As September approaches, teams are mostly split into three categories: those preparing for the playoffs, those trying to make a run at contention and those whose focus has turned to next season.
There's still a fair amount to play for within those groups. The clubs that are pretty safely in playoff positions are still battling for postseason positioning, whether in the wild-card race (the Yankees and Red Sox) or in division races (the Dodgers and Padres).
The second group -- those trying to play their way into a postseason berth -- has shrunk considerably, as more and more squads have fallen out of their wild-card races. And that third group? By now, it probably includes at least half of the teams in the majors.
So where does your favorite club stand with the final month of the regular season around the corner?
Our expert panel has ranked every team based on a combination of what we've seen so far and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that is a full baseball season. We also asked ESPN MLB experts Jesse Rogers, Jorge Castillo and Alden Gonzalez to weigh in with an observation for all 30 teams.
Week 21 | Second-half preview | Preseason rankings
1. Milwaukee Brewers
Record: 83-51
Previous ranking: 1
Nearly one in every eight Brewers victories this season has come in walk-off fashion, including two in their past six games. The bad news is the bullpen has given up a couple of leads lately, but Milwaukee still has players it can rely on late in games, such as William Contreras, who blasted a walk-off home run against the Giants in the ninth inning Friday and sent a sold-out home crowd into a frenzy. A few days later, rookie Isaac Collins sent a ball deep enough for a sacrifice fly to topple the Diamondbacks in the ninth, setting off a similar party in the stands. Finding the right thing to happen at the right moment continues to be Milwaukee's way this season. -- Rogers
2. Los Angeles Dodgers
Record: 77-57
Previous ranking: 4
The Dodgers placed Alex Vesia, one of their best and most frequently used relievers, on the injured list Tuesday, but the expectation is he'll only miss the minimum amount of time. Soon, they hope, they'll be about as close to whole as they've been all season. Tanner Scott, Kirby Yates and Enrique Hernandez returned off the IL in recent days, while Max Muncy, Tommy Edman and Michael Kopech are not far behind. It's why the Dodgers believe their best baseball might still be ahead of them. And given that the Padres have the easiest remaining schedule in the majors, it probably needs to be. -- Gonzalez
3. Detroit Tigers
Record: 78-57
Previous ranking: 3
Riley Greene's first grand slam came on the longest home run a Tigers player has hit since Statcast began tracking them 15 years ago. It traveled 471 feet, clearing the center-field batter's eye in Sacramento on Tuesday night. The Tigers lost that game to the A's, but Greene's blast was an indication of the power strides he has taken in his age-24 season.
"I think he's really hitting his stride in the big leagues," Tigers teammate Kerry Carpenter told MLB.com. "No one ever doubted the fact that he had this kind of pop, so it's the fact that he's getting the ball in the air and putting good swings on good pitches." -- Gonzalez
4. Philadelphia Phillies
Record: 76-57
Previous ranking: 2
Baseball is secondary when it comes to Zack Wheeler's health scare, and the silver lining is that he is expected to return to previous form in 2026 after being diagnosed with venous thoracic outlet syndrome. But it's a huge blow to the Phillies' 2025 World Series chances, as Wheeler was having another Cy Young-caliber season. The Phillies still have Cristopher Sanchez and Ranger Suarez, but the rotation -- the team's strength -- won't be as dominant in October without Wheeler. -- Castillo
5. Toronto Blue Jays
Record: 78-56
Previous ranking: 5
It's early, but the Blue Jays' gamble on Shane Bieber looks promising. The 2020 Cy Young Award winner, acquired from the Guardians at the trade deadline, was dynamite in his season debut Friday. He held the Marlins to one run on two hits with nine strikeouts and no walks over six innings in his first start since undergoing Tommy John surgery in April 2024. With Bieber, Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, Eric Lauer, Jose Berrios and Max Scherzer as starting options, the first-place Blue Jays are shaping up to be a threat in October. -- Castillo
6. Chicago Cubs
Record: 76-57
Previous ranking: 6
There isn't enough time or space here to describe the run rookie starter Cade Horton is on. Let's start with his ERA since the All-Star break: It's a miniscule 0.49. We could stop right there, but how he's doing it is even more impressive. The Cubs are limiting his pitches in the second half considering this is his first full year in the big leagues, which has made him focus even more on throwing strikes. And he's done it in a big way. In two of his starts this month, Horton threw a combined 141 pitches, including a whopping 111 for strikes. And his in-the-zone stuff is lights out. He's an ace in the making. -- Rogers
