Hey Team 👋

The MLB trade deadline has come and gone, and while some teams made bold moves to position themselves for the postseason, others waved the white flag and stocked up for the future. From unexpected sellers to head-scratching buyers, this year’s deadline didn’t just reshape rosters: It reshaped playoff races. With a mix of surging underdogs, slumping contenders and teams holding steady, this week’s power rankings look drastically different than last week’s.

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Post-Deadline Power Rankings

1. Milwaukee Brewers (🟰)

The Brewers are just so fun. No big stars, but contributions everywhere. And because they’re not built around household names, they’re not doomed when someone goes down. That was clear this week when Jackson Chourio hit the IL with a hamstring strain. Blake Perkins stepped in seamlessly, collecting two hits and three RBIs in Friday’s start. That wasn’t even the best part about Friday, though. All nine starting Brewers got a hit for the eighth time this season (most in MLB).

2. Toronto Blue Jays (⬆️1)

I know, the Blue Jays just dropped a series to the Royals, but they still hold the best record in the American League. Plus, they bounced back in a big way with a series sweep of the Rockies where they scored a combined 45 runs (yes, you read that right). With back-to-back tests coming up against the Dodgers and Cubs, they’ll be challenged, but they’ve built a comfortable lead in the AL East. Now that they’ve added Shane Bieber, fresh off his return from Tommy John surgery, they might just have the best rotation in baseball heading into the postseason.

3. Philadelphia Phillies (⬆️2)

After the deadline, the Phillies look more complete than they have in years. Their bullpen has haunted their recent postseason appearances, but it looks like Jhoan Duran could finally change that. Plus, they acquired Harrison Bader to fill their hole in centerfield. As if that wasn’t enough, their core rotation looks unstoppable. Kyle Schwarber mashed his 40th home run on Monday – a grand slam, of course. After weeks of trading spots with the Mets atop the NL East, the Phils now hold a 2.5-game lead.

4. Chicago Cubs (⬇️2)

I didn’t expect the Cubs to fall this far behind the Brewers in the NL Central, but here we are. The Cubs stayed relatively quiet at the deadline, and maybe it’s starting to show. Or maybe, they’re just cooling off before they catch fire again. Chicago dropped a series to the Reds, but there’s plenty of opportunity to bounce back versus the Cardinals this weekend. Right now, they just need the bats to wake up. The Cubs have scored only 12 runs over their last five games. For most teams, that wouldn’t be a red flag — but for an offense this dynamic, it’s a problem.

5. Los Angeles Dodgers (⬆️1)

The boys are back, and Dodgers fans everywhere can finally breathe. Blake Snell and Max Muncy returned from the IL over the weekend, giving LA some support that was long overdue. Overall, Snell looked sharp in his first outing, despite allowing a 2-run homer. Muncy stayed quiet during his first game back but made plenty of noise on Monday with four hits, including two home runs and four RBIs. With the roster finally getting healthy, LA might be ready to run away with the NL West (again). 

6. Detroit Tigers (⬆️1)

The Tigers have finally started to stabilize after their post-All-Star break fiasco. The tide started to turn with last week’s sweep of the Diamondbacks – but they’re not out of the woods quite yet. Since then, the Tigers dropped back-to-back series to the Phillies and Twins. Luckily, though, they have plenty of rebound opportunities in upcoming matchups versus the Angels and White Sox, as well as another shot at the Twins. Detroit also made a much-needed bullpen move at the deadline, adding closer Kyle Finnegan. Between him and their comfortable AL Central cushion, the Tigers have a clear path to October.

7. Houston Astros (⬆️1)

A sweep at the hands of the Red Sox over the weekend hurt, but the Astros rebounded by securing a series win over the Marlins, scoring 19 runs in the process. Carlos Correa’s homecoming has been huge for the ‘Stros, as he’s recorded six hits, two RBIs and a home run in five games since returning to Houston. He’s certainly given the offense a boost, but Houston’s lack of pitching upgrades at the deadline could come back to bite them, especially since the challenging Mariners made plenty of big moves in July.

