Throughout the season, the California Post power-ranked MLB’s 30 teams and checked in on intriguing awards races. Records as of Saturday morning:

1) Brewers (101-59): A+

It was another perfect regular season for the Brewers, who won 100 games for the first time in franchise history to clinch the best record in the majors. Of course, their repeated failures in recent postseasons mean the real test is still to come in October. They have one superstar in Jacob Misiorowski but will need others to emerge in this year’s playoffs.

2) Dodgers (98-62): A

It was a familiar story for the Dodgers this year. A hot start. A second-half slump. Plenty of injuries along the way. Yet, another division crown that sets them up for another deep October run. That formula has worked the past two years for the two-time defending champions. Their real grade this season will depend on whether they can complete a World Series three-peat.

3) Rays (97-63): A+

After two years of missing the playoffs, the Rays had a very Rays-esque season. Uncovered gems on the mound. A relentlessly consistent lineup at the plate. And, as a result, the AL’s best record — and their best chance to get back to the World Series since 2020.

4) Braves (93-67): A

The Braves are back in the playoffs and back atop the NL East, rebounding as hoped from a disappointing 86-loss campaign last season that snapped a six-year postseason streak.

5) Yankees (93-68): B+

This grade might’ve been higher, if not for the uncertainty shrouding the Bronx Bombers as they enter the postseason. They managed to survive one extended Aaron Judge absence this regular season. Trying to do so again in October would be a tall task.

6) Padres (89-71): A-

In the weeks leading up to the trade deadline, the Padres seemed bound to be sellers. But then their offense — especially Fernando Tatis Jr. — came back to life. They bolstered their rotation by being buyers at the trade deadline instead. And now they are back in the playoffs as a potential dark horse, thanks to their 16-5 record in September.

7) Cubs (88-73): B+

The Cubs are back in the playoffs for a second straight year. They have the presumptive National League MVP in Pete Crow-Armstrong. And they managed to overcome a wave of pitching injuries. Now, they will try to mount a deeper October run after being knocked out in Game 5 of the NLDS last year.

8) Red Sox (87-74): B+

A strange regular season in Boston has reached a satisfactory ending, with the Red Sox — led by interim-now-turned-permanent manager Chad Tracy — getting a shot to avenge last year’s postseason elimination to the Yankees in next week’s wild-card series.

9) Phillies (87-73): Incomplete

Check back with us on Sunday night for this final grade. Because after seemingly salvaging their nightmarish start to the season under interim manager Don Mattingly, the Phillies are flirting with what would be a monumental September collapse, having yet to secure their place in the playoffs amid a 2-5 slump this week.

10) Diamondbacks (86-74): B-

We are only tentatively grading the Dbacks for now, thanks to their slim (but very much possible) chances of sneaking into the playoffs. If they don’t, it will be another conflicting season for the Dbacks, who have won 80-plus games in four straight seasons but still have just their surprise 2023 World Series run to show for it.

11) Guardians (84-76): A

The Guardians did what they do this season. Prevent runs. Score just enough. Fly under the radar for most of the year. Then round into form late to (most likely) win another AL Central title.

12) White Sox (83-77): A

This could still become an A+ if the White Sox wind up winning the AL Central. But even if not, the South Siders have been the most pleasant surprise in the majors this season, going from three straight 100-loss seasons to an upstart playoff berth with their young and promising roster.

13/14) Astros/Rangers (79-81): Incomplete

To be clear, neither of these teams has had a good 2026. And yet, they both enter the final days of the season with a chance to win the AL West — even though they can finish no better than .500. It will be the first time in MLB history a team will make the playoffs without a winning record. What a year in the AL West.

15) Pirates (81-79): C+

Good news: The Pirates avoided a losing record for the first time since 2018. Bad news: It wasn’t enough to keep them in playoff contention despite a surprisingly productive year from their offense.

16) Marlins (79-81): C+

The Marlins flirted with playoff contention for a while before ultimately fading down the stretch. They could be poised to take another step next year. Then again, they’ve looked that way before (remember that surprise playoff appearance in 2023?) and been unable to keep progressing.

