MLB Standings 2019: Yankees, Cubs Surging, Dodgers, Mets, Cardinals Are Division Leaders One Month In

As the 2019 MLB season heads into the final weekend of April, a few of the league's top contenders are playing much better after slow starts to the year. The New York Yankees (14-11) and Chicago Cubs (12-11) have quickly turned things around and gotten back into very early playoff contention.

The Yankees have been decimated by injuries with just about all their top hitters missing several weeks with various ailments. Despite the likes of Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge and Miguel Andujar spending significant time on the IL, New York has won six of their last seven games to pull within a half-game of the second American League Wild-Card spot.

New York was just 6-9 after 15 games. Starting pitching and unexpected production from career minor-leaguers has the Yankees trailing the Tampa Bay Rays (16-9) by two games in the AL East. The Rays have the best record in baseball.

The Cubs are 2.5 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals (15-9) for first place in the NL Central and just a game out of the second wild-card spot in the National League. Chicago lost eight of their first 12 games with one of the league's worst bullpens. The Cubs are 7-2 in their last nine games with Javy Baez leading the way with a 1.157 OPS and eight home runs this season.

Chicago has even surpassed the Milwaukee Brewers (13-13) in the division. The reigning NL Central champs are in fourth place, despite MVP Christian Yelich picking up where he left off at the end of the 2018 season.

St. Louis leads the NL Central with the best record in the National League. The Los Angeles Dodgers (16-11) sit atop the NL West, per usual, and their one major blemish on the season was a four-game sweep at the hands of the Cardinals. The New York Mets (13-11) have a slim lead atop a very competitive NL East.

Four teams in the NL East are separated by fewer than two games. The Philadelphia Phillies (13-12), Atlanta Braves (12-12) and Washington Nationals (11-12) all have 12 losses.

The Miami Marlins (8-17) are tied with the Kansas City Royals (8-17) for the worst record in baseball.