ClutchPoints 2026 MLB Power Rankings, Vol. 6: Red Sox in freefall

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ClutchPoints 2026 MLB Power Rankings, Vol. 6: Red Sox in freefall

Christopher Hennessy, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Mon, Apr 6, 2026 ·

15 min read

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ClutchPoints 2026 MLB Power Rankings, Vol. 6: Red Sox in freefall appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .

The 2026 baseball season is well underway, and a new edition of the MLB Power Rankings is not kind to the Boston Red Sox . They have just two wins in their first nine games, tumbling down the board early. The Los Angeles Dodgers remain on top of the league , even after their first series loss. Where does your favorite team land in the latest MLB Power Rankings?

#1: Los Angeles Dodgers (-)

The Dodgers lost a series to the Cleveland Guardians , but came back with a sweep of the Washington Nationals to stay in the top spot. Shohei Ohtani continues to make history, simultaneously holding the longest on-base streak and longest scoreless inning streak after his most recent start. He's continued the on-base streak, notching two hits in each game against the Nationals. They head north for a World Series rematch with the Toronto Blue Jays before hosting the Texas Rangers .

#2: New York Yankees (+4)

The New York Yankees continued their hot start to the season, taking two of three from the Seattle Mariners and the Miami Marlins . Their pitching has been sensational, with Cam Schlittler allowing zero runs through two starts . Max Fried has allowed just three runs in 20 innings, even after Sunday's loss to Miami. A sluggish offense and a struggling bullpen could cost the Yankees down the line, but they are firing on all cylinders for now. The Athletics come to The Bronx next before the Bombers visit the Tampa Bay Rays .

#3: Toronto Blue Jays (-1)

The Blue Jays are moving down after they dropped a series to the Colorado Rockies to start the week. They followed that up by getting swept by the Chicago White Sox on the road. Cody Ponce suffered a months-long injury to his right ACL in his first start of the season, so Toronto is now shorthanded on the mound. It is far from panic time in Canada, but a season with high expectations is off to a rough start. The Blue Jays host the Dodgers and the Twins this week.

#4: Seattle Mariners (-1)

The Mariners dropped two of three at home against the Yankees and on the road against the Angels. Cal Raleigh has struggled offensively to start the year, leading the league with 20 strikeouts. After mashing 60 homers last season, he has none to start the season. Before last year, the offense was a struggle for the Mariners, while the pitching dominated. They are back on that track now, but the wins are not coming. They visit the Rangers before hosting the Houston Astros this week.

#5: Philadelphia Phillies (-1)

The Philadelphia Phillies won the first start of Andrew Painter's career this week , beating the Washington Nationals 3-2 after the prospect threw 5.1 innings. Philly took two of three from both the Nationals and the Rockies to sit at 5-4 on the season. No one on the offense is shining brightly. Even team RBI leader Alec Bohm has a .182 batting average. The Phillies look to keep it up on the road against the San Francisco Giants and at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks .

#6: Milwaukee Brewers (+2)

The Milwaukee Brewers are once again off to a strong start to the season with a 7-2 record. They took two of three from the Tampa Bay Rays and the Kansas City Royals , finishing it off with a great Kyle Harrison start. Harrison, who came over from the Red Sox in the Caleb Durbin trade, struck out six in 5.1 innings to clinch a series win. Now, the Brewers visit the Red Sox before hosting the Nationals.

#7: Detroit Tigers (-2)

After a great start to the season in San Diego , the Detroit Tigers hit the skids early in the season. They were swept by the Diamondbacks, falling 1-0 on a Corbin Carroll home run amid a great Tarik Skubal start. But they came home and took two of three from the St Louis Cardinals , snapping a four-game losing streak in the first game. Kevin McGonigle has continued his excellent start, hitting .303 with an .865 OPS and five RBI. Next up, the Tigers visit the Minnesota Twins and host the Marlins.

#8: Chicago Cubs (-1)

The Chicago Cubs took two of three from the Los Angeles Angels before dropping two of three to the Guardians this week. But the story is of Edward Cabrera , whom they went out and traded for this offseason. Through two starts, he has pitched 11.2 innings, allowing just two hits and no runs. While they gave up a lot to get him, a true top-end starter was a necessity for the Cubs. They'll put their 4-5 record on the line against the Rays on the road and the Pittsburgh Pirates at home.

#9: New York Mets (+2)

The New York Mets have steadied the ship already, taking three of four from the Giants to move to 6-4 on the season. Before that, their offense did not show up in a three-game set in St Louis, where the Cardinals took two. Eyes are on the injured list, however, as Juan Soto is day-to-day with a calf strain . He was placed on the 10-day IL on Monday after missing the final two games of the Giants series. The Mets start a homestand on Tuesday against the Diamondbacks, followed by three against the Athletics.

