MLB Power Rankings (Aug. 25) Fastball On SI Poll

The Milwaukee Brewers are the unanimous No. 1 team for a fourth straight week despite losing five of their last seven games. Check out the full MLB power rankings below.

Detroit Tigers Gleyber Torres (25) Riley Greene (31) celebrate after defeating the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park. | Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images

This past weekend in MLB was highlighted by a series between World Series contenders, the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. Taking two of three games, the Padres got outstanding starting pitching from Yu Darvish and Nestor Cortes on Friday and Saturday. But the Dodgers proved just how dangerous their lineup can be, hitting four home runs on Sunday to avoid the sweep. That puts the National League West division rivals in a first-place tie at 74-57.

Another big-time rivalry took place over the weekend, too, with the Boston Red Sox winning two of three games over the New York Yankees. Both teams appear to be in good shape to make the playoffs, but it's the Toronto Blue Jays atop the American League East by five games over Boston, following their series win in Miami.

The Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies have essentially clinched division titles, but it appears the AL West race will come down to the wire. The Seattle Mariners won a series against the Athletics over the weekend, a solid bounce back from a 2-7 road trip beforehand. It was looking like the Milwaukee Brewers had pulled away in the NL Central, but the Chicago Cubs have won six of their last seven –– including three over Milwaukee, securing the season tiebreaker –– to trim the deficit back to five games.

Here are the Fastball On SI MLB power rankings for Aug. 25.

(This poll takes into account votes from four Fastball On SI MLB writers: Tom Brew, Brady Farkas, Jack Ankony and Teren Kowatsch . First-place votes are worth 30 points, and last-place votes are worth one point. Ties broken by highest vote or votes, followed by overall win percentage, then head-to-head record. Total points and first-place votes in parentheses.)

1. Milwaukee Brewers (120) (4)
2. Detroit Tigers (111)
3. Philadelphia Phillies (110)
4. Toronto Blue Jays (109)
5. Los Angeles Dodgers (105)
6. Chicago Cubs (102)
7. San Diego Padres (99)
8. Boston Red Sox (91)
9. Houston Astros (86)
10. New York Yankees (83
11. Seattle Mariners (82)
12. New York Mets (78)
13. Cincinnati Reds (72)
14. Kansas City Royals (68)
15. Texas Rangers (63)
16. Cleveland Guardians (61)
17. St. Louis Cardinals (52)
18. Tampa Bay Rays (51)
19. San Francisco Giants (49)
20. Arizona Diamondbacks (47)
21. Miami Marlins (36)
22. Baltimore Orioles (35)
23. Los Angeles Angels (35)
24. Atlanta Braves (27)
25. Athletics (25)
26. Minnesota Twins (22)
27. Pittsburgh Pirates (17)
28. Washington Nationals (10)
29. Chicago White Sox (10)
30. Colorado Rockies (4)

Milwaukee Brewers designated hitter Christian Yelich (22) celebrates a home run against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Here's how each writer voted.

Tom Brew

1. Milwaukee Brewers
2. Detroit Tigers
3. Toronto Blue Jays
4. Los Angeles Dodgers 
5. Philadelphia Phillies
6. Chicago Cubs
7. San Diego Padres
8. Houston Astros
9. Boston Red Sox
10. New York Yankees
11. Seattle Mariners
12. New York Mets
13. Cincinnati Reds
14. Kansas City Royals
15. Texas Rangers
16. Cleveland Guardians
17. Tampa Bay Rays
18. St. Louis Cardinals
19. Arizona Diamondbacks
20. Miami Marlins
21. San Francisco Giants
22. Baltimore Orioles
23. Los Angeles Angels
24. The Athletics
25. Atlanta Braves
26. Minnesota Twins
27. Pittsburgh Pirates
28. Washington Nationals
29. Chicago White Sox
30.  Colorado Rockies

Comments: The Milwaukee Brewers have come back to earth a bit in the past week, but they're still tops on my list. They have an interesting stretch ahead with Arizona, Toronto and Philadelphia as we head into September. The Detroit Tigers won five in a row before losing on Sunday, and still appear to be the best team in the American League, which is wide open. They have a favorable schedule the rest of the way, so I won't be surprised if they lock up the No. 1 seed in the AL.

The Cubs are 6-1 in their last seven, and now have a chance to make some hay on the way with series at San Francisco and Colorado, who are both struggling. They are five games behind the Brewers in the National League Central and don't think that race is over yet. If they can pick up 2-3 games this week, they'll feel even better.

