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ESPN
Jun 12, 2025, 07:00 AM ET
As we commencement to attack the halfway constituent of the season, teams person mostly settled into their respective places. This week's list, however, saw a just spot of movement, including the Dodgers falling to their lowest ranking of the play ... astatine No. 4.
The Tigers, meanwhile, stay successful the No. 1 spot aft a 2-1 bid triumph against the Cubs, followed by a big of 7 National League teams, interrupted lone by the Yankees astatine No. 3.
Just similar successful our erstwhile weeks' rankings, 4 American League teams reside successful the apical 10. The aforesaid four? Not truthful much. While the Mariners dropped 7 places to No. 15, the Rays recovered their mode backmost to the apical 10 for the archetypal clip since Week 1.
Outside of the apical 10, improvements were made by teams similar the Blue Jays and Astros, portion the Braves fell to their lowest ranking of the play astatine No. 21.
Our adept sheet has ranked each squad based connected a operation of what we've seen truthful acold and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that is simply a afloat shot season. We besides asked ESPN MLB experts Jorge Castillo, Alden Gonzalez and David Schoenfield to measurement successful with an reflection for each 30 teams.
1. Detroit Tigers
Record: 44-25
Previous ranking: 1
Zach McKinstry has been a important portion of Detroit's improved offense, hitting .275/.362/.436 portion starring the team's presumption players with 1.6 WAR (and tied for the AL pb with 7 triples). He has started games astatine 5 antithetic positions (3B, RF, LF, SS, 2B) and deed good successful high-leverage situations (around .400). McKinstry entered 2025 with a vocation OPS+ of 77, including conscionable 74 past season, erstwhile helium deed .215/.277/.337, truthful we'll spot if helium tin support it up, but manager A.J. Hinch has been starting him astir each crippled of late, including against left-handers. -- Schoenfield
2. New York Mets
Record: 44-24
Previous ranking: 3
The Mets proceed to play good and person opened up a bigger part pb implicit the slumping Phillies. New York leads the majors successful ERA and the consistency of the starting pitching has been remarkable: Only doubly each play has a Mets starter allowed much than 4 runs (Blade Tidwell allowed six making a fill-in commencement successful a doubleheader and Griffin Canning allowed 5 connected May 28 against the White Sox). Clay Holmes is looking similar 1 of the bargains of the offseason and is present 7-3 with a 2.95 ERA. He's making a propulsion for All-Star information arsenic a starter aft doubly making it arsenic a reliever with the Yankees. -- Schoenfield
3. New York Yankees
Record: 41-25
Previous ranking: 4
Giancarlo Stanton, who began a rehab duty Tuesday with Double-A Somerset, did not unopen down the anticipation of making his play debut this play against the Red Sox. Stanton has been connected the injured database with terrible tendon injuries successful some of his elbows, and the Yankees person inactive posted the highest OPS and wRC+ successful the majors. As the roster stands, his instrumentality volition make a logjam successful the DH spot with Stanton, Ben Rice, Jasson Dominguez and Aaron Judge -- erstwhile manager Aaron Boone wants to get him disconnected his feet -- arsenic options for the slot. -- Castillo
4. Los Angeles Dodgers
Record: 41-28
Previous ranking: 2
Matt Sauer, a 26-year-old journeyman, threw a career-high 111 pitches portion allowing 9 runs connected Tuesday. Enrique Hernandez, a inferior player, past recorded the last 7 outs. The pursuing afternoon, it was Ben Casparius going arsenic agelong arsenic helium could successful yet different bullpen game. The Dodgers' pitching concern is rather dire these days -- but determination is anticipation connected the horizon. Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow are disconnected a mound and progressing. Shohei Ohtani, meanwhile, threw a 44-pitch simulated crippled earlier this week and should instrumentality astatine immoderate constituent adjacent month. Until then, the Dodgers indispensable survive. -- Gonzalez
5. Chicago Cubs
Record: 41-27
Previous ranking: 6
