The New York Yankees are leading the American League East by three games with only 12 games left to play. Each day, their chances of finishing at the top of the division seem more promising.

Despite not fully capitalizing on the struggles of the teams behind them, the Yankees have managed to maintain a cushion in the AL East standings, largely due to Aaron Judge’s contributions.

Judge recently snapped a 16-game homerless stretch with a decisive grand slam on Friday, followed by hitting another home run on Sunday, helping secure a series win over the Boston Red Sox. These victories helped the Yankees maintain their lead over the faltering Baltimore Orioles and propelled them to the second spot in YSL News Sports’ power rankings.

Here’s a summary of the updated rankings:

1. Philadelphia Phillies (+1)

• The magic number to clinch the NL East is down to six.

2. New York Yankees (+1)

• Aaron Judge reaches a career-high 133 RBIs, with his 53rd home run contributing to the total.

3. Los Angeles Dodgers (-2)

• Tyler Glasnow’s season is officially over; the playoffs will present challenges ahead.

4. Milwaukee Brewers (-)

• With at least 86 wins in the last seven full seasons, they earn respect.

5. Cleveland Guardians (+1)

• Cade Smith leads relievers with a 2.4 WAR, a performance matched only by Mason Miller.

6. San Diego Padres (+1)

• For the first time since 2010, they are now 20 games above .500.

7. Baltimore Orioles (-2)

• They’ve only managed to score 21 runs over their last 10 games, resulting in a three-game gap in the East standings.

8. Arizona Diamondbacks (-)

• Their top pitcher recently went to the IL with shoulder issues.

9. Kansas City Royals (+2)

• They’ve clinched their first winning season since 2015. What a memorable year that was!

10. Atlanta Braves (-)

• Chris Sale is a strong contender for the NL pitching triple crown.

11. Houston Astros (-2)

• Jason Heyward boasts an .859 OPS over his first 14 games with the Astros.

12. New York Mets (-)

• Positive spirits have been dampened by Francisco Lindor needing an MRI on his back.

13. Minnesota Twins (-)

• They need to keep an eye on the Tigers; their standing is under pressure.

14. Detroit Tigers (-)

• One more win will match last season’s total.

15. Chicago Cubs (-1)

• Michael Busch hit four homers during a recent road trip.

16. Seattle Mariners (-)

• Randy Arozarena achieves his fourth consecutive 20-20 season.

17. Boston Red Sox (-)

• They have lost four of their last six season series against the Yankees.

18. St. Louis Cardinals (-)

• Getting swept in Toronto never leaves a positive impression.

19. Cincinnati Reds (+3)

• Elly De La Cruz becomes part of history, logging the 14th 200-strikeout season in MLB history.

20. Tampa Bay Rays (-)

• A 4-6 record on their recent road trip through Baltimore, Philly, and Cleveland isn’t bad at all.

21. San Francisco Giants (-2)

• Heliot Ramos makes headlines with his first opposite-field splash hit.

22. Toronto Blue Jays (+1)

• Bowden Francis feels the sting again after nearly throwing a no-hitter.

23. Pittsburgh Pirates (+1)

• Billy Cook, once an afterthought during the trade deadline, is now making a significant impact in the outfield.

24. Texas Rangers (-3)

• They have faced one-hit games three times this season.

25. Washington Nationals (-)

• James Wood has his first game with two home runs, hitting impressive shots of 435 and 426 feet.

26. Oakland Athletics (-)

• They have officially avoided losing 100 games this season.

27. Los Angeles Angels (-)

• Reliever Ben Joyce has been shut down for the remainder of the season due to shoulder inflammation.

28. Colorado Rockies (+1)

• Antonio Senzatela returns to the mound for his first start since May 2023 on Monday.

29. Miami Marlins (-1)

• Injured ace Sandy Alcantara might soon return to face live batters – a silver lining in a tough season.

30. Chicago White Sox

• This weekend in San Diego could see them surpassing the 120-loss mark.