Apr 17, 2025, 07:00 AM ET
3 weeks into the brand new MLB season, there is a new No. 1 on our checklist.
After being a unanimous selection atop our preseason scores, the Los Angeles Dodgers have fallen from the highest spot due to a up to date tough patch (through their requirements) blended with the sturdy performances of different Nationwide League powerhouses.
Used to be it the New York Mets, San Diego Padres or San Francisco Giants who changed the protecting champions atop our Week 3 Energy Scores? Which different groups off to sudden begins surged up our checklist? And who took the largest April tumbles?
Our skilled panel has blended to rank each workforce in accordance with a mix of what we now have observed to this point and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that could be a complete baseball season. We additionally requested ESPN MLB professionals Jorge Castillo, Buster Olney and Jesse Rogers to weigh in with an commentary for all 30 groups.
Week 2 | Week 1 | Preseason scores
Document: 15-4
Earlier rating: 3
San Diego after all misplaced at domestic this week, however the Padres’ benefit at Petco Park should not be lost sight of. It is turn out to be a extra raucous atmosphere than ever, a vacation spot for fanatics who need to see a pitching team of workers that to this point has compiled the bottom domestic ERA within the sport and a lineup that ranks 8th in domestic OPS. Fernando Tatis Jr., specifically, will have to just like the sight strains there this yr; he has an OPS over 1.100 at Petco Park. San Diego has established a house atmosphere all smaller marketplace groups will have to attempt for, and the Padres are successful masses to stay fanatics coming again for extra. — Rogers
Document: 14-6
Earlier rating: 1
How a lot amusing is Tommy Edman? Via Tuesday’s video games, he’s tied for the main league lead with six domestic runs. Sure, even though it is for a second in time, Edman has yet one more lengthy ball than his teammate Shohei Ohtani, all whilst taking part in cast protection, each at moment base and heart subject. Edman led the Dodgers final week with an OPS over .900 whilst Ohtani used to be experiencing a mini stoop, particularly right through a weekend collection loss to the Cubs. Edman remained sizzling with a four-hit efficiency towards Colorado on Tuesday. He has but to move hitless in consecutive video games this season. — Rogers
Document: 11-7
Earlier rating: 4
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Juan Soto used to be correct: Pete Alonso is not Aaron Pass judgement on, the most productive hitter on the planet and the American League MVP in two of the previous 3 campaigns. However Alonso has been doing his absolute best influence. The primary baseman is slashing .356/.466/.729 with 5 domestic runs, 20 RBIs and 11 walks to ten strikeouts hitting in the back of Soto thru Tuesday. Alonso’s 1.195 OPS and 242 OPS+ lead the Nationwide League. His hard-hit charge is within the one hundredth percentile. His reasonable go out speed and barrel charge sit down within the 99th percentile. He already has posted greater than part of his fWAR general from final season (1.3 to two.1). Warring parties have most commonly opted to pitch round Soto and assault Alonso, however that modified in Minnesota this week when Soto clubbed domestic runs on consecutive days. It makes for a deadly recipe. — Castillo
Document: 13-5
Earlier rating: 8
The Giants are rolling, thank you partly to outfielder Jung Hoo Lee. He appears to be entering his personal right through his moment season in San Francisco, highlighted through a two-homer efficiency in New York over the weekend. He leads the league in doubles (10) whilst slugging .647. Something he’s doing specifically smartly isn’t letting mistake pitches get through him; as an alternative, he’s doing max injury on the ones pitches, therefore the entire slug. He already has greater than double the choice of extra-base hits this season in not up to part the at-bats he had all of final yr. — Rogers
Document: 10-8
Earlier rating: 2
Alec Bohm notched 4 hits and a stroll within the Phillies’ first two video games this season. In 15 video games since, the 1/3 baseman has long past 8-for-64 with one extra-base hit (a double) and 0 walks, an icy stretch that dropped him to 8th within the batting order towards the Giants this week. Bohm loved a breakout first part final season, which ended in his first All-Megastar nod. However he stumbled down the stretch, culminating in getting benched within the NLDS towards the Mets and rampant business rumors over the offseason. Bohm is batting .228 with 4 domestic runs and a .599 OPS in 65 video games for the reason that get started of final season’s moment part. Endured struggles may lead to much less taking part in time with Edmundo Sosa pushing for extra begins. — Castillo
Document: 12-9
Earlier rating: 6
Shedding pitcher Justin Steele to a season-ending elbow harm is a tricky early blow. The Cubs do have some pitching intensity, however nobody as dependable as Steele is. Replacements for the function come with veteran right-hander Colin Rea — he threw 3⅔ shutout innings towards the Dodgers on Sunday — and younger left-hander Jordan Wicks.
