Ranking M.L.B. Teams From First to Worst After Opening Week

By Tim Britton, Johnny Flores Jr. and Andy McCullough

Every week,​ we​ inquire a selected radical of our baseball​ writers​ — section and nationalist — to rank the teams from archetypal to worst. Here are the corporate results, with the mean rankings of our sheet successful parentheses.

The archetypal play of the shot play offered its accustomed cornucopia of acquainted sights and unexpected delights. Shohei Ohtani sent a shot soaring implicit the obstruction astatine Dodger Stadium; Aaron Judge sent 4 of his ain into orbit successful the Bronx. Zack Wheeler looked sharp. Paul Skenes threw hard. Matt Chapman inactive knows however to prime it. The Braves called up Jesse Chavez.

All of those could person been predicted. But rise your manus if you’d heard of Kameron Misner earlier past week. Or if you thought Rafael Devers would walk each play whiffing. Or if you knew the biggest communicative successful the athletics would impact thing called a “torpedo bat.”

It’s the clip of twelvemonth erstwhile each squad inactive tin beryllium optimistic, some astir the things they expected and immoderate that person caught them by surprise. Here’s a look astatine the astir encouraging motion from the season’s opening play for each 30 teams.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (1.0)

Record: 6-0
Preseason Power Ranking: 1

Most encouraging sign: Uh, everything?

Roki Sasaki hasn’t been throwing strikes. Mookie Betts hasn’t been capable to support down coagulated food. Max Muncy hasn’t been making overmuch contact. So far, nary of it has truly mattered. The Dodgers swept the archetypal 2 bid of the season, taking down the Tigers aft downing the Cubs doubly successful Japan. Ohtani looks similar himself. So does Freddie Freeman (although helium was not successful Monday’s lineup due to the fact that of a tweak to his surgically-repaired ankle). Betts returned from his gnarly tummy bug to swat a walkoff homer. Michael Conforto has lengthened the lineup. The summertime figures to beryllium a delight for Dodgers fans — and a nightmare for each the clubs visiting Chavez Ravine. — Andy McCullough

2. New York Yankees (3.4)

Record: 3-0
Preseason Power Ranking: 7

Most encouraging sign: Either the Yankees ain magic bats oregon their lineup hits for capable powerfulness to marque everyone judge they ain magic bats

The biggest communicative of opening play was the Yankees’ usage of alleged torpedo bats, which determination the tube down from the extremity of the bat to a spot person to the handle. New York smashed 15 location runs successful 3 games against the Brewers, oregon much agelong balls than the Mets had hits implicit the weekend.

The bats are legal, and the Yankees aren’t the lone squad utilizing them. But New York’s lineup overwhelmed the Brewers truthful comprehensively that hitters astir the league are intrigued. Of course, Judge utilized a boring aged mean bat to slug 4 homers successful 3 games. Imagine that feline with a magic bat. — Tim Britton

3. Texas Rangers (4.1)

Record: 3-2
Preseason Power Ranking: 10

Most encouraging sign: Wyatt Langford took a measurement toward taking the leap

The Rangers brass believes its postseason-missing run successful 2024 was an aberration and the title play of 2023 should go much of the norm. Part of the crushed is Langford, who was drafted No. 4 that summer. The 23-year-old outfielder held his ain arsenic a rookie past season, with 16 homers and an 111 OPS+ successful 134 games. Texas believes his ceiling is overmuch higher than that.

In the archetypal play of the season, Langford’s five-hit bid helped the Rangers sound disconnected the Red Sox. If Langford approaches his potential, a Texas discourtesy that already includes Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and Joc Pederson volition beryllium that overmuch much intimidating. — McCullough

T-4. Atlanta Braves (4.6)

Record: 0-5
Preseason Power Ranking: 2

Most encouraging sign: An 0-4 commencement successful the NL East really portends greatness

Atlanta is conscionable the ninth squad successful the past 5 seasons to commencement the twelvemonth 0-4, and 5 of those teams person resided successful the NL East. You mightiness think, fixed what you know, that starting 0-4 is not optimal, and that starting 0-4 successful a typically hard part similar the NL East would beryllium particularly troublesome. But it’s fundamentally the opposite.

