2025 MLB Power Rankings, Vol. 24: September brings playoff races

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2025 MLB Power Rankings, Vol. 24: September brings playoff races

Christopher Hennessy · ClutchPoints

Mon, Sep 1, 2025 ·

14 min read

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The post 2025 MLB Power Rankings, Vol. 24: September brings playoff races appeared first on ClutchPoints .

The 2025 MLB Power Rankings are back as the playoff races heat up. Do the Milwaukee Brewers still hold the top spot in the rankings? September is here, and the American League East race is back on after the New York Yankees went on a winning streak . But does the quality of opponents hurt them in the rankings?

The MLB Power Rankings are back for the final month of the regular season!

#1: Milwaukee Brewers (-)

The Brewers stay in the top spot after splitting a four-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks and taking two of three from the Toronto Blue Jays . They are still 6.5 games ahead of the Chicago Cubs and cruising toward a playoff berth. Jackson Chourio returned from the injured list to excellent results, with six hits in two games. He will be key to Milwaukee breaking its playoff slump, with no series wins since 2018. Next up, the Brewers host the Philadelphia Phillies and visit the Pittsburgh Pirates .

#2: Philadelphia Phillies (-)

The Phillies were swept by the New York Mets to start the week, bringing their Citi Field losing streak to 10 games. But they bounced back in Philly, taking three of four from the Atlanta Braves . Their division lead is now six games over the Amazins. Kyle Schwarber became the 21st player in MLB history to hit four home runs in one game, continuing an MVP-caliber season. Can he slug the Phillies to the division title? They visit the Brewers and the Miami Marlins , coming up.

#3: Toronto Blue Jays (-)

The Blue Jays hold their spot in the MLB Power Rankings, taking two of three from the Minnesota Twins and dropping two to the Brewers. They avoided the sweep against the Crew on Sunday thanks to Nathan Lukes ' two RBI in an 8-4 win. They saw their lead in the AL East shrink to two games on Saturday night, but it is back up to three with a big week ahead. The Blue Jays visit the Cincinnati Reds and the Yankees for three games each.

#4: Los Angeles Dodgers (+1)

The Los Angeles Dodgers swept the Reds and dropped two against the Diamondbacks, holding onto the NL West lead. They salvaged the set against the Snakes on Sunday with a Will Smith walk-off homer. Shohei Ohtani pitched into the fifth inning for the first time this season, picking up a win against Cincy. The NL West race against the San Diego Padres is heating up, but they have no games against one another the rest of the way. This week, LA visits the Pirates and the Baltimore Orioles .

#5: Chicago Cubs (-1)

The Chicago Cubs finished a West Coast road trip by getting swept by the San Francisco Giants . They came home for a more comfortable matchup against the Colorado Rockies , where they took two of three. Dansby Swanson was the star of the first win, picking up six RBI. Michael Busch hit a homer in that game as well, which Chicago won 11-7. They also brought in Aaron Civale to help with pitching depth . Next up, they host the Braves and the Washington Nationals .

#6: Detroit Tigers (-)

The Tigers had a disastrous week, but a special talent changed things on Sunday. Detroit was swept by the Athletics to start the week, but bounced back to take two of three from the Kansas City Royals . Tarik Skubal went seven shutout innings for the sixth time this season, most in MLB this year. He broke a tie with Denny McLain for most appearances with six shutout innings in one season, with 11. With a 9.5-game division lead, the Tigers have three games against the Mets and three games against the Chicago White Sox coming up.

#7: San Diego Padres (-)

The Padres lost both of their series this week, dropping two to the Seattle Mariners and two more to the Minnesota Twins. They had an opportunity to pull even with the Dodgers, but faltered against American League competition. Xander Bogaerts has been ruled out for the remainder of the regular season with a foot injury. Fernando Tatis Jr. left Sunday's game with an apparent leg injury. Injuries could derail their division chase. September begins at home against the Orioles and continues in Colorado.

#8: Houston Astros (+1)

The Houston Astros are moving up in the MLB Power Rankings after taking a series from the Colorado Rockies. They have lost two of three to the Los Angeles Angels , with a fourth game coming up Monday. Houston holds a two-game division lead heading into that game. In their lone win against the Halos, Cristian Javier threw six shutout innings, and three relievers combined to allow just two hits, dominating LA hitters. After finishing that series, the Astros host the Yankees and visit the Texas Rangers .

#9: New York Mets (-1)

The Mets looked like they were going to soar up the board after sweeping the Phillies to start the week. But losing a set to the Miami Marlins allowed the Reds to get right back in the race. Kodai Senga continued a disappointing stretch on Sunday, raising his ERA in his last eight starts to 6.56. Jonah Tong and Nolan McLean have taken the team by storm with excellent starts, so maybe that can spark a September run. They visit the Tigers before the biggest series of their season in Cincinnati.

