$MLB Power Rankings, Week 12: Dodgers dethrone Atlanta, Strider's elbow cracks the throne, and hamate fractures hit three teams in 48 hours$

2026-06-15

MLB Power Rankings, Week 12: Dodgers dethrone Atlanta, Strider's elbow cracks the throne, and hamate fractures hit three teams in 48 hours

After 8 straight weeks as unanimous #1, Atlanta ceded the top spot to the Dodgers on Bleacher Report following a 1–4 week and Spencer Strider's 15-day IL placement (right elbow inflammation). Miami Marlins surge 11 composite spots on a 10-2 June record with MLB-best June ERA; White Sox beat both the Braves and Dodgers; Cleveland Guardians fall 5 after José Ramírez fractures his hamate. Three hamate fractures across the AL Central in 48 hours reshapes the divisional race. Full 30-team table, risers/fallers analysis, run-differential and Pythagorean charts, WAR leaderboard update, injury watch table, and June 16–22 schedule outlook included.

MLB Power Rankings @NeoDrop Official

Eight weeks is a long time to hold the top spot in anything. The Atlanta Braves' run as unanimous #1 ended on June 15 when Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter moved Los Angeles to the top of his rankings — the first time any major outlet had not ranked Atlanta first since late April. It happened because the Braves went 1–4 on the week. It also happened because Spencer Strider (SP) left Friday's game vs. the Mets with right elbow inflammation and was placed on the 15-day IL the next morning, adding another injury chapter to what has been a troubled post-UCL-surgery arc.

The injury story was not confined to Atlanta. José Ramírez (3B, Cleveland) fractured his left hamate bone on June 13, knocking the Guardians' MVP candidate out for at least four weeks. Vinnie Pasquantino (1B, Kansas City) fractured his right hamate the same night. Three hamate fractures in 48 hours across two AL Central teams is the kind of thing that reshapes divisional races. The AL Central, which looked like a Guardians runaway two weeks ago, is now a genuine three-team scramble.

Rankings this week are derived from three Week 12 sources (MLB.com, Bleacher Report, LiveScore) plus five Week 11 sources used for delta context (ESPN, The Athletic, Sportsnaut, Wolf Sports, Pitcher List). Week 12 sources were published June 14–15. ESPN and The Athletic had not published Week 12 editions as of June 15; ESPN's Week 12 is expected June 18. Composite ranks are simple averages across available Week 12 sources. 1 2

All 30 teams ranked

Rank	Team	W-L	Last week	Δ (largest single source)
1	Los Angeles Dodgers	45–27	2	▲1 (B/R: new #1)
2	Atlanta Braves	46–25	1	▼1
3	Milwaukee Brewers	43–26	3	—
4	New York Yankees	43–27	4	—
5	Philadelphia Phillies	38–33	8	▲3
6	Chicago White Sox	38–32	10	▲4 (MLB.com: +3; B/R: +7)
7	Tampa Bay Rays	41–27	6	▼1
8	Cleveland Guardians	39–33	5	▼3 (MLB.com: –5)
9	Washington Nationals	37–35	14	▲5 (B/R: #12→#9)
10	Miami Marlins	36–36	21	▲11 (MLB.com: +7; B/R: +8)
11	Seattle Mariners	36–35	12	▲1
12	St. Louis Cardinals	38–31	9	▼3
13	San Diego Padres	37–33	15	▲2
14	Texas Rangers	37–30	7	▼7
15	Arizona Diamondbacks	36–35	16	▲1
16	Athletics	35–36	20	▲4 (MLB.com: +4)
17	Pittsburgh Pirates	36–36	11	▼6 (B/R: #8→#17)
18	Chicago Cubs	37–34	13	▼5
19	Toronto Blue Jays	33–38	19	— (B/R: –4)
20	Houston Astros	31–38	18	▼2
21	Baltimore Orioles	32–38	17	▼4
22	New York Mets	30–40	24	▲2
23	Minnesota Twins	30–40	23	—
24	Cincinnati Reds	33–37	20	▼4
25	Kansas City Royals	27–43	25	—
26	Detroit Tigers	29–42	27	▲1
27	Boston Red Sox	29–40	22	▼5
28	San Francisco Giants	29–43	28	—
29	Los Angeles Angels	29–43	29	—
30	Colorado Rockies	24–47	30	—

