MLB New York Yankees MLB standings baseball analysis American League Tampa Bay Rays Rob Manfred early season MLB

Yes, it’s early in the MLB season. We’ll acknowledge that upfront to preempt any complaints about drawing conclusions too soon. But even at this stage, the American League standings present a baffling picture—one that’s hard to ignore.

Baseball is offering commissioner Rob Manfred a rare moment of clarity: the four best teams in the league—the New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Chicago Cubs—are each dominating their respective divisions. One in the East, one in the South, one in the Midwest, and one in the West. A perfect geographical spread. Manfred couldn’t have scripted it better, even if it’s little consolation during the league’s ongoing lockout, now in its eighth month.

The American League’s struggles go beyond just having only one of those four elite teams. The Yankees sit at 25-12 with a run differential of +74—impressive numbers, though their significance is limited this early in the season. The second-best team in the AL, the Tampa Bay Rays, stands at 24-12 with a run differential of +15, which is modest at best. These are the only two teams in the American League with winning records.

With nearly a quarter of the season already in the books, it’s reasonable to start forming early assessments. Here’s one: the American League stinks.

Source: Defector
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