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Extremely touted pitching prospect Cade Horton may additionally to find his solution to the majors within the coming month and Chicago’s entrance place of work will hit the telephone strains as smartly, calling on doable business goals like Marlins superstar Sandy Alcantara. For now, even though, be expecting the Cubs to appear inward. — Rogers
Document: 11-7
Earlier rating: 5
The Yankees’ beginning rotation, a projected energy coming into spring coaching, has been a weak spot after accidents to Gerrit Cole, Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt gutted the crowd. The rotation’s 4.98 ERA thru Tuesday used to be the third-worst mark within the majors. Max Fried has pitched as marketed, posting a 1.88 ERA in his 4 begins, however Will Warren’s 5.14 ERA ranks moment. Schmidt’s go back from a shoulder harm this week will have to bolster the rotation, however the Yankees want Carlos Rodon (5.48 ERA, 12 walks in 23 innings throughout 4 begins) to be higher within the 1/3 yr of his six-year, $162 million contract. — Castillo
Document: 11-7
Earlier rating: 10
Offense, offense, offense. Arizona is changing into recognized for a continuing assault. After main the majors in run scoring final season, the Diamondbacks are off to a sizzling get started once more, simply in the back of the Cubs because the second-most prolific workforce within the NL. Outfielder Corbin Carroll is again to the elite shape he displayed when he used to be named Rookie of the 12 months in 2023. And he has carried over a sizzling end to 2024, hitting a league-leading six domestic runs, together with a grand slam in Miami on Tuesday. Carroll’s output has helped mitigate the lack of moment baseman Ketel Marte, who will have to be again quickly. There is not any reason why to not consider the D-backs’ offense will proceed to steer all of them yr. — Rogers
Document: 10-8
Earlier rating: 12
Kerry Chippie clubbed 18 homers in 264 at-bats final season, after which hit a memorable three-run homer towards Emmanuel Clase within the postseason. Opposing managers were saving left-handed relievers to stand him, however right here is a few unhealthy information for the opposition — the left-handed slugger’s manufacturing is hiking towards lefties, too. He is were given two homers off lefties this season, which is yet one more than he had all of 2024. — Olney
Document: 11-7
Earlier rating: 7
If all you checked out had been the offensive numbers, the Rangers’ file would make 0 sense. 3 key guys — Marcus Semien, Joc Pederson and Jake Burger — all lift on-base percentages of .220 or decrease, and the deep lineup of mashers in point of fact hasn’t come in combination but. However the beginning pitching has been in point of fact just right, with Texas’ rotation ERA of three.45 ranked 7th within the majors.
