By Grant Brisbee, Chad Jennings and Levi Weaver
Every week, we ask a selected group of our baseball writers — local and national — to rank the teams from first to worst. Here are the collective results.
It’s not time for award arguments yet. It is time for award-based scrutiny, though. There are favorites for some of the awards, and there are runaway favorites for others, but there are also awards that should be a happy mess, with several worthy contenders. What they do in September will matter quite a bit.
For some teams, this will be a side note as they charge toward the postseason. For others, it’s just about all they have. Let’s check in with the award contenders on each team … and stretch the definitions of “awards” for others.
Record: 85-54
Last Power Ranking: 1
Award nominee: Isaac Collins, Rookie of the Year
This was the easiest pick of the exercise for me. Collins isn’t just a good story, having a breakout rookie season at 28 years old. He also leads all NL rookies in fWAR, with 2.6, and has been a key cog for a Brewers team that has been this season’s biggest surprise.
Biggest good surprise, I mean. The Orioles exist.
For Collins, his biggest competition is probably Braves catcher Drake Baldwin (2.5 fWAR), and I do wonder if having two other reasonable ROY candidates (Chad Patrick, Caleb Durbin) on his team will impact his vote totals.
So you have choices, if you want ‘em. In fact, the real answer might be Pat Murphy, repeating as NL Manager of the Year. — Levi Weaver
Record: 78-59
Last Power Ranking: 3
Award nominee: Shohei Ohtani, Most Valuable Player
Whatever. Has he received even one Gold Glove vote in his career? Has he laid down a single sacrifice bunt? Looking at his Baseball-Reference page, it appears that he never led the league in doubles. Over-rated (clap clap clapclapclap).
OK, fine, Ohtani is still the best baseball player alive and quite possibly the most talented baseball player any of us will ever see. He’s going to win the MVP, and the vote will likely be unanimous, justifiably so. Why are you reading words from a dummy like me when you could be out there watching Ohtani highlights? — Grant Brisbee
Record: 80-58
Last Power Ranking: 2
Award nominee: Kyle Schwarber, NLCS MVP
We’re aware of the discourse. Schwarber just hit four homers in a game. He’s gonna hit 50 for the year. He’s awesome. Can he beat Shohei Ohtani for MVP? Probably not. Ohtani’s offensive numbers are better, and he pitches. That feels unbeatable (and, honestly, the Phillies player closest to Ohtani in fWAR is shortstop Trea Turner, who’s having a sneaky great season). Similar story for Cristopher Sánchez, who’s put himself among the elite starters in the game. Can he beat Paul Skenes for Cy Young? Probably not. So, which Phillies player is going to win an award if Schwarber isn’t even the best left-handed DH in the National League? What if they get to the World Series? Think Schwarbs would settle for NLCS MVP? — Chad Jennings
Record: 80-59
Last Power Ranking: 3
Award nominee: Tarik Skubal, Cy Young
The competition has gotten a bit closer in recent weeks, with Garrett Crochet and Hunter Brown both coming on strong. But Skubal still leads the AL in bWAR for pitchers (6.2), ERA (2.18), ERA+ (191), as well as leading all of baseball in strikeouts (216), FIP (2.29) and WHIP (0.873).
I’m not sure this nomination needs much more justification than that set of numbers. The dude is just that good.
Plus, we haven’t had a back-to-back Cy Young winner since Jacob deGrom in 2018-19. We’re due. — Weaver
Record: 79-59
Last Power Ranking: 5
Award nominee: Pete Crow-Armstrong, Platinum Glove
I know I said Isaac Collins was the easiest choice, but then I got to the Cubs. Crow-Armstrong not only leads all NL outfielders (and all outfielders, period) with 19 Defensive Runs Saved, that’s also the highest number for any player, at any position, in either league.
So, nominating him for a Gold Glove would be too easy. We’re in the business of taking risks and making enemies here at Power Rankings, Ltd.
