David Lennon's MLB power rankings after the first week of the season
Yankees outfielders Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham celebrate their victory over the Miami Marlins in the home opener at Yankee Stadium on Friday. Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara
Note: All statistics prior to Friday’s games
1. Yankees
Who needs Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon? Spurred by the dynamic duo of Max Fried and Cam Schlittler, the Yankees’ rotation was off to an historically brilliant start through six games, with a 0.53 ERA that’s left the rest of MLB in the dust (the Blue Jays were closest at 1.74).
2. Dodgers
Shohei Ohtani’s early struggles at the plate (.167 BA, O HR) are emblematic of this misfiring offense — don’t worry, it won’t stay that way — but the three-time MVP already is polishing his case for a fourth award by throwing six scoreless innings (one hit) with six Ks in his debut win over the Guardians.
3. Blue Jays
With Toronto’s rotation losing starters at an alarming rate — now Cody Ponce could be dealing with a season-ending ACL sprain — who would have thought 41-year-old Max Scherzer would turn out to be their salvation? Scherzer, back on a one-year, $3 million deal, allowed one run over six innings in his debut.
4. Mariners
Cal Raleigh lost the AL MVP to Aaron Judge by the slimmest of margins last year, but he’s off to a sluggish start this season — and boos at T-Mobile? He's hitting .160 (4-for-25) with 15 strikeouts and no homers through his first seven games. He did deliver a walk-off RBI single in Seattle’s lone win over the Yankees this week.
5. Brewers
Former Met Brandon Sproat, acquired in the Freddy Peralta trade, had a bumpy Brewtown debut, teeing up a first-inning grand slam to the White Sox’s Colson Montgomery and surviving only three innings (21.00 ERA).
6. Cubs
So far, so good for the Cubs’ big winter addition Edward Cabrera, who struck out five over six scoreless innings in a 7-2 win over the Angels. Chicago gave up three prospects in the swap for Cabrera, who allowed just one hit and walked one.
7. Mets
We’ll look past the revamped offense’s dreadful post-opener production, as well as the RISP woes, to focus instead on Juan Soto (our NL MVP pick), who was hitting .333 (10-for-30) with a homer and .894 OPS through his first seven games.
8. Phillies
Some fresh rookie faces among the Phillies’ run-it-back crew made big impacts, with rookie outfielder Justin Crawford hitting .412 (7-for-17) — including a walk-off RBI single — and Andrew Painter striking out eight over 5 1/3 innings in his debut.
9. Tigers
Back-to-back AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, a pending free-agent, apparently knew what he was doing with his brief WBC cameo. He has a 0.69 ERA through his first two starts, striking out nine with no walks.
10. Atlanta
Chris Sale is pretty much alone in propping up Atlanta’s damaged rotation, but the slender ace — who turned 37 on March 30 — has shouldered that load early. He is 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA.
11. Orioles
Wondering what Pete Alonso’s been up to in Baltimore? Of course you are. Alonso smacked his first Baltimore homer off old pal Jacob deGrom this week and was hitting .304 (7-for-23) with an .819 OPS through six games.
12. Astros
Remember Yordan Alvarez? One of the game’s most dangerous DHs was an afterthought last season due to hand and ankle injuries that limited him to 48 games, but he’s back to doing damage again — hitting .417 with three homers and a 1.479 OPS through seven games.
13. Rangers
Brandon Nimmo, returning to the leadoff spot for the Rangers, is again turning into an on-base machine, with a .429 OBP through six games (he finished at .324 with the Mets last season). He’s also hitting .360 with a .949 OPS.
14. Red Sox
Boston didn’t spend big to replace Alex Bregman’s bat this winter, opting instead to bolster the pitching staff, and that plan hasn’t worked out quite yet. New acquisitions Ranger Suarez (8.31 ERA, .368 OBA) and Sonny Gray (6.75, .315) have stumbled out of the blocks.
15. Royals
Closer Carlos Estevez (162.00 ERA) is off to a troubling start in the final season of his two-year, $22 million contract. He already was in danger of losing his job due to a velocity drop — down to 91.2 mph from last year’s 95.9 — but now is on the IL instead with a bruised foot after getting drilled by a line drive.
