Thursday, March 26, has been circled on the calendars of baseball fans around the world for one reason: opening day. After a long winter with no baseball and some underwhelming spring training weeks, it’s finally time to preview the next season and look at who ranks amongst the top teams.
8. Philadelphia Phillies
As long as the Phillies keep a competent starting rotation and manage their bullpen well, they will more than likely cruise through the regular season with Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper at the helm. The team re-signed Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto this offseason, checking off its two main priorities for the winter. Although they did lose a couple of outfield players, the Phillies always find a way to either win their division or comfortably make the wild card round.
It’s now a matter of whether they can come up clutch in those postseason moments. From top to bottom, this team is solid, but its starting lineup is not as solid as years past. Schwarber needs to put on his backpack again this upcoming season if the Phillies want any chance of making it past the wild card round.
7. Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox had one of the best resurging campaigns last year, playing switch-up with the Orioles in the standings from previous years. Now with that surprise season under their belts, the expectation to build off that run is there in full effect.
The most improved aspect of their lineup is the starting rotation. Ranger Suárez and Sonny Grey were both brought in this offseason, much to the excitement of Boston fans who have been clamouring for more depth in the rotation behind Garrett Crochet. Although Grey had a down year, the veteran adds another great voice to the clubhouse and can step up in postseason moments when needed. Suárez, on the other hand, is coming off a great year. Going back even four or five seasons, he’s been the definition of consistent and can play alongside Crochet nicely.
Unfortunately for Red Sox fans, the team couldn’t hold onto Alex Bregman, a key piece to the infield last year. It looks as though the Red Sox will enter the season without a valid replacement for him, but if the coaches play their cards right, there are still some players who could fill that void. Regardless of the loss, Boston fans can only hope that the team continues its progression and does not face the same fate as the Orioles last year.
6. New York Yankees
The Yankees didn’t get worse this offseason, but their injury report poses some glaring question marks just weeks out from opening day. The status of Garrett Cole, Carlos Rodan and Clarke Shmidt is all up in the air right now due to some lingering injuries that have mounted out of nowhere. Both Cole and Rodan were crucial pieces to the Yankees’ starting rotation last year, posing as the team’s two best pitchers in the playoffs. Ryan Weathers has been brought in to serve as a placeholder until the return of Cole, but things could look interesting for the first couple of weeks of the season without one of the league’s best arms.
Cody Bellinger’s resignation was a key move for the team, and the rest of the bats are still there for New York. Much like the Phillies, the Yankees will likely have no problem cruising through the regular season with one of the best lineups from top to bottom.
5. Seattle Mariners
Seattle may have lost their slugger Eugenio Suárez and midseason bloomer Jorge Polanco, but don’t be fooled by their still stellar lineup that poses as a top threat in the American League. After all, the team has one of the best farm systems in baseball, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see a young up-and-comer rise to the occasion this season to add another piece to the puzzle.
The pitching rotation is practically the same as last year, meaning the Mariners still have the top pitching staff in all of baseball. José A. Ferrer was brought into the bullpen as a reliable arm they can rely on. Finally, the team gave Josh Naylor a $92.5 million, five-year contract, the most expensive deal in the team’s recent history.
4. New York Mets
Talk about an eventful offseason. The New York Mets went bonkers in the weeks following the Kyle Tucker saga. After they couldn’t land Tucker, the Mets went out and decided to sign some big names out of nowhere. Bo Bichette was the first huge signing for them, but what followed wasn’t what the Mets were hoping for.
Bichette is arguably the best bat-to-ball hitter in baseball. Still, now in New York, he’ll be forced to play third base, a position he’s unfamiliar with, on top of being one of the worst defensive players in the majors. Clips of his first few plays at third were going viral, showing that he may be a better fit for a designated hitting role rather than the infield. Bichette is still a net-positive player, no matter how you look at it, and it will be interesting to see how he fits alongside other very talented players in the Big Apple.
Other notable signings included Marcus Simeon, Freddy Peralta, Jorge Polanco, Devin Williams, Luke Weaver and Luis Robert Jr.
The Mets are all in and now look like a major threat to the Dodgers in the National League if things go the way the front office hopes. Aside from some question marks within the bullpen, this Mets team undoubtedly improved drastically.
3. Chicago Cubs
Speaking of busy off-seasons, the Cubs rival the Mets for the busiest winter, bringing in numerous pieces amidst a haul of departing faces. Alex Bregman was the highlight of the team’s acquisition, as the team performed to such a high level last season. The third baseman will no doubt flourish in Chicago as one of the best all-around players in baseball. The team does lack a true number one pitcher, but in the closing months of last season, Cade Horton showed out, posting a 1.03 ERA. While the team made countless moves, the Cubs’ offseason was still relatively quiet in terms of media buzz.
2. Toronto Blue Jays
There’s a silver lining to the Bo Bichette departure that some Blue Jays fans haven’t seemed to come to terms with yet. The long-time Jay was the team’s biggest loss this offseason, but Toronto just came off a World Series in which they pushed the Dodgers to Game 7, without Bichette for most of the playoffs. Other than Bichette, the team didn’t lose anybody incredible.
What they did do was bring in some of the most intriguing names from this free agency class, including Dylan Cease, Kazuma Okamoto, Cody Ponce and Tyler Rodgers. The pitching comparison from opening night 2025 to 2026 is night and day. From starters, down to the bullpen, this rotation is arguably the best in the American League, only behind Seattle.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
Somehow, the Dodgers got better.
Kyle Tucker was the cherry on top for a team that just went back-to-back for the first time in a quarter century. Tucker adds another layer to an already stacked team that is poised to break the regular-season wins record.
Luckily for fans who like the David versus Goliath narrative, the Dodgers’ role as the unstoppable force is something to look forward to as other teams look to rival them en route to the World Series.