{"id":791010,"date":"2026-05-12T12:03:22","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T12:03:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/791010\/"},"modified":"2026-05-12T12:03:22","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T12:03:22","slug":"mlb-power-rankings-every-team-has-at-least-one-reason-to-believe-right","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/791010\/","title":{"rendered":"MLB Power Rankings: Every team has at least one reason to believe (right?)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every week,\u200b we\u200b ask a selected group of our baseball\u200b writers\u200b \u2014 local and national \u2014 to rank the teams from first to worst<\/a>. Here are the collective results.<\/p>\n

When teams report to their complexes in Arizona and Florida in February, hope springs eternal. In some camps, the prevailing thought is \u201cThis is the year.\u201d In other camps, the prevailing thought is \u201cThis is the year \u2026 our prospects take a leap.\u201d Optimism is plentiful, in one form or another.<\/p>\n

At this point in the schedule, a few months later, that faith may be getting tested. There\u2019s enough of a sample to make some evaluations and ponder what lies ahead. Is your team playing up to its potential? Is that 20-year-old shortstop at Double A meeting your expectations?<\/p>\n

At Power Rankings HQ, we\u2019re always wearing rose-colored glasses. This week, we\u2019re highlighting one reason to believe in each team. As the fictional Ted Lasso once eloquently declared, \u201cBelief doesn\u2019t just happen because you hang something on a wall. It comes from (your heart and head and gut).\u201d<\/p>\n

All stats are through Monday unless otherwise noted.<\/p>\n

Record: 28-13
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: 1<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team: <\/strong>Just one?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not hard to believe in the team that\u2019s No.1 in our Power Rankings, so I guess the question is: Is there reason to believe this is going to last? I\u2019ll answer with another question: What about this strong start is unsustainable? Bryce Elder is a surprise Cy Young candidate, but he was an All-Star in 2023. It\u2019s not like he\u2019s come out of nowhere. Matt Olson is off to a career-best pace, but he led the league in doubles last year and in homers in 2023. Even if he slips a bit, there\u2019s room for Ronald Acu\u00f1a Jr. and Austin Riley to pick up the slack. Raisel Iglesias has returned from the IL; Ha-Seong Kim was activated on Monday; Acu\u00f1a is running again; and Spencer Schwellenbach could return this summer. The Braves are winning basically at the pace their run differential would suggest. This isn\u2019t luck. The Braves are good, with enough talent to stay that way. \u2014 Chad Jennings<\/p>\n

Record: 26-16
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: 2<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team: <\/strong>The pieces are there, and they look good, too<\/p>\n

Carlos Rod\u00f3n returned from the IL this weekend and averaged almost 96 mph on his fastball. Gerrit Cole just made his fifth minor league rehab start and got up to 77 pitches. The Yankees could soon have both of them in a rotation that already has Max Fried and Cam Schlittler pitching as well as anyone in the American League. Offensively, Aaron Judge is as good as ever, Cody Bellinger is even better than he was last season, and Ben Rice leads the majors in wRC+.<\/p>\n

The Yankees would like their lineup to be a little deeper, but the trade deadline could fix that. FanGraphs already considers the Yankees near locks to make the playoffs, and they have the second-best odds to win the World Series (better, even, than the Braves). When most of the American League is an absolute mess, why not believe in the Yankees? \u2014 Jennings<\/p>\n

Record: 24-17
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: 3<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team:<\/strong> Plenty\u2019s going wrong for them, and they\u2019re still in first<\/p>\n

You can tell that something\u2019s going wrong with the Dodgers because they have competition. The Padres are matching them win for win, which isn\u2019t part of the plan. The Dodgers are supposed to be five games ahead by now, with an eye toward keeping their relievers fresh for the postseason. But Shohei Ohtani has been in an extended slump (.683 OPS since April 19), Kyle Tucker has been underwhelming and Tyler Glasnow is on the IL.<\/p>\n

That doesn\u2019t mean there isn\u2019t anything going right for the Dodgers \u2014 Andy Pages is still raking, and Max Muncy is off to his strongest start in years \u2014 but this is a team that is dealing with unexpected performance issues, and it\u2019s still near the top. Imagine what happens when, say, Ohtani really starts hitting. \u2014 Grant Brisbee<\/p>\n