The different 4 NL East teams to commencement 0-4 since 2021 are:

• The 2024 Mets, who went to the NLCS
• The 2022 Phillies, who went to the World Series
• The 2021 Braves, who won the World Series
• The 2024 Marlins, who are the objection that proves the rule.

— Britton

T-4. Philadelphia Phillies (4.6)

Record: 3-1
Preseason Power Ranking: 4

Most encouraging sign: Jesús Luzardo looked similar his champion self

While the Phillies are moving it backmost with mostly the aforesaid lineup, their woody for Luzardo feels similar it went nether the radar successful the winter. Filling successful a 5th starter relation that was problematic for agelong stretches of 2024 for Philadelphia, Luzardo went and struck retired 11 Nationals successful 5 innings. In short, helium pitched similar helium did for astir of the ’23 play with the Marlins, erstwhile All-Star games and Cy Young votes appeared connected his horizon. If that’s the mentation of Luzardo the Phillies get to circular retired their rotation, they tin beryllium adjacent amended than the 95-win outfit they were a play ago. — Britton

6. Arizona Diamondbacks (6.9)

Record: 2-2
Preseason Power Ranking: 3

Most encouraging sign: The discourtesy inactive looks dangerous

After starring the athletics successful runs past season, Arizona fto 2 important hitters, Christian Walker and Pederson, depart successful escaped agency. The squad asked a caller addition, Josh Naylor, to regenerate Walker astatine archetypal base, with holdover Pavin Smith taking Pederson’s at-bats arsenic designated hitter. Naylor and Smith appeared up to the task against the Cubs implicit the weekend. Naylor drove successful 3 runs and scored 3 more. Smith clubbed 3 doubles. The 4 location runs from Eugenio Suárez didn’t hurt, either. The Diamondbacks whitethorn not beryllium capable to overtake the Dodgers, but they tin bent with anyone. — McCullough

7. San Diego Padres (7.0)

Record: 5-0
Preseason Power Ranking: 13

Most encouraging sign: The back-end starters looked sharp

San Diego’s four-game expanse of Atlanta provided a reminder to anyone who had forgotten: No squad pushed the Dodgers harder past play than the Padres. Even if San Diego did not walk to support up with L.A. this winter, the top-end endowment is inactive there. With Joe Musgrove retired for the play and Yu Darvish connected the support with an elbow injury, the squad volition request Nick Pivetta and Randy Vásquez to assistance support the rotation afloat down Dylan Cease and Michael King. Pivetta and Vásquez combined for 13 innings of scoreless shot against Atlanta. — McCullough

8. Boston Red Sox (8.0)

Record: 1-4
Preseason Power Ranking: 6

Most encouraging sign: Kristian Campbell acceptable close in

In his archetypal bid successful the large leagues, Campbell showed wherefore the Red Sox maneuvered their infield astir to marque country for the 23-year-old (and wherefore they appear consenting to perpetrate to a semipermanent declaration extension for him). Of the six hits helium picked up successful 4 games against the Rangers, 3 were for other bases (including his archetypal major-league homer), and helium showcased his antiaircraft versatility by starting a crippled successful near field. Ask Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley Jr., and adjacent Mookie Betts what it’s similar to beryllium a young, unproven subordinate connected a win-now roster successful Boston. For 1 weekend, Campbell — the archetypal successful a agelong enactment of prospects slated to debut for the Red Sox soon — made it look easy. — Britton

9. New York Mets (8.1)

Record: 2-2
Preseason Power Ranking: 5

Most encouraging sign: The rotation has a chance

It’s a contented for teams to propulsion their champion starter connected Opening Day, followed by their 2nd champion and 3rd best, etc. The Mets, foremost keepers of that customized arsenic evidenced by their ridiculous grounds connected Opening Day, decided this twelvemonth to zag: In their opening bid with Houston, they started pitchers who ranked fifth, sixth and seventh successful the hierarchy astatine the commencement of outpouring training.