8. San Diego Padres (⬆️4)

The Padres started their upward trend by bringing the brooms out versus the Mets last week. They continued that trend by taking care of business against the Cardinals, putting up 16 runs over the 3-game series. Their dynamic offense could get even more dangerous once new addition Ryan O’Hearn settles in. So far, he has only one hit over four games, but if he heats up, look out. Meanwhile, fellow newcomer Ramón Laureano has wasted no time making an impact, tallying eight hits, five RBIs and a home run in just five outings in San Diego.

9. Boston Red Sox (⬆️1)

The Red Sox are red hot. They haven’t lost a series in two weeks, and they’re gaining ground in the AL East. Even if they don’t win the division, they’re current front-runners for an American League Wild Card spot. But despite their momentum, their activity (or lack thereof) at the deadline raised some questions. They added Steven Matz and Dustin May to deepen the pitching staff but made no other moves, which is strange, given their playoff positioning. Right now, it clearly hasn’t hurt them. But once other teams’ new additions start to settle in, will Boston’s inactivity come back to haunt them?

10. New York Mets (⬇️6)

On the complete other side of the spectrum, we have the Mets. They were arguably the most active team at the deadline, going all-in on their bullpen, but they’ve gone cold ever since. After getting swept by the Padres last week, they’ve now dropped back-to-back series against the Giants and Guardians. Just last week, they were neck-and-neck with the Phillies, trading places atop the NL East. Now, they’re 2.5 games back. Unfortunately, their upcoming series against the Brewers won’t do them any favors in closing that gap. But slumps happen all the time, and with a roster with as much talent and depth as this one, it’s probably temporary. 

11. Seattle Mariners (🟰)

The Mariners are already reaping the rewards of their active trade deadline. Josh Naylor is settling in nicely with 10 hits and two home runs over 10 games in Seattle. Caleb Ferguson has bolstered the bullpen as well, posting a 1.09 WHIP in his three outings as a Mariner. Meanwhile, the core players are making history. Cal Raleigh is now up to 42 homers so far this season – claiming the record for most home runs by a switch-hitting catcher. Plus, Julio Rodriguez ripped his 20th homer on Sunday, making him the first player in MLB history to open his career with 20+ home runs and 20+ steals in four consecutive seasons. 

12. New York Yankees (⬇️3)

Like the Mariners, the Yankees also went all-in at the deadline. Unlike the Mariners, they haven’t seen the payoff (yet). The Yankees added relievers Camilo Doval, David Bednar and Jake Bird, but their debut was rough to say the least. In their first outing together on Friday, the trio gave up nine runs to the Marlins over just 2 ⅓ innings. Maybe Friday was a fluke. It was an away game and their first outing in pinstripes, after all. But the struggles continued Monday, when Bird surrendered a walk-off homer to the Rangers in the 10th. Since their slide, the Yankees have fallen to third in the AL East, now 6.5 games out of first. Once the new acquisitions settle in, New York will probably be right back on track. Until then, Yankees fans can celebrate Aaron Judge’s return from the IL.

13. Texas Rangers (🟰)

The Rangers’ trade deadline moves may have seemed curious at first, but if they make it to October, they might look strategic in hindsight. Rather than addressing weaknesses, Texas doubled down on strengths: The Rangers could have added some bats to end their season-long offensive drought. Instead, they fortified their already elite pitching staff. The Rangers already own the best starting rotation ERA in baseball at 3.19, and new addition Merrill Kelly could make it even better. With a starter and bullpen help added, it’s clear Texas is banking on Corey Seager and Josh Jung to reignite the offense. They just need to hope that offensive spark comes in time to make their deadline moves worthwhile.

