MLB power rankings: Rampaging Cubs finally look like NL Central bullies

The National League Central has been baseball's best division, a fact that seems straight out of the upside down. The Chicago Cubs have been the division's bully, a development that seems long overdue.

The Cubs have been on an early-season rampage, winning 14 of their last 17 games, dominating their Wrigley Field stomping grounds and soaring to No. 4 in USA TODAY Sports' power rankings.

At 22-12, the Cubs have the second-best record in the NL, yet they're just two games ahead of the 20-14 Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals. All five Central clubs are at least three games over .500, on the strength of a combined 44-28 record in interleague play.

And the Cubs improved to 14-5 at Wrigley by sweeping a decent Arizona Diamondbacks team, capped by a wind-swept 8-4 victory in which rookie Moisés Ballesteros hit a go-ahead homer. Next up: A four-game Wrigley showdown against the Reds.

A look at our updated rankings:

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (-)

• Blake Snell nearing return, creating a 17-man rotation (estimated).

2. Atlanta Braves (+1)

• Ronald Acuña Jr.'s hamstring injury might slow the joyride a bit.

3. New York Yankees (-1)

• José Caballero's 1.3 WAR in 34 games nearly equals Anthony Volpe's 1.6 WAR in 153 games last year.

4. Chicago Cubs (+1)

• Don't forget Moisés Ballesteros (six homers, .978 OPS) in the outstanding rookies conversation.

5. San Diego Padres (-1)

• Remember how good Griffin Canning was for the Mets last year? He struck out seven in five innings of his Padres debut.

6. Tampa Bay Rays (+3)

• On a 16-5 heater and have swept four teams, tops in the majors.

7. Cincinnati Reds (-1)

• Got swept in Pittsburgh and it couldn't be much uglier.

8. Pittsburgh Pirates (-1)

• Konnor Griffin's feet on the ground with .262 average, .723 OPS.

9. Detroit Tigers (-)

• Zack Short always finds his way back to Detroit.

10. Milwaukee Brewers (+1)

• Andrew Vaughn is back, but Jackson Chourio possibly delayed after fouling ball off foot in rehab game.

11. Cleveland Guardians (+1)

• That's 300 steals, 291 homers for the remarkable José Ramírez.

12. Toronto Blue Jays (+4)

• Looks like they're back-back.

13. Arizona Diamondbacks (-3)

• Geraldo Perdomo calls 2-6 road trip "bad, really bad."

14. Texas Rangers (+1)

• Rookies Peyton Grey and Gavin Collyer combine for 13 ⅓ scoreless innings so far.

15. Athletics (+4)

• They depart Yolo County atop the AL West as six-game Eastern swing looms.

16. St. Louis Cardinals (+3)

• Jordan Walker's 10 homers nearly equal his 11 from 2024, 2025 combined.

17. Seattle Mariners (-4)

• Cal Raleigh's side issue has him flirting with IL.

18. Miami Marlins (-4)

• Old friend Don Mattingly takes a series off them for his Phillies.

19. Philadelphia Phillies (+3)

• Bryson Stott had zero homers, four RBI in 22 games under Rob Tomson, and two and seven in six games with Don Mattingly.

20. Baltimore Orioles (-2)

• Getting blasted in the Bronx likely an accurate barometer of their season.

21. Washington Nationals (+5)

• Go figure: 12-7 on the road, 4-12 at home.

22. New York Mets (-5)

• Always wise to issue a vote of confidence before a series with the Angels.

23. Kansas City Royals (+5)

• Aimless season gains direction with sweep at Seattle.

24. Minnesota Twins (-)

• Joe Ryan's elbow soreness hopefully not a harbinger for disaster.

25. Houston Astros (+2)

• They climb over the desiccated Red Sox and into 13th place in the AL.

26. Chicago White Sox (+4)

• Noah Schultz struck out eight in six innings, remains very tall.

27. Boston Red Sox (-4)

• Ranger Suarez's right hamstring soreness the latest woe.

28. San Francisco Giants (-3)

• Willy Adames in your garden-variety 5-for-55 hole, though he did break a 54-at-bat streak without an extra-base hit.

29. Los Angeles Angels (-8)

• In a 2-12 freefall and have scored two or fewer runs in eight of their last 14.

30. Colorado Rockies (-1)

• This Troy Johnston thing looking for real: .321/.385/.453 in 31 games.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB power rankings: Chicago Cubs rampaging into NL Central bully