Spring Check In: How Each MLB Division is Shaping Up So Far
- Caitlyn Wagner
- 16 hours ago
- 10 min read
If you’re a new MLB fan, then there’s one thing you’re starting to realize as the MLB’s 2026 season goes on: baseball is long. At 162 games, the longest season of any pro sports league, it sometimes feels like it goes on forever.
However, the length of the season means that streaks can go on, stats come into play, and, most of all, division races can change drastically as teams go on hot or cold streaks. Let’s take a look at where each division stands as we head into June!
AL East
One of the most competitive divisions in baseball, we all knew we’d be in for a treat watching these teams battle it out. This division consists of the Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, and Toronto Blue Jays. Every team but the Orioles and Rays made the playoffs last year. The Blue Jays won the division, and the Yankees were right on their tail. With historically strong teams like the Yankees and Red Sox, this division is always tight until the end, and there is always turnover in who’s leading it – it’s impossible to predict the final standings.
We can guarantee you that many people didn’t have the Rays leading the division halfway through May on their bingo card, though. The 2025 season was a down season for them: the team finished 77-85, but fell apart towards the end, dropping 10 of their last 15. This was similar to 2024’s result, where they again didn’t qualify for the playoffs and fell below expectations. However, through almost 50 games in 2026, the Rays seem to have figured it out. Of course, we still have over 100 games to go, but so far, whatever they’ve changed seems to be working: they sit at 29-15 and are a game and a half ahead of the Yankees for the division lead. Taking 3 out of the 4 in a recent series versus the Blue Jays helped keep them atop the standings, and they’re 7-3 in their last 10.
But the Rays’ hot start isn’t the only thing of note in the AL East. The Red Sox, who sit at 18-26 and are last in the division, have had a lackluster start that’s allowed other teams like the Rays to shine. They made the Wildcard game last season and went 89-73, but this season it seems like they can’t quite replicate that success. They’re 5-5 through their last 10 games, and sit a whole 11 games behind the Rays. Again, it’s still early in the MLB season, but the Red Sox have got to figure things out, and soon.
As for the Blue Jays and Orioles, it’s just been kind of boring. For a team that made the World Series last season, the Jays can’t seem to get it together. Despite opening the season playing the Athletics, Rockies, and White Sox, it took the Blue Jays until mid-April to win a series (besides their sweep of the Athletics to open the season). After playing the Rays twice within the span of a week, they managed only one extra-innings win in six games versus their division rivals. The Orioles have been much of the same: they had higher expectations going into the season, but have dropped 10 of their last 15. This includes a sweep at the hands of the Yankees at the start of the season, as well as dropping 2 out of three to the Athletics and Nationals.
AL Central
Ah, yes, everyone’s favorite division to hate on… the AL Central. Featuring the Cleveland Guardians, Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, Minnesota Twins, and Kansas City Royals, this division typically sees much turnover, as there isn’t one clear powerhouse team.
So far, the Guardians narrowly hold a 1.5-game lead over the White Sox. This may sound surprising, as traditionally the White Sox have been written off, but this season they’ve been better than expected. Finishing 2025 60-102 (which was somehow better than their historically bad 2024 season), many had written off the White Sox for 2026, too. However, though they started the season with a sweep at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers, they’ve then gone on to win 7 of their last 10 series, a record of 16-12 in that span.
But you can’t write off the other teams in this division, either. Despite having a record of 2-8 in their last 10 games, the Detroit Tigers are now 20-25 and are only a game behind the Twins for third in the division. As another team coming into 2026 with low expectations, they have been pleasantly surprising and have given the other teams in the AL Central a run for their money.
The only real disappointment so far has been the Kansas City Royals. Though they didn’t make the playoffs in 2025, they hovered close to the Wildcard race, and were never really ‘out of it’ like the White Sox. Their 19-27 start to the season is best for last place in the division, and they’ve gone 2-8 in their last 10 and lost 6 in a row. It’s still early, but like the Red Sox, they need to figure it out sooner rather than later.
AL West
The newly relocated Athletics lead this division heading into June. Made up of the Athletics, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, Houston Astros, and Los Angeles Angels, this division has its ups and downs. Some years it’s been very close, and sometimes certain teams run away with the lead.
This year is one of the closest years. The A's are only a game ahead of the Rangers for first place, and the race between second and third is even tighter - only a half-game separates the Rangers and Mariners. Though they are only 19-29, even the Astros are 5 games out of first place, which, in a 162-game season, is a small margin. The Angels, at 16-31, seem to be the only team really lacking in this division. They've lost 8 of their last 10, and within that streak, they got swept by the Dodgers, Guardians, and White Sox. In fact, they have won the fewest games of any team in the MLB, and have the worst record thus far into the season.
One surprise from this division has been the Mariners: Seattle had a dominant run last year, going 90-72 and winning their division. They made it all the way to the ALCS, where they were knocked out in seven games to the Blue Jays - but like their AL East counterparts, they've failed to replicate that success this season. The Rangers are on the opposite end of the spectrum: they just barely missed the playoffs last year and finished a dead-even 81-81, but this season they're playing better baseball and are in the mix for the division. They haven't made the playoffs since they won the World Series in 2023, so fans are eager for their return!
And as for the Angels? Well... Mike Trout is loyal. That's all we'll say.
NL East
There’s something especially cinematic about the NL East, like every series is a chapter, every road trip is a plot twist, and the standings are never as stable as they look. This division is home to the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, Washington Nationals, Miami Marlins, and New York Mets, and even early on, it already feels like we’re watching five very different stories unfold at once. It’s the kind of race where you check the scoreboard like it’s a text back: too often, too emotionally, and with way too much hope.
