It’s pretty rare to see the clear-cut best team in MLB win the World Series, but the Milwaukee Brewers did just that, and did so in a dominant fashion. While Brewers fans are having the time of their lives celebrating what they just witnessed and watching Daniel Vogelbach partake in some parade karaoke, the 29 other fan bases have already turned the page to 2027.
The expected lockout might impact when the 2027 season begins and how many games are played, but it won’t stop us from taking a look at where each team stands heading into what should be a fascinating offseason for so many reasons. Let’s dive in.
30. Colorado Rockies
- 2026 record: 58-104
- Key free agents: Kyle Freeland, Jordan Romano
There’s a nice position player core developing in Colorado, with guys like Hunter Goodman, TJ Rumfield, Mickey Moniak and Jake McCarthy all having strong years. As nice as that is to see, eight of the top nine Rockies in innings pitched had ERAs over 5.00, and five of those pitchers are 30 years old or older. The lone exception in that group was 34-year-old Brennan Bernardino, a middle reliever at best. Even if the Rockies hold onto Goodman and other trade candidates (they shouldn’t), the pitching is in such a brutal place that it’s hard to assume anything but a fifth straight 100-loss season lies ahead.
29. Los Angeles Angels
- 2026 record: 62-100
- Key free agents: Travis d’Arnaud, Robert Stephenson, Anthony Rendon
On one hand, the Los Angeles Angels lost 100 games for the first time in franchise history and don’t have the talent to try to trick fans into believing 2027 will be much better. On the other hand, Arte Moreno finally sold the team, with Stan Kroenke taking over sometime in 2027, which has the fan base as excited as they’ve been in over a decade. Better times are ahead for the Angels, but it’s tough to envision this team — which still needs a new GM and manager, by the way — doing much this winter beyond maybe selling high on Reid Detmers and/or Zach Neto.
28. San Francisco Giants
- 2026 record: 65-97
- Key free agents: JT Brubaker
The San Francisco Giants’ biggest offseason wish should be to shed at least one of the contracts committed to Rafael Devers, Willy Adames, Matt Chapman and Jung Hoo Lee. Which just shows how bad a spot the team is in. Perhaps if Adames and Chapman can bounce back, the Giants can be somewhat competitive next year, but the state of the rotation behind Logan Webb and Landen Roupp is disastrous, and the bullpen is somehow even worse. The Giants have some exciting young talent like Bryce Eldridge and Marcelo Mayer, and their farm system is improving, but with the pitching where it is, I don’t see a world in which this team avoids a second straight 90-loss season.
27. Athletics
- 2026 record: 64-98
- Key free agents: Jeff McNeil, Jeffery Springs, Jonah Heim
I thought the Athletics had a chance to hover around the AL Wild Card race last season due to their emerging young position player core, but just about everyone from that core missed substantial time due to injury, and the A’s wound up finishing as one of the worst teams in the sport as a result. They should have better injury luck next season, but will that be enough to offset a pitching staff whose most talented players are a disgruntled Luis Severino and an inexperienced Gage Jump? Probably not. With John Fisher unlikely to spend real money to address the pitching, I don’t know how the A’s can keep the opposition off the board enough, especially with them set to play their home games in a Minor League park again.
26. Kansas City Royals
- 2026 record: 69-93
- Key free agents: Carlos Estevez, Jonathan India
It’s utterly insane that a Kansas City Royals team that has a player as dynamic as Bobby Witt Jr., locked up in his prime, is this bad. But here we are. The Royals have some exciting young talent around him, like Vinnie Pasquantino, Carter Jensen, Jac Caglianone and Maikel Garcia, but the outfield (beyond Caglianone) is a mess, and the pitching staff isn’t nearly as good as expected. Cole Ragans will miss much of 2027 due to injury, and while Michael Wacha continues to defy Father Time, Seth Lugo regressed heavily in 2026. The bullpen, especially with Carlos Estevez set to hit free agency, is in a particularly brutal spot.
