ClutchPoints 2026 MLB Power Rankings, Vol. 13: Rays are rising

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ClutchPoints 2026 MLB Power Rankings, Vol. 13: Rays are rising

Christopher Hennessy, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Mon, May 18, 2026 ·

17 min read

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ClutchPoints 2026 MLB Power Rankings, Vol. 13: Rays are rising appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .

The 2026 season is a quarter of the way done, and the MLB Power Rankings are back. The Philadelphia Phillies are back over .500 thanks to a recent surge under Don Mattingly. But the Tampa Bay Rays are stealing the headlines, flying up the power rankings as the top team in the American League. Where does your favorite team fall?

#1: Atlanta Braves (-)

The Atlanta Braves remain in the top spot of the MLB Power Rankings after taking series from the Chicago Cubs and the Boston Red Sox . Matt Olson finally cooled off, reaching base only once on a walk in three games against Boston. But when Olson dips, Drake Baldwin soars, picking up five RBI in the series. Mike Yastrzemski hit a walk-off double on Friday to back up Spencer Strider ’s great start in that game. The Braves are clicking on all cylinders with four games against the Miami Marlins and three against the Washington Nationals coming up.

#2: Los Angeles Dodgers (-)

The Los Angeles Dodgers split four games with the San Francisco Giants and swept the Los Angeles Angels , moving to 29-18 on the season. But the most significant news in Hollywood was injury-related, and it isn’t good. Blake Snell was a late scratch from his start and will need surgery due to loose bodies in his elbow. It is the same injury that has Tarik Skubal on the shelf. Snell made just one start after missing the start of the season due to shoulder fatigue. The Dodgers keep rolling along, however, with the San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers coming up.

#3: San Diego Padres (+1)

The Padres rank last in team batting average, 28th in team OPS, and last in total hits. They are also 28-18, just a half-game behind the Dodgers in the NL West. San Diego dropped two of three to the Brewers before sweeping the Seattle Mariners in a weekend series. Lucas Giolito made his season debut , allowing just one hit and three earned runs in 5 innings on Sunday. Adding Giolito to the rotation could be a big boon for the Padres moving forward. They host the Dodgers and the Athletics in a big week ahead.

#4: Tampa Bay Rays (+3)

The Rays are the best team in the American League after taking two of three from the Toronto Blue Jays and the Marlins. Their run prevention heater has ended , allowing five or more runs four times in the six games. But their offense helped them out, with Jonathan Aranada knocking in five runs to take the AL lead in RBI. Chandler Simpson is now hitting .297 with four triples, the most in the majors. Everything is clicking in St. Pete right now, and they have a big week coming up. They host the Baltimore Orioles for three before visiting the New York Yankees for three games.

#5: Milwaukee Brewers (-)

The Brewers are getting hot and getting healthy with series wins over the Padres and the Twins. Christian Yelich returned from a shoulder injury, played one game, and then sat out with back soreness. On Sunday, he returned to the lineup and smashed his second home run of the season. Jackson Chourio continues to shine with an .816 OPS in 11 games since returning from injury. Their pitching has been as good as expected, and now the offense is back to full strength. The Brewers head to Wrigley Field for their first series with the Cubs before hosting the Dodgers.

#6: Chicago Cubs (-3)

The Cubs dropped two of three to both the Braves and the Chicago White Sox , falling in the MLB Power Rankings. They scored only five runs in the three games against Atlanta, highlighting a potential issue against the game’s top competition. The offense did bounce back against the White Sox, but it was not enough to win the series. Pete Crow-Armstrong got into a spat with a Southside fan , which turned into the Cubs’ highlight of the weekend. They look to bounce back against the Brewers and the Houston Astros at home.

#7: New York Yankees (-3)

The Yankees are sliding, having lost two of three to both the Orioles and the New York Mets this week. Now losers of three straight sets, there are serious problems in The Bronx. David Bednar ’s ninth-inning explosion on Sunday highlights the need for better bullpen pitching, while the bottom of the order still refuses to hit. Also, Max Fried left his start against Baltimore with an elbow injury . He has been diagnosed with a bone bruise, but does not have a firm return timeline yet. With the Rays and Blue Jays coming to town, the Yankees need to snap out of it.