Composite rank = simple average across MLB.com (June 14) and Bleacher Report (June 15). The Δ column reflects the most significant single-source move. Last-week ranks are from the Week 11 article. 1 2

Biggest risers

Top risers, Week 12

Rank change vs. Week 11, June 8–15, 2026

Miami Marlins	▲11 composite (#21→#10)
Chicago White Sox	▲7 on B/R (#13→#6)
Washington Nationals	▲5 on B/R (#12→#9)
Athletics	▲4 on MLB.com (#20→#16)

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Miami Marlins — composite #10 (▲11 from #21)

This is Week 12's most dramatic ranking story. The Marlins went 10–2 since June 1, the best record in baseball over that stretch, and reached .500 (36–36) for the first time in two months. 2 MLB.com moved them from #25 to #18 (+7); Bleacher Report was more aggressive, jumping them from #18 to #10 (+8). 1

What makes the run credible rather than a hot streak to fade: the pitching staff leads MLB in June ERA (2.44) and rotation ERA (2.09), posting a 2.52 ERA with a 1.12 WHIP and 120 strikeouts in 107 innings in June. 2 Max Meyer holds a 2.85 ERA in 14 starts. 2 The Marlins achieved this after losing Eury Pérez, Janson Junk, and Robby Snelling to injury in late May — a rotation that was supposed to be depleted still posted the best June pitching numbers in the league.

The Pythagorean gap for Miami sits at exactly zero (actual and expected wins are even), which means this run is not being inflated by luck in close games. The question is whether a lineup that's been around .500 all season has the offensive depth to sustain contention once teams start targeting their pitchers. Sandy Alcantara trade rumors surfaced this week; if Miami moves him before the August 3 deadline, the run may be short-lived. 2

Chicago White Sox — composite #6 (▲7 on B/R, ▲3 on MLB.com)

The White Sox went 2–0 against the Braves and 2–1 against the Dodgers at Rate Field last week — beating both the #1 and #2 teams from the previous rankings. 1 Will Leitch at MLB.com wrote: "The sun may finally be coming out for this franchise." 1 At 38–32, Chicago is virtually tied with Cleveland (39–33) for the AL Central lead after the Guardians lost Ramírez.

Braden Montgomery hit a walk-off home run in his MLB debut during the week. Miguel Vargas (.863 OPS), Colson Montgomery (.479 SLG), and Chase Meidroth (.343 OBP) are carrying a lineup that continues to produce without Munetaka Murakami (1B), still on IL. 1

The analytics add a complication. Chicago's team ERA is 4.29 (20th in MLB) and team OPS is .737 (18th). 3 Their Pythagorean expected record is 36–34, meaning they are overperforming by two wins, driven largely by a 14–6 record in one-run games. 4 Davis Martin (9–2, 2.41 ERA, 2.9 fWAR) is a genuine ace, but the rest of the rotation is mid-tier. Reuter's note that a series win at Yankee Stadium this week "would make this a top-five team next week" tells you both how hot Chicago is right now and how much their ceiling depends on results against top competition. 2

Washington Nationals — B/R #9 (▲3 from #12)

The Nationals entered the Bleacher Report top 10 this week for the first time in 2026, largely on the strength of an offense that leads MLB with 392 runs scored — while carrying the lowest active payroll in baseball at $42 million. 2 James Wood (OF) is batting .972 OPS with 20 home runs and has a strong All-Star case. CJ Abrams (SS) has been the most productive offensive shortstop in baseball by most metrics this season.

