2026 MLB Power Rankings: Post-Trade Deadline Update

We have officially reached the stretch run of the 2026 MLB season. All the buyers have bought, and the sellers have sold. The trade deadline has passed, and now all that is left is to play baseball games and see which teams will punch their ticket to October.

The Tarik Skubal trade to the Dodgers only furthered their standing as the most-hated, but also most-fascinating team in baseball, looking to make history with their third-consecutive World Series title.

Despite the presence of the Dodgers, we saw the Cubs aggressively buy to improve their chances, not only against L.A., but also in their division against the Milwaukee Brewers. The NL Wild Card race got spicier with the Pirates and Padres buying to hang in the race, and the Phillies buying so they can hopefully pull away.

In the American League, the playoff picture is so crowded that teams who were only a few games out of a spot on deadline day still deemed themselves sellers. The Royals, Angels and Athletics are really the only teams who have fallen out of the race, setting us up for a chaotic finish.

This month’s Power Ranking is arguably our most fun of the entire season, as we have to weigh each team’s full season record and run differential with how they were playing leading into the deadline, and then also how their rosters are changed after it.

With each team listed below, you will see their record since July 1st listed. It is important to note that the records shown do not account for the first few games played post-deadline. They are the teams’ records from July 1st through August 2nd, showing who was hot and who was not heading into the deadline, giving you a glimpse into why some teams made the decisions that they did.

Also listed under each team are the notable players they added or subtracted from their rosters at the deadline.

Without further ado, going from worst to first, let’s dive into our ranking of the top teams in Major League Baseball right now!

Top 10 Worst Teams in Major League Baseball

30. Los Angeles Angels (Previous Ranking: 28)

Record Since July 1st: 7-18

Notable Players Dealt: RHP José Soriano, OF Jo Adell, RHP Ryan Zeferjahn, RHP Kirby Yates, LHP Brent Suter, RHP Chase Silseth, C Logan O’Hoppe

The Los Angeles Angels are one of just two teams to have hit the 70-loss mark, and the product we’ve seen from them on the field has not been pretty this year. However, we’ve got to at least tip our cap to them.

The Angels stayed active at the deadline, and interim GM John Mozeliak deserves his flowers for correctly steering this organization through trading season. The rest of the year may not look great on paper or on the field, but this team brought in some promising names (mainly Moises Ballesteros and Arjun Nimmala) and has, at the very least, started the process of turning things around.

29. Athletics (Previous Ranking: 21)

Record Since July 1st: 5-21

Notable Players Dealt: RHP Seth Johnson

The Athletics were in an uncomfortable situation before the deadline, and they maneuvered their way through things as they were expected to – by doing nothing. Any of their legitimate trade chips were on the injured list by the time the deadline rolled around, and it just didn’t make sense for them to trade the players that were healthy.

The injuries that have decimated this roster have taken a lot of the hype away from the A’s and the wind out of their sails, but it was the right call by their front office to stand pat. Running it back next year with a healthy roster consisting of Shea Langeliers, Nick Kurtz, Brent Rooker and Co. should remind us why they raised our eyebrows with their second-half showing last year.

In the meantime, though, this is a rough-looking team that’s going to contend with their division mates for MLB’s worst record by the time all is said and done. They can’t be faulted for being quiet at the deadline, but they’re going to get nicked here for their ghastly record over the past month-plus.

28. Colorado Rockies (Previous Ranking: 30)

Record Since July 1st: 12-15

Notable Players Dealt: RHP Antonio Senzatela, RHP Seth Halvorsen, OF Brenton Doyle, RHP Victor Vodnik

While the Colorado Rockies stirred up the rumor mill pre-deadline by reportedly listening on All-Star catcher Hunter Goodman, it was another handful of their players that changed uniforms instead. It may have been smart for the team to sell high on Goodman, but they at least earned respectable returns in their deals, primarily in the Antonio Senzatela and Victor Vodnik moves.

The Rockies are 28th in baseball in wRC+ and dead-last in both fWAR and ERA. On both sides of the ball, it’s been rough for them this season, and it’s highly unlikely that they rise any higher than this spot throughout the rest of the year. It’s been a tough multi-year rebuild for this team, but if you squint hard enough, there are some causes for optimism slowly coming over the horizon. Just not there yet.