7. San Diego Padres
Record: 75-59
Previous ranking: 7
Mason Miller headlined the Padres' epic trade deadline haul, but among the new additions, there has been no bigger difference-maker -- throughout the sport, perhaps -- than Ramon Laureano, the veteran outfielder acquired from the Orioles alongside Ryan O'Hearn. Laureano hit a first-inning grand slam in a wild victory against the Mariners on Tuesday and is slashing .315/.370/.598 with six home runs since joining the Padres at the end of July. The Padres' offense is in desperate need of slug, especially with Jackson Merrill back on the IL. Laureano is providing it. -- Gonzalez
8. Boston Red Sox
Record: 74-60
Previous ranking: 11
Boston's trio of Garrett Crochet, Brayan Bello and Lucas Giolito makes for a dangerous rotation in a short playoff series, but the Red Sox must get there first and the back end of their group is tenuous. Dustin May, the fourth starter, has been inconsistent since he was acquired from the Dodgers at the trade deadline, and the fifth spot is unclaimed. Walker Buehler recently relinquished the post and moved to the bullpen. His replacement, Richard Fitts, went on the IL on Wednesday with an arm injury. The remaining options are both in Triple-A: Kyle Harrison, acquired from San Francisco in the Rafael Devers trade, and Payton Tolle, the organization's top pitching prospect. -- Castillo
9. New York Yankees
Record: 73-60
Previous ranking: 8
Aaron Judge's elbow injury -- and the mystery surrounding his return to the outfield -- and Anthony Volpe's substantial struggles are creating angst among Yankees fans, but Cam Schlittler has been an overlooked revelation. The rookie right-hander has a 2.76 ERA in eight starts behind a triple-digit fastball and encouraging pitching to complement it. A strong finish could land the Massachusetts native in the Yankees' postseason rotation, slotted behind Max Fried and Carlos Rodon. -- Castillo
10. Houston Astros
Record: 73-60
Previous ranking: 9
Carlos Correa is settling in nicely in his return engagement with the Astros, piling up the base knocks this month. He just had a 10-game hit streak and has had three multihit games over the past week as Houston scored 26 runs in three straight wins over the Orioles. Since being acquired, Correa has covered for the loss of Isaac Paredes, hitting nearly .350 in August while helping keep the Astros at the top of the AL West. The trade might just prove to be the move Houston needed for another October run. -- Rogers
11. Seattle Mariners
Record: 72-62
Previous ranking: 10
The Big Dumper made history last week, hitting home runs No. 48, 49 and 50 in a span of two days against the Braves and Padres and breaking the record for most home runs by a primary catcher -- and he still has a month to keep adding to it. The AL MVP race might come down to the final handful of games as Raleigh has caught Aaron Judge in WAR. If Raleigh gets enough of a bonus because of the position he plays, he'll win it. If voters simply believe Judge is better due to a variety of other offensive categories, it'll be his. -- Rogers
12. New York Mets
Record: 72-61
Previous ranking: 12
Jonah Tong will make his major-league debut Friday against the Marlins, following in Nolan McLean's footsteps from Double-A to Triple-A to Queens this season. Tong's rise, however, was quicker than the Mets could have imagined. The Canadian right-hander wasn't invited to big-league camp and made just two starts for Triple-A Syracuse. But his sustained dominance this season -- 11â…” scoreless innings for Syracuse and a 1.43 ERA overall this season -- pushed the front office to make the move as veterans Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea continue to struggle. -- Castillo
13. Cincinnati Reds
Record: 68-66
Previous ranking: 13
The Reds just can't seem to get over the hump in the wild-card race -- they've been on the outside looking in for quite some time, behind the Mets for the final spot. It won't get any easier, either, as Cincinnati possesses the second-toughest remaining schedule in MLB after already losing series to the Diamondbacks and Dodgers over the past week. The month of September includes visits from the Blue Jays and Mets, followed by another West Coast trip to San Diego and Sacramento before getting the Cubs for four at home late in the month. It feels like the Reds will end up where they are now: above .500 and a good team, but not a playoff one. -- Rogers
14. Kansas City Royals
Record: 69-65
Previous ranking: 15
Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh have been absorbing all the MVP talk in the AL, understandably so, but Bobby Witt Jr. has quietly put together another MVP-caliber season. It might not be as splashy as last year, but his numbers -- a .298 batting average, .855 OPS, 19 homers, 34 steals, 21 outs above average and 6.6 FanGraphs WAR -- seem good enough for a third-place finish. And if the Royals somehow surge to a playoff spot in September, maybe -- just maybe -- he moves up. Witt, at least, is trending upward; his .959 OPS in August is his highest of any month. -- Gonzalez