Record: 27-14
<\/b>Last Power Ranking:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team:<\/strong> The lineup can shoulder the burden<\/p>\n

The Cubs rank fifth in batting average, first in on-base percentage and fifth in slugging percentage, so it\u2019s no surprise, then, that they\u2019ve scored the third-most runs in the league. And with Cade Horton out for the year and Matthew Boyd sitting in injury timeout, they certainly need the offensive support. The Cubs employ nine hitters with an OPS better than .715. The three outcasts are Alex Bregman, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Dansby Swanson, who all have the talent and track records to make you think they\u2019ll ultimately get to that level, too. The NL Central is really good and really deep, and that\u2019s probably the best way to describe the Cubs\u2019 offense, which is why they stand atop the rest. \u2014 Zack Meisel<\/p>\n

Record: 22-16
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: 6<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team:<\/strong> The pitching staff is nails<\/p>\n

Hey, did you hear the Brewers traded Corbin Burnes and lived to tell about it? Did you hear they traded Freddy Peralta and they didn\u2019t get relegated? Once again, Milwaukee\u2019s pitching staff is legitimate, even if you might not be familiar with Chad Patrick or Aaron Ashby, or you don\u2019t mess with Shane Drohan, or you might remember Kyle Harrison and DL Hall as top prospects once upon a time and not key contributors to a group that has registered a 3.43 ERA.<\/p>\n

Of course, you can\u2019t discuss the Brewers\u2019 staff without mentioning Jacob Misiorowski, who has become appointment viewing. His fastball velocity, rightfully, receives all the attention. He averaged 101.1 mph on 57 fastballs against the Yankees<\/a> on Friday night, which is downright silly. No one has touched his off-speed stuff, either \u2014 probably because there\u2019s nothing off-speed about his off-speed stuff. \u2014 Meisel<\/p>\n

Record: 27-13
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: 7<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team: <\/strong>It has earned it over and over again<\/p>\n

How did the Rays get this high in our Power Rankings? Even without elite strikeout totals, they have the second-best ERA in the American League. They\u2019ve hit for very little power and have the lowest position-player fWAR in the AL, yet they\u2019re slightly above-average in runs per game. Their defense isn\u2019t great, but they can run. Their top three starters have a sub-3.00 ERA. Junior Caminero is hitting for power, Yandy D\u00edaz is hitting for average and Jonathan Aranda is proving last season was not a fluke. What about that isn\u2019t sustainable?<\/p>\n

The Rays have weaknesses \u2014 they need Cedric Mullins to get going and Steven Matz to get healthy \u2014 but this feels like another Rays team with a sum greater than the sum of its parts, and those around the team talk about a tremendous clubhouse culture that\u2019s making the team even better. Why believe in the Rays? Because this is what the Rays do. \u2014 Jennings<\/p>\n

Record: 22-19
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: 8<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team:<\/strong> There\u2019s much more than just Paul Skenes<\/p>\n

Four teams rank in the top seven in both OPS and ERA. The Braves, Yankees and Dodgers are obvious answers, sure. The other team? The Pirates. Yeah, that\u2019s the company you want if you\u2019re Pittsburgh. This team is balanced. And solid. It\u2019s not just Skenes and a bunch of nondescript dudes. The offseason additions of Brandon Lowe and Ryan O\u2019Hearn are paying dividends. The lineup is deeper and far more daunting than it\u2019s been in years. The pitching, as expected, has been great. You want a reason to believe in the Pirates? It\u2019s as elementary and as complimentary as it gets: They\u2019re pretty good at everything. \u2014 Meisel<\/p>\n

Record: 24-16
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: 10<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team:<\/strong> It has gotten this far<\/p>\n

The Padres are a .500 team according to Pythagorean record, and their .297 team OBP is keeping them company with the Mets and the Giants, two teams you\u2019ll have to scroll to read about. Keep scrolling. No, farther.<\/p>\n

