Making the postseason is a big deal in MLB. Only 12 teams advance to the playoffs. Not all playoff teams are built equal, though, and that has never been more so true. In the current era of baseball, large market teams are able to outbid everyone else for the best players in free agency. Small market teams, meanwhile, are still able to find success if they evaluate and develop talent correctly. With the postseason set to begin, here is a power ranking of all 12 teams in the playoff field.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are not the one-seed in the NL. They are back-to-back World Series champions, though, and that is enough to elevate the defending champions to first place in these postseason power rankings. The Dodgers know how to win in the Fall, and nothing seems likely to change that.
The team has the best starting rotation in baseball with Tarik Skubal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow. Skubal was again looking like the best pitcher in baseball to end the season, and Yamamoto was the World Series MVP last year. Snell missed most of the season, but he is a two-time Cy Young winner who won't even need to be put in high-leverage situations.
Plus, there are still big-name bats in town, such as Will Smith, Freddie Freeman, Kyle Tucker, and Mookie Betts. All of that was without mentioning Shohei Ohtani, a four-time MVP who is already one of the all-time MLB greats. The two-way star is back from injury and ready to do Shohei things. As of now, the star talent, depth, payroll, and everything else make it seem like the Dodgers are still unbeatable and will join the Oakland Athletics and New York Yankees as the only teams to ever three-peat.
2. Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are the antithesis to the Dodgers. While Los Angeles coasts through the regular season with the postseason on their mind, the Brewers were the hottest team through 162 games. While Los Angeles is littered with big-name megastars, the Brewers thrive with team ball and unheralded players.
Well, that is, besides the flame-throwing Jacob Misiorowski, who has established himself as arguably the best pitcher in baseball. When it comes to the players who don't get enough credit, Jake Bauers, Brice Turang, and Jackson Chourio all produce at elite levels. The Brewers build their roster the right way, and they are in the midst of the best season in franchise history. This could be the year they finally reap the rewards and win it all.
3. Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays have been unstoppable at home, and they will have home field advantage until at least the World Series. The Rays know how to develop talent better than perhaps any other team, so after a quick rebuild, they are back in contention. Junior Caminero is the prized possession of their developmental program. The third baseman hit 42 home runs with a .276 batting average this year.
4. Atlanta Braves
The issue for the Atlanta Braves is not their roster; it is the fact that they have the unfortunate reality of a difficult path to the World Series. Even so, Atlanta may just have the talent to beat whomever is in front of them. Matt Olson, Drake Baldwin, Ozzie Albies, Austin Riley, Ronald Acuna Jr., and Michael Harris form the offensive core. The pitching staff still has Chris Sale performing at an elite level, too. However, the starting pitching depth is the Braves' weak point.
5. San Diego Padres
Fernando Tatis Jr. bounced back from a slow start to remind everybody the talent that he is. He is joined by Manny Machado, Jackson Merrill, and Xander Bogaerts in a star-studded lineup. There is also Mason Miller, the best reliever in baseball. The Padres pitching is a little bit back-to-front, but the starting unit is arguably underrated.
6. New York Yankees
Aaron Judge has been left off the roster for the New York Yankees' Wild Card series. That alone forces New York down at least one spot in these power rankings. The three-time MVP and five-time Silver Slugger has pretty clearly been a top-two player in baseball over the last half-decade, so losing his power hitting/contact hitting combination hurts.
Hopefully, Judge would be able to return for the ALDS, but it is far from a guarantee that the Yankees get past the Red Sox in the Wild Card round, considering Boston vs. New York postseason clashes tend to be iconic. The good news is that Giancarlo Stanton will be returning from injury, so he can replace some of the power hitting that will be missing with Judge sidelined. Regardless, the team isn't as reliant on hitting homers as they've been in years past. It has been the pitching rotation that has carried them this season, and Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, and Carlos Rodon form a dominant group of starters.
7. Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies have long had a championship core, and many consider their window to be closing soon. They didn't clinch a postseason spot until the regular season finale, but Philadelphia has the talent to make a run. Of course, nobody does it quite like Kyle Schwarber.
The designated hitter was tied for the lead in all of baseball in home runs (45) this year. In the past, he has led the NL in homers and walks. Bryce Harper is still a superstar, J.T. Realmuto is one of the best catchers with a bat in his hands, and Trea Turner is a highlight waiting to happen. The five-headed pitching monster of Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sanchez, Jesus Luzardo, Aaron Nola, and Andrew Painter is pretty good, too.
Article Continues BelowThe issue is, the Phillies were horrendous in Sept., especially at the plate. Luis Arraez and his elite-level contact hitting will be out in the series against the Braves, too. The Phillies could far underperform these rankings, but they are ranked this high because if they get hot, the sky is the limit.
8. Chicago Cubs
If there were any concerns about how Alex Bregman would look in return from suffering facial fractures after a foul ball to the face, the third basemen quickly alleviated those. Bregman smashed two home runs in his second game back. Pete Crow-Armstrong put up 119 hits, 45 homers, a .570 slugging percentage, and an OPS of .943, all of which led or were tied for the NL lead. The five-tool center fielder will likely take home MVP honors because of it.
The pitching staff is shaky, though, and pitching rules supreme in the postseason. There is potential with Chicago's arms, but in all likelihood, the Cubs' electric offense won't be enough to overcome what happens on the mound.
9. Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are streaky. They fired their manager just games into the season, just to follow that up with an incredible winning streak. Then, Boston limped into the postseason. Typically, such a volatile style of play wouldn't cater well to the postseason, but the team can't be ruled out from getting hot at the right time.
The trade acquisition of Adley Rutschman looks genius, and Aroldis Chapman, at age 38, looks like he is in his prime. The closer is still throwing triple digit gas, so if Boston can get the lead, they can probably hold it.
10. Cleveland Guardians
The Cleveland Guardians aren't a flashy team, but they've won three straight division titles. The fact that they did so again this season, despite a poorer season from Jose Ramirez than normal, proves that Cleveland has great depth and a program that just knows how to wins.
If Ramirez doesn't play like his normal self, though, the Guardians could be in trouble. They don't have a single 20 home run hitter, nor a single .290 batter. Only Parker Messick was below 3.00 in the ERA department, too. The Guardians seem unlikely to hit enough to compete with the teams ranked above them here. They do have the good fortune of a first-round bye, though.
11. Houston Astros
The Houston Astros aren't far removed from a dynasty. The team won two World Series and made it to at least the ALCS in seven straight seasons from 2017 to 2023. This team isn't that team of old, though, despite Jose Altuve still being on the roster and Carlos Correa being back on the team. Altuve had arguably his worst statistical season to date, and Correa is out for the year.
Houston won the AL West with only a .500 record. Christian Walker, Isaac Paredes, and Yordan Alvarez are the true leaders of the team now. The Astros are just a mediocre team that happened to play in a bad division, but they aren't much of a threat this postseason. Even so, the pedigree of the franchise and Houston's winning ways prevent them from ranking last here.
12. Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox, led by Munetaka Murakami, are a fun team to watch and root for. The Japanese slugger has quickly become a home run-hitting monster and energetic leader for the team. The White Sox deserve to be praised for executing such a quick rebuild and making the playoffs this year.
However, it was just a couple of years ago that the team set the record for modern era losses. The White Sox are likely still a couple of years away from true contention. Colson Montgomery, for example, may become a star in the future, but he broke the record for times being struck out this season. Noah Schultz has the frame and potential to be unhittable, but his numbers were uninspiring this year. This team is already good, but over time, they will get much better. For now, they are the least trustworthy postseason team and at the bottom of the power rankings because of it.