15. Texas Rangers
Record: 68-67
Previous ranking: 16
The Rangers need to decide if they're in the playoff hunt because time is running out on them. Reaching .500 is a start but they haven't exactly gone on a run for the postseason in the second half. They remain on the outside of the postseason race due to massively inconsistent play, mostly at the plate, while dealing with a blow to their pitching staff as Nathan Eovaldi was lost for the season with a rotator cuff injury. With a strength of schedule in the top 10 most difficult the rest of the way, Texas needs a mini miracle in order to play in October. -- Rogers
16. Tampa Bay Rays
Record: 64-69
Previous ranking: 17
Junior Caminero recently hit four home runs over three games, ballooning his total to an astounding 39 in his first full major league season. Only Cal Raleigh, Kyle Schwarber, Shohei Ohtani, Eugenio Suarez and Aaron Judge have more in 2025. But Caminero's production is historic beyond that: The Rays third baseman is already tied for fourth all time in home runs by a player in his age-21 season or younger. Eddie Matthews set the mark with 47 homers in 1953. Caminero is within striking distance with the entire month of September remaining. -- Castillo
17. Cleveland Guardians
Record: 66-66
Previous ranking: 14
It was only recently that the Guardians looked as if they were in the midst of a surprising run at the playoffs. On Aug. 15, they sat six games above .500 and a half-game out of a wild-card spot. Then they got swept by the Braves, dropped two of three to the Diamondbacks and, in what might end up being the death knell to their season, were swept over the weekend in Texas. On Monday, in the midst of a fourth straight loss, Guardians starter Tanner Bibee was captured pacing the dugout and delivering an impassioned message to teammates before being pulled aside by Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, who told reporters afterward, "Everybody's frustrated." -- Gonzalez
18. Arizona Diamondbacks
Record: 65-69
Previous ranking: 20
The D-backs' slide has brought with it reports -- most notably from The Arizona Republic -- that at least some segments of the organization have grown dissatisfied with the effort and availability of star second baseman Ketel Marte, triggering speculation that he might be traded over the offseason. Marte is arguably the best player at his position and should once again garner MVP votes. He'll turn 32 in October, but his contract -- signed just four months ago -- is team-friendly, paying him $91 million over the next five years with an $11.5 million player option for 2031. It'll be fascinating to see what happens there. -- Gonzalez
19. St. Louis Cardinals
Record: 65-69
Previous ranking: 19
Though Willson Contreras got suspended this week -- his temper tends to flare up every so often -- he's put together a solid season as he begins the second portion of his career as a non-catcher. In fact, he'd held his own at first base while compiling a decent offensive year, which includes 19 home runs and a .341 on-base percentage. He's on pace to be about a 3.0-WAR, player which is about what he's been since arriving in St. Louis in 2023. The Cardinals wanted to use this season to better understand their roster. Contreras gives them some certainty. -- Rogers
20. San Francisco Giants
Record: 65-68
Previous ranking: 18
The Giants no longer have much to play for, but their fans got to watch Justin Verlander reach a cool milestone Tuesday, recording his 3,516th strikeout to move past Walter Johnson for ninth on the all-time list. Verlander is 42 years old, and these past few weeks have exemplified the inconsistency that comes with pitching at this age. He navigated a 15-inning stretch in which he allowed just one run, then served up 11 hits to the Nationals, bounced back with seven scoreless against the Rays, gave up seven runs in 4â…“ innings against the Padres and then responded, most recently, with six innings of two-run ball against the Cubs. -- Gonzalez
21. Miami Marlins
Record: 62-71
Previous ranking: 23
The Marlins' playoff chances are all but dashed, but they're better than they were projected to be and have the opportunity to play spoiler over the final month with Sandy Alcantara, Edward Cabrera and Eury Perez atop their rotation. Miami has seven games against the Mets and six against the Phillies down the stretch, so while the Marlins won't play in October, they have a real chance to impact the postseason. -- Castillo
22. Atlanta Braves
Record: 61-72
Previous ranking: 24