And sometimes, that means even within the ranks. With apologies to Patrick Bailey and Grant Brisbee … Give Crow-Armstrong the Platinum Glove. — Weaver
Record: 79-59
Last Power Ranking: 6
Award nominee: George Springer, Silver Slugger
There have been two resurgent seasons worth recognizing in Toronto. Shortstop Bo Bichette has bounced back from a brutal 2024 and could be the major-league hits leader. Maybe that’s enough for a Silver Slugger (the AL field at shortstop is crowded). For Springer, though, the Silver Slugger should be close to a sure thing. He’s top five in the majors in wRC+, and only Aaron Judge has better offensive numbers among outfielders. Even if he’s more of a DH — which he is — Springer has the best numbers among AL DHs, too. This would be Springer’s third Silver Slugger, but his first since 2019. — Jennings
Record: 76-62
Last Power Ranking: 6
Award nominee: Adrian Morejon, Reliever of the Year
The Reliever of the Year award – perfectly designed to screw up “ROY” shorthand everywhere – won’t actually be handed out until next season. But it’s not too early to appreciate what Morejon has done as a left-hander in a three-batter-minimum world. The awards will probably go to closers and eighth-inning guys in the future, and the Morejons of the world will get left out. Might as well appreciate them now.
Actually, if we’re handing out awards that won’t actually exist, we might as well break even more from convention and give the whole thing to the Padres’ bullpen. Jeremiah Estrada, Robert Suarez, Jason Adam … heck, even Mason Miller can come on down and claim a slice. Call your agent and see if there’s a bonus for this non-existent award. You never know. — Brisbee
Record: 77-62
Last Power Ranking: 8
Award nominee: Ceddanne Rafaela, Gold Glove
The Red Sox are loaded with guys who could end up as runners-up. Garrett Crochet (Cy Young), Roman Anthony (Rookie of the Year) and Alex Bregman (Silver Slugger) are having award-caliber seasons in categories in which someone else is the favorite. Even Aroldis Chapman, who probably is the favorite for Reliever of the Year, has Bryan Abreu of the Astros as a viable alternative. Rafaela, though, feels like a Gold Glove shoo-in either as a center fielder or as a utility man (he’s not as good at second base, but the fact he can play there has been helpful for the Red Sox). — Jennings
Record: 76-61
Last Power Ranking: 10
Award nominee: Aaron Judge, Most Valuable Player
We could try to be clever and suggest Jazz Chisholm Jr. for a Silver Slugger, but the fact is, Judge remains the most relevant award candidate in the Bronx. Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh is getting a lot of well-deserved attention and consideration, but Judge (even after missing some time) is still the Major League leader in fWAR and he’s on pace to win the Major League Triple Crown — and it probably won’t be close in any of the three categories. That would be a historic achievement in what will be, at best, Judge’s third-best major-league season. — Jennings
Record: 76-62
Last Power Ranking: 9
Award nominee: Mauricio Dubón, Gold Glove
Baseball fans are grumplepusses when it comes to changes and tweaks to the national pastime. The players are getting stronger and throwing harder, and that’s already enough change for us, thank you. So it’s important that we recognize the changes that actually improve something: Bless the new Gold Glove award for utility players.
If Dubón had played in 2000, he wouldn’t have received even one Gold Glove vote. Mostly because he was six years old, but also because there wasn’t a way to recognize the humble utility player, even when some of them were handling two or three of the toughest defensive positions in baseball. Dubón is one of the best center fielders and second basemen in the game, and it’s hard to overstate what that means for a team that might have José Altuve in left field or at second base in any given game. — Brisbee
Record: 74-64
Last Power Ranking: 12
Award nominee: Pete Alonso, Silver Slugger
This is a pretty boring pick, right? Except, no, not really, because Alonso actually has never won a Silver Slugger. He’s been an All-Star four times. He won a Rookie of the Year award, and he’s been top 10 in MVP voting a couple of times. He’s led the league in homers and he’s led the league in RBIs, but he’s never won a Silver Slugger (there was always a Paul Goldschmidt or Freddie Freeman or Matt Olson or Bryce Harper in his way). This, though, could be Alonso’s year. It’s basically a three-man toss-up among Alonso, Freeman and Harper, but Alonso might have the slight edge heading into September. — Jennings
Record: 73-65
Last Power Ranking: 11
Award nominee: Cal Raleigh, Most Valuable Player
What a race. In one corner, you have the best hitter of his generation, in the conversation for greatest right-handed hitter of all-time, having another absolutely incredible season. In the other corner, you have baseball’s equivalent of the apocryphal Ginger Rogers quote – Raleigh is doing everything, but squatting and in catcher’s gear. And he’s not just donning the tools of ignorance because he hits well for the position; he’s one of the better defensive catchers in baseball.