We've reached the constituent successful the calendar wherever the illustration sizes mean something, and that means Pete Crow-Armstrong is simply a morganatic National League MVP candidate. PCA leads the NL successful fWAR (3.6) for a Cubs squad that has the second-best grounds successful the NL. The 23-year-old halfway fielder is 1 of the champion defenders successful the athletics astatine immoderate presumption and a burner connected the basepaths with 21 steals. His pursuit complaint ranks among the highest successful the majors, but he's inactive producing astatine an elite level with a slash enactment of .271/.305/.545. Maybe the discourtesy regresses, but since it's been much than 2 months, it mightiness conscionable beryllium for real. -- Castillo
6. Philadelphia Phillies
Record: 39-29
Previous ranking: 5
Are the Phillies good? They're 7-0 against the Rockies and hardly implicit .500 against everyone else. They person conscionable the 14th-best tally differential successful the majors and lone 5 bid wins against teams that presently person a winning grounds (the Dodgers, Cubs twice, Rays and Guardians). Jesus Luzardo has abruptly mislaid it, allowing a singular 20 runs implicit consecutive starts (the Phillies believe helium was tipping his pitches). Aaron Nola is inactive retired with a accent absorption successful a rib and won't propulsion for astatine slightest 2 weeks. Bryce Harper conscionable landed connected the IL. The bullpen continues to scuffle. -- Schoenfield
7. San Francisco Giants
Record: 40-28
Previous ranking: 9
The Giants erupted for 4 ninth-inning runs against the Rockies connected Tuesday night, giving them not lone their sixth consecutive triumph but their sixth consecutive one-run triumph -- 1 shy of the large league record, acceptable by the 1927 Cubs. The Giants pb the majors with 17 one-run wins this season. And though astatine slightest immoderate of that is astir apt fluky, there's besides a precise tangible crushed for their occurrence successful those situations: Their bullpen continues to beryllium lights out. Giants relievers boast the lowest ERA (2.34) and WHIP (1.09) successful the majors this season. -- Gonzalez
8. San Diego Padres
Record: 38-29
Previous ranking: 7
Yu Darvish and Michael King stay connected the IL, and it seemed arsenic if Manny Machado was single-handedly carrying the discourtesy implicit these past fewer weeks. Yet, the Padres person recovered a mode to triumph games. Heading into their showdown against the Dodgers this week, they had won 10 of 16 games. Six of those wins were decided by a azygous run. During that stretch, Padres relievers enactment up a 1.58 ERA, 3rd lowest successful the large leagues. -- Gonzalez
9. Houston Astros
Record: 37-30
Previous ranking: 10
The Astros' discourtesy continues to scuffle without Yordan Alvarez, who has been constricted to 29 games due to the fact that of a fracture successful his close hand. But the pitching unit continues to support this squad afloat. This period alone, the Astros person received ascendant starts from Hunter Brown, Framber Valdez and Lance McCullers Jr. portion winning six of 9 games and vaulting into archetypal spot successful the AL West. Ronel Blanco's Tommy John country and Spencer Arrighetti's fractured thumb person forced Brandon Walter into the rotation, and helium has responded with a 1.64 ERA successful 2 starts. -- Gonzalez
10. Tampa Bay Rays
Record: 36-32
Previous ranking: 15
The Rays precocious optioned rookie Chandler Simpson -- 1 of the fastest players successful shot -- aft helium stole 19 bases successful conscionable 35 games, but they're not slowing down connected the basepaths. Utilityman Jose Caballero leads the majors with 25 steals successful 29 attempts portion Jake Mangum, different rookie, is 10-for-10. The Rays, arsenic a team, are tops successful the majors with 96 stolen bases -- 10 much than the second-ranked Brewers. That unsocial has helped them enactment wrong striking region of the first-place Yankees successful the AL East. -- Castillo
11. Minnesota Twins
Record: 36-31
Previous ranking: 112
Minnesota's pitching has led the mode portion the discourtesy has been astir league average, but what's absorbing is wherever the Twins are getting that discourtesy from -- a batch of alleged "free talent" acquisitions. Harrison Bader and Ty France signed successful February arsenic bargain basement escaped agents. Bader is 2nd to Byron Buxton successful WAR among presumption players portion France is 2nd successful RBIs. Kody Clemens signed successful precocious April aft the Phillies waived him, and helium has a 123 OPS+. The Twins signed Willi Castro up of the 2023 play aft the Tigers fto him go, and he's consistently enactment up coagulated numbers. With Carlos Correa and Royce Lewis inactive scuffling, those 4 person been immense keys successful the archetypal half. -- Schoenfield
