The dawn of the 2026 MLB season — which gets underway on Wednesday night, when the New York Yankees take on the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park — can only mean one thing: a fresh batch of MLB power rankings.

We’ve checked in periodically on the landscape of the league this offseason, taking stock after big moves and major milestones. But now the games count for real, which means it’s pencils down for all 30 front offices. Which teams have done enough to challenge the Los Angeles Dodgers atop the pecking order? Which would-be contenders are we selling this year? Read on to find out.

30. Colorado Rockies

• 2025 finish: 43-119, fifth in NL West (missed playoffs)

The Colorado Rockies were historically bad in 2025. They’ll be bad again in 2026, but they should also be a bit better than they were: Veterans Jose Quintana and Michael Lorenzen add a bit of stability to their rotation, while Willi Castro and Jake McCarthy have both been valuable regulars in the not-too-distant past. There’s reason to believe youngsters like Ezequiel Tovar, Brenton Doyle and Chase Dollander can bounce back following down years, too. Hunter Goodman is a budding star. Exciting prospects like Charlie Condon and Zac Veen are on the way. Again, the team is not good, but should be a bit better and a bit more exciting than it was in 2025. –Zach Rotman

29. Washington Nationals

• 2025 finish: 66-96, fifth in NL East (missed playoffs)

I’m not going to lie: The 2026 season could be a rough one for Nationals fans. A new front office is committed to a full-blown rebuild, and offseason trades of MacKenzie Gore and Jose A. Ferrer for prospects only emphasizes that. But as bad as this team projects to be, there are some reasons for optimism.

James Wood struggled mightily in the second half of 2025, but he’s still a monster talent and could easily have a huge year. CJ Abrams could hit 25+ home runs and steal 30+ bases. Outfielder Daylen Lile really opened some eyes in his first big-league action. Former top pitching prospect Cade Cavalli is healthy now, and has had a nice spring. The Nats might not win much, but with some young talent in the Majors and a farm system that’s improving by the day, it isn’t hard to see the light. –ZR

28. Chicago White Sox

• 2025 finish: 60-102, fifth in AL Central (missed playoffs)

Dare I say, the White Sox are finally moving in the right direction. The south side of Chicago will believe it when they see it after three straight 100-loss seasons, but this team has promising young pieces in Colston Montgomery, Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero. The White Sox added Ser’Anthony Dominguez and Jordan Hicks to the bullpen over the offseason, not to mention Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami. It’s highly unlikely Chicago makes the postseason in 2026, but they will be far more entertaining than in years past. –Mark Powell

27. Los Angeles Angels

• 2025 finish: 72-90, fifth in AL West (missed playoffs)

What’s the plan here, exactly? It’s one thing to be bad on purpose; the White Sox won’t win all that many games this season, both in the Majors and the high Minors, but they have a ton of young talent for fans to monitor and dream on. But one gets the sense, more than two decades into Arte Moreno’s ownership, that the Angels will be awful in 2026 despite their best efforts to the contrary. 

This is not a roster completely bereft of talent, but it is one bereft of foundational pieces moving forward outside of shortstop Zach Neto. The team isn’t particularly young, the farm system has been bad and continues to be bad, and it all just feels … aimless. More important than anything that happens on the field in Anaheim this season is finally choosing a coherent direction off of it. –Chris Landers

26. Minnesota Twins

• 2025 finish: 70-92, fourth in AL Central (missed playoffs)

I don’t know what the Twins are. Neither does ownership, evidently, as they tried and failed to sell the team this winter only to hang onto them at the end to save face. Minnesota still has Byron Buxton and Joe Ryan, but not much else. They have a new manager in Derek Shelton, who was last employed by the Pittsburgh Pirates during their rebuild. Jeremy Zoll took over as president of baseball operations from Derek Falvey, who resigned. As I said — the Twins have no idea what they are, and they’re coming off a 70-92 season. Tear it all down. –MP

25. St. Louis Cardinals

• 2025 finish: 78-84, fourth in NL Central (missed playoffs)

It’s time for the St. Louis Cardinals to rebuild. I know it, they know it, we all know it. New executive Chaim Bloom, of course, knows it. But there is a bit to be excited about here: For the first time in awhile, this organization has a direction, even if it’s a downward trajectory in the short term. The Cardinals must find out what they have in homegrown players like Jordan Walker, Masyn Winn, JJ Wetherholt, Matthew Liberatore and more. St. Louis got a lot younger this winter, and as a result their attendance will suffer alongside the team on the field. But the Cardinals fans who stick around will be rewarded. It might just take awhile. –MP

24. Tampa Bay Rays

• 2025 finish: 77-85, fourth in AL East (missed playoffs)

Even the Rays themselves seemed to acknowledge that this will be something of a transition year, with veterans like Josh and Brandon Lowe plus closer Pete Fairbanks leaving town. But there’s still plenty to be excited about when it comes to laying a foundation for the future: Shane McClanahan, finally back on the mound for the first time in almost three years; Junior Caminero, seeing what he can do for an encore; top prospect Carson Williams, with a path to starting on Opening Day. And hey, this rotation could be pretty darn good if it stays healthy, even if there might not be enough offensive firepower to keep pace in a rugged AL East. –CL

23. Miami Marlins

• 2025 finish: 79-83, fourth in NL East (missed playoffs)

Not many people are giving the Marlins much of a chance in 2026, and while I don’t think they’ll make the playoffs, I wouldn’t be completely shocked if they did. There’s a lot to like: The pitching will get most of the attention, as it should, with Sandy Alcantara and Eury Perez leading the way, but their lineup could surprise some people.

