Opening Day is March 26. The Yankees and Giants kick things off a day early at Oracle Park on March 25. After one of the most consequential offseasons in baseball history — a $765 million contract, a two-time defending champion spending like they had not won anything, a first baseman who finally found his home — here is where every team that matters stands.
The Favourites
Los Angeles Dodgers — Still the Standard
Back-to-back World Series champions. The Dodgers beat the Blue Jays in Game 7 last October and then went straight back to the chequebook.
Kyle Tucker arrived on a 4-year, $240 million deal. The Opening Day lineup now reads: Shohei Ohtani, Kyle Tucker, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, Max Muncy. That is arguably the deepest top six in baseball history.
The rotation is the concern. Both Roki Sasaki and Blake Snell missed significant time in 2025 with shoulder issues. Yoshinobu Yamamoto is the undisputed ace. If Sasaki finds consistency and Snell stays healthy, this is a dynasty. If not, the pitching becomes a genuine question mark despite the depth.
The Dodgers have 14 pitchers under team control through at least 2027. The depth is unprecedented. The health record is not.
New York Mets — The $765 Million Question
Steve Cohen got his man. Juan Soto, 15 years, $765 million — the largest contract in professional sports history. He bats behind Francisco Lindor in a lineup that also features Bo Bichette (3 years, $126M from Toronto) and Mark Vientos.
Freddy Peralta, acquired from Milwaukee, headlines a rotation that was the team's clear weak point last season. Devin Williams (3 years, $50M+) closes.
Soto started 2025 slowly before finding his form. In 96 games by the All-Star break he was slashing .262/.396/.509 with 23 home runs. His floor sits above most players' ceilings. The question is not whether Soto is good enough — it is whether the Mets are built around him well enough to win a championship.
The Contenders
Philadelphia Phillies — Quietly Loaded
The Phillies made no headlines this winter and are arguably the most complete team in the NL. Kyle Schwarber re-signed for 5 years, $150 million. Trea Turner, Bryce Harper, Alec Bohm, J.T. Realmuto — this lineup has no obvious weak point.
Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola remain one of the best 1-2 rotations in the league. Rob Thomson maximises talent without overcomplicating the game.
New York Yankees — Reloaded Without Soto
The Yankees lost the biggest free agent in history and still look like the AL East favourite. Cody Bellinger fills left field. Aaron Judge leads the lineup. Max Fried (8 years, $218M) was worth every penny last season — 11-3, 2.43 ERA in his first half alone.
Shortstop is the concern. Anthony Volpe is recovering from October shoulder surgery, with José Caballero starting Opening Day at short.
Boston Red Sox — Legitimate Challengers
Garrett Crochet is a genuine frontline starter. Alex Bregman (3 years, $120M) hit .298/.380/.546 when healthy last season. Ranger Suarez (5 years, $130M) arrives from Philadelphia to give the Sox two elite lefties at the top of the rotation.
The offence needs someone to step into the hole left when Rafael Devers was traded to San Francisco at the 2025 deadline. If that question gets answered, Boston belongs in the World Series conversation.
The Dark Horses
Pittsburgh Pirates — The Most Exciting Team Nobody Is Talking About
Paul Skenes won the NL Cy Young in his first full season at 22 years old. He opens 2026 as the clear favourite to repeat. Behind him: Mitch Keller, top prospect Bubba Chandler (MLB No. 11 overall), and Braxton Ashcraft.
Konnor Griffin — MLB's No. 1 overall prospect — has a genuine shot at the Opening Day roster. The lineup has been retooled with Ryan O'Hearn and Josh Lowe. This rotation is going to be appointment viewing.
Kansas City Royals — A Year Older, A Year Smarter
Bobby Witt Jr. is emerging as one of the best shortstops in baseball. Vinnie Pasquantino is a patient, powerful first baseman. Jac Caglianone, the power-hitting rookie, gets his first full year. Maikel García signed a 5-year extension, signalling the organisation's commitment to competing.
Opening Day is March 26 at home against the Atlanta Braves. Nobody should sleep on Kansas City.
Baltimore Orioles — Big Bets on a Young Core
The Orioles signed Pete Alonso to 5 years, $155 million. The former Met brings elite power to a lineup featuring Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday, and Adley Rutschman. They also added Ryan Helsley as their closer.
The rotation behind Chris Bassitt is still thin. If Henderson and Holliday take another step, the Orioles could make genuine noise.
Key Storylines to Watch
The Dodgers health lottery — They need Sasaki and Snell to give them innings. One healthy, both healthy, or neither will completely define their season ceiling.
Soto from day one — He started 2025 slowly. Will he arrive locked in with a full offseason in Queens and a number to prove?
Skenes vs everybody — The reigning Cy Young winner is 23 years old. The ceiling is historically rare.
The AL East arms race — Yankees, Red Sox, Orioles. Three legitimate contenders. One division. 162 games of appointment viewing before October even starts.
Opening Night: Giants vs Yankees, Oracle Park, San Francisco — March 25, 2026. Traditional Opening Day: March 26 across all 28 remaining clubs.