#8: Philadelphia Phillies (+6)

The Phillies already have snapped out of it, in part thanks to a former Yankee. Since Don Mattingly took over as the manager in Philly, they are 15-4, bringing their season record to 24-23. Bryce Harper was having a nice season under Rob Thomson, with an .845 OPS before the firing. But under Mattingly, he’s hitting .318 with an incredible 1.075 OPS . That is a microcosm of what’s going on in Philly, as the firing had exactly the effect Dave Dombrowski hoped it would. The Phillies host the Cincinnati Reds and the Cleveland Guardians coming up.

#9: Seattle Mariners (-1)

The Mariners have been awful this season, but so has the rest of the American League West. Seattle did take three of four from the Astros before getting swept by the Padres over the weekend. Cal Raleigh is on the injured list with an oblique injury after a dreadful 0-for-34 stretch. They called up Colt Emerson, who signed a $95 million extension earlier in the year, and he went 0-for-2 in his debut. With all of that going wrong, the Mariners are just two games back of the AL West lead. They can turn their season around against the White Sox and the Kansas City Royals .

#10: Toronto Blue Jays (-)

The Blue Jays dropped two of three to the Rays and followed that up by taking two of three from the Detroit Tigers . They are now 21-25 on the season, which is 9.5 games behind Tampa in the AL East race. Vladimir Guerrero Jr broke a 23-game homerless drought against the Tigers on Sunday, hopefully ending a .207/.298/.232 slide. Trey Yesavage has been the biggest addition to the club this year, posting a 1.40 ERA in four starts since returning from injury. The Blue Jays visit the Yankees for four games before hosting the Pittsburgh Pirates for three games.

#11: Texas Rangers (-2)

The Texas Rangers took two of three from the Arizona Diamondbacks , but dropped two to the Astros to end the week. It is a similar story to last year, as Texas ranks 26th in batting average and OPS, but is fifth in team ERA. That has not been aided by Corey Seager, who hit the IL amid a 0-for-27 slump . They brought in Brandon Nimmo to boost the offense, but his highlight was defensive this week, robbing Yordan Alvarez of a homer. His offense hasn’t been the problem, with a .752 OPS that has him third on the team. The Rangers visit the Colorado Rockies and the Los Angeles Angels, so they have an opportunity to fix things.

#12: Cleveland Guardians (+3)

The Guardians are four games over .500 for the first time this season after series wins over the Angels and the Reds. They dominated offensively, with Chase DeLauter smoking his seventh homer of the season in a blowout win on Sunday . The Guardians took a long time to get rolling last year, but chased down the Tigers to win the AL Central. This year, they’re going to try to win it from out in front, with a one-game lead over the White Sox in the division. Next up, the Guardians visit the Tigers and the Phillies.

#13: Detroit Tigers (-2)

The Tigers have been awful to start the season, getting swept by the Mets and dropping two of three to the Blue Jays this week. They are 20-27 and are 2-10 in their last 12 games. Without Skubal due to the elbow injury , they do not have a stopper in the rotation. And even when the pitching is solid, allowing two runs in each of the three games to Toronto, the offense can’t punch through. This may be the end of the Tigers’ competitive window, which would be quite the turn from this time last year. They can get back on track against the Guardians and Orioles this week.

#14: Athletics (+2)

The Athletics are 23-23 after series losses to the St Louis Cardinals and the San Francisco Giants. But that is good enough for first place in the American League West. The A’s have a chance to make the postseason this year, but they need better performance from their depth offensive pieces. Nick Kurtz leads baseball in on-base percentage, and Shea Langeliers leads the AL in batting average. But Tyler Soderstrom and Brent Rooker are hitting under .200 while Jacob Wilson and Denzel Clarke remain on the IL. The Athletics hit the road to face the Angels and the Padres next.

#15: Pittsburgh Pirates (-3)

The Pirates are 24-23 after they were swept by the Mattingly-led Philies over the weekend. Paul Skenes dominated the Colorado Rockies to start the week, but was outshone by Cristopher Sanchez on Sunday. Ryan O’Hearn was pulled from Friday’s game and placed on the IL with a quad injury, which is a huge blow to the Buccos offense. All five teams in the NL Central are still above .500, but the Buccos need to turn it around against the Cardinals and Blue Jays this week.

