MLB Power Rankings: Tigers, Cubs on the up and up; September priorities for each team

By Grant Brisbee, Andy McCullough and Stephen J. Nesbitt

Every week,​ we​ ask a selected group of our baseball​ writers​ — local and national — to rank the teams from first to worst. Here are the collective results.

It’s September, which means different things to different teams. There are the teams with a commanding division lead, like the Brewers and Phillies, who simply need to avoid a miserable collapse.There are teams like the Yankees and Orioles, who are jockeying for a division title, with the loser having to play an entire extra postseason round.

And there are the White Sox, who have already guaranteed a Baseball-Reference page you’ll laugh at for the rest of your life, but are trying to avoid a Baseball-Reference page theologians will study for the rest of time. That’s almost like an exciting postseason chase.

For this week’s rankings, we take a look at every team’s biggest priority heading into the last month of the regular season.

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Record: 83-55
Last Power Ranking: 1

Biggest September priority: Get their rotation in order

The Dodgers are winning in the regular season, which has never been a problem for them. But they don’t care about the regular season. They care about winning the World Series, which they haven’t done in a full season since “The Simpsons” debuted. And to reach that elusive goal, they’ll need to figure out what their postseason rotation will look like.

Difficulty: Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are all currently on the IL. Yamamoto is making rehab starts, but Glasnow’s status is very much uncertain and Kershaw just went on the IL with a toe injury. They still have Jack Flaherty and Gavin Stone, but a lot more certainty is needed. — Grant Brisbee

Record: 81-56
Last Power Ranking: T-2

Biggest September priority: Hope Bryce Harper feels better soon

Harper supplied only two home runs in August and has slugged .429 since July. He remains an excellent hitter, disciplined and difficult to subdue, but his lack of power has been notable. Harper revealed part of the explanation over the weekend when he told MLB.com he has been dealing with irritation in his right elbow and wrist while downplaying the significance of the ailments. It is true, as Harper said, that all players are grinding through things this deep into the season. The key is not letting the grind wear you down. Harper is used to deep October runs. He has an excellent postseason resume. The Phillies will need him to play like himself when the tournament begins. — Andy McCullough

Record: 80-58
Last Power Ranking: T-2

Biggest September priority: Figure out left field

Or, in other words, decide if Jasson Domínguez is ready for prime time. The Yankees irked some of their fans this weekend by electing to keep Domínguez, one of the organization’s top prospects, in the minors. Manager Aaron Boone issued a vote of confidence for Alex Verdugo, the incumbent left fielder who has posted a .590 OPS since June. The team harbors legitimate concerns about Domínguez’s defense as he returns from Tommy John surgery. But his offensive potential might be enough to tip the scales in his favor and merit a promotion before the season ends. The Yankees may need all the offense they can get. Even with Anthony Rizzo back, the team is unlikely to receive above-average production at first base. The bullpen is shakier than in previous seasons. The path to October glory may involve a series of slugfests. The Yankees must decide if Domínguez will get to participate. — McCullough

Record: 81-57
Last Power Ranking: T-5

Biggest September priority: Slam the door

The Brewers have dominated the division in Pat Murphy’s first year as manager. Now they’ve got to finish the job. A division lead that was five games at the start of August grew to 10 games by the end of the month, but when a reporter asked Murphy about managing his pitching staff and lineup in September with the playoffs in mind, he replied, “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be a (jerk) about this, but I look at the game tonight. You can’t be closed-minded to players’ health, but it’s ‘win tonight.’”

He’s right!

Yes, the Brewers have a 99.6 percent chance to make the postseason. But the Cubs are on a tear, and the NL Central runner-up might miss the playoffs entirely. Plus, the Brewers haven’t won a playoff series since 2018, so finishing as a top-two division winner and getting a wild-card bye remains a massive incentive to chase in September. — Stephen Nesbitt

Record: 80-59
Last Power Ranking: 4

Biggest September priority: Find some momentum — and get healthier

The Orioles lost more games than they won in July. They did the same in August. The team has not been able to put together a three-game winning streak in the second half. Losses, of course, do happen, and Baltimore remains on track for another postseason appearance. But the team has been unable to take control of the American League East. They’ve been plagued by injuries, with Dean Kremer becoming the latest pitcher to get banged up when he got smoked on the forearm by a line drive last week. The team must persist, with the hope that various injured contributors — from Grayson Rodriguez to Jordan Westburg to Ryan Mountcastle — recover over the next couple weeks. — McCullough

Record: 77-61
Last Power Ranking: T-5

Biggest September priority: Get healthy, keep winning

The Diamondbacks may be the most underrated team in baseball. They’re averaging 5.42 runs per game, which is almost a full half-run better than the second-place team, the Yankees. When everyone’s healthy, they can build a lineup where every batter — from the catcher to the center fielder — has an above-average OPS+.

