MLB Power Rankings: Brewers mash their way to the top, Red Sox surging in AL playoff race

NBC Sports

9 hours ago

Featured in this week's MLB Power Rankings, we look at the fallout from the recent trade deadline, Kyle Schwarber's power explosion, the Red Sox and Yankees headed in different directions, Kyle Stowers' emergence, hope for the White Sox, and much more.
(Please note these power rankings are a combination of current performance and long-term projected outlook)
Let's get started!
Matthew Pouliot,
Note: Rankings are from the morning of Tuesday, August 5.
Last week: 4
The Brewers have earned the No. 1 spot after winning two out of three from the Cubs, absolutely destroying the Nationals over the weekend, and winning the series opener with the Braves on Monday.
The @Brewers racked up 56 hits over their three games against the Nationals this weekend.
It's the most hits by an NL team in a three-game series since the Brooklyn Dodgers collected 57 hits against the Pirates from June 23-25, 1950. pic.twitter.com/KdS1DYru5R
People keep asking what the Brewers' secret sauce is when it's quite obviously cheese curds.
Last week: 2
It feels like the Cubs are a team where a couple of months from now we'll be asking why they didn't do more at the deadline. The team's big rotation acquisition, Mike Soroka, is headed to the injured list after leaving his Cubs debut with shoulder discomfort.
Last week: 5
Max Muncy made his much-needed return to the Dodgers' lineup on Monday after missing a month with a knee injury. Believe it or not, the club ranked last in the majors in runs during that time.
Last week: 1
A two-homer game from Bichette at Coors Field. I've seen this episode before.
2 HR, 6 RBI ... and counting!
Have a night, Bo Bichette 😤 pic.twitter.com/5fvOuSlrqC
After an injury-plagued 2024 season, Bo Bichette has returned to form this season. He's leading the majors in hits and setting himself for a nice payday this winter.
Last week: 6
The Tigers have righted the ship somewhat with six wins in their last eight games. Like many contenders, the Tigers prioritized their bullpen at the deadline, including new closer Kyle Finnegan from the Nationals.
Last week: 7
Kyle Schwarber cannot be stopped. With a pair of blasts on Monday, the 32-year-old slugger has now 40 homers for the season and 10 in 16 games since the All-Star break. The pleas to re-sign him are only getting louder in Philadelphia.
Last week: 11
The Red Sox are another team where you could argue they should have done more at the trade deadline, but that's not stopping them from being the hottest team in baseball. Winners of six straight, they now hold the top spot in the Wild Card standings.
Last week: 3
You can build a great back-end of the bullpen — which the Mets have done — but it's still a problem if your starters can't complete six innings on a regular basis.
Last week: 8
The Astros have lost eight out of their last 11 games, but the good vibes are still (mostly) flowing from Carlos Correa's return.
Carlos Correa's first homer with the Astros since 2021 traveled 411 feet with a 109.5 mph exit velocity pic.twitter.com/zGQpib2v9F
Looking forward to seeing the reception when Correa plays his first home game back in Houston next Monday.
Last week: 9
A.J. Preller, you beautiful maniac. Of course the Padres had to go crazy at the trade deadline, not just adding to a dominant bullpen with Mason Miller while trading their top prospect, but also upgrading their top-heavy lineup with Ryan O'Hearn and Ramón Laureano.
Last week: 12
The Mariners did exactly what they needed to do at the deadline, grabbing Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez to strengthen their lineup and left-hander Caleb Ferguson to lengthen their bullpen. The club took three out of four from the Rangers over the weekend and should be considered a serious threat to take down the Astros.
Last week: 10
The Yankees did the right thing by prioritizing their bullpen at the deadline, but so far it has been nothing short of a disaster. Friday's blowup was an all-timer, the bullpen came up short again on Monday against the Rangers as Devin Williams served up a game-tying homer in the ninth before recent acquisition Jake Bird gave up a walk-off homer to Josh Jung in the 10th. At least Aaron Judge is coming back?
Last week: 13
The Rangers are clearly betting on improvements from their offense, as they focused on their rotation (Merrill Kelly) and bullpen (Phil Maton, Danny Coulombe) at the trade deadline last week. Josh Jung, who hit a walk-off homer on Monday, is part of that bet. He's hitting .382 (13-for-34) with three homers and eight RBI since returning from the minors.
Last week: 14
