The 2026 MLB season is barely a week old and the early returns are already turning heads. Some teams are living up to their preseason billing. Others are unraveling fast. And a few are doing something nobody expected — winning. The first batch of power rankings always comes with an asterisk, but the early performances cannot be ignored. Here is where things stand right now across the league.
MLB Bottom Tier Teams Struggling to Find Footing
At the very bottom of the early MLB standings, three teams stand out for all the wrong reasons
- Boston Red Sox (2-7) — Wilyer Abreu is putting up a .429 batting average and looks like a genuine bright spot, but the rest of the lineup is hitting a dismal .199. The starting rotation ranks 27th in the majors with a 5.19 ERA — a number that needs to improve fast if Boston wants to stay relevant in the MLB race.
- Washington Nationals (3-6) — The Nationals fell back to earth quickly after a hopeful opening. Their pitching staff carries the worst ERA in the MLB at 6.69, making consistent wins nearly impossible.
- San Francisco Giants (3-7) — Shut out three times already, the Giants rank last in MLB in runs per game at just 2.6. A negative-25 run differential is the worst mark in all of baseball and tells the full story of their offensive struggles.
Middle of the Pack MLB Teams Searching for Identity
The middle tier is where the most drama in the MLB standings is brewing right now
- Minnesota Twins (3-6) — Three straight series losses hurt, but pitcher Taj Bradley has flashed serious upside with a sparkling 0.87 ERA across two starts.
- Baltimore Orioles (3-6) — Just six home runs through nine games — ranking 28th in MLB — suggests their offseason upgrades have not yet clicked despite high expectations.
- Toronto Blue Jays (4-5) — As defending AL pennant winners, the Blue Jays are already losing series to teams they should be beating comfortably. Early concern is mounting fast in Toronto.
- Texas Rangers (4-5) — Getting swept at home by the Reds was a gut punch, though Andrew McCutchen’s steady presence remains a glimmer of hope for this MLB club.
- Kansas City Royals (4-5) — Pitching has kept the Royals competitive, but key offensive contributors remain dangerously cold heading into the second week of the MLB season.
MLB Power Rankings Bright Spots Worth Watching
Not everything is doom and gloom across the MLB. Several teams are quietly building momentum worth tracking closely
- Chicago White Sox (4-5) — Notched their first three-game sweep of the season, a meaningful milestone for a franchise that has spent years rebuilding from the ground up.
- St. Louis Cardinals (5-4) — Former top prospect JJ Wetherholt drove in four runs over his first five MLB games and is leading a surprisingly competitive young offense averaging nearly five runs per game.
- Seattle Mariners (4-6) — Despite struggles at the plate, their elite starting pitching continues to keep them relevant in the MLB standings week after week.
At the top of the early heap, the Milwaukee Brewers (7-2) are making a loud statement. Their offense ranks fourth in the league with a 130 wRC+, and their pitching staff carries a 3.17 ERA — good for fifth in baseball. Christian Yelich, Brice Turang, and William Contreras are all hitting with authority, giving the Brewers a lineup with no real weak spots. Nobody picked them to run away from the field this early, yet here they are.
The Dodgers and Yankees Still Loom Over All of MLB
No early-season chaos changes the fundamental reality at the top. The Los Angeles Dodgers remain the team everyone is chasing. As two-time defending World Series champions, they have the roster depth and organizational infrastructure to survive slow patches that would sink lesser clubs. The New York Yankees are similarly positioned — built to absorb early turbulence and emerge dangerous in the second half.
The early weeks of the 2026 season have delivered exactly what baseball fans crave — surprise, struggle, and stakes. The teams that overcome these early stumbles will be the ones standing in October.
