MLB Power Rankings: Where Do All 30 Teams Stand After Labor Day? (2026)

September 9, 2026

RotoBaller's MLB power rankings for all 30 teams in early September. Where does each MLB team stand in our latest power rankings for the 2026 season?

With Labor Day in the rearview mirror, we are full steam ahead on the home stretch of the 2026 season. The division races in the National League all look to be fairly wrapped up, but it's a much different story in the American League.

Every race in the American League is within four games, so no division is technically safe at this point. The wild card races should bring the most intrigue, though. The American League is tight while the National League has two divisional foes fighting for the last spot.

Who's going to get that final spot? Find out in our latest MLB Power Rankings. Note: Stats and rankings reflect games played through Sunday, September 6.

No. 30 - Los Angeles Angels

Angels games haven't been very entertaining if you're hoping for runs to be scored. Over the last 14 days, they've hit for just a 65 wRC+ while posting a 3.55 ERA. That's great for pitching, but because of their ineffective bats, they're just 2-10 in that span.

That's not going to matter much in the end, especially since they're aiming for draft positioning now. But if you're going to stick it out watching Angels games for the rest of the season, don't expect much excitement from the bats.

No. 29 - Colorado Rockies

The Rockies have officially become the first team eliminated from playoff contention this year. That's not shocking news to anyone in the league, but it doesn't mean there haven't been some improvements that should get some Rockies fans excited.

TJ Rumfield is one of the reasons that Colorado fans should have some excitement headed into 2027. He leads all qualified rookies with a .389 OBP. That's translating to a 125 wRC+. He's one of many young bats that Rockies fans can get excited about. Now if only they could find more young pitching to go along with their young hitters.

No. 28 - Athletics

Speaking of rookies, let's highlight Henry Bolte here. He's had an up-and-down type of season with the A's, but is currently on the upswing. Over the last 14 days, he's hit for a 140 wRC+. That's fueled by a 50.0% hard-hit rate. Combined with his speed, he's finding easy ways to get on base.

The pitching staff still needs a little help, but there are some bright spots showing as of late. That's a positive sign for the A's future, but they really just need everyone to stay healthy in 2027. Then they can return to being a frisky underdog.

No. 27 - San Francisco Giants

If there's a team that could bounce back strongly in 2027, it wouldn't surprise me to see the Giants do it. They've got a lot of young talent with their bats that are showing promise. Bryce Eldridge is one of those, hitting for a 175 wRC+ over the last 14 days.

Similar to the Rockies, though, the talent on the mound is lacking. They've always been a fairly strong team when it comes to pitching, but they need to be better next season for the bounceback to really hit hard.

No. 26 - Kansas City Royals

Count the Royals as a team that can bounce back strongly in 2027. They've had their season destroyed by injuries to both the lineup and rotation, but there's hope in KC that it's just a one-year blip.

Jac Caglianone has been fantastic with his bat this season and is proving himself to be worthy of the high draft pick the Royals spent on him just two seasons ago. He can help lead the Royals' offense, but they're really going to need a healthy rotation for next year to be a success.

No. 25 - New York Mets

No one's going to need 2027 to be a bounce-back year more than the Mets. It's been disastrous from start to finish, but there's some promise on the roster. Carson Benge and Nolan McLean both are looking like they'll be in contention for the NL Rookie of the Year award.

Benge. Beast.

No. 16 on the season for @Carsonbenge3! 💥 pic.twitter.com/F1hEF5YWOW

— New York Mets (@Mets) August 23, 2026

But that doesn't mean the offseason won't be filled with contention still. Outside of the potential lockout, it's been rumored that Francisco Lindor could be shopped to other teams. The Mets are going to do whatever they need to do to get competitive again, and shipping out one of their superstars may be a way to get that rolling.

No. 24 - Detroit Tigers

Even with as bad as the Mets' season has been, no team may have had a more disappointing season than Detroit. They knew they were going to need to have a solid season in order to avoid the idea of trading Tarik Skubal, but a slow start made that inevitable.

