Each week, the California Post will power rank MLB’s 30 teams and check in on one intriguing awards race.
asserted
Post → rank → race
Records as of Saturday morning:
1) Brewers (96-58)
The Brewers are closing in on the winningest record in the majors for the second-straight year.
asserted
Brewers → close → year
But will it lead to more October success this time around?
asserted
it → lead → success
It could depend on whether they can find more star-level pitching to pair with Jacob Misiorowski.
uncertain
they → depend → Misiorowski
(Last week: 1st)
2) Dodgers (94-60)
The Dodgers have done what they needed to against a soft spot in the schedule, reeling off wins in 12 of their last 15 to lock up the National League West and close in on a first-round bye –– one that will be crucial as they manage a litany of injuries from Shohei Ohtani on down.
asserted
they → do → Ohtani
(Last week: 2nd)
3) Rays (93-60)
The Rays are finishing the season in a flourish, winning six-straight games this week to eliminate any doubts about who the best team (at least during the regular season) in the American League is.
asserted
team → finish → League
(Last week: 4th)
4) Braves (90-64)
The Braves are back in the playoffs, and on the verge of locking up the NL East.
asserted
Braves → lock → East
They might be the biggest mystery team in the NL playoff field this year, with a boom-or-bust lineup and pitching that is led by, but also drops off quickly after, Chris Sale.
uncertain
that → boom → lineup
(Last week: 3rd)
5) Yankees (89-64)
Trouble is brewing in the Bronx again, with Aaron Judge back on the injured list and his playoff availability suddenly back up in the air.
asserted
availability → brew → air
Granted, he hadn’t exactly hit the cover off the ball in his seven games back, going just 4-for-23.
asserted
he → grant → 4
But if he is out, or even compromised, in October, it could derail the Yankees’ World Series chances.
uncertain
it → compromise → chances
(Last week: 5th)
6) Red Sox (84-70)
The Red Sox are coasting to a wild card round matchup with the Yankees.
asserted
Sox → coast → Yankees
So for now, they’re having fun –– with some, um, interesting travel day attire this week.
asserted
they → have → attire
We thought the Padres would be battling down the stretch just to make the playoffs.
asserted
Padres → think → playoffs
Instead, an 11-1 tear has put them in a three-way tie with the Cubs and Phillies for the top NL wild-card spot –– and the home wild-card series that would come with it.
asserted
that → put → it
(Last week: 9th)
8) Cubs (85-69)
The Cubs made a detour ahead of their series in Cincinnati this week, going to Churchill Downs to watch an Alex Bregman-owned horse run a victorious race.
asserted
horse → make → race
Right now, however, the team could use some more wins itself, with a 4-7 slide putting it in danger of having to go on the road in the wild-card round.
uncertain
slide → use → round
Jesus Luzardo is on the injured list, and the Phillies can only hope he returns for the playoffs.
asserted
he → hope → playoffs
If not, the team will be heavily reliant upon Cristopher Sánchez (who has quietly cooled off with an ERA over 5.00 in the last month), Zack Wheeler (who will be looking for redemption after being sidelined by his own health issue last year) and Aaron Nola (who, after owning an ERA of nearly 6.00 over 2025 and the first half of 2026, has a 2.10 ERA in his last 10 starts).
asserted
who → cool → starts
(Last week: 7th)
10) Guardians (79-75)
It’s not quite as dramatic as their comeback from a 12 ½-game division deficit last year, but the Guardians are once again making a late surge to the AL Central crown, winning two of three over the White Sox this week (and nine of 14 games overall) to position themselves for a third-straight division title.
asserted
Guardians → ’ → title
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11) Diamondbacks (80-73)
The Dbacks must have used up all their luck while reaching the World Series as an 84-win team in 2023.
asserted
Dbacks → sign → 2023
Since then, they missed the playoffs on a tiebreaker in 2024, by three games after a season-ending five-game losing streak last year, and are on track to be the last team left out again this season.
asserted
they → miss → track
(Last week: 10th)
12) White Sox (78-76)
The clock might be striking midnight on the White Sox’s Cinderella season.
uncertain
clock → strike → season
They dropped a gut-wrenching series to the Guardians this week to squander first place in the AL Central, then blew a six-run lead to the Tigers on Friday, leaving them just 1 ½ games up for the last wild card spot.
asserted
They → drop → spot
(Last week: 12th)
13) Astros (77-77)
Maybe no one really does want to win the AL West, a division with a whopping -436 run differential (!) this year.
asserted
one → want → differential
A week ago, the resurgent Astros had built a three-game lead –– and have since lost five of seven.
asserted
Astros → build → seven
(Last week: 11th)
14) Rangers (77-77)
We’ve tried to write the Rangers off many times in these rankings.
asserted
We → try → rankings
But the woeful AL West keeps having other ideas.
asserted
West → have → ideas
Suddenly, a 5-1 run has them back in a tie for first place, thanks in no small part to Corey Seager’s return to form in September.
asserted
run → have → September
For much of this year, the Pirates looked like a playoff contender.
asserted
Pirates → look → contender
Alas, they find themselves playing out the string again in what has become another lost season.
asserted
what → find → string
It hasn’t been all Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s fault this year, but no one stat sums up the Blue Jays’ regression more than this: The star slugger hit his first home run at home all season this week.
asserted
slugger → sum → home
They’re still alive in the wild card race, but last year’s heroes have let them down this season.
asserted
heroes → ’re → them
Evidently, Pete Alonso still has a few fans in Queens.
asserted
Alonso → have → Queens
The two home runs he hit in his reunion series with the Mets this week made for some memorable –– and awkward –– scenes in the stands, where he was serenaded with cheers.
asserted
he → hit → cheers
But even that series sweep hasn’t gotten the O’s back in the playoff picture.
asserted
sweep → get → picture
They are three games out of a wild-card spot with three teams to jump.
asserted
They → jump → teams
(Last week: 17th)
18) Marlins (76-78)
No one in baseball seems to understand why, but the Marlins used Sandy Alcantara on one day of rest for a save opportunity this week.
asserted
Marlins → seem → opportunity
It worked but … did they forget they were already out of the playoff race?
asserted
they → work → race
A once-promising season in St. Louis finally met its official end on Friday, when the Cardinals became the latest team eliminated from playoff contention.
asserted
Cardinals → promise → contention
…and 35 more, not listed.
The Aporia
