Throughout the season, the California Post power-ranked MLB’s 30 teams and checked in on intriguing awards races.
asserted
Post → rank → races
1) Brewers (101-59): A+
It was another perfect regular season for the Brewers, who won 100 games for the first time in franchise history to clinch the best record in the majors.
asserted
who → win → majors
Of course, their repeated failures in recent postseasons mean the real test is still to come in October.
asserted
test → repeat → October
They have one superstar in Jacob Misiorowski but will need others to emerge in this year’s playoffs.
asserted
They → have → playoffs
Yet, another division crown that sets them up for another deep October run.
asserted
that → set → run
That formula has worked the past two years for the two-time defending champions.
asserted
formula → work → champions
Their real grade this season will depend on whether they can complete a World Series three-peat.
asserted
they → depend → peat
3) Rays (97-63): A+
After two years of missing the playoffs, the Rays had a very Rays-esque season.
asserted
Rays → miss → season
4) Braves (93-67): A
The Braves are back in the playoffs and back atop the NL East, rebounding as hoped from a disappointing 86-loss campaign last season that snapped a six-year postseason streak.
5)
asserted
that → rebound → streak
Yankees (93-68): B+
This grade might’ve been higher, if not for the uncertainty shrouding the Bronx Bombers as they enter the postseason.
uncertain
they → shroud → postseason
They managed to survive one extended Aaron Judge absence this regular season.
asserted
They → manage → absence
Trying to do so again in October would be a tall task.
asserted
Trying → try → October
6) Padres (89-71): A-
In the weeks leading up to the trade deadline, the Padres seemed bound to be sellers.
asserted
Padres → lead → deadline
But then their offense — especially Fernando Tatis Jr. — came back to life.
asserted
offense → come → life
They bolstered their rotation by being buyers at the trade deadline instead.
asserted
They → bolster → deadline
They have the presumptive National League MVP in Pete Crow-Armstrong.
asserted
They → have → Armstrong
And they managed to overcome a wave of pitching injuries.
asserted
they → manage → injuries
Now, they will try to mount a deeper October run after being knocked out in Game 5 of the NLDS last year.
asserted
they → try → NLDS
B+
A strange regular season in Boston has reached a satisfactory ending, with the Red Sox — led by interim-now-turned-permanent manager Chad Tracy — getting a shot to avenge last year’s postseason elimination to the Yankees in next week’s wild-card series.
9
asserted
Sox → reach → series
Because after seemingly salvaging their nightmarish start to the season under interim manager Don Mattingly, the Phillies are flirting with what would be a monumental September collapse, having yet to secure their place in the playoffs amid a 2-5 slump this week.
asserted
what → salvage → slump
10) Diamondbacks (86-74): B-
We are only tentatively grading the Dbacks for now, thanks to their slim (but very much possible) chances of sneaking into the playoffs.
asserted
We → grade → playoffs
If they don’t, it will be another conflicting season for the Dbacks, who have won 80-plus games in four straight seasons but still have just their surprise 2023 World Series run to show for it.
asserted
who → do → it
A
The Guardians did what they do this season.
asserted
they → do → what
A
This could still become an A+ if the White Sox wind up winning the AL Central.
uncertain
Sox → become → Central
But even if not, the South Siders have been the most pleasant surprise in the majors this season, going from three straight 100-loss seasons to an upstart playoff berth with their young and promising roster.
asserted
Siders → go → roster
To be clear, neither of these teams has had a good 2026.
asserted
neither → have → 2026
And yet, they both enter the final days of the season with a chance to win the AL West — even though they can finish no better than .500.
asserted
they → enter → .500
It will be the first time in MLB history a team will make the playoffs without a winning record.
asserted
team → make → record
15) Pirates (81-79): C+
Good news: The Pirates avoided a losing record for the first time since 2018.
asserted
Pirates → avoid → 2018
Bad news: It wasn’t enough to keep them in playoff contention despite a surprisingly productive year from their offense.
asserted
It → keep → offense
16) Marlins (79-81): C+
The Marlins flirted with playoff contention for a while before ultimately fading down the stretch.
asserted
Marlins → flirt → stretch
They could be poised to take another step next year.
uncertain
They → poise → step
Then again, they’ve looked that way before (remember that surprise playoff appearance in 2023?) and been unable to keep progressing.
asserted
they → look → 2023
17) Orioles (79-82): D
The Orioles’ signing of Pete Alonso worked out.
asserted
signing → work → Alonso
But little else did in Baltimore this year.
asserted
little → do → Baltimore
The once-budding contender has now missed the playoffs in two straight years after being swept in back-to-back postseasons the two years before that.
asserted
contender → bud → that
D
As if the Blue Jays’ post-pennant campaign wasn’t bad enough, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. provided one more low point with his comments about his $500 million contract this week.
asserted
Jr. → provide → contract
But this year stung.
asserted
year → sting → ?
19) Cardinals (77-83): B
Given nonexistent preseason expectations, the rebuilding Cardinals mostly accomplished what they wanted to this year.
asserted
they → give → what
They have young talent in Jordan Walker and JJ Wetherholt.
asserted
They → have → Walker
…and 26 more, not listed.
The Aporia
