NHL Power Rankings: Jets continue to fly high, plus what each team is thankful for this season
As we approach the end of the second calendar month in the 2024-25 NHL season, we also march toward “Thanksgiving playoff cutoff” season. So get your postseason team takes ready, because now’s the time to sling them. North of 75% of teams in the last 10 seasons that were in a playoff position by (American) Thanksgiving stayed in one by the end of that season.
That’s very good news for teams like the Carolina Hurricanes, Washington Capitals and Minnesota Wild, who many wrote off at the start of the season as teams on the outside looking in for the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs.
However, the mythical Thanksgiving marker has no bearing on our ESPN NHL Power Rankings, which are once again led by the Winnipeg Jets. But in addition to an updated set of rankings, we are identifying the one item for which every team is thankful this season, whether it’s particular players, trends or a piece of hockey equipment.
How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors sends in a 1-32 poll based on the games through Wednesday, which generates our master list.
Note: Previous ranking for each team refers to the previous edition, published Nov. 15. Points percentages are through Thursday’s games.
Previous ranking: 1
Points percentage: 84.21%
Thankful for: A counterpunch. A lot of attention has been put on the team’s greatest start in NHL history, and rightfully so. But this week, Winnipeg suffered a 5-0 loss to the Panthers. The fans chanted “overrated” to the Jets as the reigning Stanley Cup champs trounced them. But two days later, the Jets got revenge in the heavyweight home-and-home series, going up 3-0 before doubling up the Cats to win 6-3. A big response against a team that is battling for tops in the opposite conference.
Next seven days: @ PIT (Nov. 22), @ NSH (Nov. 23), @ MIN (Nov. 25), @ LA (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 2
Points percentage: 73.68%
Thankful for: A 13-game point streak for Martin Necas. OK, yes, the Canes have a lot to be thankful for. Second in the Metro Division, proving all those preseason prognostications wrong, but I wanted to throw some flowers to Necas. With a lot of the spotlight elsewhere around the league, Necas quietly put together an awesome 13-game point streak, amassing 27 points. He has gone pointless in only three games.
What a roller-coaster ride for Necas — from almost being traded to signing a two-year bridge deal to leaping out of the gate.
Next seven days: @ CBJ (Nov. 23), vs. DAL (Nov. 25), vs. NYR (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 4
Points percentage: 76.32%
Thankful for: The protective cup. Sure, I could have chosen the Wild’s amazing start, Filip Gustavsson cruising (including a goalie goal) but Marcus Foligno gave us some absolutely wild information about Mats Zuccarello in an appearance on a Minnesota radio station. Zuccarello has been out of the lineup after taking a puck to the groin, rupturing a testicle.
“We thought he was going lose one nut, but it actually survived and he’s got them both still,” Foligno said on 93X. “Poor guy got hit where the sun don’t shine and it ruptured his testicle. He can’t even lift anything.” Foligno added that Zuccarello’s cup had a “massive dent in it.” This is yet another reminder that hockey players are incredibly tough.
Next seven days: @ CGY (Nov. 23), vs. WPG (Nov. 25), @ BUF (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 5
Points percentage: 71.05%
Thankful for: It’s only “week to week.” Alex Ovechkin is off to the best season of his illustrious career — 15 goals in 18 games. He is 26 goals away from catching Wayne Gretzky for the career goal-scoring record. In his last game against Utah, he tied Jaromir Jagr for the record for most goalies scored on in NHL history, with 178 — then, a collision with Jack McBain left Ovi on the ice, favoring his leg, and he didn’t return to the game.
He is currently “week to week,” with the estimate being that he will return in four to six. The way the Great 8 has started this season and how incredibly motivated he looked to catch 99 this season, hockey fans are all thankful that he is not projected to be out for a much longer time.
We are now in that record-chasing zone where every Ovi game is an event, countdown graphics on screen at all times, think pieces popping up everywhere about his career and tallies. The Caps, Washington fans and hockey fans in general are thankful for the blistering start and hopeful for a quick return.
Next seven days: vs. NJ (Nov. 23), @ FLA (Nov. 25), @ TB (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 3
Points percentage: 62.50%
Thankful for: No Stanley Cup hangover. The Cats picked up this season where they left off as one of the best teams in hockey. Where some teams might experience a lag, the Cats kept their foot on the gas, starting the season 12-6-1. Coming off his 57-goal career season, Sam Reinhart is fourth in the league with 30 points, and tied for the league lead in goals, with 15; his current goals pace would land him at 62 by season’s end.
Next seven days: vs. COL (Nov. 23), vs. WSH (Nov. 25), vs. TOR (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 6
Points percentage: 69.44%
Thankful for: The best goalie tandem in the league. The Rangers could be thankful for a lot of things, including good news about Filip Chytil‘s injury, and having one of the best lines in hockey skating as their third line (the only line in the NHL coming into this week that had not allowed a goal while on the ice with more than 100 minutes played). But in one of the most important positions in sports, the Rangers are getting stellar performances from backup Jonathan Quick (four starts, four wins, .970 save percentage). Franchise netminder Igor Shesterkin is at a .914 save percentage, with a 8-5-1 record.