That part about “when everyone’s healthy” is doing a lot of work, though. Gabriel Moreno (groin), Christian Walker (oblique) and Ketel Marte (ankle) are all on the IL right now, which means the D-Backs are without a third of their lineup, including their best player. They’re still in postseason position, but they’re not so far ahead that they can relax. They’ll need these players, and they’ll need them soon. — Brisbee

Record: 79-59
Last Power Ranking: 7

Biggest September priority: Figure out the playoff rotation

The prerequisite for that priority, of course, is holding off the Twins and Royals. (Locking down a bye would be even better.) But once the Guardians are in the dance, the only certainty is that Tanner Bibee is their Game 1 starter. Behind him? There’s Gavin Williams, who has been hurt, gotten clipped and struggled to pitch deep into games. There’s Alex Cobb and Matthew Boyd, who spent most of the season on the injured list. And there’s Ben Lively, whose results are all right but whose stuff doesn’t scream “playoff starter.” The Guardians rotation’s 4.62 ERA this season (ranked 24th) was mostly accrued without Williams, Cobb and Boyd. There are better arms available now. But it’s still anyone’s guess who first-year manager Stephen Vogt will send out there for Game 2. — Nesbitt

Record: 79-61
Last Power Ranking: T-8

Biggest September priority: Don’t screw up

A comic that’s been stuck in my head for about 35 or 40 years now is “Roger Screws Up.” It’s a timeless classic, with poor Roger absolutely convinced that the power of positive thinking will save him.

The Padres are in solid postseason position, and there’s even a chance they could make a run at the Dodgers for first place. But they’re not in guaranteed postseason position, and if the Braves and Mets both get hot at the same time, there’s a chance San Diego could miss the playoffs entirely.

They’ve got one cymbal in their hand, in other words. The other one is right next to them. All they have to do is reach down and pick it up. This time they won’t screw up. They won’t, they won’t, they won’t, they won’t. — Brisbee

Record: 75-63
Last Power Ranking: 11

Biggest September priority: Witness the power of a fully armed and operational Kyle Tucker

According to Baseball-Reference, Tucker has been the seventh-most valuable outfielder in baseball. That’s already impressive, but it becomes a freakish stat when you remember that he hasn’t appeared in a game since June 3. The Astros didn’t just lose a good player when Tucker went down with a shin contusion; they lost one of the very best players in baseball and a perennial MVP candidate.

The good news is that he’s close. He wants to be fully healthy before he returns, which makes sense for a team that shouldn’t be jockeying for postseason position this month. Get him right, get him some at-bats and sic him on whichever team is unlucky enough to face the Astros in October. — Brisbee

Record: 74-63
Last Power Ranking: 12

Biggest September priority: No more injuries. Please.

Can the Braves overcome all the physical calamities they have suffered this season? At the very least, the team controls its own destiny. Atlanta entered September holding one of the three National League Wild Card spots. They reached that position without Spencer Strider, Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley. Albies and Riley may return before the season ends. This season has tested the club’s depth far more than any front office would like to experience. Yet the prospect of facing Chris Sale, Max Fried and Reynaldo López in October should worry any rival. If the Braves can stay healthy and reach the postseason, they could make some noise. — McCullough

Record: 75-64
Last Power Ranking: T-8

Biggest September priority: Land the plane

I really don’t mean to dismiss the opportunity to seize the division the Royals dropped last week, but if I may inject some perspective for a moment: When we did this exercise last year, the Royals ranked 29th and had the worst record in the majors. Rustin Dodd listed their top priority as watching Bobby Witt Jr. complete a 30-30 season. (30-49, as it turned out!)

A year later, Witt is again nearing 30-30 and is leading the majors in batting average. But this time the Royals are comfortably in a wild-card spot. The vibes are not all immaculate at the moment. Losing streaks are terrifying this time of year. Vinnie Pasquantino broke his thumb. Michael Lorenzen tweaked his hammy. Will Smith (the walking World Series ring) and Hunter Harvey are hurt. The Royals have not made the playoffs since winning the 2015 World Series. They’ll hope for better health news in September. For now, they’re glad to get a few reinforcements on waivers. — Nesbitt

