MLB standings ordered by home runs: Yordan Alvarez, Astros chasing down NL rival

Baseball is a game of numbers. And perhaps unlike any other sport, so many different types of statistics can paint an alternate picture. Think about how WAR and wRC+ have changed how fans view a player's value.

It's not all about wins and losses, even though that's what the standings tell us. The game often goes beyond the box score. With that said, however, the number of base hits, strikeouts, or in this case, home runs -- surface-level statistics -- can help us tell another story, too.

While the Houston Astros (4-7) are in third place in the AL West standings, they rank atop the division in home runs this season. Houston sluggers have mashed early and often in 2024 and have 16 round-trippers on the season.

If MLB standings were based solely on the number of home runs, the Astros would have few rivals. After Yordan Alvarez broke out of his slump this past week, the 'Stros have just one team ahead of them in the chase for the most home runs to begin the season -- the Los Angeles Dodgers.

MLB standings ordered by home runs: Yordan Alvarez, Astros chasing down LA Dodgers

The Dodgers, of course, signed Shohei Ohtani to a record-breaking contract this past offseason. But Mookie Betts' five homers are leading the way, and another free agent signee, Teoscar Hernandez, is right behind the former MVP. Ohtani has three homers on the season himself.

How does the rest of the league match up with the Astros and Dodgers?

The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees each have 13 bombs and are 1-2 atop the AL East in the win-loss standings as well. The young Baltimore Orioles are in a three-way tie for third place with nine homers though the first week-plus of 2024.

The AL Central is one of the least competitive divisions in terms of homers. The Kansas City Royals are well out in front, and the rest of the teams in the division all have nine or fewer on the season.

Surprisingly, the Ohtani-less Los Angeles Angels are in second place behind the Astros in the AL West. The Texas Rangers also have double-digit big flies, while the Seattle Mariners and Oakland A's are bringing up the rear in the AL West.

As for the National League, unsurprisingly, the Atlanta Braves are leading the way in the NL East. The Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets both have 10 or more home runs in 2024. The Miami Marlins and Washington Nationals are just one behind the Mets with nine homers apiece.

The NL Central has some of the most homer-friendly ballparks, and it shows with the Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds all with double-digit home runs. The St. Louis Cardinals have yet to get on track this season.

Finally, those pesky Dodgers are No. 1 in the NL West. But the San Diego Padres, with 15 round-trippers, are just behind the Astros and LA among all big league teams. Every team in the NL West has 10 or more bombs on the season.

The Astros started the season off about as bad as they could've with a four-game sweep at the hands of the Yankees. But Alvarez's bat has awoken and so have all the Astros hitters. And don't forget, Alex Bregman has yet to record a home run on the season.

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