ClutchPoints 2026 MLB Power Rankings, Vol. 21: All-Star Break check-in

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ClutchPoints 2026 MLB Power Rankings, Vol. 21: All-Star Break check-in

Christopher Hennessy, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Mon, Jul 13, 2026 ·

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ClutchPoints 2026 MLB Power Rankings, Vol. 21: All-Star Break check-in appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .

The All-Star Break is here, as is the final first-half edition of the MLB Power Rankings . Every team has completed its first half, and the league's best are headed to Philadelphia for the festivities. The New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers limped to a first-half finish, while the Boston Red Sox are back in the race.

Where does your team land heading into the break?

#1: Los Angeles Dodgers (-)

The Dodgers have the best record in baseball at 61-34 after taking two of three from the Colorado Rockies and getting swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks . No one played well against the Snakes, including Yoshinobu Yamamoto , who allowed six runs in six innings on Saturday. Los Angeles is still riding high, with a 11.5-game lead in the NL West and a great chance at pulling off the three-peat. The Dodgers come out of the break with a road set against the New York Yankees .

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#2: Milwaukee Brewers (-)

The Milwaukee Brewers took four of five from the St Louis Cardinals to start the week, but were swept by the Pittsburgh Pirates after. Still, they are up five games in the NL Central headed into the break at 59-37. Jake Bauers put the finishing touches on an incredible first half at first base, holding an .881 OPS into the break. His 18 homers and 59 RBI are both career highs already, and he's been a big part of the offense this season. They have to manage a Kyle Harrison injury, and Brandon Woodruff has a new injury . The Brewers host the Miami Marlins coming out of the break.

#3: Tampa Bay Rays (+1)

The Tampa Bay Rays split four games with the New York Yankees and took two of three from the Seattle Mariners , heading into the break with the best record in the American League. Junior Caminero's heater has come to an end, but he did rope 12 homers in the final 17 games before the break. The wide-open AL MVP field has a new contender in Caminero, who could bring the award home for Tampa for the first time. The Rays are one of the best teams at home, but start the second half with four games at Fenway Park.

#4: Atlanta Braves (-1)

The Atlanta Braves are falling again, taking two of three from the Pirates and dropping two of three to the Cardinals. At 55-40, they have a solid record and are two games up in the NL East. But since June 8, they are 10-19, the fewest wins of any NL team in that stretch. Drake Baldwin may be rebounding, with a .321 average and .888 OPS in his last eight games. But pitching injuries are still a big story in Atlanta. They can use the break and start the second half with a home set against the Texas Rangers .

#5: Philadelphia Phillies (-)

The Phillies ended the first half on the road as their stadium was being prepared for the All-Star festivities. They took two of three from the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers , moving to just two games behind the Braves. Cristopher Sanchez will start the All-Star Game for the NL on the back of a 2.62 ERA in 20 starts. Zach Wheeler turned down an opportunity to join the NL team late, saying he was "disrespected" when he was left off in the first place. The Phillies are hot, and they'll be the center of attention this week. They come out of the break with a home set against the Mets.

#6: Chicago Cubs (-)

The Chicago Cubs took two of three from the Baltimore Orioles and the Reds, finishing the first half at 54-42. Pete Crow-Armstrong 's ridiculous first half ends with a league-best 5.8 bWAR, just below his total from last year of 5.9. He will play the MLB All-Star Game in centerfield for the NL once again. David Peterson had a nice bounce-back start, allowing one run in five innings against the Orioles. The pitching staff must get healthy in the second half, which the Cubs begin with the Minnesota Twins .

#7: New York Yankees (-)

The Yankees split four games with the Rays and swept the Nationals to finish the first half at 54-42, three games behind Tampa. Their offense scored five runs for the first time in 20 games in the finale against Tampa, and it woke them up. The Yankees mounted a comeback late in all three games against Washington , still without Aaron Judge . They may have survived the swoon, but starting the second half with the Dodgers is a tough task.

#8: Chicago White Sox (+1)

The Chicago White Sox were swept by the Red Sox and swept the Athletics to finish their fantastic first half at 50-45. Munetaka Murakami missed 36 games with a hamstring injury and came back for the A's series. He managed only one hit, but it is great for the Sox to have their slugger back. No one expected the Southsiders to be this high in the MLB Power Rankings at the All-Star Break, but here they are at number eight. They start the second half with the Toronto Blue Jays on the road.

#9: Cleveland Guardians (+1)

The Cleveland Guardians dropped two of three to the Twins, but swept the Marlins to end the first half 51-46, tied for the top AL Central spot with the White Sox. Jose Ramirez is working his way back from a hamate bone injury , and Cleveland has held serve without him. Brayan Rocchio heads into the All-Star Break on a five-game hitting streak and with a .910 OPS in 11 games in July. The Guardians have a chance to win another division title in the second half, which starts with a series against the Pirates.

