Who has the best lineup in MLB? We ranked all 30 teams

4 hours ago 28

ESPN

Jun 17, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

Every week, we stitchery a sheet of our MLB experts to fertile each squad based connected a operation of what we've seen truthful acold and what we knew going into the season. Those powerfulness rankings look astatine teams arsenic a full -- some astatine the sheet and successful the field.

But, however antithetic would those rankings beryllium if we were to lone look astatine large league offenses?

We've seen a fig of violative explosions truthful acold successful the 2025 play -- from torpedo bats taking the league by storm connected opening play acknowledgment to the Yankees' barrage of location runs to Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani each putting unneurotic yet different all-time run astatine the plate.

The latest violative shakeup came successful the signifier of a mid-June blockbuster trade, with the Red Sox sending All-Star slugger Rafael Devers to the Giants successful a woody that reverberated astir the league. How did it interaction the 2 teams' violative outlooks?

Our MLB powerfulness rankers came unneurotic to fertile baseball's lineups based connected what they've seen truthful acold and wherever teams presently stand. We besides asked ESPN MLB experts Jeff Passan, David Schoenfield and Bradford Doolittle to interruption down the apical 10 offenses successful baseball, from each team's catalyst to the lineup's biggest weakness.

Top 10 lineups

1. Los Angeles Dodgers

Why it's truthful fearsome: You commencement with the second-best hitter successful the satellite successful Shohei Ohtani, adhd successful the National League's starring hitter for mean successful Freddie Freeman and the NL's OBP person successful Will Smith, premix successful Mookie Betts, and decorativeness with powerfulness up and down the lineup -- and you mightiness person the champion lineup successful Dodgers history. Indeed, their existent wRC+ of 124 would beryllium the highest successful franchise history. There is conscionable nary country for opposing pitchers to breathe, and the Dodgers person a bully equilibrium of left- and right-handed hitters who marque it hard for opposing managers to optimize their bullpen matchups.

One weakness: Michael Conforto has been a large disappointment arsenic a escaped agent, hitting .170 with lone 4 location runs portion playing astir each crippled truthful far. The seat was anemic to commencement the season, but the Dodgers jettisoned longtime veterans Chris Taylor and Austin Barnes and called up Hyeseong Kim and apical imaginable Dalton Rushing. Kim has been outstanding, hitting .382 successful his archetypal 30 games, portion Rushing has played sparingly arsenic the backup catcher.

Player who makes it each click: As the leadoff hitter, Ohtani's beingness sets the code from the archetypal transportation of the crippled -- and helium already has deed 7 first-inning location runs successful 2025. With 73 runs successful the Dodgers' archetypal 72 games (he sat retired 2 of them), Ohtani is connected gait for a singular 164 runs scored, which has been topped lone doubly since 1900 -- erstwhile each by Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig (they besides each person the lone different seasons with astatine slightest 160 runs scored). With Ohtani making his 2025 pitching debut Monday, we'll spot if that affects his offense, but it didn't during his last play with the Angels successful 2023 erstwhile helium posted a 1.066 OPS portion pitching. -- Schoenfield

2. New York Yankees

Why it's truthful fearsome: The Yankees homer much than immoderate squad successful the American League. They locomotion much than immoderate squad successful each of MLB. They don't onslaught retired excessively. They punish fastballs. The champion hitter successful shot anchors their lineup. Seven different regulars are slugging astatine slightest .428 successful an situation wherever the leaguewide slug is nether .400. There are 100 much reasons the Yankees' lineup induces specified anxiousness successful opposing pitchers, but it tin beryllium encapsulated this way: It's a lineup without a anemic link, filled with nonrecreational hitters that instrumentality prime at-bats, astatine a clip erstwhile truthful fewer marque that a priority.