This young outfield, consisting of Jakob Marsee, Kyle Stowers and Owen Caissie, has the potential to be one of the league’s best in 2026 and beyond. Agustin Ramirez is already one of the best hitting catchers in the league. The middle-infield tandem of Xavier Edwards and Otto Lopez is really fun to watch on both sides of the ball. There isn’t much power beyond Ramirez and Stowers, which limits the ceiling, but this team should be pesky and fun to watch in 2026. –ZR

22. Arizona Diamondbacks

• 2025 finish: 80-82, fourth in NL West (missed playoffs)

Ketel Marte is a perennial MVP candidate, Corbin Carroll is a legitimate superstar and Geraldo Perdomo is fresh off a fourth-place finish in the NL MVP balloting in 2025. Having those three players lead the way in the Diamondbacks’ lineup should lead to a ton of runs. The pitching, however, could be a problem.

Zac Gallen is back, but he’s coming off a brutal year. Merrill Kelly is back as well, but he’s going to begin the year on the IL. And speaking of the IL: Arizona will be without Corbin Burnes, A.J. Puk, Justin Martinez and Andrew Saalfrank for at least part of the year. These injuries have Gallen as Arizona’s ace and presumably Paul Sewald or Ryan Thompson as their closer. They should score a lot, but could give up more than they put across, which is not a winning recipe. –ZR

21. Athletics

• 2025 finish: 76-86, fourth in AL West (missed playoffs)

I want to believe. The lineup has exciting hitters everywhere you look, from Nick Kurtz to Shea Langeliers to Tyler Soderstrom to Brent Rooker to Jacob Wilson to even a potential bounce-back season for Lawrence Butler. If Max Muncy (yes, there are two Max Muncys) can carry his scorching spring into the regular season, this team is going to score a zillion runs.

Preventing runs … probably won’t go as well. But hey: Aaron Civale should raise the floor at least a little bit, and Jacob Lopez, Luis Morales and JT Ginn offer at least a hint of upside. And even if the A’s don’t have quite enough pitching to make a playoff run this season, they’re guaranteed to be a ton of fun to watch. Shame there won’t be a fan base around to see it. –CL

20. Pittsburgh Pirates

• 2025 finish: 71-91, fifth in NL Central (missed playoffs)

The Pirates have Paul Skenes and the makings of an elite rotation. The lineup should be improved, one would hope, after Pittsburgh signed Ryan O’Hearn and Marcell Ozuna this winter and traded for Brandon Lowe. Frankly, it can’t be much worse than we saw in 2025.

However, the other upgrade the Pirates were expecting — in the form of No. 1 prospect Konnor Griffin — will have to wait. Griffin hit under the Mendoza line in spring training and struggled against high-velocity fastballs near the end of his Bradenton tenure. The Pirates were right to send the youngster down, especially since there was no extension in place between the two sides. –MP

19. San Francisco Giants

• 2025 finish: 81-81, third in NL West (missed playoffs)

The Giants should be better than they are. Logan Webb is a top-10 pitcher, and Rafael Devers is the kind of hitter you can build around when he’s right. Yet, I don’t think they’re in a great spot on either side of the ball, which speaks to the talent around those two stars.

San Francisco’s rotation can be good if Robbie Ray and Tyler Mahle can stay healthy, but who knows on that front. The lineup can be solid if Luis Arraez is an on-base machine and guys like Jung Hoo Lee, Heliot Ramos and Bryce Eldridge take steps forward, but again, that’s hardly a sure thing. There are too many ifs for a Giants team in a division with the Dodgers to be taken seriously as anything but a fringe Wild Card team, which is really not where Buster Posey wants to be. –ZR

18. Texas Rangers

• 2025 finish: 81-81, third in AL West (missed playoffs)

Start with the good news: Wyatt Langford looks ready to conquer the world in his third season, Corey Seager, Evan Carter and Josh Jung are all healthy (for now) and the top of this pitching staff can go toe-to-toe with anyone. If you want to be optimistic about Texas’ chances in the AL West, that’s not a bad place to start.

You probably figured there was a “but” coming, and sure enough: Is this team not just shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic that is the Seager era (one that brought a title back to Arlington, but still)? Pitching depth is non-existent, with a sketchy bullpen and little in the way of options should either of the injury-prone Jacob deGrom or Nathan Eovaldi go down. The issue is largely the same on offense, with tons of health question marks and a bottom half of the lineup that could get ugly. Plummeting to the floor feels easier to imagine than reaching the ceiling. –CL

17. Cincinnati Reds

• 2025 finish: 83-79, third in NL Central (lost NLWC)

After making the postseason for the first time since 2020 — and just their second time since 2013 — the Reds didn’t do all that much this winter. But that’s how Cincinnati works as a small-market team: Acquisitions like Eugenio Suarez, Gavin Lux and Emilio Pagan will have to be enough. The Reds also kept manager Terry Francona around for another year, which is arguably their greatest asset.