So how are the Padres doing it? That\u2019s not a rhetorical question; this article is due soon, and I need you to give me an answer, quick. Their adjusted ERA is right around the league average, and they\u2019re rocking an 87 OPS+ as a team, which is last-place stuff. If you\u2019re looking for a reason to believe in this team, it\u2019s that it has gotten this far with Xander Bogaerts and his .778 OPS as the team\u2019s best hitter. With a more reliable and predictable lineup, the Pythag record will eventually match the actual record, not the other way around. \u2014 Brisbee<\/p>\n

Record: 19-22
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: 5<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team:<\/strong> It won\u2019t get worse than this<\/p>\n

If the Tigers can merely survive for now, eventually their injured list won\u2019t be so crowded. Thankfully for the Tigers, the AL Central acts as a defibrillator, life vest and oxygen tank all rolled into one. If Detroit can weather Tarik Skubal\u2019s absence, Framber Valdez\u2019s antics, injuries to Casey Mize and Justin Verlander and Kerry Carpenter and Gleyber Torres and Javier B\u00e1ez and Parker Meadows and Will Vest and Beau Brieske and Troy Melton and Jackson Jobe and Paws the Tiger, perhaps the club can peak at the right time. It\u2019s just about keeping everyone\u2019s head above water at this point. It can\u2019t get worse than this<\/a>\u2026 right? \u2014 Meisel<\/p>\n

Record: 20-22
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: 9<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team:<\/strong> Emerson Hancock<\/p>\n

There\u2019s only so much a single pitcher can do for a team\u2019s fortunes, but Hancock is an easy choice more for what he represents. He was a first-round pick with an electric arm and the strikeout rate of a sinkerballer from the 1970s, the kind of stuff-vs.-results cognitive dissonance that some pitchers never escape. And then the results started matching the stuff. It\u2019s so simple when it works like that.<\/p>\n

Was the Mariners\u2019 braintrust responsible for the turnaround? You have to hope so, and it\u2019s a sign that Seattle is still in the \u201cmaking baseball players better\u201d business. That\u2019s just about the only one a team needs to be in, really. \u2014 Brisbee<\/p>\n

Record: 23-17
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: 11<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team:<\/strong> Jordan Walker<\/p>\n

The Cardinals had a dented and dinged prospect, a top-five overall consensus talent who couldn\u2019t turn his tools into runs. They did their best not to overreact to his growing pains, keeping him in the majors last season even as his OPS sank under .600. It takes patience to stick with that plan.<\/p>\n

But it takes a competent front office and coaching staff to understand which struggling talents deserve that kind of attention. It looks like they nailed it with Walker, who is somehow hitting better in May than he did in his breakout April. The 23-year-old is still the same age as a lot of prospects who get to make their debuts without being under a microscope. It took a circuitous route to get here, but every part of the story speaks well about what the Cardinals are trying to build. \u2014 Brisbee<\/p>\n

Record: 19-22
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: 12<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team:<\/strong> That bullpen is elite<\/p>\n

As Texas waits for Corey Seager to return to form, Evan Carter to break out and Wyatt Langford to heal, a bunch of relievers you might not recognize have carried the Rangers. Just because you haven\u2019t heard of Jacob Latz doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t marvel at his opponent slash line of .074\/.125\/.147. He and Jacob deGrom combined on a three-hit, zero-walk shutout of the Cubs\u2019 Big Blue Machine on Sunday. It was art.<\/p>\n

This is a safe space; you can admit you\u2019ve never heard of Gavin Collyer, the guy with 11 scoreless appearances. Yes, Jakob Junis is still in the league, and he owns a 1.65 ERA, thank you very much. Jalen Beeks\u2019 name rings a bell, right? His ERA is 2.65. Texas\u2019 pen ranks first in the league in ERA \u2014 by a lot \u2014 and has kept the club afloat. \u2014 Meisel<\/p>\n

Record: 21-19<\/b>
Last Power Ranking: T-14<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team:<\/strong> Its old-timey, pitch-to-contact rotation<\/p>\n

It is the year 2026, and not a single starting pitcher for the A\u2019s is averaging more than a strikeout per inning. Walks are up and strikeouts are down around the league, but the A\u2019s rotation is still a bit of an outlier. What\u2019s even weirder is that this isn\u2019t a staff filled with ground-ball pitchers; the entire staff has the 27th-lowest ground-ball percentage in baseball. The A\u2019s pitchers throw the ball, and their fielders catch it just enough to stay in first place.<\/p>\n

