While MLB teams earn the same number of victories in the win column no matter which team they beat, not all wins are created equal. Beating a bottom-feeder is a lot easier than defeating a World Series contender, after all.
With that in mind, record against winning teams can often give MLB fans an indication of how good certain teams really are. The teams that can beat other great teams often find themselves playing deep into October, while the other clubs that can only stack up wins against the dregs of the standings have a harder time when the competition inevitably picks up.
So let's take a look at how the MLB standings would look if they were based on record against winning teams.
Note: All records are accurate entering play on Tuesday, June 10.
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MLB standings ordered by record against winning teams
AL East
Rank | Team | Record vs. Winning Teams | Current Overall Record |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | New York Yankees | 24-16 | 39-25 |
2 | Tampa Bay Rays | 19-16 | 36-30 |
3 | Boston Red Sox | 17-21 | 32-36 |
4 | Toronto Blue Jays | 16-21 | 36-30 |
5 | Baltimore Orioles | 15-24 | 26-38 |
The Toronto Blue Jays are currently tied with the Tampa Bay Rays for the top Wild Card spot in the AL, but the Rays have managed to be three games above .500 against winning teams while the Jays are five games below that mark against similar competition. There's still time for the Jays to improve on this, and they've gone 3-1 on their current road trip against winning teams, but it's hard to expect much from them without better play against the best MLB has to offer.
AL Central
Rank | Team | Record vs. Winning Teams | Current Overall Record |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Detroit Tigers | 25-19 | 43-24 |
2 | Cleveland Guardians | 21-22 | 34-31 |
3 | Kansas City Royals | 21-26 | 34-32 |
4 | Minnesota Twins | 17-23 | 35-30 |
5 | Chicago White Sox | 13-28 | 22-44 |
The Detroit Tigers have the third-best record in the Majors and also happen to have the second-most wins and the third-best record against teams above .500. They've played high-end baseball all year, and their record against winning teams shows that.
AL West
Rank | Team | Record vs. Winning Teams | Current Overall Record |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Houston Astros | 27-23 | 36-29 |
2 | Seattle Mariners | 14-17 | 33-32 |
3 | Los Angeles Angels | 19-23 | 31-34 |
4 | Texas Rangers | 16-24 | 31-35 |
5 | Athletics | 10-31 | 26-42 |
The Houston Astros have taken over first place in the AL West, and a big reason for that has to do with their league-leading 27 victories against winning teams. The Astros have played a very difficult schedule thus far, but their ability to not only survive but thrive against winning teams has them in a great position to win another division title.
NL East
Rank | Team | Record vs. Winning Teams | Current Overall Record |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | New York Mets | 20-12 | 42-24 |
2 | Philadelphia Phillies | 15-17 | 38-28 |
3 | Atlanta Braves | 16-23 | 28-37 |
4 | Washington Nationals | 13-21 | 30-35 |
5 | Miami Marlins | 14-25 | 24-40 |
Performance against winning teams could be what determines the winner of the NL East. The New York Mets have the best record in the National League against winning teams while the Philadelphia Phillies sit two games under .500. Unless the Phillies step it up against winning teams, including the Mets themselves, they might end up in a Wild Card spot when all is said and done.
NL Central
Rank | Team | Record vs. Winning Teams | Current Overall Record |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | St. Louis Cardinals | 21-18 | 36-30 |
2 | Chicago Cubs | 17-18 | 40-26 |
3 | Milwaukee Brewers | 21-23 | 35-32 |
4 | Cincinnati Reds | 17-19 | 34-33 |
5 | Pittsburgh Pirates | 16-33 | 27-40 |
The Chicago Cubs have World Series aspirations, but it's hard to put them in the same conversation as a team like the Mets, for example, when they're a game under .500 against winning teams. The St. Louis Cardinals, meanwhile, have been one of MLB's biggest surprises, and have been able to do more than compete against some of the league's best. They should be an interesting watch the rest of the way.
NL West
Rank | Team | Record vs. Winning Teams | Current Overall Record |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 16-14 | 40-27 |
2 | San Francisco Giants | 21-20 | 38-28 |
3 | Arizona Diamondbacks | 18-24 | 32-34 |
4 | San Diego Padres | 15-22 | 37-28 |
5 | Colorado Rockies | 5-42 | 12-53 |
The San Diego Padres are yet another example of a team with World Series aspirations that just hasn't played very well against elite competition. The Padres are nine games over .500 overall, but are seven games under .500 against winning teams. That's a stark contrast, and a big reason why, even while they're only two games over .500 in these situations, the Los Angeles Dodgers are leading the NL West.