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MLS Power Rankings: Suárez boosts Inter Miami, LAFC fall off

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MLS Power Rankings: Suárez boosts Inter Miami, LAFC fall off


It’s Monday, another week of MLS action is in the books, which means it’s time for ESPN’s Power Rankings.

– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

Our Power Rankings are derived from a combination of key season statistics (points per game, goal differential, expected goal (xG) differential), recent performance, the Opta computer ratings, and the observations of our writers.

So, who’s climbing the table? Who’s in free fall? We’ve ranked all 29 clubs in the league after Matchday 4. Let’s dive in.

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Previous ranking: 1

The Crew were free flowing, gorgeous every time they went forward and Cucho Hernández was cooking. Basically, it was a pretty normal game for Columbus as they made the vaunted RBNY press look pedestrian en route to a 3-0 win.

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Previous ranking: 2

It’s easy to say that Inter is Team Lionel Messi, and when the greatest player of all time is on the pitch Miami will rightly be Messi-centric, but they fared pretty well without him in the second half of last season. Their first match without their maestro this season went well too, as Luis Suárez scored twice to win 3-1, in D.C. There’s more to this team than Messi, still.

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Previous ranking: 4

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Cincy didn’t look so hot in the first half, but they got Lucho Acosta on at halftime and suddenly, they were well on their way to a 2-1 win in New England. Shockingly, playing the MVP makes a big difference.

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Previous ranking: 4

Everyone knows Giorgos Giakoumakis is a heck of a goal scorer, but he flashed his creativity with a great pass to set up Saba Lobjanidze’s goal as Atlanta rolled to a 2-0 win over Orlando.

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Previous ranking: 9

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RSL’s bye week was well-timed as the Utah Royals got the local spotlight in their return to NWSL.

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Previous ranking: 5

RBNY’s typically excellent press was ripped apart by the Crew in a 3-0 loss. The Red Bulls have looked good this season, but there’s still a gap between them and the league’s top teams.

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Previous ranking: 7

There’s nothing more reliable than Dániel Gazdag from the penalty spot. He’s converted every spot kick he’s taken for the Union, but his latest wasn’t enough to deliver victory as Philly had to settle for a 2-2 draw in Austin.

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Minnesota United logo

Previous ranking: 15

Eric Ramsey made a good first impression in Minnesota with a 2-0 win over LAFC. It’s too early to get a read on the Loons’ new boss, but he has so much talent at his disposal and Emanuel Reynoso made his return from injury over the weekend. With him in the fold, Minnesota has every reason to believe the MLS Cup could head north.

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Minnesota United take down LAFC 2-0 at home

Minnesota United take down LAFC 2-0 at home

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Previous ranking: 8

Joseph Paintsil has only played four MLS matches, but he’s already making his case as one of the best players in the league. If the rest of the Galaxy could give him a little more help, they wouldn’t be settling for a 3-3 draw against St. Louis when they should have eased to victory.

CF Montreal logo

Previous ranking: 12

Laurent Courtois will spend a lot of time in the video room figuring out how to tighten up the CFM defense, but there’s nothing anyone could have done about the Fire’s windswept 99th-minute winner that beat Montréal 4-3.

Houston Dynamo logo

Previous ranking: 13

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The Dynamo have needed to get more from their midfield and Ján Greguš delivered that in a 1-0 win over Portland. He was outstanding and Houston finally have their first win of the campaign.

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Previous ranking: 11

SKC’s winner against San Jose came on a one-touch finish of a 17-pass move that was absolutely gorgeous. The rest of the match was a little more uneven and they were a little lucky to have taken full points, but that goal was so good that it deserved to decide the 2-1 result.

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Previous ranking: 6

Life without Carlos Vela has not been smooth as the Black and Gold continue to struggle in the final third. It doomed them in a 2-0 loss to Minnesota and they now have a mere two goals through four matches. LAFC really need to fill in at least one of their two unfilled Designated Player slots.

