MLB power rankings: More missed opportunities

The Padres took two of three from the Dodgers at Petco Park last August to briefly take the lead in the NL West, only to spend the rest of the season spinning their wheels on the days the Dodgers lost. Los Angeles ultimately regrouped in plenty of time to win its second straight World Series, but the Dodgers are again proving fallible at a time when the Padres are scuffling.

Both the Padres and Dodgers had lost four in a row before avoiding sweeps on Sunday.

The good thing in San Diego is that no one else in the NL West is taking advantage.

Through Saturday, all five teams were riding losing streaks of at least three games, a first in MLB history according to OptaSTATS.

While the Padres and Dodgers got off the schneid on Sunday, the Rockies and Diamondbacks are beginning the week on four-game skids and the Giants have lost six in a row heading into their home matchup with San Diego.

1 | Atlanta Braves (25-10; Last week: 1)

Testing the Braves: Just as they get Spencer Strider back, they are losing Ronald Acuña Jr. for some time to a hamstring injury.

2 | New York Yankees (23-11; LW: 4)

Who needs Gerrit Cole? While he's making his way back from Tommy John surgery, the Yanks have the likes of Max Fried (4-1, 2.39 ERA), Cam Schittler (4-1, 1.51 ERA), Will Warren (4-0, 2.39 ERA) and Ryan Weathers (2-2, 3.03 ERA) more than holding down the fort.

3 | Chicago Cubs (22-12; LW: 6)

The Cubs already have a 10-game winning streak and are half way to another after winning their last two games in San Diego and sweeping the Diamondbacks over the weekend.

4 | Tampa Bay Rays (21-12; LW: 7)

Old friend alert: Nick Martinez's 1.70 ERA is the fifth lowest in the majors among qualifying starting pitchers.

5 | Los Angeles Dodgers (21-13; LW: 2)

No coincidence that the Dodgers' struggles are coinciding with a four-game hitless streak for Shohei Ohtani, his first such drought since 2022.

6 | San Diego Padres (20-13; LW: 3)

Mirage? Thirteen teams are over .500 and the Padres are one of four with a negative run differential, although minus-1 doesn't look nearly as off-putting as the Reds (minus-22) or Athletics (minus-10).

7 | St. Louis Cardinals (20-14; LW: 15)

What rebuild? The Cardinals had won six straight before the Dodgers salvaged Sunday's game in St. Louis.

8 | Cincinnati Reds (20-14; LW: 5)

Hard to win like this: Rhett Lowder and Connor Phillips on Saturday combined to walk seven straight batters, a first in the last 43 years of MLB history.

9 | Pittsburgh Pirates (19-16; LW: 8)

Paul Skenes has a 1.89 ERA in six starts since his opening day dud.

10 | Milwaukee Brewers (18-15; LW: 14)

The Brewers had been weathering the absence of Jackson Chourio, who was due back from his hand fracture only to be delayed by a foul ball off his ankle in Saturday's rehab game.

The rest

• 11 | Cleveland Guardians (18-17; LW: 11)
• 12 | Detroit Tigers (18-17; LW: 13)
• 13 | Sacramento Athletics (18-16; LW: 10)
• 14 | Miami Marlins (16-18; LW: 17)
• 15 | Arizona Diamondbacks (16-17; LW: 9)
• 16 | Texas Rangers (16-18; LW: 12)
• 17 | Chicago White Sox (16-18; LW: 26)
• 18 | Seattle Mariners (16-19; LW: 16)
• 19 | Washington Nationals (16-19; LW: 20)
• 20 | Toronto Blue Jays (16-18; LW: 23)
• 21 | Kansas City Royals (15-19; LW: 29)
• 22 | Baltimore Orioles (15-19; LW: 19)
• 23 | Minnesota Twins (15-20; LW: 24)
• 24 | Philadelphia Phillies (14-20; LW:30)
• 25 | Colorado Rockies (14-21; LW: 22)
• 26 | Boston Red Sox (13-21; LW: 25)
• 27 | Houston Astros (14-21; LW: 27)
• 28 | Los Angeles Angels (13-22; LW: 21)
• 29 | San Francisco Giants (13-21; LW: 18)
• 30 | New York Mets (12-22; LW: 28)

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This story was originally published May 4, 2026 at 7:13 AM.