Friday is an enormous day in Major League Baseball. It's the first day that most MLB teams will take the field for the first time with the rosters they'll carry the rest of the way. With the trade deadline in the rearview mirror, it's time to begin the 50-game sprint to October.
So in the wake of the deadline, the MLB Power Rankings roll on, even on short rest. We're taking everything into account–recent play, roster construction, and even clubhouse vibes in the wake of the moves a team made in the general manager's suite.
Where did your team wind up in this week's MLB Power Rankings? Read on to find out!
1. Cleveland Guardians (no change)
It was evident watching the Guardians' beatdown of the Orioles on Thursday night—this team is scary. They have pesky at-bats up and down the lineup and their impact bats, Steven Kwan and Jose Ramirez, are elite in every sense of the word. Although, the win did come against Trevor Rogers, who's struggles with the Miami Marlins continued in Baltimore.
And their trade deadline may not have been eye-popping, but Lane Thomas and Alex Cobb could be very impactful players for this Cleveland team down the stretch.
2. Philadelphia Phillies (no change)
This… isn't ideal. The Phillies were flying high all first half long, but they've hit a bit of a wall in July. Having lost five-straight series, they've lost their vise grip on the top spot in the MLB Power Rankings. But all the talent is still there, and if this team was going to struggle, it's best to get it out of the way now.
3. New York Yankees (+2)
You're thinking to yourself, “Hold on, didn't the Phillies just sweep the Yankees? Why are they behind them in the rankings?”
And that's valid, but let's not forget that before this five-game winning streak, we watched a full month where the Yankees were the second-worst team in baseball after the White Sox. But if Jazz Chisholm Jr. continues to play like this, we can definitely start talking about World Series contention.
4. Baltimore Orioles (-1)
At their best, the Orioles are better than the Yankees. They're probably better than the Guardians, too. We just haven't seen them at their best for a while, save for one good series against a Blue Jays team fielding three-quarters of a Triple-A roster.
And Jordan Westburg's injury is a massive blow, even if Jackson Holliday can play to his potential the second time around. Plus the O's just called up another top prospect in corner infielder Coby Mayo.
5. Los Angeles Dodgers (-1)
This is the latest in the year in quite a while that it's felt as if the Dodgers might actually get caught in the NL West race. They've had two more bullpen meltdowns in the past week of action, and the San Diego Padres are hot on their tails. Thankfully, they added a ton of depth at the trade deadline, but the reinforcements will have to be good right away for LA to stay on top.
6. Milwaukee Brewers (no change)
If asked to draw up the quintessential Milwaukee Brewers trade acquisitions, they'd be Frankie Montas, Nick Mears and Aaron Civale. They'll probably get the best-possible versions of all three for the next two-plus months. And they'll also need it because it was a sneaky bad July for Milwaukee on the whole.
7. Atlanta Braves (+2)
We can laugh at the Atlanta Braves reassembling their 2021 outfield all we want, but what's happening in the wake of the trade deadline is no joke at all. Matt Olson and Austin Riley are both crushing the ball again, and if that keeps happening, no one in their right mind will be excited to see Atlanta in a playoff series. The Braves just have to make sure they get there first.
8. San Diego Padres (+4)
Did you really think A.J. Preller would let a trade deadline pass without dumping another massive haul of prospects? Tanner Scott and Jason Adam may have been the best lefty and righty relievers dealt at the deadline, respectively. And although it's no guarantee they get to the playoffs, no one will want to face the Padres and their bullpen if they're in the dance.
9. Kansas City Royals (+2)
The three standout players from the Royals' win over Detroit on Thursday night will be hugely impactful on the rest of their season. Vinnie Pasquantino homered twice. Can he provide valuable run production? Seth Lugo went eight strong. Can he continue saving the bullpen? And Bobby Witt Jr. is playing at an MVP level, which doesn't seem to be anything close to a fluke.
10. Minnesota Twins (-3)
The Twins needed to make moves at this year's deadline, but couldn't do so because of ownership-imposed budget restrictions. These same restrictions kept them from adding a starting pitcher in the offseason when they desperately needed to replace Sonny Gray. With such a talented lineup, it would be a travesty if a tight-fisted deadline kept Minnesota from reaching October.
11. Houston Astros (-3)
We're starting to really regret putting the Astros in the seventh spot in the MLB Power Rankings two weeks ago. They've been playing uninspired baseball ever since, especially in their most recent series loss against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
And for all appearances, it appears they got fleeced for Yusei Kikuchi, although none of that will matter if the lefty can help spark a third World Series run in October.
12. Boston Red Sox (+1)
The Red Sox basically did the bare minimum at the trade deadline, restocking the bullpen and snagging a veteran right-handed bat to upgrade the catching position. That puts a lot of pressure on Alex Cora and his young team to keep improving the rest of the way and secure a very attainable playoff spot. So can they get the job done?
13. Arizona Diamondbacks (+1)
Even if the Arizona Diamondbacks didn't make any flashy moves, they did well for themselves at the deadline. In A.J. Puk and Dylan Floro, they got two of the nastier relievers in baseball this season. If they want to keep pace in the Wild Card race, though, they had better hope Christian Walker returns to the lineup quickly.
14. New York Mets (+1)
If you didn't know, now you do: The Mets have one of the scariest lineups in baseball. Francisco Lindor has been the best leadoff hitter in baseball for half a season now. Mark Vientos has been murdering the ball ever since his most recent callup, and Jeff McNeil has finally come around, providing much-needed length to the batting order.
And sure, maybe the Mets didn't have the sexiest deadline, but they still got better, and they've already been playing great ball for two-straight months.