#10: St Louis Cardinals (+1)

The Cardinals dropped four of five to the Brewers, but bounced back by taking two from the Braves. They are another team that was written off before the season, who finished the first half in the top ten of the power rankings. JJ Wetherholt signed an eight-year contract extension to avoid arbitration, becoming the latest young star to do so. St Louis is on the hook for $112.5 million, which they will happily pay if his electric defense and .755 OPS continue. The Red Birds start the second half with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

#11: San Diego Padres (-3)

The San Diego Padres got off to a great start, but they have been dreadful for much of the summer so far. After splitting four with the Diamondbacks and taking two of three from the Blue Jays, they are 48-48 headed into the break . They have the second-worst record in the NL since May 23, falling from 11 games over .500 to the even mark. Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr both continue to struggle, which is not a good recipe. The Padres start the second half with a road set against the Kansas City Royals .

#12: Texas Rangers (+1)

The Rangers end the first half at 49-47, good enough for first place in the dreadful American League West, taking two of three from the Astros and Angels. With Corey Seager on the injured list, Ezequiel Duran has stepped up in a big way. He has 10 homers and 50 RBI on the season, posting a .760 OPS while playing multiple defensive positions. Brandon Nimmo ended the first half with a walk-off win to win the Astros series . Things have been far from good in Arlington, but they have the inside track at a playoff spot to start the second half. They face the Braves coming out of the break.

#13: Seattle Mariners (-1)

The Mariners limped to the finish line of the first half, getting swept by the Marlins and dropping two to the Rays. Despite their ALCS-caliber roster, they have been dreadful this year. Cal Raleigh has to be thrilled that the first half is over, as his .581 OPS in 65 games has been a talking point all year. They face a fascinating trade deadline , as they are only 1.5 games back of the division lead, but have a long way to go before then. The Mariners start the second half at home against the San Francisco Giants .

#14: Pittsburgh Pirates (-)

The Pirates dropped two of three to the Athletics and swept the Brewers to end the first half 50-47. They broke the Paul Skenes losing streak, winning both of his starts this week. Part of that is the ace's brilliance, allowing four runs in 11.1 innings across the two starts. Ryan O'Hearn had a historic three-homer, 10-RBI day against the A's, proving that he is one of the league's best offseason acquisitions. They did lose Konnor Griffin for weeks with a finger injury, which is a huge loss . The Buccos start the second half against the Guardians.

#15: Miami Marlins (-)

The Marlins are in the middle spot of the MLB Power Rankings and the final spot of the NL Wild Card at the All-Star Break. They swept the Mariners, but were swept by the Guardians to hit the break at 52-45. Sandy Alcantara won't be traded this year , per reports, and the Fish are going to make a playoff push. It's been the offense that's driven them this year, but Owen Caisse is back on the shelf with an injury. The Marlins start the second half with a set against the Milwaukee Brewers.

#16: Boston Red Sox (+8)

The Red Sox are the biggest movers of the week as they hit the All-Star Break on a nine-game winning streak. They swept the White Sox and the Mets to get there, finishing the first half at 46-48. The pitching has been incredible of late, with Sonny Gray allowing three total runs in his last four starts. Willson Contreras will be in the Home Run Derby , Caleb Durbin has turned it on, and Jarren Duran has come up clutch lately. The Sox are alive, and they start the second half with the Rays at home.

#17: Houston Astros (+3)

The Astros dropped two of three to both the Nationals and Rangers this week, but they needed to move up in the power rankings. Even though they are 47-51 on the season, they are in the thick of the playoff race. Yordan Alvarez leads baseball in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS while leading the AL in homers and RBI. The Astros still have some championship DNA left and can make a run in the second half. They start the second half with the Orioles.

#18: Toronto Blue Jays (-2)

The Blue Jays took two of three from the Giants and dropped two of three against the Padres to end the first half at 45-51. They are in last place in the AL East just nine months after nearly winning the World Series. Dylan Cease, their top offseason acquisition, is starting the All-Star Game for John Schneider and the American League, which is well deserved. Other than Cease and Ernie Clement , it's been ugly in Canada. The Blue Jays start the second half with the White Sox.

#19: Arizona Diamondbacks (+1)

The Diamondbacks split four with the Padres and swept the Dodgers to end the first half at 49-47. They get punished in the MLB Power Rankings because they are so far out of the division race. But Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte have been driving the offense to great heights so far this year. The Snakes are lurking, as they showed in 2023; that is all they need to be to make some noise. Zac Gallen's poor performances loom large , but they hit the break on a high note. The Diamondbacks open the second half against the Cardinals.

