MLB standings ordered by record since the trade deadline: Padres paying off, Mets flailing

The MLB trade deadline is the last chance contenders have to bolster their rosters ahead of the postseason, and the last chance sellers have to part with players who won't be part of their respective organization's future. We saw a slew of major deals go down with players like Jhoan Duran, Eugenio Suarez and even Mason Miller getting dealt, and, to no surprise, the standings have shifted drastically since the deadline.

What is surprising, though, is that not all buyers are thriving right now, with the New York Mets as a prime example. A look at the MLB standings since the deadline reflect that.

Note: All records are from before games on August 17.

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MLB standings by record since trade deadline

AL East

The AL East standings post-deadline look an awful lot like the current standings. The Toronto Blue Jays have seized control of the division and the Boston Red Sox look like their lone clear challenger. The New York Yankees have played a bit better of late, and even won back-to-back series for the first time since May, but they still look to be a tier below their other division rivals at the top.

AL Central

The Cleveland Guardians don't have much of a chance to win the AL Central, especially since the Detroit Tigers have figured things out a bit post-deadline, but their strong play in August, even after not adding win-now talent, has them squarely in the Wild Card race. It'll be interesting to see where they end up.

AL West

The Seattle Mariners, unsurprisingly, have been the American League's best team post-deadline after aggressively acquiring both Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suarez. What has been surprising, though, has been watching the Texas Rangers go 4-10 even after acquiring guys like Merrill Kelly, Danny Coulombe and Phil Maton. Perhaps when their schedule lightens up over the next couple of weeks they'll go on a run, but for now, their play has disappointed.

NL East

The New York Mets, the team that acquired four rentals at the trade deadline in an effort to win right now, have the worst record in the sport post-deadline. What makes that reality even worse is that two of the players they acquired, Ryan Helsley and Cedric Mullins, have been major reasons why the team has struggled. There's still time for New York to turn things around, and perhaps Nolan McLean's electric debut will give them the spark they need. The division might be out of reach at this point, but the Mets, even amid their slump, hold the third Wild Card spot in the NL. This team can still be good.

NL Central

I'm not going to sit here and say that the Chicago Cubs have played well in August by any means, but the Milwaukee Brewers don't lose. The Brewers, despite a relatively underwhelming trade deadline, have seized complete control of the NL Central in August, and can easily defy the odds by winning the World Series.

NL West

The San Diego Padres were raging hot and the Los Angeles Dodgers were struggling post-deadline until the two teams ran into each other at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers have taken the first two games of the weekend series to reclaim first place in the division. The Padres' active trade deadline gives them a chance to win the NL West, but the Dodgers, even without major deadline moves, are still the defending champs. The Padres will have their work cut out for them.