MLB’s 5 biggest questions for the stretch run before 2026 Playoffs
It’s been an incredibly bizarre season, and it’s not over yet. “Parity” has been the word across the majors in 2026, and one that won’t go away any time soon. The owners say they need to increase it in the next collective bargaining agreement, and they’re willing to lockout the players in order to improve […]
The 2026 MLB season has been characterized by a high level of parity, with no team standing out as an obvious front-runner. This has led to concerns about the competitiveness of the league moving forward. Another recurring theme has been the mediocrity displayed by many teams, with few achieving true greatness. This has been reflected in individual leaderboards, where top players like Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani missed the playoffs despite their star power.
The question on everyone's mind is whether any team will make the playoffs with a sub-.500 record. Historically, no team has ever achieved this, with the worst being the 2005 Padres at 82-80. The AL West, particularly the Cleveland Guardians and Houston Astros, is the most concerning division, with the Mariners having a very weak season and the Astros holding the tie-breaker over the Rangers.
The Guardians have shown improvement recently, while the Astros' success is somewhat reliant on their supporting cast beyond their star players. The AL Central is another tight race between the Guardians and White Sox, with the Guardians holding a slight edge. The Brewers, who have never reached 100 wins before, are on the verge of their best season yet and could potentially finish with the best record in the league for a second straight year.
Written by urgent.news from SB Nation's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