#20: Washington Nationals (-3)

The Nationals took two of three from the Astros, but their bullpen let them down in a sweep by the Yankees to end the first half. After blowing all three games against the Bombers, Washington has the worst bullpen ERA in baseball. They hit the break at 48-49, but their offense gives them a chance in every game . If they are going to be buyers, picking up bullpen arms is the most obvious need in the league. The Nats start the second half with a road trip to face the Athletics.

#21: Minnesota Twins (+2)

The Twins are moving up in the MLB Power Rankings as they mount a case for the final AL Wild Card spot. They are 48-49 after taking two of three from the Guardians and the Angels, which has them tied for the last Wild Card spot. But Byron Buxton is back on the shelf, and Minnesota's bullpen has been dreadful this season. After last year's fire sale, they don't have the depth necessary to compete with the Mariners. They look to prove that wrong against the Cubs to start the second half.

#22: Baltimore Orioles (-3)

The Orioles finished the first half with a sweep of the Royals after dropping two of three to the Cubs. They are 46-51 at the break, but a brutal Sunday injury could have ramifications. Blaze Alexander was hit by a pitch, breaking his hand and putting him on the IL. Pete Alonso tried to rally the troops postgame , but the math isn't adding up. The Orioles are two games back of the final AL Wild Card spot, but are 11.5 games out of the division lead. They start the second half with a huge series against the Astros.

#23: Detroit Tigers (+2)

The Tigers are moving up once again after sweeping the Athletics, but they finished the first half dropping two of three to the Phillies. They are 44-52, which is only 3.5 games out of the final AL Wild Card spot. They are still getting good individual efforts, namely Riley Greene 's .842 OPS, but cannot string together enough wins. The Tigers can bury any Tarik Skubal trade chance with a great start to the second half against the Angels.

#24: Athletics (-6)

The Athletics were swept by the Tigers and the White Sox, falling to 41-55 on the season. They have lost 13 of their last 14 games, falling way out of contention. Nick Kurtz is on the injured list with a thumb injury , taking away his first All-Star experience. Early in the year, they were able to work around their pitching deficiency. Now, they are 29th in baseball in runs allowed per game. The A's are shaping up to be deadline sellers unless they can get hot quickly. They face the White Sox coming out of the break.

#25: Cincinnati Reds (-3)

The Reds have spiraled out of the playoff race in the National League at 43-52. They dropped two of three to the Cubs and the Phillies to end the first half, falling eight games behind the final Wild Card spot. Last year, they made the playoffs with 83 wins, but this year, they may be out at the All-Star Break. It will open up trade conversations on Elly De La Cruz and Hunter Greene , which is a tale as old as time for Cincy fans. Things are bleaker than they were a year ago in the Queen City. They start the second half against the Rockies.

#26: New York Mets (-)

The Mets have used "Ya Gotta Believe" as a team moniker ever since the run to the 1973 World Series. In 2026, no one believes. They are 40-57 after taking two from the Royals and getting swept by the Red Sox. The Mets had a chance to win on Sunday, but Francisco Lindor's bobbled grounder started a Boston comeback. They are one of the few sellers ahead of the trade deadline, and big conversations about the future of the team are coming this offseason. The Mets start an apathetic second half against the Phillies.

#27: Kansas City Royals (-)

The Royals dropped two of three to the Mets and were swept by the Orioles, ending a dreadful first half at 38-59 . They lost Cole Ragans to the injured list, further handicapping their poor pitching staff. Bobby Witt has had a nice season, but he only has 39 RBI because no one can get on base. The Royals have been dreadful for the last two years, and they need to get back on track. They start the second half with a home set against the Padres.

#28: San Francisco Giants (-)

The Giants are among the worst teams in baseball at 41-55, even after taking three of four from the Rockies. They will be one of the biggest deadline sellers, with Luis Arraez reviving his value with solid defense this season . The Giants have been looking toward the deadline for weeks, but there are still multiple weeks to go before August 3. Tony Vitello's squad opens the second half against the Mariners.

#29: Los Angeles Angels (-)

The Angels and the Royals are tied for the worst record in the American League at 38-59 after dropping two of three to the Rangers and the Twins. Mike Trout is healthy and will play in the All-Star Game, and there isn't much else to say about the Halos. They continue to be an embarrassment, even with a new general manager running the show. If they can manage a few good trade hauls on August 3, that would be huge for their future. They start the second half against the Tigers.

#30: Colorado Rockies (-)

The Rockies are bringing up the rear in the MLB Power Rankings once again at 39-59. They dropped two of three to the Dodgers and three of four to the Giants, staying in last place in the National League. Trade deadline rumors are starting to swirl around Hunter Goodman, who is having a great season behind the plate and in the batter's box. The Yankees need a catcher, and the two sides connected on a Ryan McMahon trade last season. While this year's team is much better than the 2025 squad, they are still the worst team in baseball. The Rockies open the second half against the Reds with only four wins to go to match last year's mark.

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