 14. Rangers — 47.5–47.5 (.500) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: In his first game back from the IL, Wyatt Langford won the game with a walk-off single as the Rangers beat the Angels after Texas blew a 5-run lead. 15. White Sox — 46.9–47.1 (.499) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Chicago activated rookie slugger Munetaka Murakami from the 10-day injured list as he had been sidelined since he strained his right hamstring on May 29. He will also participate in Monday’s Home Run Derby. 16. Blue Jays — 46.0–49.0 (.484) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Dylan Cease came three outs away from ending a 36-year drought in Toronto. In the ninth inning, Heliot Ramos lined a single back up the middle, ending Cease’s bid. 17. Guardians — 46.4–49.6 (.483) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Gavin Williams throws seven strong innings while striking out 11 to help Cleveland avoid being swept by Minnesota. 18. Orioles — 46.2–49.8 (.481) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Trevor Rogers has turned his season around after posting an ERA near 7.00 through his first 10 starts. Since June 1, his 1.73 ERA in 41 2/3 innings ranks as the top mark in the American League. 19. Giants — 45.5–49.6 (.478) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Logan Webb deleted his X account after bitter exchanges with a reporter and fans on the social media platform. It's been a rough season for the Giants, who have been plagued by bleak losses and a Pride Night controversy. 20. Twins — 45.9–50.1 (.478) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Outfielder Byron Buxton went on the IL for the first time this season with a hip injury that has bothered him for multiple weeks. He will miss the All-Star Game after being voted in as a starter. 21. Diamondbacks — 44.7–50.3 (.470) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Former first-round pick Pavin Smith was designated for assignment after hitting .141 with a .428 OPS. Arizona took him seventh overall in 2017. 22. Phillies — 44.0–52.0 (.458) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber will both compete in Monday night’s Home Run Derby in Philadelphia. Schwarber reached the finals of the Home Run Derby in 2018 at Nationals Park, losing to Harper. 23. Angels — 43.3–52.7 (.451) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Outfielder Mike Trout returned from the IL and homered in his first game. It was also the 15th anniversary of his MLB debut. 24. Padres — 42.6–52.4 (.448) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Michael King gave a blunt response to reporters about his first half (3.41 ERA, 4.03 FIP, 11.1 K-BB%). "Pretty good," he said, "is not good enough." 25. Astros — 43.3–53.8 (.446) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: First baseman Christian Walker is enjoying a resurgent season with the Astros, posting a .791 OPS and 20 home runs heading into the weekend. 26. Mets — 42.2–53.9 (.439) Biggest Weekly Storyline: On Thursday, Sean Manaea had his longest start in 21 months for the Mets. He allowed six hits, three runs (two earned), and struck out six while completing seven innings for the first time since the 2024 NLDS. 27. Royals — 40.6–55.4 (.423) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: On Tuesday night, Tyler Tolbert tied the MLB record with hits in 12 consecutive plate appearances during Kansas City's wild 16-12 comeback win. 28. Reds — 39.5–54.5 (.420) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: On Wednesday, the Reds hit four homers in one inning, including three consecutive long balls. It tied the club record for most homers in one frame. 29. Rockies — 38.3–58.7 (.395) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Since June 1, the Rockies have led MLB with a .278/.354/.494 slash line while also pacing the league with 206 runs and 198 RBIs, boosting their scoring from 5.57 to 6.06 runs per game. 30. Athletics — 37.3–57.8 (.392) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Rookie infielder Joshua Kuroda-Grauer is the first player in 18 years with 15 hits and 2 or fewer strikeouts his first 8 games. Congrats to the Rockies for moving out of the cellar. What storylines stood out this week? Do you agree with the rankings above? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of © Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images With the All-Star break arriving next week, Major League Baseball is approaching a natural reset point. Players and coaches will get a few days to recharge, but front offices will quickly shift into one of the busiest stretches of the season. Once play resumes, clubs will have roughly three weeks to determine whether they are buyers, sellers, or somewhere in between before the MLB Trade Deadline reshapes pennant races across the league. That is why third-order wins remain one of the best tools for evaluating team performance. Based on Clay Davenport's adjusted standings, the metric looks beyond a team's record by incorporating run differential, strength of schedule, and ballpark effects. It provides a clearer picture of which clubs are playing the best baseball and which may be benefiting from favorable sequencing or circumstances. These rankings are designed to highlight sustainable performance rather than short-term momentum. The arrows below show which teams are trending upward, slipping backward, or holding steady as the race toward October enters its most consequential stretch. 1. Dodgers — 61.0–28.9 (.679) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Shohei Ohtani is unlikely to pitch in MLB All-Star Game with Dodgers' pitching rotation shuffle. On his current rotation, Ohtani would only have three days of rest before the July 14 All-Star Game. 2. Brewers — 54.7–32.3 (.629) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski's four-seamer leads all pitches in run value this season at +19. At 100.4 mph with a 43 percent whiff rate and a .245 wOBA allowed on 987 throws, hitters have no answer for it. 3. Yankees — 52.2–35.8 (.593) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Yankees snapped a seven-game losing streak on Friday. It was their longest of the season and their worst since they endured a nine-game skid in August 2023. 4. Rays — 49.0–37.0 (.570) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Rays star Junior Caminero became the youngest player since at least 1900 to hit a home run in 6 straight games. 5. Marlins — 50.9–39.0 (.566) Biggest Weekly Storyline: shortstop Otto Lopez broke Miguel Cabrera’s season record with his 37th multi-hit game of the season. Pretty remarkable since it’s not even the All-Star break. 6. Pirates — 50.8–39.2 (.564) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Braxton Ashcraft won his fourth consecutive start after allowing one run on six hits in 5 2/3 innings and striking out seven. The right-hander has a 3.04 ERA and 32 strikeouts in four starts since June 17 and has won eight of his past nine decisions. 7. Braves — 48.1–38.9 (.553) Biggest Weekly Storyline: On June 1, the Braves had a 9.5-game lead in the NL East. After a 9-14 month, Atlanta’s lead was trimmed to just 2.5 games. 8. Cubs — 48.0–41.0 (.539) Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Cubs became the first team since 1894 to win and lose back-to-back games by at least 15 runs. On Wednesday, Chicago beat San Diego 23-3 and then lost on Friday 17-1 to St. Louis. 9. Mariners — 47.1–42.9 (.523) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Mariners outfielder Julio Rodríguez went on 7-day concussion injured list after taking a throw to the back of helmet. He was hit during an attempted double-play in the first inning Thursday and eventually left the game. 10. Tigers — 46.1–42.9 (.518) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Despite a disappointing season, ESPN has two Tigers players, Kevin McGonigle and Dillon Dingler, in the top-five of their AL MVP voting. 11. Rangers — 45.4–43.6 (.510) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Texas lost a pair of veteran relievers with Jakob Junis going on the injured list due to a hip impingement. In addition, the Rangers announced that Jalen Beeks has a strained flexor tendon in his elbow and will undergo season-ending surgery. 12. Red Sox — 44.1–42.9 (.507) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Aroldis Chapman broke the MLB all-time strikeout record among relievers with career strikeout No. 1,364. 