Three straight series wins (2–1 at San Francisco, 2–1 vs. Seattle) powered the move. Washington's road record is 23–14, which is elite; their home record is 14–21. That split is unusual enough to track — a team that plays better away than at home invites questions about Nationals Park's playing conditions and lineup construction. Still, the offense is real, and Joel Reuter called the Nationals "unexpected teams inside the top 10" alongside the Marlins. 2

Biggest fallers

Top fallers, Week 12

Rank change vs. Week 11, June 8–15, 2026

Pittsburgh Pirates	▼9 on B/R (#8→#17)
Cleveland Guardians	▼5 on MLB.com (#5→#10)
Texas Rangers	▼7 composite (García 60-day IL)
Toronto Blue Jays	▼4 on B/R (#15→#19)

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Pittsburgh Pirates — B/R #17 (▼9 — largest single-source drop this week)

Nine spots in one week on Bleacher Report is the most dramatic fall of the entire season across any source. The cause is straightforward: Pittsburgh's pitching staff posted a 5.88 ERA in June, ranking 27th in MLB, and has allowed eight or more runs in four of their last six games. 2 Reuter noted the staff "was so foundational to their early success" — and it has been the primary driver of their collapse. 2

Paul Skenes (SP) has been part of the problem, not the solution, over the past month. He has a 4.50 ERA with 31 hits allowed in 26 innings across five straight losses. 5 Oneil Cruz (SS) is out at least a month with a fractured hand, stripping the lineup of its best power threat alongside the rotation collapse.

Pittsburgh is now 36–36, which sounds .500 but masks the degree to which their early-season pitching advantage has evaporated. As Reuter put it: "The Pirates have not been below .500 since they were 2–3 to start the year, but two more series losses last week have them squarely in the danger zone." 2

Cleveland Guardians — MLB.com #10 (▼5 — Ramírez fractures hamate)

The Guardians were swept 0–3 at home by the Yankees and then lost José Ramírez (3B) to a left hamate bone fracture on June 13. MLB.com dropped them five spots in a single week, the largest single drop on their list. Will Leitch wrote: "Obviously miserable news for the Guardians... I would absolutely drop them considerably were I to write the rankings today." 1

Ramírez, who had played all 72 games this season and led the AL with 24 stolen bases, is out at least four weeks and likely into August. 6 The Guardians also lost Chase DeLauter (OF, bruised rib cage) and Angel Martinez (INF, fouled ball off foot) in the same June 13 game against Detroit — three position players in one night. Closer Cade Smith was forced into the batting lineup in the ninth inning due to position-player exhaustion.

Cleveland's lineup is posting a .653 OPS in June (fourth-worst in MLB), and their 4.5-game AL Central lead has evaporated. Chicago is now virtually tied. The road schedule ahead — at Milwaukee, at Houston, then hosting the White Sox — is what ESPN's Alden Gonzalez called "quite treacherous" even before the Ramírez injury. 5

Texas Rangers — composite #14 (▼7)

The Rangers were Week 11's biggest story (▲9 on Corey Seager's return) and Week 12's quieter casualty. Adolis García (RF) was placed on the 60-day IL with a torn right lat muscle sustained while throwing from right field on June 11. 7 He is out at least two months, effectively ending his regular-season contribution.

García was hitting .195/.270/.329 this season — not the offensive production Texas signed him for — but his defense in right had been a genuine asset. The Rangers' fallback is Evan Carter (INF, oblique), who is also on the 10-day IL. A lineup built around Seager's return now has two right-field-range bodies on the IL and no obvious depth fill. Texas remains in the AL West race at 37–30, but the ceiling just got lower.

Toronto Blue Jays — B/R #19 (▼4 from #15)

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B) is on pace for fewer than 10 home runs this season. He has three home runs in 67 games. 5 Toronto signed Guerrero to a cornerstone franchise deal worth $500 million; a power outage of this magnitude at its center is not a slump — it is the story of the Blue Jays' season. Dylan Cease (SP) returned from the IL last week and looked sharp (6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 11 K), which gives the rotation a pulse. 2 Alejandro Kirk (C) also returned from a fractured thumb.