Shesterkin, I’m sure, is also thankful for the possible giant leap in the NHL’s salary cap coming next season, as he eyes a contract extension.
Next seven days: @ EDM (Nov. 23), vs. STL (Nov. 25), @ CAR (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 8
Points percentage: 63.64%
Thankful for: A new nickname? Be honest; who reading this right now has ever called Martin Brodeur “Satan’s Wallpaper,” let alone ever heard of that nickname? It became a hot topic when it showed up as a clue on Jeopardy! earlier this month. Brodeur himself didn’t know about it. One of the contestants, the eventual winner, got the clue right (an educated guess?) “Satan’s Wallpaper,” though, has appeared in the wild a couple of times — in a 2009 Bleacher Report article, and in Rolling Stone in 2016.
Maybe the nickname can apply to this Devils team, which is cruising with a 12-7-2 record, going 8-4 on the road. Nico Hischier has 10 goals, 10 assists and is a plus-10.
Next seven days: @ WSH (Nov. 23), vs. NSH (Nov. 25), vs. STL (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 9
Points percentage: 66.67%
Thankful for: Jason Robertson getting on the board. The California native dipped 29 points from a whopping 109 (and 46 goals) in 2022-23 to 80 last season. That’s still a terrific number. But Robertson had been struggling to find the back of the net lately, going nine games without a tally, finally getting off the schneid Wednesday against San Jose in a three-point effort. His linemates Wyatt Johnston and Roope Hintz also tallied. The second line of Matt Duchene, Tyler Seguin and Mason Marchment is doing the lion’s share of the production, so it is good to see Robertson potentially start heating up.
Next seven days: @ TB (Nov. 23), @ CAR (Nov. 25), @ CHI (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 12
Points percentage: 65.00%
Thankful for: An Auston Matthews-less hot streak. The Leafs lost their star scorer, who has been out with an upper-body injury since Nov. 5. He’s out of the lineup and out of the country, receiving treatment in Germany. Without No. 34 in the lineup, the Leafs have been red hot, going 5-1 including wins over the Capitals, Golden Knights and Oilers.
Next seven days: vs. UTA (Nov. 24), @ FLA (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 7
Points percentage: 65.00%
Thankful for: A strong start. Vegas is still the top team in the Pacific, with a 12-6-2 record. And a big part of that is that October was even better than November, in part because Mark Stone was in the lineup and the top line was playing at an elite level. Stone, who has dealt with his share of injuries in his career, was day-to-day with a lower-body injury since Nov. 8 and was placed on IR this week.
The Knights have lost three of their past six games, with all three losses by three goals (including their first shutout loss of the season Wednesday to the Leafs).
Next seven days: @ MTL (Nov. 23), @ PHI (Nov. 25), @ COL (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 11
Points percentage: 57.50%
Thankful for: More time at home. The Kings started the season with seven straight games on the road, and didn’t have their home opener until Oct. 24.The team was able to spend a lot more time at home in November, with a couple quicker road trips and California rival stops. As they say, there’s no place like home, and the Kings have lost just once in regulation so far at Crypto.com Arena this season. The team has another two-week stretch on the road in mid December, so it’ll be vital to bank some home wins around that.
Next seven days: vs. SEA (Nov. 23), @ SJ (Nov. 25), vs. WPG (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 14
Points percentage: 61.11%
Thankful for: Point in warmups. The Bolts were without the services of one of their best players, Brayden Point, for four games due to a lower-body injury. The top-line center returned on Tuesday against Pittsburgh and scored two goals, including the overtime winner, as Tampa Bay defeated Pittsburgh 3-2. Point has 10 goals in 13 games as Tampa Bay now sits third in the Atlantic Division with a 10-6-2 record.
Next seven days: vs. DAL (Nov. 23), vs. COL (Nov. 25), vs. WSH (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 10
Points percentage: 58.33%
Thankful for: Elias Pettersson and … Elias Pettersson. I could focus on how Elias Pettersson has found his old game lately, with points in five of his last six games, but we almost had a situation where two players named Elias Pettersson suited up for the same team; the Canucks’ franchise center, along with the 2022 third-rounder who plays defense. Just imagine how fun that would have been for play-by-play announcer John Shorthouse — sort of like when both Sebastian Ahos are playing against each other.
Next seven days: @ OTT (Nov. 23), @ BOS (Nov. 26), @ PIT (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 13
Points percentage: 52.38%
Thankful for: A bounce back. For the second straight autumn, the Oilers stumbled out of the gate to begin the regular season. But the Oilers seem to be trending back into the right direction, going 6-3-1 in their past 10 games. Connor McDavid has 14 points in his past six. Of the past 12 games, Leon Draisaitl has had multiple points in eight of them. Edmonton is fourth in the Pacific, but it doesn’t feel like the doom and gloom from the first couple of weeks in October.
