MLB Power Rankings: Can a look at the past tell us where these teams are going?

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.Life comes at you fast, and that could not be truer in the world of baseball. A year ago, the Detroit Tigers, behind reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, had the best record in baseball. Right behind them sat the New York Mets.Elsewhere, the San Francisco Giants were on the verge of a franchise-altering trade with the Boston Red Sox for Rafael Devers, while the Seattle Mariners were nowhere close to the AL West crown, sitting 4 1/2 games back of the Houston Astros.By season’s end, the Tigers had MLB’s 11th-best record, the Mets missed the playoffs entirely, the Mariners usurped the Astros for the AL West crown, and the Giants finished exactly .500 and two games out of a wild-card spot.In the spirit of “Take me back Tuesday,” it’s time to look at where every club was at this time last year and what it might show us about where they are now.All stats through Monday morning unless noted.1. Los Angeles Dodgers (Average ranking: 1.0)Record: 46-27

Last Power Ranking: 2This time last year: Shohei Ohtani returned to the moundAt this time in 2025, the Dodgers deployed the most overqualified opener of all time. (It’s a short list.) Ohtani pitched the first inning of a win against the San Diego Padres, making his Dodgers pitching debut and his first appearance as a two-way player in 20 months. Naturally, Ohtani also singled, doubled, walked and drove in two runs in that game.In the past calendar year, Ohtani has …• posted a 1.81 ERA in 114 2/3 innings