Cristopher Sánchez and the Phillies have been dominating under Don Mattingly.
The club has jumped to a 25-26 record, going 16-7 under their new skipper to put Philadelphia back in the playoff hunt. Sánchez has been an important cog in the machine, and is currently trying to make history for the Phillies.
After pitching eight scoreless innings Friday against Cleveland, Sánchez has increased his scoreless innings streak to 37 2/3 innings. He’s chasing Grover Alexander for the Phillies’ record of 41 innings.
Anways, let’s get into the rankings.
Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
1. Braves
As Sal Licata would say, “The NL East is over!!!”
But seriously, no joke, the Braves are running away with the division before the beginning of June. Last week the club went 5-2 and widened their lead over the Phillies to 10.5 games.
They’re 36-16 and hold a +105 run differential. Both first in the majors. They’re also getting healthier, despite the recent thumb injury to Ronald Acuña Jr. In fact, through May 23, the only series they’ve lost this season is to the Seattle Mariners.
2. Dodgers
The Dodgers were never “flopping around” per se. But they’ve corrected the wild-card pace they were on and are back to dominating baseball.
They’re 7-3 in their last 10 games, are back in front of the Padres for first in the west by half a game, and recently got Mookie Betts back from his IL stint.
This team is positioned to separate from the rest of the pack. They still need more out of Kyle Tucker, who has put up a modest .740 OPS after signing his mega deal.
3. Yankees
Last week was the first test for the Yankees in division.
They hosted the Blue Jays for four games and promptly split the series. No issue. But Friday saw the first-place Rays come to town and rally for four runs in the eighth to knock off the Yankees.
Division play will be an emphasis for New York (AL) this season. We all remember their first-place tie and incredible finish at the end of 2025 with the Jays, but they went 5-8 against Toronto to lose the tiebreaker.
Well. The Yankees have quietly gone 10-11 in May and have lost five of their last seven. Yet despite trailing the Rays for the division right now, the club is first in the league in homers (74), third in OPS (.754), and fourth in ERA (3.30). They’re undeniably one of the best teams in baseball. They just have to win the important games.
4. Rays
Tampa Bay could easily be number one on this list. Hell, they’ve been the best team in baseball in May.
The club is 22-4 dating back to April 22. They’ve propelled themselves to first in the division after starting 12-11. And more impressively, they’ve done it against division rivals in the Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Orioles.
This team has proven it’s better than most of their competition in the division. They’re fifth in the league in ERA (3.54), tied for sixth in OPS (.725), and their +42 run differential is the second best in the AL.
Nick Martinez also continues to pitch like a Cy Young candidate. The right-hander scattered nine hits against the Yankees Friday and allowed just one earned run. His ERA is down to 1.51 through his first 10 starts.
A reason why the Rays aren’t higher on the list? I point back to last May and June of 2025. The club went 33-22 and had one of the best records in baseball. Then they nosedived. I’d like to see this club be consistent before knocking off the big dogs.
5. Brewers
Last week was almost perfect for Milwaukee.
They took two of three from the Twins, then obliterated their division foe Cubs in a three-game sweep. The Brew Crew outscored Chicago 19-5 in the three-game series, jumped them for first in the division, and then followed that up with a 5-1 win over the Dodgers Friday.
The regular-season warriors are back at it again. They’re 30-18, have a +79 run differential, and hold the league’s second-best ERA at 3.12. Christian Yelich also returned May 12 and has clubbed two homers in his last six games. This club is always exponentially better when Yelich is driving the ball in the lineup.
6. Cubs
What a rollercoaster ride it’s been for the Cubs this season.
They’ve had two 10-game winning streaks. But it’s been negated by their current six-game losing streak. And also their current stretch where they’re 2-10 in their last 12.
Their offense is always going to be the driving force. But when it’s not, the pitching hasn’t held up. They only scored five runs in three games against the Brewers. Their pitching folded in their series to the White Sox and allowed 22 runs in three games on the road.
The injuries have been awful. But this offense is so loaded one would expect it to find consistency soon. Everyone has an OPS+ above 100 except for Dansby Swanson, and even he’s clubbed seven homers this season.
7. Guardians
Everything is going right for Cleveland right now. Friday’s 1-0 win was an encapsulation of it.
The club got shut out over eight innings by Sanchez. The offense was dead. But then facing Jhoan Duran, Kyle Manzardo smoked a solo homer and the Guards’ pitching shut out the Phillies.
Cleveland’s riding a seven-game winning streak. Their pitching has allowed just 16 runs over their last seven games. Two of those series include facing strong lineups in the Reds and Phillies.
Brayan Rocchio‘s coming-out party has been a key factor in the team’s success as well. The 25-year-old has a 126 OPS+ through 51 games and a .376 OBP. That’ll play.
8. Pirates
A 2-5 week wasn’t ideal for Pittsburgh. Giving up 38 runs over those five losses also wasn’t ideal.
The pitching has faltered a little in May. And the club has fallen into last in the NL Central because of it. But the club is still 26-25 and holds a positive run differential of +22.
The one weakness of this team has been the bullpen. They’re 18th in the league in ERA (4.21) and have let a lot of games get away. Gregory Soto has been fantastic with his 2.31 ERA, but has been unreliable or abysmal. This club could really use some bullpen arms at the deadline. Or even David Bednar who they traded last deadline.
9. Cardinals
St. Louis continues to be the epitome of consistent.
They haven’t had a losing streak of more than three games. They’ve sprinkled in two winning streaks of five games plus. It’s a well-run ball club. Chaim Bloom has seriously turned this team around, and keeping Oli Marmol as the manager continues to pay dividends.
The youth movement also continues to provide. JJ Wetherholt has an OPS+ of 123, Jordan Walker‘s is 165, and Iván Herrera‘s is at 136. Heck, even the 95 OPS+ from Masyn Winn is acceptable.
The club is among the best six teams in the National League. They could really use starting rotation help if they want to push for higher aspirations this season. Dustin May, Matthew Liberatore, and Andre Pallante all have ERAs and FIPS around four.
10. Padres
San Diego is a conundrum.
Their offense is putrid. Seriously putrid. Only Gavin Sheets and Miguel Andujar have OPS+’s above league average. Jackson Merrill has an OPS of .595. Fernando Tatis Jr. has an OPS of .594 with only one homer.
Yet their pitching keeps them in games. It’s been their foundation. It’s been so good the team’s record is 30-20 and has the club only half a game back of the Dodgers.
This team has the star power and potential to be up there with the Yankees, Braves, and Dodgers. But something needs to change. Pitching doesn’t stay this good the whole season.
Rest of the Field
11. Mariners
12. Diamondbacks
13. Phillies
14. Rangers
15. Athletics
16. Reds
17. White Sox
18. Blue Jays
19. Nationals
20. Twins
21. Marlins
22. Mets
23. Red Sox
24. Royals
25. Tigers
26. Astros
27. Orioles
28. Rockies
29. Giants
30. Angels
Previous Rankings: W7 | W6 | W5 | W4 | W3 | W2 | W1 | OD