Next seven days: vs. NYR (Nov. 23)
Previous ranking: 17
Points percentage: 62.50%
Thankful for: Hungry like the Wolf. The Flames parted ways with starting goalie Jacob Markstrom in June. Dustin Wolf, who played 17 games last season, has earned more starts this season and has been gaining acclaim. With a 8-2-1 record and .926 save percentage, the 23-year-old has forced his way into the discussion for the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year; he would be the first goalie in well over a decade to earn that honor.
Next seven days: vs. MIN (Nov. 23), @ OTT (Nov. 25), @ DET (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 15
Points percentage: 55.00%
Thankful for: The superstars. Cale Makar led the league in scoring early in the season. He’s still in the top 10, tied at 28 points with teammate Mikko Rantanen. Nathan MacKinnon leads the way, with 34 points (and a league-topping 27 assists). That level of production is necessary for the Avs to stay competitive, as goaltending has been a concern. Both Alexandar Georgiev and Justus Annunen are below .890 in save percentage.
The Avs currently have a minus-6 goal differential, and they haven’t ended a season in the red since 2016-17 (also the last time they didn’t make the playoffs).
Next seven days: @ FLA (Nov. 23), @ TB (Nov. 25), vs. VGK (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 23
Points percentage: 52.50%
Thankful for: Home sweet home. The Kraken are 6-4-1 at Climate Pledge Arena and 3-5-0 away from it. Most recently, Seattle has won four of its past five games at home, coming off of a brutal road trip that started with a bang, an 8-2 trouncing of Montreal, but was followed up with four straight losses to Toronto, Ottawa, Boston and Colorado. If this team wants to make a serious run at a playoff spot, they’ll need to stack wins in all places.
Next seven days: @ LA (Nov. 23), @ ANA (Nov. 25), vs. ANA (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 20
Points percentage: 47.50%
Thankful for: Pierre Engvall‘s demotion to promotion. Engvall spent 15 games in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies before spending the next four entire seasons in the NHL. However, Engvall lost his spot in Islanders training camp, and was sent to the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders for a stint. He has come alive in his most recent stretch, with goals in three consecutive games. With Engvall’s $3 million per year deal not expiring until 2029-30, seeing the big winger productive is a great thing for Isles fans.
Next seven days: vs. STL (Nov. 23), vs. DET (Nov. 25), vs. BOS (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 16
Points percentage: 44.74%
Thankful for: A new arena (?). As someone who lived in the Ottawa area for a short period, I can say that the prospect of an arena in the downtown core is exciting — the current suburb locale isn’t exactly ideal. Commissioner Gary Bettman is in Ottawa this week, taking several meetings including with Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, and touring LeBreton Flats, the site for the proposed new arena that was agreed to by the club and the National Capital Commission last September.
Hopefully there is more to be thankful for in Canada’s capital city soon.
Next seven days: vs. VAN (Nov. 23), vs. CGY (Nov. 25), @ SJ (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 18
Points percentage: 50.00%
Thankful for: Accountability. The Bruins fired coach Jim Montgomery after just over two seasons. He leaves behind the third-best points percentage (.715 with a 120-41-23 record) in franchise history, but won just one playoff round. The team’s stars, including David Pastrnak, were reflective post-dismissal and put the onus on themselves.
“We weren’t getting the job done, and because we weren’t getting it done, we lost a great coach and a great human being,” Pastrnak said. Captain Brad Marchand added, “This is a reflection of our play and it was avoidable. And I think that’s the tough part about this, is that if we would have done our job in here, he’d still be around.”
Next seven days: @ DET (Nov. 23), vs. VAN (Nov. 26), @ NYI (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 22
Points percentage: 50.00%
Thankful for: Maturity. The Sabres aren’t playing their best hockey at the moment, and Tage Thompson let it be known. Speaking with Field Level Media, Thompson said “It’s all about consistency right now. We know when we commit to playing the right way we’re good, and right now I think it’s just us being a little immature, just thinking we’re better than we are, instead of relying on what’s gotten us results.”
The Sabres are 8-9-1 overall, and 5-5 in their last 10. But the number that keeps haunting the club is 13, which is how many years that great city hasn’t seen playoff hockey.
Next seven days: @ ANA (Nov. 22), @ SJ (Nov. 23), vs. MIN (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 19
Points percentage: 44.74%
Thankful for: Passionate fans. On Nov. 15, Utah HC jersey were on sale for the first time at the team store, and fans reportedly lined up around the block to pick up their threads. Not only did they set a Delta Center retail sales record, but it ended up becoming the second highest NHL single game merchandise sales total ever. Only Game 5 in Vegas during the 2023 Stanley Cup Final was higher, and that was a Cup-clinching game. You love to see it.
Next seven days: @ PIT (Nov. 23), @ TOR (Nov. 24), @ MTL (Nov. 26)
Previous ranking: 30
Points percentage: 50.00%
Thankful for: Thanksgiving. The Ducks are probably the team most thankful for that “if you’re in a playoff spot by Thanksgiving, you’re in great shape” stat we always talk about this time of the year. The Ducks are only three points out of a postseason slot with three games before Turkey Day on the docket, including a home-and-home with Seattle, who are ahead of them by one point. It’s possible they are in a wild-card spot by Nov. 28, and get sprinkled some of that magical playoff hope pixie dust.
