{"id":333501,"date":"2025-12-07T20:41:13","date_gmt":"2025-12-07T20:41:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/333501\/"},"modified":"2025-12-07T20:41:13","modified_gmt":"2025-12-07T20:41:13","slug":"way-too-early-2026-mlb-power-rankings-how-teams-stand-before-winter-meetings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/333501\/","title":{"rendered":"Way-Too-Early 2026 MLB Power Rankings: How Teams Stand Before Winter Meetings"},"content":{"rendered":"

MLB’s<\/a> winter meetings begin this week and almost all the top free agents<\/a> in baseball remain on the board.<\/p>\n

But we should begin to see movement. All-Star sluggers like outfielder Kyle Tucker<\/a>, third baseman Alex Bregman<\/a>, outfielder Kyle Schwarber<\/a>, infielder Bo Bichette<\/a>, first baseman Pete Alonso<\/a>, outfielder Cody Bellinger<\/a> and others will make their decisions, and the rankings below will change.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But as we wait to see how rosters take shape over the coming weeks and months, here\u2019s where all 30 teams stand right now.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Finally, something new\u2026ish. Paul DePodesta of “Moneyball” fame returns to MLB as the Rockies\u2019 president of baseball operations after spending the last decade in the Cleveland Browns\u2019 front office. He inherits a Rockies roster that just won 43 games with a minus-424 run differential. Best of luck.\u00a0<\/p>\n

They\u2019re coming off a third straight 100-loss season, and the next good White Sox team is still a ways away barring something extraordinary. But 2025 went much better than the year prior, and they\u2019re collecting an intriguing group of young talent. There\u2019s at least a building-off point now with Colson Montgomery<\/a>, Kyle Teel<\/a>, Shane Smith<\/a>, Chase Meidroth<\/a> and company.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The rebuild didn\u2019t go to plan, prompting a regime change. Now, they have a new president of baseball operations in Paul Toboni and a new manager in 33-year-old Blake Butera. There are some quality building blocks in place in James Wood, CJ Abrams<\/a> and MacKenzie Gore<\/a>, but there\u2019s a lot of work to be done to make this team competitive again. Only the Rockies had a higher team ERA in 2025, and the offense wasn\u2019t much better.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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(Photo by Nicole Vasquez\/MLB Photos via Getty Images) <\/p>\n

Since 2018, here\u2019s where All-Star slugger Mike Trout and the Angels have finished in the division: fourth, fourth, fourth, fourth, third (!) fourth, fifth, fifth. Their last winning season was in 2015. Their last division title was in 2014. The flier on Grayson Rodriguez makes sense, but it\u2019s hard to envision a 2026 turnaround at the moment.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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(Photo by Jeff Dean\/Getty Images) <\/p>\n

Another year, same story. Will the Pirates finally spend the money (or at least make some prudent trades) to field a competitive lineup? Or will they continue to waste the Paul Skenes<\/a> era? That\u2019s up to owner Bob Nutting and general manager Ben Cherington.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Minnesota\u2019s teardown at the deadline was staggering. There\u2019s little indication that the Twins, who were 23-43 in the second half after emptying the bullpen and sending Carlos Correa to Houston among a bevy of moves, are actually trying to win right now. Will the selloff continue this winter? If so, Joe Ryan<\/a> and Pablo Lopez<\/a> are certain to generate interest.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson\/Getty Images) <\/p>\n

Speaking of rebuilds, it certainly looks like that\u2019s what\u2019s happening in St. Louis as Chaim Bloom takes over as president of baseball operations. That was made clear when they shipped Sonny Gray<\/a> to Boston. Will Nolan Arenado be next? Brendan Donovan<\/a>? It\u2019ll be interesting to see how far this teardown goes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Marlins were one of the stories of the season, far outpacing projections by winning 79 games. It might be difficult to match that total again without significant additions this winter \u2014 they did, after all, exceed their Pythagorean record by seven wins \u2014 but they unearthed some building blocks for the future, which was sort of the whole point of the 2025 season. It\u2019ll be interesting to see how the Marlins elect to move forward after holding onto their top arms at the deadline.<\/p>\n