Hunter Greene will start the season on the IL, which puts Cincinnati’s rotation at risk. Veteran swingman Nick Martinez left, as did Zack Littell. However, the arms behind Greene remain strong, and it was the Reds’ pitching which led them to the postseason in 2025. Whether it be Rhett Lowder, Brady Singer, Nick Lodolo, Andrew Abbott, Chase Burns, etc., Cincy still has plenty of depth to make up for Greene’s absence in the interim. Whether this team can score enough runs is the question. –MP

16. Cleveland Guardians

• 2025 finish: 88-74, AL Central champs (lost ALWC)

The Guardians didn’t do much of anything in free agency this winter. Per usual, all the pressure falls on Jose Ramirez’s shoulders, paired with a front office that doesn’t meet him halfway. If Kyle Manzardo can take another step forward in 2026, and Steven Kwan returns to form, then perhaps Cleveland can repeat as AL Central champions. I have to thank MLB Trade Rumors for the below nugget, which paints the top-heavy nature of the Guardians’ offense with a broad brush.

Cleveland gave a total of 2,757 plate appearances to Angel Martinez, Gabriel Arias, Daniel Schneeman, Bo Naylor, Nolan Jones, Brayan Rocchio and Austin Hedges. That’s 46 percent of their team-wide plate appearances. Those seven players combined for a .212/.280/.346 batting line (76 wRC+). They’re all back in 2026. –MP

15. San Diego Padres

• 2025 finish: 90-72, second in NL West (lost NLWC)

While the division-rival Dodgers overflow with starting pitching depth, the Padres lack in that area. Nick Pivetta and Michael King are set to lead the way, but with Yu Darvish out for the year and Joe Musgrove set to begin the season on the IL, the three starters behind them in the rotation are unknown as of this writing.

The bullpen is still elite even without Robert Suarez, but could also be overworked given the starting pitching situation. On the lineup side, there’s a lot to like with Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill in the thick of it, but San Diego still lacks power, severely limiting their ceiling. The Padres have been a consistent playoff team in recent years, but this roster has enough issues so that could change. –ZR

14. Atlanta Braves

• 2025 finish: 76-86, fourth in NL East (missed playoffs)

Just when I thought the Atlanta Braves couldn’t run into worse luck than they did in 2025, both Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep suffered injuries and Jurickson Profar was suspended for the entire season after a second positive PED test. It’s understandable for Braves fans to be pessimistic, but there truly is a lot to like on this team. It just ultimately all comes down to health.

Ronald Acuna Jr. could easily win another MVP award, and he can just as easily miss half the season. Austin Riley can win a Silver Slugger, or he could once again alternate between injured and ineffective. Chris Sale can win a Cy Young, or he can succumb to Father Time. See what I mean? Outside of Matt Olson, I don’t know who to trust to stay on the field. But assuming the entire team doesn’t get hurt at the same time (as it did for much of 2025), the Braves should be in the thick of the NL postseason race. –ZR

13. Kansas City Royals

• 2025 finish: 82-80, third in AL Central (missed playoffs)

On paper, the Royals have one of the best lineups in the American League. The emergence of Jac Caglianone for Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic was a welcome sign; Caglianone struggled in his MLB cameo last season, but he’s the power bat the Royals need alongside Bobby Witt Jr. How successful Kansas City is this season will largely depend on their starting pitching. Seth Lugo, Cole Ragans, Michael Wacha and Kris Bubic are all promising starters. Can one become an ace overnight? –MP

12. Houston Astros

• 2025 finish: 87-75, second in AL West (missed playoffs)

I find it hard to know exactly what to make of the Astros entering this season. On the one hand, they continue to hemorrhage top-tier talent (first Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker, now Framber Valdez), and it generally feels like the AL has passed this aging core by. On the other, you look at the roster, and you realize there’s still considerable talent here. Why can’t Yordan Alvarez, Jose Altuve, Jeremy Pena, Yainer Diaz and Isaac Paredes anchor a solid offense?  Why can’t Christian Walker rebound? Why can’t Cam Smith break out now that he’s gotten his feet wet in the Majors? 

Admittedly the offense feels a bit fragile, but this rotation is long on intriguing options behind Hunter Brown, and Josh Hader and Bryan Abreu is a heck of a one-two punch late in games. I’m just saying: Count Houston out at your own risk. –CL

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)

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. 

Of course, these are the Yankees we’re talking about. Angst is only the next loss away, and it’ll be fascinating to see whether these good vibes can withstand the games actually counting. Maybe Aarons Boone and Judge are born losers, and this team is doomed to humiliate itself in increasingly elaborate ways. Right now, though, hope springs eternal. –CL

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