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ESPN
Jul 24, 2025, 07:00 AM ET
We person a caller squad atop our powerfulness rankings aft the archetypal week of the 2nd half. Make mode for Milwaukee!
The Brewers were the biggest riser successful Week 17, going from No. 9 successful our last rankings earlier the All-Star interruption to No. 1 arsenic we attack the extremity of July. The No. 2 squad this week? A acquainted foe of the Brewers: the division-rival Cubs, who are present 1 crippled down Milwaukee for 2nd spot successful the National League Central.
Meanwhile, successful the American League, the Tigers person been overtaken by the Astros and Blue Jays for champion grounds successful the league. The Yankees are present 4 games down Toronto successful the East and beryllium astatine No. 9 connected our list, their lowest ranking of the season. New York volition look to adhd up of adjacent week's commercialized deadline (July 31) to marque a propulsion down the agelong run.
Where does each squad basal successful our archetypal powerfulness rankings since the All-Star break?
Our adept sheet has ranked each squad based connected a operation of what we've seen truthful acold and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that is simply a afloat shot season. We besides asked ESPN MLB experts Buster Olney, Alden Gonzalez and Jorge Castillo to measurement successful with investigation connected the biggest precedence of the 2nd fractional for each 30 teams.
Second-half preview | Week 15 | Preseason rankings
1. Milwaukee Brewers
Record: 61-41
Previous ranking: 9
The Brewers' biggest spot is self-awareness. They cognize what they bash champion and ne'er stray from it. What they bash present is transportation good (3.34 starters' ERA, 2nd lowest successful the majors), play large defence (23 outs supra average, 2nd astir successful baseball), tally the bases amended than immoderate different squad (12 basal moving outs supra average) and bash the small things close offensively (take walks, enactment the shot successful play, beforehand runners). The Brewers person won 30 of 43 games since the commencement of June, and that is nary accident. If there's 1 happening they would love, though, it's for William Contreras to revert backmost to his anterior violative form. -- Gonzalez
2. Chicago Cubs
Record: 60-42
Previous ranking: 3
There mightiness not beryllium a bigger request among contenders than the Cubs' tendency to adhd a starting pitcher. Chicago's discourtesy has performed similar 1 of the champion successful the sport, and the Cubs bullpen was bully capable passim May and June to easiness concerns astir its struggles successful July. But if the Cubs privation to clasp disconnected Milwaukee successful the NL Central and marque a heavy tally successful October, they'll request to adhd different limb alongside Shota Imanaga and Matthew Boyd. Jameson Taillon should instrumentality from a calf strain astir the mediate of August, but Chicago is going to request different interaction limb for its rotation. -- Gonzalez
3. Detroit Tigers
Record: 60-43
Previous ranking: 1
In immoderate respects, Detroit's caller swoon is simply a blessing successful disguise. The Tigers' pb successful the AL Central is inactive double-digit sturdy -- according to Fangraphs, the chances of them winning the part basal astatine 93.3% -- and soon, they'll get Kerry Carpenter backmost for their lineup. But the caller losses person afloat highlighted the team's request for 1 oregon adjacent 2 powerfulness arms astatine the backmost extremity of their bullpen since the Tigers look to person a existent accidental to scope the World Series. If the Cardinals determine to commercialized Ryan Helsley, the Tigers volition astir surely beryllium among the bidders. -- Olney
4. Los Angeles Dodgers
Record: 60-43
Previous ranking: 2
Four Dodgers relievers who were acold from expected to transportation precocious leverage erstwhile the play began -- Ben Casparius, Alexis Diaz, Will Klein and Edgardo Henriquez -- allowed six runs successful a span of 2 innings against the Twins connected Tuesday night, turning a choky crippled into a rout. The Dodgers yet mislaid for the 11th clip successful a agelong of 14 games, by which constituent their bullpen ranked 24th successful the majors successful ERA, WHIP and opponents' OPS. They person been playing all-around atrocious shot of precocious -- offensively, defensively, connected the mound -- but the bullpen is the absorption with the commercialized deadline approaching. -- Gonzalez
5. Toronto Blue Jays
Record: 60-42
Previous ranking: 6
It's astir August and the Blue Jays are successful archetypal place, atop the lone part successful the majors with 4 teams implicit .500 contempt a tally differential that suggests they're six games worse. It's beyond clip to instrumentality them seriously. To proceed surpassing expectations, they'll request to proceed their marque of ball, which centers astir not striking out. Toronto's 17.4% strikeout complaint is the lowest successful the majors by much than a percent constituent and would beryllium the lowest by a squad for a play since the 2017 Astros. The Jays enactment unit connected teams by putting the shot successful play, and it's working. -- Castillo
6. Philadelphia Phillies
Record: 58-44
Previous ranking: 5
The Phillies person the starting pitching for a World Series run. They could usage an upgrade to their outfield astatine the commercialized deadline, but the lineup is battle-tested with prima power. The bullpen, however, is different matter. Left-hander Jose Alvarado is eligible to instrumentality from his PED suspension successful mid-August. While helium should bolster the bullpen for the agelong run, helium isn't eligible to transportation successful the postseason, truthful solidifying the alleviation corps for October -- should the Phillies scope the playoffs -- is the apical priority.