At the top, the Braves (32–15) are playing like a team that knows exactly who they are. They were the first club in MLB to reach 20 wins, they’ve built a National League-best +98 run differential, and they’ve been equally convincing at home (16–8) and on the road (16–7). Atlanta isn’t just winning, they’re setting the tone, and right now the rest of the division is chasing their pace.
The Phillies (24–23) are the comeback arc you can’t help but root for (and we are rooting for sure!) After a rough start – emphasis on the rough – that led to a managerial change, they’ve finally found their footing – and they’re doing it with momentum. The lineup feels built to wear pitchers down, the pitching keeps them in games even when the bats go quiet, and the overall vibe is confident without being cocky. A four-game win streak and a scorching Bryce Harper have dragged them back above .500 and into solo possession of second place. It’s not perfect yet, but it’s gritty in the best way: the kind of baseball that feels like it’s building toward something.
Right behind them, the Nationals (23–24) have been one of the more surprising teams in the division, hovering right on the edge of .500 and refusing to fade. The funniest part is how much better they’ve looked away from home: they’re 15–10 on the road compared to an 8–14 record at home. If they can bring even a little of that road confidence back to their Nationals Park, they’ll stay in this race longer than people expected.
The Miami Marlins (21–26) had a brief moment earlier in the spring where second place didn’t feel impossible, but they’ve cooled off since then – and the road has been the biggest issue. A 7–14 away record has made it hard to sustain any real climb, even when things look promising at home. For the Marlins, the path forward is simple (and brutal): they have to travel better.
And then there are the Mets (20–26), who have landed on the early-season disappointment list. Their offense has been especially cold, scoring an NL East-low 176 runs, and that’s a tough way to live in a division that punishes every quiet stretch. Still, back-to-back wins have kept them within striking distance of the tier above them – which is the most Mets thing ever: just enough hope to keep you watching.
Still, that’s why we romanticize baseball. Because every night is a new chapter. Because a team can look finished on Tuesday and feel unstoppable by Friday.
NL Central
Like some of the AL divisions, this division is a tight race, but for a completely different reason. Made up of the Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, and Chicago Cubs, this division is one of the most competitive in baseball, and this season is no different.
Currently, the Chicago Cubs lead the division, but the Brewers are right on their heels, with only a game and a half separating the two. In fact, the top three teams (the Cubs, Brewers, and Cardinals) are separated by only a game and a half, with the Brewers and Cardinals having almost identical records.
Even the bottom two teams, you don't want to write off. The last-place team, the Reds, is still above .500 and is only 5 games behind the first-place team. They have the same record as the Pirates – in fact, if they were in the AL West, they would be leading the division!
Speaking to how tough this division is? Last season’s postseason. The Reds were 83-79, but still fell 14 games short of the first-place Brewers, who went 97-65. The Brewers are on pace for another finish like this one: their 26-18 record is 5th best in the entire NL, and they’re 8-2 in their last ten. Having to play a tough team like the Cubs (who are 29-18) so often is certain to make any team look bad, but the Brewers have been one of the most consistent teams in baseball the last few seasons, and so far 2026 is no exception (and they have the best logo, too!)
The baseball season is long, but divisions like this show why that length is important. With only 5 games separating every team, it’s anyone’s ballgame. Of all the divisions, this is by far the most exciting – stay updated, because one game could be the difference maker!
NL West
Made up of the Arizona Diamondbacks, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, Colorado Rockies, and San Diego Padres, we know you’re expecting this: so far into the 2026 season, the Dodgers lead with a 29-18 record – the best in baseball.
You were probably expecting to hear that, even if you don’t know a lot about baseball. And that makes sense, because the Dodgers are back-to-back World Series Champions, and have some of the most prominent names in the sport. It only makes sense that they got off to a hot start: they’ve lost only 6 series this season, and are coming off a sweep of crosstown rivals, the LA Angels, which saw them outscore the Angels 31-3 across 3 games.
But surprisingly, they haven’t run away with the division just yet. The Padres, who are 27-18, are only one game behind the powerhouse Dodgers. As we saw with the NL Central, having multiple tough teams means there is a lot of turnover in the division leader, and because there are so many games in baseball, it may very well be completely different next week.
The Diamondbacks are in a bit of a weird situation, too. They didn’t make the playoffs last season after making it all the way to the World Series in 2023, but despite the disappointment last season, they have started 2026 better than expected. Although they’re in third place, their 22-23 record only has them 6 games back from the Dodgers.
The other thing that’s played out as expected in this division… the Colorado Rockies. (Sorry, Rockies fans.) Going 44-118, they were last in the MLB last season, and finished a whopping 36 games behind the division-leading Dodgers. This season doesn’t seem to be much of a better start, as they’re 18-29 and are already 11 games behind the Dodgers. They do play in a very difficult division, but the rebuilding process is tough, and the Rockies are in the midst of that tough stretch right now. We’ll blame the fact that they play in Coors Field and regularly have to face guys like Shohei Ohtani every few nights. (Colorado natives… our best advice? Focus on your hockey team! The Colorado Avalanche are doing great in the 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Finals!)
The Rest of The Season
If there’s one thing we hope you took from this article, it’s that baseball season is really, really, really long – but it's inevitable. The NL Central, AL East – and pretty much every division –prove that even though there are 162 games in the season, every single one of them matters. Teams have missed the playoffs by one game, snuck past the wild card round because of one season-saving homerun in the bottom of the 10th inning, and everything in between.
So, yes, 162 games are a lot, respectively. But honestly? Let’s be grateful we get to watch our teams for that long – because at the end of the day, despite the ups and downs of an MLB season, extra inning losses, or the division lead switching what feels like a thousand times… how can you not be romantic about baseball?
Edited by Olivia Feldgus
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