Record: 75-62
Last Power Ranking: 10

Biggest September priority: Get healthy

The Twins have fared rather well considering their inactivity last offseason and at this year’s trade deadline. Betting on this roster (and a couple top prospects) has panned out despite a deluge of injuries along the way. The Twins currently are without a third of their Opening Day lineup — Carlos Correa, Byron Buxton and Manuel Margot — and an Opening Day sub, Alex Kirilloff. Starters Joe Ryan and Chris Paddack are on the 60-day injured list and are far from guaranteed to be available in October. But Pablo López has returned to form, the bullpen remains strong and the lineup has a blend of thump and on-base ability. The Twins are certainly capable of making noise this October — but it’s far more likely if they’re close to full strength. — Nesbitt

Record: 74-64
Last Power Ranking: 13

Biggest September priority: Overtake Atlanta and qualify for the postseason

In 2022, the Mets saw a 101-victory season spoiled in the year’s final fortnight, as the Braves leapfrogged them to win the division. The Mets can stage a similar comeback, albeit on a much smaller scale, if they can end Atlanta’s six-year postseason streak. The two clubs are jockeying for the third wild-card spot. They will play once more in the season’s final week. A strong September would be an excellent showcase for Francisco Lindor, who could pose a serious challenge to Shohei Ohtani for the National League MVP award. — McCullough

Record: 71-67
Last Power Ranking: 19

Biggest September priority: Complete the comeback

The Cubs’ chances of winning the NL Central were basically cooked when they trailed the Brewers by 13 games on July 3 … and by 11 games on July 30 … and by or 11 1/2 games on Aug. 21. But here we are in September, and the Cubs are back in the mix. Even if they don’t catch Milwaukee, they’re starting to nip at the heels of the Mets and the wild-card Braves.

The Cubs clung to a wild-card spot until the last weekend of the 2023 regular season. They played themselves deep into a hole this year, then hit their way out. They have not faced a team ahead of them in the standings since Aug. 14, back when their hot streak began, and they’ll face only three such teams the rest of the way. The Cubbies aren’t dead yet. — Nesbitt

Record: 70-68
Last Power Ranking: 14

Biggest September priority: Stay in the hunt

The Red Sox were already facing an uphill climb in the American League Wild Card race by competing with the Twins and Royals, a pair of clubs who have feasted on the lowly White Sox to create a cushion in the standings. Boston has faded in the past two weeks, getting swept by Arizona last week and dropping a series to Detroit this past weekend. The Tigers are hot on Boston’s heels, while the Red Sox entered Monday trailing Kansas City by four and a half games. The deficit might be too much to overcome. But it would be worthwhile for the team’s young core to hang around and play meaningful games in September. The club has finished with a winning record just once since 2020. — McCullough

Record: 70-69
Last Power Ranking: 20

Biggest September priority: Give ‘em a scare

The Guardians nervously checked their rearview mirror last month and saw the Twins and Royals closing. They did not expect to see the Tigers back there. It would take a momentous month for Detroit to reach the playoffs (7.4 percent odds); they entered the week 8 1/2 games back of Cleveland and five behind Kansas City, who occupied the last wild-card spot. But these Tigers have had some weird months.

March/April: 17-13 (.567)
May: 11-16 (.407)
June: 10-17 (.370)
July: 14-11 (.560)
August: 17-11 (.607)

And they’re doing this without starts from Jack Flaherty (traded), Reese Olson (hurt) or Kenta Maeda (bullpen). It’s a rotation of Tarik Skubal, Casey Mize and some dudes named Brant, Ty and Keider. The Tigers’ roster decisions show a franchise mostly focused on getting the right guys in place for 2025. Somehow, they’re making a run into September all the same. — Nesbitt

Record: 69-69
Last Power Ranking: 15

Biggest September priority: Win baseball games

I could have gussied up that priority in all sorts of ways. “Make the fans believe,” or “Get the magic back from the first half,” or “Make the Astros sweat,” but it all goes back to the same thing. The only way the Mariners will get the awful taste of this season out of their mouth is to win a lot of baseball games.

They’re capable of doing it! Don’t laugh too hard. They could average three runs per game in September and still go 18-6 because their rotation is that good. Ideally, they would average more runs than that — 3.6, even — but the point is that there’s only one September priority that makes sense. They need to do the opposite of what they’ve been doing in the second half. Win some danged games. — Brisbee

Record: 69-69
Last Power Ranking: 18

Biggest September priority: Assess who can help in 2025

What Cardinals brass would like more than anything would be for this club to overcome its 1.6 percent playoff odds and make the playoffs. What they’re much more likely to get is a good long look at players who may be depended upon next season. Is Jordan Walker ready to be a regular? What’s holding Lars Nootbaar back? Can Nolan Gorman’s swing-and-miss issues be solved? Is Michael Siani anything more than a glove-first guy?