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Bruce Bochy famous in a textual content the development of the pitching — Jacob deGrom nonetheless refining his command, Nathan Eovaldi and Tyler Mahle have thrown smartly, and the hope is that Jack Leiter — “in point of fact spectacular,” Bochy wrote — is previous his blister factor and can rejoin the rotation. — Olney
Document: 9-8
Earlier rating: 22
It is too quickly to understand whether or not Emmanuel Clase’s brutal get started is brief, however the fight is actual presently. He has already allowed extra earned runs (6) than he did for all of the 2024 common season, and he surrendered 15 hits in 8 innings. As he ruled hitters final yr, Clase pitched with precision, however to this point this yr, his uncooked stuff turns out flat and he is simply leaving so much over the center of the zone. Curiously, his first-pitch strike charge is a career-high 75.7%, and it is honest to wonder whether he is throwing too many moves. — Olney
Document: 8-10
Earlier rating: 16
Junior Caminero homered in 3 immediately video games and compiled 3 hits in every other during the last week. However lesser-known Jonathan Aranda has been the Rays’ absolute best hitter — and the most productive hitter towards right-handed pitching around the recreation. The 26-year-old first baseman entered Wednesday main the majors in batting reasonable (.413), slugging (.761), and OPS (1.242) dealing with virtually completely right-handers in 15 video games. And the underlying numbers counsel the manufacturing is not a fluke: He ranks within the 96th percentile or higher around the majors in barrel charge, hard-hit charge and reasonable go out speed amongst different classes. Aranda is 0-for-4 with two walks in seven plate appearances towards left-handed pitchers so he is more likely to stay a platoon participant for now, however he’s capitalizing on his probabilities towards righties after an injury-plagued 2024 season postponed his breakout. — Castillo
Document: 11-8
Earlier rating: 17
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For a workforce with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Anthony Santander, the Blue Jays have no longer hit the ball over the wall very frequently. Toronto’s 11 domestic runs thru Tuesday had been tied for the second-lowest general in baseball. Toronto’s 12 domestic runs thru Wednesday are tied for the third-lowest general in baseball. Guerrero did not hit his first homer till Toronto’s nineteenth sport Wednesday when he overwhelmed a dangling slider from Spencer Strider. Bo Bichette remains to be on the lookout for his first lengthy ball.
Andres Giménez, who hit 9 domestic runs final season in Cleveland, leads the membership with 3. Santander, who clubbed 44 domestic runs for the Orioles in 2024, went 15 video games sooner than homering as a Blue Jay. And but Toronto is over .500 — a perfect signal for a membership taking a look to rebound from final season’s last-place end. — Castillo
Document: 10-10
Earlier rating: 9
Boston’s lineup is as deep as any in baseball on paper, nevertheless it has been a boom-or-bust unit to this point. On Tuesday, as an example, Alex Bregman went 5-for-5 with a double and two domestic runs in a 7-4 win over the Rays. Earlier than that, the Pink Sox had been held to 4 or fewer runs in 8 immediately video games after an 18-run explosion towards the Cardinals on April 6. Boston has scored one run in 5 video games and been restricted to 3 or fewer runs in 11 video games thru Tuesday. It is why they emerged from Tuesday’s win one sport underneath .500. — Castillo
Document: 9-9
Earlier rating: 19
Julio Rodriguez is not on most sensible of any American League leaderboard, however inside the context of league-wide pitching dominance, he is in truth doing extra on the plate early this season than he has prior to now. His wRC+ is 113 and his endurance on the plate has been putting: He already has drawn 11 bases on balls, with a stroll charge that doubles that of final season. “He is been as competitive as he is all the time been, particularly early within the rely,” mentioned Jerry Dipoto, the Mariners’ head of baseball operations. “However the largest distinction to me is that he will get himself dialed again in.” — Olney
Document: 8-11
Earlier rating: 14
The Kansas Town offense has a collective slash line of .206/.274/.308, however on the very least, Bobby Witt Jr. is hitting. He is 10-for-20 over his previous six video games, with 3 walks and 4 strikeouts. The loss of manufacturing from the outfielders is still a subject: The Royals’ outfielders have a wRC+ of 51, which turns out impossibly low. That they had two homers in 187 plate appearances. In a comparable notice, superstar prospect Jac Caglianone has a .290/.356/.579 slash line in Double-A, with all of his begins to start with base. — Olney
