Milwaukee and the Dodgers Lead MLB Power Ratings on Aug 27
DataBaller's luck-stripped run-component model puts the Brewers (+1.03) and Dodgers (+1.02) in a tier of their own, while Miami and Pittsburgh crack the top 10 despite sub-.510 records.
Published: · Figures as of August 27, 2026
Asked: Give me the top 10 MLB teams by power rating.
Power ratings put Milwaukee and the Dodgers in a tier of their own
DataBaller's power rating — a model estimate of a team's expected margin against a league-average opponent on a neutral field, blending record with a luck-stripped run-component signal — has Milwaukee (+1.03 runs) and Los Angeles (+1.02) clearly ahead of the pack as of August 27, with Tampa Bay (+0.78) the closest thing to a third tier. Every one of these readings is in-season, computed on 132-135 games, so confidence sits at the model's maximum (1.0) rather than the discounted offseason-carryover level.
| Rank | Team | Record | Power rating | Regime / games |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Milwaukee Brewers | 82-51 | +1.03 | in-season, 133 GP |
| 2 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 80-53 | +1.02 | in-season, 133 GP |
| 3 | Tampa Bay Rays | 79-54 | +0.78 | in-season, 133 GP |
| 4 | Chicago Cubs | 76-58 | +0.73 | in-season, 134 GP |
| 5 | New York Yankees | 75-57 | +0.66 | in-season, 132 GP |
| 6 (tie) | Boston Red Sox | 73-60 | +0.60 | in-season, 133 GP |
| 6 (tie) | Atlanta Braves | 78-55 | +0.60 | in-season, 133 GP |
| 8 | Miami Marlins | 68-66 | +0.46 | in-season, 134 GP |
| 9 | Chicago White Sox | 70-63 | +0.36 | in-season, 133 GP |
| 10 | Pittsburgh Pirates | 65-70 | +0.35 | in-season, 135 GP |
| Team | Power Rating (runs) |
|---|---|
| MIL | 1.029 |
| LAD | 1.018 |
| TB | 0.784 |
| CHC | 0.727 |
| NYY | 0.659 |
| BOS | 0.602 |
| ATL | 0.602 |
| MIA | 0.459 |
| CHW | 0.361 |
| PIT | 0.346 |
A few things worth reading past the ranking:
- This isn't just the standings re-sorted. The Cubs (4th by rating) sit ahead of the Braves and Yankees despite a worse winning percentage than both, because their run-component margin signal (+2.09) outweighs a merely middling record term. Conversely Philadelphia, San Diego and Arizona — all ahead of Miami and Pittsburgh in the actual standings — don't crack this top 10 at all, because their underlying run-ingredient signal is weaker than their records suggest.
- Miami and Pittsburgh are the more consequential divergence. Both are sub-.510 teams sitting outside a playoff position in the raw table, yet each lands in the model's top 10 on the strength of a margin signal (Miami +1.76, Pittsburgh +1.63) that's actually stronger than several teams with better records. That's the specific thing this model is built to catch: record and the run-ingredient signal don't always agree, and the backtested claim is that blending them prices games better than record alone — not that either team is secretly great.
- Treat this as a lean, not a verdict. The model's own tested edge over raw record is real but modest in every sport, and it deliberately ignores roster continuity, injuries and schedule strength. A single team's rating also isn't a forecast for any one game — that requires both teams' ratings plus home field, which is a separate calculation.