Dodgers Sit atop Power Rankings as Yankees and Brewers Hit Skids Early

The MLB Power Rankings following the first full week of games reveal a familiar picture at the top—and some unexpected turbulence in the places you would least expect it.

The Los Angeles Dodgers remain the team to beat, holding the top spot with a lineup that continues to produce even without Mookie Betts in the fold. Max Muncy delivered a statement over the weekend, clubbing three home runs in a single game including a walk-off blast to cap a win over the Rangers. Shohei Ohtani keeps getting on base at an remarkable rate, and the bottom of the order is producing in ways that make opposing pitchers cringe. The Dodgers have won eight of their first 12 games, and there is little sign that anything is slowing them down right now.

The Atlanta Braves occupy second place after posting the best run differential in baseball at plus-46, a number that reflects the kind of dominant, across-the-board performance they are capable of when everything is clicking. Their 13-1 dismantling of the Guardians on Sunday Night Baseball made a statement about the ceiling of this roster.

The San Diego Padres sit third, riding high after a series sweep of the Rockies that extended their winning run. Craig Stammen’s creative experiment of putting Fernando Tatis Jr. at second base for back-to-back games turned heads—and Tatis handled the assignment without any issue. The Padres are for real, though the status of Nick Pivetta’s elbow will be worth monitoring closely in the days ahead.

At number four, the New York Yankees are in freefall. Five consecutive losses, including a series sweep at the hands of the Tampa Bay Rays—their first sweep of the Yankees since 2021—have brought early-season optimism to a grinding halt. The lineup is hitting just .206 as a team, the third-lowest mark in baseball. It is too early to panic in April, but the Yankees will need to arrest this slide quickly before it becomes something more serious.

The Milwaukee Brewers, also losers of five straight after being swept by the Nationals, face an added concern: Christian Yelich was forced out of Sunday’s game with hamstring tightness, and manager Pat Murphy admitted he wasn’t expecting good news on the injury.

Further down the board, the Oakland Athletics continue to turn heads, taking two of three from the Yankees before sweeping the Mets in a series that featured their now-infamous home run celebration—a gold chain and elephant mask paying tribute to the franchise’s history.

Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates is on an absolute heater, hitting safely in 11 consecutive games while piling up five homers, 13 RBI, and six stolen bases. The Pirates aren’t contenders yet, but the trajectory is worth watching.

The Minnesota Twins, meanwhile, have won six of seven and find themselves tied with the Cleveland Guardians for the best record in the American League—a development that few saw coming after the first week of April baseball.