They began addressing the interest this week by signing 40-year-old David Robertson for a 3rd stint with the organization. Expect president of shot operations Dave Dombrowski to scour the commercialized marketplace for much knowing that starters near retired of the rotation successful October could alternatively go contributors retired of the bullpen. -- Castillo
7. Houston Astros
Record: 60-42
Previous ranking: 4
Some squad executives don't spot a precocious worth connected nine civilization and chemistry, not trusting thing that can't truly beryllium quantified. But those beforehand office-types should astatine slightest see what's happened successful Houston this season: In a twelvemonth aft Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker moved on, the Astros person continued to triumph adjacent portion seeing their biggest stars (Yordan Alvarez, Jeremy Pena and present Isaac Paredes) spell down with injuries. Moving forward, the 2025 Astros conscionable request to support surviving -- and winning -- portion they hold for their stars to return. -- Olney
8. New York Mets
Record: 59-44
Previous ranking: 7
Oh, look, different contender with pitching concerns. While determination are questions astir the Mets' rotation -- from the deficiency of a existent No. 1 starter to Clay Holmes' drastically accrued workload to whether Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea tin rediscover their erstwhile signifier upon caller reinstatement from the injured database -- David Stearns told reporters this week that his apical nonsubjective earlier the commercialized deadline is acquiring assistance for a bullpen that is operating connected fumes. If that doesn't happen, the president of shot operations said helium volition research calling up apical starting pitching prospects to service arsenic relievers successful the majors for the equilibrium of this season. However it's done, upgrading the bullpen is atop the database of priorities. -- Castillo
9. New York Yankees
Record: 56-46
Previous ranking: 8
As wide manager Brian Cashman has plainly outlined, the Yankees person holes successful their pitching unit that helium wants to capable earlier the commercialized deadline. But the champion pitcher the Yankees adhd successful the coming weeks whitethorn already beryllium connected their payroll. Luis Gil is slated to travel disconnected the IL to marque his play debut by aboriginal August. If each goes right, the reigning AL Rookie of the Year should supply a boost to the Yankees' starting rotation for their playoff push. They besides could usage him retired of the bullpen successful October should they determine he's a amended acceptable there. Whatever the role, he's an important portion for their title hopes. -- Castillo
10. Seattle Mariners
Record: 54-48
Previous ranking: 12
If you're looking for the sleeper squad successful the AL, determination are a batch of signs that Seattle could look into a unsafe squad by September. The talented rotation, hammered by injuries this season, could yet beryllium intact erstwhile Bryce Miller returns sometime successful aboriginal August. Since June 29, the Mariners person had 1 of the astir productive offenses, hitting much homers than each squad but the Yankees and averaging astir 5 runs per game. And Seattle's not done yet -- president of shot operations Jerry Dipoto is expected to adhd country infield accumulation earlier the deadline. -- Olney
11. San Diego Padres
Record: 55-47
Previous ranking: 13
The Padres person practically labeled themselves a second-half team, a motion to the 2024 radical that won 34 of 52 games successful August and September. To execute that this year, though, wide manager A.J. Preller volition person to springiness them a boost offensively. The Padres person scored the sixth-fewest runs successful shot this season. The Nos. 7, 8 and 9 hitters of their lineup person combined for a .580 OPS, lowest successful the majors. Yu Darvish remaining steadfast and Michael King rejoining the rotation are paramount to a squad that has seen a batch of its extent get traded distant successful caller years. Most of all, though, they request a bat -- oregon two. -- Gonzalez
12. Boston Red Sox
Record: 55-49
Previous ranking: 14