Sure, injuries drove that decision. But New York went with Clay Holmes, Tylor Megill and Griffin Canning against the Astros, and they really pitched beauteous well. Megill and Canning, successful particular, cruised for stretches by shifting their transportation mixes and ditching those that didn’t enactment for them successful 2024. The Mets earned immoderate payment of the uncertainty by maximizing Sean Manaea and Luis Severino past year, and they mightiness beryllium astatine it again. — Britton

10. Baltimore Orioles (8.7)

Record: 3-2
Preseason Power Ranking: 9

Most encouraging sign: Adley Rutschman went gait twice

A batch of Baltimore’s limp toward the decorativeness enactment successful 2024 derived from Rutschman’s prolonged second-half slump: He had a .585 OPS aft the break, hardly cracking a .200 mean and hitting each of 3 location runs.

He astir matched that powerfulness full connected Opening Day, erstwhile helium went heavy doubly successful Toronto. The Orioles person capable young endowment to withstand an unexpectedly down play from someone, somewhere. But Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson are the driving forces of that position-player halfway — the duo that lifts the ceiling of this radical from postseason subordinate to World Series challenger. — Britton

11. Houston Astros (9.9)

Record: 2-2
Preseason Power Ranking: 8

Most encouraging sign: Jose Altuve is inactive Jose Altuve — astatine the plate

Altuve’s modulation from 2nd basal to near tract has featured plentifulness of hiccups. He biffed respective low-stress plays successful the Grapefruit League during outpouring training. It volition inactive instrumentality him clip to set to fielding adjacent Daikin Park’s Crawford Boxes. The squad whitethorn request to region him for antiaircraft purposes aboriginal successful games, arsenic manager Joe Espada did connected Sunday. But Altuve tin inactive deed amended than astir each different idiosyncratic connected the planet. In a season-opening bid triumph against the Mets, Altuve collected 5 hits successful 11 at-bats. With Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker gone, the lineup requires hearty contributions from Altuve much than ever. — McCullough

12. Seattle Mariners (12.1)

Record: 2-3
Preseason Power Ranking: 11

Most encouraging sign: Andrés Muñoz inactive has it

The 2025 Mariners looked a batch similar the Mariners of caller vintage successful a four-game illustration against the Athletics. The rotation is beardown contempt the lack of George Kirby; Logan Gilbert demonstrated wherefore helium is simply a trendy Cy Young Award campaigner with 7 innings of one-run shot connected Opening Day. The lineup, of course, is little daunting. Seattle volition request Muñoz, an All-Star reliever successful 2024, to fastener down arsenic galore prevention opportunities arsenic helium can. Muñoz bookended the Athletics bid with crisp performances, sitting down six of the 7 batters helium faced. — McCullough

13. Chicago Cubs (12.9)

Record: 3-4
Preseason Power Ranking: 12

Most encouraging sign: Kyle Tucker is that guy

On Saturday, Tucker came wrong 1 triple of the cycle. The adjacent day, his three-run homer successful the eighth inning gave the Cubs a 97 percent accidental of winning. That’s precisely the subordinate that Tucker is. On immoderate fixed time of the week, helium gives you a beardown accidental to win, whether that’s with his defense, bat oregon speed. If the Cubs negociate to get retired of the 83-win cellar, it’ll beryllium due to the fact that Kyle Tucker does Kyle Tucker things for a afloat campaign. — Johnny Flores Jr.

14. Toronto Blue Jays (15.9)

Record: 3-2
Preseason Power Ranking: 18

Most encouraging sign: Is Bo Bichette back?

A bid of maladies to his close limb undercut Bichette’s accumulation from precocious 2023 done each of past season. (Bichette’s vocation OPS earlier his genu wounded successful August 2023 was .834; since his betterment it was .625 done the extremity of past season.) In the opening bid with Baltimore, the shortstop successful his level play picked up 7 hits, including 2 doubles, and scored 4 times.

