The final week of the MLB regular season will determine who plays in October and who takes an early vacation. Twelve teams are still battling for Wild Card spots with six games left. The Detroit Tigers and New York Mets are looking to avoid epic collapses that would keep them home for the postseason. And the Seattle Mariners have been on a tear to take control of the American League West.
Here is how the latest list shakes out in the final regular season Sportsnaut MLB Power Rankings.
1. Philadelphia Phillies (Last week: 1)
Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm has been on fire since returning from left shoulder inflammation. In his first three games back, he went 8-for-13 with two doubles, a home run, four RBI and three runs scored. If he can carry this offensive momentum into the playoffs, it makes Philadelphia’s lineup that much more dangerous. The Phillies are also expected to get shortstop Trea Turner back on Friday.
2. Milwaukee Brewers (Last week: 2)
The Brewers are back-to-back National League Central champs for the first time in franchise history — they did win consecutive American League East titles in 1981-82 — but they’ll enter October banged up. The status of Brandon Woodruff, Jose Quintana and Trevor Megill remains unknown, putting greater emphasis on their rotation and bullpen depth.
3. Toronto Blue Jays (Last week: 3)
The Blue Jays have already secured a playoff berth and have a chance to capture their first American League East title since 2015. Toronto holds a two-game lead over the New York Yankees and, more importantly, own the tiebreaker.
4. Los Angeles Dodgers (Last week: 6)
Two weeks ago, the Dodgers looked dead. They lost two of three to the Baltimore Orioles on the road in brutal fashion, including blowing a 3-0 lead with two outs in the bottom of the ninth after Yoshinobu Yamamoto was one out away from a no-hitter. Since then, Los Angeles has won 10 of their last 13 games and holds a 2.5-game lead over the San Diego Padres for the National League West crown.
5. Seattle Mariners (Last week: 7)
The Mariners made a statement over the weekend, sweeping the Houston Astros on the road and taking a three-game lead in the American League West. Catcher Cal Raleigh now leads MLB with 58 home runs. If the Mariners hold on for their first division title since 2001, Raleigh has to be named AL MVP.
6. New York Yankees (Last week: 8)
After a roller-coaster campaign, the Yankees are close to securing their eighth postseason berth in the last nine years. Aaron Judge sits just one home run shy of 50 — which would be his fourth 50-homer season — while Jazz Chisholm Jr. became the third player in franchise history to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases.
7. Chicago Cubs (Last week: 4)
After clinching a postseason berth, the Cubs were swept by the Cincinnati Reds on the road in a four-game series. Adding to concerns, uncertainty surrounds All-Star Kyle Tucker’s health and his availability for the Wild Card series.
8. Cleveland Guardians (Last week: 12)
The Guardians are miraculously just one game behind the Tigers in the American League Central as the rivals begin a three-game series Tuesday night. Cleveland won 10 straight games before their streak snapped Sunday. This week determines their playoff fate.
9. San Diego Padres (Last week: 9)
The Padres have clinched their fourth playoff berth in six years and can now line up Nick Pivetta to start Game 1 of the Wild Card. They also got a bounce-back performance from Michael King on Sunday — five scoreless innings, though he walked four batters.
10. Boston Red Sox (Last week: 10)
The Red Sox currently hold the second Wild Card spot by one game but have a brutal final week. They head to Toronto for three before hosting the Tigers to close out the regular season. The Blue Jays will be looking to claim the AL East crown while Detroit is fighting for their playoff lives.
11. Detroit Tigers (Last week: 5)
What an epic collapse. After holding the best record in baseball and a 14-game lead in the AL Central, their advantage has dwindled to just one game over the Guardians. A week ago, the Tigers had a 99.9% chance to make the playoffs — now it’s down to 84.8% after losing six straight. Their season hangs in the balance as they begin a three-game series against Cleveland Tuesday night.
12. Houston Astros (Last week: 11)
With Yordan Alvarez sidelined by an ankle injury, the Astros were swept at home by the Mariners and now trail Seattle by three games for the AL West lead. With the division crown likely out of reach, they’re battling to reach October, tied with the Guardians for the last Wild Card spot. Houston closes against the Athletics and Los Angeles Angels on the road. Without a winning road trip, it’ll be a long offseason.