They were supposed to contend for a division title in 2025; instead, they finished last in the AL East with an offense that ranked 21st in OPS and a pitching staff that ranked 26th in ERA. New additions Taylor Ward and Ryan Helsley<\/a> can only do so much to change that. The Orioles could still use a frontline arm in the rotation and should be shopping at the top of the free-agent market to fill that need, but they also need the young talents in their lineup to start fulfilling their vast potential quickly.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Josh Naylor<\/a>, Eugenio Su\u00e1rez and Merrill Kelly were traded away. Zac Gallen is now a free agent. Corbin Burnes is still recovering from Tommy John surgery, and the bullpen needs an overhaul. Despite all that, Geraldo Perdomo<\/a>, Ketel Marte<\/a>, Corbin Carroll<\/a> and Gabriel Moreno<\/a> at least provide a solid floor for the offense.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0They have the Rookie of the Year and the Rookie of the Year runner-up in Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson, respectively. The offense, a young and dynamic group, produced a top-10 OPS this year. The club went 35-29 in the second half. The arrow is pointing up, and the A\u2019s future could soon be very bright\u2026if they can find a way to bolster their pitching and defense. That will be easier said than done in their current ballpark.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Maybe they can find more rotation help beyond Logan Webb and Robbie Ray. Perhaps they surround Rafael Devers with more offense. But whatever the Giants do with their roster this winter, nothing will be more interesting than their unprecedented hiring of the University of Tennessee\u2019s Tony Vitello as their new manager.\u00a0<\/p>\n

An offense with Junior Caminero, Yandy Diaz, Jonathan Aranda and Brandon Lowe should be enough to make the Rays relevant in the AL East race, but a lot will ride on the return of Shane McClanahan.\u00a0<\/p>\n

If Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic are healthy in 2026, the Royals should be able to put up a fight in the AL Central. Still, despite efforts to contend in recent years, they haven\u2019t won the division since 2015. They\u2019ve needed more pop in the lineup for years, and their outfielders ranked dead last in wRC+ in 2025. Will they get the help they need there this winter? A step forward from Jac Caglianone<\/a> would go a long way.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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(Photo by Ben Jackson\/MLB Photos via Getty Images) <\/p>\n

The Guardians made a miraculous late-season run to capture the AL Central title, but at some point Jose Ram\u00edrez and Steven Kwan could use more help. The offense remains a consistent problem. Over the last three years, the Guardians have finished 27th, 14th and 28th in runs scored. Given the club\u2019s unwillingness to spend, there\u2019s a lot riding on the ascension of recent first-round picks Chase DeLauter<\/a> and Travis Bazzana<\/a>, who should both impact the 2026 club.<\/p>\n

The Reds made it to the playoffs for the first time since 2020 (and the first time in a full season since 2013), but they looked overmatched against the eventual champion Dodgers and still haven\u2019t won a playoff game since 2012. Their young, talented rotation gives them a high ceiling for 2026, but the offense (21st in slugging, 24th in wRC+) needs more help if they want to take the next step.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Rangers had the best offense in the American League in their championship 2023 season. Then came the sudden tailspin. Over the last two years, their lineup ranked 27th in OPS. The offensive struggles have already prompted a winter of change. Adolis Garcia<\/a> and Jonah Heim<\/a> were non-tendered, Marcus Semien<\/a> was traded for Brandon Nimmo<\/a>, and now Skip Schumaker will chart a new path forward. As they work to return their lineup to prominence, they\u2019ll also need to add pitching depth this winter.
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(Photo by Tim Warner\/Getty Images) <\/p>\n

The dynasty ended after they traded Kyle Tucker and let Alex Bregman walk. Now Framber Valdez could be gone, too. The Astros will need to find more rotation depth behind Hunter Brown, who finished third in Cy Young voting, and there\u2019s a lot riding on Yordan Alvarez<\/a> to return to health to try to fix a middling offense. It will be interesting to see how they configure the defensive alignment when Carlos Correa, Isaac Paredes, Jose Altuve<\/a>, Alvarez and Christian Walker are all healthy. Perhaps a trade is in order to make the pieces fit.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Just about everything that could go wrong did for this club in 2025. It can\u2019t happen again, right? Better health in the rotation and improved performances from Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies could have the Braves returning to relevance in 2026, but after possessing one of the best offenses ever in 2023, Atlanta has now ranked outside the top 10 in OPS each of the last two years.
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A.J. Preller has an arduous challenge ahead to build a roster that can contend with the Dodgers in 2026. Dylan Cease<\/a> departed for Toronto. Michael King<\/a>, Robert Suarez, Luis Arraez<\/a> and Ryan O\u2019Hearn are all among the club\u2019s free agents. Meanwhile, ownership is exploring a possible sale, so it\u2019s hard to imagine the Padres spending at the top of the free-agent market to fill the vacancies. Maybe new manager Craig Stammen will get the best out of his former teammates.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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(Photo by Steph Chambers\/Getty Images) <\/p>\n

