ClutchPoints 2026 MLB Power Rankings, Vol. 11: May begins with a Dodgers fall

April is over, spring has sprung across the country, and a new edition of the MLB Power Rankings is here. Another manager was fired this week, as the Philadelphia Phillies moved on from Rob Thomson. Elsewhere in the National League, the Los Angeles Dodgers are out of the top spot in the MLB Power Rankings for the first time this year.

Who takes the top spot as May begins?

#1: Atlanta Braves (+1)

The Atlanta Braves have the best record in baseball and now have the top spot in the MLB Power Rankings. They took two of three from the Detroit Tigers and swept the Colorado Rockies, moving to 25-10 on the season. Spencer Strider made his first start of the season on Sunday, allowing three runs in 3.1 innings. Even though it was not a great start, it is great for the Braves to have the former Cy Young candidate back on the bump. Matt Olson and Drake Baldwin continue to bash baseballs, leading the league’s best offense. They’ll put the best record in baseball on the line against the Seattle Mariners and the Dodgers this week.

#2: Los Angeles Dodgers (-1)

The Dodgers dropped two of three to the St Louis Cardinals and the Miami Marlins, falling to 21-13 on the season. The good news for them is that the rest of the NL West struggled as well, so they are still atop the division. All of their stars get rightful attention, but Justin Wrobleski has been brilliant in the rotation. He’s thrown six scoreless innings in consecutive starts against the Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs, dropping his ERA to an NL-best 1.25. The Dodgers try to get back on track against the Houston Astros and the Braves.

#3: New York Yankees (+1)

The New York Yankees have the best record in the American League at 23-11. They took two of three from the Texas Rangers to start the week, and have followed it up by taking three straight from the Baltimore Orioles. They’ll go for the sweep on Monday night in The Bronx. Cody Bellinger broke a slump with a four RBI day on Saturday, Will Warren put together a great start on Friday, and Aaron Judge leads baseball with 13 homers. Anthony Volpe is eligible to return from his rehab assignment, but the Yankees are keeping him in the minors. That’s how well things are going ahead of another set with the Rangers before they visit the Milwaukee Brewers.

#4: San Diego Padres (-2)

For the first time this season, the San Diego Padres are moving down in the MLB Power Rankings. They dropped two of three to both the Cubs and the Chicago White Sox, but did not lose any ground to the Dodgers. There is concern around Fernando Tatis Jr, however. He went 0-for-4 on Saturday and sat out Sunday’s game, continuing his homer-less start to the season. But even without Tatis, they have been one of the better teams in the sport. The Padres look to get back on track against the San Francisco Giants and the Cardinals.

#5: Chicago Cubs (+1)

The Cubs took two of three from the Padres in San Diego before sweeping the Arizona Diamondbacks at home. They are 22-12, atop the crowded NL Central, and have won 15 of their last 18 games. Pete Crow-Armstrong has awoken, with an .819 OPS in his last 12 games. Crow-Armstrong’s defense has been spectacular, so his offense getting back to normal is huge for Chicago. The Cubs host the Cincinnati Reds for four huge games before visiting the Rangers for three.

#6: Milwaukee Brewers (-1)

The Brewers are above .500, but have the fewest number of wins in the NL Central with 18. There is little reason for concern, as the Crew have stayed above water without many of their best offensive pieces. Brice Turang has been asked to throw the team on his back, which he has done with an NL-best .428 on-base percentage. He missed Sunday’s game with an illness that could keep him out again on Monday. After taking sets from the Diamondbacks and Washington Nationals, they visit the Cardinals and host the Yankees this week.

#7: Detroit Tigers (-)

The Detroit Tigers start a run of teams in the MLB Power Rankings with nowhere to go. They can’t go up, as they are 18-17 on the season, but can’t go down because no one is knocking on the door. Even with Tarik Skubal pitching well, seven innings of two-run ball, they could not beat the Braves. The offense has not been good enough, as 21-year-old Kevin McGonigle is the only player with a .300 batting average or an .850 OPS. Someone has to step up with the Boston Red Sox coming to town before they visit the Kansas City Royals.