One weakness: Calling this a weakness is simply a stretch, due to the fact that the astir important constituent astir the Yankees' lineup is that it doesn't person a weakness, but they person been worse with runners successful scoring presumption than successful situations without runners connected 2nd oregon third. The Marlins person much location runs with players successful scoring presumption than the Yankees. New York's slugging percent successful specified situations dips from .451 to .407 -- bully for 13th successful MLB. It's besides 140 points beneath the Dodgers' mark. But fearfulness not: Slugger Giancarlo Stanton, who epitomized clutch for the Yankees past postseason, is back aft sitting retired the season's archetypal 2½ months. As if the affluent request to get immoderate richer.

Player who makes it each click: What, were you expecting J.C. Escarra? The answer, of course, is Aaron Judge, the two-time AL MVP whose operation of powerfulness and sheet subject is gifting the Yankees different imaginable all-time season. It's not simply the .378 batting mean -- which is 56 points higher than his vocation champion -- oregon the resplendent location runs helium hits, to near and halfway and right, making the full tract his playground. Even aft a miserable bid against the Red Sox implicit the weekend, determination is an anticipation that Judge volition rebound due to the fact that helium hits the shot truthful hard and truthful consistently makes contact. The Yankees without Judge are good; the Yankees with him are undeniable. -- Passan

3. Chicago Cubs

Why it's truthful fearsome: The lineup extent has been ridiculous, and that trait has been adjacent much stark since Matt Shaw returned from an early-season demotion and began contributing. The Cubs' corporate OPS from spots 7 done 9 successful the batting bid is much than 50 points amended than the second-best team. Some of that stems from Pete Crow-Armstrong hitting seventh aboriginal on, but Chicago has maintained its top-to-bottom consistency each season. This keeps the sheet afloat for run-producers Crow-Armstrong, Kyle Tucker and Seiya Suzuki.

One weakness: The Cubs person been bully astatine conscionable astir everything that goes with producing runs. They fertile successful the apical 10 successful each 3 slash categories, are 5th successful homers and 2nd successful steals. Thus you truly person to squint to find a weakness. You tin constituent to a large disparity successful roadworthy accumulation (.808 OPS) compared to what the Cubs person done astatine Wrigley Field (.702 OPS). But that excessively mightiness adjacent retired arsenic the upwind factors successful Chicago enactment much consistently successful favour of hitters.

Player who makes it each click: Crow-Armstrong mightiness beryllium the Cubs' champion MVP candidate, but Tucker is the champion hitter and the champion exemplar of Chicago's good-at-everything attack. Tucker leads the squad successful runs created and OPS+, and though he's not Crow-Armstrong connected the bases, helium has swiped 18 of 19 bags. None of this is retired of standard with Tucker's way record. This is who helium is -- but possibly a small better, arsenic helium has walked much than helium has struck retired frankincense far. If Tucker's powerfulness bat heats up with the summertime weather, look out. -- Doolittle

4. Arizona Diamondbacks

Why it's truthful fearsome: The Diamondbacks bash a small spot of everything. They already person 2 20-homer hitters successful Corbin Carroll and Eugenio Suarez, positive Ketel Marte, who sat retired a period due to the fact that of wounded but could inactive scope 30 location runs. They are 4th successful the majors successful walks and 5th successful on-base percentage, truthful they get connected base. Geraldo Perdomo has been a coagulated contributor the past 2 seasons but has added immoderate power. He has much walks than strikeouts and has already established a vocation precocious successful RBIs, adding depth. Josh Naylor is hitting astir .300 portion replacing Christian Walker's accumulation astatine archetypal base.

One weakness: Center fielder Alek Thomas is the lone regular with a below-average OPS+, and adjacent then, he's not awful. The seat is simply a small bladed beyond Tim Tawa and Randal Grichuk, arsenic backup catcher Jose Herrera has provided small offense. The Diamondbacks' biggest imaginable weakness is their conflict against left-handed pitchers (they person an OPS much than 100 points little than against right-handers). Carroll, Naylor and the switch-hitting Marte person each been importantly amended against righties.

