Matt Johnson
Who is the best team in baseball? All 30 Major League Baseball Teams have now played at least 50 games this season, with the standings really starting to show who the best and worst teams are. As we near the end of May, it’s time for another weekly evaluation of all 30 clubs.
Let’s dive into our latest MLB power rankings entering the weekend. Of note, MLB stats used are for games entering Friday, May 22.
1. Atlanta Braves (1)
The Atlanta Braves are the best team in MLB right now. The lineup got Ronald Acuña Jr. back this week, but it also lost Drake Baldwin (oblique strain) to the injured list. Even with countless injuries, Atlanta is nearly 20 games above the .500 line entering play on Friday with the highest run differential (+104) in MLB. That’s thanks to both the lineup (first in batting average and second in runs scored) and a pitching staff with the lowest ERA (3.11) in MLB.
2. Milwaukee Brewers (3)
The Milwaukee Brewers lineup is returning closer to full form, which makes this team even scarier for the rest of the National League. In his age-24 season, ace Jacob Misorowski boasts an absurd 39.3 percent strikeout rate with a .159 batting average allowed to opponents. Milwaukee’s pitching staff has the third-best ERA (3.18) in the majors, and the lineup’s OPS is steadily rising with Jackson Chourio, Christian Yelich and Andrew Vaughn all back.
3. Los Angeles Dodgers (5)
Even when the Los Angeles Dodgers aren’t close to their peak form, they are one of the best MLB teams in 2026. Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell are on the injured list, all the while Emmet Sheehan (4.93 ERA) isn’t recapturing the form he showed in 2025. It doesn’t matter. The Dodgers still lead MLB in quality starts (28), and they rank second in ERA (3.12) and batting average allowed (.210), all while boasting a top-three lineup.
4. Tampa Bay Rays (6)
The Tampa Bay Rays just keep on rolling. Since entering play with a 12–11 record on April 22, the club is 21–4. For comparison, no other team in MLB has 20-plus wins during that span. Scoring on the Rays’ pitching staff has been a daunting task (2.39 ERA), and the Rays lineup boasts a .268 batting average (first) in that span. The results speak for themselves at this point.
5. New York Yankees (4)
The good news for the New York Yankees is that Jose Caballero and Gerrit Cole are rejoining the team this weekend. With that said, Cole’s return won’t do anything to help a lineup that has gone ice-cold over the last week-plus. New York is plenty capable of getting hot at any moment, and this series against the Rays could be a turnaround point, but it’s far from a given the way this club has performed lately.
6. Chicago Cubs (2)
The last week proved to be a rough one for the Chicago Cubs. After dropping the cross-town rivalry series to the White Sox, the team returned to Wrigley Field and got swept by the Brewers. A turnaround from the Cubs lineup could easily come this weekend, but we’re less optimistic about the short-term outlook for Moises Ballesteros (.286 OPS in May).
7. San Diego Padres (7)
Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. The San Diego Padres entered Friday with the fifth-best winning percentage in MLB (.592) despite having a run differential (+3) that is more comparable to .500 teams. A lights-out bullpen certainly makes a difference, but San Diego is going to need a few of its hitters to get going for this record to be maintained into the summer.
8. Cleveland Guardians (12)
The Cleveland Guardians pitching staff (3.67 ERA) is good, as it always is. What separates this team from previous iterations is the lineup. Chase DeLauter is thriving in his rookie season, Brayan Rocchio is having a breakout year, and Travis Bazzana (.288/.409/.384) has performed very well since getting the call-up. The Guardians lineup looks above-average on paper, and that’s translating into success. This is the most well-rounded team Cleveland has had in years, and it shouldn’t be long before they’re 10-plus games over .500.
9. Philadelphia Phillies (10)
Bryce Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies have gotten themselves back on track, entering the weekend tied for the third-most wins (13) in May. Philadelphia’s pitching (3.45 ERA) keeps stringing together quality starts, and the lineup is backing them with run support and timely hits. This upcoming two-week stretch versus the Guardians, Padres, and Dodgers will really be a great test to see where Philadelphia ranks among the best MLB teams right now.