#8: Seattle Mariners (-)

The Seattle Mariners took two of three from the Minnesota Twins, but were swept by the Royals to end the week. They are now 16-19 on the season and may be without Cal Raleigh. The MVP runner-up was scratched from Saturday’s game with “soreness,” which required imaging. He missed Sunday’s game as well, but did take swings in the cage, according to reports. They will need their slugger back in the lineup to turn this season around. That starts with the Braves at home before they visit the White Sox.

#9: Toronto Blue Jays (-)

The Toronto Blue Jays are in a similar boat, as they are 16-18 after splitting four games with the Twins. They did win a series against the lowly Red Sox to start the week, which keeps them in the top ten. Trey Yesavage returned to the rotation and was dominant, allowing one run in 9.1 innings across two starts. Last year’s playoff breakout star could be the co-ace with Dylan Cease if he keeps up this form. The Blue Jays need to turn things around now, though, with the red-hot Tampa Bay Rays before a set against the Los Angeles Angels.

#10: Cincinnati Reds (-)

The Reds round out the top ten in the MLB Power Rankings despite getting swept by the Pittsburgh Pirates this weekend. They are 20-14, right in the thick of the ridiculous NL Central. Their offense has not been great, as the Reds sit 24th in team OPS. Their pitching has been superb, even without ace Hunter Greene. Chase Burns leads that group, allowing just 10 runs in seven starts this season. The Reds are up against the wall now, with the Cubs and Houston Astros coming up next.

#11: Texas Rangers (+2)

The Rangers lost two of three to the Yankees and the Tigers this week, falling to 16-18 on the season. They are only moving up in the rankings because of the traffic jam of mediocre teams in the American League. Jack Leiter’s struggles continued, allowing five runs in 5.2 innings on Sunday against Detroit. Jacob deGrom has been sensational this season, posting a 2.01 ERA in six starts. He shut down the Yankees this past week, allowing one run in six innings, and will get another chance on Tuesday. After a trip to The Bronx, Texas hosts the Cubs.

#12: Pittsburgh Pirates (+4)

The Pirates were swept by the Cardinals to start the week, falling to 16-16 on the season. Then, they swept the Reds to fly up the rankings, even though they are still last in the division. They are the fourth NL Central team among the first 12 entries on this list. The Buccos offense was dominant in Saturday’s 17-7 win, as Marcell Ozuna, Ryan O’Hearn, and Spencer Horwitz had three RBI each. That is the kind of production that Paul Skenes and the rotation deserve. They’ll look to keep it up against the Diamondbacks and the San Francisco Giants, both on the road.

#13: Cleveland Guardians (+1)

The Guardians dropped two of three to the Rays, but bounced back with a series win over the Athletics over the weekend. At 18-17, they are hanging tough in the mediocre American League, ready to make a move. Chase DeLauter has been dominant, nursing an eight-game hitting streak and a season OPS of .946. The Rookie of the Year race between DeLauter and McGonigle will be epic all season long. The Guardians visit the Royals for four games before hosting the Twins, which provides a great opportunity to fly up the rankings.

#14: Tampa Bay Rays (+4)

The Rays are one of the biggest risers in this week’s MLB Power Rankings, thanks to a series win over the Guardians and a sweep of the Giants. They clinched the sweep on Sunday thanks to Chandler Simpson’s speed, as he scored the game-winning run from second base in the 10th inning. In their six games last week, they allowed just seven runs. That has been Tampa’s game in recent years: run prevention and base running. They have it in spades this year, with the Blue Jays and the Red Sox coming up.

