Ranking Each MLB Division from Worst to Best

Here is a ranking of each MLB division from weakest to strongest.

Apr 19, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) runs the bases after hitting a two run home run during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The 2026 season is now in full swing. It's still early, but it won't be long before it becomes clear who the best teams are and who may ultimately be sitting this October out. There have been some surprises for sure, as well as some disappointments.

Some division races that were expected to go one way have gone in the complete opposite direction. Below is a ranking of each division from weakest to strongest so far.

Ranking each division from worst to best

Apr 20, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) bumps helmets with first base coach Chris Woodward (84) after reaching first in the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

AL West

The American League West is by far the weakest in Major League Baseball right now. The Athletics lead the division by a half-game, but are just one game over the .500 mark at 12-11, while the Texas Rangers are .500 and right behind them.

And strangely, the Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros are in the bottom two spots right now, respectively. Houston is 9-15 to start the season, yet only 3 1/2 games back of the Athletics. If the postseason began on Tuesday, only the Athletics would qualify.

NL East

The National League East is a little higher on the list simply because the Atlanta Braves have clearly set themselves apart from the rest of the pack. In fact, at 16-7, they have the second best record in the National League.

After that, the division is pretty weak. The 11-12 Miami Marlins are in second place and already sit five games back. Both the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets are off to dreadful starts as well, with New York having lost 11 straight games.

AL Central

There have been some surprises in the AL Central this year. The Cleveland Guardians didn't do much in the offseason, but they lead the division by a half-game, though they are only two games over .500 at 13-11. The Minnesota Twins have also been a bit of a surprise, as they sit at .500 and just one game back.

The Kansas City Royals have the worst record in the American League and are 5 1/2 games back in the division. For a team in a better position, that's a substantial deficit, but not for a team in last place.

AL East

The AL East is much weaker than it has been in years past. Only two teams sit above the .500 mark. The New York Yankees are at the top, but are only four games over .500. The bottom three teams, the Baltimore Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox, are all below that mark.

But Boston and Toronto are both 9-13 and sit only four games back, which is completely manageable with as much time left in the season as there is.

NL West

The NL West remains a strong division. If the postseason began on Tuesday, they would have three teams in playoff spots. The Los Angeles Dodgers have the best record in baseball, to nobody's surprise, but the red-hot San Diego Padres are breathing down their necks, sitting just one game back and currently leading the wild card race.

Then, there are the Arizona Diamondbacks, who are in third place but sit just three games back. They have a strong roster that is capable of making it to the postseason as a wild card team. The San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies may be buried before long after tough starts.

NL Central

Widely expected by many to be one of the weaker divisions in baseball this year, the NL Central has been anything but that. The division is tightly packed, with the last-place Milwaukee Brewers sitting only two games back of the first-place Cincinnati Reds.

What makes this division even more compelling however is the fact that every team is above .500. The Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals are all tied in second place at 13-9 and sit just 1 1/2 games back. While it's still early, this may be a sign of things to come for the division.

Cincinnati reached the playoffs as a Wild Card team last year, while the Brewers and Cubs finished in the top two spots and ultimately met in the division series. Pittsburgh spent some money last offseason and looks like a better team, and the rebuilding Cardinals have gotten some big contributions out of their younger players, so it's going to be interesting to see where this division is headed later in the season.