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MLB Power Rankings: Playoff picture heats up as Guardians climb and Tigers and Mets plummet

Featured in the final MLB Power Rankings of the season, the playoff picture is finally coming into focus, the Tigers and Mets are flirting with the wrong kind of history, baseball is fun in the state of Ohio, Clayton Kershaw approaches the end, Mike Trout achieves a milestone, and Nationals center fielder Jacob Young does some straight-up magic against the Mets.

(Please note these power rankings are a combination of current performance and long-term projected outlook)

Let’s get started!

Note: Rankings are from the morning of Monday, September 22.

1) Milwaukee Brewers

Last week: 1

Three straight NL Central titles and likely homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. That’s great, but there’s plenty of uncertainty about the availability of Jose Quintana, Brandon Woodruff, and Trevor Megill. As of now, either Jacob Misiorowski or Chad Patrick figure to follow Freddy Peralta and Quinn Priester in the postseason rotation.

2) Philadelphia Phillies

Last week: 2

Good news on Trea Turner, who is expected to face live pitching on Tuesday and Wednesday as he rehabs from a hamstring injury. He could be back in the Phillies’ lineup as soon as Friday, which would allow him to shake the rust in game action before the playoffs begin.

3) Toronto Blue Jays

Last week: 3

So far, the Blue Jays are the only American League team to clinch a postseason berth. They could also be looking at their first AL East title in 10 years. If they can hold off the Yankees, that is. One major advantage is that the Blue Jays hold the tiebreaker.

4) Los Angeles Dodgers ⬆️

Last week: 6

The Dodgers’ rotation is falling into place just in time for the postseason, but it sounds like they’ll be missing Will Smith as he recovers from a hairline fracture in his right hand. Mookie Betts has picked things up this month, but this lineup isn’t nearly as scary without Smith in there.

5) Chicago Cubs ⬇️

Last week: 4

The Cubs are back in the postseason for the first time since the COVID-shortened season in 2020. Craig Counsell's club should have home field advantage in the Wild Card Series next week, but will they have Kyle Tucker and Daniel Palencia?

6) New York Yankees ⬆️

Last week: 7

The Yankees are almost certainly playoff-bound, so the only question is if they’ll be able to chase down the Blue Jays for the AL East lead. While they are two games back in the standings, they’ll actually need to gain three games because of the tiebreaker. It’s a tall task even with a favorable schedule (White Sox, Orioles) to close out the regular season.

7) Seattle Mariners ⬆️

Last week: 8

After sweeping the Astros over the weekend, the Mariners probably have the AL West locked up. Depending on how things go this week, they could secure a first-round bye, as well.

Oh, and Cal Raleigh just keeps mashing dingers and setting records. How high can he climb this week?

8) Detroit Tigers ⬇️

Last week: 5

We’re looking at DEFCON 1 levels of panic and anxiety. The Tigers have lost six straight and nine out of 10, giving them a skinny one-lead over the surging Guardians in the AL Central. They are fortunate that the Twins did them a major favor on Sunday. Now all eyes of the baseball world will be on a three-game series between the Tigers and Guardians in Cleveland, beginning on Tuesday.

9) Boston Red Sox

Last week: 9

The Red Sox had to go out there and make things more difficult for themselves by losing to the Rays on Sunday night. This is by no means an easy week to close out the regular season, as they get three against the Blue Jays (who are trying to finish out the AL East) and three against the Tigers, who are trying to avoid an epic collapse.

10) Cleveland Guardians ⬆️

Last week: 14

The Guardians’ winning streak was snapped at 10 games on Sunday, but they are just one game behind the free falling Tigers and also find themselves tied with the Astros for the final Wild Card spot. Absolutely incredible. You’ll be shocked to hear this, but the Guardians’ pitching staff has been the big key, as they’ve posted a 2.32 ERA this month.

11) San Diego Padres ⬇️

Last week: 10

Michael King bounced back from a brutal start against the Mets to deliver five scoreless innings against the White Sox on Sunday. The Padres haven’t officially clinched a postseason spot yet, but that’s more of a formality. King is the likely choice to start Game 2 of the Wild Card series, with Nick Pivetta expected to start Game 1.

12) Houston Astros ⬇️

Last week: 11

Missing Yordan Alvarez due to an ankle sprain, the Astros were swept by the Mariners at the home over the weekend. With the division looking unrealistic at this point, now they need to fight to keep a Wild Card spot.

