Rowan Kavner

The small-market Brewers traveled to Los Angeles to start the second half and greeted the free-spending Dodgers the same way they did before the break in Milwaukee, once again pulverizing the club with the sport’s highest payroll.

The Brewers have now won 10 straight games, including all six of their matchups against the Dodgers in that span, and are suddenly tied with the division-rival Cubs for the best record in the National League. 

At a time when competitive balance is being called into question, the Brewers continue to serve as a beacon and blueprint for the thrifty at at ime when many of Major League Baseball’s top clubs have hit a snag. 

The Dodgers have lost 10 of their last 12 games, the TIgers have dropped six of seven, and the Astros have lost seven of nine.

So, where does that leave them all? 

Below are the latest MLB power rankings, including one looming second-half question for every squad. 

Are we about to see back-to-back seasons of MLB infamy? The Rockies have been more competitive of late, but they’re on pace to win just 39 games, which is two fewer than the 2024 White Sox’s record-setting mark of ineptitude.

Is this the year Luis Robert Jr. finds a new team? He has looked a lot better in July, and outfield-needy teams might choose to focus on the upside rather than what they saw from the 27-year-old through the first three months of the year. 

The skipper’s already out…how much further does the teardown go? Paul Skenes could be the first starting pitcher to win a full-season Cy Young Award with fewer than 10 wins and a losing record. The Pirates and their futile offense have now lost 11 of their last 12 games. 

The Juan Soto trade gave this team a strong base of young talent. Can anyone else emerge as an essential piece of the next great Nationals team? 

Will the AL Rookie of the Year race come down to teammates Jacob Wilson and Nick Kurtz? 

Is there still time to make a second-half push? Even if the offense finds its way, the pitching injuries may be too impactful to overcome. 

How different does this team look after the deadline? The O’s have a plethora of rental players who should be calling a new place home soon. 

Among many interesting teams who could go either way at the deadline, do the Royals continue pushing in on this season to try to jumpstart the offense? Or could we see Seth Lugo pitching in a different team’s playoff rotation in October? 

Can this offense continue to defy expectations? The Marlins, nearly 100 games in, are stunningly in third place and three games up on the Braves. Their offense, which ranks ninth in batting average is one reason why. 

What do they get out of Royce Lewis and Carlos Correa the rest of the way? It’s hard to imagine the Twins accomplishing much when those two sluggers are both hitting below league average. 

An elite bullpen was this team’s calling card as it reached the ALCS last year. Could a deadline teardown lead to some of those top relievers pitching elsewhere? 

Two years ago, the Angels hovered slightly above .500 when they decided to buy rather than get something for Shohei Ohtani in his final year with the club. (That did not go so well.) Now close to .500 again with the deadline approaching, and with a farm system that could desperately use a boost, what does Arte Moreno choose to do? 

The Cardinals did virtually nothing over the offseason other than announce their intentions to trade Nolan Arenado, which did not end up happening. After playing better than many expected, will this deadline be defined by inactivity as well? Or could we see Arenado (or Ryan Helsley and others) playing somewhere else? 

Are they the team that shakes up the trade deadline? Or do they think their offense is good enough to play this out? With Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Eugenio Suárez and Josh Naylor all approaching free agency, the D-backs could determine how wild this deadline gets.  

Can Rafael Devers eventually jumpstart this lineup? It hasn’t happened yet. 

Along those same lines, can the Rangers’ offense wake up in time? If I told you they’d have the best ERA in MLB 100 games in, you’d probably be preparing Globe Life Field to host another World Series. Instead, the Rangers are 3.5 games out of the playoff picture with decisions to make about their direction over the next 10 days. 

This seems to be a bit of a theme in this section of the rankings, but do they have enough offense to make a run? Elly De La Cruz has looked more like the MVP contender many expected to see of late, but he needs help. 

How do the Rays handle the visitor’s life down the stretch? They’ve been a .500 team away from Steinbrenner Field this year, and 37 of their final 62 games will come on the road. 

Will Cal Raleigh challenge Aaron Judge for MVP (and post the best season by a catcher ever)? And, more importantly for their playoff hopes, will their rotation be healthy enough to get where they hope to go? The Mariners haven’t won the AL West since 2001, but the division is again up for grabs. 

How does AJ Preller add depth at the deadline? The Padres’ bullpen has put the club in playoff position, but the team needs more offensive help. I’d expect Preller to be active. 

After shipping Devers off, the Red Sox ended the first half as one of the hottest teams in baseball. But is there enough pitching and defense on this squad to emerge from the crowded and competitive AL East? Craig Breslow might need to address those areas at the deadline. 

Can they slug their way to a division title? I expect them to be as aggressive as any team at the deadline to address their pitching and infield deficiencies. If they don’t, there may be an overreliance on an offense that has been the most powerful in baseball. 

Which version of the pitching staff do the Mets get the rest of the way? They currently boast the best ERA in the National League, but the group has regressed of late — a plethora of injuries haven’t helped — and might need reinforcements to remain among the league leaders by season’s end. 

What does this bullpen look like after the deadline? It’s the clearest area of need after José Alvarado’s 80-game suspension.

Will Mookie Betts find his way? The top of the Dodgers’ vaunted lineup loses some of its luster when the eight-time All-Star is a below league-average hitter. 

Can they withstand all their injuries to keep their dynasty alive? They made their march to the top of the AL West with Yordan Alvarez and most of their rotation on the shelf. Now, All-Stars Jeremy Peña and Isaac Paredes are hurt, too, but a lot of their top pieces appear to be nearing a return. 

Can the supporting cast keep this up? From Alejandro Kirk to Addison Barger to Davis Schneider to Yariel Rodriguez to Brendon Little, they’re getting a plethora of positive contributions during their steady ascension. 

Can they challenge the Cubs for a division title? They pitch well, they run well, they’re fast, they’re young, and they have a bevy of above-average offensive pieces. They basically do everything well, aside from hit for power, which hasn’t hindered them on their 10-game winning streak. Overlook them (again) at your own peril. 

Will the players having resurgent years — from Javier Báez to Spencer Torkelson to Gleyber Torres to Casey Mize —  all keep it going? Their talented farm system could help land them more depth at the deadline.  

How far all-in do they push? They have a share of the best record in the NL, their offense is as dynamic as any group in baseball, and they traded for one season of Kyle Tucker. For the last reason alone, this club should be active at the deadline — a difference-making rotation piece, perhaps? — in an effort to win now. 

Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on X at @RowanKavner.

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