Pitchers and catchers have reported to Florida and Arizona, respectively, meaning the MLB season is officially underway. Exhibition games are only a little over a week from getting going. It's still cold out in much of the country, but it's baseball weather where baseball is about to be played.
Early injuries have crushed the hearts of several fan bases, but there is still at least one reason for every fan base to be excited as baseball returns. After all, there's no better time for optimism than a time when every team is 0-0.
AL East
Baltimore Orioles: Rotation is much improved
A lot went wrong for the 2025 Baltimore Orioles, but their rotation was the biggest reason for their downfall. Seven pitchers made at least 12 starts for the O's, and five of the seven had ERAs of 4.64 or higher. The Orioles didn't add an established ace this winter, but the Chris Bassitt addition drastically improves their floor, and the additions of Shane Baz and healthier seasons from Trevor Rogers and Kyle Bradish improve their ceiling.
Boston Red Sox: Full season of Roman Anthony
No, the Boston Red Sox didn't add the big bat fans were hoping for, but it's worth noting that Roman Anthony only played in 71 games in 2025 and did not appear in their playoff series. In the games he was able to play, though, he performed at a star level, as his .859 OPS would indicate. With his first taste of big league action behind him, the 21-year-old should be fully comfortable and lead Boston back to the postseason.
New York Yankees: Gerrit Cole will return
New York Yankees fans don't love that Brian Cashman is essentially running back a team that just lost in the ALDS, but the 2025 Yankees didn't have Gerrit Cole. No, he won't be ready on Opening Day, but Cole should be back sometime midseason, and he gives the Yankees one of the best pitchers in the sport when healthy. Even if he isn't quite himself right away, there's every reason to believe Cole can be an X-Factor come October, and help lead New York on a deep postseason run. Remember, pitching was the team's downfall this past postseason.
Tampa Bay Rays: Shane McClanahan is back
Yankees fans have to wait for Cole, but Shane McClanahan is expected to be ready for Opening Day. This is great news for Tampa Bay Rays fans, who haven't gotten to watch McClanahan pitch since August of 2023. The Rays aren't exactly trying to win now, but a rotation featuring a healthy McClanahan, Drew Rasmussen and Ryan Pepiot has immense upside and can keep the Rays in contention longer than people might expect.
Toronto Blue Jays: Dominant rotation is in place
The Toronto Blue Jays' starting rotation ranked 15th in innings pitched, 20th in ERA (4.34), and 23rd in fWAR (8.5) in 2025. This offseason, they added an ace in Dylan Cease, an intriguing depth arm in Cody Ponce, and they figure to get a full season out of Trey Yesavage and more out of Shane Bieber than they got in 2025. Their rotation featuring Kevin Gausman, Cease, Yesavage, Bieber and Jose Berrios is outstanding when healthy, and pairing that with their relentless lineup should lead to another great year north of the border.
AL Central
Chicago White Sox: Youth movement is in full swing
In the past couple of years, the Chicago White Sox have been dreadful with few bright spots. In 2026, the White Sox won't be very good, but they're a team littered with talent. Munetaka Murakami joins an exciting young position player core featuring Kyle Teel, Colson Montgomery and Chase Meidroth. Top pitching prospects Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith won't make the White Sox's Opening Day roster, but there's a good chance we see them pitch sometime this season in the majors. There's a lot to look forward to on the South Side.
Cleveland Guardians: Chase DeLauter has arrived
Cleveland Guardians fans are frustrated after yet another lackluster offseason, but if there's one thing fans can look forward to, it's that Chase DeLauter figures to play a huge role on the 2026 Guardians. DeLauter made his MLB debut in the 2025 postseason and is one of the most exciting prospects in the sport. Durability is a concern, but if he can stay healthy, there's a chance he can be the difference-maker behind Jose Ramirez they've been waiting years for.
Detroit Tigers: Kevin McGonigle is looming
Detroit Tigers fans are excited to watch the two-headed monster of Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez pitch two out of every five days, but they also know that their lineup, which struggled to score in the postseason, is almost entirely intact, giving them reason to believe another early postseason exit is coming. Top prospect Kevin McGonigle can change that, though. McGonigle probably won't crack the Opening Day roster, but there's reason to believe he can play a huge role this season. If he plays up to his potential, a special year could be coming in Detroit.
Kansas City Royals: Rotation can be one of the league's best
The Kansas City Royals are full of lineup questions around Bobby Witt Jr., but their rotation looks to be elite. Cole Ragans is fully healthy after an injury-riddled year, and is an ace when healthy. Kris Bubic had an All-Star year and is also healthy now after ending the year on the IL. Noah Cameron had a sub-3.00 ERA in 24 starts as a rookie. Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo provide veteran stability. Heck, even depth options like Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek are solid. There's a lot to be optimistic about rotation-wise.
Minnesota Twins: Can get glimpse of future
Minnesota Twins fans are disappointed in the lack of direction taken by the team this offseason, but that doesn't mean they can't get a glimpse of the future in 2026. Luke Keaschall enters the year as a core building block. Brooks Lee has an everyday role. Guys like Zebby Matthews, Taj Bradley and Mick Abel can compete for rotation spots. Prospects Walker Jenkins, Emmanuel Rodriguez and Kendry Rojas aren't far away from debuting.