#15: Philadelphia Phillies (-4)

The Phillies became the second team to fire their manager this season when they canned Thomson on Tuesday. Don Mattingly is the skipper now, making history with his son, GM Preston Mattingly. They are the first father-son, manager-GM combo in MLB history. The Phillies won their first two games under Mattingly in walk-off fashion to take the set from the Giants. They then have won two of three from the Marlins, moving to 14-20 on the season. Can the Mattingly magic keep up against the Athletics and the Rockies at home after finishing the wrap-around with Miami?

#16: Baltimore Orioles (-4)

The Orioles are tumbling in the MLB Power Rankings as they face a four-game sweep against the Yankees on Monday. Before this brutal set in The Bronx, they did take two of three from the Astros. Adley Rutschman and Taylor Ward are driving the offense, but it has not been enough to string together wins. Shane Baz had the best start of his young Baltimore career, but the momentum stopped once they hit New York. Things are bleak in Baltimore, but they do have the Marlins and Athletics next on the schedule.

#17: Arizona Diamondbacks (-2)

The Diamondbacks came back from Mexico City and laid an egg, dropping two of three to the Brewers and getting swept by the Cubs. But the highlight for the Snakes this year has been Ildemaro Vargas. He leads baseball with a .382 batting average, thanks in part to a 4-for-4 Friday at Wrigley Field. He did lose his 27-game hitting streak on Saturday, but started a new one on Sunday. The Diamondbacks did not lose much ground thanks to the Dodgers’ shaky week, so they can still mount a playoff run this year. The Pirates and New York Mets are coming to Arizona for three games each this week.

#18: Miami Marlins (-1)

The Marlins are 16-18 after taking two of three from the Dodgers. They have dropped two of three against the Phillies, with a fourth game coming on Monday. They are still hanging around in the National League, even though their payroll is nowhere near that of some of the teams they are fighting with. The offense is led by Otto Lopez and Xavier Edwards, who employ the contact-first approach to great results. They both have batting averages over .333, which is great for this time of year. The Fish need some wins, though, and have a chance against the Orioles and Nationals at home.

#19: Athletics (+1)

The Athletics took two of three from the Royals before dropping two of three against the Guardians last week. They are now 18-16 on the season, good enough for a two-game lead in the NL West. There are still pitching concerns in Sacramento, but the offense has done enough to quell them so far. Nick Kurtz lost his 20-game walk streak on Saturday, which was the second-longest run in MLB history. They hit the road to face the Phillies and Orioles this week, which will put the pitching to the test.

#20: St Louis Cardinals (+4)

The Cardinals swept the Pirates in a four-game set before taking two of three from the Dodgers, moving to 20-14 on the season. Michael McGreevy has been sensational, dropping his season ERA to 2.52 with six shutout innings against LA on Saturday. With limited to no expectations this season, the Red Birds have stunned the world to start the season. Can they keep it up against the Brewers at home and the Padres on the road?

#21: Kansas City Royals (+2)

The Royals are moving up in the MLB Power Rankings after sweeping the Mariners in a three-game set. That moves them to 15-19 and 8-3 in their last 11 games. In those 11 games, Bobby Witt Jr. has an .833 OPS, much better than the .726 mark he entered the stretch with. If Witt can get going, these Royals can start winning games in a murky American League. The Royals host the Guardians for four and the Tigers for three in a massive week up ahead.

#22: Houston Astros (-1)

The Astros are tumbling in the standings and the rankings after a series loss to the Orioles and a series win against the Red Sox. They are not getting great pitching performances from anyone besides Spencer Arrighetti. The Italian has a 1.96 ERA, while no other starters with at least three starts have a mark below 3.50. Yordan Alvarez and Christian Walker have been great at the plate, but the Astros have no depth behind them. At 14-21, they are second-to-last in the AL West. That needs to turn around against the Dodgers at home and the Reds on the road.

