In a dramatic finish to the 2025 postseason, the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Toronto Blue Jays in an extra-innings, winner-takes-all Game 7 to become the first repeat World Series champions since the 2000 New York Yankees.
Now the offseason begins. Contract options to consider! Free agency! Trade rumors! Let the fun begin.
We kick it all off with our annual Way-Too-Early Power Rankings — focusing on how teams look right now, minus their free agents, while factoring in rookies and young players who will make an impact next season and considering second-half performances, age of the roster and holes to fix. The top team? Probably not a surprise.
Final 2025 Power Rankings | Final 2025 regular-season grades
2025 record: 93-69
Final 2025 ranking: 3
Look, there is no doubt that a rotation featuring Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani and Tyler Glasnow can get the Dodgers back on top and maybe even back to 100 wins. That group wasn’t completely healthy in 2025 until late in the season, so they should produce more volume and more value in 2026. The bullpen will be better, especially if that’s where Roki Sasaki ends up, but there are concerns with the age-related issues of the lineup. Freddie Freeman turns 36; Mookie Betts, coming off his worst offensive season, will be 33; Max Muncy turns 35; and Teoscar Hernandez turns 33. That was the oldest lineup in the majors in 2025 — though it scored the most runs in the National League — and one becoming heavily dependent on Ohtani. But now they have a new motivation: A three-peat is on the line.
2025 record: 94-68
Final 2025 ranking: 4
The Blue Jays were two games under .500 through May 27 when the offense took off — all the way to a World Series appearance (and a crushing Game 7 loss). And they relied on the best contact rate in the game and production up and down the lineup to do it.
All the key position players are back except for Bo Bichette (who heads to free agency after hitting .311 with 94 RBIs in the regular season and the clutch three-run homer in Game 7 of the World Series) — and while you can expect some regression from George Springer and Ernie Clement, the Jays can expect better numbers from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Anthony Santander and Addison Barger. The big holes to fill will be in the rotation, which will make re-signing Bichette difficult. Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer are free agents and Shane Bieber has a $16 million player option he will likely decline (plus Jose Berrios missed the postseason with an elbow injury). Trey Yesavage will join the rotation, of course, and could make for a dynamic 1-2 punch with Kevin Gausman.
If the Jays can fill out that rotation, maybe they will be back in the Fall Classic again next year — with a different outcome.
2025 record: 90-72
Final 2025 ranking: 5
The 2025 Mariners made it closer to the World Series than any Mariners team ever has before — and fans will spend the offseason wondering what might have happened if manager Dan Wilson had brought in Andres Munoz in the seventh inning of Game 7.
The good news: Most of the team returns, although you always want to see weaknesses addressed. Josh Naylor is the top free agent, and the Mariners will undoubtedly make a strong bid to bring him back. They’ll probably let Eugenio Suarez leave as a free agent, with top prospect Colt Emerson likely taking over at third base. Jorge Polanco (player option) is another potential free agent who was a key hitter in the middle of the lineup, although they do have Cole Young ready at second base. The Mariners have never won back-to-back division titles. With the rotation projecting to have a better performance, they’ll be favored to repeat in 2026.
2025 record: 94-68
Final 2025 ranking: 6
There is an argument to rank the Yankees first overall. They’ll be adding Cam Schlittler (2.95 ERA in 14 starts) and 2024 Rookie of the Year Luis Gil (3.32 ERA in 11 starts) to the rotation full time and getting Gerrit Cole back at some point in 2026. Along with Max Fried, Carlos Rodon and Will Warren, that might give the Yankees the best rotation in baseball.
On the other hand, Cody Bellinger (player option that he’ll presumably turn down) and Trent Grisham are free agents, and that’s 63 home runs and 8.5 WAR to replace between the pair. The Yankees might let both walk as they’ll keep Jasson Dominguez in left field and give Spencer Jones the opportunity in center. There are also potential issues at shortstop, with Anthony Volpe coming off a bad season, and third base, as Ryan McMahon didn’t hit after coming over at the trade deadline.
2025 record: 89-73
Final 2025 ranking: 9
Back in the playoffs for the first time since 2021, the Red Sox will look to pursue their first AL East title since 2018. The team is built around Cy Young contender Garrett Crochet and budding superstar Roman Anthony, who produced 3.1 WAR in just 71 games and was starting to hit for power until missing September with an oblique strain.
