One storyline to follow for every MLB team in 2026

The Diamondbacks are hoping to buy time for Corbin Burnes, A.J. Puk, and Justin Martinez to return from injury, but getting through nine innings could be tough for the pitching staff in the meantime. The rotation lost Zac Gallen, while Eduardo Rodriguez and Brandon Pfaadt have struggled lately. Arizona re-signed Merrill Kelly and hopes they found a diamond in the rough with Michael Soroka. The bullpen could be an even bigger issue, already losing Andrew Saalfrank for the season and hoping for a rebound from Kevin Ginkel and Paul Sewald.

With the help of a very hitter-friendly home ballpark in Sacramento, the Athletics saw an influx of offense and breakout performances from rookies Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson in 2025. They've added Jeff McNeil to a core that also includes Tyler Soderstrom, Shea Langeliers, Lawrence Butler, and Brent Rooker. The team has its fair share of pitching worries, but the lineup has the potential to post big numbers again as they get closer to their move to Vegas.

After a year of injuries and pitching struggles for their pitching staff, the Braves hired former Mets pitching coach Jeremy Hefner to lead the staff. Unfortunately, the team has already suffered setbacks with Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep going down, but there's still ample talent to work with, with Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, and Reynaldo Lopez hoping to regain their old form in 2026.

Not many teams were busier than the O's this offseason. GM Mike Elias made bold moves, signing Pete Alonso, Chris Bassitt, and Zach Eflin, while also trading for Shane Baz and Taylor Ward. Those moves and the hope of rebound seasons from the team's nucleus that includes Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, Jackson Holliday, and Colton Cowser could put Baltimore back in the thick of the playoff race.

Boston came on after trading franchise star Rafael Devers last season, but the conventional wisdom was that the team would work to replace his power this offseason. Instead, the Red Sox reallocated the money to improve the pitching staff with Sonny Gray and Ranger Suarez. The only notable offensive additions heading into Spring Training were Willson Contreras and Caleb Durbin, while the team also lost Alex Bregman. The lack of an elite power hitter could prevent Boston from reaching its lofty goals, though the hope is that young outfielder Roman Anthony emerges.

Manager Craig Counsell made do with a rebuilt bullpen last year, including the emergence of new closer Daniel Palencia. The team has multiple new names in 2026, including Phil Maton, Hunter Harvey, and Hoby Milner, after losing significant contributors like Brad Keller, Andrew Kittredge, and Drew Pomeranz. It's a risk for a team that otherwise looks prime for another playoff run.

One year removed from a record-breaking bad season, the White Sox have some reason for optimism. The team signed Munetaka Murakami and Austin Hays, adding to an intriguing young core that includes Miguel Vargas, Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel, and Chase Meidroth. The pitching staff also hopes to see top prospects Noah Schultz, David Sandlin, and Hagen Smith contribute this season.

The Reds surprised with a Wild Card playoff berth last year, and imaginations can run wild with the talent in their starting rotation. Former first-round pick Chase Burns joins the talented Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott, and Nick Lodolo, making for an elite, homegrown starting rotation that could lead to big things if they can all stay healthy.

Against all odds, there seems to be no stopping the Guardians after winning the AL Central in three of the last four seasons. Star third baseman Jose Ramirez has been one of the few constants during that timeframe, and the Guardians are counting on their diminutive third baseman to continue leading the way after some key pitcher losses from last year's squad.

The Rockies appeared stuck in the past with their player acquisitions and contracts over the last several years. They hope to catch up quickly after hiring former Dodgers GM and Browns front office mind Paul DePodesta to run baseball operations. The inspiration behind Peter Brand in Moneyball, DePodesta has been out of the game for a decade, but brings an analytical mind that will be critical to win in the unique home confines of Coors Field. The team has already shown some aggressiveness in player acquisitions.

Skubal enters the final season of his contract after winning back-to-back Cy Young Awards. Detroit's offseason started slowly, but they concluded it with a bang after signing Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander to the starting rotation. The team's lineup remains almost completely unchanged, but they hope to compete for the World Series before Skubal hits free agency.

Houston has lost key players from its offensive core in recent seasons, including George Springer, Kyle Tucker, and Alex Bregman, but it was Alvarez's injuries last year that were finally too much for the offense to bear. With the additional loss of Framber Valdez and arm issues for closer Josh Hader, Houston desperately needs Alvarez to get back on track if they hope to compete.