The A\u2019s aren\u2019t getting lucky with balls in play, so with each quality start, it\u2019s looking like the rotation they were hoping for: One that\u2019s just good enough to give the lineup a chance. \u2014 Brisbee<\/p>\n

Record: 22-21
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: 13<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team:<\/strong> The kids can hang<\/p>\n

Chase DeLauter hasn\u2019t just been one of the best rookie hitters. He\u2019s been one of the league\u2019s top hitters, period. Travis Bazzana has piled up walks and stolen bases since joining him in the big leagues two weeks ago. That\u2019s the good news. Now, Cleveland desperately needs some guys with track records \u2014 Steven Kwan, Kyle Manzardo and, if nitpicking, Jos\u00e9 Ram\u00edrez \u2014 to show signs of life, and the club could flaunt its most formidable offense in years. So far, in this bizarro world, Kwan and Manzardo rank as the team\u2019s two least productive regulars, while Austin Hedges ranks as one of the most productive. Baseball is weird. \u2014 Meisel<\/p>\n

Record: 18-23
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: T-14<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team: <\/strong>The Jays have to get healthy at some point (right?)<\/p>\n

Addison Barger just returned from an ankle injury is back on the IL, this time with an elbow injury<\/a>. He joins Alejandro Kirk, Nathan Lukes, Anthony Santander, Max Scherzer, Jos\u00e9 Berr\u00edos, Shane Bieber, Cody Ponce and Yimi Garc\u00eda on the sidelines. Just a nightmare way to begin the season, yet the Blue Jays got through the weekend \u2014 after winning two of three against the Angels \u2014 just one game back in the wild-card race.<\/p>\n

Kevin Gausman and Dylan Cease have been good. Louis Varland has stepped into the closer role. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is off to one of those slow starts when he\u2019s still far better than most hitters (just hasn\u2019t hit for much power yet). Basically, the entire American League is a wreck, which makes the Blue Jays\u2019 horrible start less damning than it might have been. \u2014 Jennings<\/p>\n

Record: 19-22
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: 17<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team: <\/strong>Three good starters, two good middle infielders, just waiting for the outfield<\/p>\n

Quick, what\u2019s the best middle-infield combo in baseball, and how many pairs of teammates would you guess before landing on Otto Lopez and Xavier Edwards? Because, through the weekend, Lopez ranked third among major-league shortstops in fWAR (behind only Bobby Witt Jr. and Elly De La Cruz) and Edwards ranked fourth among second basemen (behind Brice Turang, Brandon Lowe and Nico Hoerner).<\/p>\n

Sandy Alcantara, Max Meyer and Janson Junk have been a solid top three in the rotation, and the Marlins are top 10 in bullpen ERA (and expected ERA). If you believe in the inevitable surge of their young outfield \u2014 which has been awful so far \u2014 then maybe there\u2019s room to get even better, and the NL wild-card race has plenty of room for a surprise contender like this one. \u2014 Jennings<\/p>\n

Record: 17-23
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: 26<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team: <\/strong>The rotation could be a difference maker<\/p>\n

Garrett Crochet is playing catch again, and when he returns from the IL, he could replace Brayan Bello (7.44 ERA) in a rotation that has four other starters with ERAs below 3.60. A rotation like that is a fine place to start turning things around, especially with Justin Slaten back from injury to improve the late innings. There\u2019s also ample room to improve the offense if you assume that Jarren Duran and Caleb Durbin are not going to hit below .200 all season, and that Roman Anthony\u2019s bat is inevitable.<\/p>\n

Like a lot of other underperforming teams in the American League, the Red Sox can take comfort in looking at the standings to see that the vast majority of the AL is below .500. Get the rotation together and get a few bats going, and they can be right back in the wild card free-for-all. \u2014 Jennings<\/p>\n

Record: 19-21
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: 24<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team:<\/strong> The White Sox have emerged from the darkness<\/p>\n

