MLB Power Rankings Week 9: Which powerhouse sits at No. 1? - ESPN

Now that we're two months into the 2025 MLB season — and past Memorial Day, when baseball fans traditionally say you can finally check the standings — the top of our rankings have started to become more consistent.

Each week, you can find the usual powerhouses atop our list — but what does change from week to week is which one sits at No. 1, with the Philadelphia Phillies taking that honor for the first time this season in Week 9. They are the fifth team to take the top spot so far in 2025, despite the preseason expectation that the Los Angeles Dodgers would rule it spot for the majority of the season.

How does the rest of the top five play out? And where do other clubs stand in our final May edition?

Our expert panel has combined to rank 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 Buster Olney, Jesse Rogers and Alden Gonzalez to weigh in with an observation for all 30 teams.

Week 8 | Preseason rankings

Record: 35-19
Previous ranking: 3

The Phillies are who we thought they were coming into the season, led by their starting pitching. As the Dodgers continue to try to find enough pitching until their stars are activated off the injured list around the All-Star break, a case can be made for the Phillies as the best team in the majors because of their rotation. Since April 26, the Phillies are 21-6 and getting contributions from all over their staff. Zack Wheeler has a 1.08 ERA in his past five starts, as he, Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes vie for the title of best pitcher on the planet. — Olney

Record: 37-20
Previous ranking: 1

Tarik Skubal put together a masterpiece Sunday, shutting out the