The Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and New York Mets continue to dominate over a month into the MLB season. However, some new faces have emerged in the last couple of weeks.
A red-hot Los Angeles Angels squad has won six of its last seven games, outscoring opponents 52-19, and the San Diego Padres are thriving despite being without their young star. How do they compare to some of the best teams in the game?
Our expert panel has combined to rank every team in baseball 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. We also asked ESPN MLB experts David Schoenfield, Bradford Doolittle, Joon Lee, Jesse Rogers and Alden Gonzalez to weigh in with an early observation for all 30 teams.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
Record: 20-9
Previous ranking: 2
The Dodgers have dominated through the first five weeks without necessarily clicking on all cylinders. Now, with the weather warming and offense inevitably picking back up, they might be getting there. Max Muncy, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman have been particularly hot of late, boosting an offense striving to match the dominance of the Dodgers’ starting rotation. However, the Dodgers did experience a major setback recently, with Blake Treinen nursing a shoulder injury that will keep him out beyond the All-Star break. He’s their most important reliever, even if he isn’t their closer. — Gonzalez
2. New York Yankees
Record: 22-8
Previous ranking: 1
The Yankees keep rolling as every part of the team clicks in the early part of the season, with strong offensive performances up and down the lineup and a pitching staff that has seen the emergence of Nestor Cortes, who’s been the team’s best pitcher through six starts this season, leading the position group with a 1.2 WAR on top of a 1.41 ERA and 0.97 WHIP. Between Michael King, Clay Holmes and Aroldis Chapman, the Yankees relief corps has also been among the best in baseball. — Lee
3. New York Mets
Record: 21-11
Previous ranking: 3
The Mets pulled off one of the all-time great comebacks last Thursday against the Phillies, trailing 7-1 in the top of the ninth before rallying for seven runs and an 8-7 victory. MLB teams had lost 857 consecutive games when trailing by six or more runs in the ninth inning and it was the first time the Mets rallied to win when down six in the ninth since Sept. 13, 1997 against the Expos. Max Scherzer‘s loss to the Phillies on Mother’s Day snapped a string of 24 regular-season starts in a row without a loss. He went 15-0 with a 2.55 ERA over that stretch. — Schoenfield
Record: 20-12
Previous ranking: 5
There are some tiny, early cracks in the vaunted Brewers starting staff as Brandon Woodruff hasn’t gotten going yet. He got lit up on Monday against lowly Cincinnati. But what they miss here or there in pitching, Rowdy Tellez has made up for at the plate. He won player of the week behind a 13-RBI effort over the course of just six games. His OPS was over 1.000 during that time frame, as he has found a home at first base in Milwaukee. — Rogers
5. Los Angeles Angels
Record: 21-12
Previous ranking: 8
Reid Detmers, a first-round draft pick less than two years ago, twirled a no-hitter against the Rays on Tuesday night and lowered his ERA to 3.77 ERA through six starts. Patrick Sandoval (2.03 ERA) and Noah Syndergaard (2.45 ERA) have been even better. The offense leads the major leagues in home runs, the bullpen employs a handful of reliable high-leverage relievers, and it seems as if Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani finally might — might — have enough help to get into October. We can say this much, at least: The Angels are a lot of fun right now. — Gonzalez
Record: 19-11
Previous ranking: 12
The red-hot Astros caught fire behind a pitching staff that has been all but impenetrable of late. Houston began an eight-game winning spree on May 2. Through Tuesday, they had allowed eight runs during that streak…
Read More: Which red-hot teams are making the case for a top spot?