#10: Seattle Mariners (-)

The Mariners took two of three from the Padres and lost two of three to the Cleveland Guardians to end August. They hold the final AL Wild Card spot, 2.5 games ahead of the Texas Rangers . Cal Raleigh had just one hit this week, but it was his 50th homer in a win over San Diego. The MVP race is heating up, but the catcher was ice cold in these six games. He looks to turn it around against the Tampa Bay Rays and the Braves on the road.

#11: Boston Red Sox (-)

The Boston Red Sox swept a four-game series against the Orioles, but followed that up by losing a set to the Pittsburgh Pirates. They had a big debut of their own, with top pitching prospect Payton Tolle making his debut on Friday at Fenway . Jarren Duran hit an inside-the-park homer that helped them avoid the sweep. Boston is in a position to make the playoffs with a strong September, and they have the young stars to do it. Next up, they host the Guardians and visit the Diamondbacks.

#12: New York Yankees (+1)

The New York Yankees went 6-1 this week, sweeping the Washington Nationals and taking three of four from the Chicago White Sox . Their seven-game winning streak helped keep their playoff hopes alive, but there are still a lot of questions around this team. Against the other American League playoff teams, they are 12-20 against the other five AL playoff teams. Their next four series are against other AL playoff clubs. That stretch starts Tuesday in Houston and continues at home against the Blue Jays over the weekend.

#13: Texas Rangers (+1)

The Rangers had a huge week, taking two of three from the Angels and sweeping the Athletics. Their active five-game winning streak has put them in the first team out position in the AL Wild Card race. Still, they are 2.5 games behind the Mariners and 4.5 games behind the Astros for the AL West lead. Joc Pederson has been great lately, with a .316 batting average and 1.026 OPS in his last nine games. Texas looks to keep it up against the Diamondbacks and the Astros.

#14: Cincinnati Reds (-2)

When the 2025 season ends, the Reds cannot say they never had a chance to make the National League playoffs. They were swept by the Dodgers while the Mets were sweeping the Phillies. Then, they lost two of three to the St Louis Cardinals . Sal Stewart is joining the big-league club , looking to provide some offense. The Reds are now four games behind New York with a big set coming up at home. First, they play the Blue Jays in a series they must win.

#15: Cleveland Guardians (+1)

The Guardians are just hanging around in the AL Wild Card race after winning both of their series. They took two of three from the Rays and two of three from the Mariners to improve to 68-67. They got news this week that Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase would remain suspended pending their gambling investigation. It appears that a September push will have to happen without them in Cleveland. Next up, they visit the Red Sox for three and the Rays for four.

#16: Kansas City Royals (-1)

The Royals kick off the second half of the MLB Power Rankings after a 3-3 week. They took a series from the White Sox before losing a set to the Tigers. Bobby Witt Jr. was ridiculous in August, with a .330 batting average and .943 OPS across 27 games. The Royals need a big push to make the playoffs, and Witt will be a central part of it. Next up, Kansas City hosts the Angels and Twins.

#17: Tampa Bay Rays (+1)

The Rays dropped two of three to the Guardians, but responded by sweeping the Nationals. Brandon Lowe had three homers across the two sets, including a grand slam to help win Sunday's game. They are 67-69, 5.5 games behind the Mariners for the final AL Wild Card spot. Adrian Houser had a solid start, his second since joining the team, to help win Saturday's game. Next up, Tampa hosts the Mariners for three and the Guardians for four.

#18: St Louis Cardinals (-1)

The Cardinals split four games against the Pirates and took two of three from the Reds to move to 68-70 on the season. They are 5.5 games behind the Mets for the final Wild Card spot in the National League. Willson Contreras was suspended six games for exploding at an umpire after a call he thought was wrong. It was a microcosm for the season, as it is slipping away from St Louis. They will try to save the campaign when they host the Athletics and the Giants for three games each.

#19: San Francisco Giants (+1)

The Giants swept the Cubs and took two of three from the Orioles at home to sneak into the Wild Card race. They are five games behind the Mets for the final spot, so they'll need an epic September to make the dance. Rafael Devers came alive in August, with nine homers and a .989 OPS in 28 games. Justin Verlander picked up 10 strikeouts in his Sunday start , pointing toward a great September for the Hall of Famer. The Giants hit the road for three in Colorado and three in St Louis.

