MLB standings if home runs reigned supreme: Cubs won’t be happy

Which MLB teams are lighting up the scoreboard, and which are having a tough time punishing pitchers?

The MLB season is roughly one-third of the way complete. In the American League, the Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers stand proudly above the rest. In the NL, the battle for No. 1 is split three ways between Arizona, Los Angeles, and Atlanta.

That said, sometimes it's important to dive beyond the traditional W-L standings to truly understand the shape of the league. For example, the Rays have the best overall record, but the Rangers are beating teams by the most points. If you look at the standings in just the month of May, you can recognize the teams who are rapidly rising (New York, Houston, etc.) and the teams who are on the precipice of disaster (Philadelphia, the Cubbies, and bless their hearts, Oakland).

Let's add one more wrinkle to the equation and order the standings by home runs. While there's far more to successful offense than dinging one over the fence, there is an elegant simplicity to hitting the ball far and being immediately rewarded with points. The most potent and explosive offensive teams tend to be the teams hitting the most home runs.

Here are the standings if the team with the most home runs won each game (via r/Interforce7.

MLB standings: Divisional standings ordered by home runs

NL East

1. Atlanta Braves (34-12-13)
2. Miami Marlins (25-21-15)
3. Philadelphia Phillies (22-24-14)
4. New York Mets (20-25-15)
5. Washington Nationals (10-28-21)

The Braves, unsurprisingly, are riding the hot bats of Ronald Acuña Jr. and Sean Murphy to home run supremacy. The Phillies' record here is slightly depressing when one considers the power bats theoretically present in that lineup.

NL Central

1. Chicago Cubs (29-17-13)
2. St. Louis Cubs (24-18-19)
3. Pittsburgh Pirates (20-20-19)
4. Milwaukee Brewers (22-29-9)
5. Cincinnati Reds (14-31-15)

If the MLB standings were determined by run differential or home run hitting the Cubs would be an absolute powerhouse. And yet, the Cubbies are currently eight games below .500 in the real world and on the verge of a complete meltdown. The same can be said for the Cardinals, who are now 12 games below .500 despite an impressive collection of power hitters.

NL West

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (32-17-11)
2. San Diego Padres (25-20-15)
3. San Francisco Giants (23-19-17)
4. Arizona Diamondbacks (21-19-20)
5. Colorado Rockies (16-34-11)

The Dodgers have paid premium price for the best hitters in baseball. With names like Max Muncy, Freddie Freeman, and Mookie Betts populating the lineup, it would frankly be embarrassing not to claim the top spot here. The Diamondbacks notably have the best record in the NL West right now despite middling power relative to other contenders.

AL East

1. Tampa Bay Rays (33-12-17)
2. New York Yankees (28-17-16)
3. Boston Red Sox (23-27-10)
4. Baltimore Orioles (18-21-20)
5. Toronto Blue Jays (20-26-`15)

No surprises here. Baltimore has scrapped its way to wins without smacking the leather off the ball, but the Rays and Yankees feature two of the most intimidating lineups in the MLB — and their home run numbers reflect that.

AL Central

1. Minnesota Twins (28-17-15)
2. Kansas City Royals (18-19-23)
3. Chicago White Sox (19-27-15)
4. Cleveland Guardians (12-26-21)
5. Detroit Tigers (10-25-23)

The Twins' lead in the HR standings is much bigger than their lead in the real world standings, but literally every other AL Central team is below .500, so their competition isn't too stiff.

AL West

1. Texas Rangers (30-14-15)
2. Seattle Mariners (27-15-17)
3. Los Angeles Angels (23-21-17)
4. Houston Astros (17-23-20)
5. Oakland Athleitcs (13-38-11)

The Rangers continue to look like the best team in baseball, or at least like they're in the general vicinity. The Astros are the surprise here given the presence of batters like Yordan Alvarez and their general reputation on the offensive end. Houston could gain ground here as the season progresses, especially if Jose Altuve gets healthy.

MLB standings: American League standings ordered by home runs

1. Tampa Bay Rays (33-12-17)
2. Texas Rangers (30-14-15)
3. Seattle Mariners (27-15-17)
4. New York Yankees (28-17-16)
5. Minnesota Twins (28-17-15)
6. Los Angeles Angels (23-21-17)
7. Kansas City Royals (18-19-23)
8. Boston Red Sox (23-27-10)
9. Baltimore Orioles (18-21-20)
10. Houston Astros (17-23-20)
11. Toronto Blue Jays (20-26-15)
12. Chicago White Sox (19-27-15)
13. Cleveland Guardians (12-26-21)
14. Detroit Tigers (10-25-23)
15. Oakland Athletics (13-38-11)

MLB standings: National League standings ordered by home runs

1. Atlanta Braves (34-12-13)
2. Los Angeles Dodgers (32-17-11)
3. Chicago Cubs (29-17-13)
4. St. Louis Cardinals (24-18-19)
5. San Diego Padres (25-20-15)
6. Miami Marlins (25-21-15)
7. San Francisco Giants (23-19-17)
8. Arizona Diamondbacks (21-19-20)
9. Pittsburgh Pirates (20-20-19)
10. Philadelphia Phillies (22-24-14)
11. New York Mets (20-25-15)
12. Milwaukee Brewers (22-29-9)
13. Cincinnati Reds (14-31-15)
14. Colorado Rockies (16-34-11)
15. Washington Nationals (10-28-21)