MLB Power Rankings Week 25: Playoff contenders on the move - ESPN

With 11 days remaining in the 2026 MLB regular season, there are eight playoff spots left to fill as four teams clinched postseason berths over the past week.

The Rays secured the season's first postseason spot and were followed later that night by the Brewers, who have been the first team to clinch the past two seasons. They are also the only club to have clinched the division so far. The Dodgers and Yankees joined Tampa Bay and Milwaukee a few days later.

Now, we wait to see who's next.

It's just a matter of time before additional clubs lock up berths — such as the Braves and Phillies — but others still have a lot to play for. We've seen in the past how runs in the final weeks of the season can totally shift a playoff picture. Will that happen again in 2026?

Our expert panel has ranked every team 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 Bradford Doolittle, Alden Gonzalez and David Schoenfield to weigh in with an observation for all 30 teams.

Week 24 | Second-half preview | Preseason rankings

Record: 95-57
Previous ranking: 1

The NL Central was formed in 1994. Before the Brewers wrapped up the division with a victory over the Pirates on Tuesday night — behind an electric Jacob Misiorowski, fittingly — no team had ever won it four consecutive times. The Brewers haven't just claimed four straight division titles, they've won five of the past six. They hold the best record in baseball and haven't given up their perch atop their division since May. They are a dominant team, even if they're not a popular or expensive one. As usual, Brewers manager Pat Murphy said it best amid the champagne