25. Cincinnati Reds
- 2026 record: 75-87
- Key free agents: Tyler Stephenson, Brady Singer, Eugenio Suarez
The Cincinnati Reds have gone from a team that made a surprising playoff appearance in 2025 to one that looks to be trending in the wrong direction in the blink of an eye. The Reds have as dynamic a position-player duo as there is in the NL in Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart, but the lineup surrounding them is brutal. The Reds, despite great years from those two infielders and playing half their games at hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark, scored the fourth-fewest runs in the league in 2026. With Hunter Greene expected to miss the entire 2027 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery and Brady Singer (and potentially Emilio Pagan) set to hit free agency, the pitching won’t save them as constructed.
24. Washington Nationals
- 2026 record: 77-85
- Key free agents: N/A
Speaking of dynamic NL position player duos, does it get much better than James Wood and CJ Abrams? These two players were traded to the Washington Nationals in the deal that brought Juan Soto to San Diego, and they look like franchise cornerstones for the Nats. But are they? Trade rumors continue to swirl, particularly around Abrams, leading to the possibility of him being dealt this offseason. If that happens, can this lineup, which was already trending downward after the Nats traded Luis Garcia Jr. and Curtis Mead at the trade deadline, continue scoring at the prolific rates they were pre-deadline? If not, can the pitching hold up its end of the bargain?
Cade Cavalli is the truth, and I like Andrew Alvarez, but the rotation as a whole is not good, and the bullpen blew more saves than any other in MLB history. Barring a full overhaul of the ‘pen, it’s hard to take Washington seriously, especially with Abrams’ Nationals future up in the air.
23. Texas Rangers
- 2026 record: 80-82
- Key free agents: Joc Pederson, Cal Quantrill, Tyler Alexander
Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, Corey Seager and Brandon Nimmo, four of the Texas Rangers’ best and highest-paid players, are all 32 years old or older, injury-prone, and, dare I say, regressing. The Rangers have some young-ish talent in the form of Wyatt Langford, Ezequiel Duran and MacKenzie Gore, but for the most part, this core is made up of an older group that’s now missed the playoffs three straight years since winning the World Series in 2023.
There’s a non-zero chance the team dangles one or more of their expensive veterans (they already tried to trade deGrom at the 2026 trade deadline only for him to veto a deal), which would help them clear money and get younger, both of which are needed. But trades like that won’t help them win now. Look, the Rangers failed to win a division that saw a team with a .500 record do so. If that doesn’t tell you where this team is now, I don’t know what does.
22. Houston Astros
- 2026 record: 81-81
- Key free agents: Bryan Abreu, Daulton Varsho, Steven Okert
The Houston Astros were the AL West division winner despite a .500 record. That playoff appearance was so uninspiring that they fired GM Dana Brown midseason and let manager Joe Espada walk this offseason. The Astros have seen their record decline each year since winning it all in 2022, and have all kinds of roster problems this winter. Their rotation behind Hunter Brown is quite poor, their outfield is even worse and the team’s only potent left-handed hitter is Yordan Alvarez.
Trading from their infield logjam (likely one of Christian Walker, Jeremy Pena or Isaac Paredes, all of whom are in the final years of their deals) might help solve one or maybe two of those issues, but ultimately, even in a historically bad AL West and with a historically dominant Alvarez at the dish, the Astros were not a good team. If the division is any better and/or if the oft-injured Alvarez has to miss any time, this team, which still needs a new manager, will be in trouble.
21. Minnesota Twins
- 2026 record: 77-85
- Key free agents: Ryan Jeffers, Josh Bell, A.J. Minter
I don’t know what to make of the Minnesota Twins. On one hand, they have a good amount of talent on paper, led by star outfielder Byron Buxton and a rock-solid rotation trio of Joe Ryan, Taj Bradley and (if healthy) Pablo Lopez. On the other hand, Ryan Jeffers is a free agent, Buxton gets hurt all the time, both Ryan and Lopez are in the final year of their respective deals and building around younger players like Walker Jenkins, Luke Keaschall and Kaelen Culpepper might be too tempting to pass on.
