ESPN power rankings: Rays climb to No. 3, Marlins enter top 10
DIRECT ANSWER: In ESPN's Week 14 MLB Power Rankings, the Tampa Bay Rays rose from No. 6 to No. 3 and passed the Yankees as the AL's top team, while the Miami Marlins jumped from No. 16 to No. 9. The Milwaukee Brewers stay No. 2 at 53-31, so the brewers game today matters for a club ranked behind only the Dodgers.
Florida's two teams headline a reshuffled top 10 as July arrives. ESPN analysts Bradford Doolittle, Buster Olney and Jesse Rogers ranked all 30 clubs based on what they've seen in the 162-game marathon so far—and both Sunshine State squads made the week's biggest statements.
Key Takeaways
- The Rays (50-33) climbed three spots to No. 3, leapfrogging the Yankees as the American League's highest-ranked team.
- Junior Caminero's home run binge fueled Tampa Bay's rise—nine homers in his past eight games and six straight with a long ball.
- The Marlins (46-41) vaulted seven spots to No. 9 after posting the highest monthly winning percentage in franchise history in June.
- The Brewers (53-31) held steady at No. 2 after rebounding from a weekend home loss to the Cubs with a series win over the Reds.
- The Dodgers (56-31) remain No. 1 with baseball's best record and championship aspirations intact.
Why Did the Rays Jump to No. 3 in ESPN's Rankings?
Tampa Bay's surge mirrors the standings. The Rays moved up three spots to leapfrog the New York Yankees as the American League's top team—the same move they made in the AL East.
Junior Caminero has been the catalyst. He's homered in six straight games and hit nine in his past eight. Manager Kevin Cash told ESPN that Caminero is "so timed up right now that he's covering both fastballs at the top of the zone and off-speed at the bottom."
MLB.com's midseason check-in noted the Rays reached the halfway mark with an AL-best 48-33 record and a 3.29 starters' ERA—trailing only the Brewers (3.16) and Dodgers (3.26). A 22-4 run from April 22 through May 20 built the cushion that kept them atop the division even after a later skid.
How Did the Marlins Crack the Top 10?
Miami's climb is the week's other Florida story. The Marlins jumped seven spots from No. 16 to No. 9 after a June that ESPN called the highest winning percentage for any month in franchise history.
The offense drove the surge. Miami posted a .798 team OPS in June, with Otto Lopez, Joe Mack and Kyle Stowers all hovering around .900. Hitting coach Pedro Guerrero reunited with GM Gabe Kapler after working together with the Giants—connections that appear to be paying off at the plate.
What Should Brewers Fans Know Before Today's Game?
Milwaukee didn't budge from No. 2, and that's no small feat in a top-heavy board. The Brewers stumbled over the weekend, dropping a home series to the Cubs, then righted the ship with a series win over the Reds.
ESPN highlighted rookie Brandon Sproat, who won his past two starts while allowing just two runs over 11⅓ innings and striking out 17. His sinker has been far more effective with Milwaukee's defense behind him. If you're planning around the brewers game today, you're tracking a team whose rotation depth keeps matching the league's elite.
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Which Teams Fell as Florida's Two Squads Rose?
Behind the top three, the Atlanta Braves (50-34) fell from No. 3 to No. 4 after ranking last in the majors in runs, homers and batting average during a brutal June. The Yankees (48-38) dropped to No. 5 amid Aaron Judge's extended absence.
The full board reflects a wide-open middle tier—from the surprising Chicago White Sox at No. 8 to the Toronto Blue Jays tumbling five spots to No. 19. For the complete list and expert notes on all 30 teams, see ESPN's Week 14 power rankings.