27. New York Mets (Previous Ranking: 29)

Record Since July 1st: 11-16

Notable Players Dealt: RHP Luke Weaver, RHP Freddy Peralta, RHP Clay Holmes, LHP A.J. Minter, LHP Brooks Raley, RHP Huascar Brazoban, OF Tyrone Taylor

Mired in a multi-month slump, the New York Mets entered the deadline as obvious sellers, and they accomplished their goal of moving nearly all of their top trade chips.

While Francisco Lindor and Francisco Alvarez were never going to move and Luis Robert Jr. didn’t have as many suitors as the club anticipated he would, the team did a solid job of capitalizing on the trade values of seven of their players.

Most of the real impacts of this year’s deadline will be felt down the line when intriguing prospects like Jefferson Rojas, Sammy Stafura and Gary Gill Hill are making their way up through the ranks, but the Mets had a clear goal of selling at the deadline, and they pulled it off.

Luckily, the Mets do have plenty of youth on their roster, with a stellar rookie class finishing out their debut campaigns in Nolan McLean, Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing. With Juan Soto on the IL, Mets fans will have to take solace in watching the kids try to play spoiler down the stretch.

26. San Francisco Giants (Previous Ranking: 27)

Record Since July 1st: 13-15

Notable Players Dealt: 2B Luis Arraez, RHP Caleb Kilian, LHP Robbie Ray, RHP Tyler Mahle, OF Heliot Ramos, LHP Erik Miller

Similar to the Mets, the Giants were left with no choice but to sell off whatever players of value they could.

Easily the biggest storylines out of the Giants’ camp at this year’s deadline were surrounding the players they couldn’t move. Position players on gigantic contracts like Willy Adames, Matt Chapman, and Rafael Devers proved to be completely unmovable, so in some respects, the Giants had to settle for “only” moving players with far less control.

Still, the Giants did a solid job of bringing in young talent to replace the likes of Robbie Ray, Heliot Ramos, and Luis Arraez, but the rest of this season isn’t going to be very fun to watch.

25. Kansas City Royals (Previous Ranking: 26)

Record Since July 1st: 11-16

Notable Players Dealt: OF Lane Thomas, LHP Bailey Falter, LHP Kris Bubic

It’s been a disastrous season in Kansas City outside of Bobby Witt Jr. doing his usual thing and Jac Caglianone providing some flashes. This is an offense that ranks in the bottom third in wRC+, a starting rotation that ranks 24th in ERA, and a bullpen that ranks second-to-last with a 5.36 ERA.

The team did manage to cash in on some pieces, including Lane Thomas, Bailey Falter, and Kris Bubic, but it’s time for the Royals to get to the offseason, assess their roster from top to bottom, and figure out what needs to happen to get back to the postseason.

There are exciting, young pieces on this roster, but they’re trending in the wrong direction after reaching the ALDS in 2024.

24. Toronto Blue Jays (Previous Ranking: 19)

Record Since July 1st: 13-14

Players Added at the Deadline: RHP José Soriano, INF/OF Josh Smith, RHP Spencer Arrighetti, RHP Jameson Taillon

Notable Players Dealt: RHP Kevin Gausman, OF Daulton Varsho, RHP Jeff Hoffman

The Toronto Blue Jays did a little bit of buying and selling at the trade deadline.

They dealt rentals Kevin Gausman and Daulton Varsho, and moved Jeff Hoffman halfway through his three-year, $33 million contract. Meanwhile, they traded for two and a half years of control on starting pitcher José Soriano and utilityman Josh Smith, while also adding Spencer Arrighetti with four and a half years of control.

Clearly the Blue Jays are looking towards the future with their acquisitions, but that influx of talent can still help them in the present as well. In a wide-open American League, the Blue Jays are only three games out of a playoff spot. So shaking up the core doesn’t mean they have to give up on this season.

23. Cincinnati Reds (Previous Ranking: 25)

Record Since July 1st: 14-13

Notable Players Dealt: 1B Nathaniel Lowe

It is easy to be hard on the Reds for not taking advantage of their position to be a seller, as there are a lot of teams ahead of them in the Wild Card race who have a much better chance to make a run. Still, they are only five games out of a playoff spot, so it’s not impossible that they sneak their way into the final Wild Card again.

It would have been prudent to move more rentals than Nathaniel Lowe, but by not moving their pieces, does that make them deserving of climbing the 2026 power rankings? We’ll let you decide.

