Rotation depth? Clutch hitting? Biggest strengths ...
Key takeaways
- We'll look at the biggest strength of each of the top 16 teams in last week's ESPN MLB power rankings and whether that will continue in the second half.
- Week 12 ranking: 1 Record: 49-29 (1st in NL West) Biggest strength: Rotation depth
- The Dodgers lead the majors with a 3.15 rotation ERA and 43 quality starts -- even though Blake Snell has made just one start and Tyler Glasnow just seven.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
How important is Raisel Iglesias for Atlanta? Here are the biggest strengths for top MLB playoff contenders. Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images David Schoenfield Jun 22, 2026, 07:00 AM ETClose Covers MLB for ESPN.com Former deputy editor of Page 2 Been with ESPN.com since 1995Multiple Authors Email Print Open Extended Reactions Read it and weep: We're going to hit the halfway point of the 2026 MLB season this week. It has been ... well, a lot of strange and surprising things have happened. Some good (the Chicago White Sox!), some not so good (the New York Mets!).
While there's obviously still a lot of baseball left to be played, let's take a moment to dive into some of this year's postseason contenders as the Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres, both in the playoff hunt in the National League, face each other tonight on ESPN (10 p.m. ET).
We'll look at the biggest strength of each of the top 16 teams in last week's ESPN MLB power rankings and whether that will continue in the second half. By no means are those 16 the only playoff contenders: In this season of parity, almost every team is still in the playoff chase. As of Sunday morning, FanGraphs projects 24 teams with at least a 13% chance of making the postseason, with 20 of those at 20% or higher.