Two of MLB’s hottest teams are the Boston Red Sox and Milwaukee Brewers, who’ve won 10 and seven straight games, respectively. That puts the Red Sox just three games out of first place in the AL East, which could realistically send four teams to the playoffs. The Brewers built some breathing room ahead of the Cardinals and sit just one game behind the Cubs, who own MLB’s best run differential (+119) after a series win over the Yankees.

The Dodgers lost seven straight games to the Astros, Brewers and Giants, but bounced back with a pair of wins in San Francisco just before the break. Their 5.5-game lead in the NL West over the Padres is second-largest in MLB, behind the Tigers, who should cruise to an AL Central division title with an 11.5-game lead over the up-and-down Twins.

The Astros hold a five-game lead in the AL West, but a 1-5 stretch against the Guardians and Rangers going into the All-Star break allows the Mariners –– who swept the Tigers in Detroit –– to still believe they have a shot at the division title.

With post-All-Star break action resuming on Friday, there are several matchups between playoff contenders to watch: Red Sox at Cubs, Giants at Blue Jays, Astros at Mariners, and Brewers at Dodgers, to name a few.

Here are the Fastball On SI MLB power rankings for July 17.

(This poll takes into account votes from four Fastball On SI MLB writers: Brady Farkas, Jack Ankony, Teren Kowatsch and Sam Connon. First-place votes are worth 30 points, and last-place votes are worth one point. Ties broken by highest vote or votes, followed by overall win percentage, then head-to-head record. Total points and first-place votes in parentheses.)

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (120) (4)
2. Chicago Cubs (112)
3. Detroit Tigers (112)
4. Houston Astros (107)
5. Toronto Blue Jays (101)
6. Philadelphia Phillies (101)
7. New York Mets (96)
8. Milwaukee Brewers (95)
9. New York Yankees (89)
10. Boston Red Sox (81)
11. San Diego Padres (80)
12. Seattle Mariners (77)
13. San Francisco Giants (75)
14. Tampa Bay Rays (68)
15. St. Louis Cardinals (66)
16. Cincinnati Reds (59)
17. Minnesota Twins (53)
18. Texas Rangers (51)
19. Kansas City Royals (45)
20. Los Angeles Angels (43)
21. Arizona Diamondbacks (43)
22. Cleveland Guardians (42)
23. Miami Marlins (29)
24. Baltimore Orioles (29)
25. Atlanta Braves (26)
26. The Athletics (20)
27. Pittsburgh Pirates (16)
28. Washington Nationals (12)
29. Chicago White Sox (8)
30. Colorado Rockies (4)

Chicago Cubs outfielders Ian Happ (left), Pete Crow-Armstrong (center) and Kyle Tucker (right) celebrate after defeating the Colorado Rockies at Wrigley Field. / Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

Here’s how each writer voted.

Jack Ankony

1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. Chicago Cubs
3. Detroit Tigers
4. Milwaukee Brewers
5. Houston Astros
6. Philadelphia Phillies
7. New York Mets
8. Toronto Blue Jays
9. New York Yankees
10. Boston Red Sox
11. San Francisco Giants
12. Seattle Mariners
13. San Diego Padres
14. Tampa Bay Rays
15. St. Louis Cardinals
16. Texas Rangers
17. Cincinnati Reds
18. Minnesota Twins
19. Los Angeles Angels
20. Cleveland Guardians
21. Kansas City Royals
22. Arizona Diamondbacks
23. Miami Marlins
24. Baltimore Orioles
25. Atlanta Braves
26. The Athletics
27. Pittsburgh Pirates
28. Washington Nationals
29. Chicago White Sox
30. Colorado Rockies

Comments: I spent last week debating between the Tigers and Astros for the No. 1 spot, but they made it easy for me to drop them in this week’s rankings. After an incredible month of June and a 5-1 start to July, the Astros lost five of six home games to the struggling Guardians and Rangers. The Tigers still have the best record in baseball by a game, but they allowed 42 runs during a four-game home losing streak heading into the break.

