Just a few days into May, the standings are tightening — and a few teams are showing that their April form was no fluke.

In the American League East, the Yankees (20–16) are still out in front, but their grip has loosened slightly with the Red Sox, Rays, and Blue Jays all hovering just a few games back despite being under .500. Aaron Judge continues to dominate all major individual batting metrics, leading the majors in average (.412), wRC+ (256), WAR (3.5), and home runs (12). His teammates back him up with the league's top-ranked team WAR, wRC+, and home run totals. Baltimore, meanwhile, continues to slide.

Over in the AL Central, the Tigers (22–13) are maintaining their lead thanks to a strong team ERA and BABIP. The Guardians and Royals are just a couple of games behind and currently occupy both AL Wild Card spots, alongside the Athletics. The White Sox are sinking fast — now a staggering 12.5 games out, with the worst record in the AL.

The AL West belongs to Seattle for now. The Mariners (21–14) have found their offensive spark: Cal Raleigh has matched Judge’s 12 homers, while Jorge Polanco remains elite at the plate. The A’s have been surprisingly solid and currently hold the third AL Wild Card spot. The defending champion Rangers are treading water, while the Astros and Angels are fading — despite strong underlying metrics from Tyler Anderson (top 5 in BABIP).

In the National League, the Dodgers (24–12) are the best team in baseball by record. Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s 0.90 ERA tops the league, while the team ranks second in home runs and WAR. The Padres and Giants are hot on their heels, each with 23 wins. All three are in playoff position, with the Padres and Giants currently occupying the top two NL Wild Card slots.

The NL East is still led by the Mets (23–14), whose rotation continues to deliver league-best numbers in ERA, FIP-, and team WAR. Huascar Brazoban and Pete Alonso (top 5 in wRC+ and WAR) are carrying the load. Philadelphia remains in the hunt behind strong seasons from Jesus Luzardo (FIP- of 48) and Kyle Schwarber (12 HRs). Atlanta, Washington, and Miami continue to lag — the Braves' inconsistency has been especially notable.

The NL Central is still close. The Cubs (22–15) lead the pack, driven by Carson Kelly’s breakout campaign — top five in both average and wRC+. Chicago also ranks second in team average and third in homers. The Brewers, Reds, and Cardinals are all within 4 games, though only Milwaukee is above .500. The Pirates remain bottom-feeders at 12–25.

With a month and change behind us, the shape of the playoff race is taking form. The Guardians, Royals, and A’s are holding down AL Wild Card spots — a surprise trio. In the NL, it's a slugfest between the Padres, Giants, and Phillies, while teams like the Braves, Astros, and Rangers still feel a step behind the pace.