If the Twins are willing to spend some money to address their catcher position (read: re-sign Jeffers) and the back end of their bullpen, they might be an interesting sleeper in the AL Central. But since when do the Pohlad’s spend? In all likelihood, Minnesota will do very little and rely on their young prospects to carry a larger burden than they should. They could exceed expectations, but they could also flounder, which their recent history suggests is far more likely.
20. Baltimore Orioles
- 2026 record: 79-82
- Key free agents: Trevor Rogers, Chris Bassitt, Luis Robert Jr.
Pete Alonso’s debut season with the Baltimore Orioles couldn’t have gone much better, yet the team still finished with a sub-.500 record, going to show just how lackluster the rest of the roster was. The Orioles have needed an ace since letting Corbin Burnes walk in the 2024 offseason, and with Trevor Rogers set to hit free agency, their need for starting pitching is only amplified. Baltimore’s lineup has a ton of upside, especially if guys like Gunnar Henderson, Samuel Basallo and Jackson Holliday can take steps forward, but the pitching is an issue. If the Orioles spend to address that issue, they could be a playoff team. Let’s see if they do it.
19. St. Louis Cardinals
- 2026 record: 77-85
- Key free agents: N/A
The St. Louis Cardinals have missed the playoffs in four straight years, yet this is as optimistic as I’ve been when discussing this organization in quite some time. The position player core is emerging, led by NL RBI leader Alec Burleson, NL Rookie of the Year candidate JJ Wetherholt and Home Run Derby champion Jordan Walker. Top prospects Joshua Baez and Leo Bernal debuted down the stretch, and others like Liam Doyle, Rainiel Rodriguez and Tanner Franklin are developing swiftly.
What’s most exciting is that Wetherholt is the only player guaranteed a contract for 2027, meaning that even once arbitration estimates are factored in, the Cardinals should have a truckload of money to spend to address the pitching. If they can acquire a high-end starter and reliever, why can’t this team be in the playoff race in 2026? They have to actually do those things to move up these rankings, though.
18. Detroit Tigers
- 2026 record: 76-86
- Key free agents: Gleyber Torres, Jack Flaherty
Would you believe me if I told you that the Detroit Tigers had the fourth-best run differential in the AL? Their +71 mark was 60 runs better than the Cleveland Guardians, who were two wins away from a World Series berth. That fact, along with an exciting young core (Kevin McGonigle, Max Clark, Troy Melton, etc.), are reasons to be optimistic when discussing the 2027 Tigers. This team needs bullpen help in the worst way, and could certainly use a big right-handed bat, but if those needs are addressed, Detroit can make things interesting in the AL Central.
17. San Diego Padres
- 2026 record: 91-71
- Key free agents: Michael King, Adrian Morejon, Ty France
The San Diego Padres wound up being really good in 2026, but let’s not forget the fact that it took an active trade deadline and a late-season surge for them to even make the playoffs. Now, the Padres are not only set to lose deadline acquisitions Casey Mize and Robbie Ray to free agency, but also players like Michael King, Adrian Morejon and Ty France.
Their rotation, which could lose King, Mize, Ray, Nick Pivetta and Walker Buehler, is now led by the likes of Joe Musgrove (hasn’t started a game since 2024) and Randy Vasquez (a No. 5 starter in an ideal world). Their lineup now lacks France, a player who led the team in batting and OPS, and while their bullpen still has Mason Miller, having Morejon and Jason Adam hit free agency weakens the depth around him tremendously. There’s still a path to San Diego being good — AJ Preller usually finds a way — but there are real holes on this roster entering the offseason.
16. Miami Marlins
- 2026 record: 80-82
- Key free agents: Pete Fairbanks
I don’t really know what to think of the Miami Marlins. They have a nice core developing, led by their double-play combination of Otto Lopez and Xavier Edwards as well as their star rotation duo of Sandy Alcantara and Eury Perez. This team showed real flashes of brilliance in 2026, yet finished under .500 due to extreme streakiness, which makes sense for such a young group.