12. St. Louis Cardinals
Record: 33-26
Previous ranking: 11
For astir a year, Ivan Herrera has softly been 1 of the champion hitters successful the majors erstwhile healthy. Since June 1 of past year, the catcher/designated hitter's 168 wRC+ is tied for 4th successful the majors among batters with astatine slightest 250 sheet appearances. Only Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani and Ketel Marte person posted amended marks. The occupation is Herrera has played successful conscionable 66 games during that span compared to Judge, for example, who has played successful 150-plus. This season, Herrera missed much than a period with a genu injury, but erstwhile he's connected the tract helium produces. In 35 games, he's batting .317 with 7 location runs and a .941 OPS. -- Castillo
13. Toronto Blue Jays
Record: 38-30
Previous ranking: 18
The Blue Jays' champion hitter this play hasn't been their $500 cardinal archetypal baseman (Vladimir Guerrero Jr.) oregon their large escaped cause acquisition (Anthony Santander) oregon their two-time All-Star shortstop (Bo Bichette). It's been George Springer, a 35-year-old outfielder whose champion years appeared to beryllium down him aft a disappointing 2024 season. Springer is enjoying a rebound run with a .259/.366/.488 slash enactment and 10 location runs successful 64 games. His .854 OPS leads the Blue Jays among qualified hitters and is 10th champion among qualified outfielders crossed the majors. It's been a throwback show for the four-time All-Star. -- Castillo
14. Milwaukee Brewers
Record: 36-33
Previous ranking: 13
While the Brewers' pitching carousel seemingly ne'er stops, Freddy Peralta is inactive successful Milwaukee churning retired prime seasons -- and this 1 mightiness beryllium his best. The seasoned right-hander, who held the Padres to 1 deed implicit six scoreless innings Sunday, has a 2.69 ERA implicit 14 starts. Peralta, 29, is en way to his 2nd All-Star quality for a nine that is erstwhile again exceeding expectations and successful the postseason hunt. -- Castillo
15. Seattle Mariners
Record: 33-34
Previous ranking: 8
The Mariners were 8 games supra .500 and 3½ games up successful the AL West erstwhile they bushed the Astros connected May 23. They person since dropped 13 of 17 games and beryllium 4 games backmost of Houston. Their discourtesy has struggled, with Jorge Polanco successful peculiar coming backmost down to Earth. But the biggest culprit has been the pitching unit -- much specifically the bullpen, which has enactment up a large league-worst 5.98 ERA during that 28-game stretch. Making matters worse, Bryce Miller didn't respond to a cortisone injection for his elbow inflammation and volition beryllium retired for astatine slightest different month. -- Gonzalez
16. Cincinnati Reds
Record: 35-34
Previous ranking: 21
Hunter Greene appeared connected his mode to a 2nd consecutive All-Star motion earlier helium landed connected the IL past week with a groin strain for the 2nd clip this season. While a timetable for his instrumentality is not known, Greene near the Reds for Los Angeles connected Monday to question a 2nd sentiment connected his groin and little back, which began bothering him successful his past commencement against the Brewers. The 25-year-old is 1 of the hardest-throwing starters successful shot and has a 2.72 ERA successful 11 outings this season. The Reds, who person been hovering astir .500 astir of the season, volition effort to enactment successful the contention without him. -- Castillo
17. Kansas City Royals
Record: 34-34
Previous ranking: 17
Noah Cameron had the archetypal unsmooth outing of his seven-start MLB vocation connected Tuesday, serving up a two-run homer to Aaron Judge successful the archetypal inning and past a three-run homer to Austin Wells successful the fourth. That raised his ERA up to 2.17 arsenic the six runs helium allowed doubled his full of 3 entering the start. Indeed, the 25-year-old lefty has been a bully surprise, a seventh-round prime successful 2021 retired of Central Arkansas who lone sits astatine 92 mph with his fastball but relies connected a five-pitch mix. The strikeout complaint is debased (25 successful 37⅓ IP), truthful we'll spot if this past outing was a blip oregon the league making immoderate adjustments. -- Schoenfield
18. Cleveland Guardians
Record: 35-32
Previous ranking: 14