13. White Sox — 44.4–43.6 (.505) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: White Sox's star rookie Munetaka Murakami began a baserunning progression after 29 games out. He has been out since May 29th with a Grade 2 hamstring strain. 14. Cardinals — 43.4–42.6 (.505) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Dustin May was hit by a comebacker that hit his right foot and then ricocheted all the way to right field. X-rays were negative on the injury, but May said the ankle area was sore. 15. Nationals — 44.9–45.1 (.499) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Major League Baseball has handed out seven-game suspensions to both Red Sox Willson Contreras and Nationals Cade Cavalli after their benches-clearing incident on Tuesday. Nationals pitcher Miles Mikolas was also suspended five games, and Red Sox outfielder Nate Eaton got three games. 16. Blue Jays — 43.0–46.1 (.483) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: First baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was voted an All-Star starter despite having a career-worst season. However, he plans to sit out the game as he has dealt with a back issue. 17. Guardians — 43.5–46.5 (.483) Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Guardians took the first two games of their pivotal White Sox series in walk-off fashion. Brayan Rocchio hit a walk-off homer on Thursday before Kahlil Watson singled in the 10th inning on Friday. 18. Phillies — 42.9–46.1 (.482) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Phillies are hosting the 2026 All-Star Game and tied for the most representatives. Brandon Marsh, Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Cristopher Sanchez, and Jhoan Duran were announced on Saturday. 19. Giants — 42.2–45.8 (.480) Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Giants placed reliever Matt Gage on IL with elbow strain after 51-pitch relief appearance. Before Friday night, the lefty reliever's previous career high was 41 pitches thrown last July 21. 20. Orioles — 42.8–47.2 (.476) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Closer Ryan Helsley was placed on the injured list with right elbow discomfort. He was on the IL from May 1 to June 16 with right elbow inflammation. 21. Twins — 41.8–48.3 (.464) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: On Sunday, Joe Ryan pitched seven shutout innings to help the Twins win a series in the Bronx for the first time since 2014. 22. Angels — 40.9–49.1 (.454) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Outfielder Mike Trout is hoping to return from injury for Angels next week ahead of the All-Star Game. Trout has been out since June 17, when he strained his right hamstring while running the bases against Arizona. 23. Diamondbacks — 39.7–48.4 (.451) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Reliever Ryan Thompson bounced a throw home in extra-innings that allowed an extra runner to score. He took responsibility after the game but it was a tough play no matter the outcome. 24. Astros — 40.8–50.2 (.448) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Cristian Javier was reinstated from the 60-day injured list on Friday. A Grade 2 right shoulder strain has kept him out since April. 25. Padres — 39.4–48.6 (.448) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Padres are the second team in MLB history to have a 6-game span with an 0-6 record, 75+ hits allowed, 60+ runs allowed, 30+ walks allowed, 15+ HR allowed. The other was the Phillies from June 19-22, 1929. 26. Mets — 39.5–49.5 (.444) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Juan Soto made headlines this week when asked about his relationship with Francisco Lindor from last year to this year. He said " When you meet a girl, you don’t start kissing her right away.” 27. Athletics — 37.6–51.4 (.422) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Former All-Star Brent Rooker will undergo season-ending knee surgery. It will take place during the All-Star break and address a cartilage tear in his left knee. 28. Royals — 36.8–52.2 (.414) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. was named an All-Star starter for the first time in his career. He will be joined by Michael Wacha, who is making his second All-Star selection 11 years after his first. 29. Reds — 35.6–52.4 (.405) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Hunter Greene returned to Cincinnati's rotation on Saturday. He allowed eight earned runs on seven hits and failed to make it out of the fourth frame. 30. Rockies — 35.4–54.6 (.393) Biggest Weekly Storyline: First baseman TJ Rumfield was selected as the NL’s Rookie of the Month for the second straight month. In June, he led all qualified National League rookies in average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, doubles (9), extra-base hits (15) and total bases (56). What storylines stood out this week? Do you agree with the rankings above? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of © Sam Navarro-Imagn Images As the calendar turns to July, Major League Baseball enters one of its most important stretches of the season. The All-Star Game is just weeks away, the MLB Draft is right around the corner, and front offices are already preparing for the Trade Deadline. Every game carries a little more significance as contenders look to separate themselves and struggling clubs decide whether they can stay in the race. With over half a season in the books, dramatic swings in the power rankings become far less common. The sample size is now large enough that most teams have established who they are. Clubs at the top have consistently proven their quality, while those near the bottom face increasingly difficult odds of climbing back into contention. There is still room for movement, but week-to-week changes tend to be more gradual as the standings and underlying numbers stabilize. That makes third-order wins one of the best ways to evaluate how teams are truly performing. Based on Clay Davenport's adjusted standings, the metric looks beyond simple wins and losses by incorporating run differential, strength of schedule, and ballpark effects. The result is a clearer picture of which clubs are playing the best baseball and which may be benefiting from good fortune or favorable circumstances. These rankings are designed to reflect sustainable performance rather than short-term hot streaks. The arrows below indicate which teams are trending upward, slipping backward, or holding steady as the race toward October continues to take shape. 1. Dodgers — 57.0–25.9 (.688) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Mookie Betts hit his 300th career home run to become the 169th player in MLB history to reach that feat. 2. Yankees — 51.1–30.9 (.623) Biggest Weekly Storyline: New York allowed six unearned runs in a disastrous game against AL East rival Boston. The Yankees are still at the top of the AL, but that’s not saying much at this point. 3. Brewers — 49.8–30.2 (.622) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski hit 105.5 mph in his last start, tied for 3rd-hardest pitch in the Statcast Era (since 2008). The only pitches harder than 105.5 mph in MLB history: Aroldis Chapman at 105.8 mph in 2010 and Aroldis Chapman at 105.7 mph in 2016. 4. Pirates — 46.4–36.6 (.559) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: With a 41-41 record, the Pirates have their best halfway point record since 2015. It’s been a tremendous turnaround for a team that finished last in the NL Central with 71 wins in 2025. 5. Marlins — 46.2–36.8 (.557) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Max Meyer improved to 9-0 on the season. Meyer remains the only qualified starter in the majors without a loss this season. He tied Livan Hernández (9-0 in 1997) for the best record to open a season in Marlins history. 6. Rays — 44.4–35.5 (.556) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Rays became the first MLB team to carry a no-hit bid into the ninth inning while also having one player hit three home runs with Junior Caminero’s three homers. 7. Braves — 44.9–36.1 (.554) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Atlanta’s bullpen took another hit as right-hander Robert Suarez was placed on the 15-day injured list with elbow inflammation. Through 31 games, he’s posted a 0.56 ERA and recorded 26 strikeouts. 8. Cubs — 45.5–37.4 (.549) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Shortstop Dansby Swanson had 15 RBI across 3 games vs. Mets, including 11 in a doubleheader. Those are the most RBI a Cubs player has recorded in a series of fewer than five games since the RBI became an official stat in 1920. 