I think if the Marlins were to add a big bat, a rotation arm and maybe touch up their bullpen a bit, they could be a playoff team. Will they actually spend money, though? Are they more likely to sell high on Lopez and/or Edwards and trade Alcantara in his final year under contract? For Marlins fans’ sake, I hope not. It’ll be interesting to see which direction the franchise goes in.
15. New York Mets
- 2026 record: 74-88
- Key free agents: N/A
Am I wrong to put the New York Mets in the top half of the power rankings? Perhaps. This team won just 74 games in 2026 and has some serious issues it must address this winter. However, the Mets went 34-31 in the second half despite selling a third of their roster at the trade deadline, and they have a strong foundation in place.
If their star duo of Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto can stay healthy, this lineup can score runs, especially with Bo Bichette coming back and now comfortable in New York and with steps taken from rookies Carson Benge and AJ Ewing. The pitching needs work, but there’s a real foundation to build from, thanks to Nolan McLean, Christian Scott and Zac Thornton. If they’re able to address their pitching staff and add a first baseman, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Mets compete for a Wild Card spot.
14. Chicago White Sox
- 2026 record: 84-78
- Key free agents: Erick Fedde, Randal Grichuk, Sean Newcomb
The Chicago White Sox were one of MLB’s biggest success stories in 2026, going from three straight 100-loss seasons to within one win of an ALCS berth. Most of the core that got them that far is still in place, led by a young lineup that, at times, was electric. With that being said, the rotation is a major issue. Chicago’s starters pitched the fewest regular-season innings of any team in the Majors and weren’t trusted at all in the postseason. They’re going to need to add multiple starters to get back to October. This should be possible given the money they should have to spend, but it’s on Chris Getz and Co. to get that done.
13. Arizona Diamondbacks
- 2026 record: 86-76
- Key free agents: Zac Gallen, Ildemaro Vargas, Jonathan Loaisiga
From a positive point of view, the Arizona Diamondbacks finished 10 games over .500 despite three starts from Corbin Burnes, a DFA-worthy showing from Zac Gallen and down offensive years from guys like Corbin Carroll, Ketel Marte and Geraldo Perdomo. From a negative point of view, the Diamondbacks were only 10 games over .500 despite a shocking 30-home run year from Nolan Arenado, an even more shocking sub-3.00 ERA year from Eduardo Rodriguez and a great showing from a bullpen that lacked any big names.
Speaking of Marte, his future in Arizona is up in the air after he was at the center of more drama this summer, and the team desperately needs a big left-handed bat and rotation help. There’s enough here to be optimistic about this team competing for a Wild Card berth again, with Carroll, Perdomo and Gabriel Moreno locked in to contribute, but the organization should be aiming higher.
12. Toronto Blue Jays
- 2026 record: 79-83
- Key free agents: George Springer, Shane Bieber, Max Scherzer
The Toronto Blue Jays went from two outs away from winning the World Series in 2025 and adding Dylan Cease that offseason to missing the playoffs in a remarkably weak AL (despite a Cy Young-caliber year from Cease). Rotation injuries were frustrating, but the biggest culprit for Toronto missing the playoffs was its lineup. The Jays put the ball in play, but finished dead last in the Majors in runs scored and home runs. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. having a better year would help a ton, obviously, but Toronto needs to be aggressive in adding position player talent, especially in the outfield.
11. Chicago Cubs
- 2026 record: 89-73
- Key free agents: Seiya Suzuki, Ian Happ, Shota Imanaga
The Chicago Cubs were the toughest team to rank by far. They have a strong core in place, led by likely NL MVP winner Pete Crow-Armstrong, Alex Bregman and Nico Hoerner. They’re even going to get Justin Steele back from injury and should get Cade Horton back at some point as well. However, they also have as lengthy a list of impactful free agents as any team in the league.
