The National League has some talented teams looking to make noise in the postseason. Which teams currently hold playoff spots in the NL?

Here’s what the National League playoff picture would look like if the postseason started today.

National League

The National League has gotten off to a weird start in 2023. The Atlanta Braves and New York Mets were expected to be World Series contenders, and the four teams currently in playoff spots were expected to be on the outside. The phrase “it’s early” only applies for so long in baseball, and you will see the league’s better teams start establishing themselves in this race while the pretenders naturally fall back. 

Back on top of the National League are the Atlanta Braves, showing the world why they’re one of the favorites to win the World Series. Atlanta has won three straight games and owns an 8-2 record over their last ten. The Braves are loaded with talent, and their roster has performed up to expectations through April and into May. 

Are the Pittsburgh Pirates finally coming back down to earth? This time last week, they were in a tie atop the National League, but Pittsburgh has since lost four straight games and looks more like the team many expected.

Unlike the Pirates, the Los Angeles Dodgers have found their groove, surging over the last week. LA has won six straight games entering their weekend bout with the San Diego Padres and now leads the NL West. San Diego has been playing some strong baseball of late, owning a 7-3 record over their last ten and climbing into the final playoff position in the National League. 

The Milwaukee Brewers and Arizona Diamondbacks also occupy playoff spots, but neither team has put together great stretches of play. The D-Backs are a mediocre 5-5 over their last ten, while the Brewers have lost four in a row.