Nearly the entire American League is within striking distance of each other

Q: Which teams are currently leading the American League standings?

The New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays are currently leading the American League standings.

Q: How are the Houston Astros performing this season?

The Houston Astros are tied for the worst record in the American League and are three games back from the last Wild Card spot.

Q: What impact does a five-game winning streak have on a team's playoff chances?

A five-game winning streak can significantly improve a team's outlook and keep them in contention for a Wild Card spot in the American League.

Q: Are the Kansas City Royals in playoff contention?

Yes, the Kansas City Royals have bounced back from a poor start and are currently just a game and a half behind the Cleveland Guardians.

KANSAS CITY, MO - JUNE 26: Empty stands prior to the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Tampa Bay Rays on June 26th, 2025 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by William Purnell/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Very recently, I wrote an article here talking about the opportunity presented to the Yankees in 2026, competing for the top spot in an American League that lacked standout clubs. Some of their potential biggest adversaries were dealing with more than their fair share of issues in the Blue Jays and Mariners. Since then, the Yankees have continued to establish themselves as the best team in the AL, and at the moment their closest opponent is a largely anonymous Rays club that—while just a half-game behind New York at 24-12—no one is entirely sure what their ceiling might be. Now, we’ll address how this particular outlook affects other teams besides the Yankees. A significant number of teams that fought at the top last season are off to forgettable starts in both leagues. The Phillies and Blue Jays could’ve very easily won the championship last season, for instance. The difference between these two is that although there are powerhouses in their respective divisions, they face battles of different levels trying to play their way back into playoff contention. While we can make all the remarks about it still being early, the Junior Circuit is setting up in a pool of mediocrity, incapable of punishing a team’s slow start. This is the jumbled mess as of the morning of May 7th. The Yankees and Rays are, in fact, literally the only teams with winning records. and Angels are tied for the worst record in the AL, and they’re three games back of the last Wild Card spot. Do you want to guess how many National League clubs have at worst an equal gap between them and that last Wild Card spot? The answer is six. The hapless are already 5.5 games out, with only the Giants and holding uglier records. It’s fitting that the aforementioned Astros would occupy that particular spot at the moment because they are the perfect example of a team that has managed to waste potential but at the same time isn’t that far away from entering playoff contention—particularly when you look at their offensive production, boasting a team OPS+ of 113 (though now they’ll have to get by ). is working his way back from a shoulder injury, and will return soon. If both of these pitchers perform at their highest level, this could be a totally different Houston team, and you just don’t need a whole lot to go your way before hovering in contender status. The best record from all 10 combined AL Central and AL West teams is … .500. The Guardians and A’s lead their divisions with middling marks, and you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who is very optimistic about either pulling away for a 90+ win season. The A’s in particular would probably be delighted to merely finish .500, and they appear unlikely to deviate too far from there. is a good example of what might happen, and the Royals are an interesting example of what’s currently happening. Here is a team that looked like the worst in baseball for the better part of April—dropping eight in a row at one point—but they’re already back in the thick of things following a five-game winning streak, a game and a half behind . The rebuilding Twins are not expected to be competitive but with a few wins here and there, they could almost accidentally end up in the mix too. And remember when the looked to be in complete disarray after firing Alex Cora? They woke up that morning tied with KC for the league’s worst record at 9-17; the underwhelming play of much of the Junior Circuit could very well allow them to remain in the Wild Card mix after winning 7 of their last 11 games. Obviously, *this* early in the year, a five-game winning streak will dramatically affect the outlook of basically any team, but this seems to be the likely scenario moving forward in the AL. One or two teams might take the opportunity to stand out and secure a solid place as a contender, while nearly the whole pack could manage to stay within striking distance of a Wild Card spot. That could very well affect the Trade Deadline, as teams on the fence are wary of missing out on a chance to sneak into this postseason. The 2024 Tigers and 2025 at least represent recent models of teams that sold parts but competed for playoff spots in the second half anyway. If you’re looking for a way to highlight just how much this Yankees team stands out from the rest of the AL right now—as the team’s records don’t do it justice—the Yankees have a run differential of +74, more than double the amount of all other teams with a positive run differential combined. The next single highest is the Rays at +15. That’s the sound of opportunity knocking; we’ll see if New York can take advantage as the summer approaches and begins.