14. Cincinnati Reds (🟰)

The Reds have been good all season. The deadline gave them an opportunity to be great, but they didn’t seize it. It’s not that they sat out; their moves were just… puzzling. They added an excellent defender in Ke’Bryan Hayes, but his offensive value is nearly nonexistent, with a .569 OPS and only three homers this season. Then came Zack Littell –  who leads the league in home runs allowed (26) – a risky fit for one of the most hitter-friendly parks in baseball. Still, the Reds are very much in the National League Wild Card race. 

15. Cleveland Guardians (⬆️3)

Sometimes the best trades are the ones you don’t make. Cleveland proved that by holding onto Steven Kwan, who has been central to the Guardians’ recent hot streak. Kwan has recorded nine hits over the Guardians last eight games – seven of which they’ve won. Most recently, during their sweep of the Mets, Gavin Williams was only one out away from a no-hitter before Juan Soto spoiled it with a solo homer. While the AL Central may be out of reach, the Guardians tentatively remain in the race for an American League Wild Card spot, against all odds. 

16. Miami Marlins (⬆️7)

Don’t hold your breath, but the Marlins may be staging the comeback of a lifetime. They’ve been clawing their way back to .500, and it’s working. Since June 13, the Brewers (yes, the ones who top the power rankings) are the only team with a better record. Let that sink in. And it’s not like the Marlins have had an easy path, either. They took a series from Milwaukee, followed it up with another against the Cardinals and then swept the Yankees for good measure. I’m not saying it’s all going to work out for Miami, but it sure is fun to watch. 

17. Tampa Bay Rays (⬇️1)

The Rays were one of the few teams that played the deadline just right. They dealt from positions of depth, moved on from players who had become liabilities rather than assets and added young pitching talent. And so far, it’s paying off. The Rays snapped a four-game losing streak on Saturday, against the Dodgers and former teammate Blake Snell, no less. For a team that is essentially out of the playoff race, they played the deadline as best they could with their sights set on the future.

18. Kansas City Royals (⬆️1)

Like the Rays, Kansas City also nailed the trade deadline. With postseason hopes fading for this season, they made some modest but strategic acquisitions for next season. But notice how I said postseason hopes are fading, not gone. Kansas City took a series win against the Blue Jays over the weekend to improve to 17-10 since the start of July. With 16 games left against AL Central opponents (minus the Tigers), the Royals have the opportunity to keep treading water and maybe even sneak into the American League Wild Card race.

19. San Francisco Giants (⬇️5)

It’s a bit puzzling to see a team make a big move for Rafael Devers, only to turn around and sell at the deadline. But maybe the numbers better explain it. Remember how we talked about the Brewers and Marlins since June 13? Well, unfortunately the same story can’t be told for the Giants. Since then, they’ve gone 16-28 – the worst record in baseball over that stretch. Maybe that’s why they became sellers so quickly. Somehow, the Giants are still only three games back in the NL West. But don’t expect that to last now that the Dodgers are getting a healthy crew back.

20. St. Louis Cardinals (⬇️3)

The Cardinals were one of those teams that was right on the bubble of buying or selling at the deadline. Credit to St. Louis for making the quick (and correct) decision to sell. There was just no realistic path to stay in the mix with the Brewers, Cubs, or even the Reds in the NL Central. In the American League, a Wild Card spot might still be on the table. But in the National League? Not a chance. St. Louis dealt Steven Matz, Erick Fedde and Ryan Helsley at the deadline, but they’ve been holding their own since then. They avoided a sweep by the Padres and even notched a series win over the Dodgers.

21. Los Angeles Angels (🟰)

The Angels were another team that just baffled me at the deadline. Sitting fourth in the AL West and below .500, they somehow decided buying was the right move. But the worst part? Their “buys” made it seem like they never actually made a decision at all. They added two veteran relievers – Andrew Chafin and Luis Garcia – plus third baseman Oswald Peraza. Critics called out the Rays and Royals for buying based on their playoff positioning, but at least they made a decision and stuck to it (and had better postseason odds than the Angels, by the way). When you’re a fringe team, you have a few options: You can do a soft sell for some younger talent, a full teardown for the future, or go all-in on an impact player. The Angels chose a secret fourth option: None of the above.

