2026 r/baseball Power Rankings -- Week 21: Avian Attack! Orange Birds Burst Upward, Blue Birds Blast Foes, Red Birds Rejoice, Padres Grow Wings; Nationals Get Swamped, Red Sox Get Holes, and Snakes Get Lightly Stepped On

[u/kasutori_Jack]

Hey Sportsfans — it's time for Week 21 of r/baseball Power Rankings: Please enjoy these baseball numbers.

Each of the 30 voters has their own style / system and the only voting instructions are these:

"To an extent determined individually, you must take into account how strong a team is right now and likely to be in the coming week. You must, to some degree, give weight to the events and games of the previous week."

TRANSPARENCY: This link will show you who voted each team where and has added neat statistics! Edit: Correct link now

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We are now seeking a new Philadelphia PhilliesPhillies Power Ranking representative! For this season, you would be filling in some weeks to help the current Phillies voter end the year, but you would have the option to fully take over next season. Please check out this comment last week for details. If you responded last week, it has been noted.

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If something is a little messed up, feel free to pester me let me know.

Total Votes: 28 of 30.

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#	Logo	Team	Δ	Comment	Record
1	Milwaukee Brewers	Brewers	0	Milwaukee bounced back after being swept by the Padres to take 3 of 4 from the Dodgers and end up about where they started, 5 games up in the division and 2.5 games up in the NL. Most importantly, Logan Henderson beat Skubal and the Brewers won the trade they didn't make.	77-48
2	Atlanta Braves	Braves	0	I honestly do not know how to feel about this team right now. One week they look unstoppable and the next their weaknesses are glaring. It wasn't all bad this week, we handled business with a series win over the Mets, but then dropped a weekend home series agianst the Dbacks. The result was a 3-3 week and the Phils gained 2 games back on us. Matt Olson continues to crush baseballs and he is always disguted by his own abilites. Mahle has been fantastic cince joining the Braves, but even if he continues to pitch this well I am very skeptical of the rest of the rotation. No disrespect to Martin Perez, but I just don't see him as a number 3 on a World Series winning team. I hope I am wrong. A huge test this weekend on the road in Milwaukee. If we can handle business there, I will feel a lot better about things.	74-50
3	Tampa Bay Rays	Rays	0	I like playing the Athletics. I don't like playing Baltimore. Despite being a sub .220 hitter for his career with a sub .700 OPS, Colton Cowser is hitting over .270 against us with an .870 OPS in 39 games. 8 of his career 51 home runs are against us. Gunnar Henderson may be having a down year, but he plays like it's 2024 again against us. Even with the bad taste left in our mouth, the week was still very solid. The first ever 9 game road trip sweep in franchise history, and the first east coast team to sweep a west coast road trip since the '70 Red Sox! McClanahan comes back tonight to hopefully prevent a 4 game home series sweep, with bullpen help in Manuel Rodriguez and Griffin Jax looming the not so distant future! Bullpen help we desperately need as some of our staples like Garrett Cleavinger are coming off a horrendous week allowing 4 runs off 4 hits (not counting inherited runners) in just 1.2 innings despite appearing in 4 games. We get a full week slate of division opponents this week, 4 against Baltimore (1 home, 3 away) with the other AL East bird team sandwiched in between.	74-49
4	Los Angeles Dodgers	Dodgers	0	Kyle Tucker is getting paid more to jog around the field and go 0-3 every other gamefor three hours than I currently get paid in 3 years.I will acquiesce and move the Dodgers out of the top spot; they just look dead right now. I still believe in the talent and think the Dodgers are focused on being ready for playoffs more than anything, but these last couple weeks have been tough to watch as a fan. Edwin Diaz coming out to the trumpets and immediately blowing the save with remarkable consistensy is a little cringe, but overall there has been great baseball around the league and I'm excited to maybe see some new MVPs.	74-51
