MLB Power Rankings: The 5 Best Teams in Baseball Right Now

By Tyler ErzbergerShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberSee more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.We're only a month into the 2026 MLB season, but we've seen a slew of the top teams heading into the campaign flop to the bottom of the standings: the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, and Boston Red Sox.But while they sit at a massive disadvantage and each needing a miracle to make it to the postseason come the changing of the leaves, other franchises are looking towards the World Series.As we shift to May, here are the top five teams in baseball after the first month of regular-season play.More news: These Are the 3 Best Cities for an MLB Expansion Franchise...More news: Mets Fans Melt Down After 11th Straight Loss1. Los Angeles DodgersMookie Betts has been out for the majority of the season with an oblique strain, and Blake Snell hasn't thrown a single pitch, but the Dodgers are still the Dodgers.Their depth is unmatched, with a bottom of the order that is hitting better than almost every team's top three batters. Then there is their starting rotation, with Justin Wrobleski out to a 4-0 start with a 1.50 ERA.2. New York YankeesAfter having a slump in the middle of the month, the Yankees have reestablished themselves as the favorites in an American League that is extremely topsy-turvy at the moment.Aaron Judge has been good, but he's not had to be superhuman for the Yankees so far this season for New York to have one of the best all-around lineups in baseball. Above all else, though, Cam Schlittler looks like he is the real deal, and with Gerrit Cole nearing his return, the Yankees might have their best rotation in a quarter-century.3. Atlanta BravesThe Braves had an awful 2025 season following an opening week in which they were beaten up by the Dodgers and the San Diego Padres, putting them in a hole they could never dig out of by the end of the year.But they haven't let last year's haphazard season slow them down to start 2026, punishing teams with the big bats in their lineup while relying on surprisingly strong pitching across the board.Although the pitching might regress as the season goes along, the hitting and overall depth of the squad should keep them as a frontrunner in the National League.4. San Diego PadresIt could be an intriguing season for the Padres, who are in the process of being sold to new ownership that might invest heavily in the middle of the season if they keep up their current form.While San Diego has been criticized for trading away a majority of their top prospects for a closer in Mason Miller, the flamethrowing hurler has silenced anyone who doubted him by starting 2026 as hot as maybe any closer in history.5. Chicago CubsThe fourth NL team in our rankings, the Cubs, had a 10-game winning streak that was snapped over the weekend against the Dodgers.As with the Braves and Padres, the pitching staff and depth will be the biggest issues for them to keep up with the Dodgers and Yankees, the best teams in the league.The Cubs can hit, play maybe the best overall defense in baseball, and have experience, but can the starting rotation and bullpen hold up over 162 and the playoffs?Request Reprint & LicensingSubmit CorrectionView Editorial & AI GuidelinesRelated PodcastsTop StoriesPoliticsKing Charles and Queen Camilla Meet the Trumps at White House9 min readPoliticsThe Plots Against the Presidents4 min readWorldIran Heads to Russia…

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