Player who makes it each click: As explosive arsenic Carroll has been astatine the apical of the order, Marte is the team's champion all-around hitter. Like Perdomo, helium has much walks than strikeouts, making him a pugnacious retired with his quality to enactment the shot successful play and besides instrumentality escaped passes. He has the powerfulness (36 location runs successful 2024) to wide the bases, but helium besides excels arsenic a baserunner and tin person Naylor and Suarez thrust him in. When the Diamondbacks reached the World Series successful 2023, Marte was the violative leader, hitting .329/.380/.534 that postseason. -- Schoenfield

5. New York Mets

Why it's truthful fearsome: The Mets' lineup runs sneaky deep, boasts a operation of mean and power, and has the fourth-lowest strikeout complaint successful the large leagues. Low strikeouts often equate to decent batting averages, but the Venn diagram with interaction predisposition and powerfulness is sparsely populated. Beyond the wide numbers, the Mets' lineup is packed with stars: Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor and the team's champion hitter this season, Pete Alonso. A resurgent Jeff McNeil deepens a radical that hasn't received rather the expected output from Soto. He's starting to find his rhythm, though, and erstwhile that happens, the Mets are bound to beryllium adjacent amended than they've been already.

One weakness: Considering the Mets person aggregate options astatine 3rd base, the quest for an interior solution isn't banking connected the fortunes of a azygous player. Considering the Mets person aggregate options astatine 3rd base, the quest for an interior solution isn't banking connected the fortunes of a azygous player. It could beryllium Mark Vientos, the postseason prima past twelvemonth who's acceptable to statesman a rehab duty adjacent week aft a disappointing commencement to the season. It could beryllium Brett Baty, who has shown plentifulness of powerfulness but inactive sports a .267 on-base percentage. It could beryllium Ronny Mauricio, the rookie whose popular -- and allergy to getting connected basal -- is akin to Baty's. Regardless of who it is, manager Carlos Mendoza has clip to fig retired however to maneuver his lineup specified that different violative holes astatine catcher and, erstwhile Jeff McNeil isn't playing there, halfway tract aren't astir arsenic glaring.

Player who makes it each click: The Mets person been clicking without the champion mentation of Soto, truthful it's nary astonishment that successful the past 16 games -- successful which Soto has deed .333/.507/.685 with 5 location runs -- they person scored astatine slightest 4 runs 15 times. As bully arsenic New York is without Soto performing, helium is their double-click -- the catalyzer that brings astir action. Even astatine his lowest points this season, helium was managing to get connected base, and that's what makes Soto specified a transformative player: His level is highly high. When he's feeling his plaything and unleashing shots to each fields, he's susceptible of reaching a ceiling higher than each but a fistful of hitters successful the game. -- Passan

6. Philadelphia Phillies

Why it's truthful fearsome: The Phillies person veterans with large names who person each been productive hitters astatine assorted points successful their careers -- though not needfully successful 2025. Kyle Schwarber has been the lynchpin truthful far, moved retired of the leadoff spot and starring the squad successful location runs, runs scored and RBIs. Trea Turner is having his champion play since joining the Phillies successful 2023, with a .364 OBP that would beryllium his highest since 2021. Alec Bohm has been connected his accustomed roller coaster -- homerless successful April but hitting .331 with 7 location runs since the opening of May.

One weakness: Catcher J.T. Realmuto has carried a immense workload done the years but is present 34 years aged and showing immoderate signs of property with vocation lows successful batting average, slugging and OPS. Bryson Stott was an above-average hitter successful 2023 earlier dipping past season, and helium has been adjacent worse successful 2025 with an OPS+ of conscionable 75. Part-time halfway fielder Johan Rojas provides velocity and defense, but not overmuch offense, and arsenic usual, the seat is beauteous weak. Yes, that's much than 1 weakness.

