Is your team a threat to win big -- or a disappointment waiting to happen? It depends on who is asked.
'Nobody has seen the best in Vladdy yet': How a dominant October took Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a new level Is your MLB team a legitimate contender or setting you up for a season of disappointment? Some teams, everyone can agree on -- others, not so much.
With that in mind, we identified the five most polarizing teams of 2026 -- and asked the voters who were highest and lowest on each to make the case for why we should believe in the team meeting expectations for the season ahead.I believe Boston will outperform that ranking for two reasons: The Red Sox might have the best starting rotation in baseball and the offense, anchored bymissing nearly two months, and Anthony being on the injured list the final month after not joining the team until June.. Anthony, still just 21, will establish himself as one of the premier hitters in the sport if he stays healthy. Yes, the Red Sox botched the Devers situation and their attempt to re-sign Bregman. And yet they should contend this season -- and for years to come.FanGraphs projects the Red Sox to score 4.6 runs per game, and I'm taking the under. They have only two hitters I can promise will post an above-average batting line against both sides of the platoon -- Roman Anthony andFor Boston to score enough to hang with the Yankees, Blue Jays and Orioles, several low-probability bets need to cash.Overlook the Brewers -- who won 97 games last year, most in the majors -- at your own peril. The offense puts the ball in play. They play defense. They always steal a few wins on the bases. The bullpen, withleading the way, projects as one of the best. The starting rotation will be key in determining whether Milwaukee can again exceed expectations.At some point, the Brewers' budget-conscious approach to roster construction has to come back to haunt them. Since July 2022, they've traded awayAsk yourself, how many current members of the Brewers' rotation can you name? I look at their roster and don't see anything much more interesting than what you'd find on the Reds or Pirates, meaning this National League Central should be tighter than it has been the past couple of years. And since I'm pro-Pirates as far as playoff entrants, the Brewers are the logical team left out.I don't believe the Astros are going to make the playoffs in 2026, but they are, in some respects, still the Astros.Tatsuya Imai , each intriguing starters, were added to the rotation. The Astros have a chance to be in the thick of the AL wild-card race again this year.It's hard to believe that it's in any way polarizing to pick the Astros to finish third in the AL West. It's hard to believe that it's in any way polarizing to pick the Astros to miss the playoffs, even though that's exactly what happened last season and their thin roster is even thinner now.in Detroit, this is a team with one established starting pitcher and a lineup that's either old , unproven and eventually Konnor Griffin. But the real innovation this year is that the Pirates' roster is now much deeper.All this talk that the Pirates have improved enough offensively to make the postseason is hogwash. Sure, Griffin might come up and win NL Rookie of the Year, but Ozuna could also look every bit of his age . And the bottom of the order is still nothing to write home about. They're improved. In some areas. Great. They're still not good enough to contend for the postseason and have already lost a Paul Skenes start. They can't do
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.
Ranking all 30 MLB City Connect jerseys for 2026: Best, worst designsFrom the Mariners’ Steelheads tribute to the Dodgers’ controversial “funfetti,” here’s a complete ranking of every MLB City Connect jersey entering the 2026 season.
Read more »
MLB 2026 season preview: Rankings, every team's playoff oddsWhether your club enters Opening Day as the team to beat or hoping to be 2026's biggest surprise, we've got you covered.
Read more »
4 Takeaways From MLB Opening WeekendMLB is back, and here's what we learned from opening weekend in 2026.
Read more »
Check out the New York Mets full 2026 MLB scheduleThe New York Mets open the 2026 season at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday, March 26.
Read more »
MLB 2026: Best, worst automated balls-and-strikes challengesBaseball's new ABS system is the talk of the sport. We hand out awards after the first weekend of the rule.
Read more »
MLB Rookie of the Year Predictions 2026: Early Picks and Weekend OverreactionsWho will win the 2026 MLB Rookie of the Year Awards? Chase DeLauter and Sal Stewart highlight our early-season picks... and bold overreactions following the first weekend.
Read more »