MLB Power Rankings: A New No. 1! Who Replaced the Dodgers After a Red-Hot Week 7?

For the first time in over a month, the Los Angeles Dodgers are looking up at someone else in our MLB Power Rankings. It wasn’t a collapse in Chavez Ravine that dethroned the defending champs. It was a sheer, unrelenting offensive onslaught from a team that has suddenly become the most dangerous lineup in baseball. Move over, L.A. — there’s a new sheriff in town after a scorching Week 7.

The Dodgers remain elite. Mookie Betts is still a machine, Shohei Ohtani is still rewriting history, and their rotation, even banged up, is top-tier. But in the marathon that is a 162-game season, momentum shifts. And right now, no team has more momentum than the Atlanta Braves, who have officially seized the top spot in our rankings thanks to a historically productive week at the plate.

Let’s break down the seismic shift at the top, the teams rising fast, and the contenders who are already falling into dangerous territory.

The New No. 1: Atlanta Braves – Offensive Dominance Regains Its Throne

It was only a matter of time. After a sluggish April that saw the Braves’ lineup struggle with consistency and injuries, the sleeping giant has officially woken up. In Week 7, Atlanta posted a team OPS over .900, crushed double-digit home runs, and averaged nearly seven runs per game. This is the lineup we expected to see from Day 1.

The catalyst? Ronald Acuña Jr. is back to his MVP-level form. After a slow start that had some (foolishly) questioning his health, Acuña slashed .400/.500/.700 last week with three steals and a pair of massive home runs. He is the engine, and when he runs, the entire lineup fires on all cylinders.

• Matt Olson is no longer pressing. He hit .350 with two homers and seven RBIs, looking like the 50-homer threat he was last year.
• Ozzie Albies is spraying line drives to all fields, providing the crucial two-strike hitting that was missing in April.
• Sean Murphy returned from the IL and immediately went deep, adding a right-handed power bat that lengthens an already terrifying order.

Pitching-wise, the Braves rotation is stabilizing. Spencer Strider’s absence still looms large, but Max Fried looks like a Cy Young contender again, and Bryce Elder is eating innings with a sub-3.50 ERA. The bullpen, anchored by Raisel Iglesias, has a 2.70 ERA over the last two weeks. This is a complete team that has reclaimed its identity: out-slug everyone.

Prediction: The Braves will hold this No. 1 spot for at least the next two weeks. Their upcoming schedule against the Nationals and Pirates is a soft landing spot to extend their winning streak. Expect Acuña to steal another five bases and the offense to score 6+ runs in seven of their next ten games.

What Happened to the Dodgers? The Uncharacteristic Slump

Let’s be clear: the Los Angeles Dodgers are still a 100-win team. They are not bad. But they are human. After a blistering start that saw them win 22 of their first 30 games, the bats have gone quiet in a way we haven’t seen since 2021.

In Week 7, the Dodgers managed just 3.2 runs per game. Will Smith and Max Muncy combined to hit under .180. The team’s strikeout rate spiked, and they struggled mightily with runners in scoring position. That’s the death knell for any team, even one with Ohtani and Betts.

The rotation is also showing cracks. Yoshinobu Yamamoto had a rare clunker, giving up five earned runs in four innings. Bobby Miller is on the IL. Walker Buehler is still building up arm strength. The Dodgers are relying heavily on Gavin Stone and James Paxton to hold the middle of games, which is a recipe for volatility.

The big question: Is this just a blip, or a sign of deeper issues? The answer is likely a blip. The Dodgers’ lineup is too talented to stay cold for long. But for this week, they fall to No. 2 in our rankings. They need a series win against a quality opponent (like the Padres) to reclaim their throne.

Biggest Risers: The Phillies, Brewers, and Guardians Are Legit

While the Braves stole the headlines, three other teams made massive jumps in Week 7. These are not flukes—these are contenders proving their early-season success is sustainable.

Philadelphia Phillies (Up 4 spots to No. 5)

The Phillies are finally healthy, and it shows. Bryce Harper is hitting .320 with a .600 slugging percentage over the last 14 days. Trea Turner has stopped pressing and is back to spraying doubles. But the real story is the starting rotation. Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola are both in the top 10 in NL Cy Young voting projections. They went a combined 3-0 in Week 7 with a 1.80 ERA. The bullpen, led by Jose Alvarado (who has a 0.00 ERA in his last 10 appearances), is lockdown. This team is built for October, and they’re peaking at the right time.

Milwaukee Brewers (Up 5 spots to No. 8)

Stop sleeping on the Brewers. They have the best record in the NL Central and they’re doing it with smoke and mirrors… or rather, William Contreras and Freddy Peralta. Contreras is having an MVP-caliber season at catcher, hitting .330 with 8 homers and a .950 OPS. Peralta is striking out 12 batters per nine innings. The Brewers’ defense is elite, and their bullpen is deep. They are not a flashy team, but they are a nightmare to play against. Expect them to hold the division lead all summer.

Cleveland Guardians (Up 3 spots to No. 6)

The Guardians continue to defy expectations. They are not a power-hitting team, but they are the best contact-hitting team in baseball. Steven Kwan is flirting with a .400 batting average. Jose Ramirez is driving in runs at a historic pace. And the pitching staff, led by Tanner Bibee and Emmanuel Clase, has a collective 3.10 ERA. They are the most disciplined team in the league, and they are going to be a problem for the Yankees and Orioles down the stretch.

Teams Trending Down: The Astros and Marlins Are in Trouble

Not every team can climb. Two teams that started the season with high expectations are now circling the drain in our Week 7 rankings.

Houston Astros (Drop 6 spots to No. 14)

The Astros are broken. Justin Verlander is on the IL again. Framber Valdez has a 5.20 ERA. Cristian Javier has been demoted to the bullpen. The lineup, which used to be the gold standard, is now relying on Yordan Alvarez and a bunch of .230 hitters. Jose Altuve is still good, but Alex Bregman is having a career-worst season. The Astros are 10 games under .500 and look like a team that has run out of gas. This might be the year the AL West finally belongs to the Rangers.

Miami Marlins (Drop 8 spots to No. 22)

The Marlins are a disaster. Sandy Alcantara is out for the season. Jazz Chisholm Jr. is hurt again. The offense is dead last in runs scored. The front office is reportedly listening to trade offers for Luis Arraez. This team is heading for a full rebuild, and the only question is how fast they can sell off pieces. Avoid rostering any Marlins hitters in fantasy until further notice.

Strong Conclusion: The New Hierarchy and What to Watch For

The MLB landscape has shifted dramatically in Week 7. The Atlanta Braves have reclaimed the throne with a red-hot offense that looks unstoppable. The Dodgers are still elite, but they are no longer invincible. The Phillies, Brewers, and Guardians have established themselves as legitimate contenders, while the Astros and Marlins are fading into irrelevance.

As we head into the meat of the summer, the key storylines are clear: Can the Braves maintain their offensive tear against elite pitching? Will the Dodgers’ rotation hold up? And can the Phillies finally break through in a loaded NL East?

My bold prediction: The Braves will not lose this No. 1 spot for the rest of May. Their schedule is favorable, their confidence is soaring, and their lineup is the most complete in the sport. The Dodgers will bounce back, but they will need to make a trade for a starting pitcher before the deadline to reclaim the top spot.

For now, the crown belongs to Atlanta. The red-hot offense has spoken. And in Week 7 of the 2025 MLB season, the Braves are the best team in baseball. Period.

Source: Based on news from ESPN.

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