The Dodgers are atop our rankings once more this week and, frankly, they’ve been at or close to the highest of this checklist for just about a decade now. Which is why we needed to pour one out for Chris Taylor, the longest-tenured Dodgers place participant, who was launched by the staff on Sunday. He was a key participant on a full decade of excellent Dodgers groups and received himself two World Sequence rings. He struggled this yr, however he nonetheless bought to play, which implies if the Dodgers win the Sequence once more this yr, he’ll get a 3rd one. He’ll get ovations each time he reveals up at Dodger Stadium for the remainder of his life, and he’ll deserve them.
These rankings, as at all times, are compiled from MLB.com contributors whose names you could find on the backside of this (and each) piece, however the phrases are mine. If you happen to dislike the rankings, yell in any respect of us. However in the event you dislike the phrases, be at liberty to yell at me.
1. Dodgers (beforehand: 1)
Clearly, Clayton Kershaw’s season debut on Saturday didn’t go the way in which he or the Dodgers would have hoped: He gave up 5 runs in 4 innings, together with three in a 38-pitch first. However his stuff didn’t look horrible, and he clearly is aware of the best way to work himself again in addition to anybody. And let’s not overlook the forest for the timber right here: Clayton Kershaw is again on the mound! It’s his 18th season with the Dodgers, becoming a member of Zack Wheat and Invoice Russell as the one gamers to succeed in 18 seasons with the franchise. And don’t overlook: Along with his two strikeouts, he’s solely 30 away from 3,000 for his profession. For what it’s value: He’s solely 10 away from passing Zack Greinke for twentieth all-time.
2. Tigers (beforehand: 3)
No staff, and no fanbase, in your entire sport is having extra enjoyable than the Tigers are proper now. They have been the primary staff to succeed in 30 wins this yr, they’ve the perfect run differential in baseball and they’re scoring like loopy. Javier Báez has been probably the most shocking story, however let’s not overlook Spencer Torkelson, who already has extra homers than he did final yr and is tied for second within the AL in RBIs.
3. Mets (beforehand: 4)
Hey, the Mets made a commerce over the weekend! They’re a bit brief on lefties within the bullpen, in order that they despatched some money to the D-backs for José Castillo, a left-hander who has made solely eight appearances since 2018 and pitched solely 45 video games in his entire profession. However he at all times, at all times dominates lefties, to the tune of a .175/.273/.281. Don’t be shocked in the event you see him in an enormous second this October.
4. Padres (beforehand: 2)
So right here’s one thing to control: For all the thrill across the Padres to this point, they’re, in truth, an beneath .500 staff since April 15, which, in the event you occur to have your calendar useful, is definitely greater than a month in the past now. They have been 14-3 as much as that time, the perfect in baseball on that date, nevertheless it must be famous: That early sizzling streak is disguising a staff that has been common ever since.
5. Yankees (beforehand: 7)
I convey up this nice Sarah Langs piece loads, however that is the type of season it’s extremely helpful. It tracks the newest any hitter has gone into the yr whereas nonetheless hitting above .400. Aaron Decide, after 46 video games, remains to be there. If he’s nonetheless there after 49 video games, he’ll transfer into the second-deepest right into a season hitting .400 since 2008; the newest this century is at present Luis Arraez (78 video games), simply two years in the past.
6. Phillies (beforehand: 6)
It was actually jarring to obtain the information that José Alvarado, the Phillies’ finest and unquestionably most vital reliever, was suspended by MLB for 80 video games on Sunday morning for testing optimistic for exogenous testosterone. However don’t overlook the opposite punishment that comes along with the 80 video games: He received’t be eligible to pitch within the postseason. Contemplating the Phillies are very a lot planning on being part of that postseason, you need to count on the staff to deal with its sudden bullpen gap rapidly, and with aggression.
7. Cubs (beforehand: 5)
First place within the Majors proper now in WAR? Aaron Decide. No shock there. Second place? Fernando Tatis Jr. Yep, is smart. However third place? It’s … the Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong, who’s on tempo for, get this, a 43-homer, 130-RBI, 122-run, 47-stolen base season. Yowza.
8. Giants (beforehand: 8)
I talked about Wilmer Flores, and the way nice of a season he’s having to this point, final week, so it’s type of dishonest to convey it up once more, however: Holy cow, Wilmer Flores is having an ideal season! He has an opportunity to interrupt Mel Ott’s staff document of 151 RBIs in 1929 (he’s on tempo to be inside 5) and had 41 RBIs by 45 video games, probably the most for any Large since Barry Bonds again in 2001 (45). (It’s at all times a great signal when a Barry Bonds stat comes up when somebody is writing about you.)