Next seven days: vs. BUF (Nov. 22), vs. SEA (Nov. 25), @ SEA (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 25
Points percentage: 45.00%
Thankful for: Translators. Matvei Michkov had a lot of buzz coming into the NHL this season, and with Macklin Celebrini missing some time due to injury, the Flyers forward gained some early Calder Trophy momentum. Michkov has 15 points in 18 games, despite sitting a couple of games. Part of coach John Tortorella’s plan is to have weekly meetings with the 19-year-old winger where they hear each other out — which is where the translators come into the picture.
Michkov recently became the youngest Flyers player to score an overtime game winner, and has been every bit as good as that preseason buzz would have us believe.
Next seven days: vs. CHI (Nov. 23), vs. VGK (Nov. 25), @ NSH (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 24
Points percentage: 45.24%
Thankful for: Robert Thomas‘ return. The Blues center missed 12 games due to a fractured right ankle and surprisingly returned to the lineup on Tuesday, notching an assist in the Blues 4-2 loss to the Wild. Thomas said he felt good on the ice: “I invested a lot in myself, and I’m pretty happy with the result and getting back so soon. I’m excited to be back in the lineup and look forward to getting in the trenches with the guys.”
The original reported absence was six weeks, but Thomas, who was injured on Oct 22 while blocking a shot against Winnipeg, skated with the team on Nov. 13 and played his first game back a week later.
Next seven days: @ NYI (Nov. 23), @ NYR (Nov. 25), @ NJ (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 21
Points percentage: 47.37%
Thankful for: Getting out of California. The Wings had a dreadful west coast swing, losing three straight games to the California teams: 6-4 to Anaheim, following by 4-1 to the Kings then 5-4 in overtime to the Sharks, witnessing Macklin Celebrini’s first career overtime goal.
All of those would have been valuable points to snag given that the Red Wings want to make the leap back into the playoffs this season, but Detroit instead returns home with a 7-9-2 record, second to last in the Atlantic. Their first game back home was successful, a 2-1 win over the Islanders.
Next seven days: vs. BOS (Nov. 23), @ NYI (Nov. 25), vs. CGY (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 28
Points percentage: 47.37%
Thankful for: Playing spoiler. The Blue Jackets find themselves in familiar territory, hovering around the bottom of the Metro division. The Stadium Series game on March 1 will be terrific without a doubt, Ohio Stadium will be jumping, and that will be a highlight for every hockey fan.
But aside from that, it appears that they’ll be focused on spoiling things for playoff hopefuls; most recently, it was a 5-1 drubbing of the Bruins in Boston — a game which ultimately became Jim Montgomery’s final one as Bruins coach — and a 7-6 win over the Lightning.
Next seven days: vs. CAR (Nov. 23), vs. MTL (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 27
Points percentage: 42.86%
Thankful for: Dismissing trolls. One of the hockey memes that has made the rounds on social media is Sidney Crosby photoshopped in a Colorado Avalanche jersey. Could it actually happen?
Despite Pens GM Kyle Dubas reportedly saying “everyone is available [for trade] but Crosby,” what if Sid links up with his Cole Harbor buddy Nate MacKinnon and they chase a Cup together? Has a nice “last dance” kind of feel for Sid, doesn’t it?
But despite the Penguins looking in dire straits at the moment and possibly in some form of sell mode — Lars Eller was traded to Washington last week — seeing Crosby in any other sweater remains only in the realm of fantasy.
Next seven days: vs. WPG (Nov. 22), vs. UTA (Nov. 23), vs. VAN (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 32
Points percentage: 42.11%
Thankful for: A Laine sighting. Montreal’s big offseason acquisition, Patrik Laine, skated with the team on Wednesday for the first time since suffering a left knee sprain. Though coach Martin St. Louis doesn’t have a timetable for Laine’s return to the lineup, Habs players noted that it was encouraging to see the former 40-goal scorer back on the ice.
Next seven days: vs. VGK (Nov. 23), vs. UTA (Nov. 26), @ CBJ (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 29
Points percentage: 37.50%
Thankful for: The long-term Predators. The Preds had the busiest offseason of any team in the NHL, picking up three league veterans in Steven Stamkos, Jonathan MArchessault and Brady Skjei. Their start with the Preds hasn’t been ideal. A bright spot for the team has been two guys that have consistently been good for Nashville for over a decade: Filip Forsberg, who leads the team in scoring with eight goals and 15 points, and Roman Josi, who is right behind him with 14. Marchessault and Stamkos both sit at 10 points in 20 games, well below their respective career averages.
Next seven days: vs. WPG (Nov. 23), @ NJ (Nov. 25), vs. PHI (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 31
Points percentage: 38.64%
Thankful for: Return of the Mack(lin). That first career overtime goal had to feel extra special for Macklin Celebrini, who was pointless in four games leading up to that game against Detroit. The No. 1 overall pick returned to the Sharks’ lineup on Nov. 5, after being injured in his first NHL game on Oct. 10 and sitting out for nearly a month.