22. Detroit Tigers (Previous Ranking: 24)

Record Since July 1st: 17-9

Notable Players Dealt: LHP Tarik Skubal, RHP Casey Mize

The fact that the Detroit Tigers had one of the best records in baseball from July 1st until the trade deadline is unfortunate, because it was too little too late for a team that got buried early and could never fully recover.

At the end of the day, the return they could pry for Tarik Skubal was too overwhelming to pass up, and they chose to move on from their biggest star. They moved Casey Mize as well, so the rotation has taken a massive hit.

Still, the Tigers are only 1.5 games out of a playoff spot, and the promotion of top prospect Max Clark has given an already young core another shot in the arm. Jackson Jobe is set to make his return from Tommy John surgery this weekend, and if new addition River Ryan gets healthy, he could slot right into the rotation as well.

Don’t count the Tigers out just yet.

21. Baltimore Orioles (Previous Ranking: 23)

Record Since July 1st: 15-10

Notable Players Dealt: C Adley Rutschman, OF Taylor Ward, RHP Dean Kremer, RHP Tyler Wells, C Jake Rogers

Another team that sold at the deadline and is not out of it because they belong to the American League. The Orioles lost the player who was once deemed the face of their franchise, Adley Rutschman, and sold their win-now rental addition from the offseason, Taylor Ward. An already mediocre offense getting worse is not a great place to start the stretch run, but Baltimore still has the pieces to go on a run if things click.

Middle of the Pack

20. Washington Nationals (Previous Ranking: 16)

Record Since July 1st: 11-16

Players Added at the Deadline: LHP Connelly Early

Notable Players Dealt: 1B Luis Garcia Jr., LHP Foster Griffin, INF Curtis Mead

The 2026 Washington Nationals definitely got worse after their trade deadline moves, selling high on standout seasons from Luis Garcia Jr, Curtis Mead and Foster Griffin. In doing so, not only did the Nationals add a ton of pitching into their farm system, they also grabbed a young controllable big league starter in Connelly Early.

Early is dealing with elbow inflammation, but he is expected to return at the end of August. With CJ Abrams and James Wood still in place, the Nationals can mash their way to some wins this month and hang in the race. Although, selling some key cogs could take some wind out of their sails, and that would be understandable.

19. St. Louis Cardinals (Previous Ranking: 11)

Record Since July 1st: 12-20

Notable Players Dealt: RHP Dustin May, LHP JoJo Romero, OF Lars Nootbaar

Notable Players Added: LHP Caleb Ferguson

After looking like an early-season playoff hopeful, the Cardinals have since fallen out of the picture following a really difficult month of July.

The team entered July 1 five games above .500 and in possession of the final Wild Card spot. They’ve since gone 12-20 and are falling further down the NL standings with each passing game.

On the one hand, this wasn’t really the Cardinals’ year to compete anyway, so they were playing with house money in a sense. The players they wanted to see produce are producing, including JJ Wetherholt, Jordan Walker, Alec Burleson, and Iván Herrera, while the starting rotation has been far better this season than anybody could have expected heading into Opening Day.

They’re establishing who can be a part of a competing team moving forward, and they also cashed in on a trio of assets that netted St. Louis a pretty solid return at the deadline. Those are all positive — and important — takeaways for the Cardinals’ fan base and front office, regardless of how the rest of the season plays out.

18. Texas Rangers (Previous Ranking: 13)

Record Since July 1st: 11-16

Players Added at the Deadline: LHP Adam Macko, RHP Chase Silseth, C Logan O’Hoppe

Notable Players Dealt: INF/OF Josh Smith, RHP Josh Stephan

The Rangers were looking like surefire buyers with the way July was trending, but a five-game losing streak heading into the trade deadline apparently threw a wrench into those plans, as they were largely inactive.

As of July 28, the Rangers held a two-game lead in the division and looked to be separating themselves. All of a sudden, they’re 1.5 games back of the Astros in the AL West and fighting to hold onto a playoff spot.

It’s been a weird year for the Rangers, who have a top-10 offense by wRC+ but rank fifth-worst in runs per game this season. However, a healthy Wyatt Langford and Corey Seager, who have both battled injuries this season, completely changes the dynamic of this lineup. They will look to lead this team to October.

Outside of Jacob Latz and his dazzling 1.94 ERA, the bullpen has been lacking, so adding Chase Silseth to that group should help somewhat. Still, it feels like more could have been done across the pitching staff. The Rangers fall from No. 13 to No. 18 in these power rankings and will need to get back on track quickly.