We’ll see if Alex Bregman opts out (he gets $40 million if he doesn’t) and whether Lucas Giolito takes his $19 million option after a solid comeback season. Even without Giolito, rookie lefties Connolly Early and Payton Tolle look ready to contribute, and don’t forget Kyle Harrison, who came over in the Rafael Devers trade. The offseason intrigue: Will the Red Sox trade one of their four outfielders (Anthony, Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu)?
2025 record: 92-70
Final 2025 ranking: 7
While the Cubs will likely part ways with free agent Kyle Tucker, this will still be a team built around an excellent offense and superb defense. Of course, whether they get first-half Pete Crow-Armstrong or second-half PCA will be a huge key there, but outfielder Owen Caissie (.937 OPS in Triple-A) and DH/C/1B Moises Ballesteros (.316 average, .858 OPS in Triple-A) are ready to contribute, and third baseman Matt Shaw is a strong “take a big leap” candidate after posting an .839 OPS in the second half. As the playoffs showed when Cade Horton was hurt, the Cubs will need to address rotation depth — getting Justin Steele back at some point will help — and several key relievers, including Brad Keller, are free agents, so some bullpen moves will be in order.
2025 record: 97-65
Final 2025 ranking: 1
This ranking isn’t meant as an insult to a team coming off an MLB-best 97 wins and plus-172 run differential. Indeed, all the Brewers’ key players are back, although they’ll have to make some decisions on Brandon Woodruff ($20 million mutual option) and Jose Quintana ($15 million mutual option). They’ll also be adding Jacob Misiorowski and his triple-digit fastball to the rotation after he showed promise — and inconsistency — in his 14 starts as a rookie. But a lot also went right for the Brewers in 2025, including Quinn Priester and Quintana going a combined 24-10 despite below-average strikeout rates.
The big offseason decision concerns Freddy Peralta entering the final year of his contract (a bargain at $8 million). Will the Brewers keep him or trade him like they did with Corbin Burnes? It does seem the Brewers emphasize “keeping it going” — and they’ve done that exceptionally well — rather than going all-in. That could mean a Peralta trade is coming.
2025 record: 83-79
Final 2025 ranking: 13
The Reds made the postseason for the first time in a full season since 2013, so that’s to be applauded, but it was with just 83 wins, so they can thank the expanded playoffs. Elly De La Cruz led the regulars with just a 109 OPS+, so the offseason goal is to improve the offense.
With Chase Burns ready for the rotation and Rhett Lowder hopefully healthy after a lost 2025, the Reds have more depth on the way for a unit that ranked second in FanGraphs WAR in 2025. That has already led to Hunter Greene trade rumors — he is signed for three more years at a team-friendly rate — although president of baseball operations Nick Krall downplayed the idea of trading from the team’s strength. Free agents include closer Emilio Pagan, swingman Nick Martinez and trade acquisitions Zack Littell and Miguel Andujar, but the rotation gives them a high floor.
2025 record: 96-66
Final 2025 ranking: 2
The Phillies won 96 games but have a long list of key players hitting free agency this winter, including Kyle Schwarber, Ranger Suarez, J.T. Realmuto, Max Kepler, David Robertson. That’s 12.2 WAR — mostly from Schwarber, Suarez and Realmuto, three huge keys to their success the past four seasons. Then throw in more uncertainty with Zack Wheeler‘s health, Aaron Nola coming off a 6.01 ERA, and Bryce Harper turning 33 and coming off his lowest OPS since 2016. Top prospect Andrew Painter had a 5.40 ERA in Triple-A, so you can’t automatically pencil him in for 30 starts either. Look, the Phillies will make some additions — everyone predicts they’ll re-sign Schwarber, for example — but right now, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has some work to do this offseason to keep an aging team in the thick of things.
2025 record: 87-75
Final 2025 ranking: 11
The postseason exposed the Tigers’ weaknesses: a lack of starting pitch depth behind Tarik Skubal, the need for more swing-and-miss in the bullpen and a lineup that could use an enforcer in the middle — Riley Greene topped the club with 36 home runs and a 120 OPS+ but also whiffed 201 times. Of course, the pivotal decision of the offseason: If they can’t sign Skubal, who has one more season on his contract until he hits free agency, do they trade him? Or do they attempt to make a run with him? Hovering over all that: The Tigers used to run big payrolls under owner Mike Ilitch, but that hasn’t been the case under his son, Chris. In other words, another offseason of second-tier signings — while Gleyber Torres worked out, Alex Cobb didn’t — probably won’t move the needle.