He’s had five points in nine games since his return, and he’s also been preventing goalie goals, to which one particular victim, Igor Shesterkin of the Rangers, joked about the 18-year-old “[he should] be in school.”
Next seven days: vs. BUF (Nov. 23), vs. LA (Nov. 25), vs. OTT (Nov. 27)
Previous ranking: 26
Points percentage: 37.50%
Thankful for: Creative photo shoots. A lot has been made about Connor Bedard‘s frustration. “Losing is not fun, so we’ve obviously got to figure it out. We’re not just going to be happy that we stayed in a game. We’re all NHL players. That’s not the goal, you know? It’s frustrating.”
One moment of levity came from Chicago Magazine. For their feature article on the 19-year-old, they spoofed a scene from “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” where Cameron Frye (played by Alan Ruck) is looking at Georges Seurat’s “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte,” in a Gordie Howe sweater. Bedard is doing the same, in his own jersey.
Next seven days: @ PHI (Nov. 23), vs. DAL (Nov. 27)
Every week, we gather a panel of our MLB experts to rank every team based on a combination of what we’ve seen so far and what we knew going into the season. Those power rankings look at teams as a whole — both at the plate and in the field.
But, how different would those rankings be if we were to look only at major league offenses?
We’ve seen a number of offensive explosions so far in the 2025 season — from torpedo bats taking the league by storm on opening weekend thanks to the Yankees’ barrage of home runs to Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani each putting together yet another all-time campaign at the plate.
The latest offensive shake-up came in the form of a blockbuster trade, with the Red Sox sending All-Star slugger Rafael Devers to the Giants in a deal that reverberated around the league. How did it impact the two teams’ offensive outlooks?
Our MLB power rankers came together to sort baseball’s lineups based on what they’ve seen so far and where teams currently stand. We also asked ESPN MLB experts Jeff Passan, David Schoenfield and Bradford Doolittle to break down the top 10 offenses in baseball, from each team’s catalyst to the lineup’s biggest weakness.
Top 10 lineups
Why it’s so fearsome: You start with the second-best hitter in the world in Shohei Ohtani, add in the National League’s leading hitter for average in Freddie Freeman and the NL’s OBP leader in Will Smith, mix in Mookie Betts, and finish with power up and down the lineup — and you might have the best lineup in Dodgers history. Indeed, their current wRC+ of 124 would be the highest in franchise history. There is just no room for opposing pitchers to breathe, and the Dodgers have a nice balance of left- and right-handed hitters who make it difficult for opposing managers to optimize their bullpen matchups.
One weakness: Michael Conforto has been a big disappointment as a free agent, hitting .170 with only four home runs while playing nearly every game so far. The bench was weak to start the season, but the Dodgers jettisoned longtime veterans Chris Taylor and Austin Barnes and called up Hyeseong Kim and top prospect Dalton Rushing. Kim has been outstanding, hitting .382 in his first 30 games, while Rushing has played sparingly as the backup catcher.
Player who makes it all click: As the leadoff hitter, Ohtani’s presence sets the tone from the first pitch of the game — and he already has hit seven first-inning home runs in 2025. With 73 runs in the Dodgers’ first 72 games (he sat out two of them), Ohtani is on pace for a remarkable 164 runs scored, which has been topped only twice since 1900 — once each by Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. (They also each have the only other seasons with at least 160 runs scored.) With Ohtani making his 2025 pitching debut Monday, we’ll see if that affects his offense, but it didn’t during his final season with the Angels in 2023 when he posted a 1.066 OPS while pitching. — Schoenfield
Why it’s so fearsome: The Yankees homer more than any team in the American League. They walk more than any team in all of MLB. They don’t strike out excessively. They punish fastballs. Judge, the best hitter in baseball, anchors their lineup. Seven other regulars are slugging at least .428 in an environment where the leaguewide slug is under .400. There are 100 more reasons the Yankees’ lineup induces such anxiety in opposing pitchers, but it can be encapsulated this way: It’s a lineup without a real weak link, filled with professional hitters who take quality at-bats, at a time when so few make that a priority.
One weakness: Calling this a weakness is a stretch, because the most important point about the Yankees’ lineup is that it doesn’t have a weakness, but they have been worse with runners in scoring position than in situations without runners on second or third. The Marlins have more home runs with players in scoring position than the Yankees. New York’s slugging percentage in such situations dips from .451 to .407 — good for 13th in MLB. It’s also 140 points below the Dodgers’ mark. But fear not: Slugger Giancarlo Stanton, who epitomized clutch for the Yankees last postseason, is back after sitting out the season’s first 2½ months. As if the rich need to get any richer.