9. Mariners — 42.9–41.1 (.511) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Seattle entered Saturday ranked 25th in MLB in runs per game at 4.02, a 651 run pace. In 2025, they concluded at 4.75 runs per game, 10th in MLB and a 766 run season. 10. White Sox — 41.3–39.7 (.510) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Chicago destroyed Kansas City on Friday by a final score of 22-1. The 22 runs tied for the second-most in White Sox history and the 21-run margin of victory ranks second all-time in club history. 11. Rangers — 42.2–40.8 (.508) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Rangers shortstop Corey Seager went 0-3 with two walks in return from the concussion list. However, Texas needs an offensive boost from arguably its biggest star. 12. Red Sox — 41.0–40.0 (.506) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Payton Tolle dominated the Yankees on Friday night at Fenway. Over seven shutout innings, he allowed one hit and struck out seven. He began the game with five perfect frames. 13. Tigers — 41.9–41.1 (.505) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Pitchers Keider Montero and Emmanuel De Jesus combined for a five-hit shutout while both Venezuelans wore hats embroidered with “VZ” after this week's tragic earthquakes. 14. Blue Jays — 41.0–42.0 (.494) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Second baseman Ernie Clement automatically qualified for theAll-Star Game by winning the league's Phase 1 of fan voting. Clement got 3,232,932 and finished ahead of Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez (2,911,655 votes). 15. Orioles — 40.4–43.6 (.481) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Trevor Rogers followed up his seven one-hit innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers last weekend by allowing a run and five hits in 6 1/3 innings Friday. He struck out seven without a walk. 16. Cardinals — 38.4–41.6 (.480) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Infielder Blaze Jordan has 12 RBI through his first 12 career games, matching Albert Pujols (2001) and J.D. Drew (1998) for most in franchise history through the first 12 career games. 17. Guardians — 39.8–43.3 (.479) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Cooper Ingle became the ninth player this season to make their big-league debut for Cleveland. His .551 slugging percentage leads Guardians' minor leaguers and his 12 home runs are tied for second. 18. Nationals — 40.1–43.9 (.477) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Between the three losses between Tuesday and Thursday, the Nationals were outscored 18-4 in the eighth and ninth innings by the Phillies. Washington’s bullpen has been its Achilles heel all year. 19. Phillies — 39.5–43.5 (.476) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Bryce Harper’s clutch 9th-inning home run helped the Phillies make MLB history. Philadelphia became the first MLB team to hit a go-ahead HR in the ninth inning of three consecutive games. 20. Angels — 39.9–44.1 (.475) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Angels fired general manager Perry Minasian on Friday. Former St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak will take over as interim general manager while the Angels search for Minasian's permanent replacement. 21. Royals — 35.4–41.7 (.459) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. returned to the Royals lineup at DH on Friday after missing six games with an MCL sprain. On Saturday, he was back in the lineup and playing shortstop. 22. Diamondbacks — 37.5–44.5 (.457) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Outfielder Corbin Carroll is the Diamondbacks new franchise leader in triples with 53 in 566 games. He passed Stephen Drew who had 52 triples in 773 games. 23. Twins — 37.9–46.1 (.451) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Mick Abel will have arthroscopic surgery after elbow injury setback. A timeline for his return won’t be established until after the surgery. 24. Mets — 37.4–45.6 (.451) Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Mets fired manager Carlos Mendoza. Andy Green has been named the interim manager through the end of the season. 25. Astros — 38.2–46.8 (.449) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Tatsuya Imai struck out six batters through his first two innings on Friday. He finished the game with 11 K’s along with zero walks as Houston collected a comeback win over Cleveland. 26. Padres — 36.2–44.8 (.447) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Walker Buehler pitched into the sixth inning and allowed one run for a victory over his former team (Los Angeles) on Friday night for the club’s fourth consecutive win. He yielded three hits and three walks with five strikeouts. 27. Athletics — 36.1–46.9 (.435) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The A’s have already combined for 22 comeback wins, most in the AL and fourth most in MLB. 28. Reds — 32.8–48.2 (.405) Biggest Weekly Storyline: On Friday Caleb Ferguson nailed down his first save of the season to become the 10th different Reds pitcher to record a save this season. That ties a team record since 1969 and it is still only June 27. 29. Rockies — 32.1–51.0 (.386) Biggest Weekly Storyline: At 32-49, the Rockies are already a plus-14 wins from where they were a year ago at the halfway mark. Over the last three seasons they’ve dropped 323 games (2023-25), tied for the fifth-most losses by a team over a three-year span in the modern era. 30. Giants — 40.4–41.6 (.493) Biggest Weekly Storyline: On Tuesday, San Francisco's president of baseball operations Buster Posey addressed the media for the first time since the Pride Night issues. He repeatedly said, “Baseball questions only” to multiple inquiries from the media. It was a poor look for a player and executive that will forever be tied to the Giants. What storylines stood out this week? Do you agree with the rankings above? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of © David Banks-Imagn Images By late June, dramatic movement in the power rankings becomes increasingly rare. The sample size is large enough that the league's true contenders have largely established themselves, while struggling clubs are finding it more difficult to climb out of the holes they created earlier in the season. There are still opportunities for teams to rise or fall, but week-to-week changes tend to be smaller as the standings and underlying metrics begin to stabilize. That is why third-order wins remain such a useful lens for evaluating the league. Based on Clay Davenport's adjusted standings, the metric goes beyond wins and losses by factoring in run differential, quality of competition, and ballpark effects. The goal is to identify which teams are genuinely playing the best baseball rather than simply riding favorable sequencing or a soft portion of the schedule. At the top, both leagues feature clubs that have clearly separated themselves from the pack. The American League and National League each boast multiple teams with elite records and strong underlying performance indicators, making it increasingly clear which organizations are built for a deep postseason run. These rankings are built to highlight sustainable performance over temporary momentum. The arrows below show which teams are trending upward, slipping backward, or holding steady as the postseason race slowly starts to take shape. 1. Dodgers — 53.3–23.6 (.693) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Shohei Ohtani homered on the eve of Father’s Day after the birth of his second child this week. 2. Yankees — 48.2–26.7 (.644) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Cam Schlittler became the youngest Yankees pitcher with 13 strikeouts and no walks in a 5-0 win over the Reds. His 1.71 ERA after 16 starts is also the lowest since Whitey Ford's 1.47 mark in 1964. 3. Brewers — 46.1–27.9 (.623) Biggest Weekly Storyline: In Jacob Misiorowski's last nine starts, he has struck out 87 hitters and allowed just one total extra-base hit, a double. He’s the only pitcher since at least 1900 with 60+ strikeouts and one or no extra-base hits allowed in a 9-game span 4. Braves — 43.5–31.5 (.580) Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Braves trade for catching depth by adding former number two overall pick Joey Bart from the Pirates. Atlanta needed a backup catcher, while Pittsburgh had to break up a roster logjam behind the plate. 