17) Orioles (79-82): D

The Orioles’ signing of Pete Alonso worked out. But little else did in Baltimore this year. The once-budding contender has now missed the playoffs in two straight years after being swept in back-to-back postseasons the two years before that.

18) Blue Jays (78-82): D

As if the Blue Jays’ post-pennant campaign wasn’t bad enough, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. provided one more low point with his comments about his $500 million contract this week. There is hope for next season. But this year stung.

19) Cardinals (77-83): B

Given nonexistent preseason expectations, the rebuilding Cardinals mostly accomplished what they wanted to this year. They have young talent in Jordan Walker and JJ Wetherholt. They have rebuilt what is now a highly ranked farm system. And they look like a team capable of making a jump in 2027 and beyond.

20) Nationals (76-84): C

The Nats were never serious playoff contenders (their MLB-record 42 blown saves made sure of that). But they have identified a core of young talent to build around. Whether they will spend to add the necessary pieces around them, however, remains to be seen.

21) Mets (73-87): D-

The Mets can only hope this train wreck of a year serves as some sort of cleanse as they look to retool their roster this winter. The only thing that saved this from being an F was their second-half performance under another interim-now-turned-permanent manager in Andy Green.

22) Twins (76-84): C

For some reason, the Twins were intent on being playoff contenders this year. For a while, they hung around in a bad AL wild-card race. But in the end, they’ve wound up back where they started: With an OK, but not-at-all contending, roster that leaves them stuck in MLB’s no-man’s land. 

23) Tigers (75-85): D

How much will the Tigers rue their decision to not maximize Tarik Skubal’s trade value by dealing him last winter? It could depend, first and foremost, on River Ryan’s development in their rotation. At the least, he offered signs of promise with a scoreless three-inning debut with the team this week.

24) Reds (74-86): D

Whatever momentum the Reds thought they were building after last year’s postseason berth vanished this summer, despite Elly De La Cruz cementing himself as one of the best players in baseball. The next time their owner asks why they aren’t the Brewers, someone should hold up a mirror.

25) Mariners (74-86): F

At the beginning of the year, only the Dodgers had a higher probability of making the playoffs (according to FanGraphs’ computer models) than the Mariners’ 80.9% mark. Instead, they suffered what might be the most disappointing season in their long-tortured history. They could be good again next year. But this season was a reminder that’s anything but a guarantee.

26) Royals (68-92): D

Another disastrous Royals season leaves them facing an existential crisis, trying to figure out how to return to competitiveness before they waste the prime of Bobby Witt Jr.’s career.

27) Giants (65-95): F

The Giants thought they could be contenders this year. Instead, they now find themselves at a crossroads. They have little choice but to run it back with their thus-far disappointing core of Willy Adames, Matt Chapman and Rafael Devers (plus Logan Webb). But this year, they looked a long way off from even being competitive.

28) Athletics (64-96): D-

There was some thought before the year that the Athletics’ young roster could be feisty. Now, the only question is how much longer they have to waste away in their minor-league ballpark purgatory.

29) Angels (62-98): C

This grade has little to do with the Angels’ on-field product, as they flirt with what would be the first 100-loss season in franchise history, and everything to do with the changes they’ve made behind the scenes. New owner. New front office. And for the first time in a while, new reason for long-term hope.

30) Rockies (57-103): D

The best thing we can say about the Rockies: They proved slightly tougher to beat during this 100-loss season, as opposed to each of the three previous ones they have suffered the last three years. Progress!

Awards Predictions

NL MVP: Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs

AL MVP: Yordan Alvarez, Astros

NL Cy Young: Jacob Misiorowski, Brewers

AL Cy Young: Cam Schlittler, Yankees

NL Rookie of the Year: Sal Stewart, Reds

AL Rookie of the Year: Kevin McGonigle, Tigers

NL Reliever of the Year: Mason Miller, Padres

AL Reliever of the Year: Louis Varland, Blue Jays