All 30 MLB teams have officially passed the halfway point of the 2025 season as the calendar turns to July.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers are tied for the best record in MLB at 53-32, and both hold the largest leads in their respective divisions at 7.5 games and 11.5 games. The Dodgers finished the month strong, winning six of seven games against the Nationals, Rockies and Royals. The Tigers picked up series wins over the Athletics and Twins, heading into a six-game road trip.
The other division races remain tight heading into July. Though they've lost three of their last four games, the Rays went 17-10 in June and sit just 1.5 games behind the Yankees for the AL East lead. The Blue Jays have made a push, too, just two games back. There's a similar dynamic in the NL Central, as the Cubs' .500 record in June allowed the Brewers ad Cardinals to each come within three games of first place.
The Astros were the biggest risers in this week's power rankings, thanks to a 5-1 run against the Phillies and Cubs. The Phillies were still able to maintain their lead in the NL East, though, as the Mets have gone an abysmal 3-13 since June 13.
(This poll takes into account votes from four Fastball On SI MLB writers: Tom Brew, Jack Ankony, Teren Kowatsch and Sam Connon. First-place votes are worth 30 points, and last-place votes are worth one point. Ties broken by highest vote or votes, then overall record. Total points and first-place votes in parentheses.)
Here's how each writer voted.
Comments: OK, I'm finally caving and moving the Los Angeles Dodgers into the No. 1 spot over the Detroit Tigers. Detroit's just 13-11 since June 3, so I'm moving them down a notch. I still think they are the best team in the American League, and Tarik Skubal pitched another gem this weekend.
Kudos to the Pittsburgh Pirates for moving up a few notches after they embarrassed the New York Mets over the weekend, outscoring them 30-4. And that was with Paul Skenes NOT pitching. Glad to see the Pirates showing some signs of life. I've dropped the Mets six spots in two weeks and, frankly, it should have been more. But these are full season rankings, so they're still getting a little love for their hot start.
I've got Houston all the way up to No. 3 now, and I have to admit, they are the surprise team of the year for me. I thought losing Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker was going to crush them offensively, and Yordan Alvarez has been out two months. The pitching has been great, and their 19-7 record in June is impressive.
Comments: My top two remain the same from last week, but the Houston Astros made a big jump from No. 7 to No. 3. They won five of six home games against the Cubs and Phillies, who haven’t played their best lately but still lead their respective divisions. The Cubs grew their division lead to 6.5 games not too long ago, but it’s back down to two, as the Brewers, Cardinals and Reds each have better records in June.
I chalked up the Mets’ struggles last week to playing tough competition, but my concern for them ticked up this week after getting swept in Pittsburgh and splitting a four-game set at home against the Braves. The Dodgers have created some breathing room atop the NL West, thanks to the Giants losing five of six to the Marlins and White Sox and the Padres dropping a series in Cincinnati. It was also a good week for some of the teams that have sat at the bottom of our rankings for most of the season: the White sox, Orioles, Pirates and Marlins.
Comments: Two weeks out of the All-Star Break, there's finally some separation being created across the majors. The Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers have started to pull away from the rest of the clubs in their division.
The NL Central, NL East and AL East have become more competitive than most would have thought the month ago. For teams not in first place in the less competitive divisions, it's starting to become Wild Card or bust.
Comments: Besides the Mets' continued free fall, the top few tiers of contenders remained relatively stable this past week. The Cubs now have company in the NL Central, while the Marlins' emergence on the road has seemingly elevated them from the cellars. On top of that, the Pirates, Nationals and Athletics all playing .500 ball as of late basically just means there are fewer cream puffs left for teams to rack up empty wins against.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!