AL West
Athletics: Outstanding position player core
The Athletics' rotation is a bit of a mess, but their lineup is as exciting as any in the AL West. Their core, featuring Nick Kurtz, Tyler Soderstrom, Brent Rooker, Jacob Wilson, Lawrence Butler and Shea Langeliers is under control through 2028, and everyone other than Langeliers is under control through 2030. The A's should score a lot of runs in 2026 and in several years to come with this core in place.
Houston Astros: Yordan Alvarez is healthy
As flawed as the 2025 Houston Astros were, how many teams could win many games with their best hitter playing only 48 games? Winning games without a bat of Alvarez's caliber is hard to do. Fortunately, he is healthy now, and if he's able to stay on the field for most of 2026, why can't the Astros get back to October?
Los Angeles Angels: Real rotation upside
Admittedly, there isn't much to get excited about in Los Angeles Angels land, but I will say their starting rotation offers actual upside, thanks largely to Reid Detmers and Grayson Rodriguez. Detmers returns to the rotation after a fabulous year in the bullpen. He's always had outstanding stuff and can easily be a solid mid-rotation arm for the Halos in 2026. As for Rodriguez, the question with him has to do with his health. It's hard to know what to expect after a year on the sidelines, but he has true frontline stuff. Adding those two to a rotation already featuring Yusei Kikuchi and Jose Soriano is exciting.
Seattle Mariners: More well-rounded lineup
The Seattle Mariners ranked third in home runs but also sixth in strikeouts in 2025. Hitting home runs is a great thing, but it felt as if they didn't put the ball into play enough at times in 2025. Well, while losing a very well-rounded hitter like Jorge Polanco hurts, the Mariners were smart in replacing Eugenio Suarez with Brendan Donovan, a contact-oriented infielder who can set the table for their big boppers. It doesn't feature quite as much power, but I'd say this year's Mariners lineup is a bit more well-rounded than last year's. Perhaps that can lead to a World Series appearance this time around.
Texas Rangers: Bounce backs are in order
At least some of the position players who struggled in a brutal offensive year for the Texas Rangers are bound to bounce back, right? Joc Pederson, Jake Burger, Josh Jung and even Wyatt Langford had down years relative to expectations in 2025. Improvements from some of those guys around the steady force of Corey Seager should lead to a much better offensive year, and perhaps a postseason berth.
NL East
Atlanta Braves: Bound to have better injury luck
Was there a team more cursed by the injury plague than the Atlanta Braves in 2025? I mean, Bryce Elder was their only starter who was able to make more than 23 starts. Marcell Ozuna (who played through a hip injury virtually all season) and Nick Allen ranked in the top five of games played. Ronald Acuña Jr. failed to clear the 100 games played mark, and Austin Riley barely did so. Jurickson Profar didn't suffer a major injury, but a PED suspension limited him to just 80 games. It was very hard to find any stability in the 2025 Braves. They're bound to be healthier, and assuming that happens, they'll be much better.
Miami Marlins: Full seasons from budding stars
The Miami Marlins aren't a team many pay attention to, but that ought to change in 2026, considering the exciting young talent on their roster. We saw what Kyle Stowers could do with his first full-ish season, and there's every reason to be excited about guys like Agustin Ramirez, Jakob Marsee and Owen Caissie, too. Oh yeah, Eury Perez is healthy, and top prospects Robby Snelling and Thomas White are knocking on the door. Exciting times are here for Miami.
New York Mets: Finally got an ace
The lack of an ace really hurt the 2025 New York Mets, so David Stearns, amid a chaotic winter, went out of his way to acquire Freddy Peralta in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. Sure, parting with exciting prospects like Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat for a rental might hurt in the future if Peralta doesn't sign an extension, but Mets fans can feel better about their team getting back to October in 2026, knowing they have a legitimate ace to lead the way in what should be one of the better rotations in the National League. Peralta might not be a top-five finisher in the Cy Young balloting again, but he figures to give the Mets the kind of consistent production they lacked at the top of their rotation for much of 2025.
Philadelphia Phillies: Top prospects are coming
The Philadelphia Phillies' decision to run it back once again has fan morale at an all-time low. While it's unlikely the Phillies add another impactful free agent or trade target, top prospects in their farm system could provide a spark this season. Justin Crawford figures to be their Opening Day center fielder, and he could very well lock down an everyday role. Andrew Painter has a chance to make the team out of spring training as well, and he has as much upside as just about any starting pitching prospect in the game. Even Aidan Miller, a prospect who probably won't make the team, could contribute this season and provide a spark to a lineup in desperate need of it. Perhaps some youthful energy could be what gets this Phillies team over the top.
Washington Nationals: Young outfield is bursting with potential
The Washington Nationals don't have much to look forward to in the near future, but one area of their roster to get excited about is their outfield. James Wood's 2025 season finished on a sour note, but he's a budding superstar. Dylan Crews hasn't taken off yet, but he has superstar potential. Jacob Young is a Gold Glove-caliber defender in center field. Daylen Lile was a bright spot down the stretch and could excel in an everyday role. There's a lot of talent in the outfield in Washington.
