Updated For Week Of April 24, 2023
MLB power rankings are a ranking system used to evaluate and rank the performance of all 30 Major League Baseball (MLB) teams throughout the regular season. Our rankings are based on a variety of factors, including moneyline record, run line record, recent performance, strength of schedule, and statistical analysis.
Power rankings can provide a snapshot of how teams are performing relative to each other and can be useful for bettors. They are updated weekly throughout the season to reflect changes in team performance. These can be used to provide a helpful reference point for evaluating team performance and predicting future outcomes in concert with our model's best bets and expert picks. Scroll down to see power rankings of all 30 teams.
Ranking | Team | Moneyline | Run Line |
1 | Rays | 19-3 | 16-6 |
2 | Pirates | 16-7 | 14-9 |
3 | Brewers | 15-7 | 13-9 |
4 | Rangers | 14-7 | 13-8 |
5 | Cubs | 12-9 | 13-8 |
6 | Mets | 14-9 | 13-10 |
7 | Orioles | 14-7 | 11-10 |
8 | D-Backs | 12-11 | 14-9 |
9 | Astros | 12-10 | 13-9 |
10 | Blue Jays | 13-9 | 12-10 |
There's no denying that the Tampa Bay Rays (19-3) are the best team in baseball right now. With a perfect 13-0 record at home, the Rays have an insane +88 run differential to start the year. The Pittsburgh Pirates (16-7) have overachieved to start the year and are scorching-hot right now, having gone 8-2 over their last 10 games. Speaking of teams that are hot, the Brewers (15-7), Mets (14-9) and Astros (12-10) have all gone 7-3 over their last 10. On a game-by-game basis, it's not a bad idea to continue to back the Rays and Pirates based on their stellar early-season starts. Sportsbooks have not yet fully adjusted to the Pirates' success in particular.
Ranking | Team | Moneyline | Run Line |
11 | Yankees | 13-9 | 11-11 |
12 | Braves | 14-8 | 9-13 |
13 | Red Sox | 12-11 | 13-10 |
14 | Twins | 12-10 | 12-10 |
15 | Dodgers | 12-11 | 11-12 |
16 | Padres | 12-12 | 12-12 |
17 | Marlins | 12-10 | 9-13 |
18 | Angels | 11-11 | 9-13 |
19 | Phillies | 11-12 | 9-14 |
20 | Guardians | 11-11 | 8-14 |
There are a lot of underachieving teams in this middle pack, including the Yankees (13-9), Braves (14-8), Dodgers (12-11), Padres (12-12), Angels (11-11), Phillies (11-12) and Guardians (11-11). Based on the plethora of talent on all of these rosters, it's reasonable to assume that most will crack the Top 10 at some point of the year. Right now, it may be best to take a wait-and-see approach with these teams, however, since sportsbooks tend to price them based on their projected performance and not their actual performance early in the year.
Ranking | Team | Moneyline | Run Line |
21 | Cardinals | 9-13 | 10-12 |
22 | Mariners | 10-12 | 9-13 |
23 | Giants | 8-13 | 9-12 |
24 | Tigers | 7-13 | 11-9 |
25 | White Sox | 7-15 | 10-12 |
26 | Nationals | 7-14 | 12-9 |
27 | Reds | 7-15 | 13-9 |
28 | Royals | 5-17 | 7-15 |
29 | Rockies | 6-17 | 7-16 |
30 | Athletics | 4-18 | 8-14 |
The worst teams in the league are really, really bad. Through 22 games, the Athletics (4-18) have a -103 run differential which is historically awful. To highlight how awful that is, the Rockies (6-17) have gone 7-16 against the run line and have the second-worst run differential at -54. The Royals (5-17) are next-worst with a run differential at -51. The Tigers (7-13) have a -42 run differential and the White Sox (7-15) are the next-worst team in that regard at -31. But, as you can tell, Oakland is in a class of their own. When you're backing teams against the run line, consider fading the teams down here in the rankings.
Above, we used moneyline and run line records alongside our rankings. Here's a brief snapshot of each.
Moneyline Betting: In moneyline betting, you are simply betting on which team will win the game outright. The odds for each team are expressed in terms of a moneyline, with negative numbers indicating the favorite and positive numbers indicating the underdog. For example, if the New York Yankees have a moneyline of -150 against the Boston Red Sox (+130), this means that the Yankees are the favorites and you would need to bet $150 to win $100 if they win. Conversely, if you bet $100 on the Red Sox and they win, you would win $130.
Run Line Betting: Run line betting is similar to point spread betting in other sports. In MLB, the run line is usually set at 1.5 runs, meaning the favorite must win by at least 2 runs to cover the spread, while the underdog can lose by 1 run and still cover the spread. The odds for each team are expressed in terms of a run line, with negative numbers indicating the favorite and positive numbers indicating the underdog. For example, if the Yankees have a run line of -1.5 against the Red Sox (+1.5), this means that the Yankees are favored to win by at least 2 runs, and you would need to bet on them to cover the spread. If the final score is Yankees 5, Red Sox 3, and you bet on the Yankees -1.5, you would win the bet. If you bet on the Red Sox +1.5, you would win the bet if the Red Sox either win the game outright or lose by 1 run.
There are other factors used in evaluating MLB teams as well, including the following.
Overall record: A team's overall record is often the first thing people look at when evaluating how good they are. A team with a high winning percentage is generally considered to be better than a team with a lower winning percentage.
Run differential: Run differential is the difference between the total number of runs a team has scored and the total number of runs they have allowed. A team with a high positive run differential is generally considered to be better than a team with a low or negative run differential.
Strength of schedule: A team's strength of schedule can play a role in how good they are. A team that has faced a lot of tough opponents and still has a good record is generally considered to be better than a team that has faced a lot of weaker opponents.
Pitching staff: A team's pitching staff is a key factor in their success. Evaluating a team's starting pitchers, bullpen, and overall pitching statistics can help determine how good their pitching staff is.
Offensive production: A team's offensive production can also play a role in their success. Evaluating a team's batting statistics, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage can help determine how good their offense is.
Defense: A team's defense can also impact their success. Evaluating a team's fielding statistics, errors, and defensive runs saved can help determine how good their defense is.
Recent performance: A team's recent performance can also be a good indicator of how good they are. If a team has been playing well lately and winning games, they may be considered to be better than a team that has been struggling.
It's important to note that these factors can vary in importance depending on the situation and context, and evaluating how good an MLB team is can be a subjective process. Additionally, there are many other factors that can impact a team's success, including injuries, team chemistry, and coaching.