MLB Power Rankings Week 19: Post-trade deadline editionESPNESPNMultiple AuthorsAug 6, 2026, 07:00 AM ET
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Welcome to a special post-trade deadline edition of ESPN’s MLB Power Rankings.
If you thought last year’s deadline was a slow burn, this year’s moved even slower, with the first major deal coming nine days before Monday’s deadline (between the Red Sox and Nationals) and the biggest happening Saturday night when Tarik Skubal was dealt to the Dodgers. Things picked up from there before Monday’s 6 p.m. ET cutoff, with a flurry of activity Sunday that saw big-name starting pitchers change teams, including Luis Castillo going to the White Sox and Kevin Gausman to the Cubs.
Monday was jam-packed with deals, especially as the deadline came to a close, from Baltimore dealing its franchise catcher Adley Rutschman to division rival Boston to Philadelphia landing Luis Arraez, San Diego nabbing Casey Mize just before the deadline closed and more.
Which contenders got the biggest boost from the deadline and moved up our list? And which clubs didn’t do themselves any favors? Our expert panel has ranked every team based on a combination of what we’ve seen so far and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that is a full baseball season. Take a look at where every team stands following the deadline — and the biggest moves each made.
Week 18 | Second-half preview | Preseason rankings
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
Record: 69-46
Previous ranking: 1
Biggest moves of the deadline: Acquiring starting pitchers Tarik Skubal (from Tigers) and Kris Bubic (from Royals)
2. Milwaukee Brewers
Record: 71-43
Previous ranking: 2
Biggest moves of the deadline: Acquiring starting pitcher Dustin May (from Cardinals), relievers JoJo Romero (from Cardinals) and Antonio Senzatela (from Rockies) and catcher Bo Naylor (from Guardians)
3. Atlanta Braves
Record: 69-45
Previous ranking: 3
Biggest moves of the deadline: Acquiring starting pitcher Tyler Mahle (from Giants), reliever Brent Suter (from Angels) and outfielder Lane Thomas (from Royals)
4. Tampa Bay Rays
Record: 68-46
Previous ranking: 4
Biggest moves of the deadline: Acquiring catcher/first baseman Liam Hicks (from Marlins), starting pitcher Freddy Peralta (from Mets) and reliever Tyler Wells (from Orioles)
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5. Chicago Cubs
Record: 66-49
Previous ranking: 6
Biggest moves of the deadline: Acquiring starting pitchers Kevin Gausman (from Blue Jays) and Clay Holmes (from Mets), outfielder Tyrone Taylor (from Mets) and relievers Ryan Zeferjahn (from Angels) and Aaron Civale (from A’s)
6. New York Yankees
Record: 64-51
Previous ranking: 5
Biggest moves of the deadline: Acquiring first baseman Luis Garcia Jr. (from Nationals) and outfielder Heliot Ramos (from Giants); dealing relievers Camilo Doval and Jake Bird
7. Boston Red Sox
Record: 62-51
Previous ranking: 8
Biggest moves of the deadline: Acquiring catcher Adley Rutschman (from Orioles), reliever Erik Miller (from Giants) and infielder Curtis Mead (from Nationals); dealing infielder Marcelo Mayer
8. Philadelphia Phillies
Record: 61-54
Previous ranking: 7
Biggest moves of the deadline: Acquiring second baseman Luis Arraez (from Giants) and relievers Caleb Kilian (from Giants) and Brooks Raley (from Mets)
9. Chicago White Sox
Record: 59-54
Previous ranking: 10
Biggest moves of the deadline: Acquiring starting pitcher Luis Castillo (from Mariners) and outfielder Brenton Doyle (from Rockies); dealing reliever Seranthony Dominguez
10. Arizona Diamondbacks
Record: 61-54
Previous ranking: 11
Biggest move of the deadline: Acquiring outfielder Lars Nootbaar (from Cardinals)
11. San Diego Padres
Record: 59-56
Previous ranking: 15
Biggest moves of the deadline: Acquiring starting pitchers Casey Mize (from Tigers) and Robbie Ray (from Giants)
12. Houston Astros
Record: 59-57
Previous ranking: 20
Biggest moves of the deadline: Acquiring outfielder Daulton Varsho (from Blue Jays); dealing starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr.