Tuesday's 1-0 nonaccomplishment to the Reds ensured a 3rd consecutive bid nonaccomplishment for Cleveland aft losing 2 of 3 to the Yankees and Astros. That was besides the ninth crippled successful a enactment wherever the Guardians failed to people much than 4 runs arsenic they deed conscionable .215 with a .289 OBP successful that stretch. Slade Cecconi had his champion start, allowing 1 tally successful 5 innings, but was issued zero runs of enactment for his 2nd commencement successful a row. Kyle Manzardo's slump has been a cardinal crushed for the violative woes arsenic helium deed .164 with 1 location tally and 4 RBIs implicit 19 games earlier his two-hit, two-RBI outing Wednesday that included a double. -- Schoenfield
19. Arizona Diamondbacks
Record: 34-34
Previous ranking: 19
When Corbin Burnes decided to acquisition season-ending Tommy John country past Friday, the D-backs were a .500 squad successful a highly competitory NL West. Their rotation held the sixth-highest ERA successful the majors. Arizona proceeded to get swept by the Reds, past bounced backmost by sweeping the Mariners, mounting the Diamondbacks up for immoderate truly hard decisions up of the commercialized deadline adjacent month. If they determine to punt connected 2025, the likes of Merrill Kelly, Zac Gallen, Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suarez volition beryllium fascinating names to monitor. -- Gonzalez
20. Boston Red Sox
Record: 34-36
Previous ranking: 22
The Red Sox yet did it. Less than a period aft his 21st birthday, Roman Anthony got called up. After banging connected the large league doorway for weeks, baseball's statement No. 1 imaginable drove from Worcester to Boston connected Monday to marque his long-awaited debut astatine Fenway Park against the Rays. He batted 5th and played close tract contempt chiefly playing successful near and halfway tract successful the minors this season. Anthony went hitless successful his debut earlier signaling his archetypal vocation deed -- a two-run treble -- Tuesday. Fans were eagerly awaiting his arrival, and the unit is precocious to present for a squad with postseason aspirations. -- Castillo
21. Atlanta Braves
Record: 29-38
Previous ranking: 16
The Braves had a disastrous seven-game losing streak, mirroring their 0-7 commencement to the season, which dropped them good backmost successful the NL wild-card race. They person a agelong of games coming up against the Mets and Phillies that volition nary uncertainty find their commercialized deadline decisions. Among those losses was arguably the worst decision of 2025 for immoderate team: The Braves blew a 10-4 pb astatine location to Arizona successful the ninth inning arsenic Scott Blewett and Raisel Iglesias gave up 7 runs. Back-to-back walk-off losses to the Giants followed, including Pierce Johnson blowing a ninth-inning pb connected Matt Chapman's location run. -- Schoenfield
22. Texas Rangers
Record: 32-36
Previous ranking: 20
A Rangers discourtesy that had spent astir of the twelvemonth successful a comatose authorities erupted for 16 runs against the Twins connected Tuesday night, during which Evan Carter supplied 3 hits -- including a location tally -- and a walk. The Rangers person been waiting for Carter to unrecorded up to the committedness helium displayed during the agelong tally of the 2023 season. He struggled portion dealing with a backmost wounded past year, past struggled again earlier injuring his quad this year. Since coming backmost up from the IL, though, Carter is 9-for-21 with 4 extra-base hits. If helium tin support that going, the Rangers mightiness conscionable marque a tally successful the division. -- Gonzalez
23. Washington Nationals
Record: 30-37
Previous ranking: 23
Where mightiness the Nationals beryllium if they had a amended bullpen? Tuesday's nonaccomplishment was indicative of the play arsenic they blew a 4-2 pb to the Mets, allowing 2 runs successful the eighth and past suffering a walk-off nonaccomplishment successful the 10th. Only the A's person a worse bullpen ERA, and the Nationals fertile successful the bottommost 3rd of the majors successful bullpen triumph probability added. The Nats did get adjacent to .500 -- they were 28-30 arsenic precocious arsenic May 31 -- but Tuesday's nonaccomplishment dropped them backmost to six games nether .500 arsenic the discourtesy has gone backmost into a heavy slump aft exploding for 38 runs successful 4 games astatine the extremity of May. -- Schoenfield
24. Los Angeles Angels
Record: 33-34
Previous ranking: 24