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Previous ranking: 23

We saw the best of the Whitecaps in Dallas, where Vancouver got vertical runners into space all match and cruised to a 3-1 win.

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Previous ranking: 16

We know that if Nashville can get a lead they are a menace to play against, but it was encouraging to see them prove that true even without the injured Walker Zimmerman in a 2-1 win over Charlotte.

Seattle Sounders logo

Previous ranking: 10

The Sounders looked well on their way to victory until Joshua Atencio was shown a red card and everything came crashing down. They held on for a 1-1 draw with Colorado, but Seattle remain plagued by injuries and self-inflicted wounds.

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Previous ranking: 14

Miami’s visit to D.C. could have been a day of celebration for United. Instead, fans were upset that the club jacked up ticket prices for the game, Lionel Messi was hurt and didn’t even play, they lost to Inter, 3-1, anyway and multiple supporter groups were quiet as part of their ongoing protest of the team going to Saudi Arabia for preseason. Talk about a miserable day in the capital.

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Previous ranking: 17

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Charlotte struggled to create much in a 2-1 loss to Nashville that served as a reminder that Dean Smith can continue to get things moving in the right direction, but they still need to upgrade their top-end talent.

Orlando City logo

Previous ranking: 19

The Lions are still winless after a 2-0 loss in Atlanta and they’ll be hoping that going out of the Concacaf Champions Cup is just what they need to find their footing in the league.

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Previous ranking: 18

Dallas are losers of three in a row after falling to Vancouver, 3-1, and they’ve now conceded first in all four matches this season.

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St. Louis City SC logo

Previous ranking: 22

It’s rare that your goalkeeper steals the spotlight in a 3-3 draw, but that’s exactly what happened as Roman Bürki shone brightly in LA.

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Previous ranking: 20

It’s a shame that Juan Mosquera and Maxime Crépeau had a communication error on the lone goal of Portland’s 1-0 loss in Houston because the struggling Timbers defense was otherwise excellent.

Chicago Fire logo

Previous ranking: 26

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Is Kellyn Acosta the god of wind? It sure looked like it with the way he summoned a hellacious gust to score in the 99th minute to beat Montreal, 4-3.

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Chicago Fire wins in unbelievable fashion vs. CF Montreal

Kellyn Acosta’s wind-assisted effort from inside his own half gives Chicago Fire a crazy 4-3 victory over CF Montreal in MLS.

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Previous ranking: 21

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John Herdman suffered his first setback as TFC boss and it was a bizarre one, falling to a 10-man NYCFC team that hadn’t taken a point all season.

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Previous ranking: 25

The Rapids put a lot of eggs in the Djordje Mihailović basket and he got off to a slow start. He looked a little better in Seattle though, even if he had a penalty saved, and Colorado managed a 1-1 draw against a 10-man Sounders.

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Previous ranking: 27

The Pigeons had a memorable first win of the season, coming back from a goal down and holding on for a 2-1 win over TFC despite playing the last 22 minutes with 10 men.

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Previous ranking: 24

The Revs fell to Cincy, 2-1, to make it four losses from four games in the league. The international window will give them a much-needed break after eight matches in 26 days to start the season.

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Previous ranking: 28

Austin played Philly to a 2-2 stalemate for their third straight draw. While they’re going to have to turn some of them into wins at some point, they have to be happy to be earning results right now after how last season went.

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Previous ranking: 29

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The Quakes played alright in Kansas City, but that isn’t going to make anyone feel better after losing 2-1 for their fourth loss in as many matches this season. Luchi Gonzalez may be the first MLS manager on the hot seat this season.



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Miami, FL

Cain, Kushner launch South Florida JV with plans for Edgewater rental tower  

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Cain, Kushner launch South Florida JV with plans for Edgewater rental tower  


Cain and Kushner are launching a South Florida real estate joint venture, planning a luxury apartment tower in Edgewater for their first project, The Real Deal has learned. 