You’ll get no endorsement or prediction from here. Just a heads up that the best award race in baseball has just one month to go. Let the dingers fly. — Brisbee
Record: 72-67
Last Power Ranking: 15
Award nominee: Adolis García, Gold Glove
This would have been much easier if Nathan Eovaldi had stayed healthy. I could easily have made the case for his 11-3 record and 1.73 ERA to make him the first Cy Young winner in Rangers history. Alas, it looks like he’ll finish the season with only 130 innings pitched, so we’re going with García, whose 16 DRS (Defensive Runs Saved) ranks fourth among all outfielders, second among right fielders (Fernando Tatis Jr., 18) and second among American League outfielders, behind Steven Kwan (17).
You wanna make the case for Corey Seager, whose 15 DRS ranks second among AL shortstops, behind Taylor Walls (17)? Or Marcus Semien, whose 7 DRS also ranks second among AL second basemen, behind David Hamilton (9, but has only played 353 innings there)?
That’s fine by me. Take your pick. The Rangers’ defense has been pretty great this year. — Weaver
Record: 70-67
Last Power Ranking: 14
Award nominee: Maikel Garcia, Gold Glove
Yes, Bobby Witt, Jr. has had a second-half surge into the AL MVP conversation. But I’m still not convinced he’ll overtake Aaron Judge or Cal Raleigh.
So we’re picking one that I think has a better chance of materializing. Garcia’s eight DRS are tied with Matt Chapman for third among third basemen, but are the most in the AL. Second is Ryan McMahon (six), but he’s only been with the Yankees since the trade deadline, and third is José Ramírez, with two.
This doesn’t have anything to do with his defense, but it has been a little satisfying to see Garcia finally break out at the plate this year, too. He has hit the ball hard in the last few years, but the career highs in average, on-base and slugging are the results that he (and Royals fans) have been expecting for a while now.
So you could also make the case for the AL 3B Silver Slugger. But with Ramírez (Cleveland) and Junior Caminero (Tampa Bay) in play, that’s a lot closer competition. — Weaver
Record: 68-68
Last Power Ranking: 16
Award nominee: Steven Kwan, Platinum Glove
Kwan is better known for his high-contact, low-strikeout approach at the plate, but his 17 Defensive Runs Saved is tied for third in the entire sport, at any position (with Nico Hoerner, Cubs 2B). The only two players higher: Pete Crow-Armstrong (Cubs OF, 19) and Fernando Tatis, Jr. (Padres OF, 18).
Like Crow-Armstrong in the NL, it would be easy to give the layup answer of a Gold Glove for Kwan — he’s already won three of them, after all. So let’s aim a little higher and get him a platinum one.
Another option would be José Ramírez for the Silver Slugger, but it’s going to be close between him, Maikel Franco of the Royals, and Junior Caminero of the Rays. — Weaver
Record: 70-68
Last Power Ranking: 13
Award nominee: Ke’Bryan Hayes, Gold Glove
Andrew Abbott and Nick Lodolo have had good — no, great years. But there are too many other NL Cy Young candidates. I don’t think either has a shot.
Fortunately, there’s another obvious candidate here. Hayes’ 16 Defensive Runs Saved at third base are far and away the most by any third baseman in the league. Matt Shaw is second, at 11, and Matt Chapman is third, at eight.
Yeah — Hayes has twice as many DRS as the third-place guy. — Weaver
Record: 68-69
Last Power Ranking: 18
Award nominee: Junior Caminero, Silver Slugger
José Ramírez has won the AL Silver Slugger at third base five of the past eight years. And, look, there’s a really good chance he’s going to do it again. Alex Bregman and Isaac Paredes have missed time, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. has played more second base. But don’t sleep on Caminero, who’s just slightly behind Ramírez in OPS but has a lot more home runs and RBIs. Ramírez gets on base more. Caminero has hit for more power. Ramírez is the gold standard in the AL, but Caminero looks like the future standard-bearer at the position. — Jennings
Record: 68-71
Last Power Ranking: 17
Award nominee: Gerardo Perdomo, Silver Slugger
In another decade, Perdomo would be getting some mild MVP buzz. Shohei Ohtani exists in this decade, though. He’s like an awards black hole, not letting any buzz escape from his gravity. Maybe it’s time for him to find a new galaxy with other players like him.