Drake Baldwin's emergence has been a bright spot in an ugly season in Atlanta. The rookie catcher, who is batting .279 with 14 home runs and an .803 OPS, has a 124 OPS+ and 2.2 fWAR, both of which rank sixth among all rookies. While the Cubs' Cade Horton and the Brewers' Isaac Collins have shorter odds to win NL Rookie of the year, Baldwin is in contention heading into the final month. Regardless, his performance this season could push the Braves to move veteran catcher Sean Murphy during the offseason, with Murphy owed $15 million each of the next three years. -- Castillo
23. Los Angeles Angels
Record: 62-71
Previous ranking: 21
Taylor Ward's power continues to increase every season as he reached 30 home runs over the weekend for the first time in his career. He's established himself as a prototypical 2025 slugger -- lots of strikeouts mixed in with some walks and then the long ball. His career .248 batting average is reflective of his ability, though this season it's down to .232. Moving forward, he's a player you can count on but not necessarily one to build an offense around. If he decreases his strikeout-to walk-ratio, he becomes more dangerous. -- Rogers
24. Baltimore Orioles
Record: 60-73
Previous ranking: 22
Samuel Basallo is the marquee name who received the life-changing contract extension, but he wasn't the only premier Orioles prospect called up recently. Dylan Beavers debuted the day before Basallo and looks the part. In nine games, the 24-year-old outfielder, a first-round pick out of Cal in 2022, is 11-for-32 with four doubles, a home run and eight walks. Baltimore continues producing position players. Pitching, however, is another matter. -- Castillo
25. Athletics
Record: 63-72
Previous ranking: 26
Lawrence Butler had a tough week at the plate (he's had one too many of those this season), surpassing 150 strikeouts on the year after whiffing just 108 times last season. He's played in more games this year but hasn't shown the same dominance at the plate, compiling an OPS+ under league average after finishing at 130 in 2024. His strikeout-to-walk ratio, which is in line with last season, might need to improve before he can take the next step for the Athletics. -- Rogers
26. Minnesota Twins
Record: 60-73
Previous ranking: 25
A Twins season heading nowhere -- and a fan base still angry at the Pohlads for maintaining ownership -- received a much-needed bright spot Tuesday, when Mickey Gasper, a 29-year-old former 27th-round pick, ignited a four-run rally with a ninth-inning home run. Heading into that game, his major league career consisted of seven hits in 79 at-bats. And yet he was stoic after his first home run.
"My dad always told me to act like you've done it before," Gasper said in an on-field interview. "Mickey Mantle puts his head down and runs around the bases. Mickey Gaspar should, too." -- Gonzalez
27. Pittsburgh Pirates
Record: 59-75
Previous ranking: 27
It's rare to see the Pirates at the top of the league in any hitting categories but that's where they find themselves over the past week as they demolished Colorado in a sweep and kept it up at the plate in a tougher environment in St. Louis. Pittsburgh was just behind the Mets in OPS during that time frame, as seven different players hit home runs over the course of a 5-1 stretch. Shortstop Jared Triolo led the group, compiling 10 hits in a five-game span while going deep twice. First baseman Spencer Horwitz also homered twice. Let's see if this surge continues against any team not named Colorado. -- Rogers
28. Washington Nationals
Record: 53-80
Previous ranking: 29
James Wood was one of the best players in the majors over the first half of the season, rightfully earning an All-Star nod with 24 home runs and a .915 OPS in his first 95 games. But his production fell off a cliff after the break. In his next 17 games, the 22-year-old outfielder slashed .123/.219/.154. He registered just two extra-base hits, both doubles, and struck out 29 times in 73 plate appearances. But he seems to have turned the corner in recent weeks, posting an .848 OPS in 19 games since Aug. 7. -- Castillo
29. Chicago White Sox
Record: 48-85
Previous ranking: 28
For the second time this season, the White Sox placed star center fielder Luis Robert Jr. on the IL on Wednesday with a left hamstring strain. The injury came at a time when Robert was finally starting to turn his season around. Since the All-Star break, Robert was slashing .298/.352/.456 with five home runs and 11 stolen bases in 31 games, looking very much like the type of player a team can build around. His return to the IL, though, was a reminder of why teams remain hesitant to part with premium prospects in order to acquire him via trade. -- Gonzalez
30. Colorado Rockies
Record: 38-95
Previous ranking: 30
The Rockies are no longer on pace for the single-season loss record and have actually managed to win eight of their past 15 games (with a four-game losing streak thrown in there for good measure). Something else you might not have noticed: Brenton Doyle, their center fielder, has been one of the NL's best hitters in the second half, slashing .373/.393/.627 with seven home runs. His 1.020 OPS ranks third in the NL among those with at least 100 plate appearances since the All-Star break. -- Gonzalez