5. Pirates — 42.3–34.7 (.549) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Bryan Reynolds was scratched from a lineup earlier this week with left groin discomfort. However, he was available to pinch hit in the eighth inning and tied the game with an RBI single. 6. Cubs — 42.1–34.8 (.547) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Pete Crow-Armstrong is the first player in MLB’s modern era to tally 34 hits, five doubles, two triples, nine home runs, and six stolen bases in any 18-game span in a season. 7. Marlins — 42.0–35.0 (.545) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Miami has won nine of its last 10 home games. Owen Caissie homered in two consecutive games, and he had a stretch with three homers in seven games. 8. Rays — 39.4–33.6 (.540) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Cedric Mullins has a 69 wRC+ for the season, but has posted a 138 wRC+ since May 15th. He had a back issue he tried to play through early in the season. 9. Mariners — 40.0–38.0 (.513) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez left a game against the Orioles with a left hamstring spasm. Earlier this week, he became the third-fastest player in MLB history to reach 125 doubles, 125 homers, and 125 steals. 10. Blue Jays — 38.6–38.4 (.501) Biggest Weekly Storyline: On Thursday, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his first home run since May 17th. Unfortunately, he missed time over the last week with lower back tightness. 11. Rangers — 38.0–38.0 (.500) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Nathan Eovaldi was scratched from his start on Saturday because of left knee soreness. If the Rangers become sellers, he could be a popular trade chip. 12. White Sox — 37.5–37.5 (.500) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Andrew Benintendi became only the second opposing player in Yankee Stadium history to launch a pinch-hit, go-ahead grand slam in the eighth inning or later. Tommy Byrne, a pitcher, did it way back on May 16, 1953. 13. Guardians — 38.2–38.8 (.496) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Rookie Travis Bazzana helped Cleveland avoid being swept by the Brewers when he hit a go-ahead homer in the seventh inning. 14. Cardinals — 36.6–37.4 (.495) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Matthew Liberatore has a 6.82 ERA over his last seven starts and hasn’t pitched five innings or more in three straight starts. For a contending team, something has to change. 15. Red Sox — 36.5–37.5 (.493) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Ranger Suarez took a no-hitter into the seventh inning to help Boston defeat Seattle. He struck out five and walked three in 6 2/3 innings. 16. Tigers — 37.1–38.9 (.488) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Justin Verlander was scratched from his return start with the Tigers after suffering a left hamstring strain. It’s getting close to the end of the road for the future Hall of Famer. 17. Nationals — 37.4–39.6 (.486) Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Nationals have been one of baseball’s biggest surprises this year. Washington has won four straight series entering this past weekend against Tampa. 18. Angels — 37.0–41.0 (.474) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Mike Trout headed to the 10-day IL with a hamstring strain that interrupted a resurgent season. He has 17 homers and ranks in the top-10 in OBP. 19. Phillies — 35.5–40.5 (.467)⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: On Saturday, Bryce Harper hit for the first cycle of his career, completing the feat in just five innings. It was the 11th cycle in Phillies history. Not to be outdone, Kyle Schwarber hit three homers in the same game. 20. Orioles — 36.2–41.8 (.464) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Infielder Jackson Holliday has struggled since returning from injury. In 27 games, he has a .683 OPS with four homers and 27 strikeouts across 92 plate appearances. 21. Twins — 35.9–42.1 (.460) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Outfielder Byron Buxton continues to hear his name in national trade speculation, but his response has remained constant. This week, he said, “I don’t give a f–k.” and finished the statement with, “I’m a Twin.” 22. Royals — 35.4–41.7 (.459) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Perennial MVP candidate Bobby Witt Jr. left Thursday’s game with a knee injury and was diagnosed with a grade 1 MCL sprain. The team is calling it the “best-case scenario.” 23. Diamondbacks — 34.6–41.4 (.455) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Ryne Nelson became Arizona’s latest starter to end up on the IL with an elbow injury. Then Michael Soroka left Friday’s start with a hip injury after just one inning. 24. Mets — 34.4–41.7 (.452) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Since May 1st, rookie Carson Benge is batting .291 with five homers and a .351 OBP. He has seven games with at least three hits, the most by any MLB rookie. 25. Astros — 35.2–42.9 (.451) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Tatsuya Imai struck out six batters through his first two innings on Friday. He finished the game with 11 K’s along with zero walks as Houston collected a comeback win over Cleveland. 26. Athletics — 34.3–42.7 (.445) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Left-hander Gage Jump completed seven scoreless innings and gave up one hit and three walks while striking out seven. The rookie has completed six innings in three of his five big-league starts. 27. Padres — 32.2–42.8 (.429) Biggest Weekly Storyline: MLB insider Buster Olney believes Padres president of baseball operations AJ Preller is on the hot seat. Recent blockbuster trades for Juan Soto and Mason Miller have decimated the farm system and could leave him with little to move at the trade deadline. 28. Reds — 29.9–45.1 (.399) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starter Brady Singer is having a letdown season in 2026. In 14 starts, he has a 5.32 ERA. His 5.6 HR/9 is nearly double his previous career-high. 29. Rockies — 29.0–48.1 (.376) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Kyle Freeland struck out eight on Friday, including his 1,000th career strikeout. 30. Giants — 36.6–39.4 (.482) Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Giants' “Pride Night” cap controversy from last week has continued to be the focus for a bad baseball team. Multiple San Francisco pitchers inscribed Bible verses on their rainbow-themed caps. MLB issued a warning that it was a violation of team rules. Later in the week, a Civil Rights attorney wrote a letter to Rob Manfred saying she will investigate MLB for religious discrimination. What storylines stood out this week? Do you agree with the rankings above? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

The San Francisco Giants find themselves near the bottom of this week's rankings for reasons that extend beyond their disappointing play on the field. The organization found itself at the center of controversy during Pride Night, creating another unwanted headline in a season filled with frustration. More details on that situation can be found below. One of the biggest developments this week is the rise of the Brewers into the top three. Milwaukee continues to pair strong results with impressive underlying metrics, further strengthening the National League's hold on the upper tier of these rankings. There were also notable climbs by the Marlins and Blue Jays, two teams that have quietly surged into the top 10 after spending much of the season outside the league's elite. That is why third-order wins remain such a useful lens for evaluating the league. Based on Clay Davenport's adjusted standings, the metric goes beyond wins and losses by factoring in run differential, quality of competition, and ballpark effects. The goal is to identify which teams are genuinely playing the best baseball rather than simply riding favorable sequencing or a soft portion of the schedule. These rankings are built to highlight sustainable performance over temporary momentum. The arrows below show which teams are trending upward, slipping backward, or holding steady as the postseason race slowly starts to take shape. 1. Dodgers — 49.5–21.4 (.698) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Yoshinobu Yamamoto lost a perfect game in the eighth inning on a Mookie Betts error and gave up a solo home run in the ninth to lose the no-hitter. Over his last two starts, Yamamoto retired 45 batters in a row, the second longest streak in baseball’s live-ball era. 2. Yankees — 44.0–24.9 (.639) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Since May 1, Yankees catchers have a combined 8 wRC+, a slash line of .130/.205/.165, and a strikeout rate of 30.7%. They have a combined 15 hits and 11 walks since May 1. 