Yardbarker
x
MLB Power Rankings (July 28): Fastball On SI Poll
Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Blake Perkins (16) celebrates after driving home the winning run against the Miami Marlins at American Family Field. Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

MLB Power Rankings (July 28): Fastball On SI Poll

Originally posted on Fastball on SI  |  By Jack Ankony  |  Last updated Jul 28, 2025 3:19 PM ET

The 2025 MLB season can be broadly defined as having no single dominant team. Since early May, four teams have held the top spot in our Fastball On SI power rankings. It began with the Dodgers, followed by the Tigers having longest run of the season at No. 1, mixed with one week of the Phillies. There have been several close votes, too, with the Blue Jays, Astros and Mets falling just short.

Following that trend, there's a new No. 1 this week. Coming off a Crosstown Series win over the White Sox, the Cubs edged the Blue Jays by one point to claim the top spot in our power rankings for the first time this season. Craig Counsell's club approaches a crucial series this week against his former team, the Milwaukee Brewers, who won 11 straight before a home series loss to the Marlins. The Cubs and Brewers are tied for the best record in the National League at 62-43, setting up a heated NL Central race.

The Blue Jays made a run at the No. 1 spot after going 8-2 since the All-Star break to achieve the best record in baseball at 63-43. They've done so against stiff competition, defeating the Tigers, Yankees and Giants during that stretch. Toronto has taken a 5.5-game lead in the AL East over the Yankees, who are still in line for a Wild Card spot, along with the Red Sox and Mariners.

The Tigers have been free falling since July 9, the start of a 2-12 stretch. They still have an eight-game lead in a mediocre AL Central, but there's reason for concern with August quickly approaching. The Astros and Mariners haven't been at their best lately either, allowing the Rangers to get back into the AL West race at just four games back after a six-game win streak.

The Mets are back in first place in the NL East, thanks to a seven-game win streak against the Reds, Angels and Giants. That sets up a tight race with the Philies, who won went 4-2 this past week against the Red Sox and Yankees. The Dodgers appeared to be pulling away from the NL West pack a few weeks ago, but now they hold just a four-game lead over the Padres after going 5-13 since July 4.

That leaves eight teams between 60 and 63 wins, and sets up a pivotal trade deadline at 5 p.m. CT on Thursday.

Here are the Fastball On SI MLB power rankings for July 28.

(This poll takes into account votes from five Fastball On SI MLB writers: Tom Brew, Brady Farkas, 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, followed by overall win percentage, then head-to-head record. Total points and first-place votes in parentheses.)

  1. Chicago Cubs (147) (2)
  2. Toronto Blue Jays (146) (2)
  3. Milwaukee Brewers (139)
  4. New York Mets (133)
  5. Los Angeles Dodgers (129)
  6. Philadelphia Phillies (125)
  7. Detroit Tigers (124)
  8. Houston Astros (117)
  9. New York Yankees (108)
  10. Boston Red Sox (101)
  11. San Diego Padres (101)
  12. Seattle Mariners (98)
  13. Texas Rangers (88)
  14. Cincinnati Reds (87(
  15. San Francisco Giants (81)
  16. St. Louis Cardinals (74)
  17. Tampa Bay Rays (72)
  18. Cleveland Guardians (64)
  19. Kansas City Royals (59)
  20. Arizona Diamondbacks (52)
  21. Los Angeles Angels (50)
  22. Miami Marlins (48)
  23. Minnesota Twins (40)
  24. Baltimore Orioles (32)
  25. The Athletics (26)
  26. Atlanta Braves (26)
  27. Pittsburgh Pirates (26)
  28. Washington Nationals (16)
  29. Chicago White Sox (11)
  30. Colorado Rockies (5)

Here's how each writer voted.

Tom Brew

  1. Toronto Blue Jays
  2. Chicago Cubs
  3. Detroit Tigers
  4. Milwaukee Brewers 
  5. Los Angeles Dodgers
  6. New York Mets
  7. Philadelphia Phillies
  8. Houston Astros
  9. Seattle Mariners
  10. New York Yankees
  11. San Diego Padres
  12. Texas Rangers
  13. Boston Red Sox
  14. Cincinnati Reds
  15. San Francisco Giants
  16. St. Louis Cardinals
  17. Tampa Bay Rays
  18. Cleveland Guardians
  19. Arizona Diamondbacks 
  20. Los Angeles Angels
  21. Kansas City Royals
  22. Arizona Diamondbacks
  23. Miami Marlins
  24. Minnesota Twins
  25. Atlanta Braves
  26. Pittsburgh Pirates
  27. The Athletics
  28. Washington Nationals
  29. Chicago White Sox
  30. Colorado Rockies

Comments: I picked the Toronto Blue Jays to finish dead-last in the American League East, and then in late May I watched them with my own eyes get swept in Tampa, getting outscored 19-2 in the three-game sweep. I felt pretty good about that pick. And now, two months later, I have them No. 1 on my MLB power rankings ballot. How crazy is that. The Blue Jays have gone 38-16 then, have the best record in baseball (63-43) and a huge 5.5-game lead in the American League East. Kudos to the Jays.

Two AL teams in a complete free fall are the Detroit Tigers and Tampa Bay Rays. The Tigers suddenly can't hit and the Rays have been brutal in all three category. The Rays are 7-18 in their last 25, worst in baseball, and the Tigers lost 11 of 12. I can see the Tigers fixing things, but the Rays? Not so much. Just when I thought the Giants were ready to make a move, they've lost eight of 10 and got swept by the Mets this weekend. I thought they were a playoff team for sure, but now I'm having my doubts. 

