There's snow on the ground in much of the U.S., and we've got about a month and a half until pitchers and catchers report. But still: It's a new year. The book has closed on 2025, and all 30 MLB teams and their fans are starting 2026 with a blank slate. So what better time than to look forward to the season to come — with some good, old-fashioned power rankings?
There's plenty of offseason left to be sorted, with the trade market yet to heat up and plenty of top free agents remaining on the board. But certain teams have already gotten off to a heck of a head start, and the landscape of the league looks a lot different on Jan. 1 than it did in November. Who's starting 2026 on a strong note? And which teams are falling behind? Let's dive in.
30. Colorado Rockies
Biggest offseason move so far: N/A
The most notable thing about the Rockies' offseason to date was finding a new lead executive, a vacancy that they filled with ... a man most recently known for helping bring Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns. This city deserves so much better.
29. Chicago White Sox
Biggest offseason move so far: Signing 1B/DH Munetaka Murakami
The White Sox are still a way's off from contention, but the young kids (Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel) are starting to pay dividends, and landing Murakami on a two-year deal was a shrewd gamble on a player with loads of upside — all reward and virtually no risk if he busts. Baby steps.
28. Washington Nationals
Biggest offseason move so far: Acquiring Mariners prospect Harry Ford
It's unclear just exactly what the Nationals' plan is right now, as they welcome a new front office into the fold. Are they looking to finally pull out of their years-long rebuild? Or are they going to start from scratch once again, starting with trades involving lefty MacKenzie Gore and/or infielder CJ Abrams? Landing Ford from the Mariners raises their farm system's ceiling a little bit, at least.
27. Los Angeles Angels
Biggest offseason move so far: Acquiring Orioles righty Grayson Rodriguez
Speaking of teams whose road maps are unclear: Will the Angels ever willingly bottom out? Flipping Ward for Rodriguez was a fine enough play, as long as you ignore the fact that Rodriguez was sitting in the low 90s the last time we saw him on a mound. This team, as ever, remains caught in between, with not enough MLB talent and a bottom-of-the-barrel farm system.
26. St. Louis Cardinals
Biggest offseason move so far: Trading RHP Sonny Gray and 1B/DH Willson Contreras to the Red Sox
It didn't take long for Chaim Bloom to jumpstart the rebuild in St. Louis, relying heavily on some of his old farmhands in Boston to do it. The return for both Gray and Contreras was more than reasonable given their ages and respective contracts, and the Cards should continue stockpiling young, cost-controlled talent by any means necessary (Brendan Donovan? Nolan Arenado?).