Will Leitch@williamfleitch
As you’d probably expect, the announcement of the All-Star rosters on Sunday night was packed with players you’ll see among the teams atop these Power Rankings. It still must be shouted out how well Tigers fans — who, as we’ve seen from some of their fanbase travels to road games this year, are really enjoying this breakthrough season — showed up in the All-Star voting this year. How many people would have ever predicted two Tigers outfielders getting voted in? There will be so many Tigers in Atlanta. And very deservingly so.
These rankings, as always, are compiled from MLB.com contributors whose names you can find at the bottom of this (and every) piece, but the words are mine. If you dislike the rankings, yell at all of us. But if you dislike the words, feel free to yell at me.
1. Tigers (previously: 1)
The Tigers ended up with four All-Stars, including their three starters — Riley, Greene, Javier Báez and Gleyber Torres, plus Tarik Skubal — the most since 2015, when Miguel Cabrera, Jose Iglesias (his one ASG appearance), J.D. Martinez and David Price all made the team. If there are any replacements, you wonder if there’s potentially space for Zach McKinstry, Spencer Torkelson or Casey Mize, all of whom are clearly deserving.
Jul 6, 2025
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0:26
Riley Greene’s two-home run (22)
2. Dodgers (previously 2)
It’s not very often that you learn a key player is out six weeks and it’s good news, but considering how bad Max Muncy’s knee injury looked in the moment, six weeks is the best case scenario. As always, the Dodgers injury list is extensive, but if all goes well, look at all the players who will be back for them as they start rolling into the playoffs: Muncy, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, Blake Treinen and Brusdar Graterol. And remember: They’re already really good right now.
3. Astros (previously: 4)
The Astros simply will not stop winning. Their lineup losses from last year (including Yordan Alvarez, whose return continues to not be imminent) are well-documented, but they keep on trucking, even ruining the Shohei Ohtani pitching parade on Saturday. (After he left, of course.) They’ve got the best record in baseball since May 24, despite Alvarez playing exactly zero (0) of those games.
Jul 6, 2025
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0:24
Christian Walker’s solo home run (12)
4. Cubs (previously: 3)
Seiya Suzuki drew a lot of headlines for leading MLB in RBIs and still not (for now) making the All-Star Game, but you can make an argument that Michael Busch is the bigger snub. His three-homer game on Friday against the Cardinals was just the culmination of a fantastic season for the former Dodger. Here’s something you probably didn’t realize: Out of all those Cubs stars, from Kyle Tucker to Pete Crow-Armstrong to Suzuki, it’s Busch who is leading in two of the three slash categories — BA (.297) and slugging (.566) — and barely second behind Tucker in OBP (.384 vs. .387)
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5. Phillies (previously: 5)
The Phillies have gotten outstanding starting pitching for a month-plus now, but they’re not really taking advantage of it; they’re essentially a .500 team during that time. Sad to say, but Bryce Harper is part of the problem: He’s 4-for-28 since the beginning of June (accounting for this three weeks on the IL, of course), and, damningly, he hasn’t driven in a batter other than himself since … May 24?
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6. Blue Jays (previously: 13)
So! Good week! When these Power Rankings last left you, the Jays were in third place, three games behind the Yankees and had been outscored by their opponents on the season. (And they had just lost 15-1 to the Red Sox.) Seven wins later, they’re three games up on the Yankees and Rays and in first place for the first time after July 1 since September 2016.
Jul 6, 2025
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1:59
Kevin Gausman’s nine strikeouts
7. Mets (previously: 8)
Brandon Nimmo, who hit two grand slams this week and is the first Met to hit three in a season since Carlos Beltrán in 2006, has gone through so many permutations with the Mets that it’s often forgotten how long he has been in Flushing. He’s actually 11th all time in games played as a Met, already. Considering he’s signed through 2030, there is a very real possibility he is ultimately considered one of the top five Mets of all time?
Jul 5, 2025
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0:29
Brandon Nimmo’s grand slam (18)
8. Brewers (previously: 9)
Whatever your expectations were for Brandon Woodruff in his first start since 2023, he surely exceeded them. He looked like he didn’t miss a step during all that time rehabbing from injury, throwing six innings (but only 70 pitches), striking out eight and giving up two hits, no walks, and just one earned run. The Brewers were already well-positioned to make a second-half run. Now it sure looks like they have their ace back.
Jul 6, 2025
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1:20
Brandon Woodruff K’s eight in 2025 debut
9. Rays (previously: 7)
After a stretch in which they were essentially hitting like the 1927 Yankees, the Rays have fallen back to earth, losing three straight series. The major culprit has been their bullpen, which as an ERA over 9.00 during this brutal stretch.
10. Yankees (previously: 6)
Uh-oh. Those of us who were skeptical of the Yankees pitching coming into the year are being vindicated, though, to be fair, injuries are doing much of the work. The Clarke Schmidt injury is particularly devastating, particularly now that Carlos Rodón is struggling — the Yankees have lost five of his last six starts. The series sweep against the Blue Jays was a nightmare. But that nightmare, even with Sunday’s win over the Mets, is not yet over.
Jul 6, 2025
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0:30
Aaron Judge’s two-run homer (33)
11. Padres (previously: 10)
Jake Cronenworth’s walk-off single on Saturday night wasn’t particularly surprising; even after falling short earlier in the game in a similar situation, he’s well-known as one of the Padres’ most clutch players. The walk-off was his fifth as a Padre, which is second all-time in Petco Park history. The man he’s behind? White Sox manager Will Venable.
12. Mariners (previously: 14)
Cal Raleigh tied Ken Griffey Jr.’s team record for home runs before the All-Star break over the weekend, but if the two have a rivalry, it’s an extremely friendly one. The two reportedly talk regularly on the phone and have developed a friendship, as icons often do. “To be mentioned with that name, with somebody who’s just iconic, is a legend, is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, I’m just blessed,” Raleigh said. “I’m just trying to do the right thing and trying to keep it rolling. If I can try to be like that guy, it’s a good guy to look up to.”
