It is hard to have a better week than the Atlanta Braves just had. After winning the final game of their series against the Brewers, the Braves swept the always-scary Dodgers as well as the never-scary Rockies. Perhaps one would have normally preferred to have some more offense, but everything else went according to plan ahead of the final month of the 2026 regular season.
Based on the latest MLB power rankings, it looks like the experts have also taken note of the Braves' seven-game win streak. While they weren't able to supplant Milwaukee for the top spot, Atlanta did move back to second place ahead of the team they just swept, the Dodgers.
Braves move up to second place in MLB power rankings, and that feels about right
Before anyone gets upset that the Braves weren't put in the top spot, that is deeply silly. Not only have the Brewers been on a warpath for most of the 2026 season, but they literally just beat the Braves in a three-game series. Coming in second in all of baseball is not a knock against a team when it comes to power rankings.
MLB.com's experts correctly pointed out that Ronald Acuña Jr. is showing some positive signs lately, and he is also chasing a bit of immortality as he looks for career home run No. 200. It is also unquestionable that the Braves are baseball's hottest team right now, as they have the longest active winning streak at seven games with two teams (Rays and those pesky Phillies) tied for second at four game win streaks.
The Braves did what they needed to do this past week, but now comes the hard part. After a makeup game against the Giants and a two-game road series against the Nationals (who are not pushovers), the Braves get a day off before starting the first of two series in 10 days against the division rival Phillies. If the Braves can get through that stretch with at least a .500 mark or so, they will be in a very strong position heading into a mostly weak schedule to close out the season.
In short, this thing definitely isn't over, but the Braves definitely control their own destiny at the moment, and that is good enough.
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