MLB posts post-deadline power rankings

MLB.com used its August 5 Power Rankings to draw the first league-wide snapshot after the 2026 trade deadline, with Will Leitch writing that the “roster upheaval” of the past week had reset the race for the stretch run. The rankings were published two days after the August 3 deadline, which MLB.com said produced dozens of deals and nearly 50 trades on Monday alone. The post-deadline edition kept the Dodgers at No. 1, followed by the Brewers and Rays. The rankings are less a standings table than a first read on how front offices changed their clubs for August and September. MLB.com framed the exercise around who moved up, who moved down and which teams now look better positioned for a postseason run after the deadline passed. That makes the list a guide to the league’s new pecking order rather than a final judgment on which moves will work. (mlb.com) ### Why did the Dodgers stay on top? The Dodgers remained No. 1 because they landed Tarik Skubal, the biggest arm moved before the deadline, according to MLB.com’s rankings and transaction tracker. MLB.com said Los Angeles beat out other contenders that had been in position to pursue him, and Leitch wrote that “they’re all chasing the Dodgers” after the move. (mlb.com) August 1 was the date of the Skubal trade, with MLB.com listing the Dodgers’ return to Detroit as Zyhir Hope, River Ryan and Brady Smith. MLB.com said the deal came after weeks of speculation and gave Los Angeles another frontline starter even with Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow due back from the injured list this month. ### Which other contenders got the biggest boost? (mlb.com) The Brewers held the No. 2 spot after adding Dustin May, whom MLB.com said had shown both inconsistency and dominance this season. Leitch wrote that Milwaukee drew criticism from some fans for missing on Skubal, but said May could be a difficult postseason matchup “if he’s healthy.” The Rays moved to No. 3 after acquiring Freddy Peralta, a cheaper alternative than Skubal in prospect cost, according to MLB.com. (mlb.com) Leitch wrote that if Peralta can move past his Mets stint, Tampa Bay is the “clear favorite” for the top seed in the American League. The Cubs rose to No. 5 after adding Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes, two arms MLB.com said addressed a rotation that had struggled to stay afloat. (mlb.com) Jed Hoyer, the Cubs’ president of baseball operations, told MLB.com the moves were meant to “honor” the resilience the team had shown. ### Which teams were judged by what they did not do? The Braves slipped to No. 4 from No. 3, with MLB.com noting that a club in solid playoff position might have been expected to do more. (mlb.com) Alex Anthopoulos, Atlanta’s president of baseball operations, told MLB.com, “We didn't go into the Deadline with the thought that we have to get this or we have to get that.” The rankings also treated inactivity as part of the post-deadline story. MLB.com’s setup asked which teams were “set up for a postseason run” and which might already be looking ahead to next year, making a lack of major additions part of the evaluation alongside splash trades. ### Where did Boston and the Yankees fit in? The Red Sox were ranked No. 6 after trading for Adley Rutschman, a move MLB.com described as an all-in push. (mlb.com) MLB.com’s trade tracker said Boston acquired Rutschman and Jake Rogers on August 3, sending Baltimore Anthony Eyanson, Kyson Witherspoon, Enddy Azocar, Carlos Narváez and a player to be named later. The Yankees were listed No. 7 in the MLB.com rankings, down from No. 5 before the deadline. MLB.com’s post-deadline piece placed them just behind Boston in the new order, reflecting how quickly the American League picture changed after the final wave of deals. ### What should readers watch from here? August 5 is the marker for this first post-deadline ranking, not the end of the evaluation. (mlb.com) MLB.com said the point now is to see how “all this roster upheaval ends up playing out” over the remaining regular-season weeks. The next updates will test whether additions such as Skubal in Los Angeles, Peralta in Tampa Bay, May in Milwaukee and Rutschman in Boston change the standings as the playoff race tightens.