MLB Power Rankings: Week Five Update

It feels as the weeks go by, the top ten continues to solidify.

The list is more or less the same. Some shuffling in the list, and as always, teams falling in and out at the bottom. Philadelphia is the most recent National League East team to drop from the list, as they continue to play .500 baseball since the 2024 All-Star break. They join the Braves outside the list, who were number two on the preseason list.

Meanwhile, a new team that has lingered just outside the top-10 makes their debut. Who is it? And will you all agree? I guess you’ll have to read before you call me an ignoramus in the comments.

1. Dodgers

Ya know. It’s impressive that the Dodgers were even knocked off for a week.

The Dodgers enter Saturday morning on a six-game win streak, bringing their record to a major league best 22-10 and atop the NL West. Mookie Betts swung the bat better this past week, batting .276 while driving in nine runs. Meanwhile, their +36 run differential is now best in their division. The law of averages is finally taking over for this club.

2. Mets

Just cause they’re not one doesn’t mean they’re bad, guys.

The Mets still hold a 22-11 record, and are 6-4 in their past ten games. But a test by the D-backs, a regular on the top-10, exposed some issues with the club. The Amazins’ are batting only .222 with runners in scoring position, and it’s been an issue that’s been ignored due to their elite pitching early on.

The bullpen has also faltered, with Ryne Stanek blowing two saves in Washington and others failing to hold leads against the Snakes late. Still, with all this negative talk, the club is in good shape. They’re first in the majors with a team 2.69 ERA. They’re ninth in runs scored (159) and seventh in OPS (.753).

On a personal note, Pete Alonso and Luisangel Acuña took home awards for their performances in April, and Brandon Nimmo might have broken out Friday with his 3-for-3 performance in St. Louis.

3. Cubs

What is in the Chicago water? On the north side, of course.

The Cubs’ offense is just insane everybody. They scored 10 runs again Friday and shut out the Brewers. They’ve scored a major league-leading 202 runs. That’s an average of 6.1 runs per game.

All the talk surrounds Kyle Tucker and the rise of Pete Crow-Armstrong (yeah I’m upset about it too), but how about Seiya Suzuki? The DH is putting up MVP numbers, slashing .291/.359/.607 with nine homers and 29 RBIs. The pitching has also held together, with Shota Imanaga‘s 2.77 ERA leading the rotation, and Ryan Pressly‘s 2.08 ERA locking down the back end of the ‘pen.

4. Tigers

Hey Detroit, you’ve finally got a great baseball team again! Maybe it’ll distract you from the Pistons and Lions falling short.

Sorry, I had to get a quip in. You think it’s easy for this St. John’s alum to root for Jalen Brunson? Anyways, back to baseball. It’s time we recognize and acknowledge the Tigers are a top-five team in the majors.

Tarik Skubal is pushing for another American League Cy Young with a 2.21 ERA and 10.7 K/9 through seven starts. 35-year-old Tommy Kahnle has five saves and a 0.71 ERA in the ‘pen. Heck, guys, Javier Baez has an .807 OPS and is playing centerfield. Something special is brewing.

Plus, Riley Greene made some history Friday night. He became the first player in major league history to hit two homers in the ninth inning.  This club has all the right tools to bully a weak AL, and has the right leader in A.J. Hinch to captain the ship.

5. Padres

God, what a scare Padres fans went through Friday night.

Star player Fernando Tatis Jr. left the game after being struck high on his left arm with a pitch, leaving many to question how serious the injury was. Thankfully, the X-ray came back negative, and it seems the superstar won’t miss too much time.

That’s massive news for the Friars, who are 20-11 and trailing the Dodgers by only 1.5 games in the NL West. It was a mediocre week, with the Padres going 5-5, but they’re on a three-game win streak and still hold a stacked roster. They have a +33 run differential Saturday morning, hold the second-best ERA in baseball behind the Mets (2.90), and the 10th-best OPS (.727). Plus, Tatis leads the NL in batting average (.345) and bWAR (2.4). Again, thank god for San Diego he’s not missing time.

