MLB Standings Show Just How Wild Cubs' Season Has Already Been

As Major League Baseball teams play their annual Memorial Day showcases, it's finally time to start putting a little bit of stock into the current standings. This is roughly the 1/3 mark of the year, which represents a decent sample size. It's tough to win a division or a World Series before June but it's entirely possible to lose them. Just ask the Mets or Red Sox, teams that are looking at 13-game deficits in their respective divisions. Or the Tigers, who could not possibly have expected to be a full 10 1/2 games behind the first place Guardians to this point.

A lot can happen in a few months, so it's not over for any team that's capable of catching fire. And just because a franchise finds itself with what looks like a comfortable cushion, it's far too early to spike the football.

Consider the topsy-turvy season already experienced by the Cubs. Losers of eight consecutive, they've fallen within five games of .500 and to third in the National League Central. This is the longest current losing streak in baseball and comes after two separate 10-game winning streaks by Chicago. So in short, they love to be either extremely hot or extremely cold with precious little room for anything in between.

Which makes an already competitive division, where every team has a shot to finish above .500, all the more interesting. It feels like all five sides are just one prolonged winning streak of taking control of the top spot and one lengthy losing streak away from falling out of contention completely.