#16: Cincinnati Reds (-3)

The Reds are also 24-23, locked with the Pirates at the bottom of the Central. They dropped two of three against the Washington Nationals and the Guardians, continuing a May slide. Their bullpen was dreadful against Cleveland, according to Chatterbox Sports. “The Reds bullpen in the series versus Cleveland: 11 IP, 13 H, 15 R (14 ER), 14 BB, 4 HR. Good for a 11.45 ERA and a 2.45 WHIP.” If they are going to return to the playoffs, the bullpen needs to improve, although Emilio Pagan ’s absence is hovering over those stats. Next up, Cincy visits the Phillies and hosts the Cardinals.

#17: St Louis Cardinals (+2)

Take your tarps off, the Cardinals are blazing hot. Stephan F. Austin’s team was in the stands on Friday night for the Redbirds’ win over the Kansas City Royals. They ripped their shirts off in celebration. St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol then bought tickets in that section to keep the trend alive, and now a tradition is born. The Cardinals took two of three from the Athletics and the Royals, moving to 27-19 on the season. Written off before the season, the Cardinals are making a statement so far. They’ll look to keep the tarps off against the Pirates before visiting the Reds.

#18: Arizona Diamondbacks (-1)

The Diamondbacks are sputtering along at 22-23 after taking a series from the Rockies and dropping one to the Rangers. Corbin Carroll helped secure the series win over Colorado on Sunday with two home runs. But Ketel Marte was held out of the lineup amid a dreadful start to the season. Marte has a .637 OPS on the season and is hitting just .176 in May. They need their dynamic offensive duo to both get hot to get back into this divisional race, although Nolan Arenado is heating up . The Diamondbacks host the Giants and the Rockies this week.

#19: Baltimore Orioles (-1)

The Orioles took two of three from the Yankees, but dropped two of three to the Nationals, staying five games below .500. Gunnar Henderson had a great day on Sunday to avoid the sweep, going 4-for-4 with a double and a homer. But the pitching in Baltimore remains a serious concern, even with Trevor Rogers returning from the IL. He allowed six runs in four innings in the one loss to New York. The O’s also signed Tommy Pham to a minor-league deal with a June 12 opt-out, so expect to see him soon. Baltimore visits the Rays before hosting the Tigers this week.

#20: Boston Red Sox (+2)

The Red Sox dropped two of three to the Phillies and the Braves this week, but things are unquestionably better than they were. The one game they won against Atlanta featured a great save and defensive play from Aroldis Chapman . Willson Contreras smoked a two-run homer in that game, and his OPS is now at .830. And Wilyer Abreu continues to shine. There are still players who need to step up, namely Caleb Durbin and Jarren Duran , especially with Trevor Story joining Roman Anthony on the IL . But just one offensive player finding his stroke could change things. The Red Sox visit the Royals and host the Twins, so this is the week to start climbing.

#21: New York Mets (+3)

The Mets swept the Tigers and took two of three from the Yankees, finally stringing together some wins after a dreadful April. Their ninth-inning comeback on Sunday was their first since the Pete Alonso game-winning homer in Game 3 of the 2024 Wild Card series. Since David Peterson ’s move to the bullpen, he has steadied the ship. His four innings of two-run ball on Saturday were key in the series win over the Yankees. Clay Holmes will be out for “a while” with a broken leg , so expect more innings from Peterson soon. The Mets hit the road to face the Nationals and the Marlins.

#22: Chicago White Sox (+3)

The White Sox are flying up the MLB Power Rankings as they peek above .500. They swept the Royals to start the week and finished with a series win over the Cubs. That puts them at 24-22, second place in the AL Central. Colson Montgomery made his mark on the Crosstown Classic, going 4-for-12 with two homers against the Cubs. Montgomery and Munetaka Murakami are a dynamic duo on the Southside, and it’s resulting in wins. The White Sox visit the Mariners and Giants amid a hot streak.

