The primary full month of the 2026 MLB season wraps on Thursday. Whereas nonetheless early, World Sequence and shock playoff contenders, awards favorites and surprising storylines are already rising.
Beneath, we study what’s actual and never via the primary month of the common season by taking part in a recreation of reality or false.
New York Yankees will run away with AL’s greatest file
The Yankees are off to their greatest begin since 2022, after they had been 22-8 via 30 video games and went on to win the AL East with a 99-63 file. They’re one in every of simply two AL groups greater than a recreation above .500 and the one with a double-digit optimistic run-differential.
Via the primary month of the season, New York’s a transparent No. 1 with no clear intraleague challenger. Groups such because the Detroit Tigers (15-15) and Seattle Mariners (15-16), anticipated to contend for the AL pennant, are underperforming, whereas the Tampa Bay Rays have an 18-11 file regardless of solely outscoring opponents by one run (136-135), possessing one of many league’s worst reduction staffs and rating final within the AL in fielding share. | TRUE
Athletics will win the AL West
The Athletics (15-14) haven’t been to the playoffs because the pandemic-shortened 2020 season however are firmly within the combine via the primary month of the season, sitting atop the AL West by a recreation over the Mariners. Reigning AL Rookie of the 12 months Nick Kurtz, catcher Shea Langeliers and left fielder Tyler Soderstrom have offered energy, combining for 36 extra-base hits. Shortstop Jacob Wilson and centerfielder Denzel Clarke have made up for underwhelming begins on the plate as two of the highest fielders on a workforce with the majors’ highest fielding share.
However the A’s nonetheless have flaws. Whereas pitching has improved, it stays suspect. Luis Severino is struggling a 5.17 ERA. Regardless of going 2-1 with a 3.23 ERA in six begins, Aaron Civale has been hit laborious at an alarming fee (53.1 p.c), suggesting his ERA needs to be over a run larger (4.53), per Baseball Savant.
The division can be compact. The Texas Rangers (14-16) path by 1.5 video games in third, making the AL West a possible three-horse race. As promising because the A’s begin has been, they are not able to be anointed champs simply but. | FALSE
The Atlanta Braves are the Los Angeles Dodgers’ greatest risk within the NL
Following a wasted 2025, the Braves have been red-hot although the early a part of the 2026 season. Their 21 wins are tied for the second-most via 30 video games in franchise historical past, and the plus-68 run-differential is tied for the most effective with the 1997 workforce, which completed 101-61. (h/t Stathead)
Atlanta’s spectacular begin is extra eye-opening contemplating it hasn’t gotten a lot manufacturing out of outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. The 2023 NL MVP is slashing .248/.360/.381 with two residence runs and 9 RBI in 136 plate appearances.
The Braves ought to get more healthy on the mound because the season progresses, too. Starters Spencer Strider and Hurston Waldrep and nearer Raisel Iglesias are on the injured record, and as every returns, it is going to make a employees that already ranks No. 1 in ERA (3.09) much more daunting. | TRUE
Shohei Ohtani will win the NL Cy Younger Award
The four-time MVP’s trophy assortment is already full, however an NL Cy Younger might be in his future. Via 5 begins, Ohtani has a MLB-low 0.60 ERA, permitting two earned runs on 17 hits in 30 innings. His fastball, which averages 97.7 mph, has been practically unhittable, with opponents posting a .137 batting common with 15 strikeouts in opposition to the four-seamer.
Ohtani has pitched six innings in every of his 5 begins and threw a season-high 104 pitches in his most up-to-date on Tuesday in opposition to the Miami Marlins, ending permitting one earned run in six innings. If we have realized something from watching the all-time nice through the years, it is that something’s doable. That features bringing residence his first Cy Younger trophy this season. | TRUE
The Boston Pink Sox solved their issues by firing supervisor Alex Cora
The Pink Sox cleaned home this week, firing supervisor Alex Cora and 5 different employees members as a part of a large shakeup amid a tough 12-18 begin. However that framing may not be completely correct. Relatively than a deep clear, Boston might have executed the equal of shoving its mess to the again of the closet.
As WEEI’s Rob Bradford noted on social media, one former participant described the shuffling as being “like s—-ing your pants and altering your shirt.”
The Pink Sox have three starters — shortstop Trevor Story, third baseman Caleb Durbin and outfielder Jarren Duran — who rank within the backside 9 p.c within the majors in weighted on-base common. Solely the Mets have a decrease slugging share as a workforce.
Even perhaps worse is the state of the Boston’s pitching employees. Coming into Wednesday, Pink Sox starters are No. 28 in wins above average (-1.3) whereas posting a 4.73 ERA. Opponents have an 11.3 p.c barrel fee, the league’s fifth-highest fee, and 41.1 p.c hard-hit fee, which ranks tenth, per FanGraphs, establishing that their struggles are not any fluke. It may take a heck of much more than firing Cora for the Sox to get again within the division race. | FALSE
