It’s been a wild week of baseball as the season winds down. The Los Angeles Dodgers seemingly have lost their invincibility, the Philadelphia Phillies are dealing with more star player injuries, the New York Yankees are surging, and the Texas Rangers are making one final playoff push.
The playoffs begin in three weeks, with the Milwaukee Brewers remaining atop Sportsnaut’s MLB Power Rankings. Here’s how the rest of the field stacks up.
1. Milwaukee Brewers (Last week: 1)
The Brewers sit eight wins away from breaking their franchise record of 97 wins and 11 victories from their first-ever 100-win season. However, they need to solve their bullpen issues before October, dealing with injuries to relievers Trevor Megill, Shelby Miller, Nick Mears, Grant Anderson and DL Hall.
2. Philadelphia Phillies (Last week: 2)
Good news: The Phillies opened an eight-game lead over the New York Mets in the NL East and hold the No. 2 seed over the Dodgers by four games for a first-round bye. Bad news: Star shortstop Trea Turner is sidelined with a Grade 1 hamstring strain, though he should return by the postseason. Third baseman Alec Bohm also hit the injured list with a sore shoulder.
3. New York Yankees (Last week: 7)
The Yankees have been scorching hot lately, winning back-to-back series against the Houston Astros and Blue Jays to pull within two games of Toronto for the AL East lead. However, there’s concern about Aaron Judge’s throwing arm after his right elbow flexor strain, which is limiting him defensively.
4. Detroit Tigers (Last week: 3)
Detroit’s bullpen took a hit when closer Kyle Finnegan landed on the IL with a mild adductor strain. The deadline acquisition from Washington has been lights-out, posting zero earned runs while striking out 19 across 14 1/3 innings in 12 appearances. Fortunately, the injury wasn’t worst-case scenario, and Finnegan should return for the playoffs.
5. Toronto Blue Jays (Last week: 6)
Toronto holds just a two-game lead over the surging Yankees after losing two of three in the Bronx. Anthony Santander is expected to begin a rehab assignment this week after missing time since late May with a shoulder injury. The former All-Star outfielder signed a five-year, $92.5 million deal in the offseason, but it’s looking like a bust after hitting just .179 with a .577 OPS and six home runs in 50 games before the injury.
6. Chicago Cubs (Last week: 5)
Kyle Tucker’s calf injury continues to puzzle. The Cubs All-Star has missed four straight games heading into Tuesday’s contest against Atlanta. He hasn’t been placed on the IL because Chicago believes he’s close to returning, but losing a big bat during a playoff push is costly.
7. Boston Red Sox (Last week: 8)
The Red Sox suffered a gut punch when rookie Roman Anthony went down with an oblique strain and is expected to miss four to six weeks. Boston dropped three straight games and hit just .222 without Anthony before Monday’s 7-0 win over the Athletics.
8. Los Angeles Dodgers (Last week: 4)
The Dodgers suffered the most improbable loss Saturday night. Yoshinobu Yamamoto was one out away from baseball’s first no-hitter of the season when Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday launched a two-out solo homer in the ninth. After pulling Yamamoto, Dodgers relievers needed just one more out to secure a 3-1 win but blew it, with Baltimore walking off on a two-run bases-loaded single for a 4-3 victory. LA has dropped seven of their last 10 games, including a sweep by the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates. They look cooked.
9. Houston Astros (Last week: 10)
While Framber Valdez’s antics of hitting his catcher in the chest after getting crossed up made headlines, Yordan Alvarez has quietly dominated since returning to the Astros lineup. Since Aug. 26, the three-time All-Star is 17-for-40 with three homers, nine RBI and eight runs in 12 games.
10. San Diego Padres (Last week: 9)
The Padres trail the fading Dodgers by just one game in the NL West but have struggled recently, going 5-8 in their last 13 games, including a five-game losing streak capped by a sweep at the hands of Baltimore. After facing Cincinnati, they get four games against Colorado. The time is now if San Diego wants to finally end LA’s NL West dominance.
11. New York Mets (Last week: 11)
The NL East appears out of reach for the Mets, who trail by eight games heading into Tuesday’s matchup with Philadelphia, but they still hold the final Wild Card spot by three games. New York might rely on three rookie starters in the playoffs, led by Nolan McLean, who sports a 4-1 record and 1.42 ERA through five starts.
12. Seattle Mariners (Last week: 12)
Cal Raleigh connected on his league-leading 53rd homer Sunday as the Mariners throttled Atlanta 18-2. Seattle has won three straight, scoring 32 runs in those games. They desperately need this momentum before October after previously losing 15 of 21.
13. Texas Rangers (Last week: 13)
The Rangers refuse to die despite injuries to stars Marcus Semien, Corey Seager and Nathan Eovaldi. They took two of three from Houston and blanked Milwaukee 5-0 Monday. Texas sits just 1.5 games behind Seattle for the final Wild Card spot.
