The 2025 MLB Power Rankings are back for the final time in the regular season with the postseason just a week away. There are two tight Wild Card races and multiple division races heating up as September winds down. The New York Mets are out of a playoff spot for the first time since April, while the Cleveland Guardians close the gap in the American League. How do those races shake up the MLB Power Rankings?
#1: Philadelphia Phillies (-)
The Philadelphia Phillies remain in the top spot after taking a series from the Los Angeles Dodgers and dropping a set to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Kyle Schwarber crushed his 53rd homer of the season, Alec Bohm returned from injury and had a 4-for-4 day, and Nick Castellanos had three RBIs in their win over Arizona. The Phillies have clinched the NL East and are close to securing a bye into the Division Series. They finish the regular season with the Miami Marlins and the Minnesota Twins at home.
#2: Milwaukee Brewers (-)
The Milwaukee Brewers swept the Los Angeles Angels and dropped two of three to the St Louis Cardinals, moving to 95-61. They have secured the NL Central title and a bye into the Division Series. While they are not as hot as they were this summer, Milwaukee is heading into the playoffs on the right foot.
They have struggled in the postseason in recent years with no series wins since 2018. This has been one of the best seasons in franchise history, making postseason success a must. The Brewers finish the regular season with a road set against the San Diego Padres and a home set against the Cincinnati Reds.
#3: Toronto Blue Jays (-)
The Toronto Blue Jays are parked here at No. 3 in the MLB Power Rankings despite splitting a series with the Tampa Bay Rays and losing a set to the Kansas City Royals. They have clinched a playoff spot but are only two games ahead of the New York Yankees for the AL East lead.
Bo Bichette is looking for two homers and six RBIs in the final two sets, as that would bring him to 20 homers and 100 RBIs on the season. The Blue Jays look to seal off the division win at home against the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays.
#4: Los Angeles Dodgers (-)
Clayton Kershaw pitched his final regular-season game at Dodger Stadium on Friday, ending one of the greatest careers in franchise history. The Los Angeles Dodgers clinched the postseason that night and took three of four from the San Francisco Giants over the weekend.
They are looking to defend their World Series title and send a franchise legend out on top. But first, they have to stave off the Padres, who are just two games behind. They visit the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Seattle Mariners to finish the year.
#5: Seattle Mariners (+2)
The Mariners have stormed to a three-game division lead after sweeping the Houston Astros over the weekend. That was set up by taking two of three from the Royals. In all, it is 14 wins in 15 games for Seattle, making them the hottest team in baseball.
Cal Raleigh hit his 58th homer on Sunday, keeping Aaron Judge's AL record of 62 in reach. Seattle now has a 91.3% chance to win the division and an 84.8% chance to clinch the bye, per FanGraphs. They look to secure both of those titles at home against the Colorado Rockies and the Dodgers.
#6: Chicago Cubs (-1)
The Chicago Cubs swept the Pittsburgh Pirates but were swept in a four-game set by the Reds. They are now 88-68 with a playoff ticket punched. Kyle Tucker remains on the sidelines with a calf injury that has kept him out since September 2.
While there is not much to play for at this point in the season, a sweep at the hands of the Reds should lead to a lot of questions. Can the Cubs take advantage of what could be Tucker's lone season in Chicago? They finish the regular season at home against the Mets and the Cardinals
#7: Detroit Tigers (-1)
The Detroit Tigers are in a tailspin, getting swept by the Guardians and the Atlanta Braves. They are only one game ahead of the Guardians for the AL Central lead. Cleveland, which owns the tiebreaker against the Tigers, can take the division lead this week in a three-game set at Progressive Field.
Tarik Skubal will look to finish off a Cy Young season after setting a career high in strikeouts during his last outing. And Tigers fans hope they aren't watching the collapse of a generation in front of their eyes. After the Guardians, the Tigers finish out with the Boston Red Sox.
#8: San Diego Padres (+2)
The Padres are big risers in the MLB Power Rankings after losing a series to the Mets and taking a set from the Chicago White Sox. While that is hardly an impressive week, they enter the final stretch three games behind the Dodgers for the NL West lead. With sets against the Brewers and the Diamondbacks coming up, they can steal the division from the former champs. But the Padres will be contenders in October once again, even if they end up in the Wild Card.
#9: New York Yankees (+2)
The New York Yankees took two of three from the Minnesota Twins and three of four from the Baltimore Orioles, moving to 88-68. They are two games back of the AL East lead and holding on to the top Wild Card spot. Ben Rice clinched the series win on Sunday with a 10th-inning grand slam, his 24th homer of the season. Aaron Judge, meanwhile, is parked at 49 homers, looking for the fourth 50-homer season of his career. They finish the regular season with the White Sox and the Orioles at home.
