MLB Power Rankings: A Top 3 Debut and Historic Highs for Playoff Hopefuls

Jeff Passan and Bradford Doolittle examine the strong starts from the White Sox and Cardinals. (3:00)

The eighth week of our MLB Power Rankings brings about a number of moves we haven't seen in years.

For the first time since Week 3 of last year's Power Rankings (April 17, 2025), the Rockies are not the last team on our list. Colorado moves up one spot to 29th for the first time in over a year because of the new low the Angels have reached, as they now sit at No. 30 with the worst record in MLB.

Meanwhile, at the top of the list, the Rays continue their rise, peaking at No. 3 this week -- their highest ranking of the season. In fact, this ranking is their highest since the 2023 season, when they started off 13-0 and held the No. 1 spot for 11 weeks before slipping to second in Week 16 (July 20, 2023) and dropping below third every week after that ... until now.

Also new in the top 15: The White Sox, who set the record for most losses in a single season in 2024, have moved up to No. 14. The last time they were ranked that high was Sept. 15, 2022 (Week 23).

Who else cracked the top half of our list -- or fell out of it -- in Week 8?

Our expert panel has ranked every team based on a combination of what we've seen so far and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that is a full baseball season. We also asked ESPN MLB experts Jorge Castillo, Bradford Doolittle and Jesse Rogers to weigh in with an observation for all 30 teams.

Week 7 | Preseason rankings

Record: 34-16

Previous ranking: 1

The Braves continue to roll this season but received yet more tough injury news this week when standout DH/catcher Drake Baldwin landed on the injured list with an oblique injury . Baldwin has built on his Rookie of the Year 2025 debut to become one of the NL's top players, boosting his slash line to .303/.389/.543 with 38 RBIs. The news comes at a time when MVP candidate Matt Olson has seen a little bit of a drop over the last week or so. With a huge lead in the NL East, the Braves should be fine, but it might be a good time to catch them if you're an opposing pitcher. -- Doolittle

Record: 31-19

Previous ranking: 2

Mookie Betts is back but with some mixed reviews. That's understandable after he missed five weeks with an oblique strain, but the Dodgers could use the dangerous version of him, as their offense has stalled a bit lately -- minus a good night or two against the Angels recently. Since returning, Betts has hits in five of eight games, including a couple of home runs and a double, but he stranded a few baserunners in key spots -- he's 3-for-18 with RISP this season -- and isn't completely locked in. If and when he goes on a run, the Dodgers might, too. -- Rogers

Record: 33-15

Previous ranking: 5

There's no place like The Trop. After a year as the Yankees' tenants at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, the Rays are back at Tropicana Field and thriving in their natural domed habitat. Their 19-5 home record is tops in the majors. They've completed four series sweeps at home, including a three-game sweep of the Yankees, and have outscored opponents 119-85 in St. Petersburg. Their brand of baseball -- a dynamic offense with a dangerous blend of contact, speed and thump -- applies constant pressure on opponents. Then, as always with good Rays teams, there's the top-notch pitching staff. Home sweet home. -- Castillo

Record: 30-20

Previous ranking: 3

The Yankees were recently reminded that you can never have too much starting pitching. For weeks, it was assumed New York would have a surplus of quality starters when Carlos Rodon and Gerrit Cole returned from the IL. That quickly changed.

In late April, Luis Gil was ineffective and optioned to the minor leagues before landing on the IL. And, last week, Max Fried was placed on the IL with a bone bruise that will sideline him for an unknown number of weeks. Rodon returned days before Fried's injury and Cole will make his season debut Friday against the Rays. The Yankees' rotation is still one of the best in the majors. Cam Schlittler is the early AL Cy Young front-runner. Will Warren and Ryan Weathers can dominate any given night. If Cole and Rodon can approach their previous forms -- and that's not a given -- the Yankees' rotation won't skip a beat. -- Castillo

Record: 29-18

Previous ranking: 6

Could The Miz win the Cy Young Award? It's looking more and more like Jacob Misiorowski will be in the running after another stellar outing Tuesday against the Cubs. This time he "only" struck out eight without giving up one run over six innings, adding to his magnificent start to this year. Overall, he has struck out 88 hitters in just 57 innings while compiling a minuscule 1.89 ERA. And he has thrown 24⅓ consecutive scoreless innings, the second-longest active streak by a starter in MLB right now. And then there's this: Misiorowski's streak of five straight starts of eight-plus strikeouts and no extra-base hits allowed is the longest such streak since 1893. The Miz is The Man. -- Rogers

Record: 29-20

Previous ranking: 7

The Padres are the magic act that just keeps tricking the rest of the league -- or maybe they're just that good. Despite down numbers by Fernando Tatis Jr . (zero home runs so far) and Manny Machado , they keep scoring enough to win. But can that continue? They are far and away the best hitting team in the clutch -- a number so exaggerated it's bound to see regression. On the mound, they got a boost from Lucas Giolito , who threw well in his Padres debut Sunday. Overcoming pitching injuries will be a key for San Diego, but if it keeps hitting in the clutch, the team will have staying power. -- Rogers