The real long-term signal, though, is Bo Bichette (SS), who is reportedly expected to opt out of the final two years of his contract after the season, per USA Today's Bob Nightengale. Reuter flagged the obvious: "that's generally not a good thing to be talking about before the All-Star break." 2 Toronto is 5–7 in June with a –15 run differential. They are becoming a deadline seller.

The analytics layer

The gap between the top four teams and everyone else is the defining feature of the 2026 standings. The Dodgers (+141 run differential), Brewers (+112), Yankees (+107), and Braves (+107) are in a statistical tier that no other team is close to. 4 The next-closest team is the Mariners at +20.

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Los Angeles Dodgers — #1 on Bleacher Report, #2 on MLB.com

The Dodgers lead MLB in run differential (+141), team OPS (.788), and runs scored (386). 4 8 Their Pythagorean record projects them at 50–22 against an actual 45–27 — that –5-win gap (largest in baseball) has been unchanged for two straight weeks. The underlying numbers make them the best team in baseball. The human consensus has them in a tie at #1 with Atlanta depending on which outlet you read.

One wrinkle from this week: Shohei Ohtani (two-way P/DH) left Thursday's game in Pittsburgh with left knee inflammation, missed Friday, then returned Saturday with a leadoff home run and went 2-for-2 with three walks. MRI showed no structural damage. Ohtani said: "It wasn't 100% today. But with the next three, four days, I feel pretty confident, with enough recovery, that I should be able to make the next start." 9 The team will manage him day-to-day; his season line stands at .302/.975 OPS, 14 home runs. The Dodgers' team ERA slipped from 3.17 (Week 11, #1 in MLB) to 3.37 (Week 12, #3), ceding the pitching crown to Atlanta. 3

Atlanta Braves — #2 on Bleacher Report, #1 on MLB.com

Atlanta's MLB-best record (46–25, .648) is supported by genuinely elite pitching: 3.29 ERA (#1 in MLB), .221 batting average against (#1), and 1.18 WHIP (#1). 3 Their Pythagorean gap is –1, meaning they are essentially winning exactly as much as they should be — no luck inflating the record. Chris Sale (SP) is 8–5 with a 2.30 ERA and 10.57 K/9. Matt Olson (1B) has 20 home runs.

The complication is Strider. He was placed on the 15-day IL with right elbow inflammation after being removed in the fourth inning against the Mets, giving up seven earned runs in 3.0 innings. His fastball has averaged 95.1 mph this season — well below his pre-UCL-surgery velocity. 10 Leitch's verdict: "It is possible we're not going to get the Spencer Strider we saw in 2023 again." 1 Prospect JR Ritchie (ranked No. 2 in the organization by MLB Pipeline) threw five scoreless innings in relief on Friday and will slide into the rotation. The depth is real — Ronald Acuña Jr. (OF) also returned to the IL with a left hamstring strain — but Atlanta's lead over Los Angeles in the consensus rankings will narrow if Strider's MRI results are bad.

Milwaukee Brewers — unanimous #3

Jacob Misiorowski (SP) threw a 15-strikeout one-hitter against the Phillies on Friday, becoming the third pitcher since 1900 with at least 15 strikeouts and no more than one baserunner in a shutout. 1 He threw 58 pitches at 100+ mph, breaking his own MLB record for single-game 100+ mph pitch count. His season line: 8–2, 1.34 ERA, 87.0 innings, 13.55 K/9, 1.69 FIP, and a 3.9 FanGraphs WAR (fWAR) that now leads all MLB pitchers. 11 Kyle Harrison (SP) is 1.07 ERA in six starts since May 1, with the Brewers winning all six; Levi Weaver at The Athletic called him "a virtuoso second fiddle to Misiorowski." 12

Milwaukee leads MLB with 27 wins against teams with winning records and holds a five-game lead in the NL Central. 2 Their run differential is +112 (#2 in MLB) and their Pythagorean record says they should have 45 wins, not 43 — they are actually running two wins unlucky. 4 Brandon Woodruff (SP) is nearing a return from his ACL rehab assignment after throwing 68 pitches across 3.2 innings on June 9. Jackson Chourio (OF) went 13-for-29 with five home runs last week.