Walker Buehler's 5.72 ERA is the sixth highest successful the majors among the 105 pitchers with astatine slightest 80 innings thrown this season, and his strikeout-to-walk complaint ranks 95th. He has the fourth-highest location tally rate. It's been a frustrating twelvemonth for the right-hander. But Buehler posted 1 of his champion starts of the play Monday erstwhile helium held the Phillies to 2 runs (one earned) crossed 7 innings. It's inactive not rather the high-octane vintage Buehler -- his fastball is mean 94 mph, astir 3 mph slower than his highest years successful Los Angeles, successful his archetypal afloat play aft his 2nd Tommy John country -- but his getting connected way could marque a important interaction connected Boston's postseason hopes. -- Castillo
13. Tampa Bay Rays
Record: 53-50
Previous ranking: 10
Major League Baseball has decided that Tampa Bay volition play postseason location games astatine Steinbrenner Field if it qualifies. Now, it's each astir the Rays not letting their road-heavy second-half docket -- created to debar the miserable vigor and relentless rainfall without a extortion successful Tampa -- hijack their chances. Beginning Friday successful Cincinnati, they volition play 37 of their remaining 59 games distant from Steinbrenner Field. That divided includes a two-week, four-city, 12-game West Coast roadworthy travel successful August. That trek could precise good determine their season. -- Castillo
14. San Francisco Giants
Record: 54-49
Previous ranking: 11
The Rafael Devers commercialized was wide hailed arsenic the benignant of determination that could enactment the Giants implicit the top, but the other has occurred. Since the shocking determination to get Devers (and the entirety of his contract) connected June 15, the Giants are conscionable 13-18 and their discourtesy sports the sixth-lowest OPS successful the athletics astatine .685. Willy Adames has turned his play around, but practically everybody other -- Mike Yastrzemski, Heliot Ramos, Jung Hoo Lee, Matt Chapman and, notably, Devers -- has slumped. The Giants mightiness beryllium capable to marque further lineup additions connected the margins, but their large determination has been made. They conscionable request their hitters to measurement up. -- Gonzalez
15. Texas Rangers
Record: 53-50
Previous ranking: 18
Manager Bruce Bochy said implicit the play that helium sensed a turnaround for the club's sluggish discourtesy soon earlier the All-Star break, with the squad doing a amended occupation of putting the shot successful play. The Rangers person played amended of late, making the question of whether to commercialized for oregon distant endowment easier for president of shot operations Chris Young. With Jake Burger and Joc Pederson connected the IL, executives with different teams speculate that Texas volition adhd a archetypal baseman earlier the deadline, whether it's idiosyncratic similar the D-Backs' Josh Naylor oregon possibly the Nationals' Nathaniel Lowe. -- Olney
16. Cincinnati Reds
Record: 53-50
Previous ranking: 16
The Reds person the makings of a truly bully team, with a standout radical of starters, a dynamic discourtesy and a Hall of Fame manager successful Terry Francona. But they person yet to find their footing, and astatine this point, it's just to wonderment if they ever will. One happening they tin bash to assistance that cause, perhaps, is adhd an outfielder. Reds outfielders person combined to slash lone .242/.326/.376 this season. Bringing successful idiosyncratic similar Luis Robert Jr., Jarren Duran oregon Adolis Garcia is the benignant of determination that mightiness yet get this squad going, particularly with Hunter Greene (groin injury) nearing a rehab assignment. But adding an interaction bat seems unlikely. -- Gonzalez
17. St. Louis Cardinals
Record: 52-51
Previous ranking: 15
The Cardinals finished the period of May 8 games implicit .500 and tied with the Padres for the last wild-card spot. They past divided 28 games successful June and followed it with 12 losses done their archetypal 17 games successful July. With the commercialized deadline a week away, they find themselves among a bevy of teams occupying an uncomfortable mediate abstraction -- unfastened to trading distant rental players but not consenting to afloat springiness up connected 2025 conscionable yet, particularly with John Mozeliak, their longtime president of shot operations, stepping distant astatine season's end. St. Louis volition portion with immoderate of its champion relievers, but its absorption should beryllium connected doing what it tin to find immoderate controllable starting pitching help. -- Gonzalez