Otherwise, Perdomo is having one of the best seasons in baseball by any measure. He has the third-lowest strikeout rate among qualified batters, and he has the highest walk rate. He’s a bat-control deity, and the world will know more about him at some point in these awards races, Ohtani or no. — Brisbee
Record: 69-69
Last Power Ranking: 20
Award nominee: Logan Webb, Cy Young
Webb used to be an anomaly, an innings sponge who succeeded because he allowed hitters to make contact, not despite it. Now he’s weaponized some of his worst pitches and become one of the better strikeout pitchers in the game – his 187 strikeouts are tied with Paul Skenes as of this writing. That’s finally what he needed to get some Cy Young love, right?
Maybe. But Webb has also allowed the highest batting average on balls in play in the majors this season, so for every out he’s adding with a strikeout, he’s giving one back in the field. It’s added up to good-not-great run prevention and a longshot candidacy. Assuming the BABIP is a blip, perhaps next year is when Mr. 200 finally gets the recognition he deserves. — Brisbee
Record: 68-71
Last Power Ranking: 19
Award nominee: Masyn Winn, Gold Glove
Here are the statistics with a Cardinals player in the top 10 in baseball:
• Stolen bases (Victor Scott II, T-9th)
• Hit by pitches (Willson Contreras, 3rd)
• Sacrifice hits (Scott, T-7th)
• Double plays grounded into (Iván Herrera, T-7th)
This isn’t a roster that’s going to get a lot of MVP votes, in other words. Cheers to Winn, then, for giving the Cardinals a chance to feel good about something during awards season. He can play a mean, mean shortstop. — Brisbee
Record: 65-73
Last Power Ranking: 24
Award nominee: Kyle Stowers, Silver Slugger
Someone from the Marlins had to make the All-Star team, and Stowers was as good a pick as anyone. But here we are, basically two months after the All-Star rosters were announced, and Stowers is no longer some token selection. He’s been just as good in the second half, and he’s basically neck-and-neck with Juan Soto for the highest wRC+ among NL outfielders (and he’s top 10 among all players, in either league, in slugging percentage). Stowers and Orioles starter Trevor Rogers were traded for one another last year, and in the past three months, they’ve been two of the better players in all of baseball. — Jennings
Record: 62-76
Last Power Ranking: 21
Award nominee: Ronald Acuña Jr., Comeback Player of the Year
Drake Baldwin remains in the Rookie of the Year conversation, and Matt Olson could win his first Gold Glove since 2019. (Spencer Schwellenbach seems to be a Gold Glove possibility, too.) But the safest bet for a Braves award might be Acuña keeping the Comeback Player of the Year in Atlanta after Chris Sale won it last year. Acuña returned in May from a torn ACL — which cost him most of last season — and has delivered the fourth-highest wRC+ among players with at least 250 plate appearances. Hard to imagine a young superstar doing a better job of coming back. — Jennings
Record: 64-73
Last Power Ranking: 22
Award nominee: Ron Washington, Manager of the Year
Hear us out. The award, as it presently exists, is essentially “The guy in charge of the team that surprised us the most,” and that’s fine. It’s probably going to be a two-man race between Detroit’s A.J. Hinch and Toronto’s John Schneider, neither of whom has won the award before.
What about using the award, just this once, as an appreciation for a baseball lifer who underwent quadruple bypass surgery after helping his team play better than expected in the earlier part of the season? Hinch didn’t finish higher than second in any of his 100-win seasons with the Astros, so he’ll understand. The “Manager of the Year Award” typically means something else, anyway. — Brisbee
Record: 62-75
Last Power Ranking: 25
Award nominee: Byron Buxton, Heart and Hustle Award
I’d be remiss not to mention Joe Ryan’s excellent season, but I just don’t think he has the numbers to bump off Tarik Skubal for the AL Cy Young award. So we’re down to the Heart and Hustle award.
