The National League Is Just As Good As The American League Now

On June 6, both the American League East and Central divisions had four teams above .500. That’s the same amount as the entire National League. And the lack of winning teams is pretty telling about how the NL has played for much of the season.

But while the AL has thrived for most of the 2024 season while the NL has floundered, that’s no longer the case. Finally, the NL has gotten its footing. Finally, the NL is at the same level as the AL.

It’s not that the NL didn't have any strong teams early in the season — the Phillies, Braves, Brewers, and Dodgers have excelled since day one. But after that, there’s been a major drop-off. In comparison, the AL has not one, but two tiers of succeeding teams. The Yankees, Orioles, Guardians, and Mariners have stood out on a level of their own, the powerhouses of the AL. But teams like the Red Sox, Twins, and Royals have remained at arm's length as well.

Now, a second tier is forming in the NL with the Mets, Cardinals, and Padres turning up the heat. All of a sudden there’s actually some competition with teams on the rise.

The Cardinals are emerging as a Wild Card contender in the NL Central, going 14-8 since June 6. The Padres went from being two games under .500 on June 6 to four games above by the end of the month, headlined by a 9-2 stretch going into July. The Mets, who three weeks ago had the fourth-worst record in the NL, have won five of their last six series and are two games out of a Wild Card spot. For reference, on June 6 they were eight games under .500.

Baseball is at its best when both the AL and the NL are balanced. Ideally, both leagues have a similar number of strong teams and subsequently a similar caliber of competition. With the NL finally finding its footing and picking up wins it legitimizes the NL. And it also makes vying for a Wild Card spot much more significant.

Revisiting June 6, the Braves were the first Wild Card team, playing at an elite level. But outside of that, it was nothing but question marks for the other two slots. The Cubs and Padres filled the two playoff spots despite being sub-.500. The postseason is about the best of the best, the highest level of competition. But the NL had teams slated in those slots that, at best, were toeing the line of mediocrity.

Beyond looking at the record of teams in the NL, examining interleague records told the same story. On June 6 the NL had a lackluster combined 116-130 record against the AL. There was no question which league was dominating — the AL was by far superior. But since then the NL has finally taken that leap, going an impressive 67-53 against AL competition.

Finally, the NL teams have turned on the heat and are catching up to the high-level AL play. The AL is no longer in a league of their own — the NL is right there with them.

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