MLB Power Rankings: Fastball On SI Poll (May 26)

The Philadelphia Phillies are the new No. 1 team in the Fastball On SI MLB power rankings poll after winning nine of their last 10 games.

Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) celebrates his home run with first baseman Bryce Harper (3) against the Colorado Rockies at Citizens Bank Park. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

There has been a different team at the top of our Fastball On SI power rankings poll in each of the last three weeks.

First it was the Dodgers, but getting swept at home by the Angels and going 11-11 to begin May has knocked them out of the top spot. The Tigers jumped the Dodgers last week, and although they're still tied for the best record in MLB, a series loss to the Guardians led to the Phillies passing the Detroit as the new No. 1 team.

Philadelphia has won nine of their last 10 games, handling their business against the Pirates, Rockies and Athletics. That's certainly not a gauntlet, but winning nine straight games is difficult no matter the opponent. The Phillies are now tied with the Tigers with 34 wins, while the Mets, Cubs, Dodgers and Yankees all close behind with 32.

Here are the Fastball On SI MLB power rankings for May 26.

(This poll takes into account votes from five Fastball On SI MLB writers: Tom Brew, Jack Ankony, Brady Farkas, Teren Kowatsch and Sam Connon. First-place votes are worth 30 points, and last-place votes are worth one point. Ties broken by highest vote or votes. Total votes and first-place votes in parentheses.)

1. Philadelphia Phillies (146) (3)
2. Detroit Tigers (146) (1)
3. Los Angeles Dodgers (137) (1)
4. Chicago Cubs (137)
5. New York Yankees (132)
6. New York Mets (124)
7. San Francisco Giants (120)
8. San Diego Padres (111)
9. St. Louis Cardinals (108)
10. Seattle Mariners (106)
11. Minnesota Twins (100)
12. Cleveland Guardians (97)
13. Houston Astros (89)
14. Kansas City Royals (85)
15. Arizona Diamondbacks (82)
16. Atlanta Braves (70)
17. Boston Red Sox (69)
18. Tampa Bay Rays (65)
19. Cincinnati Reds (57)
20. Texas Rangers (56)
21. Milwaukee Brewers (49)
22. Toronto Blue Jays (48)
23. Los Angeles Angels (45)
24. Washington Nationals (41)
25. The Athletics (30)
26. Miami Marlins (24)
27. Baltimore Orioles (17)
28. Chicago White Sox (16)
29. Pittsburgh Pirates (13)
30. Colorado Rockies (5)

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) throws against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Here's how each writer voted.

Tom Brew

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

Comments: For the third time in three weeks, I've got a new No. 1, crowning the Philadelphia Phillies as the best team in baseball. They earned it, reeling off nine wins in a row. Should we be having a conversation about Kyle Schwarber for National League MVP? Congratulations to two big movers this week, the Los Angeles Angels and the Tampa Bay Rays. The Angels won eight games in a row, including sweeps of the crosstown rival Dodgers and the Athletics. The Rays have won five in a row, and just swept the Blue Jays, outscoring them 19-2. The biggest tumblers were the Padres and the Diamondbacks. Was surprised to see San Diego get swept at Toronto and get shut out twice. The Padres are 1-8 against AL East teams this year.

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) rounds the bases after a solo home run against the New York Mets at Citi Field. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Jack Ankony

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

Comments: The Phillies are my new No. 1 after winning nine of their last 10 games. They jump the Tigers, who've lost three of four, and the Dodgers, who lost a series at the Mets and have played .500 ball in May. The Rays made the biggest jump in my rankings after sweeping the Blue Jays and taking two of three from the Astros. The Nationals also moved up four spots, thanks to a 3-2 week against the Braves and Giants and a rough stretch for the Rangers, Blue Jays, Reds and Athletics. In the central divisions, the Cardinals aren't letting the Cubs pull away just yet, while the Guardians, Twins and Royals have stayed within striking distance of the American League-best Tigers.

Chicago Cubs outfielders Seiya Suzuki (27) and Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) celebrate a victory against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Brady Farkas

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

Comments: It was a nice week for the Astros, who took 3/4 from the Mariners, but I don't know that we necessarily learned that they were better than Seattle, perhaps just a mad matchup. The Tigers just find ways to keep winning and if Tarik Skubal is going to pitch like THAT, then they just may be able to capture the American League pennant after all.

New York Yankees Aaron Judge (99) and Ben Rice (22) celebrate against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Teren Kowatsch

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

Comments: The top echelon of the National League have all had respective down stretches (by their standards). None of the NL's top teams have managed to separate themselves from the rest of the pack, but the Philadelphia Phillies have been the most consistent of the bunch. The American League remains in a constant state of chaos, with the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers reigning on top. But the rest of the American League Central and the top two teams in the AL West, the Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros, are also making their respective pushes for top standing in the AL.

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (13) celebrates a home run against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Sam Connon

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

Comments: With the Dodgers, Padres and Mets all losing critical series this past weekend, the top tier of National League contenders feels like it is very much in flux. As a result, the recent success of American League contenders like the Tigers and Yankees has been standing out even more. Now it's time to see if that second tier of AL squads, such as the Twins and Rangers, are a flash in the pan or if they have actually turned their seasons around.

Seattle Mariners Cal Raleigh (29) and Julio Rodriguez celebrate against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. | David Frerker-Imagn Images

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