It is January 2026. The snow is piling up in most of the country, and yet, if you’re like me, you’re already staring at the calendar waiting for March 25th. That’s the day the Yankees and Giants kick things off. But before we get there, we have to talk about how we got here. Honestly, the final major league baseball baseball standings from 2025 were a complete fever dream.
You had the Dodgers winning it all again. Back-to-back. Nine titles now. They took down the Toronto Blue Jays in a seven-game World Series that ended on November 1st with a 5-4 nail-biter. But the regular season standings? That’s where the real chaos lived.
The 2025 Recap: A Wild Ride for Major League Baseball Baseball Standings
If you looked at the AL East halfway through last year, you would’ve bet your house on a photo finish. And you would've been right. The Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees both finished with 94-68 records. 94 wins. Exactly the same. Toronto took the division crown only because they went 8-5 against the Yanks head-to-head. That is the kind of razor-thin margin that keeps managers awake at night.
Then you look at the NL Central. The Milwaukee Brewers didn’t just win; they dominated. They put up 97 wins, the best in the National League. Meanwhile, the poor Colorado Rockies in the NL West finished 43-119. They were 50 games out of first place. 50! It’s hard to even wrap your head around a gap that big in professional sports.
Division Winners from 2025
- AL East: Toronto Blue Jays (94-68)
- AL Central: Cleveland Guardians (88-74)
- AL West: Seattle Mariners (90-72)
- NL East: Philadelphia Phillies (96-66)
- NL Central: Milwaukee Brewers (97-65)
- NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers (93-69)
People think the Dodgers are always this unstoppable juggernaut, but they only won their division by three games over the San Diego Padres. It wasn't a cakewalk. The Padres fought until the final week of September.
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Why the Current 2026 Standings Look... Empty
If you check the major league baseball baseball standings today, on January 13, 2026, every team is sitting at 0-0. Obviously. We’re in the heart of the hot stove season. But 0-0 doesn't mean nothing is happening. Far from it.
The standings you see in April are built in January. Right now, the New York Mets are acting like a team that’s tired of finishing second. They missed the playoffs entirely last year after a late-season collapse, finishing 83-79. Reports from insiders like Will Sammon suggest they are the front-runners to land Kyle Tucker. Adding a guy like Tucker to a lineup that already has Juan Soto? That changes the math for the entire NL East.
Over in the Bronx, the Yankees are playing a dangerous game of chicken with Cody Bellinger. They’ve made offers, but there’s a "clear gap" in the numbers. If the Yankees don't bridge that gap, those 94 wins from last year might be hard to replicate.
The Offseason Moves Shaking Up the Board
- Jeff McNeil left the Mets to join the Oakland Athletics. He’s headed to the AL West, hoping that the smaller ballpark helps him find his old stroke.
- The Red Sox made a massive trade, grabbing catcher Willson Contreras from the Cardinals. Boston finished 89-73 last year, just missing out. This move is a clear signal they want that AL East top spot.
- The Dodgers aren't sitting still. They just signed infielder Andy Ibanez and brought back Brusdar Graterol on a one-year deal. They know they're getting older, but they're deep.
Breaking Down the Projection for 2026
Experts are already trying to predict the major league baseball baseball standings for the upcoming season. FanGraphs has their "Depth Charts" projections out, and it’s mostly a lot of respect for the incumbents.
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They still have the Dodgers projected as the best team in the West. But look at the Braves. Last year was a disaster for them—76-86. They finished 20 games behind the Phillies. But the projection models love them for 2026. They’re being picked to bounce back in a huge way.
Then there’s the AL Central. The Chicago White Sox lost 102 games last year. You’d think they’d be at the bottom of every list, but they’ve been active. They just signed left-hander Sean Newcomb. Is that enough to move the needle? Probably not much, but in that division, 88 wins won it last year. It’s the "Division of Hope" for a reason.
The Stars Who Move the Needle
Standings are just a reflection of talent, and right now, the talent is concentrated in a few terrifying spots. Aaron Judge is coming off a season where he hit 53 homers and put up a 10.1 WAR. That’s essentially Michael Jordan on grass.
But did you see Cal Raleigh? The Seattle Mariners catcher hit 60 home runs in 2025. Sixty! From a catcher! That’s why Seattle won the West. If he even does 75% of that in 2026, the Mariners are going to be a problem for the Astros and Rangers again.
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Fantasy Rankings vs. Real Life
Sometimes the best players don't play for the best teams. Shohei Ohtani is the consensus #1 for fantasy drafts right now, and for good reason. Bobby Witt Jr. in Kansas City is right there with him. The Royals finished 82-80—respectable, but not a powerhouse. Yet Witt Jr. is the kind of player who can drag a team into a Wild Card spot single-handedly.
What to Watch For Next
The "too-early" power rankings are out, and MLB.com has the Dodgers at the top. No surprise there. But the real intrigue is with the Toronto Blue Jays. They made it to the World Series and lost. Usually, there's a "World Series hangover," but they just signed Japanese infielder Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year, $60 million deal. They are loading up to finish the job.
As we move toward Spring Training, the major league baseball baseball standings will start to take shape in the minds of analysts. But remember, the 2025 Guardians were a "historic comeback" story. Nobody saw them winning 88 games and the division.
Practical Steps for Baseball Fans This Winter
- Track the Outfield Market: Keep an eye on Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger. Wherever they land, that team’s projected win total is going to jump by 3 or 4 games instantly.
- Watch the AL West: With the Athletics moving and the Mariners rising, this division is going to be the most volatile in 2026.
- Check the Health of the Pitchers: The Mets are focusing on pitching depth after their 2025 collapse. If their arms stay healthy, the NL East is a three-way dogfight between them, the Phillies, and the Braves.
The 2026 season officially starts on March 25th. Until then, we’re just looking at a blank slate of 0-0. But based on the moves we're seeing this January, the fight for the top of the standings is already well underway.
To stay ahead of the curve, keep a close watch on the remaining top-tier free agents like Blake Snell or any late-winter trades involving names like Ketel Marte, as these final roster adjustments often decide who wins those tight division races come September.