17. Seattle Mariners (Previous Ranking: 15)

Record Since July 1st: 12-16

Players Added at the Deadline: OF Taylor Ward, RHP Seranthony Domínguez, OF Nolan Jones, C/LF Boston Smith*

Notable Players Dealt: RHP Luis Castillo

Fans have been waiting all season long for the Mariners to kick it into gear, but it just hasn’t happened yet. They sit four games below .500, three games back of the division lead, and 1.5 games out of a playoff spot. Yet, their run differential of -5 is the best in the division, and it’s hard to look at this roster on paper and not envision a playoff team.

The offense has been dreadful all season long, plain and simple. As a team, they rank fourth-worst in OPS and wOBA while scoring the third-fewest runs per game in MLB. It’s looking like a lost season for Cal Raleigh, who is batting .163 with a .576 OPS on the year, but with how weak the American League – and the division – are this year, don’t count this team out just yet.

The starting rotation is still elite from spots one through five, and the bullpen ranks fifth in MLB in ERA on the year while adding Seranthony Domínguez into the mix at the trade deadline. Taylor Ward and his .381 OBP (11th in MLB) should help a Mariners offense that ranks 25th in OBP, too. It’s been a down year, but there’s still plenty of time left for them to turn it around.

16. Miami Marlins (Previous Ranking: 8)

Record Since July 1st: 12-15

Notable Players Dealt: C/1B Liam Hicks, RHP Lake Bachar, INF Connor Norby, RHP Aiden May, LHP Braxton Garrett

Notable Players Added at the Deadline: RHP Victor Vodnik

After rattling off one of the hottest stretches of the season in June (20-6) and looking like a legitimate postseason threat, the Fighting Fish took a nosedive shortly after the calendar turned to July. They won six games in a row from July 3 to July 9, and then the Marlins rattled off a 12-game losing streak. Miami is 6-14 across its last 20 games, tied for the second-worst record in MLB in that stretch.

Their massive skid in the middle of July led to a sell-off at the deadline, but with that being said, the foundation that got this team to this point still remains on the roster, and the Marlins remain just 2.5 games back of a Wild Card spot.

Xavier Edwards, Kyle Stowers, Otto Lopez, and Griffin Conine anchor the top of the order, while the rotation, led by Sandy Alcantara and Eury Pérez, still has promise and owns the fifth-best ERA in MLB since the All-Star break.

The massive slide dropped this team from eighth in these power rankings all the way to 16th, and while they sold off pieces at the deadline, their season isn’t dead quite yet.

15. Arizona Diamondbacks (Previous Ranking: 20)

Record Since July 1st: 17-12

Players Added at the Deadline: OF Lars Nootbaar

Arizona has struggled to excel in any one specific area this season, yet they still manage to hold the final Wild Card spot. Six games above .500, the D-backs’ offense ranks 12th in runs per game but 24th in wRC+, while both the rotation and bullpen have been closer to the middle of the pack.

The rotation is currently led by Eduardo Rodriguez and his 2.71 ERA, while Brandon Pfaadt has quietly pitched to a 1.55 ERA across his last seven starts (40.2 IP). If they can get reinforcements back in the rotation, that would go a long way toward improving their postseason chances.

The bullpen has been somewhat of a patchwork this season, but it’s worked, as four of the Diamondbacks’ top five relievers boast a sub-3.00 ERA. What’s more, the offense has been a top-10 unit since the All-Star break, so they could be catching fire at the right time.

They were quiet at the deadline, but the addition of outfielder Lars Nootbaar might be enough to help this team hang around and sneak into October.

14. Minnesota Twins (Previous Ranking: 18)

Record Since July 1st: 15-12

Players Added at the Deadline: RHP Jeff Hoffman, LHP A.J. Minter, RHP Dean Kremer, RHP Tommy Nance

The Minnesota Twins have been hanging around the playoff hunt all season long thanks to their offense. Minnesota ranks 10th in MLB (fifth in the AL) in wRC+ and 12th in OPS (fourth in the AL), while also ranking ninth in baseball with 4.68 runs per game.

The reason they’re four games back of the division lead and one game out of a playoff spot is that their starting rotation ranks 23rd in MLB with a 4.45 ERA, while their bullpen ranks 26th with a 4.95 ERA. Despite having one of the top offenses in the AL this season, the Twins own the fifth-worst run differential in the league at -36.