9. Twins (beforehand: 18)
The Twins’ 13-game win streak lastly ended on Sunday, however that didn’t cease them from capturing up these rankings anyway, understandably so. You do surprise if this can be their peak for some time, although: After their collision on Thursday, each Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton are on the seven-day concussion IL, and everyone knows the fundamental rule with the Twins: When these two and Royce Lewis are wholesome, they’re nice. And after they’re not … they’re very a lot not.
11. Guardians (beforehand: 12)
José Ramírez is on one among his heaters once more, placing collectively a double-digit hit streak. Ramírez is famously streaky, and contemplating among the offensive expertise round him some years, he has needed to be. He does have extra assist nowadays … but when he retains this explicit streak going, he might make one other run at that MVP that has at all times eluded him.
12. Cardinals (beforehand: 17)
Two weeks in the past, it regarded just like the Cardinals can be spending most of June and July determining who they have been going to commerce. They’re now the most popular staff within the Nationwide League. It actually can’t be stated sufficient how good Brendan Donovan has been this season. He’s hitting .330 and leads the NL in hits; he’s destined to make his first All-Star Sport.
13. D-backs (beforehand: 11)
For these of us who bear in mind Shelby Miller’s disastrous first stint in Phoenix — wherein he had, over three seasons, an ERA over 6.00 after coming over in a commerce that famously despatched out Dansby Swanson — it’s type of exceptional to see him thriving in a D-backs uniform. That’s what’s taking place, although: After accepting a non-roster invite to Spring Coaching, he has, amazingly, grow to be the staff’s nearer. “With out him on the excessive again finish of the video games, I do not know if we would be within the spot we’re in,” supervisor Torey Lovullo stated.
14. Rangers (beforehand: 21)
It nonetheless feels just like the Rangers are about to go on a run. They’ve bought a lot going for them. They’ve bought the perfect beginning pitcher ERA within the American League, which is at present buoying a lineup that has some accidents and is dramatically underperforming (they’re twenty sixth in OPS). If that mark comes up in any respect, this staff might make a run, and bear in mind: It’s not like these early struggles fully derailed them. They do have a profitable document, in any case.
15. Royals (beforehand: 10)
As a result of the Cardinals, the staff they famously beat within the 1985 World Sequence, have been on the town over the weekend, the staff honored the fortieth anniversary of that staff, the primary Royals staff to win a World Sequence. I watched the entire ceremony and really feel obliged to level out that nobody stated the phrases “Don Denkinger” even as soon as.
16. Astros (beforehand: 15)
The Astros are third in baseball in comeback victories, however they’ve type of had no selection: They’ve been scoreless by 5 innings 16 occasions this yr, tied for probably the most in baseball. They nonetheless won’t have Yordan Alvarez again by Memorial Day both.
17. Braves (beforehand: 14)
The Braves lastly bought themselves again to .500 this week, they usually made a bit little bit of historical past within the course of: They turned the fifth staff in MLB historical past to claw again to .500 after beginning the season with a seven-game (or extra) shedding streak to begin the season. They’re additionally the primary for the reason that 2008 Astros.
18. Crimson Sox (beforehand: 13)
Contemplating how a lot the Crimson Sox have been struggling – and the way a lot they’ve given the Yankees an opportunity to tug away on this division – I suppose you may’t blame some Crimson Sox followers for eager to deal with these new Inexperienced Monster Metropolis Join uniforms as an alternative. They appear nice, although it’d be good to get a win in them sooner or later; they misplaced their opener with them on Friday. (They get one other probability subsequent Friday towards the Orioles.)
19. A’s (beforehand: 16)
That thrilling A’s boomlet – they have been one blown save per week in the past from being tied with the Mariners for first place – could also be over; they’ve had a fully depressing week-and-a-half. It’s not tough to search out the offender: They’ve given up, as a employees, the second-most runs in baseball.
20. Reds (beforehand: 19)
No matter one’s ideas about Pete Rose and whether or not he’ll (or ought to) be within the Corridor of Fame sometime, it’s plain that he’ll endlessly be revered in Cincinnati, the town the place he was born and naturally performed so many seasons. The town and staff celebrated Pete Rose Evening final week, and it was one of many liveliest, emotional evenings of the season. “ If you happen to’re from right here, he’s our Babe Ruth,” his son stated.
21. Brewers (beforehand: 20)
We should always have by no means assumed it will be really easy for Jackson Chourio. The 21-year-old, who regarded like an MVP down the stretch and within the postseason final yr, was anticipated to hold the Brewers this yr, however he has struggled a lot – he hit beneath .200 for about three weeks – that supervisor Pat Murphy informed him over the weekend he was dropping to sixth within the order. Chourio instantly responded by going 0-for-4 with 4 strikeouts. Baseball is difficult. His catch on Sunday to avoid wasting the win over the Twins in all probability made him really feel a bit higher.