Player who makes it all click: What, were you expecting J.C. Escarra? The answer, of course, is Judge, the two-time AL MVP whose combination of power and plate discipline is gifting the Yankees another potential all-time season. It’s not simply the .378 batting average — which is 56 points higher than his career best — or the resplendent home runs he hits, to left and center and right, making the whole field his playground. Even after a miserable series against the Red Sox over the weekend, there is an expectation that Judge will rebound because he hits the ball so hard and so consistently makes contact. The Yankees without Judge are good; the Yankees with him are undeniable. — Passan
Why it’s so fearsome: The lineup depth has been ridiculous, and that trait has been even more stark since Matt Shaw returned from an early-season demotion and began contributing. The Cubs’ collective OPS from spots seven through nine in the batting order is more than 50 points better than the second-best team. Some of that stems from Pete Crow-Armstrong hitting seventh early on, but Chicago has maintained its top-to-bottom consistency all season. This keeps the plate full for run-producers Crow-Armstrong, Kyle Tucker and Seiya Suzuki.
One weakness: The Cubs have been good at just about everything that goes with producing runs. They rank in the top 10 in all three slash categories, are fifth in homers and second in steals. You really have to squint to find a weakness. You can point to a big disparity in road production (.808 OPS) compared to what the Cubs have done at Wrigley Field (.702 OPS). But that too might even out as the weather factors in Chicago work more consistently in favor of hitters.
Player who makes it all click: Crow-Armstrong might be the Cubs’ best MVP candidate, but Tucker is the best hitter and the best exemplar of Chicago’s good-at-everything attack. Tucker leads the team in runs created and OPS+, and though he’s not Crow-Armstrong on the bases, he has swiped 18 of 19 bags. None of this is out of scale with Tucker’s track record. This is who he is — except maybe a little better, as he has walked more than he has struck out. If Tucker’s power bat heats up with the summer weather, look out. — Doolittle
Why it’s so fearsome: The Diamondbacks do a little bit of everything. They already have two 20-homer hitters in Corbin Carroll and Eugenio Suarez, plus Ketel Marte, who sat out a month because of injury but could still reach 30 home runs. They are fourth in the majors in walks and fifth in on-base percentage, so they get on base. Geraldo Perdomo has been a solid contributor the past two seasons but has added some power. He has more walks than strikeouts and has already established a career high in RBIs, adding depth. Josh Naylor is hitting around .300 while replacing Christian Walker’s production at first base.
One weakness: Center fielder Alek Thomas is the only regular with a below-average OPS+, and even then, he’s not awful. The bench is a little thin beyond Tim Tawa and Randal Grichuk, as backup catcher Jose Herrera has provided little offense. The Diamondbacks’ biggest potential weakness is their struggle against left-handed pitchers. (They have an OPS more than 100 points lower than against right-handers.) Carroll, Naylor and the switch-hitting Marte have each been significantly better against righties.
Player who makes it all click: As explosive as Carroll has been at the top of the order, Marte is the team’s best all-around hitter. Like Perdomo, he has more walks than strikeouts, making him a tough out with his ability to put the ball in play and also take free passes. He has the power (36 home runs in 2024) to clear the bases, but he also excels as a baserunner and can have Naylor and Suarez drive him in. When the Diamondbacks reached the World Series in 2023, Marte was the offensive leader, hitting .329/.380/.534 that postseason. — Schoenfield
Why it’s so fearsome: The Mets’ lineup runs sneaky deep, boasts a combination of average and power, and has the fourth-lowest strikeout rate in the major leagues. Low strikeouts often equate to decent batting averages, but the Venn diagram with contact orientation and power is sparsely populated. Beyond the overall numbers, the Mets’ lineup is packed with stars: Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor and the team’s best hitter this season, Pete Alonso. A resurgent Jeff McNeil deepens a group that hasn’t received quite the expected output from Soto. He’s starting to find his rhythm, though, and once that happens, the Mets are bound to be even better.
One weakness: Considering the Mets have multiple options at third base, the quest for an internal solution isn’t banking on the fortunes of a single player. It could be Mark Vientos, the postseason star last year who’s set to begin a rehab assignment next week after a disappointing start to the season. It could be Brett Baty, who has shown plenty of power but still sports a .267 on-base percentage. It could be Ronny Mauricio, the rookie whose pop — and allergy to getting on base — is similar to Baty’s. Regardless of who it is, manager Carlos Mendoza has time to figure out how to maneuver his lineup so that other offensive holes at catcher and center field (when Jeff McNeil isn’t playing there) aren’t nearly as glaring.
Player who makes it all click: The Mets have been clicking without the best version of Soto, so it’s no surprise that in the past 16 games — in which Soto has hit .333/.507/.685 with five home runs — they have scored at least four runs 15 times. As good as New York is without Soto performing, he is their double-click — the catalyzer who brings about action. Even at his lowest points this season, he was managing to get on base, and that’s what makes Soto such a transformative player: His floor is extremely high. When he’s feeling his swing and unleashing shots to all fields, he’s capable of reaching a ceiling higher than all but a handful of hitters in the game. — Passan
Why it’s so fearsome: The Phillies have veterans with big names who have all been productive hitters at various points in their careers — although not necessarily in 2025. Kyle Schwarber has been the lynchpin so far, moved out of the leadoff spot and leading the team in home runs, runs scored and RBIs. Trea Turner is having his best season since joining the Phillies in 2023, with a .364 OBP that would be his highest since 2021. Alec Bohm has been on his usual roller coaster — homerless in April but hitting .331 with seven home runs since the beginning of May.