#20: Arizona Diamondbacks (-1)

The Diamondbacks split four games with the Brewers and took two of three from the Dodgers to move to 68-70. They are very unlikely to make the postseason, but still have pieces to be excited about in the future. Corbin Carroll proved that in these sets, with nine hits and six RBI in seven games. The rest of their team has been depleted from the trade deadline, but they can shine in the desert next year. They'll start September with the Rangers and Red Sox at home for three games each.

#21: Miami Marlins (+1)

The Marlins lost two of three to the Braves and won three of four against the Mets to move to 65-72 on the season. They are not in the playoff conversation, but they have been a fun team down the stretch. Miami put a damper on the playoff chances of both New York teams in the second half, which is something they can hang their hats on. Sandy Alcantara was excellent on Sunday , with seven innings of one-run ball. Next up, Miami visits the Nationals and hosts the Phillies.

#22: Atlanta Braves (-1)

The Braves took two of three from the Marlins and lost three of four to the Phillies, moving to 62-75 on the season. Their year began with high expectations, but they never got the car out of neutral. Chris Sale returned from a rib injury on Saturday and was dominant, throwing six innings of one-run ball. Pitching injuries were a big reason for their downfall, so Sale's return means good things for 2026. Atlanta begins September at Wrigley Field before hosting the Mariners.

#23: Athletics (+2)

The Athletics continue their bizarre yet fun season by sweeping the Tigers but getting swept by the Rangers. Shea Langeliers has continued his incredible second half, smashing a grand slam off of Tarik Skubal to win the first game. Pitching is still not the Athletics' best skill, as they allowed 23 runs in three games against Texas. If they can clean that up in the offseason, the Athletics can be sneaky in 2026. Next up, they visit the Cardinals and the Angels.

#24: Los Angeles Angels (-1)

The Angels lost two of three to the Rangers and have won two of three against the Astros, with a fourth game coming Monday. Taylor Ward ran face-first into the Crawford Boxes in left field in Houston , knocking him out of Sunday's game. He has been solid this season, so that would be a tough loss for the Halos. Another season has gone down the drain in Anaheim, with little hope for September. The Angels visit the Royals and host the Athletics for three games each this week.

#25: Baltimore Orioles (-1)

The Orioles were swept in a four-game series by the Red Sox and dropped two of three to the Giants. They scored 11 runs in the one game they won, which included Samuel Basallo's first career home run. On the mound, Trevor Rogers has been sensational for the Birds. He has pitched seven innings of one-run ball in four consecutive starts, bringing his ERA down to 1.39 in 14 starts. Baltimore visits the Padres and hosts the Dodgers this week.

#26: Minnesota Twins (-)

The Twins are playing out the string after a historic trade deadline saw them deal nearly every important player on their team. They lost two of three to the Blue Jays and took two of three from the Padres. They traded nearly everyone, but they kept Byron Buxton . He hit his 29th homer of the season this week, his career best. Next up, Minnesota takes on the White Sox for four and the Royals for three.

#27: Pittsburgh Pirates (-)

The Pirates split four games with the Cardinals and took two of three from the Red Sox, moving to 61-77. Paul Skenes was solid again, allowing just one run in six innings at Fenway Park. Bubba Chandler has been great in both of his long relief outings , throwing a combined eight innings without allowing a run. Offensively, Oneil Cruz returned from his concussion and has a homer and two steals. Building for the future again in Pittsburgh. They host the Dodgers and the Brewers in what should be a difficult week.

#28: Washington Nationals (-)

The Nationals were swept by both the Yankees and the Rays, keeping them near the basement of the MLB Power Rankings. When you combine it with their series loss against the Phillies, they have lost eight consecutive games. James Wood keeps up his great season even in the depths of the National League. He had six hits in the six games with an .825 OPS. Next up, Washington faces the Marlins at home and visits the Cubs.

#29: Chicago White Sox (-)

The White Sox won their first game against the Royals on Monday and their last game against the Yankees on Sunday. They lost every game in between. The pitching has not been stellar, with Yoendrys Gomez and Davis Martin getting shelled by the Bombers' offense. Their Sunday win is in part thanks to Mike Tauchman , who robbed Giancarlo Stanton of a two-run homer. They take a 49-88 record on the road for four against the Twins and three against the Tigers.

#30: Colorado Rockies (-)

Finally, the Rockies round out the MLB Power Rankings once again. They lost two of three to the Astros and two of three to the Cubs, with Mickey Moniak 's walk-off triple winning Sunday's game. That secured them their 39th win of the season, just two shy of tying the 2024 White Sox output from last year. They would need to go 1-24 in September to set the record for most losses in a season. They'll look to pick up their two wins coming up against the Giants and the Padres at home.

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