These aren\u2019t your slightly older sibling\u2019s White Sox. They survived the bleak summers, with 100 (or 121) losses and little hope. Some of the prospects they\u2019ve been amassing have reached the majors and, in the case of Colson Montgomery, have thrived. Mix in a breakout season for Davis Martin in the rotation and a jaw-dropping start for Munetaka Murakami, and maybe this situation is as simple as a young team playing free and easy and not really knowing any better.<\/p>\n

They sit right behind the Guardians at the top of the AL Central, even if this division is still below sea level. Who\u2019s to say the White Sox can\u2019t be a thorn in the side of most teams they face all season? \u2014 Meisel<\/p>\n

Record: 20-20
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: 18<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team:<\/strong> Its two best players aren\u2019t hitting, and that should change<\/p>\n

The Diamondbacks won\u2019t win squat without Ketel Marte and Geraldo Perdomo playing as well as they\u2019re capable of. Every scenario in which the team advances toward the postseason involves its middle infield, which should be the best in baseball. Marte is grinding through a miserable slump, and Perdomo isn\u2019t hitting for average or power, even as he\u2019s walking more than he\u2019s striking out.<\/p>\n

If both of them get rolling at the same time, the Diamondbacks will win a lot more games. If that happens, they should feel lucky that their slow start didn\u2019t bury them even further. Some of these teams are already in a hole too deep to get out of, but the Diamondbacks have hung around just enough. \u2014 Brisbee<\/p>\n

Record: 19-22
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: 23<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team:<\/strong> The veteran pitchers still have it<\/p>\n

Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha migrated to Kansas City from San Diego ahead of the 2024 season and spearheaded the Royals\u2019 first trip to the postseason in nine years. The unions were so fruitful that the team eventually signed both pitchers to contract extensions. Lugo and Wacha are in their mid-30s now, but they\u2019re still as productive as ever \u2014 and at a critical juncture, with Cole Ragans on the injured list and Noah Cameron enduring a bit of a sophomore slump. Wacha owns a 2.63 ERA, as he\u2019s held hitters to a .188 average. Lugo\u2019s ERA is 3.21, and he has allowed a grand total of one home run in 47 2\/3 innings.\u2014 Meisel<\/p>\n

Record: 22-19
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: 16<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team:<\/strong> Chase Burns is on his way to being an ace<\/p>\n

For just a moment, ignore the Reds\u2019 run differential, their standing in the twisted NL Central, their offensive shortcomings and the performance of all but one starting pitcher. Let\u2019s focus on Burns. If you watched him pitch on April 10 against the Angels, you essentially witnessed a total solar eclipse, a rare phenomenon that doesn\u2019t quite compute to the human brain. That\u2019s the only time this season Burns has allowed more than two runs. He owns a 2.11 ERA and one of the league\u2019s highest bWAR totals for a pitcher. He has lasted at least five innings in each of his eight starts. Nick Lodolo has returned, and Hunter Greene will eventually make his way back to the rotation, and all of that should help. For now, it\u2019s Burns leading the way. \u2014 Meisel<\/p>\n

Record: 18-23
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: T-20<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team:<\/strong> Byron Buxton is still a star<\/p>\n

On Saturday in Cleveland, Buxton started the game with a solo homer off Tanner Bibee. In the 11th inning, he delivered a go-ahead RBI double. The Twins didn\u2019t record a single hit in between, but they won anyway, thanks to their dynamic center fielder. The night before, he had three hits, including another homer and a double. He collected a hit, a walk and a stolen base on Sunday. As he navigates his way through his 12th big-league season, he\u2019s still leaving his fingerprints all over the box score. He ranks among the league leaders in homers. He boasts an .868 OPS. He\u2019s on pace for a career-best WAR total. He\u2019s doing everything he can to keep the Twins relevant in an uninspiring AL Central. \u2014 Meisel<\/p>\n

Record: 19-22
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: T-20<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team: <\/strong>The NL East isn\u2019t the beast we expected (but James Wood is)<\/p>\n