Philadelphia Phillies Nick Castellanos (8) and Kyle Schwarber (12) celebrate against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Jack Ankony

1. Milwaukee Brewers
2. Detroit Tigers
3. Philadelphia Phillies
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Chicago Cubs
6. San Diego Padres
7. Los Angeles Dodgers
8. Boston Red Sox
9. Houston Astros
10. Seattle Mariners
11. New York Yankees
12. New York Mets
13. Cincinnati Reds
14. Kansas City Royals
15. Texas Rangers
16. Cleveland Guardians
17. Tampa Bay Rays
18. San Francisco Giants
19. St. Louis Cardinals
20. Arizona Diamondbacks
21. Baltimore Orioles
22. Los Angeles Angels
23. Atlanta Braves
24. Miami Marlins
25. The Athletics
26. Pittsburgh Pirates
27. Minnesota Twins
28. Chicago White Sox
29. Washington Nationals
30. Colorado Rockies

Comments: The Brewers have cooled off, but with an MLB-best 81-50 record they're still deserving of the top spot for at least another week. The Cubs took three of five games from them at Wrigley Field, then swept the Angels to get within five games of first place in the National League Central. That division race isn't over just yet.

I had some concerns about the Tigers after seeing them go 11-14 in July, but they've returned to early-season form of late, winning nine of their last 11 games. Sweeping the division-leading Astros and winning a series over a solid Royals team was impressive. There may not be a big star in that Detroit lineup, but it's solid up and down –– not to mention Cy Young favorite Tarik Skubal at the top of the rotation.

Chicago Cubs outfielders Ian Happ (8), Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) and Kyle Tucker (30) celebrate after defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field. | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

Brady Farkas

1. Milwaukee Brewers
2. Los Angeles Dodgers
3. Philadelphia Phillies
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. San Diego Padres
6. Chicago Cubs
7. Detroit Tigers
8. Boston Red Sox
9. New York Yankees
10. New York Mets
11. Seattle Mariners
12. Houston Astros
13. Cincinnati Reds
14. Kansas City Royals
15. Texas Rangers
16. Cleveland Guardians
17. St. Louis Cardinals
18. Arizona Diamondbacks
19. San Francisco Giants
20. Tampa Bay Rays
21. Baltimore Orioles
22. Los Angeles Angels
23. Miami Marlins
24. Athletics
25. Atlanta Braves
26. Minnesota Twins
27. Pittsburgh Pirates
28. Chicago White Sox
29. Washington Nationals
30. Colorado Rockies

Comments: The playoff field appears all but set, with the exception of if the Reds can catch the Mets in the NL wild card, and if Kansas City, Cleveland or Texas can sneak into the American League race. Cincinnati certainly looks strong under Terry Francona, and Brady Singer has pitched very well over his last 6 outings, adding to what Hunter Greene and Andrew Abbott already bring. in the American League, the Royals just lost two of three against the Tigers, but they now get the White Sox with a chance to damage the Yankees, Mariners and Red Sox in the race.

The Toronto Blue Jays celebrate a win over the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Teren Kowatsch

1. Milwaukee Brewers
2. Detroit Tigers
3. Philadelphia Phillies
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Chicago Cubs
6. Los Angeles Dodgers
7. San Diego Padres
8. Boston Red Sox
9. Houston Astros
10. Seattle Mariners
11. New York Yankees
12. New York Mets
13. Cincinnati Reds
14. Kansas City Royals
15. Cleveland Guardians
16. Texas Rangers
17. San Francisco Giants
18. St. Louis Cardinals
19. Tampa Bay Rays
20. Arizona Diamondbacks
21. Miami Marlins
22. Los Angeles Angels
23. Minnesota Twins
24. Atlanta Braves
25. Baltimore Orioles
26. The Athletics
27. Pittsburgh Pirates
28. Washington Nationals
29. Chicago White Sox
30. Colorado Rockies

Comments: After nearly five months of tumultuous baseball, teams are finally starting to pull away in their respective divisions. The respective west divisions in the National League and American League are the only ones with less than five games of separation between the first and second place teams. The Seattle Mariners are two games behind the Houston Astros in the AL West and the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres are tied for first in the NL West. For teams still in the playoff race, the focus heavily weighted toward the wild card spots.

San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) celebrates against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park. | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

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