15. Seattle Mariners (-5)
The Mariners are very intimidating when you see them on your favorite team's upcoming schedule. You see a team set to trot out Logan Gilbert, Luis Castillo and George Kirby and think to yourself, “How are we going to beat two of these three pitchers?”
Then you remember that you just have to score more runs than the Mariners' feeble lineup, which has recently been carried by Victor Robles and Dylan Moore. Not so intimidating anymore!
16. St. Louis Cardinals (no change)
Erick Fedde will make his Cardinals debut on Friday, which feels like one of the most crucial games of the season for these Cardinals. They were in control of their Wild Card destiny when a bunch of NL teams were slumping, but now everyone around them is surging.
They need Fedde to maintain the pace he was on with the White Sox, or they won't have the starting pitching depth to keep up in the arms race.
17. Pittsburgh Pirates (no change)
The Pirates undeniably have a chance at a playoff spot, but it doesn't feel like a great one. They added two hitters in Bryan De La Cruz and Isiah Kiner-Falefa who don't meaningfully change the composition of their lineup, and in fact, their best trade addition might be in Triple-A (Nick Yorke). Paul Skenes deserved more help, plain and simple.
18. Tampa Bay Rays (+2)
It's a longshot that the Tampa Bay Rays could get back into the playoff picture no matter what, but does it not feel like they increased their odds despite “selling” at the deadline? The Rays are at their best when they're winning in spite of all concepts of talent and payroll, and this team might be young, dynamic and crazy enough to make that happen.
19. San Francisco Giants (no change)
The San Francisco Giants aren't wrong to think they still have a fighting chance at making the playoffs. Yes, it's going to take a lot, and yes, they'll need more from their offense than they're currently getting. But a Logan Webb-Blake Snell-Robbie Ray rotation has the potential to get scorching hot down the stretch and be formidable in October in the MLB playoffs.
20. Texas Rangers (-2)
The Texas Rangers are reeling. After a glimmer of hope that they could get back in the hunt, they are now 4.5 games out of the division race and eight in the Wild Card. This weekend's series against the Red Sox could be pivotal in determining both teams' outlooks the rest of the way, and unfortunately, the Red Sox's pitching is set up far better headed into the matchup.
21. Chicago Cubs (+1)
In fairness, the Cubs didn't have much to trade unless they wanted to commit to a rebuild, since so much of their team is under contract through 2025. But did shipping off prospects alongside Christopher Morel, who might well be as good as Isaac Paredes in the long run, really make sense? We'll just have to check back in a year or so.
22. Cincinnati Reds (+1)
Last season at this time, the Cincinnati Reds were the media darlings of the sport while chasing a playoff spot. This season, their playoff chase is far-fetched, and there's a real stench of disappointment in the air after lofty preseason expectations. Luckily, fans will still get to watch Elly De La Cruz play every day for two more months.
23. Detroit Tigers (-2)
Currently on a four-game losing streak, the Detroit Tigers are showing the whole world why selling at the trade deadline was the right move all along.
And while they had to trade Jack Flaherty, losing him is also a cruel reminder that, aside from Tarik Skubal, Riley Greene and Colt Keith, there aren't a lot of slam-dunk contributors on this team that are signed for next season. Sure, Detroit will have chips to spend in MLB free agency, but that's also what led to the Javier Baez contract.
24. Toronto Blue Jays (+1)
The Toronto Blue Jays are going to miss the playoffs, and that's a disappointment given their preseason expectations. However, they nailed this MLB Trade Deadline.
The returns they got for Yusei Kikuchi, Yimi Garcia and Danny Jansen could all prove to be game-changers down the road. And no, you don't trade Vladimir Guerrero Jr. when he's hitting like the best first baseman in the league—you extend him.
25. Washington Nationals (-1)
The Lane Thomas trade could pay off nicely for the Washington Nationals, who have plenty of outfield talent in the pipeline for years to come.
But slumps from CJ Abrams and James Wood have been slightly discouraging because those two are the only players in the MLB lineup guaranteed to be there next year. Wins and losses don't matter, but it would be nice to see the young guns build momentum into next season.
26. Los Angeles Angels (no change)
It would have been nice to see the Los Angeles Angels do more—Luis Rengifo and Tyler Anderson in particular should have fetched big returns at this deadline. But the Angels punched well above their weight in the Carlos Estevez deal. And this Red Sox farm system follower is quite partial to Matthew Lugo, who could be raking at the Big A by September.
27. Oakland Athletics (no change)
In some ways, it makes sense to hang on to Brent Rooker because Rooker is awesome and has three more years of control. But does anyone really believe that the Athletics will be competitive in MLB within the next three years? Won't Rooker just be traded later on when his value is diminished? Nothing really matters until the A's can prove they have a sustainable plan for contention.
28. Miami Marlins (no change)
The Marlins may be awful right now, but they're deservedly drawing rave reviews for their trade deadline. Prospects like Agustin Ramirez, Connor Norby, Robby Snelling and Dylan Lesko could all be part of the youth movement that eventually restores this team to what it was a year ago. They'll probably all get traded in five years too, but that's a story for another day.
29. Colorado Rockies (no change)
There is no excuse for Elias Díaz to still be on the Rockies. A competent organization would have traded him last season when he was coming off an All-Star MVP. Even trading Diaz for a bad contract would have made more sense. This organization is the definition of a sinking ship in the modern baseball landscape.
30. Chicago White Sox (no change)
Garrett Crochet's demands really hurt the White Sox's chances to rebuild at the deadline. And it also seems like they could have done much better for Fedde considering the returns other teams got for similar starting pitchers. All that's left to do now is see if the Pale Hose can surpass the MLB-record 23-game losing streak set by the 1961 Phillies.
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