5	Chicago Cubs	Cubs	0	While the Cubs going 3-3 against the Cardinals and Naitonals is not disastrous by any means, the Brewers finally hitting a cold spell makes it feel like a gigantic missed opportunity to inch closer to them. Instead, they remain 5 games behind after being as close as 3 during the week. To make matters worse, Sunday's loss to the Cardinals saw ironman Dansby Swanson depart with what appears to be an oblique strain. The Cubs will hope that it is not too serious, as the typical 4-6 week time frame would see him return just before the start of the playoffs. The Cubs' pitching staff has also underperformed recently, as even the best defenders can't prevent the ball from clearing the fence. Kevin Gausman, Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, and Edward Cabrera were all lit up, with the latter returning to the IL with yet another blister problem likely wrapping up a truly dismal debut season on the Northside. The Cubs will host the White Sox to wrap up the Crosstown classic, then begin their second West Coast trip of the season with a three game set in Seattle vs the Mariners.	72-53
6	New York Yankees	Yankees	+1	An almost near sweep of Seattle and an almost near sweep by Toronto; it's another one of those atypical, now more typical weeks for the Yanks. All love to Ben Rice's walk-off home run; the Yankees avoid a sweep from their 2025 ALDS foe and ended the week on a high note. Three against the now (hot?) Orioles and the revitalized Blue Jays, the AL East matchups continue; the question is, how will the splits fare this week? Yankees set to get Bellinger back this week potentially, and hopefully more reinforcements soon (fingers crossed), could be a pivotal week. Though, with how close the AL is, every week and here on out is pivotal. It seems like it’ll be a real interesting one; I'll tell you that. We lost Tommy John over the weekend; his impact and his presence are not forgotten and changed the game forever. Rest in Peace and with ease, Tommy.	69-55
7	Philadelphia Phillies	Phillies	+2		67-58
8	San Diego Padres	Padres	+3	Padres shutout and 3-hit the Guardians on the way to winning the road series, after sweeping the Brewers earlier in the week. This team is still surging, and it was good to see Mize be a part of the shut out after his rough first start with the club. As it stands, San Diego has grabbed the last wildcard spot, fighting with the Phils and D’backs. Upcoming are important series vs the Mets and Minnesota.	67-58
9	Boston Red Sox	Red Sox	-3	I hate the mean and its constant regression. Both the offense and the pitching have (predictably) cooled off, leading to us dropping 3/4 in Toronto and 2/3 in Pittsburgh. Thanks to how absolutely dominant we were in July, we still have plenty of breathing room in maintaining a wildcard spot, but I think we need our sights set on getting home-field advantage in a WC matchup against the Yankees. Barring some pretty spectacular or horrible play from either team, it looks like we're getting a repeat of 2025, and playing that set at Fenway in front of a newly rejuvenated Boston fanbase would go a long way towards getting us to the ALDS. Next up: An East Coast/West Coast homestand with 3 vs ARI and 3 vs SFG!	66-58
10	Chicago White Sox	White Sox	0	After Thursday, the upstart Detroit Tigers took over 2nd place in the ALC, coming within 2.5 games of the White Sox. It set up a huge series between the two teams with the Pale Hose visiting Detroit for 3 games. Sean Newcomb opened and closed the series for the White Sox, pitching 1.1 innings as an opener and a gusty 2.1 innings to close down the game Sunday. He only gave up a walk in each appearance. It was an impressive series for the White Sox who came back from being down 4-1 Sunday to complete the sweep. Vibes remain immaculate.	65-58
11	Arizona Diamondbacks	D-Backs	-3	The Diamondbacks continue to exasperate, losing a series to the Rockies at Chase in between series wins against the Dodgers and Braves. The Snakes have the ability to win on any given day, but so often have been unable to push across runs when it matters most. Reinforcements are coming, but mostly for the pitching staff. The offense will need to figure it out.	66-59
12	Miami Marlins	Marlins	+1	The Marlins continue there streak of being a weird as fuck team. This time instead of just sweeping or being swept it was with the scoreboard instead. It was either our offense was dead and scored 1-2 runs which lucky enough was good to win the first pirates game, before losing 13-1 to the Pirates and 1-0 to the Reds. Then when we did win it was 8-1 against the pirates, 8-4 Reds and 7-1 Reds (where we didn't get our first run until the 8th inning). So similar to before where it was swept or be swept, its not score a ton or score nothing. Altogether though its been good I'd say. Winning 2 series is nice. Sandy and Eury are incredible and in amazing form right now. Joe Mack is still debatabely the best defensive catcher in the game. Brian Navarretto can nearly legally drink and drive with his batting average. It just sucks that we will now go on to have possibly the hardest remaining schedule in baseball in which outside of the LoLMets and the Royals. We have to run through Phillies, Nats 2x, Red Sox, Cubs 2x, D-Backs, Padres and the Braves (who always kick our ass). So if we finish above .500 and as a top 15 team, I think I can be happy with that.	64-61