A hot streak after the All-Star break brought hope to their fans that they'd still be able to make a run, but they've been the league's worst lineup over the last two weeks, posting an incomprehensible 58 wRC+ as a team. They've massively underachieved and will head into the offseason without many silver linings from 2026.

No. 23 - Seattle Mariners

I keep bringing up disappointing teams, and the Mariners certainly fit that bill. Maybe their downfall is getting a bit overlooked compared to others, but they've also massively underachieved. As a team that was in Game 7 of the ALCS last season, this year is just incredibly disappointing.

Cal Raleigh is doing his best to make everyone forget about how bad his bat has been, posting a 1.456 OPS with seven homers over the last 14 days. But Seattle's just 4-8 in those 12 games. It's too little, too late for Raleigh. The Mariners will head into 2027 with lots of questions to answer about their future.

No. 22 - Washington Nationals

The Nationals could be a very intriguing team in 2027 if their pitching gets things turned around. You know all about how good James Wood can be, but the rest of the lineup has also been really efficient.

To get back in the right spot with pitching for next season, they'll want their young arms to finish strong. Cade Cavalli has had an excellent second half, throwing to a 1.95 ERA. Young lefty Andrew Alvarez has also been a solid arm, throwing to a 3.16 ERA over his last five starts. There's some hope for Washington next year as long as the pitching stays strong.

No. 21 - Minnesota Twins

There's still an outside chance that the Twins could snag the final AL wild card spot, but it's going to be tough. As of Monday, they're 4.5 GB of the last spot and are potentially going to be without Byron Buxton for the rest of the season.

The 32-year-old is likely going to need hip surgery to fix a right hip impingement. He's going to try to find a way to return before the season's end, but if Minnesota doesn't get close enough in the race, then it's likely that Buxton will be held out anyway.

No. 20 - Cincinnati Reds

The Reds may be too far out of the NL wild card race, but that doesn't mean there aren't positive things going on. They've won seven of their last ten games, including a series win over Milwaukee over the weekend.

In fact, they have series wins over both the Cubs and the Padres, giving them three straight series wins over playoff contenders. They'll be put to the test again this week with the Dodgers and Brewers on the road. We'll see if their hot streak can continue as they look to shake up the top of the NL standings.

No. 19 - Baltimore Orioles

The clock hasn't struck midnight on the Orioles quite yet, but a four-game deficit in the AL wild card chase is going to be a tough task for Baltimore. They have the eighth-toughest remaining schedule in the league and have three teams ahead of them.

There will be opportunity, though. Nine of those games are against the Guardians and Blue Jays, two teams they're chasing in the standings. The chance is there, but it's going to be a tough uphill climb for the Orioles.

No. 18 - Pittsburgh Pirates

The door isn't quite shut on the Pirates' postseason chances yet, but they're definitely in a bit of a "Midwest goodbye" scenario when it comes to their chances. The polite extended conversation is just about over, and they're going to need to actually leave soon.

It's unfortunate, given how strongly they started this season. But with both the pitching and hitting falling off, it was inevitable. They're going to have some promise in 2027, but yet again they have to face the pain of simply waiting for next season to hopefully change.

No. 17 - Texas Rangers

The Rangers still have a realistic chance at snagging the final AL wild card spot, as well as potentially winning the AL West. But it's been a bit of a slog for their fans to get through. It doesn't help that they've had a downslide recently that's pushed them into this position.

Looking ahead at their schedule, it gets pretty rough too. The Mariners, Diamondbacks, Red Sox, and Blue Jays are all next on their schedule. That's quite a few teams fighting for playoff positioning that are going to make it tough for the Rangers to get that final spot, even though their deficit isn't all that much.

No. 16 - St. Louis Cardinals

With a four-game deficit in the NL Wild Card race, it's going to be a tough climb up for the Cardinals if they want to snag the final spot. If there's a saving grace, though, they have a relatively easy finish to the season.

But the pitching needs to improve. Over the last 14 days, they've thrown to a 6.29 ERA. That's paired with a 3.78 xFIP, so you can argue that they're getting unlucky, but in a scenario where you need every win you can get, you're not going to want luck to affect anything at all.

