Legendary NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle once floated his dream of an uber-balanced league where every team finished 8-8, a combination not totally outlandish given the abbreviated nature of the schedule.
In Major League Baseball, 30 teams finishing 81-81 is, of course, a near-mathematical impossibility, although the 2026 season is already trending that way.
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Save for one team. Guess who?
The Los Angeles Dodgers may already be lapping the field just 15 games into the season.
At 11-4, they’re every bit the super team folks envisioned once the two-time champions added $60 million outfielder Kyle Tucker to the mix, winning at a .786 clip while leading the big leagues in home runs and OPS.
Yet it’s the performance of everyone else that truly makes the Dodgers seem a cut above.
Twenty-six of 30 teams are within 3 ½ games of each other, a massive logjam of teams between 9-6 and 6-10, with only the Dodgers and 10-6 San Diego Padres and the Chicago White Sox (5-10) resembling outliers of any sort.
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Will the big blog of so-so teams break up eventually, and the standings gain greater definition? Perhaps. For now, though, there’s little surprise at the top of USA TODAY Sports’ power rankings.
A look at our updated rankings:
Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers are off to a torrid start in 2026.
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A half-dozen players with at least three homers led by, of course, Shohei Ohtani’s five.
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Swept in Tampa Bay for first time since 2018.
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Zack Wheeler perhaps one more rehab start away from return.
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Home sweep of Astros perhaps puts them back on track.
6. Pittsburgh Pirates (+6)
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More signs of changing times: They were 3-10 against the Cubs a year ago. They just won a series at Wrigley.
7. Atlanta Braves (+7)
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They lost an entire rotation’s worth of arms so of course they lead the majors in ERA and WHIP.
8. Cleveland Guardians (+5)
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Another one: Parker Messick has a 0.51 ERA through three starts.
9. San Diego Padres (+8)
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Win eight of nine, but joy dampened by Nick Pivetta’s elbow concern.
10. Arizona Diamondbacks (+8)
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9-7 despite opening gauntlet of Dodgers, Tigers, Braves, Mets, Phillies.
11. Cincinnati Reds (-)
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All-Star Andrew Abbott has 5.85 ERA through four starts.
12. New York Mets (-8)
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Clay Holmes apparently ducks serious injury after hamstring scare.
13. Detroit Tigers (-3)
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Kevin McGonigle crosses first home run off his to-do list.
14. Chicago Cubs (-5)
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Seiya Suzuki returns and Michael Conforto sticks on roster.
16. Texas Rangers (+4)
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Jacob deGrom punches out nine Dodgers, lowers career ERA against L.A. to 2.35.
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17. Baltimore Orioles (+4)
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Dean Kremer set to make season debut against Diamondbacks.
18. Miami Marlins (-3)
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Jakob Marsee off to 9-for-62 (.145) start.
19. Tampa Bay Rays (+3)
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Drew Rasmussen dominates Yankees again, lowering career ERA to 1.03 against the Bombers.
20. Athletics (+6)
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They return to Yolo County riding high after reeling off five wins against Yankees, Mets.
21. Boston Red Sox (-5)
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NL guy? Ranger Suarez finds his footing in start against Cardinals.
22. Houston Astros (-15)
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Is seven-game losing streak harbinger of times to come?
23. Minnesota Twins (+4)
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Tristan Gray has 11 RBIs, .937 OPS in eight games.
24. Los Angeles Angels (-1)
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Jose Soriano lowers ERA to 0.33, becomes first Angel since Jered Weaver to win first four starts of year.
25. Kansas City Royals (-6)
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Scored two or fewer runs in five consecutive games.
26. San Francisco Giants (-1)
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Casey Schmitt on a heater, with 11 hits in last 19 at-bats, five for extra bases.
27. St. Louis Cardinals (-3)
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Yes, Jordan Walker leads the majors wtih seven home runs.
28. Washington Nationals (+2)
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James Wood had a week: A four-hit game, three home runs and a steal of home.
29. Chicago White Sox (-1)
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A decent chance that the Pope Hat won’t be their lone highlight of the year.
30. Colorado Rockies (-1)
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Ryan Ritter produced a 27-game hit streak at Class AAA.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB power rankings: Dodgers top NL West standings with hot start
