With MLB All-Star festivities complete, it’s time to direct our attention back to the rigors of the regular season. It’s common to refer to the post-All-Star stretch as the second half, but in truth, more than half of the regular season is already complete; MLB teams have played between 95 and 98 games, meaning there’s about 40% left until the postseason.
Still, we have 60-plus games left to determine who will be in the playoff field competing for the 2025 World Series. And with the trade deadline right around the corner, a lot’s going to change about these teams between now and October.
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With all that said, let’s go around the league and take a look at where things stand as the “second half” begins.
1. Chicago Cubs (57-39)
With baseball’s best run differential at +119 and a solid series win in the Bronx entering the All-Star break, the Cubs claim the top spot in these rankings for the first time all season after spending much of the first half floating in the top 10. Chicago has a strong case as the best offense in MLB, and its bullpen has quietly become a legitimate strength after an awful collective showing in April. Adding an impact starting pitcher remains a priority ahead of the trade deadline — and staving off the Brewers isn’t going to be easy — but the Cubs are clear contenders and have earned the No. 1 spot at this juncture.
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2. Los Angeles Dodgers (58-39)
The Dodgers were in the top spot in five of the previous six editions of my power rankings, and they have more than enough talent to reclaim the throne in the near future. But we’re also far past the point of this team looking like a historic juggernaut of any kind — they aren’t on pace to win 100 games, let alone challenge the 2001 Mariners for the all-time wins record. Los Angeles deserves ample credit for maintaining a sturdy division lead throughout this inconsistent stretch, but there’s work to be done for the Dodgers to reestablish themselves as the undisputed best team in baseball.
3. Detroit Tigers (59-38)
The Tigers endured an uncharacteristic stumble entering the break, getting swept at home for the first time all season as the Mariners overwhelmed them by a combined score of 25-14. Even so, the Tigers proved a lot over the first few months and are in tremendous position to not only cruise to a comfortable division title (their first since 2014) but also make a real push for the No. 1 seed in the American League. Detroit’s enormous division lead might mean its front office feels comfortable not doing anything dramatic at the trade deadline, but I’d argue this is the exact time to bolster an already-strong roster and make a real run at a World Series. The American League might never be more wide open than it is now; the Tigers should be all-in for 2025.
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4. Philadelphia Phillies (55-41)
Outside of a rickety bullpen that appears certain to be addressed ahead of the trade deadline, the Phillies have all the ingredients to make another deep run in October. The challenge now is to avoid the second-half slump that completely sapped them of their contender-esque moxie last season, especially with a daunting challenger in the Mets right on their heels, which Philadelphia didn’t have to deal with down the stretch last year.
5. Houston Astros (56-40)
After their spectacular sweep of the Dodgers in L.A., in which they outscored the defending champs 29-6, a rough homestand against Cleveland and Texas before the break cooled the Houston hype. With star shortstop Jeremy Peña and breakout outfielder Jake Meyers recently joining Yordan Alvarez on the injured list, the Astros will need some other hitters to step up if they want to maintain their comfy lead atop the AL West.
With about 40% of the regular season remaining, the trade deadline and playoff pictures are starting to come together. (Mallory Bielecki/Yahoo Sports)
(Mallory Bielecki/Yahoo Sports)
6. New York Mets (55-42)
The Mets’ pitching has predictably regressed after a marvelous start, posting a 4.63 ERA since the start of June after recording a sterling 2.84 ERA through the end of May. This could still be a solid pitching staff if everyone’s healthy, but the strength of this team should clearly be the lineup, and even with Juan Soto’s recent hot streak, New York’s offense hasn’t been firing on all cylinders. If and when it does, that could determine whether the Mets are a threat to win the NL East or are headed for another wild card.
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7. Milwaukee Brewers (56-40)
On May 13, the Brewers were shut out in Cleveland for the second consecutive day to fall to 20-23 on the season, seemingly heading for a disappointing encore to last year’s surprise run to another NL Central title. Since that low point, Milwaukee is 36-17 — the best record in baseball over that span. Suddenly, the Brew Crew have launched themselves to the top of the NL wild-card standings and sit just one game behind the rival Cubs. This division race is shaping up to be one of the biggest storylines of the second half.
8. Toronto Blue Jays (55-41)
Most remarkable about Toronto’s position atop the AL East is that virtually none of its offseason acquisitions have worked out. Jeff Hoffman has mostly been good, but a few disaster outings have his ERA at 5.05. Max Scherzer has made just five starts. Andres Giménez is playing great defense but hasn’t hit at all. Anthony Santander was atrocious (.577 OPS) and is now on the injured list. And yet! Here they are in first place. The Blue Jays are bizarre, but they have enough going right for them right now (Addison Barger, hello) that they should be taken seriously as a playoff threat.