Jack Ankony

  1. Toronto Blue Jays
  2. Chicago Cubs
  3. New York Mets
  4. Milwaukee Brewers
  5. Philadelphia Phillies
  6. Los Angeles Dodgers
  7. Detroit Tigers
  8. Houston Astros
  9. New York Yankees
  10. Boston Red Sox
  11. San Diego Padres
  12. Seattle Mariners
  13. San Francisco Giants
  14. Texas Rangers
  15. Cincinnati Reds
  16. St. Louis Cardinals
  17. Tampa Bay Rays
  18. Cleveland Guardians
  19. Kansas City Royals
  20. Miami Marlins
  21. Los Angeles Angels
  22. Arizona Diamondbacks
  23. Minnesota Twins
  24. The Athletics
  25. Baltimore Orioles
  26. Pittsburgh Pirates
  27. Atlanta Braves
  28. Chicago White Sox
  29. Washington Nationals
  30. Colorado Rockies

Comments: This week came with significant changes, moving the Blue Jays up from No. 8 to No. 1 after an 8-2 week against tough competition in the Giants, Yankees and Tigers. The Brewers had a shot at jumping to No. 1, too, but they finished off the week with a series loss at home against the Marlins. The Brewers stay home to host the Cubs, a series that could decide next week's No. 1 team and will go along way in the determining the NL Central champ.

The Mets have been a tough team to figure out, but I moved them ahead of the Brewers, Tigers, Dodgers, Astros and Phillies. After a 2-5 stretch against the Orioles, Royals and Reds, the Mets have rattled off seven straight wins. Few teams can match their talent in the middle of the order, with Lindor, Soto and Alonso. And when the pitching is on like it was this week, allowing three runs or fewer in six of the seven wins, the Mets are really tough to beat.

Brady Farkas

  1. Milwaukee Brewers
  2. Chicago Cubs
  3. Toronto Blue Jays
  4. Philadelphia Phillies
  5. New York Mets
  6. Los Angeles Dodgers
  7. Detroit Tigers
  8. Houston Astros
  9. New York Yankees
  10. San Diego Padres
  11. Boston Red Sox
  12. Seattle Mariners
  13. Texas Rangers
  14. Cincinnati Reds
  15. San Francisco Giants
  16. Tampa Bay Rays
  17. St. Louis Cardinals
  18. Cleveland Guardians
  19. Kansas City Royals
  20. Los Angeles Angels
  21. Arizona Diamondbacks
  22. Miami Marlins
  23. Minnesota Twins
  24. The Athletics
  25. Pittsburgh Pirates
  26. Atlanta Braves
  27. Baltimore Orioles
  28. Washington Nationals
  29. Chicago White Sox
  30. Colorado Rockies

Comments: Certainly a big week coming up for many teams. The Brewers just play fundamentally sound ball and could do damage at the trade deadline. Can the Red Sox navigate another tough week that features the Astros at the back-end and can the Yankees fix their issues?

Teren Kowatsch

  1. Chicago Cubs
  2. Toronto Blue Jays
  3. New York Mets
  4. Milwaukee Brewers
  5. Los Angeles Dodgers
  6. Detroit Tigers
  7. Houston Astros
  8. Philadelphia Phillies
  9. New York Yankees
  10. San Diego Padres
  11. Boston Red Sox
  12. Cincinnati Reds
  13. Seattle Mariners
  14. Texas Rangers
  15. St. Louis Cardinals
  16. San Francisco Giants
  17. Tampa Bay Rays
  18. Cleveland Guardians
  19. Kansas City Royals
  20. Arizona Diamondbacks
  21. Los Angeles Angels
  22. Miami Marlins
  23. Minnesota Twins
  24. Atlanta Braves
  25. Baltimore Orioles
  26. The Athletics
  27. Pittsburgh Pirates
  28. Washington Nationals
  29. Chicago White Sox
  30. Colorado Rockies

Comments: Trade deadline season is officially underway. Several American League playoff contenders made trades to bolster their roster. Among the elite of the of MLB's clubs, the Toronto Blue Jays officially have the best record in the league, the Los Angeles Dodgers have gone 2-2 in their last four series and the New York Yankees have gone 1-3 in their last four series.There's still a lot of pieces that can be moved before the trade deadline July 31. The way things stand in both leagues, there will likely be more shake ups in the playoff standings before the regular season ends.

Sam Connon

  1. Chicago Cubs
  2. Toronto Blue Jays
  3. Milwaukee Brewers
  4. Los Angeles Dodgers
  5. New York Mets
  6. Philadelphia Phillies
  7. Houston Astros
  8. Detroit Tigers
  9. Boston Red Sox
  10. New York Yankees
  11. Seattle Mariners
  12. San Diego Padres
  13. Cincinnati Reds
  14. Texas Rangers
  15. San Francisco Giants
  16. Tampa Bay Rays
  17. St. Louis Cardinals
  18. Kansas City Royals
  19. Cleveland Guardians
  20. Miami Marlins
  21. Arizona Diamondbacks
  22. Minnesota Twins
  23. Los Angeles Angels
  24. Baltimore Orioles
  25. Pittsburgh Pirates
  26. Washington Nationals
  27. Atlanta Braves
  28. Athletics
  29. Chicago White Sox
  30. Colorado Rockies

Comments: The Dodgers and Tigers' respective cold streaks may not be blips on the radar after all, which could very well give the rest of the majors hope heading into the trade deadline. Injuries may hold the Yankees back from that group for the time being, but the Red Sox, Cubs and Brewers are among the teams that could make big moves and try to assert themselves on that top tier. Cubs-Brewers and Mets-Padres will be the matchups to watch this week, while weekend showdowns between the Red Sox and Astros, Tigers and Phillies and Rangers and Mariners will be key to determining who is for real entering the final two months of the season.

This article first appeared on Fastball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.