MLB power rankings: Dominant LA Dodgers already lapping mediocre field

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.

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.

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.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (-)

• A half-dozen players with at least three homers led by, of course, Shohei Ohtani's five.

2. New York Yankees (-)

• Swept in Tampa Bay for first time since 2018.

3. Milwaukee Brewers (-)

• Curse of the City Connects? Winless in Wisco gear.

4. Philadelphia Phillies (+1)

• Zack Wheeler perhaps one more rehab start away from return.

5. Seattle Mariners (+2)

• Home sweep of Astros perhaps puts them back on track.

6. Pittsburgh Pirates (+6)

• 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)

• They lost an entire rotation's worth of arms so of course they lead the majors in ERA and WHIP.

8. Cleveland Guardians (+5)

• Another one: Parker Messick has a 0.51 ERA through three starts.

9. San Diego Padres (+8)

• Win eight of nine, but joy dampened by Nick Pivetta's elbow concern.

10. Arizona Diamondbacks (+8)

• 9-7 despite opening gauntlet of Dodgers, Tigers, Braves, Mets, Phillies.

11. Cincinnati Reds (-)

• All-Star Andrew Abbott has 5.85 ERA through four starts.

12. New York Mets (-8)

• Clay Holmes apparently ducks serious injury after hamstring scare.

13. Detroit Tigers (-3)

• Kevin McGonigle crosses first home run off his to-do list.

14. Chicago Cubs (-5)

• Seiya Suzuki returns and Michael Conforto sticks on roster.

15. Toronto Blue Jays (-7)

• Loss of George Springer won't help them pull out of early funk.

Cleveland Guardians players warm up as the launch of NASA's Artemis II is shown on the center-field video board at Dodger Stadium on April 1, 2026.

Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez (6) and center fielder Jakob Marsee celebrate a victory against the Chicago White Sox at loanDepot Park on April 1, 2026.

The Toronto Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto gets doused with ice water by teammates after a win over the Athletics at Rogers Centre on March 29, 2026.

The Cincinnati Reds' Eugenio Suárez blows a bubble as he waits to bat against the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park on March 28, 2026.

The St. Louis Cardinals' JJ Wetherholt is doused with water by teammates after hitting a walk-off two-run single against the Tampa Bay Rays during the 10th inning at Busch Stadium on March 28, 2026.

Two F-35C planes from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron NINE Detachment Edwards Air Force Base perform a flyover before the Opening Day game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on March 26, 2026.

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Ballpark vibes and wild celebrations a during 2026 MLB season

Cleveland Guardians players warm up as the launch of NASA's Artemis II is shown on the center-field video board at Dodger Stadium on April 1, 2026.

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Ballpark vibes and wild celebrations a during 2026 MLB season

Cleveland Guardians players warm up as the launch of NASA's Artemis II is shown on the center-field video board at Dodger Stadium on April 1, 2026.

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Ballpark vibes and wild celebrations a during 2026 MLB season

Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez (6) and center fielder Jakob Marsee celebrate a victory against the Chicago White Sox at loanDepot Park on April 1, 2026.

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Ballpark vibes and wild celebrations a during 2026 MLB season

The Toronto Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto gets doused with ice water by teammates after a win over the Athletics at Rogers Centre on March 29, 2026.

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Ballpark vibes and wild celebrations a during 2026 MLB season

The Cincinnati Reds' Eugenio Suárez blows a bubble as he waits to bat against the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park on March 28, 2026.

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Ballpark vibes and wild celebrations a during 2026 MLB season

The St. Louis Cardinals' JJ Wetherholt is doused with water by teammates after hitting a walk-off two-run single against the Tampa Bay Rays during the 10th inning at Busch Stadium on March 28, 2026.

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Ballpark vibes and wild celebrations a during 2026 MLB season

Two F-35C planes from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron NINE Detachment Edwards Air Force Base perform a flyover before the Opening Day game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on March 26, 2026.

16. Texas Rangers (+4)

• Jacob deGrom punches out nine Dodgers, lowers career ERA against L.A. to 2.35.

17. Baltimore Orioles (+4)

• Dean Kremer set to make season debut against Diamondbacks.

18. Miami Marlins (-3)

• Jakob Marsee off to 9-for-62 (.145) start.

19. Tampa Bay Rays (+3)

• Drew Rasmussen dominates Yankees again, lowering career ERA to 1.03 against the Bombers.

20. Athletics (+6)

• They return to Yolo County riding high after reeling off five wins against Yankees, Mets.

21. Boston Red Sox (-5)

• NL guy? Ranger Suarez finds his footing in start against Cardinals.

22. Houston Astros (-15)

• Is seven-game losing streak harbinger of times to come?

23. Minnesota Twins (+4)

• Tristan Gray has 11 RBIs, .937 OPS in eight games.

24. Los Angeles Angels (-1)

• 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)

• Scored two or fewer runs in five consecutive games.

26. San Francisco Giants (-1)

• Casey Schmitt on a heater, with 11 hits in last 19 at-bats, five for extra bases.

27. St. Louis Cardinals (-3)

• Yes, Jordan Walker leads the majors wtih seven home runs.

28. Washington Nationals (+2)

• James Wood had a week: A four-hit game, three home runs and a steal of home.

29. Chicago White Sox (-1)

• A decent chance that the Pope Hat won't be their lone highlight of the year.

30. Colorado Rockies (-1)

• 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