One weakness: Catcher J.T. Realmuto has carried a huge workload through the years but is now 34 years old and showing some signs of age with career lows in batting average, slugging and OPS. Bryson Stott was an above-average hitter in 2023 before dipping last season, and he has been even worse in 2025 with an OPS+ of just 75. Part-time center fielder Johan Rojas provides speed and defense, but not much offense, and as usual, the bench is pretty weak. Yes, that’s more than one weakness.
Player who makes it all click: As important as it is to have Turner getting on base, this lineup will always revolve around Bryce Harper and his ability to go on hot stretches. He hasn’t had one yet this season and is currently on the injured list because of a right wrist injury. His .446 slugging percentage and .814 OPS are his lowest since 2016. Harper has always been an outlier of sorts — he ranks in the second percentile in swing-and-miss rate in 2025 but in the 67th percentile in strikeout rate — so these aren’t necessarily signs of a decline. Philly just needs him to get hot once he returns. — Schoenfield
Why it’s so fearsome: It’s not. That’s the thing about the Tigers. One gander at their lineup cards — manager AJ Hinch has used 60 different variations over 71 games — and it doesn’t exactly strike fear. And yet that’s the beauty of the 2025 Tigers: They’re managing to score oodles of runs without a single hitter sporting a slugging percentage higher than .500. It’s not like the Tigers are particularly good at avoiding the strikeout (24th in MLB) or taking walks (18th). They don’t hit home runs in bunches (10th) or steal bases at all (30th). They’re simply solid, almost from top to bottom, replete with enough hitters who are league average or better to cobble together runs.
One weakness: The strikeouts are problematic — and a third of Detroit’s regulars struggle to counterbalance them with walks. Kerry Carpenter (52 strikeouts, seven walks), super-utility man Javier Baez (48 strikeouts, eight walks) and catcher Dillon Dingler (56 strikeouts, five walks) constitute one-third of players in all of MLB with at least 48 punchouts and fewer than 10 walks. Riley Greene’s 93 strikeouts lead MLB. And in the postseason, where the pitching gets better and every out is valuable, giving away at-bats by swinging and missing too much is a distinct no-no. Even with the strikeouts, the Tigers won’t be an easy out in October. But among the teams with legitimate playoff aspirations, only Boston punches out more, and it’s the sort of thing that could haunt Detroit.
Player who makes it all click: There isn’t one player, per se. One night it might be outfielder Greene, and another one first baseman Spencer Torkelson, and sometimes outfielder Carpenter, and maybe even infielder Zach McKinstry or outfielder Wenceel Perez. But if there’s one player whose skills differ from his teammates’ and set the table, it’s second baseman Gleyber Torres. Operating on a one-year deal, Torres has been the Tigers’ most consistent hitter this season, getting on base at a .377 clip and walking more than he strikes out. He exemplifies Detroit’s lineup — its team, really — in that nothing he does is particularly sexy but it’s unquestionably effective. — Passan
Why it’s so fearsome: “Fearsome” might be a stretch, but after a horrible April (.656 OPS), the Blue Jays did follow up with a strong May (.785 OPS). June has so far split the difference (.709 OPS), so maybe that’s the true level here, which makes this more of a league-average offense — and, indeed, that’s where the Jays currently stand in runs per game. But there is potential for more here, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Anthony Santander, Bo Bichette and Andres Gimenez all capable of more offense than they’ve offered so far.
One weakness: Power. George Springer leads the team with 10 home runs, and the Jays have been outhomered by their opponents 99-70. Left field has been a problem all season, as seven different players have started there, combining to hit .223 with only four home runs. Gimenez was acquired for his defense at second base, but he has been a flop at the plate, hitting .212/.291/.327 with four home runs (and that’s after homering three times in the first five games). Lately, he has even been benched against left-handers.
Player who makes it all click: The $500 million man is hitting more like a $50 million man right now (.275/.375/.414, eight home runs) — but when he’s hot, the offense runs through him. Guerrero had a monster season in 2021 — but that was the year the Jays played more than half of their games in minor league parks because of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Guerrero had a 1.418 OPS in their spring training park and a 1.180 OPS in Buffalo (and a .935 at Rogers Centre). He was great again last season — thanks to a .342 BABIP. This season, it’s back down to .299, right around his career mark, but even that doesn’t explain the decline in power. The Jays need Guerrero to start mashing. — Schoenfield
9. Athletics
Why it’s so fearsome: They hit home runs and they hit for average, ranking in the top 10 in the majors in both categories. Jacob Wilson has been the breakout star with a .362 average in his rookie season, Brent Rooker is on his way to a third straight 30-homer season, Lawrence Butler is heating up and looking like the hitter he was in the second half of 2024, and rookie first baseman Nick Kurtz has also added another power bat to the lineup (after a slow start, he has hit .286 with six home runs in his past 11 games). What we don’t fully know yet, based on a small sample size, is how Sutter Health Park is helping. The A’s have hit for a higher average at home (.268 to .240) but have hit more home runs on the road (53 in 38 games compared to 39 in 36 games at home).