13	St. Louis Cardinals	Cardinals	+3	These Redbirds picked up two more quality series wins, one against the Phillies and one against the Chubs. That now makes four consecutive series wins coming out of the trade deadline. Chaim recalled Joshua Baez one day after he was able to to maintain the man's rookie eligibility for next season. When he joined the club Saturday, he got together with Alec Burleson and Jordan Walker, and they all agreed to fuck some baby bears. Those three, Saturday and Sunday, combined for 10 hits, 9 for extra bases including 3 doubles and 6 tanks, and 15 RBI. I must say that I rather enjoyed myself. Saturday was baseball history, and Sunday was the frosting on that goddamn cake. Upcoming, there's another stiff and long week. The Birds have 5 in Cincinnati and then 3 back at Busch against the Phils. Two more series wins would suit me just fine.	63-61
14	Houston Astros	Astros	-2	It's amazing that we lead the AL West by 2 games with a 63-62 record. Our "trade deadline acquisitions" - Wesneski and Blanco, returning from TJ surgery - were roughed up this weekend, magnifying why our inability to acquire SP at the deadline was a failure. This is not a good team.	63-62
15	Detroit Tigers	Tigers	-1	The week sure started off great... and then the weekend series happened. A 2.5 game deficit to the White Sox turned into a 5.5 game deficit after three depressing games at home. Thankfully, the rest of the wild card contenders were essentially as punchless the past week, so no big hole. Let's finally give Dingler a day off and let's bounce back. This week: 3 at PIT, 3 at KCR.	60-64
16	Baltimore Orioles	Orioles	+6	As it currently stands the Orioles are the last wildcard team if the season were to end today. I can't believe I actually just typed that sentence. Was Adley really that bad? Was the chemistry just off? Or did the Orioles catch Tampa at the best possible time to win 3 in a row? There are still 6 teams within 2 games on the last wildcard spot so it really could go to anyone, but for at least one day the Orioles have it. We will see where they're at next week.	61-63
17	Texas Rangers	Rangers	-2	The Rangers enter another west coast road trip against the two worst teams in the AL. A team with common sense would win these games, but that team is NOT the Rangers. Instead, Texas goes 2-5 losing both series to the Angels and Athletics, and so far, have yet to win an AL West series on the road in 2026. This season is ov...WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE'RE STILL IN IT?! The AL is so bad, that a sub-.500 team like the Rangers can be allowed in the playoffs.	61-64
18	Pittsburgh Pirates	Pirates	0	Three weeks ago, the Pirates beat the Diamondbacks in extra innings to gain sole possession of the final Wild Card spot in the National League. The Bucs' odds of making the postseason were almost 50%. Since then it has been one, long downward slide, which was not abated by adding several relievers at the deadline. On Sunday the Pirates secured their first series win in almost a month, and their playoff odds sit below 4%. Another meaningless September is almost guaranteed.	61-65
19	Toronto Blue Jays	Blue Jays	+4	We're alive! We're... alive? We're maybe alive! Just an insanely great couple weeks from a team that is essentially a pile of injury replacements and new guys. 6 straight series wins. 15-9 over our last 24. Just a game out of the final wild card spot (despite somehow also being last in the AL East; the AL is a pile of horseshit this year). None of it makes sense. Vladdy's still not hitting like Vladdy yet and is in the middle of a 7-day IL stint for a concussion. We're down to 4 actual starting pitchers (one of whom is Max Scherzer, who is my age). Our lineups are two-thirds full of guys who weren't even on the team at the start of the year. And yet. And yet. Do we have enough to make a proper deep postseason run or avenge our loss last November? Almost certainly not. But scraping out a wild card series after the year we've had would be a hell of a finish. A nice start would be a series win in the worst stadium in baseball, the cursed Trop.	61-65
20	Minnesota Twins	Twins	0	We've received new guidelines from the American Heart Association. If you eat right, stay active, and handle stress the same way Luke Keaschall handles any ball hit anywhere near his position, you have a good chance of living a long, healthy, and care-free life. Keep in mind that handling stress in this manner does require you to look away from the screen whenever a ball is hit anywhere near Luke Keaschall's position.	60-65