22. Arizona Diamondbacks (⬇️2)

Now here’s a team that understood exactly where it stood and fully embraced the sell. The Diamondbacks recognized they had valuable trade chips and chose to cash in with the future in mind. The D-Backs dealt away Josh Naylor, Eugenio Suarez, Merrill Kelly, Shelby Miller, Jordan Montgomery and Randal Grichuk. In return, they loaded up on valuable prospects and shed some payroll in the process. 

23. Baltimore Orioles (⬆️1)

Entering this season, the Orioles probably never imagined they’d be sellers at the deadline. But they probably didn’t picture themselves under .500 and sitting at the bottom of the AL East, either – so here we are. As disappointing as it was, the Orioles were realistic about this season’s future and embraced a sell that offered more long-term value than keeping the roster intact. The O’s dealt away Ryan O’Hearn, Cedric Mullins, Gregory Soto and Ramon Laureano. The positive? Baltimore landed 15 prospects. The downside? None of those prospects cracked MLB’s top 100. 

24. Atlanta Braves (⬆️2)

Unfortunately, Atlanta’s hands were tied at this year’s deadline. They were unable to obtain any valuable prospects in return for Marcell Ozuna or Raisel Iglesias. With so many key players on the IL, the Braves didn’t have much leverage at the deadline. Rather than forcing a move, they seem to be riding this season out and shifting their focus to a (hopefully) healthy roster next season. On the bright side, they did get to lift a trophy at the first-ever Speedway Classic.

25. Athletics (🟰)

All things considered, the A’s are doing alright. In fact, they’re doing better than alright. They’ve won eight of their last 11 games, including a 4-game sweep of the Astros and a series win over the Mariners. Plus, they put up 16 runs in their win over the Nationals on Tuesday. Losing Mason Miller stings, but look on the bright side: They landed No. 3 prospect Leo De Vries in return. That’s about the best the Athletics could ask for right now.

26. Minnesota Twins (⬇️4)

Minnesota is another team that’s holding its own despite where it’s at in the teardown process. The Twins avoided the sweep by the Guardians and followed it up with a series win over the Tigers. And they’re doing it without 10 players they traded from their major league roster, including Carlos Correa, Jhoan Duran, and Griffin Jax. Considering the amount of talent they moved, Minnesota’s ability to stay competitive is more impressive than you think.

27. Pittsburgh Pirates (⬆️1)

Before their wild Friday night game versus the Rockies, the Pirates had actually won eight of their last nine games, including sweeps of the Tigers and Giants. Nobody really talked about it because, well, it’s the Pirates. But now have a fighting chance to move up from last place in the division, especially with the Cardinals trending downward. That didn’t even seem possible a couple weeks ago. Plus, Pittsburgh made some key moves at the deadline, dealing away Ke’Bryan Hayes and David Bednar. 

28. Washington Nationals (⬆️1)

If you want to know where the Nationals are right now, here’s a stat: They’ve allowed seven or more runs in six straight games – and lost every one of them. That should give you a pretty good idea. They dealt away five rentals plus veteran OF Alex Call, so at least they did something at the deadline. But whether the return was worth it? That’s still very much up in the air.

29. Chicago White Sox (⬇️2)

Over the weekend, the White Sox notched their 42nd win, officially surpassing their win total from last season. That has to count for something, right? At the deadline, Chicago made a smart move by selling Adrian Houser. However, they also made an equally puzzling one by holding onto Luis Robert Jr.

30. Colorado Rockies (🟰)

The Rockies were actually a headline for something good this week, and that alone feels worth celebrating. After falling behind 9-0 to the Pirates in the first inning, they stormed back with five runs in the ninth to walk it off. Sure, it was just the Pirates, but this might just be the highlight of Colorado’s season. Even better, the Rockies made the most of the deadline by dealing away Ryan McMahon, Jake Bird and Tyler Kinley. In return, they got some high-value prospects perfectly suited for a rebuild.