Power Rankings: Guardians rise, Mets and Tigers fall ahead of playoffs

We're down to the last days of the 2025 regular play and successful for immoderate breathtaking baseball, arsenic determination are inactive rather a fig of teams that person thing to play for -- including a fewer who are warring bony and nail for their postseason lives.

The Tigers, Guardians, Mets, Reds and Diamondbacks autumn into that class -- and each moved importantly successful our last powerfulness rankings of the season. After holding a 12½-game pb implicit Cleveland arsenic precocious arsenic Aug. 25, Detroit is present a crippled down the Guardians, who beryllium atop the AL Central aft beating the Tigers Tuesday and Wednesday pursuing what mightiness beryllium one of the top comebacks/collapses of each time implicit the last period of the season.

There's a akin sentiment astir the Mets, who clasp a flimsy one-game pb implicit Cincinnati and Arizona for the last wild-card spot arsenic a precocious losing skid highlighted their second-half woes and enactment their playoff hopes connected the line.

Which clubs volition get to support playing into October? And which volition ticker their playoff aspirations travel to an end?

Our adept sheet has ranked each squad based connected a operation of what we've seen truthful acold and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that is simply a afloat shot season. We besides asked ESPN MLB experts Jesse Rogers, Alden Gonzalez and Jorge Castillo to measurement successful with an reflection for each 30 teams.

Week 25 | Second-half preview | Preseason rankings

1. Milwaukee Brewers

Record: 96-63
Previous ranking: 1

Getting steadfast connected the mound is the apical precedence for the Brewers heading into the postseason arsenic Jose Quintana and Brandon Woodruff are the latest pitchers to spell down. With Trevor Megill, Logan Henderson and DL Hall besides connected the mend, it's a bully happening the Brewers person a bye and spell consecutive to the part series. That other clip could beryllium a difference-maker. As it stands now, it's anyone's conjecture what the roster volition look similar erstwhile Milwaukee hosts its archetypal playoff crippled connected Oct. 4, but it's harmless to accidental the Brewers volition get astatine slightest a fewer of the supra arms backmost for playoff baseball. They'll beryllium needed. -- Rogers

2. Philadelphia Phillies

Record: 93-65
Previous ranking: 2

Losing Zack Wheeler for the play was a cruel gut punch, but the Phillies' rotation remains stout with Cristopher Sanchez, Ranger Suarez and Jesus Luzardo starring the charge. On the presumption subordinate side, Alec Bohm returned from the injured database Sunday and Trea Turner could beryllium activated this weekend. With Read Entire Article