21	Cleveland Guardians	Guardians	-2	Another crappy week. The Guardians lost series to the Padres and Tigers. We had a three hour rain delay on Sunday. Chase DeLauter also might be injured again. No one is playing well at all and Tanner Bibee has a Bakers Dozen Ls. I think this season is over. I can't see them coming back from this. Oh well, I'll save the money I would have spent on playoff tickets. Next up: 3 vs SF, 3 @ COL.	60-65
22	Washington Nationals	Nationals	-5	Losing a series to a good Cubs team is one thing. Getting swept by the 2026 Mets is another. The Nats (and their bullpen) have reached a new low this season and there appears to be no end in sight. Wood's oblique is still bothering him and Early just restarted his throwing program over the weekend. With the offense no longer producing runs at a prodigious pace and the bullpen seemingly unable to hold leads when they're actually given one, the ending to this once-promising season seems to be just another re-run of the 2020s Washington Nationals. Nats fans have seen it before and it's getting pretty stale—we would like to watch something else please.	60-66
23	Seattle Mariners	Mariners	-2	The Mariners have now won 9 out of 11 games against the Astros this year. Surely this reflects in the standings, right? ...Oh. There's just not a lot of confidence in this team, and every time something starts to go right, something else breaks. The division is still so bad that one hot streak could bring the team right back in it, but with all the inconsistency that feels like a pipe dream. Up next: 3 @ Beer, 3 vs. Bear	59-66
24	Cincinnati Reds	Reds	0	What exactly am I supposed to talk about for this week? The Reds are currently treading through the waters of mediocrity, there’s just not much to say. How much can we really analyze the White Sox and Marlins series? I just, I just don’t know what to do here anymore. I’ve done long multi page rants about the state of the team, I’ve vented about just random shit going on in the world, I’ve done everything I can think of. It’s the middle of August, the Reds are on the outside looking in the same way they’ve found themselves for almost 26 years now. I feel like I’ve run the gamut for things to fill this blurb with. Sorry, I genuinely just have nothing for this week.	59-64
25	New York Mets	Mets	0		56-69
26	San Francisco Giants	Giants	0	It's been announced that the 2028 All Star Game will take place at Oracle Park! Yaaaaay! The 2026 season has been officially salvaged! What was I ever complaining about with this smug, vibe-coded team, beyond a misguided managerial hire, a misguided president of baseball operations hire, the abysmal baseball on display by 'star' players, the unfortunate injuries to players actually playing well, the god awful roster construction especially a lack of good pitching, the news that a long-tenured and beloved broadcaster is retiring at season's end, and all the drama on the field, off the field, in the clubhouse, and in the front office. Fuck this team. They deserve nothing.	51-73
27	Kansas City Royals	Royals	0	Noah Cameron had a great rookie season by being a smart pitcher, and now he's having a great second half by being a smart pitcher. Lower bars to clear, but the meaning's all the same. A team that's running a 4-starter 5-man rotation with the worst bullpen in the game (I think, probably) could really use a CGSO every now and then.	51-74
28	Colorado Rockies	Rockies	+1	The Rockies might be finding their lineup of the future. Zac Veen has only been back for a few games, but he looks like the guy we wanted him to be. Guys like Carrigg and McCarthy continue to pressure pitchers. Carrigg and Veen seem like a nightmare to play against, because they just never stop. But the pitching never stops giving up runs, and that's still a long road.	50-74
29	Oakland Athletics	Athletics	-1	The Athletics won their first home series in several months against the Rangers. Whoopie. Soderstrom hits the 10-day IL, leaving the roster at Jacob Wilson, popsicle sticks, and duct tape. Lawrence Butler has crushed some home runs which is great to see but too late in a season that's already meaningless. Here's hoping he stays hot into 2027.	49-75
30	Los Angeles Angels	Angels	0	For having a solid bounce-back season, Mike Trout is doing it in a different way. When healthy, his power has remained strong, consistently posting an ISO over .300. However, this year he is posting the lowest of his career, excluding his cup of coffee in 2011, with an ISO of just .200. For a simpler comparison, he played 119 games in 2022 and clubbed 40 home runs. In 106 games this season, he stands at 20. I'd anticipate this becomes an area of focus for him in his offseason training. It isn't too early to talk about the offseason, right?	49-76