Each team has already listed their winners — Buxton was, indeed, the Twins’ winner. But after the 2025 Great Fire (sale) of Minnesota, Buxton’s commitment to the organization and public comments about wanting to remain a Twin are … either admirable or codependent. I’m not sure which.
Either way, I think he deserves some kind of award. And this is the best one I could come up with. — Weaver
Record: 64-75
Last Power Ranking: 26
Award nominee: Nick Kurtz, Rookie of the Year
The only reason Kurtz isn’t in the MVP discussions is that he wasn’t called up until the end of April. For once, this isn’t a story that has to do with a team manipulating service time – he’d played only 12 games in the minor leagues before the start of the 2025 season, so of course he was going to start in the minors for his first full professional season. The A’s were very proactive in calling him up, considering his professional inexperience.
Here’s the best way to describe how good Kurtz had been: He’ll win the Rookie of the Year unanimously, even with a 21-year-old Red Sox phenom doing incredible things in front of a larger audience. — Brisbee
Record: 62-76
Last Power Ranking: 22
Award nominee: Trevor Rogers, Second-half Cy Young
OK, fine, this isn’t a real award. But you try finding an award winner on this Orioles roster. Almost anyone having a halfway decent season got traded at the deadline, and Gunnar Henderson hasn’t been quite as exceptional as last year (still good, though). But Rogers stands out as a guy who’s quietly been perhaps the best starting pitcher in baseball since mid-June. He was called up too late to truly compete for the Cy Young, but he’s the MLB leader in ERA among pitchers with at least 80 innings. If the Orioles hadn’t kept him in the minors for so long, he might be in the mix for a real award and not one we invented. — Jennings
Record: 61-77
Last Power Ranking: 27
Award nominee: Paul Skenes, Cy Young
Thank goodness for Skenes, because picking another award nominee from the Pirates seems like a frustrating proposition.
Fortunately, Skenes — 9-9 with a 2.05 ERA and 187 strikeouts to 38 walks in 167 innings pitched — exists. His ERA+ of 207 and FIP of 2.45 both lead the NL, as do his 28 starts. You could make the case for Logan Webb (I see that Grant has done exactly this) or Cristopher Sánchez of the Phillies (which Chad … at least alluded to).
But look at this Pirates roster. It’s Skenes or nothing. — Weaver
Record: 54-83
Last Power Ranking: 28
Award nominee: James Wood, Silver Slugger
It’s going to take a really strong month of September for Wood to actually win a Silver Slugger this year. He’s currently behind Kyle Stowers, Juan Soto, Corbin Carroll and Kyle Tucker in OPS and wRC+ among NL outfielders (with Ronald Acuña Jr. ahead of him too, just with far fewer plate appearances). But Wood has been really good; it’s more fun to single him out than to come up with some fictional award for Brad Lord or whoever. Wood, MacKenzie Gore and CJ Abrams have each been excellent for the Nats, which might not ultimately result in actual hardware, but it does provide the Nationals with a young foundation to build on. — Jennings
Record: 50-88
Last Power Ranking: 29
Award nominee: Andrew Vaughn, Comeback Player of the Year
Look at this roster and tell me what other option I had. Vaughn has been an absolute monster since being traded to the Brewers, and he played 48 games with the White Sox this year.
Yes, he hit .198/.218/.314 (.531 OPS) in Chicago, as compared to .287/.355/.488 (.843) with the Brewers, but he did technically play for the White Sox this year. In fact, he played more games with them (48) than he has for the Brewers (45).
I’m counting it. — Weaver
Record: 39-99
Last Power Ranking: 30
Award nominee: Brenton Doyle, Gold Glove
Let’s be clear: This is Pete Crow-Armstrong’s award, and it might be for the foreseeable future. But Doyle will likely be one of the nominees, even if his gaudy defensive numbers from the previous two seasons aren’t there.
It’s been hard to watch games at Coors Field this season, but it’s always easy to watch Doyle glide around one of the most spacious outfields in modern baseball history. Anything that makes the Rockies more watchable this season deserves an award. Even if Doyle won’t get the Gold Glove this season, maybe some of you can get your kids to make a card for him. It’s not as good as the actual award (which he won in each of his first two seasons), but it’s the thought that counts. — Brisbee
(Top photo: Daniel Bartel / Getty Images)