New York Yankees — unanimous #4 (▲2 on B/R)

This team is 13–5 over their last 18 games with Aaron Judge, Max Fried, Austin Wells, and Giancarlo Stanton all on the IL. Bleacher Report rose them from #6 to #4, with Reuter noting: "With a 13-5 record in their last 18 games and a pair of road series wins last week, the Yankees are playing some of their best baseball of the season right now, and they are doing it with Aaron Judge on the sidelines." 2 They swept Cleveland (3–0) and took 2 of 3 at Toronto. Paul Goldschmidt (1B) went 10-for-25 with two home runs last week and is hitting .898 OPS on the season.

The Yankees' profile is unusual for a top-four team: 3.32 ERA (#2 in MLB, behind only Atlanta), but team OPS is .763 (#16). 3 8 This is a pitching-driven contender, not an offense-driven one. Cam Schlittler (SP) leads the rotation with a 3.1 fWAR and 1.82 ERA; he is a serious Cy Young candidate. 11 Stanton suffered a calf setback during his rehab this week — manager Aaron Boone said "I don't think so, but I don't know that" when asked if Stanton was back to square one. 13 Fried is set to throw off a mound June 15, with a return projected after the All-Star break.

Tampa Bay Rays — composite #7 (▼1)

Still carrying a Pythagorean luck differential of +6 — actual record 41–27 versus an expected 35–33 — and that number has been unchanged for two consecutive weeks. 4 A .603 winning percentage on a +8 run differential is not sustainable; comparable teams historically have regressed 4–6 wins by season's end. The Rays are 10–4 in one-run games and 28-for-39 in save opportunities. They are efficient — but that efficiency has a ceiling. A marquee series at Los Angeles opens June 17; three games against the Dodgers (–5 Pythag, +141 RD) will be an informative test.

Pythagorean luck chart — who's running hot, who's overdue

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Most overperforming: Rays (+6), Phillies (+5), Athletics (+4), Reds (+4). Most underperforming: Dodgers (–5), Red Sox (–5), Tigers (–5), Yankees (–3). 4 The Tigers' –5 gap is particularly notable given Tarik Skubal's (SP) return; they lost 21 of 25 games while he was out, went 7–3 in June after his return, and are now 29–42, 5.5 games out of the final AL Wild Card. If Skubal pitches the Tigers to within striking distance of .500 before the August 3 deadline, Detroit's decision — trade or hold — becomes legitimately complicated. 14 The top suitors if he is moved are the Dodgers, Blue Jays, Padres, and Yankees, per Jon Heyman.

WAR leaders through Week 12

Bobby Witt Jr. (SS, Kansas City Royals) leads all position players with 4.0 fWAR, up from 3.8 last week. He is batting .287/.358/.455 with 26 stolen bases and contributes 15.3 defensive runs above average at shortstop — the WAR is defense-and-speed-driven rather than pure offense. 15 Yordan Alvarez (DH, Houston Astros) ranks second at 3.6 fWAR and leads MLB with a 193 wRC+ and .326 ISO — the most dangerous pure hitter in baseball by the numbers. 15

On the pitching side, Jacob Misiorowski (SP, Milwaukee Brewers) now leads all pitchers at 3.9 fWAR, overtaking Cristopher Sánchez (SP, Philadelphia Phillies, 3.7 fWAR). 11 Sánchez is having an elite season in his own right — 1.82 ERA, 10.55 K/9, 99.0 innings — but the 15-strikeout shutout pushed Misiorowski past him. Cam Schlittler (SP, Yankees) ranks third at 3.1 fWAR; Davis Martin (SP, White Sox) is fourth at 2.9. 11

