{"id":598563,"date":"2026-04-12T06:09:25","date_gmt":"2026-04-12T06:09:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/598563\/"},"modified":"2026-04-12T06:09:25","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T06:09:25","slug":"dodgers-yankees-and-dontrelle-willis-ranks-his-top-5-mlb-teams-right-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/598563\/","title":{"rendered":"Dodgers, Yankees, and &#8230;? Dontrelle Willis Ranks His Top 5 MLB Teams Right Now"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-ace7f8b6=\"\">Are the two-time defending World Series champions still looking like the team to beat this season?<br \/>\u00a0<br \/>The 2026 MLB campaign is barely two weeks in, but the Dodgers remain on target for a historic three-peat. That&#8217;s not to say some other teams are making things interesting in these early days.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Dontrelle Willis List His Current Top-5 Power Rankings \ud83d\udea8  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/watch\/fmc-bviyokpwuzbei3ee\" class=\"pointer video\" data-v-8432653a=\"\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/nxk1dgmmfxmuxcq0.jpg\" alt=\"Dontrelle Willis List His Current Top-5 Power Rankings \ud83d\udea8\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"175\" height=\"175\" class=\"thumbnail\" data-v-8432653a=\"\"\/><\/a>  <\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-ace7f8b6=\"\">FOX Sports MLB analyst Dontrelle Willis reveals who his top five teams are right now, which includes two American League teams and three from the National League. Here&#8217;s who made the cut.<\/p>\n<p><img  width=\"640\" height=\"427\" loading=\"lazy\"\/> <\/p>\n<p>(Photo by Brandon Sloter\/IOS\/Getty Images) <\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content ranking-content power-rankings-1 expanded\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-ace7f8b6=\"\">The AL Central-leading Guardians (8-6) check in at No. 5 on Willis&#8217; list. They&#8217;ve only won three of their past six games, but Willis is convinced that there&#8217;s no cause for concern, as they&#8217;re riding the Chase DeLauter wave.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content ranking-content power-rankings-1 expanded\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-ace7f8b6=\"\">&#8220;They&#8217;re still able to win ballgames even though Jos\u00e9 Ram\u00edrez has not checked in,&#8221; Willis added. &#8220;You know, it starts and ends on the mound for me. Mr. [Gavin] Williams, he&#8217;s gonna continue to have a monster year.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content ranking-content power-rankings-1 expanded last-ranking-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-ace7f8b6=\"\">Last week, Cleveland rattled off back-to-back wins against Kansas City. On Wednesday, Guardians left fielder Angel Martinez went 4-for-5, including hitting a four-bagger to clear the bases with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the eighth. It was a huge early divisional win in an AL Central race that is likely going to be tight this year.<\/p>\n<p><img  width=\"640\" height=\"427\" loading=\"lazy\"\/> <\/p>\n<p>(Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr.\/Atlanta Braves\/Getty Images) <\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content ranking-content power-rankings-2 expanded\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-ace7f8b6=\"\">The Braves (9-5) began the year without an off day through their first 13 games and a rotation missing Spencer Strider (oblique strain), Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow surgery), Hurston Waldrep (elbow surgery) and Joey Wentz (torn ACL). That said, they&#8217;ve emerged from this starting stretch in first place in the NL East, with the lowest ERA in MLB (2.03) and tied for the best run differential in MLB (+34). What&#8217;s more, they&#8217;ve managed to do this all without relying entirely on the arm of Chris Sale. Atlanta is in the midst of a three-game win streak, defeating its opponents by an average of five-plus runs over that span. That&#8217;s more than enough to land them at No. 4 on Willis&#8217; list.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content ranking-content power-rankings-2 expanded last-ranking-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-ace7f8b6=\"\">&#8220;They are finally healthy, as far as the core group of the guys that play every day [goes],&#8221; Willis said. &#8220;[Second baseman] Ozzie [Albies] is finally healthy. [Catcher] Drake Baldwin is a monster. His bat-to-ball skills and his game calling and throwing behind the plate [skills are] one of the best in all of baseball.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><img  width=\"640\" height=\"427\" loading=\"lazy\"\/> <\/p>\n<p>\u00a0(Photo by John Fisher\/Getty Images) <\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content ranking-content power-rankings-3 expanded\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-ace7f8b6=\"\">Even without Freddy Peralta and Caleb Durbin, Milwaukee is 8-5 and sits atop the NL Central. Despite the Brewers dropping their past three games, Willis isn&#8217;t ready to push the panic button. Instead, they land at No. 3 on his list.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content ranking-content power-rankings-3 expanded\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-ace7f8b6=\"\">&#8220;[Coach] Pat Murphy has these guys at the top of the [NL] Central playing his style of baseball,&#8221; Willis said. &#8220;[Left fielder] Christian Yelich looks like MVP Yelich. He looks \u2014 finally \u2014 healthy. [Center fielder Garrett] Mitchell in that lineup [is] providing some pop.