Their outfield beyond Crow-Armstrong is now unrecognizable with Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ ticketed for free agency, and their rotation, which was already a weakness, looks much worse with five big-league-caliber starters hitting the open market. There’s a clear path to contention here, but given the needs this roster has, it’s hard to consider the Cubs a top-10 team at the moment.
10. Pittsburgh Pirates
- 2026 record: 82-80
- Key free agents: Brandon Lowe, Gregory Soto
The Pittsburgh Pirates missed the playoffs again, but they also finished with a winning record for the first time since 2019, and, more impressively, finished sixth in the Majors in runs scored after finishing dead last in 2025. Bringing Brandon Lowe back feels like a must for Pittsburgh to maintain its high-end offense, but the Pirates should also get better showings from Konnor Griffin and Esmerlyn Valdez in their second seasons. The rotation underwhelmed in 2026, but with Paul Skenes, Jared Jones and Braxton Ashcraft in place, it has as much upside as any in the league, especially with top prospect Seth Hernandez working his way through the Minors. Call me crazy, but I am quite high on the Pirates, especially if they re-sign Lowe and can add to their bullpen.
9. Seattle Mariners
- 2026 record: 76-86
- Key free agents: Randy Arozarena, J.P. Crawford, Taylor Ward
Call me crazy again, but I cannot quit the Seattle Mariners. Don’t get me wrong, 2026 was an utter disaster in so many ways, but I still believe in the talent on this team. I mean, how likely is it that Julio Rodriguez, Cal Raleigh, Josh Naylor, Brendan Donovan, George Kirby, Bryan Woo and Andres Munoz will all have down years at the same time again? The Mariners are likely to lose Randy Arozarena in free agency, which is a big deal, but the pitching staff remains immensely talented, the lineup has upside if their proven stars can bounce back and from Kade Anderson to Laz Montes and Colt Emerson, they have a ton of young talent that can help out as well. Adding a bat is a must, but the Mariners’ roster is built to compete, especially in a very winnable division.
8. Cleveland Guardians
- 2026 record: 85-77
- Key free agents: Foster Griffin, Nathaniel Lowe, Shawn Armstrong
The Cleveland Guardians project to be a similar team to the ones they’ve been in recent years, with high-end pitching and a lineup that leaves a lot to be desired. What makes the 2027 edition potentially stick out more than other, though, is that the lineup should be better than those Cleveland has rolled with in some time. Not only should Jose Ramirez be fully healthy, but the Guardians have real pieces around him like Steven Kwan, Chase DeLauter, Jo Adell and Travis Bazzana, with top prospect Ralphy Velazquez nearing his big-league debut. Kwan might be traded, which would hurt, but the Guardians, even with them unlikely to do much of anything in free agency, should be favored to win the AL Central heading into the offseason.
7. Philadelphia Phillies
- 2026 record: 88-74
- Key free agents: Luis Arraez, Alec Bohm, Edmundo Sosa
The Philadelphia Phillies still have one of MLB’s best rotations, led by Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sanchez and Jesus Luzardo. They have talented players around their roster as well, with Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber anchoring their lineup and Jhoan Duran locking things down in the bullpen. The problem, though, is that this team lacks any sort of depth in any area. That’s why they continue to fall short in October. Barring several major lineup and bullpen additions (which are hard to envision given their bloated payroll and lack of appealing prospects to trade), it’s hard to envision the Phillies suddenly building a World Series contender. Maybe Dave Dombrowski will make a shocking trade to shake things up (he should, but probably will elect to run it back once again). They’re still built to get to October, though, with a rotation that should give them a chance to win just about every night leading the way.
6. Atlanta Braves
- 2026 record: 94-68
- Key free agents: Raisel Iglesias, Tyler Mahle, Mauricio Dubon
The Atlanta Braves are in an interesting spot. Their offensive core looks good on paper, but that same offensive core disappointed greatly in the postseason (and has a history of doing so) behind another injury-riddled year for Ronald Acuna Jr. and the worst year of Austin Riley’s career. The Braves have had needs at shortstop and left field for years now, and those vacancies are still unfilled, especially with Mauricio Dubon ticketed for free agency. Their bullpen was great, but Raisel iglesias is a free agent, and while their rotation excelled, Chris Sale will turn 38 years old in late March, Tyler Mahle is a free agent and both Spencer Strider and Spencer Schwellenbach are hurt. Atlanta should still be good, especially if Sale and Acuna can stay healthy, but there are clear holes to fill.