18. Arizona Diamondbacks
Record: 50-53
Previous ranking: 17
The D-backs' biggest precedence implicit this adjacent week is clarity, though it won't beryllium afloat realized. The playoff tract is inactive excessively muddled. The commercialized deadline, thus, is excessively early. And they lone convoluted matters with a play expanse of the Cardinals. Still, though, the D-backs find themselves acold capable retired of the contention -- not to notation injured capable passim their pitching unit -- to marque punting connected 2025 the prudent choice. A bevy of their pending escaped agents are expected to beryllium available. General manager Mike Hazen volition beryllium tasked with making semipermanent moves astatine the commercialized deadline without compromising the existent team. -- Gonzalez
19. Cleveland Guardians
Record: 51-50
Previous ranking: 22
With the Guardians successful a precise antithetic spot successful the standings this twelvemonth compared to past season, they are expected to measurement opportunities to maximize the imaginable commercialized instrumentality for immoderate of their veterans. The subordinate drafting the astir inquiries is Steven Kwan, whose accomplishment acceptable would acceptable a fig of contenders, with his precocious complaint of contact, bully velocity and beardown defense. But Kwan volition beryllium arbitration eligible for a mates of much winters, which gives the Guardians clip to hold -- astir apt into 2026 -- for a squad to conscionable their asking price. -- Olney
20. Kansas City Royals
Record: 50-53
Previous ranking: 19
This is the circumstantial clip of twelvemonth erstwhile a tiny illustration size matters -- erstwhile 1 bully outing tin marque each the quality -- and that's wherefore a tiny cadre of rival evaluators intimately watched Seth Lugo's commencement against the Cubs connected Wednesday. But whether Lugo is traded earlier the deadline oregon not, the Royals' superior absorption seems to beryllium -- not amazingly -- connected upgrading their brutal outfield production. That means continuing to springiness Jac Caglianone the reps helium needs arsenic helium adjusts to large league pitching. That means looking for opportunities, arsenic the Marlins did with Kyle Stowers, to onshore hitters nether squad power done 2026 and beyond. -- Olney
21. Minnesota Twins
Record: 49-53
Previous ranking: 20
Other teams expect Minnesota volition woody earlier the deadline. But nary substance who goes -- immoderate rival execs are skeptical that the squad would earnestly see dealing Joe Ryan -- the Twins request to get large league acceptable players oregon prospects who assistance acceptable them up for the future. The beforehand bureau is stuck successful thing of a waiting game, with the franchise's merchantability inactive being shaped. President of shot operations Derek Falvey and his unit presumably can't turn the payroll and instrumentality connected indebtedness successful this period. Resolution of the ownership concern needs to hap earlier Minnesota tin afloat physique a roster. -- Olney
22. Los Angeles Angels
Record: 49-53
Previous ranking: 21
The Angels are among the teams sitting connected the obstruction arsenic the deadline approaches, but they've dropped 4 of six games coming retired of the All-Star interruption astatine a clip erstwhile a tiny illustration size matters. No substance what happens betwixt present and July 31, however, what remains paramount for the Angels is the improvement of their young players. First baseman Nolan Schanuel -- inactive lone 23 years aged -- is having a bully season, and Zach Neto has accumulated a much than respectable 3.4 WAR. Jo Adell has 21 homers. But much is needed. -- Olney
23. Atlanta Braves
Record: 44-57
Previous ranking: 24
It's been different nightmare play for the Braves, riddled with unspeakable wounded luck and unexpected mediocre performances from cardinal players. Michael Harris II's struggles are possibly the astir alarming. The halfway fielder is batting .214. His .559 OPS and 50 wRC+ fertile 159th retired of baseball's 159 qualified hitters, portion his 2.8% locomotion complaint is tied for 159th.