13. Cleveland Guardians
Record: 57-58
Previous ranking: 13
Biggest moves of the deadline: Acquiring starting pitcher Foster Griffin (from Nationals), outfielder Jo Adell (from Angels) and first baseman/designated hitter Nathaniel Lowe (from Reds); dealing catcher Bo Naylor and reliever Codi Heuer
14. Pittsburgh Pirates
Record: 57-59
Previous ranking: 9
Biggest moves of the deadline: Acquiring relievers Luke Weaver (from Mets), Kirby Yates (from Angels), Lake Bachar (from Marlins) and Camilo Doval (from Yankees)
15. Miami Marlins
Record: 58-57
Previous ranking: 18
Biggest moves of the deadline: Acquiring reliever Victor Vodnik (from Rockies); dealing catcher Liam Hicks, starting pitcher Braxton Garrett and reliever Lake Bachar
16. Seattle Mariners
Record: 56-59
Previous ranking: 16
Biggest moves of the deadline: Acquiring outfielder Taylor Ward (from Orioles) and reliever Seranthony Dominguez (from White Sox); dealing starting pitcher Luis Castillo
17. Minnesota Twins
Record: 56-59
Previous ranking: 19
Biggest moves of the deadline: Acquiring relievers Jeff Hoffman (from Blue Jays) and A.J. Minter (from Mets), and starting pitcher Dean Kremer (from Orioles)
18. Texas Rangers
Record: 57-58
Previous ranking: 12
Biggest moves of the deadline: Acquiring catcher Logan O’Hoppe (from Angels) and reliever Chase Silseth (from Angels); dealing infielder Josh Smith
19. St. Louis Cardinals
Record: 57-58
Previous ranking: 17
Biggest moves of the deadline: Dealing outfielder Lars Nootbaar, starting pitcher Dustin May and reliever JoJo Romero
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20. Detroit Tigers
Record: 55-59
Previous ranking: 21
Biggest moves of the deadline: Dealing starting pitchers Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize, and outfielder/designated hitter Jahmai Jones; acquiring outfield prospect Zyhir Hope (from Dodgers) and pitching prospects River Ryan (from Dodgers) and Kash Mayfield (from Padres)
21. Baltimore Orioles
Record: 56-58
Previous ranking: 22
Biggest moves of the deadline: Dealing catcher Adley Rutschman, outfielder Taylor Ward, reliever Tyler Wells and starting pitcher Dean Kremer; acquiring reliever Alex Hoppe and pitching prospects Anthony Eyanson and Kyson Witherspoon (from Red Sox) and Michael Forret (from Rays)
22. Washington Nationals
Record: 56-60
Previous ranking: 14
Biggest moves of the deadline: Dealing first baseman Luis Garcia Jr. and starting pitcher Foster Griffin; acquiring starting pitcher Connelly Early (from Red Sox), reliever Jake Bird (from Yankees) and pitching prospect Jack Cebert (from Yankees)
23. Toronto Blue Jays
Record: 54-61
Previous ranking: 24
Biggest moves of the deadline: Dealing starting pitcher Kevin Gausman, top infield prospect Arjun Nimmala, outfielder Daulton Varsho and reliever Jeff Hoffman; acquiring starting pitchers Jose Soriano (from Angels), Spencer Arrighetti (from Astros) and Jameson Taillon (from Cubs), and infielder Josh Smith (from Rangers)
24. Cincinnati Reds
Record: 55-58
Previous ranking: 23
Biggest moves of the deadline: Dealing first baseman/designated hitter Nathaniel Lowe and reliever Caleb Ferguson
25. New York Mets
Record: 49-66
Previous ranking: 25
Biggest moves of the deadline: Dealing starting pitchers Clay Holmes and Freddy Peralta, relievers Luke Weaver, Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter and outfielder Tyrone Taylor; acquiring outfield prospect Aidan Smith (from Rays), infield prospects Émilien Pitre (from Rays) and Sammy Stafura (from Pirates) and pitching prospect Gary Gill Hill (from Rays)
26. San Francisco Giants
Record: 48-67
Previous ranking: 26
Biggest moves of the deadline: Dealing second baseman Luis Arraez, relievers Caleb Kilian and Erik Miller, starting pitchers Robbie Ray and Tyler Mahle, and outfielder Heliot Ramos; acquiring pitching prospects Ramon Marquez (from Phillies) and Miguel Mendez (from Padres) and infielder Marcelo Mayer (from Red Sox)
27. Kansas City Royals
Record: 48-67
Previous ranking: 27
Biggest moves of the deadline: Dealing starting pitcher Kris Bubic and outfielder Lane Thomas
28. Athletics
Record: 45-69
Previous ranking: 28
Biggest move of the deadline: Dealing starting pitcher Aaron Civale
29. Colorado Rockies
Record: 45-70
Previous ranking: 30
Biggest moves of the deadline: Dealing relievers Antonio Senzatela, Victor Vodnik and Seth Halvorsen, and outfielder Brenton Doyle
30. Los Angeles Angels
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Record: 43-71
Previous ranking: 29
Biggest moves of the deadline: Dealing starting pitcher Jose Soriano, outfielder Jo Adell and relievers Ryan Zeferjahn, Brent Suter and Kirby Yates; acquiring catcher Moises Ballesteros (from Cubs), infielder Nacho Alvarez Jr. (from Braves), infield prospect Arjun Nimmala (from Blue Jays) and pitching prospect Mason McGwire (from Cubs)
