Rays Remain Team to Beat in American League in Recent MLB Power Rankings

Are the Tampa Bay Rays the team to beat in the American League?

Jul 26, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Bryan Baker (47) and catcher Nick Fortes (40) react after beating the Cleveland Guardians at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Tampa Bay Rays were able to have a fantastic week after a bit of a disappointing start to the second half. Now, as a true contender in the American League, it will be interesting to see how they attack next week. 

In a four-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays to start off the week, the Rays were able to win three out of four games, bouncing back nicely from their struggles against the Boston Red Sox. 

Furthermore, over the weekend they were able to pull off an impressive sweep at home against the Cleveland Guardians. Now, with their record being 19 games over the .500 mark, the Rays have a three-game lead over the New York Yankees in the AL East, and that margin remains the same for the best record in the league. 

Will Leitch of MLB.com recently released the updated MLB power rankings, and while the Rays did slip one spot to fourth, they remained the top team in the AL. 

Rays Behind National League Powerhouses

Jul 26, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernández (37) reacts after hitting a single against the New York Mets during the fourth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While it is great to see that Tampa Bay is still in the top five, the NL might be separating themselves from the pack a little bit. The Los Angeles Dodgers being in the top spot is to be expected as the two-time defending champs. 

However, in their own league, it is the Milwaukee Brewers and the Atlanta Braves who are trying to chase them down. The upcoming MLB trade deadline is going to be very interesting to see how these contenders look to improve. 

For the Rays, they are expected to be aggressive as well, and with some of the talented teams in both leagues, they should be. While Tampa Bay has had a lot of success, they are in need of some pieces to help the roster. 

Getting another bat for the lineup feels like it is going to be the top goal. However, improvements for the starting rotation also seem like a possibility. 

This is a team that has no shortage of good prospects to move in trades, and they should be prepared to be aggressive. 

After a strong week, the Rays will be getting a needed day off on Monday before remaining at home for a series against the Texas Rangers and Chicago White Sox. With the trade deadline just a week away, it will be interesting to see what happens for the group going forward.