Tampa Bay Rays Continue Rise in MLB Power Rankings After Strong First Half

The Tampa Bay Rays had a great first half of the 2026 MLB Season. The team faced some adversity and random slumps to begin the summer, but still holds the best record in the American League at 56-38 and holds a 3-game lead over the New York Yankees for the AL East division lead. 

As we close the first half of the season, the Rays find themselves among the top 5 teams in baseball.

This week, Bleacher Report dropped its latest power rankings, and the Rays moved up for the third straight week. After cracking the top 5 last week, Tampa Bay moved up another spot to 4th in the latest poll. B/R writer Joel Reuter gave the Rays resurgence inside the pitching rotation a ton of the credit. 

“When the Rays traded for Griffin Jax last summer, do you think they had any idea that a set-up man would become an integral piece of their starting rotation? Since the reliever-to-starter conversion began in late April, Jax has made 14 starts with a 2.80 ERA, including going at least five innings in each of his last seven appearances. He struck out 10 Yankees on Monday before getting the win against the Mariners on Saturday.” 

Jax has been incredible since coming over from Minnesota last season. Him getting a chance to get his career back under control after a change of scenery has been nothing but refreshing to watch. He and Ian Seymour have done such a fantastic job taking the change from reliever turned starter to help make the Rays one of the strongest pitching staffs in the league today. 

The best part about it, however, remains their versatility. If Eric Neander and the Rays front office decide to add more rotational depth at the MLB Trade Deadline, moving one of them back to the bullpen as a long reliever should be an easy transition. 

Will Leitch of MLB.com continues to have a more positive view on the Rays, listing them 3rd for the second straight week. “The Rays went from three games behind the Yankees in the AL East to leading the division by three at the break over a span of less than three weeks. Now they need to make sure they stay there. If they can do so -- winning their first AL East title since 2021 and their fifth ever -- they will likely have home-field advantage in the AL postseason.”

Following the All-Star Break, the Rays will have a chance to create a large gap inside their division lead as they begin the second half on an 8-game AL East road trip. If they can win at least 6 of those games, some teams inside the division might change into sellers at the deadline.