#10: Houston Astros (-1)
The Astros are one of several teams collapsing, starting the final week tied with the Guardians for the final Wild Card spot, but the Guardians own the tiebreaker. Yordan Alvarez got hurt again, suffering a serious ankle injury that has them shorthanded once again. A 7-3 loss on Sunday secured the Mariners' sweep and sent Houston tumbling down the standings. The Astros need wins over the Athletics and the Los Angeles Angels on the road to earn a playoff spot.
#11: New York Mets (-3)
The Mets took two of three from the Padres but dropped two of three against the Washington Nationals, moving to 80-76. They are now tied for the final Wild Card spot with the Reds, but they do not have the tiebreaker.
Saturday's loss could prove to be the costly one, as they scored two runs in the eighth and one in the ninth to send the game to extras. But Daylen Lile hit an inside-the-park homer in the 11th to secure the win for Washington. The Mets hit the road to face the Cubs and the Miami Marlins to finish the season.
#12: Boston Red Sox (+1)
The Red Sox are just one game ahead of the Astros-Guardians tie in the American League Wild Card standings. They dropped two of three at home to the Athletics and took two from the Rays in Florida. Sunday's loss was demoralizing, especially considering that Cleveland and Houston had lost that day. But Boston controls their own destiny with a tough stretch ahead, going to Toronto and hosting Detroit to end the season.
#13: Cleveland Guardians (+1)
The Guardians have risen from the ashes to tie for the final AL Wild Card spot. And that means they are in playoff position since the Guardians have the tiebreaker with the Astros. But the blistering hot Guardians aren't slowing down yet with Jhonkensey Noel starting to heat up and Jose Ramirez finishing off a fantastic season. With 15 wins in their last 17 games, they host the Tigers and the Texas Rangers to finish off the season.
#14: Cincinnati Reds (+3)
The Reds are tied with the Mets for the final Wild Card spot, and they do hold the tiebreaker after that series win to start September. While the offense is still stagnant, a 1-0 win on Sunday finished off the sweep of the Cubs.
The Reds' pitching has been sensational. Hunter Greene nearly threw a no-hitter, while Nick Martinez has dominated out of the bullpen. Elly De La Cruz finally hit a home run for the first time since July 31, which is a good sign. They need to finish through the line with the Pirates at home and the Brewers on the road.
#15: Texas Rangers (-3)
The Rangers had a slim chance at making the postseason, but that was flushed with a poor week. They were swept by both the Astros and the Marlins, falling to 79-77 and five games behind the final AL Wild Card spot. Merrill Kelly had a chance to stop the slide against the Astros and lasted only three innings, giving up six runs.
The Rangers almost certainly will miss the postseason in consecutive seasons since winning the World Series. They finish out the 2025 season at home against the Minnesota Twins and on the road against the Guardians.
#16: San Francisco Giants (-1)
The San Francisco Giants' slim playoff chances took a big hit by dropping two of three to the Diamondbacks and three of four to the Dodgers. Justin Verlander and Logan Webb continued their solid seasons on the mound, going seven innings each in their starts. But the offense was nonexistent for most of the week, sending San Francisco to 77-79 on the season. After spending a lot in free agency and making the biggest trade of the year, it's a disappointing finish in The Bay.
#17: Arizona Diamondbacks (+2)
The Diamondbacks took two of three from the Giants and two of three from the Phillies, moving to 79-77. They are just one game behind the Reds and Mets for the final NL Wild Card spot with six games to go. Even without Eugenio Suarez, Josh Naylor, and multiple bullpen arms, they are 28-19 since the trade deadline, third-best in the NL.
They look to finish strong and sneak into the dance after missing the postseason with 86 wins last year. They host the Dodgers and visit the Padres to end the season. The Diamondbacks do not have the tiebreaker with the Reds, and their tiebreaker with the Mets will be determined by their records against team in their own divisions since they split six games head-to-head.
#18: Tampa Bay Rays (-2)
The Rays have been eliminated from playoff contention after splitting four games with the Blue Jays and dropping two to the Red Sox. Brandon Lowe hit his 30th homer during the Sunday victory while Junior Caminero is stuck on 44 after five games this week. Can the 22-year-old get blistering hot to crack 50? It is unlikely, but that's about the only reason to watch the Rays in the final week. The Steinbrenner Field era is likely over as they finish the season with the Orioles and the Blue Jays on the road.
#19: Kansas City Royals (-1)
The Royals are six games out of the playoffs with six games to play, making their path to the playoffs nearly impossible. Vinnie Pasquantino reached the 30-homer, 100-RBI plateau for the first time in his career. One more double and he will reach a career high in his fourth MLB season as well. The Royals need to find depth behind Pasquantino and Bobby Witt Jr. to compete for the postseason next year. But first, they finish 2025 with the Angels and the Athletics on the road.
#20: Atlanta Braves (+1)
The Braves kick off the final third of the MLB Power Rankings, which is not where anyone thought they would be at the beginning of the season. They are on an eight-game winning streak, which has brought their record to 73-83 on the season.
