MLB Power Rankings: Where we stand heading into September

It's the eighth edition of theScore's MLB Power Rankings for the 2026 season. We'll look at where each team stands going into the final month of the regular season:

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1. Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers just keep on rolling and are starting to put space between themselves and the rest of the NL for the No. 1 seed (and likely the best record in baseball). Part of their success comes from surprising, well-timed breakouts that should serve them well in October. Jake Bauers has gone from fringe utility bat to offensive leader, while rookie Logan Henderson has emerged as a true No. 2 starter behind Jacob Misiorowski.

2. Atlanta Braves

Chris Sale could make a run at his second NL Cy Young in three years if he continues to pitch as he has over the last six weeks. The 10-time All-Star has posted seven straight quality starts, allowing just nine earned runs with three walks and 60 strikeouts over 46 innings. His 5.4 fWAR ranks third, behind only Misiorowski (5.7) and Cristopher Sánchez (5.8).

3. Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers know better than anyone that the path to the World Series is a marathon, and they've managed their pitching staff accordingly. But with October quickly approaching, it's now time to get their best arms firing. Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow have come off the IL recently and combined to strike out 44 over 35 innings, while both sport a WHIP under 0.90. That's good timing, considering it seems more and more unlikely that Shohei Ohtani will pitch again this season.

4. Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays hope to hang a World Series banner at the Trop before they move out in a couple of years, and finishing with the AL's best record will certainly help that pursuit. Tampa Bay's 46 home wins lead the AL and are the third-most in the majors, helping propel it to a 4.5-game lead in the division and a 10-game edge over the White Sox for home-field advantage through the ALCS.

5. New York Yankees

The health of Aaron Judge will continue to loom over the Yankees, but we've already seen how imposing this club can look come playoff time as the rotation gets back to full health. Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, and Carlos Rodón are all finally healthy, while AL Cy Young contender Cam Schlittler seems to be getting even better down the stretch. For all of New York's flaws, who would want to face these arms in October?

6. Chicago Cubs

It was always going to take something special to dethrone Shohei Ohtani as NL MVP, and Pete Crow-Armstrong is doing it. The Cubs' new franchise player is hurtling toward a 40-40 season and has been the best defensive center fielder in baseball. He's also got the "valuable" part locked down by putting Chicago on his back for the stretch run.

7. Philadelphia Phillies

There's justifiable concern about how Zack Wheeler's performed over the last month (7.59 ERA), though he did look better Sunday. Luckily, Jesús Luzardo, Cristopher Sanchez, and Aaron Nola have all been excellent of late. Philadelphia can still chase down the division, but at the very least, they need to try to secure home-field advantage for the wild-card round.

8. Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox went on an incredible run largely thanks to their supporting cast, and now we'll see what they can do with Trevor Story and Roman Anthony finally back healthy. While it's still early and nothing is guaranteed over the final month, Boston appears locked into the AL's No. 5 seed and will likely play the Yankees again in the playoffs. The important thing now is to keep everyone healthy and ready come October.

9. Chicago White Sox

The White Sox have a legit chance to secure their first AL Central title since 2021 - a notion that nobody would've contemplated entering this season after they posted three straight 100-plus-loss campaigns. Chicago heads into September with a 3.5-game lead in a division with three sub-.500 teams and has a cupcake schedule down the stretch with one series against a .500 or better club.

10. San Diego Padres

Fernando Tatis Jr. is back in a big way, with the Padres star shaking off the cobwebs after a miserable first half. He's having an incredible August, recording a .915 OPS with 18 RBIs and nine of his 17 homers this year - along with his usual spectacular defense. It's no coincidence that the Padres, who are 0.5 games back of the final NL wild-card spot, started looking like a postseason team the moment Tatis got going.

11. Cleveland Guardians

The Guardians are in the final AL playoff spot despite being one game over .500. They've won nine of 12 since Aug. 17, but they'll have to keep winning, as the Blue Jays, Rangers, and Orioles are closing in. As usual in Cleveland, the pitching's been great, while the bats need to do more. Deadline acquisition Jo Adell has provided a bit of a jolt offensively, but not enough.

12. Houston Astros

The Astros could win the AL West and secure a top-three seed in the AL, or they could miss the postseason altogether. Notably, only five of Houston's remaining 25 games are against the division. The club's other big chase is Yordan Alvarez's quest to become just the second player to win the Triple Crown since 1968. He's leading the majors in average (.317), on-base percentage (.432), slugging (.607), and OPS (1.039).

13. Arizona Diamondbacks

While Arizona is in the thick of the NL playoff picture, the distraction of Ketel Marte's mysterious absence and injury continues to hang over the team. Despite the uncertainty, the D-Backs own the final NL wild-card spot. They desperately need Marte at his best both physically and mentally, because Corbin Carroll can't do it all himself.

14. Miami Marlins

A playoff berth appears unlikely for the Marlins, who briefly looked like they might upend the NL wild-card race before coming back to earth over the last month. Still, they enter September with a positive run differential, good pitching, and some decent offensive building blocks for the first time in what feels like ages. Plus, Miami is only 3.5 games behind Arizona. Miracles do happen.

15. Toronto Blue Jays

Toronto somehow remains in the thick of the wild-card race despite getting almost nothing from its franchise player. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is one of just three qualified hitters (out of 136) yet to homer in their own ballpark this season, and he doesn't return to Rogers Centre until Sept. 11. Almost nothing can fix the back of Guerrero's baseball card this year, but he can at least salvage something if he finds a way to help get the Blue Jays to October.

16. Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles need Gunnar Henderson to produce like Gunnar Henderson down the stretch. Since finishing fourth in AL MVP voting, he's been a league-average hitter for two years and is currently putting up career lows in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging. Baltimore could have the edge in a tight battle for the final wild-card spot if Henderson finds his form, as he did with Sunday's two-homer performance.

17. Texas Rangers

The Rangers and Astros are poised for a dogfight for the AL West title, but Texas needs more from a rotation that looked like a strength heading into the season if it plans to overtake Houston. Two-time Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom's 4.21 ERA is the highest of his 13-year career, and he allowed eight earned runs in his last start, tying a personal worst. MacKenzie Gore also has a 4.40 ERA, while Nathan Eovaldi is injured.

18. Seattle Mariners

It's hard to believe the Mariners could miss the playoffs with this much talent. Bryan Woo, George Kirby, and Bryce Miller have been too inconsistent in what looked like one of the best rotations in baseball on paper. Meanwhile, Cal Raleigh is poised to finish batting under the Mendoza Line. Seattle has gone 16-24 since the All-Star break, jeopardizing its chances to play this October after falling a game short of the franchise's first World Series appearance last season.

19. Pittsburgh Pirates

What the heck happened to the Pirates? They looked poised to make a run at a wild-card spot thanks to one of the best offenses in baseball, but now their playoff hopes are on life support. Since the All-Star break, Pittsburgh's gone 17-24 and has posted the second-lowest slugging percentage and wRC+. This team will extend its postseason drought to 11 years if the trend continues.

20. St. Louis Cardinals

Lost in the hoopla around the breakouts of Jordan Walker and JJ Wetherholt has been first baseman Alec Burleson taking his game to the next level. The 27-year-old has already tied his career high in homers, leads the majors in doubles, and increased his OPS by 33 points from his Silver Slugger-winning 2025 campaign. Burleson's going to be a big part of the next Cardinals playoff team, whether that's through a miracle in 2026 or in the years to come.

21. Kansas City Royals

The Royals are showing signs of life late in a lost season. Since Aug. 14, Matt Quatraro's club has won 13 of 16, a run that's included series wins against the Tigers, Blue Jays, and Guardians. Jac Caglianone came into his own in August, hitting .411/.429/.684 with six homers and 26 RBIs over his last 24 games. Though we're not saying that Kansas City's making the playoffs, it's at least providing a foundation for 2027.

22. Minnesota Twins

With the arrival of top prospect Walker Jenkins, the future is here for the Twins. The fifth selection from the 2023 draft will be counted on to produce immediately, especially with Byron Buxton sidelined again and Minnesota sitting on the fringe of the wild-card race. Jenkins brings a blend of power and speed after producing 14 homers, 17 stolen bases, and a .976 OPS over 73 games in the minors.

23. Cincinnati Reds

The Reds look destined to miss the playoffs for the fifth time in six years and the ninth time in 11 seasons. It's not all bad, as Cincinnati still has a chance to take home some hardware. Sal Stewart, somewhat quietly, leads the majors with 105 RBIs to go with 31 homers. Only two rookies in MLB history (Ted Williams and Walt Dropo) have ever won the RBI crown, and the Reds haven't had a Rookie of the Year winner since Jonathan India in 2021.

24. Washington Nationals

Look between the margins, and you'll find plenty of positives. Perhaps the most welcome development has been the breakout of Cade Cavalli, who's turned himself into a bona fide ace for a rotation that needs a foundation. A strong finish to his season will undoubtedly be noticed around the league as the young Nats try to reassert themselves as true contenders.

25. Detroit Tigers

It turns out that the little post-Tarik Skubal trade run the Tigers had was a bit of a mirage. Between losing Skubal and Casey Mize in trades and Riley Greene to injury, it looks like there's just too much for Detroit to overcome, even in a mediocre AL. That's too bad, because it would have been great to watch potential AL Rookie of the Year Kevin McGonigle on the big stage.

26. New York Mets

Nolan McLean is making a push to become the first Met to win NL Rookie of the Year since Pete Alonso in 2019. The 25-year-old has allowed just two earned runs on 10 hits over his last 25 innings (four starts), lowering his ERA to 3.06 with a 9.9 K/9 this season. McLean faces stiff competition from Reds slugger Stewart and Cardinals shortstop Wetherholt, but the right-hander can strengthen his case in September.

27. San Francisco Giants

Bryce Eldridge looks like a real building block for the future. The 21-year-old rookie has 15 homers and a .804 OPS across 91 games and has been especially good lately, recording at least one hit in 18 of his 23 games in August. With so many of the Giants' highest-paid stars struggling, this type of production from a homegrown player must be a relief.

28. Athletics

The Athletics entered the season as a potential wild-card threat, but injuries and underperformance have hindered them. One bright spot has been Zack Gelof, who's healthy and producing again. After hitting 19 homers with a .612 OPS over 168 games across 2024 and 2025, the 26-year-old has gone deep 14 times with a .767 OPS in 86 contests this year.

29. Colorado Rockies

The Rockies need to go 11-14 in their last 25 games to avoid becoming just the fifth team in MLB history with four straight 100-loss seasons, a dubious feat that hasn't been accomplished since the early 1960s. Colorado has 12 games remaining against clubs above .500, so it could be a tall task.

30. Los Angeles Angels

Reid Detmers has a chance to become the third Angels pitcher since 2010 to record a 200-strikeout season. The left-hander has another month to add to his total of 174, which is already a career high. Although Los Angeles' pitching staff has been a mess all year, the 27-year-old has emerged as a frontline starter.