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content ranking-content power-rankings-3 expanded\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-ace7f8b6=\"\">[City Connect Uniforms: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/stories\/mlb\/mlb-unveils-2026-city-connect-uniforms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Eight Teams Unveil New Fits<\/a>]<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content ranking-content power-rankings-3 expanded last-ranking-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-ace7f8b6=\"\">Earlier this month, Milwaukee <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/stories\/mlb\/mlb-2026-buzz-injuries-news-trades-rumors\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">finalized an eight-year contract with prospect Cooper Pratt<\/a>, adding the prized 21-year-old shortstop prospect to the 40-man roster and optioning him to Triple-A Nashville. The deal with Pratt includes club options that could keep him with the Brewers through the 2035 season. Pratt is among the top prospects in a Brewers farm system that ranks among the best in MLB. He was rated by MLB Pipeline as the No. 60 overall prospect.<\/p>\n<p><img  width=\"640\" height=\"427\" loading=\"lazy\"\/> <\/p>\n<p>\u00a0(Photo by Cliff Welch\/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) <\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content ranking-content power-rankings-4 expanded\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-ace7f8b6=\"\">Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and Clarke Schmidt started the season on the injured list, but it doesn\u2019t seem to be a huge factor. Boosted by 25-year-old Cam Schlittler \u2014 who has 22 strikeouts, no walks and a 1.62 ERA through three starts \u2014 a Yankees\u2019 rotation that has looked like the best in baseball in the early going. What&#8217;s more, 2024 AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil is ready to join when they need a fifth starter. Still, the AL East-leading Yankees (8-5) have dropped three in a row and are aiming to get back on track this weekend.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content ranking-content power-rankings-4 expanded\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-ace7f8b6=\"\">[MLB 2026: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/stories\/mlb\/yankees-rotation-historically-great-dontrelle-willis-plays-overreaction-underreaction\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Dontrelle Willis Assesses Yankees Rotation Dominance<\/a>]<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content ranking-content power-rankings-4 expanded last-ranking-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-ace7f8b6=\"\">&#8220;My New York Yankees, who I&#8217;ve been backing for the last couple [of] weeks, have been struggling at the plate,&#8221; Willis said. &#8220;I know it, but Aaron Judge is starting to heat up.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><img  width=\"640\" height=\"427\" loading=\"lazy\"\/> <\/p>\n<p>\u00a0(Photo by Keith Birmingham\/MediaNews Group\/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) <\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content ranking-content power-rankings-5 expanded\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-ace7f8b6=\"\">&#8220;The world champions,&#8221; Willis said when asked which team is his clear-cut No. 1. &#8220;The rich get richer!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content ranking-content power-rankings-5 expanded\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-ace7f8b6=\"\">At the end of last season, the Dodgers became the first back-to-back World Series champs since the Yankees won three in a row from 1998 to 2000. In addition, it was the Dodgers&#8217; third championship in the past six years.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content ranking-content power-rankings-5 expanded\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-ace7f8b6=\"\">The NL West-leading Dodgers (10-3) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/stories\/mlb\/2026-world-series-odds\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">currently have the best odds to win the 2026 World Series at +230<\/a>, followed by the Yankees (+1000).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Are the two-time defending World Series champions still looking like the team to beat this season?\u00a0The 2026 MLB&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":598564,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[435],"tags":[3960,49,48,491,487,501,493,462,3980,82],"class_list":{"0":"post-598563","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mlb","8":"tag-atlanta-braves","9":"tag-ca","10":"tag-canada","11":"tag-cleveland-guardians","12":"tag-los-angeles-dodgers","13":"tag-major-league-baseball","14":"tag-milwaukee-brewers","15":"tag-mlb","16":"tag-new-york-yankees","17":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/598563","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=598563"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/598563\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/598564"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=598563"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=598563"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=598563"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}