They needed to add a right-handed bat, so bringing back Gleyber Torres checks one box. But a lot of questions loom in Detroit. Will they pay up for Alex Bregman or another top slugger who can lift the ceiling of a lineup that struggled down the stretch? Will they add the requisite starting pitching depth behind Tarik Skubal? Will the bullpen be rebuilt with more arms capable of missing bats? And, most pressing, could they really trade Skubal if they can\u2019t ink him to a long-term deal?\u00a0
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The Mets bolstered the bullpen with the addition of Devin Williams<\/a> and traded offense for defense when they sent Brandon Nimmo to Texas for Marcus Semien, but bigger moves have to be ahead following the club\u2019s stunning late-season collapse. The Mets need to either bring Pete Alonso and Edwin D\u00edaz back or find a way to replace their production. The rotation ranked 18th in ERA and could use a headliner. President of baseball operations David Stearns should be busy this winter.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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(Photo by Chris Bernacchi\/Diamond Images via Getty Images) <\/p>\n

The Phillies squandered what might have been their last hurrah with their familiar nucleus of stars. Kyle Schwarber, Ranger Suarez<\/a> and J.T. Realmuto<\/a> are all free agents now. Surely, Dave Dombrowski will be active in replenishing the roster, but until they find a way to offset those losses (or bring some of those guys back), it\u2019s hard to still consider this a top-five roster. If Zack Wheeler can return healthy and looking like himself again, that will help quiet the noise.<\/p>\n

They were much improved in a 2025 season that snapped a four-year playoff drought, but they weren\u2019t able to take full advantage of their lone season with Kyle Tucker. Even if he departs in free agency, the Cubs\u2019 offense and defense could both still be among the best in baseball in 2026. But they could use another high-end arm in the rotation to feel confident about their chances of winning the Central \u2014 something they haven\u2019t done since 2020.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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(Photo by Jim McIsaac\/Getty Images) <\/p>\n

The team is loaded with young talent both in the field and on the mound, so it made sense that they added a veteran in the rotation in Sonny Gray to pair with Garrett Crochet<\/a> and stabilize the unit. The offense similarly could use another reliable impact bat, particularly a right-handed hitter capable of balancing out the lineup. Bringing back Alex Bregman would be one obvious option as the Red Sox attempt to build off their first playoff appearance since 2021. They haven\u2019t won the division since 2018.\u00a0
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(Photo by Rob Leiter\/MLB Photos via Getty Images) <\/p>\n

On one hand, it\u2019s hard to look at this roster and assume everything will go just as swimmingly as it did this year. On the other, at some point we have to stop questioning Milwaukee\u2019s methods. Year after year, they figure out how to do more with less, and all the primary pieces are back from a team that led MLB in wins in 2025. It hasn\u2019t translated to success in October, but getting to that point hasn\u2019t been a problem for a Brewers team that has made the playoffs seven times in the last eight years. I won\u2019t overthink this.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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(Photo by Mark Blinch\/Getty Images) <\/p>\n

It was an agonizing end to a magical 2025 season, but the Mariners are in position to build on their success. Every member of one of MLB\u2019s most formidable rotations is back, and it\u2019s fair to expect better production from that group in 2026 with a cleaner bill of health. Now, will the offense remain as productive as it was in 2025? Bringing back Josh Naylor felt like a necessary move, but it probably can\u2019t be the last one after Seattle came so close to finally making it to the World Series<\/a> for the first time ever.\u00a0
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\u00a0(Photo by Jim McIsaac\/Getty Images) <\/p>\n

This rotation could be one of the best in baseball if Gerrit Cole<\/a> and Carlos Rodon<\/a> return healthy in 2026, but the bullpen needs more depth and the offense could use another impact bat with Cody Bellinger reaching free agency. Bringing Bellinger back would be the most logical option, but might they get involved in the Bo Bichette sweepstakes? Yankees shortstops hit well below league average and ranked in the bottom five in FanGraphs\u2019 version of WAR.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The reigning AL champs and World Series runners-up have already gotten to work, adding Dylan Cease and KBO MVP Cody Ponce to a rotation that already includes Kevin Gausman<\/a>, Shane Bieber, Jose Berr\u00edos and rising star Trey Yesavage. They\u2019re also returning most of the depth pieces who helped Toronto\u2019s offense boast the highest batting average and lowest strikeout rate in MLB. The big question now is whether they\u2019ll continue to flex their financial might by bringing back Bo Bichette or look to replace his production elsewhere.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Was there any question? The Dodgers won 93 games, their fewest in a full season since 2018, and they still became the first back-to-back World Series champs in 25 years. After starring in the postseason, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani<\/a> and Tyler Glasnow are all back to guide the 2026 rotation. All the Dodgers\u2019 position player stalwarts are back, too. The roster is aging, but it\u2019s still the most talented in baseball, and it surely will get more help to address the obvious holes before the start of next season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0Rowan Kavner<\/a> is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on Twitter at\u00a0@RowanKavner<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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