#10: San Diego Padres (-1)

The Padres dropped two of three against the Giants before taking two of three from the Red Sox to open Fenway Park. In his first full season in San Diego, closer Mason Miller has been sensational. He has a league-leading four saves, striking out 11 batters through 4.1 innings. Miller was a flamethrower for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic and has brought the heat to San Diego. They hope he can keep that up in his hometown of Pittsburgh before they host the Rockies this week.

#11: Baltimore Orioles (-1)

After a promising first series, the Baltimore Orioles are back on the struggle bus. They dropped two of three against the Rangers and were swept by the Pirates, moving to 3-6 on the young season. The young core stumbled last year, but the front office spent money to support them this offseason. Pete Alonso has two extra-base hits and 13 strikeouts through nine games, and Chris Bassitt has been dreadful so far. The O's need to get on track now, with the White Sox and Giants coming up next.

#12: Houston Astros (+1)

The Houston Astros are turning back the clock and moving up in the MLB Power Rankings. Lance McCullers Jr , Carlos Correa , and Jose Altuve were all key to their sweep of the Red Sox. As was Yordan Alvarez , who knocked in four runs in the three games and leads the league in OPS. They did lose a series to the Athletics, thanks to a Brent Rooker walk-off , which exposed their biggest weakness. Without Josh Hader , their bullpen does not have the high-end talent. They look to overcome that against the Rockies and the Mariners on the road this week.

#13: Texas Rangers (-1)

The Rangers took two of three from the Orioles before the Cincinnati Reds came to town and swept them. In their active four-game losing streak, they have scored just seven runs. J0c Pederson's Sunday homer was his first hit of the season , and Wyatt Langford and Josh Jung have been dismal at the plate so far. That can all turn around, but it is the same issue that plagued them last year. They host the Mariners before visiting the Dodgers, so a tough week ahead for the scuffling Rangers.

#14: Cincinnati Reds (+1)

The Reds, on the other hand, are 6-3 and relying on their pitching to get them there. Without Hunter Greene due to injury , someone had to step up in the rotation. So far, that has been Chase Burns , who has allowed just one run through 11 innings in his two starts. Sal Stewart is still raking offensively, and Elly De La Cruz has three homers of his own. But the Reds have been dominant on the mound, which can continue. They visit the Marlins before hosting the Angels, coming up.

#15: Cleveland Guardians (+1)

The Guardians took two of three from both the Dodgers and the Cubs this week, so they had to move up in the MLB Power Rankings. Gavin Williams was great against LA, throwing seven shutout innings in one of their wins. Offensively, it has been Chase DeLauter leading the way with an MLB-best five home runs as a rookie. Coming off of Sunday's split doubleheader, the Guardians host the Royals before visiting the Atlanta Braves .

#16: Atlanta Braves (+1)

The Braves start off the second half of the power rankings after taking two of three from the Athletics and splitting four games with the Diamondbacks. Drake Baldwin is developing into a superstar , with an NL-best four homers and 12 RBI to start the season. The concern about the Braves coming into the season was pitching injuries, but Chris Sale and Bryce Elder have helped steady the ship so far. They are looking to flush a poor 2025, and are off to a nice start there. The Braves face the Angels on the road before hosting the Guardians.

#17: Arizona Diamondbacks (+1)

The Diamondbacks swept the Tigers before splitting four games against the Braves. Carroll's homer off Skubal was a highlight of the week, as was Ketel Marte's walk-off double in the tenth inning on Sunday . Michael Soroka had a historic Arizona debut, shutting out the Tigers in five innings on Monday. And then, he allowed just one run in five innings on Saturday against the Braves. All is good so far in the desert, with the Mets and Phillies coming up next on the road.

#18: Boston Red Sox (-4)

The Red Sox are moving down in the MLB Power Rankings after a dreadful start to the season. They have just two wins on the season: Opening Day in Cincinnati and the home opener on Friday against the Padres. Durbin finally got his first hit of the season and is now 2-for-28 to start the season. Roman Anthony has some brutal defensive clips circulating on the internet and has 13 strikeouts to two extra-base hits. Even Garrett Crochet got slapped around against the Astros. Nothing is going right in Beantown, and panic has ensued. They can quiet the storm against the Brewers before visiting the Cardinals.

#19: Miami Marlins (-)

The Marlins swept the White Sox to start off the season 5-1, but were knocked down by the Yankees, dropping two of three. Sandy Alcantara has not allowed an earned run in 16 innings, finishing off a Maddux against Chicago with fewer than 100 pitches. The offense came alive on Sunday in New York, mounting an eighth-inning comeback to salvage the set. They take their 6-3 record back home for four games against the Reds before visiting the Tigers.

#20: Kansas City Royals (+1)

The Royals took two of three from the Twins before dropping two of three against the Brewers. They are now 4-5, but the record is far from the biggest concern so far. Carter Jensen missed his alarm before Monday's game, forcing Salvador Perez behind the plate when he was supposed to DH. Vinnie Pasquantino and the rest of the locker room held him accountable , and he did not play that day. He did respond with two RBI in their one win over Milwaukee, so maybe this is something that brings the team together. They face the Guardians on the road before hosting the White Sox for four.