Seven teams have a run differential of negative-30 or worse. The Nationals play three of those teams in the next week and a half, and seven of those games are at home. That\u2019s a decent opportunity to get back to .500 and back into that mix of unexpected teams that have played their way into the wild card hunt in the National League. Cutting back on the errors would help \u2014 surely they can play a little cleaner \u2014 and Zack Littell historically has been better in the second half than the first half. Frankly, the NL East isn\u2019t the monster we thought it was going to be, so maybe there\u2019s room for a surprise out of that division. If it\u2019s possible to believe in the Marlins, why not the Nats? \u2014 Jennings<\/p>\n

Record: 19-22
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: 25<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team: <\/strong>The Phillies might have already turned the corner<\/p>\n

Look, I don\u2019t think Rob Thomson was the problem, but maybe the Phillies needed something to grab them by the shoulders and rattle them a little bit. Since Thomson was fired on April 28, the Phillies are 10-3. Bryson Stott and Alec Bohm have been helpful hitters again, and Justin Crawford\u2019s shown some life at the plate. Zack Wheeler is healthy, and he\u2019s pitching well. Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper can still really hit, and Cristopher S\u00e1nchez is making an early case for the Cy Young Award. This is the Phillies, more or less, as we expected them to be. Granted, the recent schedule was pretty light, but for the previous month, the Phillies played like a pushover, and for the past two weeks, they were clearly better than the cellar dwellers. Another good stretch like that, and they\u2019ll be right in the thick of things. \u2014 Jennings<\/p>\n

Record: 16-26
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: 28<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team:<\/strong> Mike Trout is having his best season in ages<\/p>\n

There are levels and gradations with hopeless teams. There\u2019s the fun kind of lowered expectations that comes with a full rebuild, and then there\u2019s the kind of hopeless where the team is insulting your intelligence, selling you tickets to watch minor-league players at major-league prices.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t forget about the bad teams with active and thriving baseball legends, though. That\u2019s a different type of fun at the yard, and while you\u2019re allowed to enjoy it begrudgingly \u2014 it almost feels like you\u2019re giving ownership credit \u2014 it\u2019s a good time out. Tickets are easy to find, the sun\u2019s warm and the beer is cold, and a literal baseball legend is out there cooking like it was the old days. You don\u2019t \u201chave to hand it to\u201d Arte Moreno, but you can appreciate the Angels being more watchable when a baseball demigod is involved<\/a>. \u2014 Brisbee<\/p>\n

Record: 16-26
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: 22<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team:<\/strong> The Astros have done it before<\/p>\n

On May 13, 2024, the Astros were 16-25 and in last place. They were finally cooked, an unceremonious end to a long run of competitive teams, but the veterans got old and\/or left, and there weren\u2019t enough new, young players to replace them.<\/p>\n

They won the division that year, and even if it was a struggle to get to the 88 wins to do it, it was proof that lousy starts can be overcome. The trick with the 2026 Astros is that they almost certainly aren\u2019t as talented, whether because of defections (Framber Valdez, Kyle Tucker) or entropy (Jose Altuve), and seasons like the \u201924 comeback season are exceptions, not the rule. Still, it\u2019s happened before. That\u2019s all they can mutter as they stare into the abyss. \u2014 Brisbee<\/p>\n

Record: 15-25
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: 29<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team: <\/strong>How much worse can it get?<\/p>\n

By the middle of last week, the Mets had won four of five, and maybe \u2014 maybe! \u2014 there was a corner to be turned. Then they ended the week by losing three of four while scoring a total of seven runs in those four games. So much for turning a corner. So, one reason to believe in the Mets? I mean, it can\u2019t get worse, can it? The top of the rotation is excellent, and that\u2019s a great place to start. Also, you have to believe Bo Bichette is going to turn things around and Francisco Lindor is going to make a difference when he returns. The Mets are in a massive hole and need to climb ahead of nine teams \u2014 nine! \u2014 to get back into a wild-card spot, but only two of those teams have a positive run differential. So, the good news is that other teams are bad, too! \u2014 Jennings<\/p>\n

Record: 19-23
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: 19<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team: <\/strong>The Orioles still have those young hitters
<\/strong><\/p>\n