London-based Cain, led by Jonathan Goldstein, and New York-based Kushner, led by Laurent Morali and Nicole Kushner Meyer, plan a 40-story, 364-unit project on Cain’s 1.5-acre site at 614 and 720 Northeast 27th Street in Miami, according to a news release. The property is near the Missoni Baia condo tower that Cain co-developed with Vlad Doronin’s OKO Group.  

BDT & MSD Partners provided a $42 million loan for the project, which is in the pre-development phase. Construction is expected to start late next year, the release says. 

The Cain-Kushner JV is targeting residential and mixed-use investments and developments in the tri-county region. 

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“We are looking at all opportunities that we think are sensible,” Goldstein said. 

Their South Florida JV comes as the region is experiencing another influx of out-of-staters after the pandemic-era boom, only this time the in-migration is primarily of wealthy individuals and their companies amid the blue-to-red-state migration. 

Yet, Cain and Kushner’s plans for Edgewater apartments come as the multifamily market has softened due to hefty deliveries in recent years. A record 18,600 units were completed in 2024, outpacing leasing that year by about 20 percent, CoStar Group data shows. Although construction starts have slowed, last year’s 12,718 unit completions still surpassed total leasing for the year by about 1,000 apartments.

It has led to slower lease-ups, more concessions and a drop in the average asking rents across South Florida. 

Developers starting projects now have said demand will catch up by the time they finish their buildings, with many adding that South Florida remains a strong apartment market. Many are betting on luxury rentals, which CoStar’s data showed made up the bulk of leasing in recent years. 

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“We are big believers in South Florida and big believers in Miami,” Goldstein said. 

Cain, backed by Todd Boehly’s Eldridge Industries, has been investing in South Florida for nearly a decade, with the JV in some ways marking its second chapter in the region. 

Cain’s most recent project is the Delano Miami Beach renovation. The hotel, which closed in 2020, is expected to reopen in time for the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix early next month. 

Aside from the Missoni Baia condo tower, Cain also partnered with OKO on the Una Residences condo tower in Brickell and the 57-story 830 Brickell office tower. The office building was completed in 2024 fully pre-leased, catching a demand surge during the pandemic-era in-migration of out-of-state companies to Miami. Cain also is an investor in Doronin’s hospitality firm Aman Group.

Kushner has a presence in Miami’s Edgewater, completing the 37-story, 420-unit apartment tower at 2000 Biscayne Boulevard in 2024, with plans for more residential development next-door at 1900 Biscayne Boulevard. It also purchased the 276-unit Hamilton apartment building at 555 Northeast 34th Street from Aimco. 

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Elsewhere, Kushner plans a 932-unit multifamily development at 300 West Broward Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. It borrowed a $115 million construction loan last year for a luxury 68-unit apartment project in Surfside. And it scored approval in October for a 470-unit rental building and synagogue development near Hollywood’s Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

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Cain scores $4B financing for One Beverly Hills megaproject

Newgard Development Group's Harvey Hernandez, Kushner’s Laurent Morali and Nicole Kushner Meyer with rendering of Natiivo Fort Lauderdale

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Natiivo Fort Lauderdale site heads to auction after $26M foreclosure judgment

Cain's Jonathan Goldstein with Delano Miami Beach and 830 Brickell

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Cain’s Jonathan Goldstein on his next Miami project, the branded condo bandwagon and Brickell’s office market





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May a steadying presence as Cards hold off Marlins in Miami

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May a steadying presence as Cards hold off Marlins in Miami


MIAMI — Dustin May attacked the strike zone and got ahead in counts, allowing his arsenal to play at its best in the Cardinals’ 5-3 win over the Marlins at loanDepot park on Tuesday.
The right-hander consistently set the tone early, either landing a first-pitch strike or inducing a foul



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Ranking the Miami Heat’s Top Trade Targets

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Ranking the Miami Heat’s Top Trade Targets


The Miami Heat are heading into another crucial offseason, and they MUST make changes. This team has been mediocre for the past few seasons and has been stuck in the Play-in Tournament. The Heat can’t currently compete with the way the roster is constructed. They need to trade for a star who can lead this team, and if a star becomes available, Miami will be involved. The real question is which direction actually makes the most sense. 