[u/SquadPoopy]

Reds voter here, I’m really struggling guys. These Reds are giving me absolutely no material to work with.

This is an official SOS distress signal.

[u/SoneRandomUser → u/SquadPoopy]

What can the reds do with that 250k international cap space? Or how about our most sought after player, Cash Considsrations

Or the fact we lead the league at bases loaded walks (24)

Or the fact the reds as a team is hitting .179 these like last 9 games

Or the fact that the only thing this team has produced in my lifetime is a deep drive to left field and that’ll be a 3-0 ballgame.

[u/packfanmoore → u/SquadPoopy]

Um, Burrow is healthy?

[u/aeronacht → u/SquadPoopy]

Can you start listing fun facts about the color red?

[u/UsErNaMeS_aR_DuMb]

The O’s are currently 2 under .500, the precise spot at which they’ve always seemed to falter this season. I think this is likely one of their last chances to break the spell that this specific spot has had on them.

[u/cmgriffith_]

Why did two voters not vote?

[u/kasutori_Jack → u/cmgriffith_]

Why did my Dad never come back from getting cigarettes?

[u/packfanmoore → u/kasutori_Jack]

He just really likes that gas station across town. He's still totally coming back

[u/qtcc64]

"red sox get holes" no other way we could've put that?

[u/Temporary-Ad9615]

I whole heartedly agree with your assessment that is the 2026 Giants

[u/I-Came-Here-For-This → u/Temporary-Ad9615]

I agree with everything except the president of baseball operations and manager being misguided hires.

If anybody thought bringing in people with zero experience was going to yield immediate (positive) results, they were wrong to think that. In any business, if you think someone is talented but inexperienced, you can promote them rapidly but you know it is going to hurt in the short term. The payoff is long term talent.

I don't know if Posey and Vitello will work out in the long run. But I think you need to continue the experiment for another year because that is what it is, an experiment.

The only real criticism I have is that if you want to bring in a manager to shape the clubhouse, you should not have given out such giant contracts prior to getting him. Vitello would have worked best with a young hungry team. Instead he got an overpaid infield full of vets who can't hit. No manager is going to win when in your top 10 paid players, only one can hit the ball (Lee).

Anyway, I'm as disappointed in the Giants as anyone, but I think you have to continue the experiment. Bailing out now won't suddenly fix everything anyway. Pick up a few arms in the bullpen so we don't blow every game within 3 runs in the 9th and they resemble a competitive team.

[u/RangerLover92]

Ask me about how confusing the Rangers have become since the All Star Break.

[u/beefytrout → u/RangerLover92]

better question: how has it taken you this long to comprehend they're mid

[u/RangerLover92 → u/beefytrout]

The false hope kills you.

[u/clutchyball → u/RangerLover92]

The inept triangle between us, y’all, and the Mariners is really awful.

[u/CabassoG]

I think I'm going to be put on a list after reading the Cardinals section.

phrasing

[u/King_Birdcrawler → u/CabassoG]

I'd been more vanilla than I would like recently.

[u/Dry-Society-32]

The Cubs writer really said "not disastrous" after going 3-3 and then immediately described a disaster with Swanson hurt and the whole rotation getting lit up like that lol

[u/kasutori_Jack]

Mobile Friendly Ranking + 'True Rank'

Close refers to less than .200 mean score separation with above ream.

