Toronto Blue Jays latest MLB power ranking according to ESPN

Almost halfway through September, the 2025 playoff picture is taking shape, but it might not be as set as it seemed just a couple of weeks ago.

No team has secured a postseason berth or even clinched a division, though a number of contenders have more than a 99% chance of making the playoffs.

But races that seemed as if they might be over at the end of August are heating up again.

There are still a few exciting division races. The Yankees and Red Sox could still catch Toronto in the AL East, Seattle is only one game back of Houston in the AL West and the Dodgers and Padres remain locked in a battle in the NL West.

ESPN and MLB's expert panel has ranked the top ten teams based on a combination of what we've seen so far and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that is a full baseball season. (Credit: Jesse Rogers, Alden Gonzalez and David Schoenfield.)

1. Milwaukee Brewers

Record: 89-58

A series loss to the Rangers this week won't dampen the spirits in Milwaukee after the Brewers' weekend road sweep of the Pirates.

Pitching was the name of the game in Pittsburgh as the Brewers gave up a total of five runs in the three games, none of which were started by top pitcher Freddy Peralta.

A healthy Milwaukee rotation has a plethora of choices for the postseason from Quinn Priester to Brandon Woodruff to Jacob Misiorowski to Jose Quintana -- any of whom could pitch after Peralta.

With a first-round bye that gets the Brewers straight to the division round on the horizon, they can set up their rotation any way they see fit. -- Rogers

2. Philadephia Phillies

Record: 86-60

Kyle Schwarber has reached the 50 home run mark in a season for the first time in his career and it couldn't have come at a better time, considering he's a free agent this winter.

After signing a four-year, $79 million deal with the Phillies when he was 29 in 2022, Schwarber is going to be one of those rare guys who signs a bigger deal in his early-to-mid 30s.

He has shown no signs of aging, as evidenced by his most productive years coming after turning 30 in 2023. Schwarber is in line for a contract well over $100 million. -- Rogers

3. Los Angeles Dodgers

Record: 82-64

The Dodgers welcomed Max Muncy back Monday, then Alex Vesia on Tuesday and Tommy Edman on Wednesday.

Brock Stewart and Dalton Rushing, meanwhile, should return within the next week or two.

The Dodgers have been shockingly subpar for a while now, going 1-5 on a trip through Pittsburgh and Baltimore last week and sitting three games below .500 since the start of July.

But they maintain that their best baseball remains ahead of them. It needs to be. The Dodgers will welcome the Phillies to L.A. for three games next week.

The Dodgers basically have to sweep Philly to have any hope of grabbing the No. 2 seed and avoiding the wild-card round. -- Gonzalez

4. Detroit Tigers

Record: 84-62

As the Tigers look for somebody to step up as the No. 2 starter behind Tarik Skubal for the playoffs, Casey Mize has had back-to-back solid starts against good offensive teams after posting a 7.20 ERA over his previous eight starts.

He held the Mets to one run in five innings and then the Yankees to two runs in six innings (on two solo home runs), and he didn't walk a batter in either start.

Meanwhile, Kyle Finnegan, who came over from the Nationals at the deadline, continues to excel in the bullpen, having not yet given up a run in his 14⅓ innings with the Tigers (and giving up only three hits with 19 strikeouts). -- Schoenfield

5. Toronto Blue Jays

Record: 83-62

George Springer continues to have an under-the-radar great offensive season.

He ranks third in the majors in wRC+ at 160 -- just ahead of Juan Soto, Cal Raleigh and Kyle Schwarber.

He's also hitting .300, there are only seven players hitting .300 and three of them are on the Blue Jays, and closing in on 100 runs scored.

Over the past decade, only Nelson Cruz and David Ortiz had a wRC+ that high at age 35 or older.

The key? Springer opened his stance a bit this year, creating a more vertical bat angle that has produced the lowest groundball rate of his career. -- Schoenfield

6. New York Yankees

Record: 80-65

The Yankees won two of three at home against Toronto over the weekend to move to within two games of the Blue Jays atop the AL East, only to give it back Tuesday in a dreadful performance against the Tigers that drew boos from the home fans.

Tied 2-2 in the seventh, the Tigers scored eight runs before the Yankees recorded an out as Fernando Cruz and Mark Leiter Jr. got scorched.

The inning featured four walks, a hit batter and a wild pitch. Cruz had given up only one run in seven appearances since returning from the injured list and had pitched his way into a high-leverage role, but now manager Aaron Boone will have to wonder about his consistency in a bullpen that continues to frustrate. -- Schoenfield

7. Chicago Cubs

Record: 83-63

Injuries are a current storyline for the Cubs, but they are focused on October, so getting All-Star right fielder Kyle Tucker (calf) and closer Daniel Palencia (shoulder) right is their priority for the rest of September.

Palencia needed a reset after imploding in his last game before leaving because of soreness. His absence actually underscores how important right-hander Brad Keller is, and will be, to the team heading into the playoffs.

Keller is their tough out-getter and will get innings at the most important times of the game. That potentially includes the ninth inning, if Palencia shows further cracks when he returns. -- Rogers

8. Boston Red Sox

Record: 81-66

Aroldis Chapman's season keeps getting better and better , as in, one of the best relief seasons ever.

Before giving up one run and two hits in getting the loss on Wednesday, he not only hadn't given up a run over his previous 17 appearances (a span of 14⅔ innings) but hadn't given up a hit either.

Batters are 2-for-52 against him since J.T. Realmuto's home run July 23. Since May 28, Chapman has given up only three runs (two earned) in 34⅓ innings.

He has blown only one save opportunity all season and batters are hitting .122 off him -- which is just above Kirby Yates' .113 average from last season as the lowest ever with a minimum of 50 innings pitched. -- Schoenfield

9. San Diego Padres

Record: 79-67

For as talented as the Padres' roster looks since the trade deadline, their offense still lacks punch.

And it's not hard to see why. Since the start of August, Fernando Tatis Jr., Luis Arraez and Manny Machado, the three players who make up the top three spots in the lineup, are slashing a combined .227/.297/.338.

Machado, in particular, has produced only a .193 batting average in that stretch, and he's just 4-for-37 since the start of September.

Padres manager Mike Shildt expressed confidence in his star third baseman recently, telling reporters: «He'll figure it out. He's Manny Machado.» He needs to be. -- Gonzalez

10. Houston Astros

Record: 79-67

On Tuesday, Luis Garcia exited his second start since a 28-month recovery from Tommy John surgery because of elbow discomfort, after throwing his fastball around 90 mph.

Garcia will undergo further imaging to determine his prognosis, but, well, it doesn't sound good. And the Astros can ill afford more pitching injuries.

Three of their starters, Ronel Blanco, Hayden Wesneski and Brandon Walter, have required season-ending elbow surgeries, and fellow starter Spencer Arrighetti will sit out at least the rest of the regular season because of an elbow injury.

Three relievers, Kaleb Ort, Bennett Sousa and All-Star closer Josh Hader, who's dealing with a strained capsule in his shoulder will, too. -- Gonzalez

Source: ESPN