6. Mariners

It’s finally happened. The Mariners are scoring runs. Runs!

Seriously, it seems the only club in the Pacific Northwest has had the best rotation in baseball for the last three years, but hasn’t had the thump to back it up. But they have the thump, and it’s led by the Big Dump. Cal Raleigh leads the majors with 12 homers and has a .942 from behind the dish.

Meanwhile, I believe every week the M’s have been on the list I’ve highlighted Jorge Polanco. Pay attention, because he has a 1.227 OPS and nine homers in only 75 at-bats. It’s been a nuts run.

The club is 8-2 in their last 10 games. They’ve won five in a row. And now are leading the AL West. Oh, and the elite pitching staff I mentioned hasn’t even got going yet. Luis Castillo has a 3.62 ERA in six games started and Emerson Hancock has a 6.62 in four starts.

7. Yankees

The Yanks come in at seven in Week Five, but I doubt they’ll stay down here. Or fall lower.

Aaron Judge continues to have an absolutely insane year. The man is batting .430 in May. His whole line on Baseball Reference is bold. Plus, Paul Goldschmidt is solidifying his Hall-of-Fame case with a .361/.406/.500 slashline at 37.

It isn’t just those two, however. Ben Rice has eight homers and a .950 OPS. Trent Grisham has eight homers and a .958 OPS. Cody Bellinger is slashing .261/.379/.522 with a homer in his last seven games.

It’s still about the rotation for the Bombers. Max Fried has been a savior for them, and if the season ended today, he’d win the AL Cy Young with his 1.01 ERA.

8. Giants

The Giants are 20-13. They have a +26 run differential. They’re right in the NL West race.

They’ve gotten Cy Young worthy pitching from Logan Webb, who has a 2.83 ERA and fifth most strikeouts in baseball (50). Jung Hoo Lee is propelling the offense with a .316/.368/.512 slashline. The bullpen has been among the best in baseball, led by a bounceback season by Camilo Doval and guys like Hayden Birdsong, Tyler Rogers, and Randy Rodríguez, who all have ERAs under two.

The one weak spot has been the rotation, but they look like a team to be scared of in 2025. Maybe it’s time to admit I was wrong about this club.

9. D-backs

The D-backs slide is real, and they’re in dangerous territory of falling out of the top ten.

It’s like the Phillies situation. The roster is loaded, but I can’t ignore the results. They’re 17-15 and 4-6 in their last 10 games. Heck, they just dropped a late lead to the Phillies and lost on the road 3-2 Friday.

A strong series against the Mets kept them in the top-10 and kept the Phillies out. But they need better pitching to help out their strong offense. Zac Gallen and Corbin Burnes had promising starts in New York, and Merrill Kelly only allowed one run in five innings to the Phils Friday.

It really could go either way for this Snakes team. But just like the Giants, maybe I’m too biased in my faith in this roster.

10. Reds

Making their top-10 debut in Week Five is the Cincinnati Reds.

It’s a weird roster. Sometimes, they’re the most dynamic and athletic team in the league. Other nights, they remind you why the roster hasn’t reached October with this core.

Recently, however, they’ve padded the win column and are now 18-15 and second in the NL Central. They have a dominant +42 run differential and are 7-3 in their last ten games.

Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo finally look like aces, and Graham Ashcraft‘s move to the bullpen has proved fruitful. Surprisingly, the factor holding this club back is the offense. It’s so inconsistent. Last Thursday, the walloped the Cardinals 9-1. But day before, they were the ones walloped 9-1 by the very same team.

For this club to truly be feared and taken as a threat to the top teams, Elly De La Cruz needs to be the superstar we’ve all prematurely bestowed upon him. He’s got a .764 OPS and five homers through April.

Rest of the field

11. Phillies
12. Red Sox
13. Braves
14. Blue Jays
15. Astros
16. Royals
17. Guardians
18. Rangers
19. Athletics
20. Brewers
21. Rays
22. Nationals
23. Orioles
24. Twins
25. Cardinals
26. Pirates
27. Marlins
28. Angels
29. White Sox
30. Rockies

 

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