The Heat could go after three potential targets this summer: Giannis Antetokounmpo,  Kawhi Leonard, and Donovan Mitchell. Who should Miami target? Let’s stack rank them based on fit, risk, and potential. 

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo: The Only Move That Changes Everything

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Apr 10, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo enjoys a moment during warmups prior to the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

The Miami Heat need to go all-in for Giannis. This is a trade that would completely reshape the franchise. Giannnis could potentially turn the Heat into a contender overnight. Even with his recent injury cutting his season short, nothing about his overall impact has changed. He still bends defenses in a way very few players can. Teams build entire game plans around simply trying to slow him down, and most of the time, it doesn’t work.

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The Miami Heat have desperately needed a true superstar who can take over games late in crunch time. The Heat have been relying on undrafted players and role players to create and execute their offense. Giannis flips that instantly by creating advantages on his own, possession after possession.

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I think the most interesting part will be pairing Giannis with Bam Adebayo. They would automatically become the best defensive frontcourt duo in the NBA. Giannis and Bam could both guard 1-5, and their switchability and rim protection would be elite. Offensively, Bam’s versatility allows Giannis to stay aggressive without needing to adjust his game too much.

The risk is obvious. Injuries have started to creep into the conversation, and committing everything to one player always carries weight. Still, Miami has never been a franchise that plays it safe. If Giannis is available, the conversation starts and ends there.

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2. Donovan Mitchell: The Cleanest Basketball Fit

Apr 20, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) reacts after a made basket during the second half during game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Toronto Raptors at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images | David Dermer-Imagn Images

If Giannis is the bold swing, Mitchell is the move that makes the most basketball sense from top to bottom. At this stage of his career, Donovan Mitchell knows exactly who he is as a player. He can control tempo, create offense in isolation, and take over stretches of games when things stall out and that is something Miami has struggled with consistently.

This is less about transforming the roster and more about fixing a specific problem. The Heat have lacked a reliable perimeter engine. Mitchell fills that gap immediately. What makes him especially appealing is how easily he fits into different lineups. He doesn’t need the ball every possession to be effective, but he can handle that role when needed. That flexibility matters on a team that values structure as much as Miami does.

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There’s also a timeline advantage here. Mitchell is younger than the other options and doesn’t come with the same long-term durability concerns. He gives Miami a clearer runway to build around, rather than a shorter window that demands immediate results. He may not bring the same overwhelming presence as Giannis, but he raises the overall level of the team in a way that feels sustainable.

3. Kawhi Leonard:  Elite Talent With Too Many Variables

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Apr 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski (2) is fouled by Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) in the second half during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

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When Kawhi Leonard is available and healthy, he’s still one of the most controlled and efficient players in the league. His season with the Los Angeles Clippers was a reminder of that. Playing 65 games was a big step, and when he was on the floor, he looked like himself, methodical, physical, and impossible to speed up. From a pure basketball standpoint, he fits Miami’s identity. He defends, doesn’t force offense, and thrives in structured environments.

The hesitation comes from everything outside of that. Kawhi’s availability has been unpredictable for years, and even in seasons where he plays a high number of games, there’s always uncertainty about how things will hold up deep into a playoff run. Age adds another layer. Miami wouldn’t just be trading for a player; they’d be betting on a timeline that may already be shrinking. There’s no denying the upside. A healthy Kawhi still moves the needle in a big way. It’s just harder to justify that gamble compared to the other two options.

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Final Take

Each path offers something different. Giannis is the all-in swing that could put Miami back in the championship conversation overnight. Mitchell is the calculated move that stabilizes the offense and fits long-term. Kawhi is the wildcard, still elite, but with more uncertainty than the Heat can comfortably ignore.

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If Miami is serious about breaking out of the middle, they need to pick a direction and commit fully. Giannis is the dream,  Mitchell is the smartest bet, and Kawhi is the toughest sell.

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