Which Team Has MLB’s Best Power Duo?

The 2026 season has been quite different from the 2025 season when it comes to home runs. Cal Raleigh, who led the league with 60 last year, has been injured and downright bad for the majority of the season. Aaron Judge has been on the shelf as well, taking one of the premier power bats out of the game. Eugenio Suárez, who was fifth in home runs last season, might not reach half of his 49 total from last season.

Although a few of the certified power hitters are not performing this year, the door has been opened to a number of younger bats. Hunter Goodman, Pete Crow-Armstrong, James Wood, Munetaka Murakami, and others have all solidified themselves as the next wave of power hitters.

themselves as the next wave of power hitters.

Having a power bat in your lineup is a must. Having two or more almost guarantees a certain level of success. With roughly five weeks left in the season, I wanted to dive into a race many might not be following: the race to see which team has the best power duo in all of baseball.

National League

Washington Nationals

Prior to the start of the season, if I asked you which National League team would have the best power duo, I doubt the Nationals would be near the top of your list. Yet, here we are, with the Nationals being the only team to have two players in the top 10 in home runs.

James Wood was the obvious choice to lead the team in home runs. A 6-foot-6 frame with a natural ability to impact the baseball and drive the ball to all fields made him a shoo-in to reach 30 home runs and lead the Nationals in the category. However, what we have seen from Wood is improvement year over year that gives him a chance to reach 40 home runs in Year 3.

As you can see, Wood keeps getting better and better. His 95.1 mph average exit velocity ranks second in baseball, as does his barrels per at-bat, putting him in a category with Oneil Cruz, Yordan Alvarez, Shohei Ohtani, and Matt Olson. No matter which power-related stat you want to use, Wood is going to be in the top five.

A large part of his success in 2026 has not only been the improvements shown above, but also his improvements against secondary pitches. Wood always had the raw talent to punish fastballs, but he’s seeing less and less of them as pitchers lean more on their secondaries to try to avoid surrendering a home run.

Well, it’s not working. Wood has already hit 11 home runs off breaking balls this year, which is more than his first two seasons combined. His .460 SLG off breaking balls is not only the best of his career, but the first time he’s breached the .400 mark. That’s more than a .100 improvement from last season.

The more surprising addition to the Nationals’ list is CJ Abrams. Known more for his bat-to-ball and speed combo as a prospect, Abrams was projected to produce average-to-slightly-above-average power. However, Abrams has started to pull the ball in the air more and more, which has helped him tap into more power.

Across Abrams’ first four seasons in the majors, he never surpassed 20 home runs. His last three seasons were 19, 20, and 18, giving him a nice floor, but hardly a breakout like we have seen this season. Through 534 plate appearances, Abrams already has 29 home runs and a .251 ISO, which is the first time he’s breached the .200 mark.

While I think Wood has more natural power and should continue on his trajectory, I do have my questions about Abrams. He only has one home run in August, and his power is not as dependable simply based on the way he gets to the majority of his home runs. I love this duo, but I don’t think they have what it takes to hold off other duos in the league.

Wood 162 HR Pace: 43

Abrams 162 HR Pace: 38

Los Angeles Dodgers

We can’t talk about power hitters without adding Shohei Ohtani to the list. After launching 55 home runs last season, Ohtani is only sitting at 30 in 2026. Only. A funny word to use for someone who sits inside the top 10 in home runs, but for a talent like Ohtani, I think it is fair to say you expected a few more.

I am not dumb enough to rule anything out when talking about Ohtani, even a 15-home-run month, but it’s fair to call out the dip in power. The three seasons prior to 2026, Ohtani posted a .335 ISO or better but has dipped down to .259 this season. This has been his worst offensive season since 2022, although he still boasts a 151 wRC+.

The difficult part for the Dodgers will be relying on Ohtani’s duo this season. Only one other player in LA has surpassed 20 home runs, with Max Muncy sitting at 26. Muncy, who I view as one of the most underrated players in the game, is finally having a healthy season after not playing more than 100 games each of the last two years.

Due to injury, Muncy did not reach 20 home runs in 2024 or 2025, but is pacing to surpass the 30-home-run mark for the first time since he last played over 100 games in 2023. Not much has changed for Muncy. He still sits at nearly a 91 mph average exit velocity, a 13.6% barrel rate, and a 27.2% air-pull percentage, which puts him in the elite category.

I trust this duo more than the Nationals. I mean, we are talking about two guys with a proven track record, and one of them is the best to ever play the sport. I like the Dodgers’ chances to be the best duo in the National League, but it might come down to Muncy versus the next guy on this list.

Ohtani 162 HR pace: 39

Muncy 162 HR pace: 35

Philadelphia Phillies

Of course, any home run discussion needs to include Kyle Schwarber’s name. After finishing second in home runs last season with 56, Schwarber is in the lead through August 23, launching 39 home runs, three more than Matt Olson and Yordan Alvarez, who hold down second place.

If I were building a home run hitter in a lab, I would try to make Kyle Schwarber. He knows what he does best, and he essentially only focuses on that. His 34.2% pull air percentage is the best in baseball, he’s 13th in average exit velocity, and ninth in barrels.

