The 2026 MLB season got underway on Wednesday night, with the New York Yankees facing off against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. While the game itself was incredibly entertaining, the pregame festivities were…a bit unnecessary. Nonetheless, the Bronx Bombers looked very much like their usual selves – a team many pundits criticized for ‘running it back’ – while the Giants still had some work to do, as our rankings might suggest.
With the MLB offseason officially behind us, the landscape of the sport we love has drastically changed. But, in many ways, the main players remain the same. Aaron Judge has won back-to-back MVPs. Tarik Skubal has two-straight AL Cy Youngs to his name. Paul Skenes remains a burgeoning superstar and, of course, Shohei Ohtani is the best player in baseball. All the while, Ohtani’s Dodgers chase a three-peat. Can anyone catch them?
11. Baltimore Orioles
- 2025 finish: 75-87, fifth in AL East (missed playoffs)
It feels like the Orioles enter the 2026 season with more variance than any other team in the league. Mike Elias finally got to wheeling and dealing a bit this offseason, and if it all clicks – if Shane Baz finally hits his ceiling, if Kyle Bradish stays healthy, if Adley Rutschman can return to form, if young homegrown players like Samuel Basallo, Jackson Holliday, Colton Cowser, Dylan Beavers, Jordan Westburg and Coby Mayo are ready to contribute – it’s not an exaggeration to say that this team can compete for an AL East title and even a pennant.
Except, well, that’s a lot of ifs, and it’s also easy to see the pitching falling apart amid a lost season. Oh, and Elias’ job might hinge on which version comes to pass. No pressure. –CL
10. Detroit Tigers
- 2025 finish: 87-75, second in AL Central (lost ALDS)
The Tigers are all-in this season, or at least as all-in as Chris Ilitch will let them be. Tarik Skubal is likely to leave in free agency in a few months; the two-time defending Cy Young winner is the most impactful player Detroit has, and the front office spent most of this winter trying to figure out life without him. That meant signing Framber Valdez to a three-year deal, and even adding Justin Verlander on a short-term contract. The influence of top prospects Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark – who could not be more different personality-wise, but are great friends off the field – should determine how far this Tigers team can go. –MP
9. Boston Red Sox
- 2025 finish: 89-73, third in AL East (lost ALWC)
On paper, the Red Sox sure feel pretty complete. The pitching will be there, with more than enough depth behind Garrett Crochet and Danny Coulombe now in to help bolster the bullpen. And the lineup will be chock full of professional hitters, especially if Ceddanne Rafaela keeps progressing and Marcelo Mayer starts showing his prospect pedigree.
So we know Boston will be good this year. But a lack of star power, especially offensively, is what did them in last season. Is Roman Anthony ready to fill that void in his first full campaign? Can Jarren Duran recapture some of that 2024 magic? The floor is set; the ceiling is another question entirely. –CL
8. Milwaukee Brewers
- 2025 finish: 97-65, NL Central champs (lost NLCS)
The Brewers traded Freddy Peralta this winter, arguably their best pitcher, a year ahead of his looming free agency. It’s a common theme for Milwaukee’s front office: Yes, the Brewers are a threat to win the NL Central, but they’d rather actively take a step back than pay nine figures for their homegrown ace. It should come as no surprise that Milwaukee and former manager Craig Counsell (now of the Cubs) will battle it out for the Central crown.
The key for the Brewers will be what it always is — developing young arms on the fly. This time, it’ll come in the form of better control for Jacob Misiorowski and the fulfilled potential of Kyle Harrison, who was acquired in the Caleb Durbin trade. –MP
7. Philadelphia Phillies
- 2025 finish: 96-66, NL East champs (lost NLDS)
The Phillies are in a bit of a weird spot. On one hand, the fan base is irate that Dave Dombrowski chose to essentially run back a team that’s fallen short in October three years running. On the other hand, Philly has won back-to-back NL East titles and made the postseason in each of the last four seasons. Who’s to say they won’t do it again in 2025?
The rotation remains strong even with some Zack Wheeler uncertainty, especially if Aaron Nola proves his WBC emergence was not a fluke and Andrew Painter shows he’s big-league ready. The lineup still has reigning NL MVP Kyle Schwarber at the top. The bullpen still has Jhoan Duran, one of the best closers in the sport, to lock down games. I don’t know whether the Phillies will do damage in October without a major change, but the team, as constructed, is still quite good and should have no problem getting another crack at a World Series run. –ZR
6. Seattle Mariners
- 2025 finish: 90-72, AL West champs (lost ALCS)
Seattle once again declined to make a major offseason splash, acquiring Brendan Donovan from the Cardinals and then mostly fiddling around the margins from there. Here’s the thing, though: It really might not matter. First of all, Donovan is an ideal fit as a table-setter in this infield. And secondly, well, there was a lot of talent here in the first place, and that talent figures to only grow as this farm system continues to bear fruit.