22. Blue Jays (beforehand: 22)
The difficulty with the Blue Jays final yr was principally with their offense, although, to be honest, there actually have been points throughout. However the issue this yr is the rotation. They at present are tied for fourth worst in beginning pitching ERA, with solely the Rockies, Orioles and Marlins worse (tied with the A’s). That’s no option to win the AL East.
23. Rays (beforehand: 23)
I cherished this Justin Morris piece on MLB.com about simply how a lot enjoyable it’s to look at Chandler Simpson trigger chaos throughout Rays video games, as seen by one random sport (a loss no much less) towards the Marlins. Enjoyable reality from the piece: “Simpson, 24, has 11 of the 50 quickest recorded speeds within the league this season, beating out names like Trea Turner and Bobby Witt Jr. for probably the most appearances on that leaderboard.” Keep in mind, too: He simply bought right here.
24. Nationals (beforehand: 25)
Is CJ Abrams about to be a perpetual All-Star? He made his first ASG final yr, however he’s having a good higher season in 2025: He’s hitting extra homers, stealing extra bases and hitting over .300. He’s nonetheless solely 24, by the way in which.
25. Angels (beforehand: 26)
The Angels didn’t have a lot margin for error within the first place, and that margin bought loads slimmer after they introduced this week that Ben Joyce, one of many vivid spots of 2024 and one of many hardest-throwing pitchers in baseball, could have surgical procedure on his proper shoulder and miss the remainder of the season. Contemplating the Angels already had the worst bullpen in baseball, this doesn’t assist. “Effectively, we bought this far with out him, so we’re going to need to determine it out,” supervisor Ron Washington stated. “Hopefully, the individuals up prime that make the selections proceed to go searching and get us some assist.”
26. Orioles (beforehand: 24)
The firing of Brandon Hyde on Saturday morning, on reflection, appeared inevitable; for all of the success he’s had with the Orioles — he made the playoffs just one fewer season than Buck Showalter did — you may’t get off to the beginning the Orioles, with all of the expectations that they had coming into the season, with out some type of change coming. Hyde ends his tenure because the Orioles’ sixth-winningest supervisor ever.
27. Marlins (beforehand: 27)
The Marlins-Rays sequence hasn’t at all times felt like one among baseball’s extra very important rivalries, nevertheless it’s one wherein every Florida staff has perpetually saved an in depth eye on the opposite. With the Rays having extra success through the years, it’s no shock that the Marlins are formally emulating the Rays, together with having former Rays exec Peter Bendix because the group’s president of baseball operations. “They proceed to do an excellent job of bringing guys up by their system in addition to buying gamers from outdoors that match type of what they’re doing, so I feel they’re in some methods like us,” supervisor Clayton McCullough stated. This weekend marked the primary sequence the Marlins received over the Rays since 2018.
28. Pirates (beforehand: 28)
The Pirates have clearly not gotten off to the beginning they have been hoping — as Derek Shelton can actually inform you — however a number of that’s due to some offseason acquisitions who nonetheless haven’t gotten going … and even gotten to play but. A kind of, Spencer Horwitz, came to visit from the Blue Jays within the offseason however wrist surgical procedure in February saved him off the sector till this weekend. He’s lastly again within the lineup … even when it’s perhaps a bit too late for 2025.
29. White Sox (beforehand: 29)
There aren’t many gamers extra vital to the short-and-long-term well being of the White Sox than Miguel Vargas, who came to visit from the Dodgers within the Michael Kopech commerce final yr. He struggled mightily final yr, however he’s beginning to come round, together with hitting two homers at Wrigley Discipline on Friday. He is able to transfer on from his 2024 struggles: “I don’t bear in mind something about final yr,” Vargas jokingly informed reporters. “Sorry.”
30. Rockies (beforehand: 30)
New supervisor Warren Schaeffer hasn’t precisely had the simplest first week on the job, nor would you count on him to; he’s managing the Rockies, in any case. However there actually aren’t many who perceive the Rockies group higher than he does. Although he by no means made the Majors with the staff as a participant, he performed of their Minor League system for years, together with with a few younger prospects named Charlie Blackmon and Nolan Arenado. “Nolan was an unbelievable participant. I used to be a Minor League infielder who prided myself on how I ready defensively. However when Nolan confirmed up, he cherished to play a lot that I believed to myself, ‘Dang, do I find it irresistible that a lot anymore?’” Shaeffer stated. “That was my final yr taking part in, however what a pleasure it was to look at Nolan Arenado play the sport.”
Voters: Nathalie Alonso, Mark Feinsand, Jason Catania, Doug Gausepohl, Will Leitch, Travis Miller, Brian Murphy, Arturo Pardavila, David Venn.