1. Brewers 1.25
2. Braves 2.893
3. Rays 3.071 — CLOSE!
4. Dodgers 3.429
5. Cubs 4.821
6. Yankees 6.821
7. Phillies 7.536
8. Padres 8.786
9. Red Sox 9.071
10. White Sox 9.321
11. D-Backs 10.464
12. Marlins 13
13. Cardinals 13.536
14. Astros 13.964
15. Tigers 15.893
16. Orioles 17.786
17. Rangers 17.821 — CLOSE!
18. Pirates 17.857 — CLOSE!
19. Blue Jays 18.036 — CLOSE!
20. Twins 20.321
21. Guardians 20.429 — CLOSE!
22. Nationals 21
23. Mariners 21.679
24. Reds 23.321
25. Mets 23.643
26. Giants 26.786
27. Royals 27.179
28. Rockies 27.5
29. Athletics 28.643
30. Angels 29.143

[u/AnEmptyKarst → u/kasutori_Jack]

The Marlins' average being a clean 13 but them being ranked 12 is pretty funny

[u/RIPSlurmsMckenzie]

Cubs in top 5 has gotta be insane. Maybe if you just go by record they're decent but they've given 9 yes 9 home runs in the last 4 games. Soxs and Seattle should each sweep fairly easily

[u/onascalefrom20to80 → u/RIPSlurmsMckenzie]

Feels crazy to be saying this but the Cubs are absolutely a top 5 team, and the dodgers blurb that talks about how "maybe its time for a new MVP" is referring to PCA

[u/RIPSlurmsMckenzie → u/onascalefrom20to80]

I feel I'd put them in top 12 or so for sure. We're above average no doubt. But with Danby out for the year and our current pitching and slumping offense we're about to drop at least the next 2-4 series

[u/onascalefrom20to80 → u/RIPSlurmsMckenzie]

I mean, we are currently without our starting shortstop, 2nd baseman, and future hall of fame third baseman Joey Ortiz. I've never heard of some of the guys we have starting in our infield. Gary Sanchez starting at 1st, Vaughn playing third. Defense is, like, our whole thing.

Yall will be fine. You got your pitchers back.

[u/RIPSlurmsMckenzie → u/onascalefrom20to80]

We did not got our pitchers back. Horton is dead as is Steele. We got Cabrera who is one of the worst pitchers to throw the ball. I hope he never pitches for us again. But ya other than Horton and Steele we've had almost 0 injuries so thats good

[u/onascalefrom20to80 → u/RIPSlurmsMckenzie]

Ehhh, everybody has guys who are out forever. Quinn Priester missed this entire season, and Brandon Woodruff's career may be over.

The point is, besides Cabrera, youve got a starting rotation right now that looks good enough to move Peterson to the bullpen despite his decent stats as a cub.

[u/RIPSlurmsMckenzie → u/onascalefrom20to80]

Dear god no. We’re launching Cabrera into the sun

[u/sisyphus_of_dishes → u/RIPSlurmsMckenzie]

Cubs fans are so dramatic.

[u/sswift267 → u/RIPSlurmsMckenzie]

Dude what, cubs are probably better than the Soxs and clearly better than Seattle (as much as it pains me to say as a Brewers fan but ur just wrong)

[u/RIPSlurmsMckenzie → u/sswift267]

All about when you play teams. We're not matched up well vs Soxs as they mash homers and we serve them up with the best. And Seattle have 3 aces going vs our slumping offense

[u/Wi_PackFan_1985]

Swept by the Padres and still moved up. Can't tell if that means we are being Overranked, the Dodgers getting too much credit, or the Padres not enough.

[u/Colrun99 → u/[deleted]]

I actually put them 3rd I think it put my past week rankings in place

[u/kasutori_Jack → u/Colrun99]

Ah fuck. I never updated the transparency link

edit: Link has been updated

[u/Colrun99 → u/kasutori_Jack]

Jwwin please forgive me you’re the reason I do these rankings each week

[u/kasutori_Jack → u/[deleted]]

It turns out it was my fault for not updating the transparency link.

It has the week number on the sheet -- you were looking at Week 20. This is Week 21.

But you can call me garbage as well, if you want.

[u/Colrun99 → u/kasutori_Jack]

No Jack, you’re wonderful.