#23: New York Mets (-4)

The Mets have finally won a series, taking two of three from the Angels over the weekend. It is only their second series win since April 5 and brought their record to 12-22. Francisco Lindor is on the injured list, which put Ronny Mauricio in a big spot. But he broke his thumb running the bases, so Vidal Brujan has been called up to the big club. Bo Bichette is back at shortstop, so the depth is paying off in that way. The Mets have been dreadful, but they may have some momentum after their stop in Anaheim. They visit the Rockies and the Diamondbacks next. But that will be harder than it sounds, as snow could be falling in Denver.

#24: Boston Red Sox (-2)

The Red Sox are in freefall, dropping two of three to both the Blue Jays and the Astros. Friday’s game against Houston was the first time since Game 4 of the 2004 World Series that no one in Boston’s Fenway dugout had won a World Series with the Red Sox. Alex Cora and Jason Varitek are gone, but the results have not changed. Willson Contreras and Marcelo Mayer are sniping at each other in the media, just to add some drama to the proceedings. Plus, the Bruins and Celtics are eliminated, so all eyes are on Jersey Street. Boston visits the Tigers before hosting the Rays, coming up.

#25: Chicago White Sox (+2)

The White Sox swept the Angels and took two of three from the Padres, moving to 16-18 on the season. Munetaka Murakami has changed Chicago’s offense for the better, smashing an MLB-best 13 homers so far. He is not hitting for average, but the homers are helping push this offense to a new level. Sean Burke, Davis Martin, and Noah Schultz all have ERAs below 2.80, and may be the start of the next great Chicago rotation. The White Sox look to peak above .500 against the Angels and Mariners this week.

#26: Los Angeles Angels (-1)

The Angels had a brutal week, getting swept by the White Sox and dropping two of three to the Mets at home. Their one win was a walk-off win on Saturday night thanks to Oswald Peraza. The ex-Yankees cast-off has been solid for the Halos this year with an .814 OPS so far. Jose Soriano was toughed up for the first time, allowing three runs in five innings to Chicago. His ERA has ballooned to a ghastly 0.84, still the best in baseball. The Angels host the White Sox before visiting the Blue Jays next.

#27: Colorado Rockies (+1)

The Rockies lost five of six games this week and are only moving up in the MLB Power Rankings to make room for a sinking stone. Colorado is 14-21, which is significantly better than last year’s pace. They won their 14th game on June 15 last year, when they already had 57 losses in the bank. The pitching has been much better this year, with Tomoyuki Sugano and Chase Dollander both pitching well at home. The Rockies host the Mets for three cold and possibly snowy games before visiting the Phillies for three games.

#28: San Francisco Giants (-2)

The Giants have been dreadful this year, getting swept by the Phillies and Rays to fall to 13-21. Rafael Devers has been awful this year, with a .542 OPS and just eight extra-base hits in 34 games. Willy Adames has not played up to his contract, Patrick Bailey is still dismal offensively, and Adrian Houser has been smacked around on the mound. The Giants have called up Bryce Eldridge and Jesus Rodriguez, looking to spark the offense. That experiment starts against the Padres and Pirates at home this week.

#29: Washington Nationals (-)

The Nationals took two of three from the Mets before dropping two of three to the Brewers, moving to 16-19 on the season. Foster Griffin, a 30-year-old who spent the last three years in Japan, has been a revelation on the mound this year. He has a 2.27 ERA in seven starts this season, after entering 2026 with just seven MLB appearances. CJ Abrams has been awesome, but it has not been enough for the Nationals to actually string wins together. They host the Twins and visit the Marlins this week.

#30: Minnesota Twins (-)

Rounding out the MLB Power Rankings is the Twins, who split four games with the Blue Jays and dropped two of three to the Mariners. Byron Buxton already has 10 homers on the season, continuing his excellent form from last year. Even with some solid performances, it is hard to forget how much the Twins sold off at last year’s deadline. They told the world they are not trying to win this year, so it’s hard to take a series split too seriously. On top of it all, they may lose Joe Ryan to injury after he left Sunday’s start after just nine pitches.  They look to prove that wrong with a six-game road trip against the Nationals and Guardians this week.

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