When Bichette and Vlad Guerrero Jr. person some been astatine their best, the Blue Jays thin to triumph 90-plus games, arsenic they did successful 2021 and 2022. Toronto has 1 much changeable to enactment it each unneurotic down that duo this year. — Britton

15. San Francisco Giants (16.0)

Record: 3-1
Preseason Power Ranking: 20

Most encouraging sign: Justin Verlander looked person to 40 than 45

Verlander made his Giants debut a small implicit a period aft his 42nd birthday. It was lone 5 innings, but Verlander subdued the Reds with his fastball. His velocity touched 96 mph. He generated six whiffs with the heater. All of this is encouraging for a nine that volition trust upon its arms and defence to enactment wrong striking region of a postseason berth. But the bigger question volition travel arsenic the play progresses: Can Verlander proceed to clasp disconnected Father Time? — McCullough

16. Detroit Tigers (16.1)

Record: 1-3
Preseason Power Ranking: T-16

Most encouraging sign: Spencer Torkelson mightiness beryllium putting it together

By this point, it’s nary concealed that this is thing of a make-or-break play for erstwhile No. 1 wide prime Spencer Torkelson. The erstwhile Arizona State slugger mostly forced his mode into Detroit’s 2025 plans with a standout outpouring (.340/.389/.680) and picked up close wherever helium near disconnected to statesman the season. Four hits, including 1 treble and 1 homer, arsenic good arsenic 4 walks against the defending World Series champions are a large improvement for Torkelson. It’s the benignant of show that volition support him connected the roster, adjacent arsenic the Tigers statesman to spot the likes of Wenceel Perez and Matt Vierling travel disconnected the IL. — Flores 

17. Tampa Bay Rays (16.3)

Record: 3-1
Preseason Power Ranking: 14

Most encouraging sign: The rotation holdovers held it down implicit the weekend

Before Drew Rasmussen returned this week, earlier Shane McClanahan comes backmost down the line, earlier the Rays person each the makings of a shutdown rotation — the guys who kept them successful it past twelvemonth looked conscionable good again implicit the weekend. The trio of Ryan Pepiot, Zach Littell and Taj Bradley combined to let 4 earned runs successful 18 innings, striking retired 22 and walking one. That’s the benignant of ratio that plays careless of however overmuch smaller your caller location ballpark is.

Rasmussen and McClanahan (along with Shane Baz, who came backmost successful the 2nd fractional past season) surely rise the level of what the Rays tin bash this season. But the 3 holdovers from past twelvemonth marque this a dangerously heavy rotation arsenic well. — Britton

18. Minnesota Twins (18.0)

Record: 0-4
Preseason Power Ranking: T-16

Most encouraging sign: Joe Ryan’s instrumentality from injury

In his archetypal commencement since August, Ryan posted 5 innings of one-run shot with nary walks and 5 strikeouts. It was an encouraging motion for the 29-year-old, who missed overmuch of past year’s 2nd fractional owed to a season-ending people 2 teres large sprain. The Twins volition request these kinds of starts to marque up for a lackluster winter, successful which they did not marque immoderate escaped cause moves until good into February. Much similar the Mariners retired west, if the bats are going to conflict to enactment unneurotic hits, it’ll beryllium connected the starters to support different teams successful enactment and springiness the squad conscionable capable opportunities to marque a difference. That Ryan was capable to look mostly similar his aged aforesaid is simply a beardown motion successful that regard. — Flores 

19. Cleveland Guardians (18.4)

Record: 2-2
Preseason Power Ranking: 21

Most encouraging sign: Kyle Manzardo’s bat

For what feels similar years, the Guardians person been searching for different complementary hitter to brace with José Ramírez. Franmil Reyes went from hitting successful the mediate of their bid to playing successful Japan, the Josh Bell experimentation didn’t enactment and Josh Naylor is nary longer successful Cleveland. It’s lone 3 games, but Manzardo looked similar the hitter that the Guardians need, slugging 2 homers implicit Cleveland’s archetypal 3 games. It’s the benignant of stabilizing beingness that could transportation the Guardians into different AL Central rubric and possibly adjacent a longer postseason run. — Flores 

20. Milwaukee Brewers (18.7)

Record: 0-4
Preseason Power Ranking: 15

Most encouraging sign: Freddy Peralta looks similar Freddy Peralta

The Yankees’ lineup whitethorn person thrashed the remainder of Milwaukee’s staff, but the aforesaid can’t beryllium said astir Peralta, who turned successful 5 innings of two-run shot connected Opening Day. With quality of Aaron Civale being placed connected the IL, the Brewers are down to conscionable 2 established starters, Peralta and Nestor Cortes. For Milwaukee to enactment afloat successful the NL Central until Jose Quintana, Tobias Myers and Brandon Woodruff each marque their play debuts, it’ll beryllium connected Peralta to supply stableness each 5th day. Five coagulated innings against 1 of baseball’s champion offenses is simply a measurement successful that direction. — Flores 

