MLB Power Rankings: Two unlikely playoff contender...
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- Atlanta Braves sit atop the rankings at 45-23, but Ronald Acuña Jr. exited Tuesday's game with a left hamstring injury — the same hamstring that had a Grade 1 strain last month, raising doubts about his availability for October.
- Los Angeles Dodgers (43-25) posted a major-league-best 2.86 ERA since May 13 despite missing starters Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow and closer Edwin Diaz, with Roki Sasaki's revived splitter and triple-digit fastball emerging as a bright spot.
- St. Louis Cardinals jumped from No. 14 to No. 9 — their highest ranking of the season — after sweeping the Reds, who fell to No. 22, their lowest of 2026.
- Philadelphia Phillies have rebounded from No. 21 in Week 5 all the way to No. 6, with Brandon Marsh batting .326 (fifth in MLB) and leading Phillies position players in bWAR while stars like Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber have drawn more attention.
- Milwaukee Brewers (41-25) have gotten an unexpected boost from Jake Bauers, acquired after he hit .199 in 2024, now batting .277/.376/.515 with 12 home runs and a club-leading 43 RBIs.
- Pittsburgh Pirates have now lost five straight Paul Skenes starts after a 12-3 loss to the Dodgers, with Skenes posting a 4.50 ERA and struggling with pitch efficiency — needing 109 pitches to last just 4⅔ innings in his previous start.
- Alex Bregman admitted he's been "terrible" with runners in scoring position for the Chicago Cubs, who have slid from No. 4 in Week 7 to No. 11 after an 18-3 blowout loss to the Giants and continued late-inning offensive failures.
Why it matters: The Braves have built enough cushion at 45-23 to absorb another Acuña absence, but his health could decide the NL race. The Phillies' climb from No. 21 to No. 6 in six weeks shows how quickly a slow start can be erased in a 162-game season, and Brandon Marsh's emergence puts him in line for an All-Star nod at his home ballpark.
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