Document: 9-9
Earlier rating: 20
The Reds after all driven previous the .500 mark previous this week in the back of the energy of a pitching team of workers that ruled right through a four-game win streak, surrendering simply 16 hits in 36 innings. They allowed simply 9 runs (2.25 ERA) over that period of time with a minuscule 0.81 WHIP. Hunter Greene and Andrew Abbott shined within the rotation whilst the bullpen, led through righty Emilio Pagan, used to be stellar. — Rogers
Document: 5-13
Earlier rating: 15
No longer a lot has long past correct for the Braves to this point in 2025, however Spencer Strider’s season debut towards the Blue Jays on Wednesday qualifies as a powerful certain. But even so giving up an RBI unmarried and a solo domestic run to Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the right-hander held the Blue Jays in take a look at over five-plus innings in his first primary league get started in additional than a yr. Strider completed with 10 strikeouts, together with a antique three-pitch strikeout of Bo Bichette to start the day out, and changed into the quickest beginning pitcher to 500 profession strikeouts. He walked two, restricted Toronto to 3 hits and threw 97 pitches. Most significantly, he regarded uninhibited. — Castillo
Document: 10-9
Earlier rating: 18
Are the Brewers this yr’s Jekyll and Hyde? They are in all places, giving up seven or extra runs in a 3rd in their video games whilst additionally compiling 4 shutouts, moment maximum in baseball. Their newest shutout got here due to fresh pickup Quinn Priester. Milwaukee got him from the Pink Sox every week into the season — in most cases marking a list/intensity addition — however Priester may finally end up being the transfer of the yr. He has given up only one earned run in two begins: a cast efficiency at hitter-friendly Coors Box final week adopted through 5 shutout innings towards the Tigers on Tuesday. Milwaukee is on the lookout for some consistency at the mound. May Priester supply it? — Rogers
Document: 7-10
Earlier rating: 11
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Orioles common supervisor Mike Elias met with newshounds Tuesday and maintained he believes his membership is a playoff workforce. Baltimore then misplaced to the Guardians to fall to 6-10. The Orioles’ offense, rightly heralded for its premier younger skill, has been inconsistent, however that are supposed to strengthen. The larger downside is the beginning pitching. The Orioles’ rotation ranks final within the majors in ERA. Zach Eflin, Grayson Rodriguez and Albert Suarez, all projected starters right through spring coaching, are at the injured checklist whilst Kyle Bradish is not anticipated to go back from Tommy John surgical operation till the second one part. Beginning pitching used to be the fear coming into the season after Baltimore failed to exchange Corbin Burnes with every other front-line starter. And it has to this point performed out as anticipated. — Castillo
Document: 8-10
Earlier rating: 13
Jim Crane’s intuition will probably be to carry his workforce in combination and push to make the playoffs for the 9th season in a row, and for the tenth time within the final 11 years. However with out Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman, the demanding situations are better. Yordan Alvarez is off to a sluggish get started, and the AL West is extra aggressive than it used to be a season in the past.
If the Astros do float from rivalry, there will probably be groups calling on Framber Valdez, who will probably be eligible totally free company within the fall. The Tucker business appeared to sign a better willingness to spot offers that may lend a hand to show over the roster and construct across the likes of Hunter Brown, Yainer Diaz and Cam Smith. — Olney
Document: 9-8
Earlier rating: 21
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The Angels are the AL’s largest wonder to this point, and given their struggles of final season, you have to perceive why rival executives don’t seem to be purchasing in but. However there are methods during which the workforce is obviously distinguishing itself from the ’24 version, and naturally, that begins with the proper fielder.
“Mike Trout remains to be Mike Trout and so long as we now have his presence, we now have a possibility,” supervisor Ron Washington wrote in a textual content.