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9. New York Yankees (53-43)
With their division rivals scuffling early, it seemed like the Yankees might run away with the AL East, and they had a seven-game cushion as late as May 28. But their lead was slowly squandered and eventually surrendered over the course of June and into July, which has put the Yankees in something of a precarious position. The bones of a really good roster are still firmly intact, but few teams will be under more pressure to improve ahead of the trade deadline. Granted, that’s true for the Yankees basically every year.
10. Boston Red Sox (53-45)
Well, well, well, look who we have here. The Red Sox have played their way into being talked about for reasons beyond their seemingly nonstop drama surrounding their roster construction. Boston caught fire in July and might’ve been one of the few teams that would’ve preferred not to pause playing for the All-Star break, as the Red Sox rode a 10-game heater into the break and will look to resume their winning streak this weekend at Wrigley Field. No matter what happens next for this Red Sox team, it’s guaranteed to be worth watching.
11. San Diego Padres (52-44)
The Padres are squarely in the playoff mix but once again have a roster with glaring holes, which means we’re barreling toward another trade deadline featuring the age-old question: What wild swap will president of baseball operations AJ Preller cook up this time? The answer has become more and more challenging as the Padres have completely thinned out their farm system in previous win-now deals, but Preller always seems to find a way to make something happen. I expect this deadline to be no different.
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12. Seattle Mariners (51-45)
Seattle’s final three series before the break surely gave its fan base a degree of whiplash: A dominant sweep of the Pirates in which the Mariners didn’t allow a run was followed by getting swept in embarrassing fashion in the Bronx and then finally an offensive explosion in Detroit that featured 25 runs scored in an emphatic sweep of the best team in baseball. A critical homestand against Houston and Milwaukee is on deck and should help clarify just how good this team is. Expect president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto to be active and aggressive at the trade deadline, especially with a loaded farm system to deal from.
13. San Francisco Giants (52-45)
The Giants have a championship-caliber bullpen and two stellar starting pitchers in Logan Webb and Robbie Ray, but the lineup — even with the addition of Rafael Devers — remains lackluster. How will new president of baseball operations Buster Posey handle his first trade deadline at the helm? He already made one big swing with the Devers acquisition, but standing pat beyond that is a dangerous proposition, considering how competitive the NL wild-card race projects to be.
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14. Tampa Bay Rays (50-47)
Red-hot rivals Toronto and Boston have made Tampa Bay’s path to the postseason a bit cloudier, but this team does a lot of things well and should not be disregarded in the AL playoff mix. It’s important to remember that due to the Rays’ unusual stadium setup at Steinbrenner Field, the league frontloaded the schedule with home games in an effort to avoid rainier conditions later in the summer. That means the Rays will be on the road far more than any other team in the second half, and it’ll be interesting to see how they navigate that unique challenge.
15. St. Louis Cardinals (51-46)
The Cardinals aren’t a bad team by any stretch, but there’s still time to revert to full-blown sell mode; the Cardinals lost three of their last four series before the break. It’ll be interesting to see how Ryan Helsley’s market as a trade candidate is impacted by the potential availability of several other closers, including David Bednar, Emmanuel Clase, Jhoan Duran or Felix Bautista — some of whom were definitely not expected to be on the move when the season started.
16. Texas Rangers (48-49)
It has been a strange season for the Rangers. Their +47 run differential is 10th-best in MLB, yet they have a losing record. Their 3.31 team ERA is lowest in MLB, but their 90 wRC+ ranks 25th. They are definitively strong on the mound and maddeningly lackluster at the plate. Can this roster find more balance with a big offensive addition at the trade deadline? Or will the standings dictate a more conservative approach amid a second straight disappointing campaign?
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17. Cincinnati Reds (50-47)
Similar to Texas, the Reds have assembled a stout pitching staff worth respecting but have been unable to find enough offensive momentum to make progress in the standings. Elly De La Cruz has quietly rediscovered his superstar form after a slow start — he ranks third in MLB in fWAR behind only Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh since May 24 — but he can’t do it alone. Let’s see how aggressive this front office is willing to be at the trade deadline, especially with Hall of Fame skipper Terry Francona at the helm.
18. Arizona Diamondbacks (47-50)
It’s tough to give up on a team with this amount of offensive firepower, but Arizona’s pitching staff is making it awfully difficult to maintain belief that the Snakes can stick around in the playoff race. Big decisions loom for this front office as the trade deadline approaches. It’s safe to say it would be more of a retool than a rebuild, but this roster could look a whole lot different in 2026.
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19. Minnesota Twins (47-49)
It’s a shame that Byron Buxton’s sensational (and healthy) season has thus far gone to waste. Buxton made it quite clear during All-Star week that he won’t be on the move at this year’s trade deadline, but it’s hard not to wonder if some of his high-profile teammates (Joe Ryan? Jhoan Duran? Pablo López?) could be dealt if the Twins can’t make a meaningful jump up the standings in the next few weeks.