2025 record: 82-80
Final 2025 ranking: 18
The success of the 2026 Royals probably will depend more on the health of starters Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic than anything the club does in the offseason — although addressing the lack of offense from the outfield (29th in the majors in both home runs and OPS) will be the top priority. Maybe Jac Caglianone will be an answer after getting exposed following a quick promotion to the majors (.157/.237/.295 in 62 games). Rookie catcher/DH Carter Jensen will share time with Salvador Perez and could be an impact bat — and if Bobby Witt Jr. bounces back (he was still great but created about 36 fewer runs than in 2024), the offense should improve.
2025 record: 83-79
Final 2025 ranking: 14
After their disastrous collapse over the final two months, no team will be under more pressure to improve this offseason than the Mets (seems like we’ve heard that story before). That will start with a decision on re-signing Pete Alonso, who enters free agency for a second straight offseason but this time following a much better year (38 HRs, 126 RBIs, 144 OPS+). Closer Edwin Diaz has an opt-out, although is expected to return to the Mets, but most of the other key relievers are also headed to free agency.
Rookie starters Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong will provide rotation depth. Close-to-the-majors prospects such as outfielder Carson Benge, infielder/outfielder Jett Williams and first baseman Ryan Clifford give the Mets options — like pursuing a No. 1 starter if, say, a certain Detroit left-hander is made available.
2025 record: 77-85
Final 2025 ranking: 19
The Rays were battling for the AL East lead in early July but averaged just under four runs per game the rest of the way — Jonathan Aranda‘s injury was a key there — and finished with their second consecutive losing season (although their run differential improved from minus-59 to plus-31). Brandon Lowe ($11.5 million) and Pete Fairbanks ($12.5 million) have club options the Rays will likely pick up, but that also makes both potential trade pieces. The farm system isn’t as loaded as it has been, but shortstop Carson Williams got a September call-up and could take over at the position in 2026. Getting back Shane McClanahan, who has missed two seasons with Tommy John surgery and then a nerve issue, will help, and Tampa Bay will need to get more power from the outfield (an MLB-low 29 home runs).
2025 record: 76-86
Final 2025 ranking: 21
The Braves were essentially running out a Triple-A rotation by the end of the season after injuries devastated the group, which helps explain their first losing — and first non-playoff — season since 2017. But that wasn’t their only problem, as the offense was mediocre once again. It’s easy to project improvement here if they get better health from Reynaldo Lopez (shoulder), Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow fracture) and Chris Sale (fractured rib), an improved Spencer Strider (7-14, 4.45) and a full year from late-season standout Hurston Waldrep (6-1, 2.88 ERA).
Ha-Seong Kim, if he takes his $16 million player option, will help the offense at shortstop, but Michael Harris II (.268 OBP) and Ozzie Albies (.304 OBP) struggled to get on base. Atlanta also has two holes to address in the offseason with closer Raisel Iglesias and DH Marcell Ozuna free agents.
2025 record: 90-72
Final 2025 ranking: 8
When the fall comes for the Padres, it’s going to hit hard, given all the long-term contracts they’ve committed to. The immediate problem is that Dylan Cease, Luis Arraez and Ryan O’Hearn are free agents while Michael King will likely use his player option to opt out.
The Padres didn’t score enough runs in 2025, ranking 28th in home runs, and there isn’t any immediate help coming from the farm system, so the pitching is going to have to deliver. You can certainly see why they might move Mason Miller to the rotation. If that holds and Joe Musgrove makes it back from Tommy John, maybe they’ll be OK.
2025 record: 88-74
Final 2025 ranking: 10
I know, I know … underestimate the Guardians at your own peril, so we’ll rank them here in the middle. They won a shocking division title powered by an incredible September run, but this is still a team that hit just .226/.293/.373 and ranked 28th in the majors in runs scored. They do have some potential help on the way in outfielder Chase DeLauter, who was on the playoff roster after not playing a regular-season game in the majors, and second baseman Travis Bazzana, the top overall pick in 2024. They will likely have to move on without closer Emmanuel Clase and starter Luis Ortiz, but the pen remains deep and Ortiz wasn’t that good anyway. It’s wishful thinking given ownership, but adding an impact bat would be the offseason priority.
