One month in, how are we getting on?

The 2025 Major League Baseball season is now into its second month, and clear storylines are beginning to emerge across both leagues. From powerhouse franchises living up to expectations to surprise teams making early statements, here’s how things stand as of early May.

As the 2025 MLB season crosses the 30-game mark, early trends have started to solidify, with a few clear contenders, underperformers, and surprise stories emerging in both leagues.

In the American League, the New York Yankees are in control of the AL East. Led by Aaron Judge’s monster start — he tops the majors in average, wRC+, WAR, and is second in home runs — the Yankees also rank first in team home runs, wRC+, and WAR. Their pitching, spearheaded by Max Fried and Carlos Rodón, has also been among the best in the league. The Boston Red Sox are hanging around, backed by solid team hitting, while the Blue Jays and Rays are struggling to find consistent form. The Orioles, fresh off a playoff season last year, have slumped badly and sit in last place.

The AL Central has been turned on its head by the Detroit Tigers. Expected to be mid-pack at best, they’ve jumped out to a 21–13 record, thanks to Spencer Torkelson’s power surge and a top-three team ERA. Cleveland and Kansas City are hanging in the race, while the Twins have dropped off and the White Sox are a mess — their 9–24 record the worst in the American League.

Out west, the Seattle Mariners are pacing the division. Jorge Polanco is second in MLB in both average and wRC+, and Cal Raleigh leads the league in home runs. Their offense has clicked, with 49 homers and a top-five team WAR. The Houston Astros and Oakland A’s are overperforming expectations slightly, while the defending champion Texas Rangers have stumbled to a 16–18 start. The Angels, despite Tyler Anderson’s impressive BABIP numbers, continue to falter.

In the National League, the Mets have stormed to a 22–11 record and lead MLB in ERA, FIP-, and team WAR. Pete Alonso is among the league’s top hitters again, and Max Kranick has helped power a lights-out rotation. The Phillies are the closest chasers, with Jesus Luzardo and Kyle Schwarber standing out, but the Braves, Nationals, and Marlins are all under .500 and well off the early pace.

The NL Central belongs to the Cubs for now. Their 21–13 record is powered by Carson Kelly’s breakout (top 3 in average, wRC+), and the Cubs are first in team batting average and third in homers. The Reds and Brewers are within reach, while the Cardinals and Pirates are already falling away — both teams are underwhelming in both run prevention and run creation.

The Dodgers are back atop the NL West, with a 23–10 record and the best winning percentage in baseball. Yoshinobu Yamamoto leads MLB in ERA and has formed a deadly duo with Ben Casparius. They trail only the Yankees in homers and WAR. The Padres (21–11) and Giants (21–13) are also red-hot and have matched them in most categories. Fernando Tatis Jr. and Logan Webb have been central to that success. Arizona has held its own, led by Eugenio Suárez’s 10 homers, but Colorado is already out of it — their 6–27 record is the worst in baseball by a wide margin.

As we enter mid-May, it’s the usual suspects — Dodgers, Yankees, Mets — leading the way, but Detroit, Seattle, and Chicago have all forced their way into the early contender conversation. Meanwhile, teams like the White Sox, Orioles, Rangers, and Braves have work to do if they want to live up to preseason expectations.