Brewers, Dodgers top league as Cardinals clim

Don’t like your team very much this season? Just wait a week.

So it goes in the slog known as the 2026 Major League Baseball season, where nobody’s really out of it and anyone can get back in it just by winning a few games.

This week’s example? The St. Louis Cardinals.

They dealt away starter Dustin May and reliever JoJo Romero and respected outfielder Lars Nootbaar at the trade deadline and promptly won four consecutive series and eight of their past 12 games. That’s lifted them above .500 and within three games of a playoff spot.

Talk about addition by, well, addition: Nootbaar’s trade helped open some space for rookie Joshua Báez, who merely had the greatest debut in major league history. Phenom? He is now, it seems.

As such, the Cardinals have leaped three spots in USA TODAY Sports’ power rankings, with more upward mobility in the offing. They have eight games this week, including a five-gamer against the Cincinnati Reds, against whom they’ve won five of eight. They head to Philadelphia next weekend, by which time they could possibly climb into playoff position with a good series against the Phillies.

Or not. Twenty-four of 30 teams are living week-to-week, and there’s no telling how the road ahead may treat the Cardinals. For now, it’s good living.

A look at our updated MLB power rankings:

• Before we freak out too much, keep in mind the Brewers went 6-0 against the Dodgers last year.

• It’s gone from “annual summer malaise” to “wow perhaps this just isn’t a very good team” very quickly.

3. Atlanta Braves (+1)

• With 36 homers, Matt Olson has outside shot at second 50-homer season.

4. Tampa Bay Rays (-1)

• Shane McClanahan off the IL to start wraparound finale against Baltimore.

• Edward Cabrera hit hard in first start off IL as handy Javier Assad sent to minors.

• Cody Bellinger set to start rehab assignment Thursday.

7. Chicago White Sox (+2)

• Just an absolute statement in sweeping the Tigers as Munetaka Murakami, Miguel Vargas reach 28 homers.

• Look out: 19-10 since the break.

With Toronto, Baltimore coming on, will they slide all the way out of playoff position?

• Well-traveled Dennis Santana added to bullpen mix.

• Jakob Marsee is Mr. August, with a 1.018 career OPS.

• If they can survive an 11-game road trip, anything’s possible.

• Josh Hader is 17-for-17 in save chances since return from injury.

15. Texas Rangers (-)

• Have lost 17 of 23 AL West road games. Tough way to win a division.

16. Baltimore Orioles (+4)

• Gunnar Henderson slides to fifth in order, and club takes three in a row at Tampa Bay.

17. Cleveland Guardians (-3)

• That’s five straight series losses, and now Chase DeLauter’s hurt again.

18. Pittsburgh Pirates (-)

• After a planned respite, Paul Skenes’ Wednesday start will be highly scrutinized.

19. Detroit Tigers (+2)

• Have lost six of nine to White Sox this season. So, wild card it is?

Heart of a champion? Now, just one game out of playoff position.

• Eight-game week vs. St. Louis, Arizona could ignite or thoroughly douse any thoughts of contending.

• Outscored 23-7 in sweep by Phillies.

• Now just 3½ games up on sad-sack Mets.

• A particularly brutal 15-game stretch arrives: Brewers, Cubs, Phillies, Blue Jays, Red Sox.

• Now .500 (22-22) in the Andy Green era.

• Buster Posey says Tony Vitello will be back in 2027.

• Noah Cameron’s one-hit shutout of Angels is club’s first since Zack Greinke in 2009.

• Adael Amador’s first hit this season is a home run.

• It took him 26 games, but Tommy Tanks finally gets his first big league homer in Yolo County.

30. Los Angeles Angels (-)

• Ben Joyce, back from May 2025 labrum surgery, picks up first save in nearly two years.