3. Brewers — 41.4–26.5 (.610) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: On Friday, Jacob Misiorowski began the game by throwing the fastest pitch ever recorded by a starting pitcher (104.5 mph). His final line: 15 strikeouts, 1 hit allowed, 0 walks, 0 runs on 95 pitches. He faced the minimum across nine innings, as his lone hit allowed in the fourth inning was erased by a double play. 4. Braves — 42.6–27.4 (.609) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Braves put Ronald Acuña Jr. on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. It is Acuña’s second left hamstring injury this season. 5. Pirates — 39.4–31.5 (.556) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Evan Sisk has been a breakout player for the Pirates. The left-hander has a 1.29 ERA and 2.54 FIP with 36 strikeouts in 23 games in 2026. 6. Marlins — 38.9–32.1 (.548) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Sandy Alcantara became the fifth active Dominican-born pitcher to reach 1,000 K's. He joins Luis Castillo, Freddy Peralta, Luis Severino, and Framber Valdez. 7. Mariners — 38.7–33.3 (.538) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Mariners starter Bryce Miller has coaxed five double plays this season in 35 innings, matching his 2025 total in 90 1/3 innings and just one shy of his 2024 total in 180 1/3 innings. 8. Cubs — 38.1–32.9 (.537) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Ben Brown has an impressive 1.44 ERA across 31 1/3 innings pitched since moving to the rotation. That ERA since May 8 is the sixth-lowest in baseball, only behind Jacob Misiorowski (0.23 ERA), Cristopher Sanchez (0.24 ERA), Shohei Ohtani (0.37 ERA), Kyle Harrison (0.90 ERA), and Bryce Miller (1.33 ERA). 9. Rays — 35.4–31.8 (.527) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Drew Rasmussen recorded a career-high 13 Ks as he struck out the Red Sox's top three batters three times each in win. His previous career high was 10 Ks back in 2022. 10. Blue Jays — 36.7–34.3 (.517) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Alejandro Kirk got three hits in his return from the 60-day IL after recovering from a left thumb fracture. He reached base four times and drove in two runs as the Blue Jays beat the Yankees. 11. Rangers — 35.9–34.1 (.513) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Corey Seager has had yet another injury-riddled season to start his 2026 campaign. He had a scary home plate collision on Thursday and has pain in his jaw and ribs. 12. White Sox — 35.0–34.0 (.507) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Outfielder Braden Montgomery became just the fifth player in MLB history to hit a walk-off home run in their debut since 1900. The other players on that list? Carlos Perez (2015), Miguel Cabrera (2003), Josh Bard (2002), and Billy Parker (1971). 13. Cardinals — 34.5–33.5 (.507) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Infielder Blaze Jordan forced the Cardinals' to call him up. The 23-year-old corner was slashing .313/.373/.548 with 11 home runs, 35 RBIs and a .921 OPS in 57 games. 14. Guardians — 35.9–36.1 (.499) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Guardians lost All-Star third baseman Jose Ramirez to the IL with a fractured left hamate bone. Injuries like this can take six to eight weeks to heal after surgery. 15. Red Sox — 33.4–34.6 (.491) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Closer Aroldis Chapman was on a podcast this week and said if Yankees trade for him that general manager Brian Cashman should apologize first. He missed a workout and was left off New York’s 2022 ALDS roster. 16. Tigers — 34.7–36.3 (.489) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Reigning AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal returned to the mound on Saturday just 38 days after having surgery on his left elbow. He allowed three runs (two earned) in 4 2/3 innings with four strikeouts and one walk. 17. Nationals — 34.6–36.4 (.487) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: At just 23-years-old, James Wood might be the NL’s best overall hitter. He currently has the 4th highest barrel rate in the Statcast Era, trailing only three historic Aaron Judge seasons (2017, 2022, 2024). 18. Angels — 33.9–37.1 (.477) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Mike Trout hit his 1,000th single of his career this week. The future Hall of Famer has over 1800 career hits. He leads the AL in walks and runs this season. 19. Diamondbacks — 33.0–37.0 (.471) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Outfielder Jordan Lawlar returned from a two-month stay on the IL. In his first game back he made a terrific catch in the outfield, reached base three times, stole a pair of bases and delivered a two-run single to cap the Diamondbacks’ scoring in a tiebreaking, three-run ninth inning. 20. Athletics — 32.6–37.4 (.466) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The A's activate shortstop Jacob Wilson and placed DH Brent Rooker on injured list with a left knee bruise. Wilson had missed a month with a dislocated left shoulder. 21. Orioles — 33.5–38.5 (.465) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Gunnar Henderson hit his 100th career home run on Friday night. He became the fifth O’s player to reach 100 for the club before turning 25, including Manny Machado, Eddie Murray, Cal Ripken Jr., and Boog Powell. 22. Phillies — 32.3–37.7 (.461) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Zack Wheeler didn’t allow a hit to the Padres until sixth, and finished with seven innings by allowing two runs and striking out eight. In the same game, the Phillies cleared the 4-run threshold for the first time since May 18. 23. Astros — 32.5–39.5 (.451) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez became the first MLB player to hit a grand slam and multi-run home runs in the 1st inning on Friday night. He's currently leads the AL in homers. 24. Mets — 31.2–38.9 (.445) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Bo Bichette had two homers including a grand slam as he drove in six runs to lead Mets past Braves 7-5. 25. Royals — 31.2–39.9 (.439) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Starting pitcher Seth Lugo was forced to leave Wednesday’s contest early after taking a 107-mph line drive off his forehead. The team reports he is “doing well” but he’s had to go on the 7-day concussion IL. 26. Twins — 31.0–41.1 (.430) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Minnesota made a tremendous comeback on Friday night. Kody Clemens hit a three-run bomb in the seventh inning. Then Royce Lewis and Brooks Lee hit solo shots in the bottom of the ninth to put the Twins up for good. 27. Padres — 29.5–39.5 (.428) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Padres have lost 13 of their last 18 games. San Diego ranks at the bottom of baseball in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and runs scored. 28. Reds — 26.8–42.3 (.388) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Tejay Antone has been a surprise contributor to the Reds bullpen. After three arm surgeries, he returned to the big-leagues and has registered a save, 14 strikeouts, four walks, and a 1.14 WHIP in 14 innings. 29. Rockies — 25.2–45.8 (.355) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Hunter Goodman, Cole Carrigg, and TJ Rumfield are giving Rockies fans something to be excited about. This young trio fueled a Rockies' series win over Cubs. 30. Giants — 32.8–38.2 (.462) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: San Francisco should be higher on this list based solely on its projected record, but the Giants have earned a spot at the bottom. The organization hosted Pride Night on Friday, with players wearing rainbow-themed SF caps as part of the celebration. On a night intended to recognize and support the LGBTQ+ community—a significant part of both the fan base and the city itself—the focus instead shifted to a message that many viewed as exclusionary. Four of the Giants' five pitchers made statements regarding the team's choice of headwear. Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker , and Ryan Walker wrote Genesis 9:11-16 on their caps, a passage that references God's covenant symbolized by the rainbow. In recent years, some Christians have cited the verse while arguing that the rainbow is exclusively a religious symbol and that its use in Pride imagery represents an appropriation of something sacred. Meanwhile, Sam Hentges chose not to wear the rainbow cap at all. The Giants went on to lose 5-1 and now sit 14 games under .500 with the National League's second-worst record. Giants fans deserve better than having a celebration intended to unite the community overshadowed by controversy. What storylines stood out this week? Do you agree with the rankings above? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of © Sam Navarro-Imagn Images One of the clearest themes emerging this week is the National League’s grip on the top of the sport. Four of the top five teams in these rankings come from the NL, with the Yankees standing as the lone American League representative among baseball’s elite. The Braves, Dodgers, Cubs, and Brewers have all paired strong records with underlying numbers that suggest their success is built on more than just a hot stretch. That is why third-order wins remain such a useful lens for evaluating the league. Based on Clay Davenport’s adjusted standings, the metric goes beyond wins and losses by factoring in run differential, quality of competition, and ballpark effects. The goal is to identify which teams are genuinely playing the best baseball rather than simply riding favorable sequencing or a soft portion of the schedule. The separation is becoming more pronounced as June moves along. While the NL’s contenders continue to strengthen their position, several clubs near the bottom of these rankings entered the season expecting to compete for playoff spots and are already running short on runway. Teams like the Astros, Mets, and Royals still have time to recover, but the margin for error is shrinking quickly as the standings begin to harden into something more meaningful than an early-season snapshot. These rankings are built to highlight sustainable performance over temporary momentum. The arrows below show which teams are trending upward, slipping backward, or holding steady as the postseason race slowly starts to take shape. 1. Dodgers — 45.7–19.2 (.704) Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Dodgers have a +126 run differential through 60 games. Seven of the nine teams with a better run differential at that point in a season reached the World Series and five won it. 2. Yankees — 40.1–22.8 (.638) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Aaron Judge played with a fractured rib since April 27th and aggravated when he hit the wall to make a catch on May 3rd. He is expected to miss four-six weeks. 3. Braves — 40.3–24.7 (.620) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Atlanta’s .697 road winning percentage is MLB’s best this season. It’s also the third-best in the Integration Era (since 1947), trailing only the .728 mark of the 2001 Mariners and the .704 mark of the 2018 Astros. 4. Brewers — 38.3–23.6 (.619) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Jacob Misiorowski (rightfully) gets a lot of attention in Milwaukee’s rotation. However, Kyle Harrison has been nearly as good. In 11 games, he has a 1.57 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 2.7 WAR. 5. Pirates — 36.1–28.9 (.555) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Pirates placed rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin on the 10-day injured list due to a right elbow strain. He has been streaky to start his big-league career but has a .729 OPS. 6. Cubs — 35.3–29.7 (.543) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: In one game, Pete Crow-Armstrong allowed an inside-the-park home run after losing a ball in the lights before hitting a walk-off homer in the ninth. It was his 50th career home run. 7. Mariners — 35.2–29.7 (.542) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Seattle’s starters get a lot of attention, but their bullpen has been a strength this year. The bullpen ranks first in MLB in inherited runners scored, second in MLB in ERA, and HR/9. 8. Marlins — 34.5–30.5 (.531) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Max Meyer finished Wednesday’s start with seven innings while only giving up one run on two hits, walking two, and striking out seven. Meyer even tied a club record by going 13 consecutive starts without a loss. 9. Rays — 32.2–28.8 (.528) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Drew Rasmussen allowed one hit in seven dominant innings on Friday. He struck out a season-high nine and retired 17 straight after allowing an opposite-field single to right in the second. 10. Nationals — 33.4–31.6 (.514) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Luis García Jr. hit his first career grand slam for his second homer of the game as part of a five-homer effort for the Nationals on Friday. 11. Rangers — 32.7–31.3 (.511) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Corey Seager returned from the IL and hit a two-run homer in his first game back. Seager had missed 19 games since May 13 while on the injured list because of lower back inflammation. 12. Blue Jays — 33.1–31.9 (.509) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Chad Dallas got his MLB debut call on Lou Gehrig Day, which is even more meaningful for him since his father died from ALS. In his debut, he pitched 3 2/3 innings while allowing just one run on two hits, walking two and striking out two. 13. Guardians — 33.5–32.5 (.508) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Guardians won a series against the Yankees in New York. This included taking games from early Cy Young candidate Cam Schlittler and Gerrit Cole. 14. White Sox — 32.3–31.7 (.505) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Munetaka Murakami’s monster May earned him AL Rookie of the Month honors. However, he is currently on the IL with a hamstring injury. 15. Red Sox — 31.1–30.9 (.502) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Aroldis Chapman is just seven strikeouts away from passing Hoyt Wilhelm and securing the No. 1 spot on the all-time strikeout list for relievers. Craig Kimbrel and Kenley Jansen are the only other active pitchers in the top 10. 16. Cardinals — 30.8–31.2 (.497) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Outfielder Lars Nootbaar was activated from the 60-day injured list on Friday after having had surgery on both of his heels in the offseason. In his first game, he had two hits, a double, an RBI, a run scored and a running catch in left field. 17. Tigers — 31.7–33.3 (.488) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Two-time AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal made a rehab start on Sunday and is expected to rejoin the Tigers rotation later this week. Detroit is well out of the race, so his return is more about showcasing himself for a potential trade. 18. Diamondbacks — 30.1–33.9 (.470) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Corbin Burnes has a right lat injury that will sideline him from throwing activities in his recovery from last year's Tommy John surgery. He has only made 11 starts for Arizona since signing the richest contract in franchise history (six years, $210 million). 19. Giants — 30.3–34.8 (.465) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Giants scored 30 runs in two games this week. It was their most in any two-game span since 1944, which was 14 years before the team moved to San Francisco. 20. Astros — 30.4–35.7 (.460) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Astros activated Josh Hader after the star closer missed the start of the 2026 season due to biceps injury. 21. Phillies — 29.4–34.6 (.459) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Zack Wheeler didn’t allow a hit to the Padres until the sixth, and finished with seven innings by allowing two runs and striking out eight. In the same game, the Phillies cleared the 4-run threshold for the first time since May 18. 22. Orioles — 29.6–35.5 (.455) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Trevor Rogers had a bounce-back start against Boston after the Orioles had lost seven straight games with Rogers on the mound. He allowed just one run in 5 2/3 innings of work. 23. Twins — 29.3–36.7 (.444) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Twins recalled Royce Lewis after his recent demotion to Triple-A for a reset. In 15 games and across 60 at-bats, Lewis had a .333 batting average with a 1.303 OPS. 24. Royals — 28.8–36.2 (.443) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Josh Rojas played at Triple-A and the MLB level on the same day. He went 1-for-3 at Triple-A before being called up on Thursday. Because of a rain delay, he arrived in the eighth inning and hit the game-winning two-run single in the top of the ninth. 