You're assuming everyone thinks Ace and Sabo are on a level between commanders and Emperors. Subjective power scaling that differ greatly from person to person isn't an argument.
Ace and Sabo were near equals. Ace is Roger's son and was the 2nd division Commander. That's comparable to YC2 level pretimeskip with a faster growth rate than most. Sabo is the Chief of Staff of the Revolutionaries second only to Luffy's dad Dragon.
Based off card game suits ranks, Ace would be above the Calamities King, Queen, and Jack.
It is subjective but the likelihood of Luffy's older brothers being on that level are high.
Do you think Oda powerscales the Strawhats? I imagine it's inevitable to a certain degree. So if Yamato is on that level, then Oda will answer how it works in the crew but I don't see how.
By the way, I see Yamato more around Jinbe's level as I think Yamato is overhyped while Jinbe seems to be getting underhyped.
Power level here is irrelevant.
Oda can throw fucking level character to the SHs if he wants to. But the problem is the background and how to make it with sense.
Yamato's power level is irrelevant. She will never be stronger than Zoro and Luffy.
She's only a threat to that blonde cuck.
Oda could add whoever but he won't. Because it has to make sense to him as you stated. There is a method to his storytelling.
So power level is relevant if Yamato will never be stronger than Luffy or Zoro. Otherwise hypothetically Yamato could be stronger than both, no?
It seems many Yamato believers are Sanji haters. Zoro and Sanji are near equals. If someone can defeat Sanji, in all likelihood they can defeat Zoro too.
Refer to Jinbe's situation... Pseudo-nerfing exists and that "Wings must always be more powerful than the rest except Luffy" school of thinking only matters with powerscalers...
Below Zoro which won't matter as Sanji will always "protect" Yamato being a female, because of pseudo-nerfing...
Jinbe I'm assuming didn't go through rigorous training for ~2 years to allow the Monster Trio to be set up to surpass him while the rest of the crew to became respectable. Notice how Jinbe didn't get to truly join until Zoro received Enma and Sanji had Stealth Black which later modified his body. Oda established the path for both to jump above Jinbe.
"Nerfing" an established character in Jinbe is not the same as "nerfing" Yamato who is still in their introductory arc.
It's a weird dynamic to have a crewmate be between Zoro and Sanji in powerscaling because of their rivalry. It's even weirder for Sanji to "protect" Yamato if Yamato is a more capable fighter. And you think Oda will nerf Yamato who has only been in 1 arc? How?
I doubt that type of drama in the series and real life perception is what Oda envisioned. But I guess Sanji can call Yamato now instead of Robin if Sanji happens to be matched up against a female.