No. 15 - Miami Marlins

The Marlins come into Monday in the same deficit that the Cardinals have in the NL Wild Card race. They face more of an uphill climb, though, as they have the second-toughest remaining schedule in the league. They're really going to need their June form to show up again for them to be able to overcome this deficit.

Kyle Stowers and Heriberto Hernandez have both been very productive hitters for Miami over the last 14 days, both posting a 150 wRC+ or better. The rest of the lineup will need to improve, though, if the Marlins want to pull off a major surprise and make the playoffs.

No. 14 - Toronto Blue Jays

No team's season has gotten turned around more in the second half than Toronto's. They have been one of the league's best pitching staffs since the beginning of August, posting a 3.31 ERA since then. Thanks to finally hitting at just a league-average level, that's amounted to a 21-13 record.

Keys can CRUSH 🔑 pic.twitter.com/iJnyaN9D5G

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) September 5, 2026

As of Monday, they're just a game back of the Guardians. Their remaining schedule is the fourth easiest in the league as well, so there's a very good chance that the reigning AL champions could return to the playoffs.

No. 13 - Cleveland Guardians

Cleveland will be doing all they can to fend off Toronto from that last spot. They're going to be kicking themselves, though, if it comes down to them and the Blue Jays being tied for the last spot, as Toronto holds the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Knowing that, the Guardians can't slack at all. They need to ensure they hold onto that lead while also chasing the White Sox for the AL Central lead. Both are within reach, but Cleveland has to be at its best since they don't have much room for error.

No. 12 - Houston Astros

The Astros could potentially be one of the most slept-on teams in the American League when it comes to the postseason. They've battled injuries throughout the entire season, but have quietly been getting healthier and currently hold a two-game lead over Texas in the AL West.

But why aren't they getting more respect? Quite simply, the bats have been a bit quiet in August. They're hitting for just a 90 wRC+ since the beginning of August. If they had been more effective, they may be running away with the AL West. But since they haven't, it's going to be a tough fight down the stretch to secure their eighth AL West title in the last ten years.

No. 11 - San Diego Padres

Now for the real contenders in the NL Wild Card race. It's essentially San Diego vs Arizona. Conventional wisdom would have you think that the Padres are the easy winners here, given the talent on their roster, but they've simply been unable to create any sort of consistency. Because of that, they're half a game behind Arizona as of Monday.

Both have relatively easy remaining schedules, but a three-game set against the DBacks on the final weekend could prove pivotal. Robbie Ray and Casey Mize both have been playing with fire since the Padres acquired them at the deadline. They both need to be sharp as nails finishing the season for San Diego to claim that final wild card spot.

No. 10 - Arizona Diamondbacks

So how about those DBacks? They just seem to keep finding ways to win, but for how long will it last? The offense has scored more than three runs just twice in their last 11 games. The pitching has been a key reason for their success, but they could be due for some negative regression in September.

The good news for them is that their schedule is relatively quiet until the last week and a half, when they'll face both the Yankees and the Padres. If they can get the offense clicking in the next couple of weeks, then they may be able to keep their edge against the Padres and snag the last wild card spot.

No. 9 - Chicago White Sox

If you had told White Sox fans they'd hold a division lead this late into the season in March, they probably would've called you crazy. But they've pleasantly surpassed everyone's expectations and have a legit shot at winning the division for the first time since 2021.

If they want to keep their division lead, though, the starting rotation needs to tighten up. Anthony Kay and Luis Castillo have both posted ERAs above 5.00 since the beginning of August. They're the two current weak links for the White Sox, who otherwise look like they will be the underdog everyone wants to root for in October.

No. 8 - Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox are starting to get some of their reinforcements back at apparently the right time. Roman Anthony and Trevor Story both returned from injuries over the past week. Their ace, Garrett Crochet, is also working his way back from a shoulder injury, though he's aiming to return in a bullpen role rather than a starter role.