The question that must be answered soon: Are the Cardinals ready for life after Paul Goldschmidt? The impending free agent has had his worst offensive season but has been better in the second half.

The Cardinals still seem to have many of the necessary components of a contender, but they’re falling well short of their division rivals. They need to figure out who fits for 2025, and what spots need upgrading this offseason. — Nesbitt

Record: 68-70
Last Power Ranking: 16

Biggest September priority: Spend dozens of hours on the phone with Scott Boras

This priority only makes sense if the Giants aren’t planning to fire their president of baseball operations, Farhan Zaidi. If he’s still in place, his top priority should be to retain Blake Snell and Matt Chapman, who are both likely to opt out of their contracts after the season. Snell has somehow looked even better than he did in his Cy Young seasons,  and Chapman has sneakily been one of the most valuable players in the league. They can help the Giants overcome this disappointing season.

Zaidi doesn’t like giving out long-term deals because they generally end in heartbreak, but if the Giants don’t win soon, he ain’t gonna be the one to deal with that. Might as well dive into the deep end with ol’ Scott and spend someone else’s money. — Brisbee

Record: 67-70
Last Power Ranking: 17

Biggest September priority: Enjoy the Junior Caminero Show

The arrival of Caminero has created some excitement in an otherwise deflating season for Tampa Bay. Expected to contend, the Rays failed to gain traction and conducted a fire sale at the trade deadline. Tampa Bay was thinking of the future rather than the dim prospects of contending in 2024. Caminero figures to be a major part of that future. He just turned 21 in July. His bat has looked explosive since he joined the team in the middle of August. His approach is aggressive and he will be prone to strikeouts. But Caminero looks like a force for the Rays, who are already preparing to make another bid for the postseason next fall. — McCullough

Record: 67-72
Last Power Ranking: 22

Biggest September priority: Make progress on that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. extension

Toronto declined to move Guerrero at the trade deadline, keeping the face of the franchise as the centerpiece of a roster going nowhere. Fair enough. The Blue Jays believe they can contend next year. If so, they should still be thinking about making Guerrero, who can become a free agent heading into 2026, part of the team’s long-term future. He has hit at an elite level in 2024 after a pair of less dynamic seasons. In fact, his 168 OPS+ as of Monday morning was slightly better than his 167 OPS+ in 2021, when he challenged Shohei Ohtani for the American League MVP. The team will have to pay a fortune to extend Guerrero, still only 25, through his prime. No worries. The club can afford it. — McCullough

Record: 65-73
Last Power Ranking: 24

Biggest September priority: Get excited about Jacob deGrom

Nobody knows what it’s like to go from a World Series victory to a miserable season quite like Rangers manager Bruce Bochy. One second, it’s all parades and champagne, and the next it’s a postmortem press conference where you’re expected to say “Everyone stunk or got hurt, sometimes both,” in 37 different ways. The thing about the 2024 Rangers is that everyone stunk or got hurt. Sometimes both.

But they aren’t down so bad that they’re writing next season off. They’ll expect better things from Wyatt Langford, Josh Jung and Evan Carter, and the rest of the roster will hopefully get some reinforcements in the offseason. The biggest addition for next season, though, might be calling from inside the house. DeGrom will never give the Rangers 32 starts and 200 innings, but if he comes off the IL in September and shows that he can still scare the bejeepers out of a major-league lineup, they’ll have to feel a lot better about next year. — Brisbee

Record: 66-73
Last Power Ranking: 21

Biggest September priority: Start building a 2025 pitching staff

Hunter Greene plans to pitch again this season, and why wouldn’t he want to finish off a top-five Cy Young season strong? But Greene’s elbow injury was only one bit of bad news in August for the Reds’ rotation. Andrew Abbott went down next, then Nick Lodolo. The Reds are banged up across the board — and have been all season. But because almost everyone is due back next year, the Reds should use September to start sketching their pitching staff for next season. Is Rhett Lowder ready to slot in alongside Abbott and Lodolo behind Greene in the rotation? If Nick Martinez opts out of his deal, do they go get another starter? Could Chase Burns be in play for next year? If the rotation enters 2025 at full strength and the front office adds another leverage reliever, the Reds should be in good shape. — Nesbitt 

Record: 64-73
Last Power Ranking: 23

Biggest September priority: Keep Paul Skenes and Jared Jones healthy

But that’s a priority so obvious, I’ll skip it and give you a second one: Determine Oneil Cruz’s long-term position. Cruz was one of the best hitters in baseball in August, batting .390 with a .985 OPS and 11 multi-hit games. In the middle of that stretch, the Pirates suddenly shifted their starting shortstop to center field. The timing surprised everyone, including Cruz. At 6-foot-7, Cruz was never the smoothest shortstop, and he often made poor decisions with the baseball. Moving him? OK. But is center where they see him staying?