2025 record: 81-81
Final 2025 ranking: 17
The Giants have already made the most interesting move of the entire offseason, hiring University of Tennessee coach Tony Vitello as their manager. It’s basically an unprecedented move for an MLB team to hire from the college ranks. Brewers manager Pat Murphy coached at Notre Dame and Arizona State but coached for years in the majors before taking the Milwaukee job. For now, the Giants look like the same .500-ish club as always. They’ll have to replace Justin Verlander‘s innings in the rotation and their top two relievers in Richard Rodriguez (Tommy John surgery) and Tyler Rogers (traded/free agent). Rafael Devers will be here for the entire season, but what they need is a young star. Maybe slugging first baseman Bryce Eldridge will be that guy.
2025 record: 81-81
Final 2025 ranking: 16
Flags fly forever, but the 2023 championship year remains the only winning season for the Rangers since 2016 (although they did have a plus-79 run differential in 2025). There are some obvious issues to address in the offseason: Tyler Mahle, Merrill Kelly and Patrick Corbin are free agents (that’s 56 starts to replace) as are three of the top five relievers in appearances. Jake Burger wasn’t the answer at first base and Joc Pederson hit .181 as the primary DH, although both remain under team control for 2026.
New manager Skip Schumacher will once again have to rely heavily on Nathan Eovaldi (11-3, 1.73 ERA), who had a season-ending rotator cuff strain and will turn 35 before Opening Day, and the middle infield combo of Marcus Semien (entering his age-35 season) and Corey Seager (turning 32). There’s risk with that trio, given their ages.
19. Athletics
2025 record: 76-86
Final 2025 ranking: 23
The A’s have shown remarkable on-field improvement in two years, despite the off-the-field chaos, going from 50-112 in 2023 to 76-86 in 2025, and they had an impressive post All-Star break run, going 35-29 with a plus-50 run differential as the pitching allowed 4.2 runs per game compared to 5.6 prior to the break — even after trading closer Mason Miller to the Padres.
Expect more of the same from slugging standout Nick Kurtz, who had one of the best rookie seasons ever with a 1.002 OPS, and everyone of importance is back. They still lack front-line pitching, and the defense — other than when Denzel Clarke is in center field — is a problem, but the A’s appear to be on the rise.
2025 record: 75-87
Final 2025 ranking: 24
The Orioles stumbled out of the gate and never recovered — despite winning records in June, July and September — so they enter the offseason as the sport’s biggest enigma. What has happened to the offense? The Orioles scored 109 fewer runs than 2024 and 130 fewer than 2023 — even though the young core was supposed to get better, not worse. Can the pitching bounce back? The O’s allowed 89 more runs than 2024 and 110 more than 2023. The good news is Trevor Rogers had a 1.81 ERA over 18 starts and Kyle Bradish pitched well after returning from Tommy John surgery. Maybe 2025 was just a bad season — like the Blue Jays’ 2024 season. Or maybe they just have too many holes to fix.
2025 record: 79-83
Final 2025 ranking: 22
The Marlins won 79 games but exceeded their Pythagorean record by seven wins and the rotation finished 26th in ERA. There is hope there, however: Sandy Alcantara — if they don’t trade him — was much better in the second half; Edward Cabrera threw a career-high 137 innings; Eury Perez returned after missing 2024 and will be turning just 23 in April. If rookie left-handers Thomas White and Robby Snelling can make an impact, the rotation could be much improved. But, as always, limited resources will make it difficult to improve their production at first base (15 home runs, 27th in OPS) or provide more offensive help for breakout slugger Kyle Stowers.
2025 record: 80-82
Final 2025 ranking: 15
The Diamondbacks finished 80-82 and have scored a lot of runs the past two seasons, though they will be missing 47 home runs from Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor. But they head into the offseason with lots of pitching holes to fill: Zac Gallen is a free agent, Merrill Kelly was traded, and Corbin Burnes might miss the season or most of it after Tommy John surgery. Even with Gallen, Kelly and Burnes combining for 66 starts, the Diamondbacks were just 19th in rotation ERA. Oh, and they had 17 pitchers record a save, which is a fun statistic but not really a good boat to be in, so they need to figure out the back end of the bullpen.
2025 record: 87-75
Final 2025 ranking: 12
Whoa? Twenty-third? Well, start with the Astros’ declining run differentials since 2022: plus-219, plus-129, plus-91, plus-21. The payroll includes $160 million for just seven players in 2026, which makes it unlikely they can afford to re-sign Framber Valdez. Several key players are getting old: Jose Altuve (36), Christian Walker (35) and Carlos Correa (31).