20. Kansas City Royals (47-50)
An offense that was miserably unproductive over the first three months has started to show some encouraging signs of life in July, but this team is still a few bats short of being taken seriously. A standout pitching staff should keep Kansas City in the mix, though, and this messy middle group of American League wild-card contenders is too weak for the Royals to be dismissed entirely.
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21. Cleveland Guardians (46-49)
A miserable 10-game losing streak appeared to have Cleveland plummeting toward sell mode, but then the Guardians won six of seven entering the break, including a sweep of the Astros in Houston. Even so, their record and underlying metrics aren’t pretty, and the expectation is that this is a team to watch closely as a potential seller. That said, perhaps a softer remaining July schedule (A’s, Orioles, Royals, Rockies) will enable a push back into the wild-card mix.
22. Los Angeles Angels (47-49)
After improbably using just five starting pitchers for the entire first half, the Angels appear finally ready to make a change with the recent demotion of the struggling Jack Kochanowicz (6.06 ERA). Questions remain on the mound, and if the Angels are going to make a surprise push toward ending their MLB-long playoff drought, more arms will need to be added ahead of the deadline.
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23. Baltimore Orioles (43-52)
The Birds have played better since getting a bit healthier and finding a semblance of stability on the mound, with improved showings from guys such as Charlie Morton and Trevor Rogers, but the standings still suggest a high likelihood of Baltimore being one of the more prominent sellers at the deadline. Morton, Zach Eflin, Cedric Mullins, Gregory Soto and All-Star Ryan O’Hearn have expiring contracts worth monitoring as July 31 approaches — and perhaps even closer Félix Bautista (under contract through 2027) if the right team comes calling.
24. Atlanta Braves (42-53)
Sure, you could point to the fact that the 2021 Braves were also under .500 at the All-Star break before an epic second-half surge resulted in another division title and an improbable World Series run. But that team was 44-45 at the break and only 4.5 games back of first place; this year’s squad is 9.5 games out of a wild-card spot and 12.5 back of the Phillies. That’s a far bigger hole to dig out of, and it makes Atlanta one of the more fascinating teams to monitor ahead of the trade deadline.
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25. Miami Marlins (44-51)
There are flaws with this team, especially on the mound, but one thing has become clear: These Fish are fun. Miami is the youngest team in baseball and has unquestionably outperformed expectations, playing with a delightful flavor of carefree confidence under new manager Clayton McCullough. Acting as sellers at the trade deadline is still the most sensible course for the Marlins, but it’ll be interesting to see if their improved play and upward trajectory influence whom the front office is willing to move.
26. Athletics (41-57)
Despite boasting one of the more exciting, young offensive cores in baseball, the Athletics’ pitching has flatly failed them this year, hence their -137 run differential that ranks 29th ahead of only Colorado. This is still not a team I’d want to deal with down the stretch given its bevy of impact bats, but I’m expecting a lot more ugly slugfests in Sacramento the rest of the way.
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27. Pittsburgh Pirates (39-58)
A narrow victory in the first half finale saved the Pirates from entering the break on a nine-game losing streak, but vibes are still pretty bad in Pittsburgh. Recall that for as low as the bar has been in recent years, the Pirates still managed to win 76 games each of the past two seasons. The fact that it would take a serious uptick in performance for this team to even do that is a troubling sign, to say the least. Barring a miracle, Pittsburgh’s playoff drought is about to reach a decade.
28. Washington Nationals (38-58)
A new era of Nationals baseball has begun in the wake of the dismissals of Mike Rizzo and Davey Martinez, and a fantastic draft class headlined by No. 1 overall pick Eli Willits is an encouraging place to start. But there’s a ton of work to be done at all levels of this organization, so let’s keep expectations low for the remainder of this season; a last-place finish feels likely, especially with the Marlins dramatically outperforming expectations.
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29. Chicago White Sox (32-65)
The scuffling but wildly talented Luis Robert Jr. remains one of the more intriguing players to watch leading up to the trade deadline, but regardless of whether he stays in Chicago, the final two months will be all about the young guys for the South Siders. Will Venable and his staff should be laser-focused on which players the organization will be building around entering 2026.
30. Colorado Rockies (22-74)
The goal is obvious: Don’t lose more games than last year’s White Sox. Colorado has 66 regular-season games remaining, which means the team needs to go 20-46 the rest of the way to finish with more wins than the historically horrendous 2024 White Sox squad that went 41-121. Winning roughly 30% of their remaining contests doesn’t seem like too much to ask, but these Rockies have won two series all year out of 31, and those were against the Marlins and Nationals. The Rox will probably need to collect some wins against some good teams if they are to avoid 122 losses.
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