Well, it's Groundhog Day, and the rest of MLB is once again chasing the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, who have somehow gotten
Mar 23, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani hits a double during the third inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images Well, it’s Groundhog Day, and the rest of MLB is once again chasing the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, who have somehow gotten even better over the winter.
Out in the Pacific Northwest, the Seattle Mariners are angling to take over the American League, though clubs in Toronto and the Bronx will have plenty to say about that. Across the Big Apple in Queens, the Mets are looking to put last year’s horrendous collapse further in the rear-view mirror and take their first legitimate steps toward contention with Juan Soto in their ranks.The American League East is going to come down to the wire once again, and the Blue Jays were plenty busy this offseason in hopes of keeping the dream of repeating as division champs and pennant winners. They added Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce to the rotation, and what sort of encore does Trey Yesavage have in store once he gets healthy? Kazuma Okamoto should hit the ground running as their starting third baseman, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. should have MVP aspirations.Yet this still might be the Yankees’ division to win. Toronto’s rotation is ravaged by injuries, with Bowden Francis gone for the year because of Tommy John surgery, Jose Berrios dealing with a stress fracture in his elbow, and Shane Bieber contending with forearm fatigue. Meanwhile, the Yankees are returning every piece of an offense that led the AL last season and should have a full-strength rotation featuring Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, Gerrit Cole, and Cam Schlittler by early June.The Tigers are going to ride the same formula that brought them to the ALDS last season, and that is on the pitching brilliance of two-time defending Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, who remains the class of the junior circuit. They need the bats to keep up, but are getting promising reinforcements in the form of top prospect Kevin McGonigle, who will make his MLB debut on Opening Day. Thankfully, they play in a weak division that sees the Royals as their biggest threat. Bobby Witt Jr. is a superstar, and Maikel Garcia and Vinnie Pasquantino are coming off brilliant showings at the World Baseball Classic.Will this finally be the year for the Mariners? They were one win away from their first-ever AL pennant last year and appear to have all the pieces necessary to legitimately push for a title in 2026. They signed All-Star utility man Brendan Donovan and retained first baseman Josh Naylor. Even after some regression in 2025, the rotation enters this season amongst the very best units in baseball, headlined by Bryan Woo, Logan Gilbert, Luis Castillo, and George Kirby.This feels like it is going to be a coin toss between the Mets and the Phillies until the Braves prove they can stay healthy. The Phillies didn’t make many changes this offseason, as Dave Dombrowski is giving this core one more opportunity to prove it can contend. Kyle Schwarber, the NL’s home run king last year, is back with Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, and JT Realmuto. Christopher Sanchez could be an ace like Zack Wheeler, and a return to form from Aaron Nola would make the rotation one of the best in the NL. Yet, there is something about the Mets that lends the idea that they can win their first division crown since 2015. The starting rotation should be much better with Freddy Peralta joining Nolan McLean. If Kodai Senga can revert to his 2023 ways, New York’s Achilles heel from last year is all but solved, especially with the reliability Clay Holmes showed. Juan Soto is gunning for an MVP this season, Francisco Lindor is amongst the best shortstops in the National League, and newcomer Bo Bichette is one of the top natural hitters in the game. Can a healthy Luis Roebrt Jr. be a 30-home-run threat? Will Carson Benge be a spark plug in right field? Will Francisco Alvarez become the NL’s best catcher? Can Devin Williams figure it out as the closer?If former Mets prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong can put together a full season of star-caliber play, the Cubs can slide past the Brewers for the NL Central title. Milwaukee will always be a threat in a winnable division, but more parity should exist here. The Pirates are better after making some signings and also have two stud youngsters in pitcher Bubba Chandler and shortstop Konnor Griffin on the cusp of the big leagues. The Reds can also never be written off as long as Tito Francona is leading things.The chase for Major League Baseball’s first 3-peat since the Yankees is on, with no signs of the Dodgers slowing down. The two-time defending champs somehow got even better, signing the best free-agent bat and closer available. That is being added to an unstoppable force headlined by four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani, who leads one of the best offenses in baseball and the best rotation on paper — an embarrassment of riches that also includes Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, and Rokie Sasaki.Maybe this is just a plea for some semblance of parity. Perhaps this is finally the year the stars align for a starving franchise. But for a franchise that has been on the cusp and will be far hungrier than most, the Mariners will win their first-ever World Series.Joe Pantorno Joe Pantorno has been the executive sports editor of amNewYork since 2020. He covers the New York Mets and is a member of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America . He is also a member of the Pro Hockey Writers’ Association and has covered the New York Islanders for nearly a decade. His previous stops include Bleacher Report and Metro New York, while his work has been featured in the New York Post, Newsday, and Yahoo! Sports. Pigeon petition: Thousands of advocates want NYC’s giant pigeon statue to stay perched at the High LineVintage trains running for Mets, Yankees home openersfairs to live life in full bloom this springboy slain inside NYCHA building; gunman at large
MLB Preview MLB Predictions Mets Yankees
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
MLB Opening Day 2026: A guide to the offseason chaosKyle Tucker got how much from the Dodgers!? Pete Alonso left the Mets for WHERE!? It's time to get up to speed after a wild winter.
Read more »
MLB Opening Day: Full schedule, dates, times and pitching matchups for 2026Who is playing on Opening Day and what are the matchups? Here's everything to know for the start of the 2026 MLB season this week.
Read more »
Sunday Night Baseball is on NBC: Here's what to know for the 2026 MLB seasonNBC continues to own Sunday nights, with baseball taking over the network this season. Here's a look at the schedule, announcers and more for 2026.
Read more »
2026 World Series odds, predictions: Who can upset the heavily-favored Dodgers?The Dodgers are in rarefied air heading into 2026.
Read more »
Yankees 2026 season preview: Projected lineup, rotation, MLB prediction as they hope boring will be betterAfter getting the band back together from the last time they were on the field for a game that counted — Game 4 of the ALDS in October — the Yankees are about to find out whether their wavering bel…
Read more »
Dodger fans face record-breaking ticket prices for Opening Day 2026Dodger fans are paying record prices for the 2026 MLB Opening Day.
Read more »