Record: 29-21

Previous ranking: 4

If you think there is some rhyme or reason to hitting with runners in scoring position, look no further than Seiya Suzuki to dispel that notion. With the bases empty, he's hitting .298 this season. That drops to .140 with runners in scoring position. The gap between those numbers is one of the largest among all NL hitters and is frustrating to Cubs fans, considering he's a good hitter who gets reduced to weak outs when RBIs are available to him. But there's no accounting for it. Just one year ago, Suzuki hit .309 with RISP. In 2024, it was .256. The Cubs are hoping a good run -- of driving in runs -- is coming. -- Rogers

Record: 25-25

Previous ranking: 11

There's no reason to think that interim manager Don Mattingly, respected as he is, has suddenly become the reincarnation of John McGraw, but there is no arguing with the improvement the Phillies have shown since he replaced Rob Thomson. It has been widespread, with hitters and pitchers catching fire at the same time. The Phillies' roster is built on star power and the stars have flourished since Mattingly took over in late April. Since then, Cristopher Sanchez and Zack Wheeler have combined to go 6-0 with a 1.10 ERA, and Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper have teamed to club 17 homers with an OPS over 1.000. These are the Phillies we expected to see. -- Doolittle

Record: 29-22

Previous ranking: 12

We make the case for the biggest threats to L.A.'s throne. Story &#187

In a season partly defined by exciting prospect graduations, the impending one of rookie second baseman Travis Bazzana fits nicely into that narrative. After a feeling-out process during his first few games, Bazzana has taken off the last couple of weeks. His patience at the plate has been there all along, but his average has gone from sub-.200 to nearly .300. In the power department, he has clubbed his first two big league homers. Already, he has become one of three Cleveland rookies that might figure into AL Rookie of the Year balloting, joining Chase DeLauter and Parker Messick . The Guardians may be more reliant on their system than any other organization but when you turn out young players like this, who can blame them? -- Doolittle

Record: 28-20

Previous ranking: 10

The Cardinals are in a stretch of 12 straight games against division foes that could be a final indicator of whether they will be in the playoff hunt for the entire season or this has just been a good start to a retooling year. They're starting to believe the former is true and might be enough to take back that home-field advantage Busch Stadium provided for so many years. "Tarps off," or rather shirts off, has become a thing in St. Louis , where the team is hovering around .500 this season. The Cardinals have done their damage on the road but that could be changing the longer they're in the race. The league is taking notice. -- Rogers

Record: 24-27

Previous ranking: 9

The Mariners, needing infield help, called up top prospect Colt Emerson on Sunday nearly two months after signing him to an eight-year, $95 million contract extension. The next day, he had his first major league hit -- a three-run home run to help Seattle to a win over the White Sox. Seattle made the decision to call him after placing Brendan Donovan on the IL with a left groin strain. The 20-year-old Emerson became the franchise's youngest player to debut since Felix Hernandez in August 2005. Though he is considered the Mariners' shortstop of the future, Emerson will primarily play third base with Donovan out as the Mariners seek an offensive boost with Cal Raleigh also sidelined. -- Castillo

Record: 25-24

Previous ranking: 8

It wasn't the best of weeks on the mound for the Pirates, who saw Paul Skenes give up five runs, Mitch Keller give up six, Bubba Chandler another four and another four for Braxton Ashcraft . This, pitching, is the strength of a Pittsburgh team still finding its offensive identity. After a hot start, the Pirates have come back to the pack and will need the starting staff to find its legs again to stay in the playoff hunt. Otherwise, dropping below .500 is a real possibility. -- Rogers

Record: 25-23

Previous ranking: 17

Maybe Tuesday's walk-off homer against the Giants will propel Ketel Marte , who has been just OK so far this season. There are signs he's getting there this month, though, as he has four multihit games over the last week, including a three-hit night Wednesday that saw him leave the yard. Marte is starting to catch up to fastballs again, although he's still hitting about 100 points less on them than a year ago. His biggest problem is his chase rate -- it's the highest of his career. As that comes down, his numbers should go up. -- Rogers

Record: 25-24

Previous ranking: 23

We break down the wild state of the Junior Circuit. Bradford Doolittle &#187

The longer the White Sox hang in the playoff race, the more they might have an Andrew Benintendi problem. The 31-year-old has looked old beyond his years, with 14th percentile bat speed, per Statcast, and a spike in strikeout rate. The defense and baserunning metrics that once provided a solid floor for his value have also cratered, and at some point, his role as a fifth outfielder/DH against righties becomes an obvious upgrade opportunity for general manager Chris Getz.

The complication: Benintendi still has another season and a half to go on the five-year, $75 million contract he signed before the 2023 season. Can the White Sox accept that this is a sunk cost when the time comes? The answer might have real ramifications on the AL playoff race when it comes to the overachieving White Sox. -- Doolittle

Record: 26-24

Previous ranking: 14

Cincinnati's bullpen has imploded. Once a strength of the team, its ERA is hovering around 5.00, which puts the Reds near the bottom of the league. No one is immune. Tejay Antone 's return to the majors has been a nice storyline but he posted an 8.00 ERA last week while Connor Phillips and Graham Ashcraft also gave up runs in meaningful spots. Cincinnati's starting staff isn't helping all that much either, outside of Chase Burns . Nick Lodolo and Brady Singer also had rough weeks to go along with those relievers. It has caused the team to plummet in the standings. -- Rogers

Recor

_Originally reported by [ESPN](https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/48816742/mlb-2026-power-rankings-week-8-braves-dodgers-rays-brewers-cardinals-white-sox)._