The Milwaukee Brewers dominated May with a 19-7 record and just 72 runs allowed, leading the majors despite hitting only 18 home runs. Their pitching staff, anchored by Jacob Misiorowski's 0.23 ERA over 38⅓ innings, carried the load while the offense lagged behind. Meanwhile, the Chicago White Sox transformed from underachievers to playoff contenders behind Davis Martin's 2.05 ERA and a trio of sluggers combining for 22 homers.

Shohei Ohtani silenced critics with a blistering finish to May, batting .341 with a 1.018 OPS in his final 22 games while posting a sub-1.00 ERA in four starts. However, his former team continues spiraling downward. The Los Angeles Angels went 11-17 in May, extending their playoff drought to 12 years with a less than 1% chance of contention. Fans have begun chanting to sell the team amid owner Arte Moreno's refusal to rebuild.

Detroit Tigers collapsed completely, going 6-22 in May after injuries to Tarik Skubal and an eight-game skid. The New York Mets also faltered despite trading away fan favorites, posting one of baseball's worst records. Both franchises face uncertain futures with aging cores and questionable direction.

Cristopher Sanchez matched history by throwing 39 scoreless innings in May, joining Orel Hershiser as the only pitchers to accomplish this feat in 30-plus inning months. These performances suggest the 2026 season will be defined by pitching excellence and organizational competence.