#21: San Francisco Giants (-1)

The Giants continue their odd season by taking two of three from the Padres before dropping three of four against the Mets. Tony Vitello was ejected for the first time in his MLB career, Matt Chapman cursed out his first baseman , and Rafael Devers missed a different Chapman throw. No matter what happens, the Giants are able to make headlines with their unique manager and roster. So far, those headlines have been overwhelmingly negative. They host the Phillies before heading east to visit the Orioles.

#22: Los Angeles Angels (-)

The Angels played one of the coldest games in franchise history this week at Wrigley Field. They lost that series, dropping two of three, but rebounded by besting the Mariners in a three-game set. Mike Trout was hit in the hand with a pitch on Sunday , but X-rays came back negative. He's off to a solid start to the season with an .852 OPS, so they hope to get him back soon. The Halos host the Braves and visit the Reds for an interleague-heavy week.

#23: Pittsburgh Pirates (+1)

If the MLB Power Rankings were purely based on vibes, the Pirates would have flown up the board. They called up top prospect Konnor Griffin, had him debut in their home opener , and swept the Orioles. Griffin is just 1-for-9 so far, but there is optimism in Pittsburgh for the first time in years. Paul Skenes bounced back with a solid start against the Reds, a series Pittsburgh also won. If all of these pieces click, it could be a magical summer in the Steel City. But first, they have to take care of the Padres at home and the Cubs on the road.

#24: St Louis Cardinals (+1)

This Cardinals season was written off before it started by many, including the MLB Power Rankings. A series win against the Mets and a series loss to the Tigers won't change that entirely, but they are moving up. Dustin May has been one of the lowlights so far, allowing 13 earned runs in 7.1 innings across two starts. JJ Wetherholt has been solid so far with a .723 OPS, and Jordan Walker leads the way with 8 RBI. The Cardinals are 5-4 with a road series against the Nationals coming before a home set against the Red Sox.

#25: Tampa Bay Rays (+1)

The Rays made the 2020 World Series with timely hitting, great pitching, and solid defense. So far in 2026, they don't have any of that. Starting pitching hasn't been the problem, as Nick Martinez and Shane McClanahan are off to solid starts . But closer Kevin Kelly has been disastrous, Junior Caminero made three errors in one game, and he just hit his first homer of the season. They lost a series to the Brewers before taking two of three from the Twins. They re-open Tropicana Field with the Cubs and Yankees coming to town this week.

#26: Athletics (-3)

The Athletics were hyped up in the preseason because of their offense. They have scored two or fewer runs in five of their nine games so far, but finally broke through with an 11-run outburst on Sunday. Brent Rooker slugged two homers, including the walk-off, to move the team to 3-6. But Nick Kurtz has not woken up yet, as he is 4-for-27 with no home runs. They have to start hitting now, as they hit the road to face the Yankees and Mets.

#27: Chicago White Sox (+1)

The White Sox are moving on up in the MLB Power Rankings, and for good reason. They dropped a series to the Marlins, but responded by sweeping the Blue Jays in their home-opening series. Four of Munetaka Murakami's seven hits have been home runs , Luisangel Acuña leads the AL with four stolen bases, and Davis Martin has been the star of the rotation. After two dreadful seasons, things are turning around on the Southside. The White Sox host the Orioles before visiting the Royals for four games.

#28: Washington Nationals (-1)

The Nationals lost two of three to the Phillies and were swept by the Dodgers, moving to 3-6 on the season. This was always a rebuilding year for Washington, and they have lived up to that billing. On Sunday, they were up 6-1 after five innings, but the Dodgers stormed back to win 8-6. James Wood has 17 strikeouts in 40 at-bats, continuing a troubling trend. The Nationals host the Cardinals before hitting the road to face the Brewers.

#29: Colorado Rockies (+1)

The Rockies are out of the basement of the MLB Power Rankings! They got there by taking two of three from the Blue Jays, but did lose two of three to the Phillies immediately after. TJ Rumfeld has been a surprise offensive star, Mickey Moniak hit a revenge homer against Philly , and Tomoyuki Sugano has been great in his two starts. The Rockies had a historically poor season last year, so it's nice to see them string some wins together. They host the Astros before hitting the road to face the Padres.

#30: Minnesota Twins (-1)

The Twins are moving into the basement of the power rankings after dropping two of three to the Rays and Royals. Byron Buxton missed a game with a forearm contusion, but did return on Sunday. One of their highlights is Kody Clemens forgetting the count, but scoring from second base anyway. They had power issues at Target Field as well , and that's not a home run comment. Although they don't have a ton of those, either. Things are bad in Minnesota, but the Rockies left some leftovers in the fridge, so that's nice.

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