25. Angels — 28.8–36.2 (.443) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Reid Detmers held the Dodgers to two hits over six shutout innings on Friday. Over his last three starts, Detmers has allowed just four runs on eight hits and five walks while racking up 27 strikeouts across 19 innings. 26. Mets — 28.2–35.8 (.441) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: In a disappointing season, Christian Scott’s reemergence is among the Mets’ most positive developments. On Friday, he pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing three hits and two walks as his ERA dropped to 2.50. 27. Athletics — 28.0–36.0 (.438) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The team elected to designate former closer Joel Kuhnel for assignment. Over his last seven appearances, he posted a brutal ERA of 7.88 in eight innings pitched. 28. Padres — 27.5–35.5 (.437) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Padres designated Nick Castellanos for assignment after he hit .191 with the team. San Diego also dropped 10 spots in the ranking compared to last week. 29. Reds — 24.5–38.5 (.389) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Hunter Greene, who has been out the entire season, is set to begin throwing live batting practice. There’s a chance he makes a couple of starts before the All-Star break. 30. Rockies — 22.8–42.3 (.350) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Troy Johnston’s .320 batting average is fifth-best in all of MLB, and is the highest a Rockies player has had on June 5 since Nolan Arenado hit .343 in 2019. What storylines stood out this week? Do you agree with the rankings above? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

For decades, Major League Baseball's labor battles have followed a familiar script. Owners push for cost certainty. Players fight to preserve earning power. Fans are left wondering why a sport that generates billions of dollars annually cannot devise a system that feels fair for everyone involved. The owners' opening proposal for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement has already drawn fierce resistance from the MLB Players Association. That's not surprising. The proposal includes the two words that have triggered labor warfare throughout baseball history: salary cap. But if we strip away the emotional baggage attached to those words and look at the proposal's broader framework, there is an argument that MLB owners may be closer to the right solution than many people want to admit. The fundamental reality is simple. Players deserve to get paid. Baseball needs more parity. A system that guarantees players a fixed percentage of revenue while forcing low spending teams to invest more in their rosters addresses both concerns. Honestly, what else could a reasonable person want? The centerpiece of MLB's proposal is a 50-50 split of league revenue between owners and players. That concept alone deserves serious consideration. According to MLB, league revenues have grown 247% since 2003 while player payroll has increased only 149% during the same period. Whether you agree with every number presented by ownership, the broader point is difficult to ignore. If baseball revenues continue climbing, players should directly participate in that growth. A fixed percentage model removes much of the annual fighting over whether owners are spending enough. If revenues rise, player compensation rises. If revenues fall, both sides share the burden. That seems significantly more logical than the current system, where payroll growth often lags far behind revenue growth. The second major component is the proposed salary floor of $171.2 million. This may be the most important aspect of the entire proposal. For years, fans have watched teams slash payrolls, trade away stars, and spend multiple seasons rebuilding while collecting revenue-sharing checks. The sport has struggled to explain why some franchises routinely spend more than $300 million while others operate at a fraction of that figure. Under MLB's proposal, 12 clubs would need to increase payroll immediately, adding a combined $617 million into player salaries. That is real money flowing directly to players. More importantly, it creates pressure on every franchise to actually try. One of the union's strongest arguments has always been that certain owners are content collecting revenue-sharing money while fielding non-competitive teams. A meaningful salary floor directly attacks that problem. If a club must spend $171 million every year, tanking becomes significantly more expensive. The part of the proposal generating the most outrage is the salary cap. The MLBPA's concerns are understandable. Baseball's history with salary cap discussions is ugly. The 1994-95 strike remains one of the darkest chapters in the sport's history. Players also have legitimate concerns that caps eventually become tools that owners use to suppress salaries. The union is also correct that a cap by itself does not guarantee competitive balance. Poorly run organizations can still make bad decisions. Smart organizations can still outperform wealthier rivals. Yet focusing exclusively on the cap risks ignoring the broader package. A salary floor without a cap would likely face overwhelming opposition from ownership. Likewise, a cap without a floor would be unacceptable for players. The question is whether a system that combines both elements while guaranteeing players half of all league revenue creates enough benefits to justify the compromise. Another part of the proposal deserves attention: media revenue reform. MLB wants to centralize local media revenue and distribute it equally among all 30 clubs. Beyond potentially helping solve blackout issues that have frustrated fans for years, this would reduce some of the financial disparity between large and small markets. The current revenue-sharing system has often created tension because players believe it discourages teams from maximizing revenue and investing in their rosters. A more centralized media model could help address that concern while creating a stronger national product. None of this means the owners' proposal is perfect. Opening offers rarely are. The cap number will be debated extensively. Players will push for stronger protections. Both sides will spend months arguing over details. That is how collective bargaining works. But for all the immediate outrage, the framework itself contains several ideas baseball desperately needs. The sport needs players to share more directly in revenue growth. The sport needs a meaningful salary floor that forces every team to invest in winning. The sport needs a better solution to local media revenue disparities. The sport needs stronger competitive balance. Those goals should not be controversial. As negotiations continue, the conversation should move beyond whether baseball can ever accept the words "salary cap." The more important question is whether a system that guarantees players half of all revenue while forcing every franchise to spend can create a healthier sport. Ironically, after years of criticism directed toward ownership, this may be one labor fight where the owners are starting from a stronger position. If they remain committed to revenue sharing reform, a substantial salary floor, and a guaranteed percentage of league revenue for players, they can credibly argue they are trying to solve baseball's biggest structural problems. The players are right to protect their interests. They should push for the best possible deal. But if the final agreement ends up resembling this proposal's foundation, baseball may ultimately emerge stronger than it is today. What needs to change with the owner’s offer? Will players ever accept a salary cap? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of © David Butler II-Imagn Images Since the calendar has flipped to June, the conversation around baseball’s best teams is beginning to change. Early-season surprises have either established themselves as legitimate contenders or started to drift back toward the pack. The standings provide a useful snapshot, but they do not always answer the bigger questions. The Braves became the first team to reach 40 wins, but does that automatically make them the sport’s top club? The Yankees welcomed Gerrit Cole back to strengthen an already talented rotation, but can that group remain healthy enough to sustain its success over the next four months? Those questions are why third-order wins remain a valuable tool when evaluating the league. Based on Clay Davenport’s adjusted standings, the metric looks beyond a team’s record by incorporating run differential, strength of schedule, and ballpark effects. Rather than focusing solely on what has happened, it attempts to identify which clubs are playing the best baseball and which may be benefiting from favorable circumstances. The result is a ranking system designed to separate sustainable performance from short-term results. Some teams continue to justify their place near the top thanks to dominant underlying metrics, while others are outperforming what their profile suggests. As the season moves deeper into June and the playoff picture slowly begins to take shape, the arrows below show which teams are rising, falling, or holding steady in this week’s rankings. 1. Dodgers — 40.7–17.2 (.703) Biggest Weekly Storyline: On Thursday, Shohei Ohtani continued to do Shohei Ohtani things. He threw six hitless innings and hit a leadoff home run to help the Dodgers beat the Rockies. 2. Yankees — 38.0–20.0 (.655) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Gerrit Cole has been dominant since his return from Tommy John surgery. On Thursday, he struck out 10 Royal batters without allowing a walk over 6 2/3 innings. Even more impressively, he needed just 79 pitches to record the 20 outs. 3. Braves — 37.2–21.8 (.631) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Chris Sale returned to Fenway Park and his four-seamer averaged 97 mph , his highest average in a game since the start of 2019. In five innings, he fanned eight hitters and allowed just two earned runs on six hits. 4. Brewers — 33.8–21.1 (.616) Biggest Weekly Storyline: On Monday, Jacob Misiorowski recorded 12 strikeouts he recorded across seven strong innings. He allowed one earned run on two hits and a walk while topping 103 mph multiple times. 5. Cubs — 33.8–25.2 (.573) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Cubs had two 10-game winning streaks this season and added a 10-game losing streak this week. Thankfully for Chicago fans, Ian Happ drove in five runs on Wednesday to stop the skid. 6. Pirates — 32.8–26.2 (.556) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Among pitchers to debut since 1961, only Spencer Strider (4) and Paul Skenes (3) had more than two single-game streaks of 6+ consecutive strikeouts within their first 67 starts. 7. Rays — 30.4–24.6 (.553) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Yandy Diaz hit two home runs, including back-to-back shots with Jonathan Aranda in a seven-run seventh inning to help the Rays end a four-game losing streak. 8. Rangers — 30.9–27.1 (.533) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Andrew McCutchen was designated for assignment by the Rangers after 37 games. The 39-year-old was batting .192 with a home run and 5 RBI in 73 at-bats. 9. Mariners — 31.2–27.8 (.529) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Julio Rodriguez hit his ninth home run of May, the most he's ever hit in a single month. It had a 16-degree launch angle, a career low, but left the bat at 113.6 mph, the third-hardest homer of his career. 10. Marlins — 30.5–28.5 (.517) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Eury Pérez is expected to miss eight weeks with a bizarre leg injury sustained while he was stretching in the dugout. He exited Wednesday’s start in Toronto because his right hamstring spasmed while he was doing lateral lunges on the bench. 11. Blue Jays — 30.2–28.8 (.512) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Toronto placed starting pitcher Dylan Cease on the injured list due to a hamstring strain, but the team is hoping it will be a minimum 15-day stay on the IL. 12. Red Sox — 28.7–28.3 (.504) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Outfielder Roman Anthony suffered a setback during his rehab process on Thursday and is now reportedly shut down. He felt discomfort while hitting off a tee and has been shut down from swinging. 13. Nationals — 29.7–29.3 (.503) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Nationals have let go of director of community relations Sean Hudson after being featured in a viral clip earlier in the week. Hudson dove into internal discussions regarding a variety of subjects. 14. Diamondbacks — 28.5–28.5 (.500) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Corbin Carroll saw his 13-game hitting streak end on Tuesday. During that streak, he hit over .400 with two homers, four triples, and eight RBIs. 15. White Sox — 28.5–29.5 (.491) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: White Sox rookie Munetaka Murakami landed on IL with a hamstring strain. He is tied for the American League lead with 20 home runs. 16. Guardians — 28.7–31.4 (.478) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Parker Messick joined Paul Skenes and Stephen Strasburg as the only three pitchers in MLB history who have an ERA below 2.50, more than 100 strikeouts, and fewer than 30 walks through their first 18 starts. 17. Cardinals — 26.7–29.3 (.477) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Bryan Torres, a 28-year-old outfielder, began his minor-league career in 2015 and finally made his MLB debut. He reached base three times, first with a walk, then with a single, and, in the top of the ninth inning, he delivered a two-run home run. 18. Padres — 26.4–30.6 (.463) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Padres were swept for the first time this season when the Phillies completed a three-game sweep on Wednesday. 19. Phillies — 26.7–31.3 (.460) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Cristopher Sánchez set the Phillies franchise record for consecutive scoreless innings. His 41 2/3 innings topped the 41-inning streak from Grover Cleveland Alexander in 1911. 20. Angels — 27.1–31.9 (.459) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Angels won back-to-back series for the first time this season, sweeping Texas at home before winning two of three in Detroit. 21. Twins — 26.9–32.1 (.456) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: In a surprising roster move, the Twins designated Simeon Woods Richardson for assignment. The 25-year-old was out of options and went 0-7 with a 7.74 ERA and a 1.89 WHIP. In 47 2/3 innings, he allowed 41 earned runs. 22. Tigers — 26.9–32.1 (.456) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Tigers placed reliever Kenley Jansen on the 15-day injured list with pelvic inflammation. He left Wednesday’s game after getting two outs in the ninth inning, as it looked like he had trouble landing after each throw. 23. Astros — 27.1–32.9 (.452) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Spencer Arrighetti is the only pitcher in MLB history to enter June with 7+ wins, a sub-1.50 ERA, and fewer than 30 hits allowed since ERA became an official stat in 1913. 24. Orioles — 26.2–32.8 (.444) ⬆️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Orioles' Colton Cowser hits walk-off homer two days in a row. 25. Athletics — 25.6–32.4 (.441) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: Luis Severino left his start on Friday after the first inning with a right arm injury. He is undergoing tests to determine the severity of the injury. 26. Giants — 25.4–32.7 (.437) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Giants reassign third-base coach Hector Borg to an undisclosed player development role after multiple baserunning blunders in recent weeks. 27. Royals — 24.8–33.2 (.428) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Royals are struggling offensively. They are currently 29th in runs scored, 22nd in home runs, 21st in batting average, 28th in OPS, and 25th in hits. 28. Mets — 24.4–33.6 (.421) ⬇️ Biggest Weekly Storyline: MJ Melendez hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning to give the Mets a 9-7 victory over the Marlins after squandering a four-run lead Friday night. 29. Reds — 22.9–34.2 (.401) Biggest Weekly Storyline: The Reds placed reliever Graham Ashcraft on the 60-day IL with a UCL strain. It’s another blow to a bullpen that has seen its fair share of injuries. 30. Rockies — 21.5–37.5 (.364) Biggest Weekly Storyline: Ezequiel Tovar capped a five-run ninth with his second homer of the game, Hunter Goodman had a three-run shot in the same inning, as the Rockies completed a comeback against the Giants on Friday. What storylines stood out this week? Do you agree with the rankings above? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article