After five weeks out of the top spot, the two‑time defending champions reclaimed #1 in ESPN’s Week 12 MLB Power Rankings. The Los Angeles Dodgers improved to 48‑27, ending the Atlanta Braves five‑week run that began in Week 7. No other top‑five shifts occurred, while the White Sox rose to No. 8 after sweeping Atlanta and splitting with LA.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto flirted with a perfect game against Chicago, losing it when Mookie Betts mis‑fielded a grounder with two outs in the eighth and Tristan Peters homered to end the no‑hit bid in the ninth. Betts’ slash line now hovers around .200/.300, sparking debate over his declining walk rate despite elite plate discipline.

With the Dodgers back on top, the NL race tightens as Atlanta scrambles to replace injured Spencer Strider and stabilize a bullpen now shouldering starter workloads. Chicago’s surge into the top ten signals a potential wild‑card push, but the power rankings underscore that only two clubs have touched the summit so far.

Meanwhile, Milwaukee’s 45‑26 record sits third, buoyed by Jackson Chourio’s return and a .448 clip over six games. The Yankees’ shortstop tandem of Jose Caballero and Anthony Volpe lifted their fWAR to 1.5, climbing to 11th in the league. These sub‑top‑five moves illustrate depth battles that could reshape playoff seeding.