That said, assuming the offense can continue to do its thing, the front office addressed the pitching staff at the deadline. They acquired Jeff Hoffman from Toronto, who sports a 1.21 ERA across his last 23 outings, and A.J. Minter from the Mets, who has pitched to a 2.22 ERA across 24.1 innings.

If Minnesota’s pitching can be even just average down the stretch, the Twins can certainly work their way into the postseason picture.

13. Pittsburgh Pirates (Previous Ranking: 17)

Record Since July 1st: 14-14

Players Added at the Deadline: RHP Luke Weaver, RHP Kirby Yates, RHP Lake Bachar, RHP Andrew Moore, RHP Camilo Doval

We should be celebrating the fact that the Pittsburgh Pirates finally did something at the deadline more than anything else. For so long, this team has been frustratingly stuck in a weird limbo when it came to adding to their roster, but it appears that this summer is the one that changed that.

Pittsburgh brought in a whopping four relief pitchers that immediately slotted into their big league bullpen, and the impact should be instantaneous. Luke Weaver should immediately be able to close games, and Kirby Yates and Camilo Doval both bring a wealth of closing experience to the table as well.

Now, it’s just going to be a matter of giving this newly improved bullpen a chance to hold some leads. The Pirates are floating right around the line of .500, but their gap to a Wild Card spot is razor thin, and it’s not impossible to think they could put a run together.

For now, they’re climbing in rankings, but it’s safe to say that the Pirates are still in “believe it when we see it” territory. Maybe we’ll be seeing it soon.

12. Houston Astros (Previous Ranking: 14)

Record Since July 1st: 15-11

Players Added at the Deadline: OF Daulton Varsho, RHP Max Martin

The Houston Astros currently occupy the top spot in baseball’s most uninspiring division, which is what lands them so far down on our ranking despite their place in the standings. Yes, they are leading the AL West, but they are still only two games above .500 and playing a brand of baseball that wouldn’t earn first place in any other division.

Leading up to the deadline, the Astros had a glaring hole in their lineup out in center field. Adding Daulton Varsho from the Blue Jays is a huge get and an excellent way to fill that vacancy. While the pending free agent has fallen on hard times this year, he’s a superb defender in center and has considerable pop in his stick.

The Astros are going to need him to be the Varsho of old down the stretch for his acquisition to have truly meant anything.

11. Cleveland Guardians (Previous Ranking: 10)

Record Since July 1st: 13-14

Players Added at the Deadline: LHP Foster Griffin, OF Jo Adell, 1B Nathaniel Lowe, OF Blake Perkins, RHP Craig Yoho

The AL Central is so wide open, and it felt like whichever team had the best trade deadline would be the one that had the best chances of winning the division by the time all was said and done. As things currently stand, it’s hard to say that any team other than the Guardians can take that honor.

There were quite a few items on Cleveland’s to-do list at the deadline, but they were able to scratch them all off the list in their usual low-key way. No headlines were captured by any of their additions, but the Guardians consistently feel like a team that upgrades around the edges and finds ways to extract maximum value from their players.

Foster Griffin, Jo Adell, and Nathaniel Lowe are far from being a flashy trio, but each individual acquisition has its own potential to be a “win” by the end of the season. The Guardians are just three games behind the White Sox in the division, and it’s not going to be a surprise to see that number shrink in short order.

Top 10 Teams in Major League Baseball

10. San Diego Padres (Previous Ranking: 12)

Record Since July 1st: 15-14

Players Added at the Deadline: RHP Casey Mize, LHP Robbie Ray, RHP Hunter Stratton

The San Diego Padres only jumped up two spots from our previous power rankings, but they are absolutely one of the top teams to have their playoff fortunes improve at the deadline.

This team had many spots in need of a look at the deadline, but the pitching staff topped the list. Adding both Casey Mize and Robbie Ray to the starting rotation instantly takes what’s been a rough-looking crew all year long and provides a major facelift.

As the rest of the year marches on, the Padres need their newly revamped rotation to live up to expectations, they need the back of their bullpen to continue to dominate, and they need their lineup to continue swinging strong bats. Manny Machado, Jackson Merrill, and Ty France (of all people) have been scorching hot dating back to July 1st, so the pieces are there to capitalize down the stretch.