Washington additionally famous that the youngest Angels are benefitting from the enjoy of final yr – Nolan Schanuel has an .856 OPS, Kyren Paris is impressing and Logan O’Hoppe has an early-season OPS close to 1.000. — Olney
Document: 9-9
Earlier rating: 23
Even with Ivan Herrera lacking time with a knee harm, Cardinals catchers nonetheless lead the league with six domestic runs and a lofty .329 batting reasonable thru Tuesday. Backups Pedro Pages and Yohel Pozo have held their very own in Herrera’s absence. Pozo made headlines after arising from Triple-A as he amassed 5 hits — together with two doubles and a house run — in his first 3 video games. The longtime minor leaguer had no longer observed time within the majors since 2021 when he performed in 21 video games for the Texas Rangers. Over 1,000 minor league video games later, he is been an sudden wonder in St. Louis. — Rogers
Document: 7-12
Earlier rating: 24
What is going on in Minnesota is the worst-case state of affairs — a sluggish get started for a workforce that did little or no to strengthen over the iciness after failing to make the playoffs final season. Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton are each batting underneath .200, at a time when Royce Lewis is at the injured checklist, and Bailey Ober and Chris Paddack have allowed 26 earned runs in 29 1/3 innings. The elements is all the time an early-season X issue for the Twins, however hi there, a large number of groups have needed to play in brutal stipulations within the first weeks, and best two AL groups have a worse run differential to this point. — Olney
Document: 8-9
Earlier rating: 28
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Who had the rebuilding Marlins taking part in .500 ball thru 16 video games this season? The workforce’s relative good fortune almost definitely would possibly not final for much longer, however Miami has held its personal thru 10% of the common season.
First baseman Matt Mervis is fueling the offense with 5 domestic runs and a 1.009 OPS thru Tuesday. Shortstop Xavier Edwards, coming off an excellent 70-game pattern final season, is batting over .300 once more. Proper-hander Max Meyer used to be spectacular in his first 3 begins, conserving fighters to 4 earned runs throughout 18 innings.
Chances are high that the Marlins will sink go into reverse to the basement of the loaded NL East, however this get started constitutes a step in the proper route. — Castillo
Document: 8-10
Earlier rating: 25
The early returns at the ballpark in Sacramento are that it is like Coors Box California. The A’s have the worst home-field ERA, at 5.89, and the 1.56 domestic runs allowed consistent with sport is the fourth-worst ratio within the large leagues. Or possibly the ones numbers are rooted in a small-sample dimension of tough pitching performances. — Olney
Document: 7-11
Earlier rating: 26
How unhealthy has the Nationals’ bullpen been this season? Dangerous sufficient for supervisor Dave Martinez to summon his relievers to his place of work for a gathering sooner than Tuesday’s sport towards the Pirates. Two Nationals relievers then blended to toss two scoreless innings in a 3-0 win, which qualifies as vital growth for a bunch that ranks final within the majors in ERA (7.21) and WHIP (1.89). — Castillo
Document: 7-12
Earlier rating: 27
Forestall us if you are heard this one sooner than: The Pirates are having bother scoring runs. It is a rinse-and-repeat state of affairs for the Buccos, who hit simply .185 as a workforce final week (which, extremely, used to be no longer the bottom batting reasonable in MLB). That used to be low sufficient to lend a hand produce a 2-5 file for Pittsburgh, which sits in final position within the NL Central. The Pirates’ general workforce OPS ranks final within the NL and twenty ninth in baseball, and that places an amazing pressure on their younger pitching team of workers. — Rogers
Document: 4-13
Earlier rating: 30
Andrew Vaughn has generated some unsightly numbers to this point this season, with a .131 batting reasonable and two domestic runs in his first 61 at-bats. However the White Sox really feel like he is in truth swung the bat higher than the ones numbers point out — Vaughn is hitting simply .132 on balls in play, and he’s 54th amongst 132 hitters in adjusted go out speed. Whether or not Vaughn’s early manufacturing has been nicked through unhealthy climate, or unhealthy good fortune, the White Sox await higher days forward for the primary baseman. — Olney
Document: 3-15
Earlier rating: 29
Let’s attempt to to find one certain factor in regards to the Rockies, who went 1-7 over the process the week, from final Tuesday to this one. Right here it’s: Of their lone win — a 7-2 victory over Milwaukee final Thursday — outfielder Brenton Doyle went 4-for-5 with 5 runs pushed in whilst scoring two times. Doyle, simply 26, has an OPS over .900 (thru Tuesday) that incorporates 3 domestic runs and a batting reasonable over .300. See? It may be executed. It simply takes some taking a look to seek out the nice in Colorado. A more youthful team of avid gamers would possibly supply extra positives this summer season, nevertheless it would possibly not display up within the standings any time quickly. — Rogers