14. San Francisco Giants (Last week: 16)
The Giants are keeping their slim playoff hopes alive behind Rafael Devers’ hot bat. The three-time All-Star now has 16 homers with San Francisco — one more than he hit with Boston this season — and has posted an .885 OPS in September. They’re three games behind the Mets for the final Wild Card spot.
15. Cleveland Guardians (Last week: 17)
Cleveland finds itself just 2.5 games out of the final AL Wild Card spot amid a four-game winning streak. The surge coincides with Jose Ramirez posting an .869 OPS this month with four extra-base hits. On the season, Ramirez has 27 homers, 27 doubles and 37 stolen bases.
16. Kansas City Royals (Last week: 14)
The Royals have been without their best player for three games as they fight for October. Two-time All-Star Bobby Witt Jr. has been sidelined with back spasms, with Kansas City losing two games in his absence. The Royals sit three games out of the last Wild Card spot and have no shot at consecutive playoff appearances if Witt’s absence extends.
17. Arizona Diamondbacks (Last week: 19)
Former Diamondbacks top prospect Jordan Lawlar is trying to prove he belongs in the season’s final month. Since getting recalled Aug. 29, the 23-year-old is just 4-for-22 with two doubles and no homers in seven games. He’s done everything he can in the minors, so it’s sink or swim for Lawlar.
18. Cincinnati Reds (Last week: 15)
The Reds are exactly what they appear to be — a .500 team. They have a promising young pitching staff led by Hunter Greene but need more offense heading into 2026. They have no qualified hitters with an OPS above .800 and zero 20-homer players.
19. Tampa Bay Rays (Last week: 18)
The Rays’ slim playoff hopes evaporated over the weekend after getting swept by Cleveland in three games, scoring just four runs total.
20. St. Louis Cardinals (Last week: 20)
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol and hitting coach Brant Brown publicly challenged former top prospect Jordan Walker to prepare better and show urgency. Walker responded Saturday with a walk-off two-run single in a 3-2 win over San Francisco, snapping an 0-for-25 skid. In 321 at-bats this season, Walker is hitting .215 with a .574 OPS and five homers.
21. Baltimore Orioles (Last week: 26)
The Orioles delivered the win of the year Saturday against the Dodgers. Down 3-0 while being no-hit with two outs in the ninth, Jackson Holliday launched a solo homer to knock Yoshinobu Yamamoto from the game. They then rallied for three more runs in a miraculous 4-3 comeback. Even in a forgettable season for Baltimore, that game will live forever.
22. Los Angeles Angels (Last week: 22)
Jo Adell has transformed into a power threat. The Angels outfielder hit his 35th homer Sunday, 15 more than his previous career high of 20 set last year. He has an .811 OPS but just a .303 on-base percentage. Will the Angels sell high on Adell this offseason or keep him for 2026?
23. Athletics (Last week: 23)
Imagine how Oakland fans would have embraced Nick Kurtz as their franchise savior. Instead, the likely AL Rookie of the Year is playing in a minor league ballpark in Sacramento before the Athletics move (maybe?) to Las Vegas.
24. Atlanta Braves (Last week: 24)
Chris Sale looks like his Cy Young self since returning from the rib injury that cost him two months. In his first two starts back with the Braves, Sale has allowed just two earned runs over 12 2/3 innings while striking out 18.
25. Miami Marlins (Last week: 21)
The Marlins hoped to get their All-Star hitter back this week, but that’s now uncertain. Outfielder Kyle Stowers has been sidelined since mid-August with a left oblique strain, and now right oblique soreness has forced him to sit out rehab games. Before the injury, Stowers had 25 homers and a .912 OPS in 117 games.
26. Pittsburgh Pirates (Last week: 27)
Top pitching prospect Bubba Chandler struggled in his first career start for the Pirates, allowing nine earned runs over 2 2/3 innings against Milwaukee. The 22-year-old has surrendered 12 earned runs in 6 2/3 innings over his last two appearances.
27. Chicago White Sox (Last week: 28)
Break up the White Sox! They’ve won seven of their last eight games, including a four-game sweep of Minnesota and taking two of three from Detroit. Rookie shortstop Colson Montgomery is emerging as a star with 18 homers and an .848 OPS in 53 games.
28. Minnesota Twins (Last week: 25)
This disastrous season can’t end soon enough for the Twins. They’ve lost seven of their last 10 and carry a minus-74 run differential.
29. Washington Nationals (Last week: 29)
Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews is trying to finish strong. The second overall pick of the 2023 draft, who has struggled in his first two seasons, has posted an .816 OPS in September with a homer and double.
30. Colorado Rockies (Last week: 30)
The Rockies need two wins in their final 18 games to avoid setting the modern loss record of 121, established by last year’s White Sox.
