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.The approaching arrival of July represents a turning point in the baseball season. More than half the games have been played. The All-Star break is almost upon us. The trade deadline is not far behind. It is no longer too early; for some clubs, it is already too late. But for every team, there are players, trends and decisions that deserve attention. This week’s Power Rankings focuses on one storyline that is worth watching as the summer heats up.All stats are through Monday morning unless noted.1. Los Angeles Dodgers (Average ranking: 1.0)Record: 55-30
Last Power Ranking: 1Something to watch for: Dalton Rushing’s body languageRushing, L.A.’s second-year catcher, has become a lightning rod for discourse in 2026. Part of the reason for this is the Dodgers have entered a boring-great stage of hegemony, in which their superiority over the rest of the league is so pronounced that there is little to discuss on a day-to-day basis. And part of the reason is Rushing’s own conduct. The latest kerfuffle involved his inability to get on the same page with Shohei Ohtani during Ohtani’s last start, which led to cross-ups, mound conferences and dugout pow-wows. Rushing has become the team’s primary catcher with Will Smith nursing a neck problem, and his value to the club as a hitter remains immense. — Andy McCullough2. Milwaukee Brewers (2.0)Record: 51-31