Not only does Schwarber have the track record of success, hitting 45 or more home runs in four of the past five seasons, but the equation to get to his power is easily repeatable. Very few players can strike out as much as Schwarber, lean into the three true outcomes as heavily, and still find success. But few players have as much power.

A sneaky fun storyline to watch is how Max Muncy versus Bryce Harper will play out. Each player has a track record of hitting for power, and both currently sit at 26 home runs. Harper has only reached 30 home runs once in the past four seasons but should surpass the threshold this year.

What’s interesting is Harper is actually posting the lowest average exit velocity since 2016. At 90.2 mph, it’s the first time he’s dipped below 91 mph, but his 11% barrel rate is consistent with his career average. Harper’s ability to put the ball in the stands in any part of the ballpark is still a beauty to watch and gives him a chance to chase 35 home runs this season.

Via Baseball Savant

Anytime your duo has Kyle Schwarber involved, you have a great chance to finish on top. Where this duo ultimately ends up is going to fall squarely on Harper’s shoulders. Yet here I am, saying I wouldn’t count anything out for another proven veteran.

Schwarber 162 HR Pace: 51

Harper 162 HR Pace: 32

American League

New York Yankees

If Aaron Judge was healthy, this entire discussion would be different. Or, if Trent Grisham could have replicated his insane power production (34 HR) from last season, I would have the Yankees higher on my list. But neither happened, and the Yankees now only have two players who have surpassed 20 home runs in Ben Rice and newly acquired Luis Garcia Jr.

Rice showed his power potential when he became a full-time player last season, launching 26 home runs across 138 games. He’s been even better this year, posting a 92.2 mph average exit velocity, 15% barrel rate, and 20% pull air percentage, all amounting to 34 home runs. And no, this isn’t a player living off the short porch in New York. In fact, he’s hit the same number of home runs on the road (17) as he has at home.

I absolutely believe in the power Rice brings and think he will reach or surpass 40 home runs this season. However, the last month has been a challenge. A .154/.287/.319 slash with four home runs across 108 plate appearances is not what you like to see from the leader of your duo.

The other reason I’d put the Yankees at the bottom of the list would be because of Luis Garcia Jr. That’s not even a shot at Garcia, but consider the other names on this list, and many are either more proven or come with a lot more raw power, pushing Garcia down the list.

Garcia gets to his power by leaning into the pull side, and the new home field for him certainly makes things more interesting. However, Garcia is also chasing a ton of pitches outside of the zone, leading to contact that he cannot do as much repeated damage on. A 91.7 mph average exit velocity and 12.3% barrel rate are great, but I think the profile, combined with the fact that he never hit more than 20 before this season, cements him at the bottom of this list.

Rice 162 HR Pace: 44

Garcia Jr 162 HR Pace: 35

Chicago White Sox

One of baseball’s most intriguing and best stories of the season has been the Chicago White Sox. No one expected much out of them, as their rebuild was only starting to trend in the right direction, yet here they are, 3.5 games up in the AL Central.

A combination of events has led them to this point, but I think it’s fair to say the power in their lineup is driving their offense. Unlike others on this list, the White Sox have three players with more than 25 home runs: Miguel Vargas with 29, Munetaka Murakami with 29, and Colson Montgomery with 27.

Murakami scared away GMs this winter due to his swing-and-miss profile, but the White Sox are getting rewarded for their risk. A 42.5% whiff rate is abysmal, but his 94 mph average exit velocity and 20% barrel rate have sent plenty of balls into orbit.

Vargas has been one of baseball’s best breakout stars. A data darling who has improved across the board, he has a swing built to launch home runs. He has leaned into pulling the ball more and more, which is something we started to see in the second half of last year but has come with more regularity this season.

Via Baseball Savant

When I see Vargas’ spray chart, I can’t help but think of Nolan Arenado and how he, too, leaned heavily into his pull side to tap into power. It worked well for him, and Vargas is currently experiencing the same results.

Having Colson Montgomery in the mix gives the White Sox an obvious edge with three hitters instead of two battling for the duo title. Like Murakami, Montgomery is another player who swings through a ton of pitches, but when he connects, the ball ends up as a souvenir. His bat path is made for home run power, and considering it is the only thing he does, I have faith in him continuing to up his numbers.

Murakami 162 HR Pace: 50

Vargas 162 HR Pace: 38

Montgomery 162 HR Pace: 36

Final Thoughts

Well, I saved the best for last. When it’s all said and done, I think the White Sox have the best chance to take the best power duo crown. Having three players who can realistically reach 35 home runs makes the choice an easy one. What a story the White Sox have been, and I don’t think it is being talked about enough.

The more intriguing question is who will finish second? It’s a close call for me between the Dodgers and Phillies, but I’m going to go with the Phillies. As much as I like Max Muncy, Schwarber’s lead on Ohtani is enough to break the tie between Harper and Muncy.

Although this is just a fun thought exercise, seeing so many young, up-and-coming names on the list goes to show that baseball’s talent is in a good spot. At least for the people who enjoy watching long balls.

Stats were taken prior to play on August 23rd.