One weakness: JJ Bleday had a solid 2024 season, with 20 home runs and a 120 OPS+ in 159 games, but struggled out of the gate in 2025, earning a short demotion to Triple-A. Rookie Denzel Clarke replaced him, and though he has been a defensive wunderkind, he has been overmatched at the plate, hitting .209 with 34 strikeouts and one walk. Overall, the A’s rank 29th in the majors in OPS from their center fielders, ahead of only the Guardians.
Player who makes it all click: Wilson has been amazing, showcasing rare bat-to-ball skills with only 18 strikeouts in 289 plate appearances. The big surprise has been the 23 extra-base hits, including eight home runs, after going homerless in 92 at-bats during last season’s call-up. He has also been drawing a few more walks after beginning the season without one in his first 22 games, so his OBP is over .400. Now that he appears entrenched in the No. 2 spot, he’s going to give the middle of the order a lot of RBI opportunities. — Schoenfield
Why it’s so fearsome: In the Cardinals’ case, the fear factor is probably pointed in the wrong direction — as in their own fear of regression. I suspect their ranking is more a product of what they’ve done than what they are likely to do going forward. Ultimately, a team like the Braves, or even the reshuffled Giants or Red Sox, might be better placed here — but you never know. It’s a lineup with batting average and baserunning as the standout traits. The average part of it can be a house of cards — no pun intended — but the underlying expected stats backstop St. Louis’ offense so far.
One weakness: Only six clubs have a lower secondary average than the Cardinals — mostly a who’s who of the worst offenses in the majors. Secondary traits tend to be more stable than BABIP-related indicators, so St. Louis will need to continue to churn out its admirable strikeout and line-drive rates — a good formula for an average-based offense. But if the average falls, the Cardinals don’t draw enough walks or mash enough homers to make up the difference.
Player who makes it all click: Brendan Donovan‘s career year serves as an avatar for what the St. Louis offense is all about. He leads the Redbirds in runs created, and because he’s doing that while mostly playing in the middle of the infield (which boosts positional value), he’s far and away the team leader in offensive bWAR. The question is will it last? On one hand, even though Donovan has a career BABIP of .319, his 2025-to-date figure of .355 is going to be tough to maintain. On the other hand, Donovan’s 31% line drive rate is tied for second in the NL with teammate Willson Contreras. — Doolittle
Teams 11-30
11. Boston Red Sox
12. Seattle Mariners
13. San Francisco Giants
14. Atlanta Braves
15. Tampa Bay Rays
16. San Diego Padres
17. Cincinnati Reds
18. Minnesota Twins
19. Houston Astros
20. Baltimore Orioles
21. Milwaukee Brewers
22. Los Angeles Angels
23. Washington Nationals
24. Cleveland Guardians
25. Texas Rangers
26. Kansas City Royals
27. Miami Marlins
28. Chicago White Sox
29. Pittsburgh Pirates
30. Colorado Rockies
PITTSBURGH — The Texas Rangers placed first baseman Jake Burger on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a strained left oblique.
Burger was injured on a swing during Friday night’s 6-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Infielder Justin Foscue was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock and was in uniform for Saturday’s game.
Utility player Ezequiel Duran is expected to be the primary first baseman while Burger recovers.
“I want to give Zeke some runway here,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said.
This is the third straight season that Burger has gone on the IL with a side injury. However, Burger is optimistic that he will not be sidelined long.
“I’ve dealt with this before, and it’s been quick [to heal],” Burger said. “My mind is on coming back on the 11th day, getting back as soon as I can.”
Burger was acquired from the Miami Marlins in an offseason trade. He is hitting .220 with 10 homers in 65 games after going deep 29 times last season. He was demoted to Triple-A for a week in May.
Also Saturday, Nathan Eovaldi threw a simulated game of 50 pitches and three innings and Jon Gray had a 35-pitch bullpen session. Eovaldi and Gray are coming back from injuries.
Eovaldi could rejoin the rotation next week when Texas plays a three-game series at Baltimore that begins Monday night. He has been on the injured list since June 1 due to right posterior elbow inflammation. Eovaldi has a 4-3 record and 1.56 ERA in 12 starts this season.
“Everything went well,” he said. “I threw all my pitches. I feel like I’m ready to come back.”
Gray has yet to pitch this season after fracturing his right wrist during spring training. There is no timetable for his return.
Center fielder Wyatt Langford was out of the lineup for a second straight game because of back spasms. Bochy expects him to play Sunday in the finale of the three-game series.
Foscue made his major league debut last year and hit .048 in 15 games with Texas. At Round Rock this season, he was batting .269 with 10 homers in 50 games.
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