MLB National League Playoff Picture if the Season Ended Today

The National League has some talented teams looking to make noise in the postseason. Which teams currently hold playoff spots in the NL?

Here’s what the National League playoff picture would look like if the postseason started today.

The National League has gotten off to a wonky start in 2023. The Atlanta Braves and New York Mets were expected to be World Series contenders, and the four teams currently in playoff spots were expected to be on the outside. The phrase “it’s early” only applies for so long in baseball, and you will see the league’s better teams start establishing themselves in this race while the pretenders naturally fall back. 

If you said you expected the Pittsburgh Pirates to be leading the National League as the end of April looms, you’d have been lying. The Pirates are coming off winning a series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, boasting a 9-1 record over their last ten games. They also have a substantial +35 run differential. Time will tell if this team is for real, but they’re playing the part in April. 

Behind the Pirates are the Atlanta Braves, who many expect to win the National League. Atlanta has been a dominant road team, going a 10-2 record as the visitors. Atlanta is a legitimate contender and has one of the strongest rosters in MLB. 

No one has jumped out of the gate in the NL West, but the Arizona Diamondbacks lead the pack. They have a solid 14-12 record but came back to earth with a 5-5 mark over their last ten games. 

Two other NL Central teams, the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers, also occupy playoff spots. The NL Central wasn’t expected to be a high-powered division, but multiple teams have come out hot. 

The Mets round out the playoff teams, sitting in the third wild-card position. An important weekend series against the Braves will be worth monitoring for the Mets.