9. Chicago White Sox (Previous Ranking: 9)

Record Since July 1st: 14-13

Players Added at the Deadline: RHP Luis Castillo, RHP Huascar Brazoban, OF Brenton Doyle, C Joey Bart

While the White Sox had their sights set higher than what they ultimately came away with, it’s important for us to remember that just a year ago they were stuck in a multi-year rebuild. The fact that they were able to turn things around this quickly and do a soft-buy at the deadline is something that can’t get talked about enough.

Luis Castillo is the big fish here, and even though he’s struggling this season, he’s been a consistently solid pitcher for a decade now. The White Sox have him for the rest of this year and all of next year as well, so he should provide, at the very least, an experienced and respected arm to help all of Chicago’s young guns.

Did the White Sox land the big Reid Detmers-esque name they were rumored to be eyeing? No. However, they shored up their rotation, acquired an impact reliever in Huascar Brazoban, landed one of baseball’s best defensive outfielders in Brenton Doyle, and took on a lottery-ticket type of player in Joey Bart behind the dish.

8. Philadelphia Phillies (Previous Ranking: 3)

Record Since July 1st: 12-15

Players Added at the Deadline: 2B Luis Arraez, RHP Caleb Kilian, LHP Brooks Raley, OF Colby Thomas, RHP Manuel Colon

The Philadelphia Phillies set out at the deadline with two goals that stood out above the rest: acquire starting-pitching help and bolster the lineup. The former was not addressed, but the latter came together nicely in the form of three-time batting champion Luis Arraez.

While Arraez’s addition is not perfect (especially when it comes to how the Phillies’ defense is going to line up now), the impact he’ll have on the team’s lineup should be felt immediately. The team that currently sits 26th in wRC+ could use all the help they can get.

It’s true that the team didn’t land a starter at the deadline, but they filled two spots in the bullpen with Caleb Kilian and Brooks Raley. Phillies relievers currently occupy the 22nd spot in MLB’s RP ERA leaderboards, but they’re fifth in fWAR, seventh in FIP, and they own the best bullpen SIERA in the majors. Adding these two arms just makes an organizational strength even stronger.

7. Boston Red Sox (Previous Ranking: 22)

Record Since July 1st: 23-4

Players Added at the Deadline: C Adley Rutschman, INF Curtis Mead (IL), OF Eli White, C Jake Rogers, LHP Erik Miller and OF Carlos Gutierrez

The Boston Red Sox made a few pretty big swings at the trade deadline. Unfortunately, the first one blew up in their face almost immediately, as Curtis Mead was drilled in the wrist in his first game with the club. Hopefully he can make a return before October.

Without Mead, the Red Sox had an even more urgent need to add a bat at the deadline, and they ended up swinging a blockbuster trade for Adley Rutschman.

Pulling off a trade of this caliber, from a division rival no less, is the type of move that can galvanize a club. Especially because it was their 23-4 run leading into the deadline that propelled them into a position where they could buy so aggressively.

6. New York Yankees (Previous Ranking: 5)

Record Since July 1st: 15-13

Players Added at the Deadline: 1B Luis Garcia Jr., OF Heliot Ramos, C Omar Alfonzo and OF Luis Cruz

The New York Yankees needed to add a jolt to their offense, and they sure got that with Luis Garcia Jr. homering in his first game in pinstripes. Garcia can add some thump to the Yankees lineup and provide insurance for the injured Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.

If the Yankees get their hulking duo back in the lineup healthy, there will be some juggling that needs to be done, but that is a problem they will welcome if it arrives on their doorstep. Next year, if Jazz Chisholm Jr. walks in free agency, Garcia could always slot in at second base if needed.

Heliot Ramos can mash against lefties as the short side of a platoon in a corner outfield spot, further lengthening out the Yankees lineup. And even better, the promotion of top prospect George Lombard Jr. could prove to be the biggest addition to this roster down the stretch.

5. Atlanta Braves (Previous Ranking: 4)

Record Since July 1st: 18-11

Players Added at the Deadline: OF Lane Thomas, RHP Tyler Mahle, LHP Brent Suter, RHP Duncan Davitt, RHP Tyler Uberstine

The fact that the Braves are a top-five team despite their deadline performance is a testament to why most of us are so upset they didn’t really push the chips in and go for it.

Maybe the Braves spent a lot of their time leading up to the deadline working on a Jacob deGrom trade that couldn’t come to fruition. Or maybe they just didn’t value the other rental starters on the market outside of Skubal, and of course the guy they acquired, Tyler Mahle.

