MLB Power Rankings: Dodgers Chase Three-Peat with 102-60 Projected Record

The Los Angeles Dodgers enter the 2026 season atop the MLB Power Rankings with a 98% playoff probability and a payroll exceeding all rivals by $30 million.

The Los Angeles Dodgers headline the initial 2026 MLB Power Rankings with a projected 102-60 record and a 27.6% chance to win the World Series. According to Doolittle’s projections, the two-time reigning champions hold a 98% probability of reaching the postseason as they attempt to become the first franchise to three-peat since the 2000 New York Yankees. The club enters Opening Day with the highest payroll in the major leagues, outspending the nearest competitor by more than $30 million following the free-agent acquisitions of outfielder Kyle Tucker and reliever Edwin Diaz. Experts Jorge Castillo, Bradford Doolittle, Alden Gonzalez, and David Schoenfield identified Shohei Ohtani as the National League Cy Young favorite, noting his potential to pair an MVP-caliber bat with a premier arm.

Dodgers and Phillies Battle for National League Supremacy

While the Dodgers are projected for 102 wins, David Schoenfield predicts they could reach 110 victories if their rotation remains healthy after utilizing 40 different pitchers in both 2024 and 2025. This spending surge has led to calls for a salary cap ahead of the CBA expiration on December 1. In Philadelphia, the Phillies enter with an 88-74 projected record and a 66% chance of making the playoffs. Bryce Harper looks to rebound from an .844 OPS, his lowest mark since 2014, while Cristopher Sanchez seeks the Cy Young after finishing second in last year’s voting. Sanchez posted 8.0 bWAR in 2025, narrowly trailing Paul Skenes’ 6.5 fWAR. Teammate Jesus Luzardo is also expected to contend for honors after finishing third in projected Cy Young voting.

American League Contenders: Mariners and Yankees Lead the Chase

The Seattle Mariners are ranked as the primary threat in the American League with a 90-72 projected record and 72% playoff odds. After falling one win short of the AL pennant last season, Seattle added All-Star utility player Brendan Donovan and reliever Jose A. Ferrer to a roster featuring Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez. Rodriguez, entering his age-25 season, is a favorite for AL MVP after appearing in 160 games last year. Projections suggest he could reach 8 WAR and 40 home runs if he improves upon his career first-half slash line of .260/.319/.418. The Mariners' offense, which ranked fifth in runs per game over the final two months of 2025, will also benefit from a full season of first baseman Josh Naylor.

In New York, the Yankees are projected at 89-73 with a 70% chance to reach October. The rotation awaits the June return of Gerrit Cole from Tommy John surgery to join Max Fried. Aaron Judge remains the AL MVP favorite after recording 9.7 bWAR and winning his third trophy last season despite playing 56 games at DH. The Yankees led the majors with 274 home runs in 2025 and are predicted to hit 290 this year, with Judge, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Ben Rice, Trent Grisham, and Cody Bellinger all potentially reaching the 30-homer plateau. To improve, the team must address a left side of the infield that produced a .664 OPS last season, the sixth-lowest in MLB.

Blue Jays and Mets Navigate Injury and Roster Overhauls

The Toronto Blue Jays enter 2026 following their first AL pennant in 32 years, though they face significant injury hurdles. Starters Shane Bieber (forearm), Jose Berrios (elbow stress fracture), and Bowden Francis (Tommy John surgery) are sidelined, while Anthony Santander is expected to miss most of the season with a shoulder injury. Despite these losses, Toronto signed Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce, and Kazuma Okamoto, the latter of whom is a 29-year-old AL Rookie of the Year candidate. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is coming off a postseason where he hit .397 with eight home runs in 18 games. The club is projected for an 88-74 record and a 70% chance to return to the playoffs.

In the National League East, the New York Mets are projected for a 92-70 finish and a 78% playoff probability. President of baseball operations David Stearns overhauled the roster, replacing Edwin Diaz with Devin Williams as closer and adding Freddy Peralta to the rotation. The lineup features Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, and newcomers Bo Bichette and Jorge Polanco. Rookie Nolan McLean is expected to be a key contributor after making eight starts late last year and pitching for Mark DeRosa in the WBC final. Catcher Francisco Alvarez, who hit .276/.360/.561 in the second half of 2025, is poised for a breakout as the Mets look to improve a pitching staff that posted a 4.96 ERA during the final two months of last season.