To believe in the Orioles is to believe that 2023 wasn\u2019t so long ago. The Orioles won 101 games that season, and their best players were Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman and Kyle Bradish, three players still with the team and still in their 20s. Rutschman is having a good year, but he\u2019s also missed time on the IL. Henderson was good early in the season, then he went cold for a spell. Bradish is finally healthy and had 10 strikeouts in his last start.<\/p>\n

To believe in the Orioles is to believe they\u2019re just getting started. That Jackson Holliday has yet to even approach his peak, that Pete Alonso\u2019s recent power surge is a sign of things to come, that Shane Baz was a good addition, that Colton Cowser is going to be good again, and that Jordan Westburg is going to play like an All-Star again when he\u2019s healthy. To believe in the Orioles is to believe they\u2019ve just got to be better than this. \u2014 Jennings<\/p>\n

Record: 16-25
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: 27<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team:<\/strong> Colorado is the normal kind of bad<\/p>\n

This is going to be a running theme throughout this season\u2019s rankings. The Rockies are a normal kind of bad, and it\u2019s a legitimate cause for celebration. They\u2019re messing around with rookies and Rule 5 picks and low-cost veterans, trying to find quality players who might be around for the next good Rockies team, just like a bad team is supposed to.<\/p>\n

If that doesn\u2019t read like progress, remember how historically awful they were last season. This is a team that confidently started a Rule 5 pick, TJ Rumfield, and hoped it would make things better immediately and in seasons to come. It\u2019s making them look smart, and with just that one piece of possible good news, they\u2019ve pulled ahead of last year\u2019s entire good-news allotment. There\u2019s a lot of season left, too. \u2014 Brisbee<\/p>\n

Record: 17-24
<\/b>Last Power Ranking: 30<\/b><\/p>\n

One reason to believe in this team:<\/strong> Dramatic changes are already being made.<\/p>\n

The Giants aren\u2019t rebuilding, but they\u2019re not not rebuilding, either. They\u2019re in a place where they have veterans who can\u2019t feel safe, which is something you can also say about most rebuilding teams. The biggest difference is that these veterans can afford the guac at Chipotle, which makes them a little overqualified to be the happy-to-be-here veterans on most teams looking toward the future.<\/p>\n

That doesn\u2019t mean there are a lot of Giants veterans who feel comfortable right now. Sending your starting catcher to the American League and your erstwhile closer to the Pacific Coast League is one way to get the attention of a veteran clubhouse. The time for patience is over. It\u2019s time to start breaking things<\/a>. \u2014 Brisbee<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Every week,\u200b we\u200b ask a selected group of our baseball\u200b writers\u200b \u2014 local and national \u2014 to rank…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":791011,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[1279,3955,1280,1276,1281,1271,1274,5048,1282,1283,1885,2382,1284,1285,2502,1286,4247,1287,1266,1305,2228,2083,1886,1306,1275,1288,62,3692,1289,1278,1290,67,132,68,1291],"class_list":{"0":"post-791010","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mlb","8":"tag-arizona-diamondbacks","9":"tag-athletics","10":"tag-atlanta-braves","11":"tag-baltimore-orioles","12":"tag-boston-red-sox","13":"tag-chicago-cubs","14":"tag-chicago-white-sox","15":"tag-cincinnati-reds","16":"tag-cleveland-guardians","17":"tag-colorado-rockies","18":"tag-detroit-tigers","19":"tag-houston-astros","20":"tag-kansas-city-royals","21":"tag-los-angeles-angels","22":"tag-los-angeles-dodgers","23":"tag-miami-marlins","24":"tag-milwaukee-brewers","25":"tag-minnesota-twins","26":"tag-mlb","27":"tag-new-york-mets","28":"tag-new-york-yankees","29":"tag-philadelphia-phillies","30":"tag-pittsburgh-pirates","31":"tag-san-diego-padres","32":"tag-san-francisco-giants","33":"tag-seattle-mariners","34":"tag-sports","35":"tag-st-louis-cardinals","36":"tag-tampa-bay-rays","37":"tag-texas-rangers","38":"tag-toronto-blue-jays","39":"tag-united-states","40":"tag-unitedstates","41":"tag-us","42":"tag-washington-nationals"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791010","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=791010"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791010\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/791011"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=791010"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=791010"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=791010"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}