Correa is now a third baseman, the same position as Isaac Paredes, so maybe they move Correa to second base and Altuve to DH, except you don’t really want to play Yordan Alvarez in left field. Yes, a healthy Alvarez and a healthier rotation (Valdez and Hunter Brown were the only pitchers to reach 100 innings) could help keep the Astros in contention, but that downhill slope is starting to get steep.
2025 record: 60-102
Final 2025 ranking: 28
It’s obviously been a rough three years with three consecutive 100-loss seasons, but I like the general direction here with an interesting group of impact rookies arriving in 2025 (Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel, Edgar Quero, Shane Smith, Sean Burke), plus outfielder Braden Montgomery and pitchers Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith not far away.
It will be interesting to see if the club picks up its $20 million option on Luis Robert Jr. He certainly hasn’t been worth that salary in the past two seasons, but maybe the White Sox will take the gamble and hope once more he can find his 2023 level (5.3 WAR).
2025 record: 71-91
Final 2025 ranking: 25
You know the story: Paul Skenes is awesome, but owner Bob Nutting is about as committed to building a winner around Skenes as Larry King was to marriage. The Pirates could be a lot of fun with Skenes, Bubba Chandler, Jared Jones returning from injury and maybe even top hitting prospect Konnor Griffin making the team despite not turning 20 until April, but they need offense (they hit .216 on the road), and there is no evidence Nutting will spend any money to improve it.
2025 record: 78-84
Final 2025 ranking: 20
It feels like the Cardinals overachieved to even finish 78-84, with a pitching staff that ranked 29th in the majors in strikeout rate and an offense that ranked 29th in home runs, two categories that prime wins and losses in this era.
Now Chaim Bloom takes over as head of baseball operations and the Cardinals will apparently be willing to include cash in deals for Sonny Gray (one year left at $35 million) and Nolan Arenado (two years left at $42 million total).
The Cardinals’ young players simply haven’t taken off and the team lacks any semblance of a star player. If 2025 was a “hold steady” season, 2026 looks more like a rebuilding year.
2025 record: 70-92
Final 2025 ranking: 27
Teardowns are usually not good for the short-term success of a franchise, although it’s certainly possible to dig out of one. The Marlins dealt all their stars after winning it all in 1997 and were back in the playoffs — and winning a World Series again — in 2003. The Padres had a big teardown in 1993, lost 101 games that season, and then won the NL West in 1996. Then there are the 1995 Expos, who had a winning season in 1996 but then didn’t have another one until 2002 and eventually became the Washington Nationals. The Marlins had another teardown after 2017 and have had one winning full season since. The Twins have some talent here, but they went 19-35 the final two months after the deadline dump and have owners who seem more focused on saving pennies than on trying to win.
2025 record: 72-90
Final 2025 ranking: 26
The most dysfunctional franchise in the majors, perhaps best symbolized by pitcher Yusei Kikuchi telling Japanese reporters that the team’s weight room lacked air conditioning. Hey, at least the Angels appear to be finally fixing the issue: The team’s job board recently listed an opening for a part-time HVAC technician ($39.38 per hour!).
Unfortunately, a lack of AC was only a small part of the problem for a team that has now suffered 10 consecutive losing seasons, including the worst two-year stretch in franchise history, and will be paying Anthony Rendon and Mike Trout a combined $75 million in 2026.
29. Washington Nationals
2025 record: 66-96
Final 2025 ranking: 29
It has now been six years of bad baseball since the 2019 World Series crown. The lack of progress led to the firings of longtime executive Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez, with Paul Toboni, a former executive with the Red Sox, taking over as the new president of baseball operations. He is expected to lead an overhaul of the baseball operations department. The Nationals were absolutely horrible over the final three months, going 31-47 while getting outscored by a Rockies-like 144 runs. That doesn’t bode well for 2026.
2025 record: 43-119
Final 2025 ranking: 30
The Rockies set a dubious record with the worst run differential since 1901 at minus-424, 79 runs worse than the 1932 Red Sox (who previously had the worst mark in the modern era). That gives the Rockies a strong case as the worst team of all time, or at least the worst since the 1890s if early baseball is your thing.
While the Rockies could no doubt dominate 1890s baseball, the going will be difficult in 2026. What do they even do in the offseason? They don’t have a Garrett Crochet to trade like the White Sox did last offseason, so it’s probably more scrounging around for players who are blocked elsewhere and maybe finding some free talent.