T-21. Kansas City Royals (20.9)

Record: 2-2
Preseason Power Ranking: 19

Most encouraging sign: Jonathan India astatine leadoff

While the Royals inactive consciousness a spot similar Bobby Witt Jr. and company, the summation of India provides Kansas City with different bat to springiness the lineup a spot much length. If astatine slightest 1 of the Royals’ 5-9 hitters (10-for-56 with 11 strikeouts) tin crook into a serviceable bat, the squad tin spell from being successful the bottommost fractional leaguewide connected discourtesy to thing much middle-of-the-pack. India goes a agelong mode successful helping the squad get there. — Flores 

T-21. St. Louis Cardinals (20.9)

Record: 3-1
Preseason Power Ranking: 24

Most encouraging sign: Nolan Arenado mightiness inactive person it

After spending what felt similar the full offseason in an awkward commercialized limbo, Arenado came retired and reminded everyone of the subordinate that helium tin inactive be. Over 3 games, helium authored 5 hits, 3 of which went for other bases. He got the curtain-call attraction from the St. Louis faithful, and the Cardinals marched to a 3-0 start, conscionable however everyone drew it up. A instrumentality to signifier for Arenado could marque absorbing his wage a spot much palatable for different team, oregon supply St. Louis with capable crushed to effort to marque the postseason successful an different anemic NL Central. — Flores 

23. Cincinnati Reds (21.9)

Record: 2-2
Preseason Power Ranking: 23

Most encouraging sign: Nick Lodolo’s quality to battle

In his archetypal commencement of 2025, Lodolo did not person his champion stuff, nor did helium truly person immoderate bid of the onslaught zone. He inactive managed to crook successful six innings of two-run ball. In particular, aft throwing 57 pitches done the archetypal 3 innings, Lodolo needed conscionable 29 to implicit his adjacent three, retiring 8 of 9 batters. He relied connected his defence to marque plays down him with the Reds suffocating 11 grounders to support the Giants disconnected the bases. It’s the benignant of commencement that seasoned pitchers cognize however to marque and 1 that volition beryllium important for Cincinnati arsenic Lodolo looks to instrumentality a measurement guardant successful his age-27 season. — Flores 

24. Athletics (24.1)

Record: 2-3
Preseason Power Ranking: 25

Most encouraging sign: A steadfast Jeffrey Springs is simply a low-key beast

Springs struck retired 9 Mariners crossed six scoreless innings successful his Athletics debut. He scattered 3 singles and walked one. He looked a batch similar the pitcher who starred for Tampa Bay successful 2022 earlier Tommy John country wiped him retired for astir of the adjacent 2 seasons. The Athletics took connected Springs’ wage this past wintertime and paired him with Luis Severino atop the rotation. The duo should assistance the Athletics, for the archetypal clip successful a while, astatine slightest enactment competitory successful the American League West. — McCullough

T-25. Pittsburgh Pirates (25.3)

Record: 1-4
Preseason Power Ranking: 22

Most encouraging sign: The starting pitching was strong

Here are the lines for Pittsburgh’s starters done the archetypal 4 games:
Paul Skenes: 5 1/3 IP | 2 ER | 2 BB | 7 K
Mitch Keller: 6 IP | 1 ER | 1 BB | 4 K
Bailey Falter: 6 IP | 2 ER | 4 K
Andrew Heaney: 5 IP | 1 ER | 1 BB | 1 K

Here’s the Pirates’ grounds done 4 games: 1-3, with 3 losses each connected walk-offs. Consider that Jared Jones is connected the IL and Bubba Chandler is successful Indianapolis, meaning determination is country for this rotation to beryllium adjacent stronger. Starting pitching is fractional the battle, and provided the lineup tin drawstring unneurotic conscionable capable hits, this squad could extremity up winning a batch much games than primitively anticipated. — Flores 

T-25. Washington Nationals (25.3)

Record: 1-3
Preseason Power Ranking: 26

Most encouraging sign: MacKenzie Gore tin bash that?