Injury watch

Player	Team	Status	Timeline	Ranking impact
Spencer Strider (SP)	ATL	15-day IL — right elbow inflammation	TBD; MRI results pending; JR Ritchie takes his rotation spot	Braves lost unanimous #1 status; Strider's 2026 ERA is 5.31 in 39 IP 10
José Ramírez (3B)	CLE	10-day IL (hamate fracture) — June 13	At least 4 weeks, likely into August	Guardians fell –5 on MLB.com; AL Central lead evaporated 6
Shohei Ohtani (DH/P)	LAD	Day-to-day — left knee inflammation	No structural damage; returns June 13 with leadoff HR	Dodgers lost one game; managed carefully going forward 9
Adolis García (RF)	PHI	60-day IL — torn right lat	Out 2+ months; season likely over	Phillies pursuing OF help at trade deadline 7
Tarik Skubal (SP)	DET	Active — returned June 13	Activated 38 days post-NanoNeedle surgery	Trade deadline's most valuable chip; Tigers wait until All-Star break to decide 14
Vinnie Pasquantino (1B)	KC	10-day IL — hamate fracture surgery June 14	4–6 weeks	Royals lose starting 1B; Jac Caglianone slides to 1B 16
Aaron Judge (RF)	NYY	IL — right rib stress fracture	No updated timeline; Boone not putting a date on it	Yankees are 13–5 without him; the rotation carries 13
Giancarlo Stanton (DH)	NYY	Rehab setback — calf re-tweak	Imaging June 15; return uncertain	Boone: "I don't think so, but I don't know that" re: square one 13
Chase Dollander (SP)	COL	60-day IL — expected UCL surgery	Internal brace: 12–14 months; full TJ: could miss 2027	Rockies lose their best pitcher and most important organizational player 17
Max Fried (SP)	NYY	15-day IL — elbow bone bruise	Throws off mound June 15; return expected post-All-Star	Yankees rotation held without him (3.49 ERA since May 14) 13

Status as of June 15, 2026.

The three hamate fractures in 48 hours — Ramírez (Cleveland, June 13), Pasquantino (Kansas City, June 13), and a previous one earlier in the season for Ryan Jeffers (Minnesota, May) — deserve a note. Hamate fractures from bat vibration are fairly common in baseball, but clustering of this frequency in a short window is unusual. Recovery timelines vary; Francisco Lindor and Corbin Carroll returned within five weeks in comparable situations, while Jackson Holliday took nearly three months after setbacks. The Guardians and Royals both face meaningful consequences in the AL Central, since Ramírez and Pasquantino were each their team's most productive hitter.

Week ahead — schedule outlook (June 16–22)

Team	Series	Context
Rays	@ Dodgers (Tue–Thu)	Marquee series; tests whether Tampa's +6 Pythag luck holds against MLB's best run differential 18
White Sox	@ Yankees (Mon–Wed)	Reuter said a series win here makes Chicago a top-five team next week; also their toughest test of the surge 18
Braves	vs. Giants	Soft draw (Giants 29–43); allows rotation to stabilize around Strider's IL absence 18
Guardians	@ Brewers	AL Central implications; Cleveland without Ramírez facing Milwaukee's Misiorowski 18
Padres	@ Cardinals	Two overperforming Wild Card contenders (Padres +3 Pythag, Cardinals +2 Pythag) face each other directly 18
Tigers	vs. Royals	Skubal's second start back; Detroit's path to trade-deadline relevance runs through the next four weeks 18

The Rays at Dodgers series is the most consequential game cluster for bettors and analysts this week. Tampa Bay is 41–27 with a run differential of only +8 — a .603 winning percentage and a +8 RD don't normally coexist. Three games at Dodger Stadium, against a team with +141 run differential, will stress-test that Pythagorean gap more than any matchup available this week.

Week 13 watch list

Four data points will define next week's rankings more than anything else:

Strider's MRI results — whether Atlanta is looking at weeks or months will determine if they hold #1–2 or slide further
Ramírez and Pasquantino recovery timelines — hamate surgeries in baseball have wide variance; early imaging results will signal whether either returns before August
Skubal's second start — if he pitches five-plus innings cleanly, the trade deadline Skubal sweepstakes goes from "possible" to "active"
White Sox at Yankee Stadium — the single game sequence most likely to either cement Chicago as a genuine contender or expose their analytics profile as the real story

Cover image from MLB.com. 1