10. Seattle Mariners (9)
The Seattle Mariners are still barely clinging to a top-10 spot in our MLB power rankings, in large part because of how much we like the rotation. Unfortunately for Seattle, its lineup has once again gone cold. A .211/.308/.367 triple-slash line in May speaks to how volatile the production from the Mariners’ batting order can be. Until it all comes together, Seattle isn’t close to scratching the surface of its potential.
11. Arizona Diamondbacks (17)
Ketel Marte gets hot, and so do the Arizona Diamondbacks. It’s been a roller-coaster season for the club, which dropped below .500 early in May and has now climbed back to a winning record. Now, it certainly helped to face the Rockies and Giants for a two-week stretch, but the Diamondbacks are just taking advantage of who they get on the schedule. Besides, the wins buy the team time while the rotation works through some issues.
12. Pittsburgh Pirates (8)
Getting swept by the Phillies was certainly a dose of reality for the Pittsburgh Pirates, and they responded to it by going out on the road and taking down the Cardinals. With Jared Jones on the verge of rejoining the rotation and some of the other tweaks being made to the lineup with Ryan O’Hearn now on the injured list, Pittsburgh could easily get hot again to close out the month.
13. St. Louis Cardinals (11)
It seems pretty evident that the St. Louis Cardinals will be a thorn in the proverbial side of many MLB teams this season. Losing the series at home to Pittsburgh shows how hot-and-cold a lineup carried by young hitters can be, but even that lost set only drops St. Louis to 28–21. There are some recent signs that regression has finally found the Cardinals, but this team is still greatly exceeding preseason expectations.
14. Sacramento Athletics (13)
It really feels like the Sacramento Athletics are just treading water. They’ll go through these stretches where they lose four or five games in a week and then respond with a three-game win streak. Unfortunately for the A’s, they face four of the best MLB teams right now (Padres, Mariners, Yankees, and Cubs), and this stretch could drop them well below .500.
15. Chicago White Sox (18)
How can you not be impressed by the Chicago White Sox at this point? They gave Seattle a fight at home right after taking the series against the Cubs. It’s all part of a turnaround since late April that has turned an 11–17 record into a 25–24 mark. Is Chicago going to be playing in the postseason? Probably not, but this season already looks like a huge success.
16. Texas Rangers (14)
Corey Seager is back on the injured list, and the Texas Rangers are just fighting to stay near the .500 line. A trip to Coors Field provided a nice jolt for the Rangers lineup, but the season-long numbers (28th in runs scored) demonstrate that it’s only a tiny rebound. If Texas wants any shot at the postseason, the lineup needs to maintain this momentum.
17. Toronto Blue Jays (22)
The Toronto Blue Jays badly needed those last two wins over the Yankees. It’s not a complete turnaround, but a 4–2 record in the last week at least represents a small step forward for the reigning American League champions. With the rotation healthier, maybe the Blue Jays can even start racking up consecutive series victories in these next two weeks.
18. New York Mets (23)
In April, rookie outfielder Carson Benge posted a .192/.244/.260 triple-slash line with a .504 OPS. Across 80 plate appearances this month, he’s slashing .351/.400/.459 with an .859 OPS. The New York Mets are 12–7 this month with him in the lineup. If New York can handle its business over the next week against the Marlins and Reds, we’ll soon be talking about this ballclub climbing its way back to a winning record.
19. Washington Nationals (19)
The Washington Nationals are one of the more fascinating MLB teams in 2026. From a fun perspective, the Nationals lineup leads the majors in runs scored (280), and it ranks 10th or higher in batting average (.244), OBP (.325), and slugging. However, Washington’s defense is abysmal, and its pitching is just as bad. A frustrating and entertaining .500 team.