Eliminated from the postseason, the Braves should be looking toward next year, where there will be high expectations again. Matt Olson is chasing a 30-100 season and already has a 6.2 bWAR, continuing his excellent career. Atlanta finishes the season with the Nationals and the Pirates at home.
#21: St Louis Cardinals (-1)
The Cardinals won the final home game of the John Mozeliak era on Sunday, beating the Brewers 5-1. They took the series against Milwaukee after dropping a set to the Reds, moving to 76-80.
While they are not eliminated yet, their playoff chances are 0%, according to FanGraphs. Nolan Arenado left the game to massive applause in what could be his last game in Cardinals red. They were expected to be a bad team this year, and they lived up to that. The Cardinals finish the season on the road against the Giants and the Cubs.
#22: Miami Marlins (-)
The Marlins have won 10 of their last 11 games after sweeping the Rockies and the Rangers on the road. At 76-80, they are not eliminated from the postseason yet but have almost no chance of making it.
Jakob Marsee is one of the players to watch in the final six games of the season as he has 18 doubles and 31 RBIs in just 49 games. Eury Perez continued his excellent season with 94 strikeouts in 90 innings. He can reach 100 punchouts in his final start of the season. The Marlins finish on the road against the Phillies and at home against the Mets.
#23: Athletics (+1)
The Athletics are moving up in the MLB Power Rankings after taking two from the Red Sox and dropping two of three to the Pirates. Nick Kurtz, Shea Langeliers, and Brent Rooker became the first trio of teammates to each reach 30 homers this season. While the Yankees joined them after, it marks how impressive this offense has been all year.
The offseason will be about finding and developing starting pitching that can manage in a hitter-friendly park in Sacramento. They finish with a homestand against the Astros and the Royals.
#24: Los Angeles Angels (-1)
The Angels have lost nine of their last 10 games after getting swept by the Brewers and dropping two of three to the Rockies. Mike Trout hit his 400th home run on Saturday, finally finding his power swing after a long outage. At 70-86, they won't make the postseason for the 11th consecutive season. They finish off the season at home against the Royals and the Astros.
#25: Baltimore Orioles (-)
The Orioles swept the White Sox before dropping three of four to the Yankees, moving to 73-83. Trevor Rogers shoved again on Friday, throwing six innings of one-hit ball against the Bronx Bombers. He has not allowed three runs in a start since June 18 and has a ridiculous 1.35 ERA in 17 starts this season. Cy Young votes should be headed to Baltimore once again for Rogers' incredible season. The Orioles finish the season with a home set against the Rays and a road set against the Yankees.
#26: Pittsburgh Pirates (-)
The Pirates kick off the final tier of the MLB Power Rankings with their 67-89 record on the season. They lost all three games to the Cubs but bounced back by taking two of three from the Athletics. The Cubs got to Paul Skenes on Tuesday, knocking seven hits and three runs off the ace in 3.2 innings. Even with that, his 2.03 ERA leads all qualified starters. The Pirates look to crack 70 wins for the third consecutive year against the Reds and the Braves on the road.
#27: Minnesota Twins (-)
The Twins dropped two of three to the Yankees and three of four to the Guardians, falling to 67-89 on the season. Since the deadline when they sold basically half their team away, they are 16-30, the worst record in the American League.
Royce Lewis has played in 101 games this season, the most in his career. He is also two homers short of tying his career high after a three-run homer to avoid the sweep on Sunday. If the former first overall pick can stay healthy, maybe the Twins' rebuild will be shorter than expected. They finish the season with the Rangers and the Phillies on the road.
#28: Washington Nationals (-)
The Nationals sent the Mets' fanbase into a spiral by taking two of three in Queens over the weekend. That came after a four-game sweep by the Braves, which adds up to a 64-92 record in the Nation's Capital. Jacob Young made some insane catches in center field, including one he kicked to himself after dropping it. The Nationals are playing out the string and have a lot of questions to answer this offseason. First, they face the Braves on the road and the White Sox at home.
#29: Chicago White Sox (-)
The White Sox lost all three games to the Orioles and dropped two of three to the Padres, falling to 58-98 on the season. Their one win came after Miguel Vargas hit a two-run home run in the first inning, his 15th of the season. One milestone chase to watch is Colson Montgomery, who will likely end with 71 games played and could eclipse 20 homers and 50 RBIs. They visit the Yankees and the Nationals, looking to avoid a 100-loss season.
#30: Colorado Rockies (-)
The Rockies have avoided the worst record in MLB history, picking up their 43rd win. They suffered sweeps at the hands of the Marlins but took two of three from the Angels to get to 43-113. Hunter Goodman secured a 30-homer season, the first of his career, amid the brutal team results. Mickey Moniak is one homer shy of 25 on the season, potentially securing a contract in the offseason.. The Rockies end the season on the road against the Mariners and the Giants.