NL Central
Chicago Cubs: Winning now is finally a priority
The Chicago Cubs finally put their foot down and acted like a team eager to win now. Not only did they trade prospects for Edward Cabrera, but they also gave Alex Bregman a five-year, $175 million deal. Giving a 31-year-old a lucrative five-year deal and parting with a prospect of Owen Caissie's caliber for Cabrera, who has real durability concerns, shows that the Cubs are willing to take risks in their quest to win right now. We haven't seen this kind of aggression from Jed Hoyer in quite a while, if ever, and that could lead to great things in 2026.
Cincinnati Reds: Eugenio Suarez's added power
Despite playing half the time at hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark, the Cincinnati Reds ranked 21st in the majors with 167 home runs in 2025. Eugenio Suarez had nearly 30 percent of that total himself last season when he hit 49 home runs. Meanwhile, only two Reds cleared the 20-home run mark and no Red hit 25 long balls, so signing Suarez is a big deal. Suarez might strike out a lot, but his home run power will greatly bolster an offense that needed more firepower. Pairing that with a dynamic rotation, who knows what the Reds can do in 2026?
Milwaukee Brewers: Full season of Jacob Misiorowski
It's hard for Milwaukee Brewers fans to get too excited for what's to come in 2026 after they opted to trade Freddy Peralta and Caleb Durbin for primarily future pieces, but there's every reason to look forward to a full season of Jacob Misiorowski. Sure, his first taste of big league action featured some growing pains, and he'll never have the best command in the world, but his upside is immense. We saw glimpses of stardom both in the regular season and the postseason, and it's entirely possible that he can lead this rotation in 2026 and beyond.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Much better lineup
The Pittsburgh Pirates didn't spend quite as much as they led some to believe they would this offseason, but it can't really be disputed that their lineup looks much better on paper. I mean, no stars were added, but guys like Brandon Lowe, Ryan O'Hearn and Marcell Ozuna are all above-average hitters who greatly improve the floor and ceiling of the group. Adding in the potential Konnor Griffin will bring at some point, whether it's Opening Day or a bit later in the year, and it's easy to get excited about a decent lineup in Pittsburgh paired with their outstanding rotation.
St. Louis Cardinals: JJ Wetherholt is a future star
2026 will be a painful year for St. Louis Cardinals fans, with Brendan Donovan, Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras and Nolan Arenado having been traded for prospects, but one player to look forward to is JJ Wetherholt, their top prospect. Wetherholt figures to have every shot to make the team out of spring training and win the NL Rookie of the Year award. He has star potential and could easily be a fixture in the middle of the Cardinals' lineup for the next decade.
NL West
Arizona Diamondbacks: Lineup has three MVP candidates
Pitching will likely hold the Arizona Diamondbacks back from being true contenders, but their lineup should still be quite good with three MVP candidates leading the way. Ketel Marte is still in town after an offseason full of trade rumors, and he's received MVP votes in back-to-back seasons. Corbin Carroll might begin the year on the IL, but he should be in for another big year when healthy after finishing in the top six of the NL MVP balloting in two of the last three years. Geraldo Perdomo just finished fourth in the NL MVP balloting in 2025, breaking out in a huge way.
Colorado Rockies: This season can't be any worse, right?
Unfortunately for Colorado Rockies fans, there isn't much to like on their roster right now. What I will say, though, is that it can't be as bad as it was in 2025, right? The Rockies went 43-119 last season, the worst mark in franchise history and one of the worst seasons in MLB history. Even if they win 50 games, it'll be a better year. With a bit more veteran talent this year than last, they should be slightly better.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Fortified biggest weaknesses
As if Los Angeles Dodgers fans needed reasons for optimism after wrapping up back-to-back World Series titles, the team fortified its biggest weaknesses by signing Edwin Diaz and Kyle Tucker to monster free agency deals. The Dodgers have won two World Series titles in a row and might have their best roster yet in 2026, giving them a golden opportunity to three-peat.
San Diego Padres: Still plenty of star power
The San Diego Padres are worse on paper than they were in 2025, but there's still a ton of star power for fans to get excited about. The lineup features Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill and Manny Machado, three bona fide stars when healthy. Their starting rotation features Michael King and Nick Pivetta, two All-Star-level starters. Their bullpen, even without Robert Suarez, might be the best in the sport with Mason Miller leading the way. Depth is an issue, but star power can win you a lot of games.
San Francisco Giants: Lineup should be better
The San Francisco Giants weren't quite as aggressive as I had hoped they'd be, but they did get marginally better, particularly in their lineup. Luis Arraez is far from flawless as a player, but he should be a decent table setter in front of their big boppers. Harrison Bader is coming off arguably the best offensive stretch of his career, and he's a tremendous defender. Pairing those additions will full seasons from the likes of Rafael Devers and Bryce Eldridge, and the Giants should score a good amount more than they did in 2025.
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