The starting pitchers here need to stay healthy, given my concerns about what comes behind them (unless Ryan Sloan is ready to really expedite his timeline). Check that box, though, and the sky’s the limit, especially if Cole Young’s spring breakout at second base is real and top prospect Colt Emerson can hit the ground running. The Mariners have just about all the pieces they need to be right in the pennant mix again in 2026. –CL
5. New York Mets
- 2025 finish: 83-79 (missed playoffs)
Letting as many core players depart as the Mets did this winter was a risky decision for David Stearns, but he might just be a genius. I’m not saying New York won’t miss Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, Edwin Diaz and Jeff McNeil, but it’s hard not to think the Mets are much-improved from where they were at the end of last season’s nightmarish collapse.
Their rotation is much better now that they have a legitimate ace, Freddy Peralta, to anchor the staff. Their defense is much better now with Gold Glovers like Marcus Semien and Luis Robert Jr. joining Francisco Lindor up the middle, and liabilities like Alonso and Nimmo out of the way. I’m not going to say Devin Williams is an upgrade over Diaz right now, but given the volatility of relievers, who’s to say Wlliams won’t look like the dominant arm he once was? The Mets are younger, more athletic and deeper than they were, and those improvements should show in their win-loss record. –ZR
4. New York Yankees
- 2025 finish: 94-68, second in AL East (lost ALDS)
Remember when MLB fans and pundits – Yankees supporters included – put Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone on blast for running back a stale product? Well, those criticisms were valid for just under 24 hours. Yes, we shouldn’t make too much out of one game, but the Yankees scored seven runs in five innings off Logan Webb, including a five-run second. Any questions we had about New York’s lineup – including whether Trent Grisham and Giancarlo Stanton were healthy and/or would return to form – were seemingly answered. Add in an impressive outing from Max Fried, and that’s pretty much all you have to know about Opening night.
There will always be angst in the Bronx. That’s just what Yankees fans do when they aren’t celebrating a World Series – they brood. Oh, and did we mention that Aaron Judge guy? He’s not all that bad, either. These Yankees will be just fine. -MP
3. Toronto Blue Jays
- 2025 finish: 94-68, AL East champs (lost World Series)
Safe to say that injuries to Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber and Jose Berrios were not how Toronto wanted to start their road back to the World Series. If there’s a silver lining here, though, it’s that the Jays might have enough depth to keep themselves afloat anyway, with Dylan Cease, Kevin Gausman, Cody Ponce and Max Scherzer still around and a sturdy bullpen behind them.
Daulton Varsho looks like he’s motivated to put up a truly monster contract year; Kazuma Okamoto has had little trouble adjusting to the States. This team has earned the benefit of the doubt, and there’s more than enough championship DNA to project confidence. –CL
2. Chicago Cubs
- 2025 finish: 92-70, second in NL West (lost NLDS)
An injury to outfielder Seiya Suzuki at the World Baseball Classic will keep the star outfielder out for at least a few weeks. As a result, the Cubs will open the season shorthanded. But that might not be a bad thing, as this Chicago team is deeper than most: Even without Suzuki, Craig Counsell’s crew will sport a starting outfield of Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong and either Matt Shaw or Michael Conforto. At DH, Cubs fans will get an early look at Moises Ballesteros, a 22-year-old masher whom Counsell has asked his coaching staff to stay away from.
The biggest question for the Cubs this season is their pitching staff. But a trade for Edward Cabrera, formerly of the Marlins, and the emergence of closer Daniel Palencia in the WBC for Venezuela suggests even that group is on the rise. –MP
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
- 2025 finish: 93-69, NL West champs (won World Series)
No matter what they did over the offseason, the Dodgers would’ve been favored to threepeat. Signing both Edwin Diaz and Kyle Tucker only made them clearer favorites: Not only were they two of the best free agents available, but they also filled the two biggest holes on L.A.’s roster.
I don’t think it’s a stretch to say the Dodgers have one of the most talented rosters of all-time. Health will be worth monitoring, and it’s worth noting that both Blake Snell and Tommy Edman will begin the year on the IL. But even if they’re only 80 percent healthy heading into the playoffs, Los Angeles will be the team to beat. –ZR