That could be really interesting for Boston given the type of arsenal that Crochet has. The starting rotation may be fine with Sonny Gray and Payton Tolle at the helm, but past them it may be a lot of bullpen work that Boston has to look forward to in October.

No. 7 - Philadelphia Phillies

One team that's never really void of starting pitching talent is the Phillies. Their most reliable starter over the years, Zack Wheeler, has surprisingly been in quite a rut as of late. Since the beginning of August, he's been the Phillies' worst starter, posting a 5.40 ERA. His main goal should simply be to get back into form for October.

If his last start against the Braves accounts for anything, then he'll be well on track to get there. In that start, he threw six innings of one-run ball with nine strikeouts. He'll be a key figure in October for the Phillies, who are looking to make it back to the World Series for the first time since 2022.

Rollin' rollin' rollin' pic.twitter.com/EFdeU5xFFf

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 5, 2026

No. 6 - New York Yankees

The Phillies, like the Red Sox, are also starting to get reinforcements back at the right time. Cody Bellinger and Max Fried returned to the roster in the past couple of weeks, but the return of Aaron Judge will be the one that the entire league will be waiting for.

Judge faced live hitting on Monday, and if all continues to go well, then he could potentially return to the Yankees' lineup this week. His presence will go a long way for the Yankees, but the rest of the league will be waiting on him to fully break through in October. He hasn't quite been his best in past postseasons, so he'll be aiming to be much better this year.

No. 5 - Chicago Cubs

The Cubs became the first team in the league this year to reach the 200-homers mark. That's a great distinction to have and is very important for playoff success. Teams that hit the most homers and give up the fewest homers are usually the ones that are most successful!

But therein lies the issue. While they've hit the most homers, their pitching staff has also given up the most homers in the league. The second half of the season has only been slightly different from the full-season picture, where they've given up the second-most homers while still leading the league in homers hit.

That's going to be cause for a very volatile postseason. An exciting one, but one that will be stressful for Cubs fans.

No. 4 - Tampa Bay Rays

With a four-game lead in the AL East, the Rays are looking like they're in a pretty good spot to claim the division for the first time since 2021. They've been the best team in the American League and have enough talent to make a deep run in October.

They're going to be getting quite the test here in September, though. Their schedule finishes out with the Braves, Astros, Red Sox, Yankees, and Phillies. Talk about a primer for October. This month should tell us a lot about how Tampa is going to fare this postseason.

No. 3 - Atlanta Braves

The Braves might be starting to get hot at the right time. They were in a bit of a lull for a while, but they've now won ten of their last 13 games, helping to get them back into the form that had them as one of baseball's best teams earlier this season.

Similar to the Rays, they're going to have a bit of a test in September, though, when it comes to their schedule. The Rays, Phillies, Cubs, and Astros are all on deck for Atlanta. This stretch may tell us a lot about how Atlanta will perform in the postseason.

No. 2- Los Angeles Dodgers

Maybe the biggest thing the Dodgers have to worry about right now is the health of Shohei Ohtani's arm. He hasn't taken the mound since July 3rd. Since then, the Dodgers are 28-26. Not exactly overwhelming, but LA has always tried to prioritize October over the regular season.

And if Ohtani can't take the mound in October? Well, they've already shown that they can win without him on the mound. With a very solid lead in the NL West, the Dodgers have nothing to do in September besides prep for October.

No. 1 - Milwaukee Brewers

Our top team for the fifth week in a row is the Brewers. They've been a model of consistency since May and hold a seven-game lead in the NL Central. With the postseason essentially on lock, they now need to find a way to ensure more success in October.

Jackson Chourio JUST LAUNCHED ONE OF THE BIGGEST HOME RUNS OF THE SEASON pic.twitter.com/RKLZnkrNDE

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) September 9, 2026

Last year, their downfall was starting pitching and simply not having enough of it. In the second half, they've had three starters who have a 4.00 ERA or lower, which will be serviceable. But are three going to be enough? That's going to be the main question for Milwaukee as they look to win the National League pennant for the first time in franchise history.

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