The offseason is far from over, and yet many players — and a few superstars — remain unsigned. Whether one of them lands with the Dodgers, bolstering their three-peat potential, is just one of the storylines I'm watching as the 2026 season comes into focus.
What does this upcoming season look like? From unresolved free agency choices to a looming lockout, here’s what I’m most interested in watching across Major League Baseball this year.
Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette landing spots
Right now, no one knows where they're headed. Kyle Tucker isn’t close to signing. Bo Bichette isn’t, either. Cody Bellinger and the Yankees are in a standoff after New York reportedly made a $30+ million per season offer. Alex Bregman, meanwhile, reportedly signed an aggressive offer from the Chicago Cubs, leaving Red Sox fans in shambles.
Could any of these free-agency talks extend into spring training? The hope is that it doesn’t and that we get clarity sooner rather than later. Tucker is drawing interest from the New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers and others. Bichette is meeting with the Philadelphia Phillies and drawing interest from numerous other contenders. It seems likely that most, if not all, end up with big market teams. But figuring out who ends up where has everyone in baseball perplexed.
Dodgers three-peat as a real possibility
The Dodgers remain the favorite to win the World Series for a third consecutive season, and have now added arguably the best closer in Edwin Diaz to the roster. It should only help Tanner Scott, who struggled last season, and could make their bullpen as fearsome as any in baseball. And that makes the Dodgers even more dangerous.
Then there’s Shohei Ohtani, arguably the greatest player in baseball history. Having Ohtani headline a roster filled with superstar players, and with the possibility of another star player (Kyle Tucker? Bo Bichette?) coming on the roster, they are easily the team to beat. But there’s a lot of offseason left, and with so many star players unsigned, another team (Phillies? Mets? Padres? Cubs?) could attempt to make that conversation a little more interesting.
Tarik Skubal’s future in Detroit
This answer to whether Skubal's future is in Detroit is TBD. It’s incredibly doubtful that Skubal will be traded before the 2026 season. The Tigers will want to have the superstar left-hander on the roster for Opening Day to maximize their chances of competing for a World Series. But if they fall out of contention, that’s when things will get interesting, and could lead to a blockbuster trade ahead of the trade deadline.
But Skubal’s long-term fate in Detroit, already dicey, got even dicier with Skubal and the Tigers not settling before the arbitration deadline. Not only that, but Skubal sought $32 million and the Tigers requested $19 million. So a record-breaking $13 million gap remains. With arbitration hearings known for fracturing relationships between player and team … not good.
Freddy Peralta as the Brewers’ next major trade
I believe they'll trade Peralta, quite possibly before spring training. There's plenty of interest from big and small-market teams. They saw what the returns for Josh Hader, Corbin Burnes and Devin Williams have done for the franchise. And the bidding for Peralta should get to a point where the Milwaukee Brewers are forced to accept a trade.
The Brewers could always hold onto Peralta in similar fashion to what they did with Willy Adames. They love what Peralta has brought on the mound and in the clubhouse. Heck, he's been a Brewer since he was 18, so he's practically grown up within the organization. But it's entirely possible he's pitched his last game in Milwaukee.
The MVP races taking shape in both leagues
Shohei Ohtani will be the favorite as long as he’s playing. But I can see James Wood of the Washington Nationals making a strong push for it in the National League. He’s only 23 and immensely talented, hitting 31 homers with 94 RBI in his first full major-league season. There’s folks around the league who really believe he has MVP-type potential, and perhaps he makes a serious run for it in 2026.
Aaron Judge is the favorite in the American League. But once again, he’ll have competition. Cal Raleigh is coming off the best season for a catcher in baseball history. Bobby Witt Jr. is the face of the Kansas City Royals and one of the best players in baseball. Nick Kurtz burst onto the scene in his rookie season, and if he can replicate that, and even improve upon his 2025 campaign, entering the MVP conversation is very realistic. But the player to beat is Aaron Judge.
The looming post-2026 lockout
The topic that will dominate the baseball landscape is what happens after the 2026 season when the Collective Bargaining Agreement is set to expire. A lockout feels like a certainty; the only question at this point is whether we miss any games.
MLB and the Players’ Association disagree on plenty, with the possibility of a salary cap looming as a significant obstacle and something that the players want no part of. Rob Manfred also recently discussed the idea of a free agent deadline, something that multiple agents strongly pushed back against in texts on Friday morning. That’s only just scratching the surface of what will be discussed by both sides in the coming months.
A potential surprise seller, according to executives
Obviously, everyone will be watching Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers. But the team that will warrant close monitoring is the Washington Nationals.
MacKenzie Gore is among the top trade chips in baseball. CJ Abrams has drawn interest this winter as well. There are many trade pieces in Washington, and with a new president of baseball operations in Paul Toboni running the show, anything is possible. The organization is listening to offers on Gore, among others, this winter. And if they hold onto Gore this winter and are in position to sell at the deadline, perhaps a trade becomes even more realistic at the deadline.
The small-market teams that could crash the playoff picture
Well, the Brewers trade their best players and never spend in free agency, and somehow win the National League Central. So let’s start there.
I don’t necessarily believe they're a small market, but the Pittsburgh Pirates feel primed to finally make a postseason run. Their pitching is fantastic. Their offense now has Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn, and they’re still open to adding another bat and pitching. The ingredients are here. I’m a huge believer in Don Kelly and word is, the players love him in Pittsburgh. Give me the Pirates to make the postseason. That’s my bold prediction.
The prospects most likely to impact the 2026 season
If Konnor Griffin starts the season with the Pirates, and that’s absolutely a possibility, he’s the obvious choice to win National League Rookie of the Year. But a reminder: he’ll only be 19 years old come Opening Day and has only played 21 games at Double-A. So it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Pirates waited for him to debut and instead allow him to progress through the minors. But he’s the name to watch.
Others to watch: Kevin McGonigle, an early favorite to win American League Rookie of the Year. Justin Crawford, the top outfield prospect in Philadelphia, is set for a prime role. JJ Wetherholt, the No. 7 pick in the 2024 draft, was fantastic in Triple-A last season and should see consistent playing time in St. Louis.
The Red Sox panic meter
The Boston Red Sox are closer to panicking than any other team. Really, there’s no close second. They traded Mookie Betts years ago, then traded Rafael Devers. The expectation is that they’d use the money saved to re-sign Alex Bregman. And then they let him leave for the Chicago Cubs.
The offseason is far from over. In Bo Bichette, there’s a natural replacement (and four years younger!) staring them in the face. So there’s time to salvage this. But if the Red Sox don’t get Bichette, and start the season off slowly, Boston is going to make their displeasure with team ownership even more loud and clear. And really, who would blame them?