13) Cincinnati Reds ⬆️

Last week: 18

Coming off a four-game sweep of the Cubs, the Reds are now in position for the final NL Wild Card spot thanks to their tiebreaker with the Mets. Hunter Greene set the stage on Thursday night with a complete game one-hitter. It would be so much fun to see him on the playoff stage.

14) New York Mets ⬇️

Last week: 13

With a pair of brutal losses to the Nationals over the weekend, the Mets no longer control their own destiny for a playoff spot. The Mets have struggled for a while, but it’s still a shocking fall for a team who had the best record in baseball in June.

15) Arizona Diamondbacks ⬆️

Last week: 16

No matter what happens this week, kudos for the Diamondbacks to even being in this position. Everybody knows about Corbin Carroll and his excellence, but Geraldo Perdomo has been playing out of his mind down the stretch.

16) Texas Rangers ⬇️

Last week: 12

After going on a 16-4 run to climb back into playoff contention, the Rangers have lost seven straight to effectively end their playoff hopes.

17) Kansas City Royals

Last week: 17

The Royals probably aren’t making the playoffs, but they still have a chance to secure their second-straight winning season. Recent call-up Carter Jensen has been a bright spot of late, hitting an even .300 (12-for-40) with two homers and 11 RBI over 14 games.

18) San Francisco Giants ⬇️

Last week: 15

The Giants rallied to avoid a sweep on Sunday, but they’ve lost seven out of their last nine to make them extreme long shots for the postseason. Quite the disappointment given how things looked after the trade for Rafael Devers.

19) Tampa Bay Rays

Last week: 19

This will be the first time the Rays have missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons since they missed the playoffs in five straight years from 2014-2017. With ownership set to change and executives Matt Silverman and Brian Auld stepping down, some big changes are afoot with this franchise.

20) St. Louis Cardinals

Last week: 20

We’re in the final week of the John Mozeliak Era in St. Louis. Cardinals fans are rightly eager to move forward now that the club has missed the postseason in three straight years, but it’s still been an incredible run.

21) Miami Marlins ⬆️

Last week: 22

Credit to the Marlins for keeping the pressure on, as they’ve won 10 out of 11 to give themselves a chance at a .500 season going into the final week. That would be a huge accomplishment.

22) Baltimore Orioles ⬆️

Last week: 23

This year will go down as a failure for the Orioles, but it’s at least easier to be optimistic about next year with Trevor Rogers returning to form and Kyle Bradish back in the fold from Tommy John surgery. Grayson Rodriguez will be a question mark as he returns from shoulder/elbow surgery, so the Orioles still have work to do with this rotation.

23) Athletics ⬇️

Last week: 21

The A’s were in Pittsburgh this weekend, which led to this cool moment between father and son.

24) Atlanta Braves ⬆️

Last week: 25

The Braves are set to miss the postseason for the first time since 2017, but Matt Olson is finishing the season on the a high note. He’s hitting .357 with seven homers, 16 RBI, and a 1.217 OPS in September.

25) Los Angeles Angels ⬇️

Last week: 24

Mike Trout became the 59th player in history to reach the 400-homer plateau over the weekend, and my goodness did it he do it in emphatic fashion.

That Coors Field special traveled 485 feet, giving him the longest home run of the 2025 MLB season.

The coolest part of this whole thing wasn’t even the home run. It was the aftermath, which resulted in the fan who caught it getting to play catch with Trout.

26) Pittsburgh Pirates ⬆️

Last week: 27

The Pirates finished their home slate with a 44-37 record, their best record at PNC Park since 2018. There’s reason for optimism here, if they can just spend some money to upgrade on the position player side.

27) Washington Nationals ⬆️

Last week: 28

Mets fans, look away. You probably don’t want to see this. Still, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t show Jacob Young’s circus catch from Sunday.

Young's ninth-inning robbery isn’t going to get as much attention, but it was an amazing play nonetheless, especially given the context.

28) Minnesota Twins ⬇️

Last week: 26

A lost year for Pablo Lopez is officially over due to a right forearm strain. He was great when healthy, posting a 2.74 ERA over 14 starts, but he also missed time with a hamstring strain and a shoulder strain. Fortunately, an MRI ruled out any concerns with his elbow or ulnar collateral ligament.

29) Chicago White Sox

Last week: 29

Losers of eight out of nine, the White Sox go into the week with 98 losses. Now they play six on the road (three against the Yankees and three against the Nationals). It’s going to be tough to avoid another 100-loss season.

30) Colorado Rockies

Last week: 30

Hey, at least the Rockies won’t be the worst team ever? The Rockies took two out of three from the Angels over the weekend to get them to 43 wins, two more than the White Sox had last season when they set the modern record for losses in a season.

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