13. Cincinnati Reds (Last week: 17)
After sweeping the Cubs in four games, the Reds now control their playoff destiny. They’ve finally overtaken the Mets for the final NL Wild Card spot and hold the tiebreaker over New York. Cincinnati’s next three games come against the Pittsburgh Pirates at home before finishing on the road in Milwaukee.
14. New York Mets (Last week: 14)
Apparently $341 million doesn’t buy what it used to. The Mets lost two of three to the lowly Washington Nationals at home over the weekend, losing their grip on the final NL Wild Card spot. Since Aug. 1, the Mets are 18-29 and limping to the finish line. If they fail to reach October, this campaign will simply go down as a disaster.
15. Arizona Diamondbacks (Last week: 15)
After winning seven of their last 10 games, the Diamondbacks find themselves just one game out of the last Wild Card spot, despite selling at the deadline. Corbin Carroll became the first player in franchise history to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same year. Arizona finishes against the Dodgers and Padres.
16. Miami Marlins (Last week: 23)
It might be too little, too late, but the Marlins remain in playoff contention in the final week. They’ve won their last six games and would need to go 6-0 down the stretch while the five teams ahead of them collapse — but it’s incredible Miami is even in this position at the end of September.
17. Texas Rangers (Last week: 13)
The Rangers put themselves into contention not only for a playoff berth following a 16-4 run, but for a real shot at winning the AL West. Then they lost seven straight, including sweeps by the Astros and Marlins, essentially ending any hope.
18. Kansas City Royals (Last week: 18)
The Royals have found their heir apparent to Salvador Perez in Carter Jensen. Kansas City’s 22-year-old catcher is slashing .300/.391/.575 with two home runs, five doubles and a 165 OPS+ in his first 14 MLB games.
19. St. Louis Cardinals (Last week: 20)
It was a touching moment Sunday when the Cardinals took Nolan Arenado out of the game before it even started so he could receive his flowers from the Busch Stadium crowd, possibly for the last time. For the second straight offseason, St. Louis will seek to trade the 34-year-old third baseman.
20. San Francisco Giants (Last week: 16)
The Giants will miss the playoffs for a fourth consecutive year, and it’s all because of the Dodgers and Padres. As USA Today’s Gabe Lacques points out, San Francisco went just 7-19 against their two NL West rivals this year.
21. Atlanta Braves (Last week: 24)
The Braves are looking to end their dismal campaign on a positive note, winning nine straight games. During the streak, Ronald Acuna Jr. is 12-for-32 with three home runs, six RBI and 11 runs scored.
22. Tampa Bay Rays (Last week: 19)
Rays third baseman Junior Caminero is on the cusp of making history. The 22-year-old All-Star has six games left to hit three more home runs to break Carlos Pena’s single-season franchise record of 46 homers.
23. Athletics (Last week: 21)
The Athletics are a fun young team led by likely AL Rookie of the Year Nick Kurtz. Since Aug. 1, the A’s are 25-20. Their lineup bodes well for the future — they just need to fix their pitching staff.
24. Baltimore Orioles (Last week: 22)
The Orioles are looking to finish their disappointing year on a strong note, going 12-7 in September. Will Baltimore remove the interim tag from manager Tony Mansolino this offseason?
25. Los Angeles Angels (Last week: 25)
Angels superstar Mike Trout finally hit his 400th career home run after being stuck on 399 for over a week. Next stop: 500 — if he can stay healthy.
26. Pittsburgh Pirates (Last week: 26)
Dear Pirates owner Bob Nutting,
Please stop wasting Paul Skenes’ talents and build an actual team around him.
Sincerely,
Every baseball fan
27. Minnesota Twins (Last week: 27)
Twins pitcher Pablo Lopez couldn’t catch a break this year. He missed time due to hamstring and shoulder strains, then was shut down following a Sept. 19 start with a mild forearm strain.
28. Washington Nationals (Last week: 29)
Nationals center fielder Jacob Young made one of the most astounding catches you’ll ever see in a game against the Mets. You have to see it to believe it.
29. Chicago White Sox (Last week: 28)
The White Sox are two losses away from their third straight 100-loss season. A lot will have to change for them to even sniff .500 in 2026.
30. Colorado Rockies (Last week: 30)
Congrats to the Rockies — they won’t set the modern-day loss record of 121 established by the White Sox last year.