The Reds took on Ke'Bryan Hayes entire contract ($36 million from 2026-2019, with a $6 million buyout on $12 million club option for 2030) in their trade with the Pirates last week. There's no doubt that Hayes can pick it at third base, but only Christian Vazquez has a lower OPS than Hayes (.574) among players with at least 500 plate appearances dating back to the start of last season.
Last week: 18
Nic Enright secured his first save on Monday, a significant milestone for someone who is battling lymphoma.
Nic Enright, you are an inspiration.#GuardsBall | #GuardiWins pic.twitter.com/nw7IZw1UXU
Last week: 19
The Royals were characterized as a buyer coming out of the trade deadline. And to a certain extent, they were. But the pitchers they acquired — Bailey Falter, Ryan Berger, Stephen Kolek — all come with multiple years of control. Adding in the extension to Seth Lugo and they are clearly thinking about both 2025 and beyond.
Last week: 23
The Marlins swept the Yankees over the weekend and NL Player of the Month Kyle Stowers was right in the middle of it with a pair of homers.
UNCONSCIOUS
Kyle Stowers is your National League Player of the Month for July 😤 pic.twitter.com/8X8EVUCTT5
Last week: 15
I could talk about the Giants' trade deadline approach here, but the real headliner is the reality that the San Francisco Giants and the New York Giants really do get together for dinner.
Picnic or relay race next year? @SFGiants pic.twitter.com/pXkBCcswul
Last week: 16
Masyn Winn is tops in the majors in Outs Above Average, and if you watch this play from last week, you'll know why.
SS Masyn Winn looked like the franchise player the #STLCards desperately need him to become on this play. He went behind 3B Nolan Gorman, fielded a slow roller and made a perfect, off-balanced throw to retire #Padres star Luis Arraez. pic.twitter.com/aP6iQ5PiBA
Last week: 21
Why are you the way that you are? The Angels actually bought at the trade deadline for some reason, acquiring relievers Luis Garcia and Andrew Chafin.
Last week: 17
The Rays have been one of the worst teams in MLB over the past month, but they cooked up a cosmic gumbo of buying and selling at the trade deadline. Similar to what the Royals did with some of their moves, the Rays' acquisition of reliever Griffin Jax is about now and future seasons.
Last week: 20
While this season hasn't worked out as hoped for the Diamondbacks, they did a nice job loading up on prospects while trading Merrill Kelly, Eugenio Suárez, Josh Naylor, Shelby Miller, Jordan Montgomery, and Randal Grichuk.
No team landed more new talent on its Top 30 Prospects list than the @Dbacks.
Biggest Trade Deadline hauls: https://t.co/vaGFGucArb pic.twitter.com/S73krQtnS2
Last week: 24
A lost year for Grayson Rodriguez is officially in the books. The young right-hander is scheduled for elbow dibridement surgery next week and could be sidelined through the early part of next season as well. Figuring out the pitching side is of utmost importance for Baltimore going forward.
Last week: 26
Behold, the only trophy the Braves will be lifting this season.
What a day for Eli White!#SpeedwayClassic pic.twitter.com/H8VUYR7q3k
Because the Braves' season continues to be cursed, Austin Riley is headed back to the injured list with an abdominal strain.
Last week: 25
Having a great closer is quite simply a luxury for a non-contender, so you can't fault the A's for trading Mason Miller and J.P Sears, especially when you get one of the game's top prospects in return. It will be fun to see De Vries in Sacramento/Las Vegas/a destination to be named later in a couple of years.
Last week: 27
The Pirates made some notable moves last week (Ke'Bryan Hayes, David Bednar), but it's the ones they didn't make (impending free agents Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Tommy Pham, and Andrew Heaney) which were especially confusing.
Last week: 22
If you were a Twin, you probably got traded last week. And that goes for Tyler and Trevor Rogers, as well. You have to feel for Twins fans. Hopefully there's a soft landing with their sale situation in the days ahead.
Last week: 28
The Nationals have given up at least seven runs in each of their last five games. The Dog Days of Summer, indeed.
Last week: 29
This is what it's all about for the White Sox right now.
Four home runs today for the White Sox:
Kyle Teel
Colson Montgomery
Miguel Vargas
Edgar Quero
Montgomery, in particular, has been the most exciting of late. He's now homered seven times in his last 11 games.
Last week: 30
Not only did this three-run homer from Jordan Beck end Paul Skenes' 18-inning scoreless streak, but it was also the first time Skenes had given up a home run of more than two runs in the majors. So the Rockies have that going for them, which is nice.
💥HONCHO HOMER pic.twitter.com/MXkYf3u4iz