Milwaukee Brewers overtake Los Angeles Dodgers for MLB power rankings top spot
The Milwaukee Brewers have overtaken the Los Angeles Dodgers to claim the number one spot in the latest Major League Baseball power rankings.
The National League Central leaders’ ascent ends a dominant two-month reign at the summit for the Californian side.
Los Angeles had held the premier position since week 12 of the gruelling 162-game regular season.
Brewers battle injury crisis
Despite claiming top spot, the Wisconsin franchise are currently navigating a challenging list of absentees.
Rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt is sidelined with a hamstring strain until late August, while Joey Ortiz is recovering from a stiff neck.
These setbacks forced Brice Turang to start at shortstop this week for the first time since the 2023 campaign.
The team has also deployed recent signing Jihwan Bae at second base and Andrew Vaughn at third in a search for offensive stability.
Dodgers manager demands urgency
The Dodgers recently suffered a significant slump, losing eight out of nine games prior to a series sweep against the Kansas City Royals.
Across a 32-game stretch dating back to early July, their roster ranked 21st for on-base plus slugging (OPS) and 23rd in earned run average (ERA).
Manager Dave Roberts issued a stark public warning to his squad ahead of a crucial seven-game homestand.
“We’re a wild-card team right now. We’ve got to get going and play with urgency.”
Dave Roberts, Los Angeles Dodgers Manager
The squad remains optimistic, however, with rotation additions Tarik Skubal and Blake Snell building fitness alongside the recovering Tyler Glasnow.
Rays surge into top three
Elsewhere in the upper echelons, the Tampa Bay Rays have leapfrogged the Atlanta Braves to secure third place.
The Florida outfit boast the best record in the American League since late June following an impressive nine-game winning streak.
Tampa Bay’s formidable home form has been central to their resurgence.
Their 41-18 record at Tropicana Field currently stands as the most dominant home mark in the majors.
Meanwhile, the San Diego Padres have broken into the top 10 at the expense of the Chicago White Sox.