#23: Kansas City Royals (-3)

The Royals had corrected course after a sluggish start, but now are back to seven games under .500. They were swept by the White Sox and dropped two of three to the Cardinals, winning on Sunday to avoid an 0-6 week. Bobby Witt Jr leads the AL in bWAR , is hitting .300, and has an incredible 13 stolen bases. But nothing else is going right for KC. Seth Lugo started hot, but has allowed nine earned runs in nine innings over his last two starts. The Royals kick off a big home stand against the Red Sox and Mariners this week.

#24: Miami Marlins (-3)

The Marlins dropped two of three to both the Twins and the Rays, falling to 21-26 on the season. They are 6-10 in May after a solid April, but still have some pieces that should make fans optimistic about the future. Liam Hicks has 40 RBI after starting an eight-run tenth inning , Otto Lopez leads baseball with the .344 batting average, and Xavier Edwards is hitting .318. But Owen Caissie and Kyle Stowers have struggled, leading to some bad losses for the Fish. They face the Braves and Mets at home this week.

#25: Houston Astros (-2)

The Astros have been awful this season, sitting at 19-29 after losing three of four to the Mariners and taking two from the Rangers. They have the second-worst record in the American League, partly due to pitching issues. Tatsuya Imai has been brutal, allowing six runs in four innings in his most recent start. He now has a 9.42 ERA in four starts since making his MLB debut. And now, Jose Altuve is on the IL with an oblique injury . This could all lead to a blockbuster trade of Yordan Alvarez this summer, but there’s a long way to go before those conversations can start in earnest. The Astros face the Twins and the Cubs on the road this week.

#26: Washington Nationals (+3)

The Nationals are moving up in the MLB Power Rankings after they took sets from the Reds and the Orioles. When they won on Saturday, they hit .500 for the first time since May of 2024 , breaking a streak of 15 straight losses with a chance to hit level. They, of course, lost on Sunday to fall back below .500. But development is happening in D.C., as Daylen Lyle has a 1.122 OPS with 11 RBI in the last ten games. That is the goal of this season, and an 80-win season would just be icing on the cake. The Nationals look to stay above .500 with the Mets at home and the Braves on the road.

#27: Minnesota Twins (+3)

The Twins are moving up as well, emerging from the basement after a series win over the Marlins. They did drop two of three to the Brewers, but that is expected for this Minnesota club. They are holding their own, unlike some basement dwellers from years past, but have very little chance of making the postseason. Byron Buxton has missed the last four games with a sore hip muscle , but he did hit two homers the last time he played. Buxton is not on the injured list yet, but the Twins centerfielder has spent a lot of time there in his career. The Twins host the Astros before starting a road trip against the Red Sox.

#28: San Francisco Giants (-)

The Giants split four games with the Dodgers and took two of three from the Athletics, moving to 20-27 on the season. Luis Arraez has been great this year, leading all second basemen in fWAR and posting a .328 batting average. Rafael Devers has finally turned it around, posting a .987 OPS in May. But the Giants have dug themselves a serious hole and may not have the depth pieces to get themselves out of it. They can continue stacking wins on the road against the Diamondbacks and at home against the White Sox.

#29: Colorado Rockies (-2)

The Rockies lost two of three to both the Pirates and the Diamondbacks, falling to 18-29 on the season. Even though they are 11 games back of the division lead, they are still playing much better baseball than they were last year. Chase Dollander was one of those bright spots, but he has hit the injured list with an elbow strain. The Rockies host the Rangers and visit the Diamondbacks, looking to get to 20 wins. Last year, they picked up their 20th win on July 3.

#30: Los Angeles Angels (-4)

The Angels have taken over the last spot in the MLB Power Rankings thanks to a 0-6 week. They were swept by the Guardians and the Dodgers, moving them to 16-31 on the season, the worst record in baseball. Grayson Rodriguez made his Angels debut on Sunday after rehabbing an elbow injury and was not great. He allowed seven runs in 3.2 innings in the 10-1 loss to the defending champs. Even a trade that seemed like a shrewd move by the Halos isn’t working out so far. They look to break their losing streak at home against the Athletics and Tigers.

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