Jo Adell has ever displayed a propensity to tally blistery and cold, and astatine this point, he's connected a existent heater. The Angels' enigmatic young outfielder is slashing .325/.413/.875 with 7 location runs since May 30, raising his play OPS by 136 points. His squad is 8-4 during that stretch, which should travel arsenic nary astonishment -- the Angels' discourtesy looks precise antithetic erstwhile Adell is supplying accordant accumulation from the bottommost 3rd of the lineup. The anticipation is helium tin thrust this agelong conscionable a small spot longer to assistance L.A. creep backmost implicit .500. -- Gonzalez
25. Baltimore Orioles
Record: 27-39
Previous ranking: 25
Heston Kjerstad, the No. 2 prime successful the 2020 draft, was fixed his archetypal agelong runway successful the majors to commencement this season, and helium struggled mightily earlier helium was optioned to Triple-A connected Tuesday. The outfielder batted .192 with a .566 OPS successful 54 games. His 59 wRC+ was tied for 13th worst successful the majors among players with astatine slightest 160 sheet appearances this season, and his minus-1.1 fWAR was tied for the 3rd lowest. The Orioles anticipation a stint successful Norfolk tin get him backmost connected track. -- Castillo
26. Pittsburgh Pirates
Record: 28-41
Previous ranking: 26
Paul Skenes has fixed up 7 runs (six earned) successful 48⅓ innings crossed his past 7 starts, maintaining a pristine 1.12 ERA. He hasn't surrendered much than 2 runs successful immoderate of the six outings. The Pirates' grounds successful those games? They are 3-4. Skenes was credited with conscionable 1 of those wins and is 4-6 connected the play contempt a 1.88 ERA implicit a large league-leading 91 innings. The Pirates person improved nether interim manager Don Kelly -- they're 15-15 aft going 12-26 with Derek Shelton astatine the helm -- but the discourtesy has near wins connected the array with their 23-year-old right-hander connected the mound. -- Castillo
27. Miami Marlins
Record: 25-41
Previous ranking: 27
It was large to spot Eury Perez backmost successful the majors, making his archetypal commencement since September 2023 aft helium blew retired his close elbow successful outpouring grooming successful 2024. He allowed 4 runs successful 3 innings against the Pirates, with 5 strikeouts and 2 walks, and fought his bid arsenic helium threw 70 pitches. His four-seamer averaged 98.5 mph -- up 1 mph from what helium averaged arsenic a rookie. Still, it was a reminder of however bully helium was backmost successful 2023. Unfortunately for Miami, close arsenic Perez returns, Max Meyer (hip impingement) and Ryan Weathers (shoulder and lat strain) landed connected the IL. -- Schoenfield
28. Athletics
Record: 26-44
Previous ranking: 28
Jacob Wilson, the biggest agleam spot successful a abruptly spiraling season, has missed the past 2 games with tightness successful his near hamstring but is expected backmost successful the lineup by Friday. Since the commencement of May, his batting mean is precisely .400, tops among qualified hitters. For the year, the 23-year-old shortstop is batting .366, with Aaron Judge (.394) the lone subordinate lasting successful the mode of a batting title. Wilson's locomotion and strikeout rates are comically low, but this isn't immoderate reincarnation of Luis Arraez; Wilson is besides slugging .520, the 13th highest people successful the majors. -- Gonzalez
29. Chicago White Sox
Record: 23-45
Previous ranking: 29
Two offseason acquisitions are paying disconnected nicely for the White Sox. Shane Smith was a Rule 5 prime from the Brewers and, aft allowing 1 tally successful six innings to bushed the Astros connected Tuesday, helium improved to 3-3 with a 2.37 ERA. Seven unearned runs person helped that ERA, but he's done a bully occupation keeping the shot successful the parkland with conscionable 4 location runs successful 68⅓ innings. Chase Meidroth was an afterthought successful the Garrett Crochet commercialized but helium was consistently getting connected basal successful the minors and is doing that with the White Sox, hitting .296 with a .385 OBP. -- Schoenfield
30. Colorado Rockies
Record: 12-55
Previous ranking: 30
A uncommon agleam spot emerged past week. The Rockies won each 3 of their games against the Marlins, giving them their archetypal bid triumph of the play and their archetypal expanse successful implicit a year. Unfortunately, bully feelings don't past precise agelong successful Colorado these days. The Rockies proceeded to suffer 5 successful a enactment against the Mets and Giants. They've already had 8 losing streaks of 4 oregon much games this season. Four of them person spanned 8 games. And it's lone June. -- Gonzalez
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