5. Boston Red Sox
- 2026 record: 87-75
- Key free agents: Sonny Gray, Patrick Sandoval
The Boston Red Sox made the postseason despite a lackluster offense that ranked 23rd in runs scored and 26th in home runs. With a healthy Roman Anthony and Curtis Mead, a full season from Adley Rutschman and a call-up of top prospect Franklin Arias, why can’t their offense be much better in 2027? The strength of the team was the rotation, and while Sonny Gray’s possible departure would sting, Garrett Crochet should be fully healthy following a lost 2026 campaign. They could use a big power bat, but for the most part, this team is well-positioned to get back to October.
4. Tampa Bay Rays
- 2026 record: 98-64
- Key free agents: Freddy Peralta, Nick Martinez, Cedric Mullins
There’s a good chance that both Freddy Peralta and Nick Martinez will leave the Tampa Bay Rays as free agents, but with Shane McClanahan and Ryan Pepiot ready to return from injuries, their rotation should be quite good — assuming they hold onto Drew Rasmussen entering his walk year. And the bullpen, with Bryan Baker leading the way, should be fine too (even if they could use more depth).
The lineup is an area to watch this offseason, though. The star trio of Junior Caminero, Jonathan Aranda and Yandy Diaz is potent, and there’s some depth behind them in the form of Chandler Simpson and Liam Hicks, but the bottom of the order was a clear issue all year, even with the Rays making it to the World Series. Will they spend money and/or trade prospects to lengthen things? That could be the difference between another division title and run to the Fall Classic or being one-year wonders.
3. New York Yankees
- 2026 record: 93-68
- Key free agents: David Bednar, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Paul Blackburn
A rotation featuring Cam Schlittler, Max Fried, Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon gives the New York Yankees an incredibly high floor from the onset, and their offense, which should hit a ton of home runs, should be fine in the regular season — as long as Aaron Judge is healthy. The bullpen will need to be addressed with David Bednar and Paul Blackburn hitting free agency, and they could certainly use another big right-handed bat, but this Yankees team is going to be good, even if their fan base disagrees. New York won 93 games despite getting less than half a season from the game’s best hitter. There’s every reason to expect a record as good, or better, in 2027 with better injury luck.
2. Los Angeles Dodgers
- 2026 record: 100-62
- Key free agents: Tarik Skubal, Alex Vesia, Evan Phillips
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ roster remains stacked, but it’s hard to ignore what happened in the postseason. Even with Tarik Skubal helping form a super-rotation and Edwin Diaz finally looking like the star the team envisioned in relief, this lineup looked old and lethargic. Shohei Ohtani’s injury played a role, but much of their position player core is, in fact, old and on the decline. Re-signing Skubal is far from a certainty given what’s at stake in the upcoming lockout, and I have real concerns about this lineup. The Dodgers will be good no matter what Skubal does, but should they really be viewed as World Series favorites right now? I’d lean no.
1. Milwaukee Brewers
- 2026 record: 103-59
- Key free agents: Jake Bauers, Brandon Woodruff, Dustin May
What if I told you the Milwaukee Brewers might be even better in 2027? They won 103 regular-season games and went 11-2 in the postseason, yet they have a young core that should only improve and high-end prospects like Jesus Made, Luis Pena and Andrew Fischer approaching the Majors. Now, there’s a good chance that Jake Bauers, their leader in home runs, won’t be back, and they might shop players like William Contreras and Trevor Megill in their final year of club control. But even knowing how hard it is to repeat and how unwilling they are to spend big in the offseason, the Brewers should be favored to win it all again, at least for now.
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