As a result, it’s the National League’s top two teams at No. 1 and 2 this week, following a Dodgers series win in San Francisco and a Cubs series win at Yankee Stadium. The Brewers made a significant jump this week, from No. 8 to No. 4, after a seven-game win streak against the Marlins, Dodgers and Nationals. Going in the opposite direction are the Rays, who had a great stretch in June but have a 3-9 record in July. They were most recently swept by the Red Sox, who’ve won 10 straight and hold the second Wild Card spot.

Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Jackson Chourio (11) celebrates a three-run home run against the Washington Nationals at American Family Field. / Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Brady Farkas

1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. Houston Astros
3. Chicago Cubs
4. Detroit Tigers
5. Philadelphia Phillies
6. New York Mets
7. Milwaukee Brewers
8. Toronto Blue Jays
9. San Diego Padres
10. New York Yankees
11. San Francisco Giants
12. Seattle Mariners
13. St. Louis Cardinals
14. Boston Red Sox
15. Tampa Bay Rays
16. Cincinnati Reds
17. Minnesota Twins
18. Arizona Diamondbacks
19. Kansas City Royals
20. Texas Rangers
21. Cleveland Guardians
22. Los Angeles Angels
23. Baltimore Orioles
24. Atlanta Braves
25. Miami Marlins
26. The Athletics
27. Pittsburgh Pirates
28. Washington Nationals
29. Chicago White Sox
30. Colorado Rockies

Comments: Bit of a change at the top as the Tigers dropped three straight to Seattle to close the first half. The pitching is a concern for them beyond Skubal. The Yankees continue to fall and you have to wonder how the pitching injuries will catch up to them, and just note – the Guardians have the easiest remaining schedule in the second half. Might they be able to mount a little run?

Teren Kowatsch

1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. Detroit Tigers
3. Toronto Blue Jays
4. Houston Astros
5. Chicago Cubs
6. New York Yankees
7. Philadelphia Phillies
8. New York Mets
9. Milwaukee Brewers
10. San Diego Padres
11. Boston Red Sox
12. Seattle Mariners
13. Tampa Bay Rays
14. San Francisco Giants
15. St. Louis Cardinals
16. Cincinnati Reds
17. Texas Rangers
18. Los Angeles Angels
19. Minnesota Twins
20. Arizona Diamondbacks
21. Kansas City Royals
22. Cleveland Guardians
23. Miami Marlins
24. Atlanta Braves
25. Baltimore Orioles
26. The Athletics
27. Pittsburgh Pirates
28. Washington Nationals
29. Chicago White Sox
30. Colorado Rockies

Comments: The final week before the All-Star Break was one best defined in one word: “chaos.” The New York Yankees were unseated atop the American League East by the Toronto Blue Jays, the Boston Red Sox took the Tampa Bay Rays’ Wild Card spot, the Seattle Mariners swept the best team in baseball (record-wise), the Detroit Tigers, the AL West-leading Houston Astros dropped a series to the Texas Rangers and the San Francisco Giants were knocked out of playoff standings by the Los Angeles Dodgers. If the first half of the season proved anything, it’s that nothing can be assumed when it comes to the playoffs.

Sam Connon

1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. Chicago Cubs
3. Detroit Tigers
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Philadelphia Phillies
6. Houston Astros
7. New York Mets
8. Boston Red Sox
9. Milwaukee Brewers
10. New York Yankees
11. Seattle Mariners
12. San Diego Padres
13. San Francisco Giants
14. Tampa Bay Rays
15. St. Louis Cardinals
16. Cincinnati Reds
17. Minnesota Twins
18. Kansas City Royals
19. Cleveland Guardians
20. Texas Rangers
21. Arizona Diamondbacks
22. Los Angeles Angels
23. Baltimore Orioles
24. Miami Marlins
25. Atlanta Braves
26. Athletics
27. Pittsburgh Pirates
28. Washington Nationals
29. Chicago White Sox
30. Colorado Rockies

Comments: With the season past its midpoint and the trade deadline approaching, the next few weeks will be critical for borderline teams trying to assert themselves as contenders. The Yankees, for instance, seem like they need a shot in the arm, while the Red Sox may want to add a piece or two to try and double down on their recent hot streak. Showdowns between the Astros and Mariners, Red Sox and Cubs, Brewers and Dodgers and Blue Jays and Giants are the ones to watch coming out of the All-Star break thanks to the high stakes and tight division races