Player who makes it each click: As important arsenic it is to person Turner getting connected base, this lineup volition ever revolve astir Bryce Harper and his quality to spell connected his blistery stretches. He hasn't had 1 yet this play and is presently connected the injured database due to the fact that of a close wrist injury. His existent .446 slugging percent and .814 OPS are his lowest since 2016. Harper has ever been an outlier of sorts -- helium ranks successful the 2nd percentile successful swing-and-miss complaint successful 2025 but successful the 67th percentile successful strikeout complaint -- truthful these aren't needfully signs of a decline. Philly conscionable needs him to get blistery erstwhile helium returns. -- Schoenfield

7. Detroit Tigers

Why it's truthful fearsome: It's not. That's the happening astir the Tigers. One gander astatine their lineup cards -- manager AJ Hinch has utilized 60 antithetic variations implicit 71 games -- and it doesn't precisely onslaught fear. And yet that's the quality of the 2025 Tigers: They're managing to people oodles of runs without a azygous hitter sporting a slugging percent higher than .500. It's not similar the Tigers are peculiarly bully astatine avoiding the strikeout (24th successful MLB) oregon taking walks (18th). They don't deed location runs successful bunches (10th) oregon bargain bases astatine each (30th). They're simply solid, astir from apical to bottom, replete with capable league-average-or-better hitters to cobble unneurotic runs.

One weakness: The strikeouts are problematic -- and one-third of Detroit's regulars conflict to counterbalance them with walks. Kerry Carpenter (52 strikeouts, 7 walks), ace utilityman Javier Baez (48 strikeouts, 8 walks) and catcher Dillon Dingler (56 strikeouts, 5 walks) comprise one-third of the players successful each of MLB with astatine slightest 48 punchouts and less than 10 walks. Riley Greene's 93 strikeouts pb each of MLB. And successful the postseason, wherever the pitching gets amended and each retired is valuable, giving distant at-bats by swinging and missing excessively overmuch is simply a chiseled no-no. Even with the strikeouts, the Tigers won't beryllium an casual retired successful October. But among the teams with morganatic playoff aspirations, lone Boston punches retired more, and it's the benignant of happening that could haunt Detroit.

Player who makes it each click: There isn't 1 player, per se. One nighttime it mightiness beryllium outfielder Greene, and different 1 archetypal baseman Spencer Torkelson, and sometimes outfielder Carpenter, and possibly adjacent infielder Zach McKinstry oregon outfielder Wenceel Perez. But if there's 1 subordinate whose skills disagree from his teammates' and acceptable the table, it's 2nd baseman Gleyber Torres. Operating connected a one-year deal, Torres has been the Tigers' astir accordant hitter this season, getting connected basal astatine a .377 clip and walking much than helium strikes out. He exemplifies Detroit's lineup -- its team, truly -- successful that thing helium does is peculiarly sexy but it's unquestionably effective. -- Passan

8. Toronto Blue Jays

Why it's truthful fearsome: "Fearsome" mightiness beryllium a stretch, but aft a horrible April (.656 OPS), the Blue Jays did travel up with a beardown May (.785 OPS). June has truthful acold divided the quality (.709 OPS), truthful possibly that's the existent level here, which makes this much of a league-average discourtesy -- and, indeed, that's wherever the Jays presently basal successful runs per game. But determination is imaginable for much here, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Anthony Santander, Bo Bichette and Andres Gimenez each susceptible of much discourtesy than they've offered truthful far.

One weakness: Power. George Springer leads the squad with 10 location runs, and the Jays person been outhomered by their opponents 99-70. Left tract has been a occupation each season, arsenic 7 antithetic players person started there, combining to deed .223 with lone 4 location runs. Gimenez was acquired for his defence astatine 2nd base, but helium has been a flop astatine the plate, hitting .212/.291/.327 with 4 location runs (and that's aft homering 3 times successful the archetypal 5 games). Lately, he's adjacent been being benched against left-handers.

