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.

It’s fair to say 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, but the other four teams currently in playoff spots were expected to be on the outside looking in.

The one exception is the Milwaukee Brewers, who many expected to be neck-and-neck with the St. Louis Cardinals in a two-horse race for the NL Central crown. The Brew Crew have been lights out early and have been better than expected offensively. The offense has been a significant reason the Brewers have won 14 of their first 19 games. Milwaukee isn’t the only team in the NL Central to come flying out of the gate, with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs making early statements. Pittsburgh was expected to be one of the basement dwellers, but their young talent and pitching have delivered early. It’s hard to have confidence in that continuing, but it’s promising for the Bucs.

The Cubs have the potential to hover around the wild card race if their free-agent moves continue to prove successful, which has been the case in April. The Cubs are one of the top-scoring offenses and are getting dynamic starting pitching too.

The Diamondbacks were a popular team to potentially exceed expectations and haven’t disappointed early on. With teams such as the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres residing in the NL West, it will be a difficult path to the postseason for the D-Backs. Rookie of the Year contender Corbin Carroll has them on the map again, but starting pitching remains an area of concern.