Contenders or Pretenders? 2026 MLB National League Opening Week

It’s been a jam-packed opening week of baseball in Major League Baseball. Fans have already seen twists, big hits, and potential contenders for the postseason start to emerge.

Of course, the long regular season will eventually sort the weak from the strong in both the American League and National League. But while some teams are living up to expectations, others haven’t started as well as they might have hoped.

Are these shortcomings outliers? Are current high-flyers set to fade as the weeks progress? Here’s a closer look at each division in the National League.

NL East

Strong starts define the NL East, with only the Phillies sitting below .500. Philadelphia’s pitching hasn’t been good enough after they allowed 29 runs in their opening four games, including 13 against division rivals the Nationals. However, Andrew Painter did show promise against Washington in his major league debut.

Though Washington is currently 3-2, that isn’t expected to continue in the long term. Meanwhile, the Marlins have been one of the league’s biggest surprises after going 3-0 for the first time since 2009. A series sweep against Colorado came to an end against the White Sox, though, suggesting that there are still issues to fix.

The Atlanta Braves have done better than expected, considering their injury woes. But they need the likes of Spencer Strider, Sean Murphy and others to come back to put a strong season together.

In New York, Bo Bichette hasn’t made the splash some predicted him to make. But Luis Robert Jr. has enjoyed a better debut, which bodes well for the Mets.

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NL Central

Sal Stewart has been incredible so far for Cincinnati, winning Player of the Week with a .700 average against the Red Sox. There’s cause for optimism around the Reds, but whether they can sustain this over the course of the season is a different matter.

The Cubs and Brewers, meanwhile, look like they will be playoff contenders. But while losing games to Washington on Opening Day and to the Angels have tempered Chicago’s early aspirations, Milwaukee has demonstrated why many believe it can get back to the NLCS.

Coming back from 7-2 against the White Sox to complete a series sweep shows the mentality the bullpen possesses. They’ve hit 37 runs so far, ranking among the top two in the league, and their strength in depth will make them a dangerous prospect in the long haul.

As for St. Louis, the organisation is in the middle of a rebuild, so they most likely won’t be contending. But there is plenty of promise. Their record sits at 3-2 after one week, and with positive performances from JJ Wetherholt, Jordan Walker, and Iván Herrera, the future looks bright for the Cardinals.

NL West

It’s been a slow start for the division from all but one team, which just so happens to be the favorite for the World Series this year. LA is 4-1 and can hope a stacked roster that added Kyle Tucker and Edwin Díaz in the offseason will help them complete a three-peat.

Arizona was swept by L.A. in the opening series but showed life in two wins against Detroit. However, there seems to be a glass ceiling for the Diamondbacks, something which is also true of the Giants and the Padres.

San Francisco required 20 innings to score its first run of the season, and San Diego fell short to a series defeat against the Giants. Significant improvements are required for anyone to even get close to challenging the Dodgers’ dominance in the West.