Since they lowered the mound successful 1969, here’s the database of pitchers with much strikeouts successful an Opening Day commencement than the 13 Gore piled up against the Phillies:

• Randy Johnson (1993 and 1996)
• Shane Bieber (2020)

Bieber won the Cy Young that season. Johnson won it 5 times, though not successful either of those seasons.

How bully was Gore Thursday? His FIP is 1.70 — sorry, minus-1.70, which, if maintained, would beryllium a record. Since coming implicit successful the Juan Soto trade, the lefty has established himself arsenic a beauteous bully major-league starter. Thursday suggested the leap to thing much could beryllium imminent. — Britton

27. Miami Marlins (26.9)

Record: 3-2
Preseason Power Ranking: 28

Most encouraging sign: Clutch exists and the Marlins person it

Statistically speaking, the champion accidental for the Marlins to outperform expectations is to be, and this is simply a specifically defined term, “crazy good” successful adjacent games — 2012 Orioles bully successful adjacent games. And successful the archetypal weekend, that someway looked similar a plausible blueprint.

Miami became the archetypal squad since the ’01 Tigers to triumph with 3 walk-offs successful its archetypal series. You perceive ’01 Tigers and astir apt deliberation of Tony Clark and Bobby Higginson. No, I mean the ’01 Tigers of Kids Gleason and Elberfeld — the 1901 Tigers, who overcame deficits of nine, 1 and 3 successful the ninth inning to gain those walk-offs against the ur-Milwaukee Brewers. It’s disheartening nary 1 connected that Detroit roster earned “Clutch” arsenic a nickname, but their mistake doesn’t person to beryllium ours. What a crippled Clutch Conine had Sunday, eh? — Britton

28. Los Angeles Angels (27.3)

Record: 3-1
Preseason Power Ranking: 27

Most encouraging sign: Jack Kochanowicz missed immoderate bats

Kochanowicz, a 24-year-old right-hander, presented a puzzle for analysts past season. He stands 6-foot-7 and wields a fastball that touches the precocious 90s. Yet successful his rookie season, helium struck retired lone 3.4 batters per 9 innings. He has coagulated command, truthful immoderate betterment to his whiff complaint could assistance him level up. He made decent advancement successful his archetypal outing of 2025. It was lone 4 batters successful six innings, and it occurred against the White Sox. But advancement is advancement is progress. — McCullough

29. Colorado Rockies (29.0)

Record: 1-3
Preseason Power Ranking: 29

Most encouraging sign: Ryan McMahon could rejuvenate his commercialized value…

But past again, the Rockies haven’t been precise assertive with trying to determination homegrown players successful caller years. McMahon is simply a prime defender astatine 3rd base, but he’s been a somewhat below-average hitter for his full career. There is astir apt a squad oregon 2 consenting to gamble connected McMahon’s upside getting retired of Colorado, particularly if helium produces astatine the sheet similar helium did successful the season’s archetypal weekend. — McCullough

30. Chicago White Sox (30.0)

Record: 2-2
Preseason Power Ranking: 30

Most encouraging sign: Chicago’s 1-2 punch

Yes, the White Sox mislaid 2 of 3 games to the Angels, and yes, they had a monolithic malfunction with their tarp that became the worldly of net tomfoolery.

We’re getting adjacent to the finished product.

The White Sox person a batch of tarps. pic.twitter.com/QfRyuvsGuF

— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) March 30, 2025

But see this: Between Opening Day starter Sean Burke and Game 2 limb Jonathan Cannon, the duo managed to enactment up 11 scoreless innings, with 8 strikeouts against conscionable 3 walks. Now, the Angels aren’t immoderate violative powerhouse, and the upwind was alternatively cold, but seeing arsenic Chicago mislaid an astounding 121 games successful 2024, a reliable 1-2 duo is the benignant of advancement that the White Sox request truthful that they enactment distant from different historically atrocious season. — Flores 

(Top representation of Texas’ Wyatt Langford and Joc Pederson: Ron Jenkins / Getty Images)