Still, it feels the Braves missed an opportunity to add some much-needed depth to their rotation, particularly adding an arm that could start Game 2 behind Chris Sale in a playoff series. They added around the edges, as they are wont to do.

Brent Suter is not a bad lefty to slot in your bullpen, and Lane Thomas has been mashing left-handed pitching this year, giving the Braves a nice short-side-of-the-platoon corner outfielder.

It probably wasn’t as bad of a deadline as their press would suggest, but this was a team that had the farm system to really try to go for it this season, and it just feels like they seem a bit flat.

4. Chicago Cubs (Previous Ranking: 7)

Record Since July 1st: 16-11

Players Added at the Deadline: RHP Kevin Gausman, RHP Clay Holmes, OF Tyrone Taylor, LHP Braxton Garrett, RHP Ryan Zeferjahn

Based on their trade deadline, you could make the case for vaulting the Chicago Cubs into our top three. It is out of respect for the three teams ahead of them that the Cubs check in at No. 4, but not a knock on them whatsoever, as Jed Hoyer and company had a great trade deadline.

You can make a case that no rotation was more improved than the Cubs, adding two stable veteran starters in Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes. Based on the prospect returns each received, Holmes is being viewed as the higher-valued arm, but Gausman comes with the postseason bona fides. Those two will work together to try to bring the Cubs closer to the Brewers in the NL Central division race.

On top of Holmes and Gausman, the Cubs brought in Braxton Garrett from the Marlins, who has recovered from TJ and is pitching well in Triple-A this season. They also nabbed a fourth outfielder and former Brewer in Tyrone Taylor and an electric arm to slot in their bullpen in Ryan Zeferjahn.

3. Tampa Bay Rays (Previous Ranking: 6)

Record Since July 1st: 17-13

Players Added at the Deadline: RHP Freddy Peralta, C Liam Hicks, RHP Tyler Wells

After watching Freddy Peralta’s first start in a Rays uniform, I almost considered dropping the Rays down a slot. Still, this is the best team in the American League right now, who also added a strong bat to slot into their cleanup spot with Liam Hicks and a solid starter-turned-reliever in Tyler Wells.

Hicks comes with four extra years of control, Wells comes with one, while Peralta was just a high-upside rental they are taking a flier on. The Rays have the luxury of being able to weather a few bumps with Peralta, who will be pitching for a fourth spot in Tampa’s playoff rotation over the next two months.

His first audition went poorly, with Peralta giving up seven runs, but the Rays still ended up winning that game, scoring two runs in the ninth to send the game into extras before winning it 9-7 in the 11th inning. That game also took place in Coors, so there may be hope for Peralta yet.

2. Milwaukee Brewers (Previous Ranking: 2)

Record Since July 1st: 17-12

Players Added at the Deadline: RHP Dustin May, LHP JoJo Romero, RHP Antonio Senzatela, C Bo Naylor

If this power ranking was for who will finish with the best record in baseball this season, the Milwaukee Brewers might be No. 1. They have been playing better baseball than the Dodgers lately, and have proven themselves to be an absolute wagon from Opening Day through September every season.

Where the Brewers need to separate themselves is in October, and I don’t know if they added the right pieces to be able to do that. Dustin May is chomping at the bit to go toe-to-toe with his former team, but the Brewers will need to unlock the best version of him before he can do so.

JoJo Romero and Antonio Senzatela add a little bit of depth to an already strong Brewers bullpen, and Bo Naylor becomes a new project behind the dish that provides a little depth. This team got better, no question. But they didn’t make the moves to vault them into the top spot.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (Previous Ranking: 1)

Record Since July 1st: 13-14

Players Added at the Deadline: LHP Tarik Skubal, LHP Kris Bubic, RHP Seth Halvorsen, C Ben Rortvedt

The Los Angeles Dodgers haven’t been playing their best baseball since July 1st, and absolutely nobody cares. A team that can sleep-walk their way to 95 wins just got a huge shot in the arm, and one that everyone has been forecasting since the Detroit Tigers went 6-22 in the month of May.

Tarik Skubal has taken his rightful place atop the thorn of the new Evil Empire’s rotation, as the most hated team in baseball continues to draw ire from fans for simply being too good. Regardless of what happens from here on out, the Dodgers will enter the postseason as the no-doubt favorites. Anything less than winning it all will be a disappointment for this team, on the verge of the first three-peat in over 20 years.