The Pirates need to start making serious upgrades to their lineup to cash in on this competitive window, and where they add could depend on where Cruz lands. If he can handle center, great. If he can’t, they’ll need to move him again and keep acquiring a center fielder at the top of their target list this offseason. — Nesbitt

Record: 60-78
Last Power Ranking: 26

Biggest September priority: Keep building a lineup and pitching staff that people will want to watch in the Sacramento heat

Sacramento baseball fans are in a tough spot. They know that the good fans of Oakland don’t deserve to have the team taken away from them, but they have to be giddy that a major-league team is finally coming their way. They’ll get a chance to watch Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, Bobby Witt Jr … everyone. Every team is coming to Sacramento at least once over the next two seasons.

But the most important team for Sacramento fans to watch out for is the actual Athletics, who will want to enter the offseason with some momentum. It was hard to get excited about Brent Rooker, JJ Bleday and Lawrence Butler just a few months ago, but now they’ll be the core of a team that’s not that far away from being relevant all next regular season. And if they can keep it up for another month, it’ll be at least a little easier to convince people to come out on Sundays in the summer, when the temperatures don’t make for the best baseball watchin’. — Brisbee

Record: 61-76
Last Power Ranking: 25

Biggest September priority: Start to dream about the future

Might as well, right? Dylan Crews has arrived, socking a pair of homers in his first week in the majors. James Wood looks the part, towering in left field and dangerous at the plate. CJ Abrams has held his own — except for a second-half swoon that has re-raised questions about his offensive ceiling. MacKenzie Gore has . . . stayed healthy and made 27 starts, although he has been more hittable than in years past. All right, look. It’s not an immaculate picture. But that’s what dreams are for. — McCullough

Record: 57-80
Last Power Ranking: 27

Biggest September priority: Mess with the Astros

Now that you’ve read this far, it’s time to admit that every team’s September priority can be dumbed down to one of two things: They either need to make the postseason in the best position they can, or they need to avoid screwing up the young players who might be around for the next postseason team.

However, the Angels still have seven games left against the Astros. While it would appear that the Astros have a lock on the AL West, there’s still a month left. If they repeat their 10-15 record from April and allow the Mariners to catch up, the Angels will likely have a lot to do with it. Seems like that would be a lot of fun for the people still watching Angels games on purpose.

So, uh, everyone patiently wait for that to happen. — Brisbee

Record: 51-86
Last Power Ranking: 28

Biggest September priority: Enjoy the spoils of the Trevor Rogers trade

It’s been a year to forget in Miami. There figures to be more changes afoot this winter. There is not a lot of reason for optimism. But at least the Rogers trade has turned out OK, in the form of Connor Norby. Norby, an infielder who was blocked in Baltimore’s system, has played well in a two-week cameo for the Marlins. The Orioles have already optioned Rogers to the minors and are unlikely to utilize him in October. Norby could become a regular for Miami. Not a bad outcome. — McCullough

Record: 51-87
Last Power Ranking: 28

Biggest September priority: Catch King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard at Red Rocks

The Rockies are off on Monday, Sept. 9, which is great news because King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard are playing two shows at one of the most iconic concert venues in the country. That’s right, there’s going to be an afternoon show and a night show, which is almost more genre-bending technical wizardry and incredible songcraft than a person can absorb. Almost.

So, go on, Rockies. Hop on that team bus and enjoy yourselves. You deserve it. Make it a priority, even. Because pretending like the Rockies have an actual baseball priority this month would insult everyone’s intelligence. — Brisbee

Record: 31-108
Last Power Ranking: 30

Biggest September priority: Don’t make losing history

A simple objective because all others have flown out the window. The White Sox are 20 games worse than any other team in the majors. Their competition is the 1962 Mets and the modern-day loss record: 120.

Baseball is a cruel and difficult game, yet a band of major-league ballplayers being unable to win 42 games in 162 tries is an almost unbelievable (de)feat. The White Sox’s September schedule features three series against playoff teams (Orioles, Guardians and Padres), two against other above-.500 teams (Red Sox and Tigers) and three against fellow basement dwellers (Angels twice and Athletics). They end the season in Detroit, 21 years after the Tigers set the modern-day AL loss record: 119. The White Sox gotta get hot to steer clear of that one. — Nesbitt

(Top photo:  Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)