16. Guardians
Rookie Chase DeLauter, who made his MLB debut during last year’s playoffs, opened the regular season with a bang, smashing four homers in his first three games. A bruised foot slowed him before returning for Cleveland’s home opener.
17. Reds
Lefty Nick Lodolo is following last year’s breakout season (3.33 ERA, 1.079 WHIP) with stubborn blister issues that have kept him sidelined from the Reds' rotation. The issue popped up again during a rehab start this week, further delaying his return.
18. Rays
Tampa Bay opens at home Monday against the Cubs, its first game at Tropicana Field since a pair hurricanes ripped apart the building after the 2024 season.. That means the seven cownose stingrays, the displaced residents of the centerfield aquarium, get to return home, too.
19. Diamondbacks
Michael Soroka, the former Atlanta All-Star who signed a one-year, $7.5 million contract with Arizona, became the fourth D-Backs pitcher to throw an Immaculate Inning (9 pitches, 3 Ks). He joins Randy Johnson, Byung-Hyun Kim and Wade Miley.
20. Padres
Petco Park, one of MLB’s best places to watch a game, broke its own attendance record with six straight sellouts during the opening homestand against the Tigers and Giants. The Padres (3.4 million) ranked second in attendance last season, sandwiched between the Dodgers (4M) and Yankees.
21. Marlins
OK, so it was only the first week of the season, and just six games. But admit it, you didn’t expect to see the Marlins atop the NL East at 6-1. Granted, they beat up the Rockies and White Sox. But still.
22. Giants
Blade Tidwell, the former Mets prospect traded last year for reliever Tyler Rogers, was called up Thursday for another ex-Met when Jose Butto was placed on the IL with “forearm fatigue.” Tidwell then pitched three scoreless innings against the Mets for his first career save.
23. Pirates
Paul Skenes didn’t show much of a hangover from his Citi Field stinker on Opening Day. Skenes rebounded with his first W against the Reds, allowing one run over five innings and striking out five. His 31-inning scoreless streak when pitching against Cincinnati? He did lose that, however.
24. Cardinals
Shortly after Masyn Winn delivered the walk-off RBI single Wednesday against the Mets, he was involved in a single-car accident — apparently due to wet pavement on the highway — and later hospitalized. The team announced he avoided serious injuries.
25. Athletics
Jeff McNeil, the former batting champ traded by the Mets last December, appears to be stuck in a platoon in Sacramento. McNeil, who was hitting .077 (1-for-13) with six strikeouts, was on the bench the last three games vs. lefty starters.
26. Nationals
Through six games, the Nats ranked second in the majors in batting average (.281) and fifth in OPS (.773). They also averaged 6.33 runs per game, behind only the Brewers (7.5) and Astros (6.43).
27. Angels
Is Mike Trout back? That was the storyline once the three-time MVP opened the season on a .462 tear (6-for-13) with two homers and a 1.573 OPS through the first four games. That start cooled quickly when he followed that by going 0-for-13 and five Ks.
28. Twins
Could the Twins have a blossoming ace in Taj Bradley? With Pablo Lopez (UCL surgery) on the shelf, and Joe Ryan’s long-term future in Minnesota uncertain, the hard-throwing Bradley (100-mph fastball) could be ready with an 0.87 ERA after two starts and 12 Ks in 10 1/3 innings.
29. White Sox
The White Sox haven’t done much right in, well, a very long time. But signing Munetaka Murakami to a two-year, $34 million contract is looking pretty smart after the former NPB star has drilled three homers through his first six games with a 1.027 OPS.
30. Rockies
Former Met Jose Quintana already is on the IL with a hamstring strain after making his Rockies debut (4 H, 4 BB, 4 1/3 IP) last Monday. Quintana signed a one-year, $6 million deal with Colorado in mid-February.
David Lennon is an award-winning columnist, a voter for baseball's Hall of Fame and has covered six no-hitters, including two perfect games.