It's been a stunning downturn for a subordinate successful his age-24 play who's lone 3 years removed from posting 4.8 fWAR with a .853 OPS arsenic a rookie -- a archetypal twelvemonth truthful encouraging that the Braves signed him to an eight-year, $72 cardinal hold that August. Harris' mitt and velocity are inactive invaluable -- possibly invaluable capable to sorb his violative regression -- but a turnaround astatine the sheet successful the 2nd fractional volition easiness Atlanta's concerns. -- Castillo
24. Miami Marlins
Record: 48-53
Previous ranking: 23
The Marlins person turned a country this season. Since June 10, they're 23-13 -- bully for the second-best grounds successful the NL. Zoom retired further and they've been 35-35 since May 1. Outfielder Kyle Stowers is simply a morganatic All-Star and franchise player. Eury Perez has looked crisp successful his instrumentality from Tommy John surgery. Otto Lopez has compiled 3 bWAR. The franchise is trending successful the close direction. The last two-plus months is astir continuing development, unearthing different aboriginal contributors and finishing the twelvemonth with affirmative momentum. -- Castillo
25. Baltimore Orioles
Record: 44-57
Previous ranking: 25
Besides unloading impending escaped agents for young endowment astatine the deadline, the Orioles' different important second-half determination with an oculus toward 2026 could beryllium promoting apical imaginable Samuel Basallo to the majors. The towering catcher (6-foot-4) volition apt chiefly play archetypal basal and DH successful the majors with Adley Rutschman expected to instrumentality from wounded soon, but Basallo's bat is the priority. He has gigantic powerfulness that has clicked this play astatine Triple-A Norfolk, wherever he's hitting .264 with 19 location runs and a .974 OPS successful 62 games astatine conscionable 20 years old. It shouldn't beryllium agelong earlier he's successful Baltimore. -- Castillo
26. Pittsburgh Pirates
Record: 42-61
Previous ranking: 26
Paul Skenes boasts a 1.91 ERA, the lowest among qualified starters. His record: 5-8. Any hopes of gathering astir the game's champion young pitcher volition hinge astir the Pirates' quality to adhd offense, a painstaking process that volition proceed with this year's commercialized deadline. The beforehand bureau volition beryllium fielding a batch of calls astir Mitch Keller, David Bednar, Dennis Santana and perchance Bryan Reynolds, among others, implicit the adjacent week. It is important that they leverage them for the types of hitters they've struggled to find. -- Gonzalez
27. Athletics
Record: 42-62
Previous ranking: 27
The A's person established a formidable radical of presumption players successful Brent Rooker, Jacob Wilson, Lawrence Butler, Nick Kurtz and Tyler Soderstrom. But if the franchise is going to instrumentality a superior measurement guardant earlier the determination to Las Vegas, it volition request to physique a pitching staff, and it's unclear whether the A's volition bash that implicit the adjacent mates of years. Their concern successful Luis Severino has been a bust. Other teams accidental 32-year-old Jeffrey Springs mightiness beryllium disposable for the close offer. And let's beryllium real, the ballpark successful Sacramento doesn't foster pitching. The A's person the second-worst location ERA successful the majors astatine 5.36. -- Olney
28. Washington Nationals
Record: 41-61
Previous ranking: 28
The Nationals person an breathtaking halfway of young presumption players, led by 22-year-old All-Star James Wood. Now it's astir figuring retired which pitchers are portion of the future. All-Star left-hander MacKenzie Gore figures to proceed arsenic the unit ace with 2 years of squad power remaining aft this season, though a commercialized for a important haul isn't retired of the realm of possibility. Relievers Brad Lord and Cole Henry, some 25, person posted beardown campaigns. Cade Cavalli, a 2020 first-round draught pick, is nearing a instrumentality from a Tommy John country that sidelined him for each of the 2023 play and astir of 2024.
However, Gore is the lone Nationals starter with an ERA nether 4.80 this season, and the bullpen ranks past successful the majors successful ERA. Discovering and processing the adjacent question of pitching endowment is paramount. -- Castillo
29. Chicago White Sox
Record: 37-66
Previous ranking: 29
Sometime successful the adjacent mates of weeks, the White Sox volition apt surpass their 2024 triumph full of 41. While different 100-loss play seems likely, determination is wide maturation happening with the roster, and this volition proceed to beryllium the absorption for the team. Pitchers specified arsenic Sean Burke and Shane Smith and presumption players specified arsenic Kyle Teel are gaining experience. There are teams funny successful acquiring the talented Luis Robert Jr. (hello, Padres), and for the close return, the White Sox volition commercialized him earlier the deadline. -- Olney
30. Colorado Rockies
Record: 26-76
Previous ranking: 30
The Rockies person softly played amended shot of late, going from winning an abysmal 16% of their games successful March, April and May to a much respectable -- though evidently inactive not bully -- 39% of their games successful June and July. The grounds for astir losses successful modern shot past is inactive wrong reach, and here's the thing: The Rockies should not care. They request to attack this commercialized deadline with a mindset that they haven't carried into capable of them -- of unloading accomplished veterans to get arsenic overmuch young endowment arsenic possible. Early indications are that they're wide-open to that, careless of what it mightiness mean for the last 2 months of this season. That's a bully thing. -- Gonzalez
