Take a look at the MLB standings today, and you'll see a few surprises.
Baltimore, not expected to make much noise in the AL East, has a two-game lead in that division. The Cleveland Indians are three games up in the AL Central, and not surprising is the Texas Rangers' five-game lead in the AL West.
Over in the National League, the Braves and Nationals are Nos. 1 and 2 in the East. The Cardinals, even after losing Albert Pujols, sit atop the Central, and the Dodgers have the biggest division lead (six games over the Giants).
The other surprise is last year's division champs.
As previously mentioned, the Rangers continue their solid play, but take a look at the other five defending division champs.
The Yankees are 21-18, but are currently in fourth place in the AL East; Detroit has a losing record at 19-20, although the Tigers are in second in the AL Central; Arizona is 18-22 and third in the NL West; Philadelphia has a winning record at 21-19, but it is last in its division; and the Milwaukee Brewers, winners of the NL Central last season, are off to a horrible start. Milwaukee is 16-23 and in fifth place in the division.
Since 1994, when Major League Baseball went to three divisions in each league, 46 teams have repeated as division champs the following year—just under 50 percent of the time. Of the teams that won their division since '94, 21 of them were under .500 the following season, and 35 dropped from first place to third place or lower the following season.
Here's a look at the teams that, since 1994, won the division title, and then saw their winning percentage drop the most the following season.
| Team/Year of Division Title | Win Percentage Division Title Year | Win Percentage Following Year | Percentage Drop |
| Montreal Expos/1994 | .649 | .458 | .191 |
| Minnesota Twins/2010 | .580 | .389 | .191 |
| Houston Astros/1999 | .599 | .444 | .155 |
| San Diego Padres/1998 | .605 | .457 | .149 |
| Texas Rangers/1999 | .586 | .438 | .148 |
| Seattle Mariners/2001 | .716 | .574 | .142 |
| L.A. Dodgers/2004 | .574 | .438 | .136 |
| Chicago White Sox/1994 | .593 | .472 | .121 |
| Baltimore Orioles/1997 | .605 | .488 | .117 |
Five franchises have not won a division title since 1994, and they are:
- Colorado Rockies (won the wild card three times)
- Kansas City Royals (came in second in 1995)
- Florida/Miami Marlins (won the NL Wild Card twice; won the World Series both of those years)
- Toronto Blue Jays (finished second in 2006)
- Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals (finished second in 2002)
Since 1994, the New York Yankees have won 13 AL East titles; they have never dropped lower than second place the year after winning a division championship.
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