20. Cincinnati Reds (15)
You’ll still find the Cincinnati Reds as a top-20 team in consensus MLB power rankings. That says a lot more about how well they performed in April, posting a 20–11 record. In May, Cincinnati is 6–13 with its pitching staff compiling an unsightly 5.88 ERA. Maybe Nick Lodolo will start to round back into form, but that won’t erase how shaky this Reds bullpen has been this month.
21. Minnesota Twins (24)
At least the Minnesota Twins are making things interesting. With Mick Abel and Taj Bradley sidelined, Connor Prielipp (2.88 ERA and 0.96 WHIP) has stepped up, as has Bailey Ober (3.64 ERA and 1.07 WHIP). With Bradley expected to rejoin the rotation in the coming days, Minnesota might have enough pitching to at least stay near the .500 mark.
22. Boston Red Sox (26)
Maybe sweeping the Kansas City Royals will start some positive momentum for the Boston Red Sox. The pitching staff was brilliant in the three-game series, and there’s reason to hope that carries over in the return to Fenway Park against the Minnesota Twins. Then again, following that up with a six-game stretch against the Braves and Guardians could immediately thrust Boston back into sitting below the .500 mark.
23. Baltimore Orioles (20)
The Baltimore Orioles at least looked like a fringe wild-card contender in April, but the wheels have since fallen off. Baltimore entered the weekend with a 6–13 record in May, with the pitching staff (6.29 ERA) and lineup (.661 OPS) collectively bringing this team down. At some point, there’s no one left to blame except president of baseball operations Mike Elias, and there needs to be accountability.
24. San Francisco Giants (27)
The good news for the San Francisco Giants is that Rafael Devers (.964 OPS in May) is getting back on track. However, the Giants lineup still has a collectively terrible approach at the plate (5.5 percent walk rate in May, 30th in MLB), and the team is still 7–12 this month. It’s increasingly looking like Buster Posey might not have been the right hire.
25. Miami Marlins (25)
From bad to worse for the struggling Miami Marlins. Top prospect Robby Snelling needed Tommy John surgery following his major league debut, and Sandy Alcantara’s trade value (6.04 ERA in May) is once again in free fall. Hey, at least Otto Lopez and Xavier Edwards are bright spots in the Marlins lineup.
26. Houston Astros (29)
The Houston Astros have been one of the worst MLB teams in 2026, largely because of their pitching. Unfortunately for Houston, things are only getting worse. In May, the Astros lineup has produced just a .214/.277/.345 triple-slash line. That’s with the staff’s ERA improving to a more modest 4.13 (21st in MLB). When it’s not one problem, it’s another for Houston.
27. Detroit Tigers (16)
The Detroit Tigers had a winning record on May 3 at 18–17. Since then, they are just 2–14. The Tarik Skubal injury certainly didn’t help, but he has nothing to do with a lineup that has mustered just a .196/.285/.293 triple-slash line in the last 16 games. Selling Skubal this summer feels inevitable now.
28. Kansas City Royals (21)
The Kansas City Royals climbed their way out of rock bottom only to fall down into the hole again. Just over a week ago, the club reached 19–21 and won seven of its last nine games. That’s been followed up by a 1–9 record in the last 10 games. Selling seems like Kansas City’s only option at the MLB trade deadline, and even that will be a challenge with Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic dealing with injuries this year.
29. Colorado Rockies (28)
There was a brief moment of hope for the Colorado Rockies. Chase Dollander was lights-out as a bulk reliever and the team held a respectable 6-6 record in early April. Fast forward to May 22, Dollander is out indefinitely with an elbow sprain and the Rockies have the second-worst record in May (5-14) with an eyesore ERA (6.19). On the bright side for sports fans in Colorado, Broncos offseason practices are right around the corner.
30. Los Angeles Angels (30)
The Los Angeles Angels are the worst team in baseball. Since a 6–5 start to the season, this club has gone 11–29 at a time when half the league has won 20-plus games in that same span. The pitching (5.39 ERA since April 7) is abysmal, the lineup (.228 batting average) has been just as bad, and it’s clear manager Kurt Suzuki probably shouldn’t get a second season.
