Ranking the offenses of all 12 MLB playoff teams: Can anyone out-power the Cubs? — SkimNews
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- Chicago Cubs ranked the No. 1 playoff offense after leading the majors in runs and OPS, with Pete Crow-Armstrong tracking as a surefire NL MVP and Alex Bregman quieting concerns about his facial fractures with a four-hit, two-homer finale.
- Los Angeles Dodgers landed at No. 2 despite finishing fourth in runs, with Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Kyle Tucker, and Will Smith all heating up down the stretch after injuries or lackluster stretches earlier in the year.
- Milwaukee Brewers ranked No. 3 while finishing tied for 28th in MLB in home runs, bucking the power-happy playoff trend by leading the majors in batting average and on-base percentage and scoring the second-most runs in baseball.
- San Diego Padres checked in at No. 4 after a dramatic turnaround, going from dead-last in the majors in runs, average, and OPS at the All-Star break to leading MLB in average and sitting second in OPS since the break.
- New York Yankees placed No. 5 on the strength of a major-league second-ranked home run total despite Aaron Judge missing significant time, with Ben Rice (projected top-five MVP finish) and Cody Bellinger picking up the slack.
- Chicago White Sox landed at No. 6 despite ranking 25th in batting average, powered by a trio of 30-homer hitters in Munetaka Murakami, Colson Montgomery, and Miguel Vargas that put them fifth in MLB in runs scored.
Why it matters: The Cubs' ranking hinges on consistency — the same lineup that can rally from any spot also has the potential to be swept when it goes cold. The Dodgers pose the clearest threat if their stars stay healthy, while the Brewers demonstrate that contact-and-speed clubs can score as efficiently as power-heavy lineups in a short playoff series.
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