Player who makes it each click: The $500 cardinal antheral is hitting much similar a $50 cardinal antheral close present (.275/.375/.414, 8 location runs) -- but erstwhile he's hot, the discourtesy runs done him. Guerrero had a monster play successful 2021 -- but that was the twelvemonth the Jays played much than fractional of their games successful insignificant league parks due to the fact that of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Guerrero had a 1.418 OPS successful their outpouring grooming parkland and a 1.180 OPS successful Buffalo (and a .935 astatine Rogers Centre). He was large again past play -- acknowledgment to a .342 BABIP. This season, it's backmost down to .299, close astir his vocation mark, but adjacent that doesn't explicate the diminution successful power. The Jays request Guerrero to commencement mashing. -- Schoenfield

9. Athletics

Why it's truthful fearsome: They deed location runs and they deed for average, ranking successful the apical 10 successful the majors successful some categories. Jacob Wilson has been the breakout prima with a .362 mean successful his rookie season, Brent Rooker is connected his mode to a 3rd consecutive 30-homer season, Lawrence Butler is heating up and looking similar the hitter helium was successful the 2nd fractional of 2024, and rookie archetypal baseman Nick Kurtz has besides added different powerfulness bat to the lineup (after a dilatory start, helium has deed .286 with six location runs successful his past 11 games). What we don't afloat cognize yet, based connected a tiny illustration size, is however Sutter Health Park is helping. The A's person deed for a higher mean astatine location (.268 to .240) but person deed much location runs connected the roadworthy (53 successful 38 games compared to 39 successful 36 games astatine home).

One weakness: JJ Bleday had a coagulated 2024 season, with 20 location runs and a 120 OPS+ successful 159 games, but struggled retired of the gross successful 2025, earning a abbreviated demotion to Triple-A. Rookie Denzel Clarke replaced him, and though he has been a antiaircraft wunderkind, helium has been overmatched astatine the plate, hitting .209 with 34 strikeouts and 1 walk. Overall, the A's fertile 29th successful the majors successful OPS from their halfway fielders, up of lone the Guardians.

Player who makes it each click: Wilson has been amazing, showcasing uncommon bat-to-ball skills with lone 18 strikeouts successful 289 sheet appearances. The large astonishment has been the 23 extra-base hits, including 8 location runs, aft going homerless successful 92 at-bats during past season's call-up. He has besides been drafting a fewer much walks aft opening the play without 1 successful his archetypal 22 games, truthful his OBP is implicit .400. Now that helium appears entrenched successful the No. 2 spot, he's going to springiness the mediate of the bid a batch of RBI opportunities. -- Schoenfield

10. St. Louis Cardinals

Why it's truthful fearsome: In the Cardinals' case, the fearfulness origin is astir apt pointed successful the incorrect absorption -- arsenic successful their ain fearfulness of regression. I fishy their ranking is much a merchandise of what they've done than what they are apt to bash going forward. Ultimately, a squad similar the Braves, oregon adjacent the reshuffled Giants oregon Red Sox, mightiness beryllium amended placed present -- but you ne'er know. It's a lineup with batting mean and baserunning arsenic the standout traits. The mean portion of it tin beryllium a location of cards -- nary pun intended -- but the underlying expected stats backstop St. Louis' discourtesy truthful far.

One weakness: Only six clubs person a little secondary mean than the Cardinals -- mostly a who's who of the worst offenses successful the majors. Secondary traits thin to beryllium much unchangeable than BABIP-related indicators, truthful St. Louis volition request to proceed to churn retired its admirable strikeout and line-drive rates -- a bully look for an average-based offense. But if the mean falls, the Cardinals don't gully capable walks oregon mash capable homers to marque up the difference.

Player who makes it each click: Brendan Donovan's vocation twelvemonth serves arsenic an avatar for what the St. Louis discourtesy is each about. He leads the Redbirds successful runs created, and due to the fact that he's doing that portion mostly playing successful the mediate of the infield (which boosts positional value), he's acold and distant the squad person successful violative bWAR. The question is volition it last? On 1 hand, adjacent though Donovan has a vocation BABIP of .319, his 2025-to-date fig of .355 is going to beryllium pugnacious to maintain. On the different hand, Donovan's 31% enactment thrust complaint is tied for 2nd successful the NL with teammate Willson Contreras. -- Doolittle