KC has hovered above .500 over the last two seasons, in large part due to their strong starting pitching, but they're capable of more. Top lefties Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic fought injuries last season, while Seth Lugo regressed after a brilliant 2024 season. Getting that trio back on track, along with the emergence of Noah Cameron, could push the Royals back into October baseball.

The Angels missed the playoffs for the 11th straight season. The 2026 season appears to be a make-or-break year for GM Perry Minasian, who hired first-time manager Kurt Suzuki for only one year, as he also enters the final year of his deal. The team made high-upside additions in the offseason, like Josh Lowe, Grayson Rodriguez, and Alek Manoah, with the hope of getting back to the playoffs.

There appears to be no stopping the Dodgers on or off the field. After winning their second straight World Series, the team made headlines again this offseason by signing Edwin Diaz and Kyle Tucker. The team's payroll and talent are historic, and they hope it reflects in the win column after a relatively disappointing 93 wins during the regular season in 2025.

The Marlins rebuild has been more efficient than expected, with a 17-win improvement last season after breakout seasons from Kyle Stowers and Agustin Ramirez. There are more exciting young players on the way, and the starting rotation looks better on paper with the returns of Braxton Garrett and Max Meyer to go along with Sandy Alcantara and Eury Perez. Miami looks headed in the right direction and would like to keep the momentum going.

Losing franchise players has become a part of life in Milwaukee, yet the team has made the playoffs in seven of the last eight years. The fear is that the loss of ace Freddy Peralta will be too much, but the Brewers have plenty of pitching depth they hope will offset it. Milwaukee also has questions on the left side of the infield that they hope their young talent can answer positively.

The Twins have been cash-strapped in recent seasons, so the Pohlads' decision to keep the team last year wasn't well received by fans. They had another quiet offseason, and president of baseball operations Derek Falvey left at the end of January. A talented core remains, led by Joe Ryan and Byron Buxton, but Minnesota could be lacking the depth to compete in the AL Central.

After floundering late last season, the Mets made significant offseason changes. Fans went through a range of negative emotions after the team moved on from Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, and Edwin Diaz, but this year's squad looks highly capable. The lineup is strong after adding Bo Bichette, Jorge Polanco, Marcus Semien, and Luis Robert Jr., while Freddy Peralta and Devin Williams add stability to a talented pitching staff.

The expectations are sky high in the Bronx, as usual, but Yankees fans might be forced to practice patience. The team is set to start the season without Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Anthony Volpe, and should have that trio back before midseason. The team's talent stacks up well in the AL, but they will need to tread water in April.

The Phillies have made the playoffs in four straight seasons, but could be approaching the end of their window. Key lineup pieces Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, and Kyle Schwarber are on the wrong side of 30, and the team is hoping Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola can rebound from injury-plagued seasons. Even as top prospects Aidan Miller and Andrew Painter are nearly ready, Philadelphia could be in do-or-die mode this season.

Young Paul Skenes has taken baseball by storm by winning the NL Rookie of the Year and Cy Young in his first two seasons. Shortstop Konnor Griffin could be the team's next big star. The team is hoping he forces them to make a tough decision after Spring Training, as they have playoff hopes after also adding Ryan O'Hearn, Brandon Lowe, and Marcell Ozuna to the lineup.

The Padres were able to re-sign Michael King in the offseason, but there remain huge questions about their pitching staff. Yu Darvish has unofficially retired, and the Padres lost Dylan Cease in free agency. San Diego desperately needs Joe Musgrove to rebound from elbow surgery, but even in that case, the backend of the rotation looks bleak with German Marquez, Griffin Canning, Randy Vasquez, and JP Sears among the candidates to fill spots.

The Giants made an outside-the-box hire in Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello, making a nearly unprecedented jump from college head coach to MLB manager. He has a tough task ahead as San Francisco chases the Dodgers in the NL West, but the team has a strong nucleus of young talent and veterans.

Seattle's offensive improvement last season was a surprise to many, as the team ranked tied for eighth in runs scored with a historic year from Cal Raleigh as well as great performances from Julio Rodriguez, Randy Arozarena, and Jorge Polanco. Polanco is gone, but the Mariners are hopeful that a full year of Josh Naylor and the addition of Brendan Donovan will help the offense continue moving forward.

A rebuild is uncharted territory for the Cardinals franchise over the last 30 years, and it's clear that's where they are headed after an offseason fire sale. The team traded Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras, Nolan Arenado, and Brendan Donovan and failed to make many notable additions to the MLB roster. Baseball operations head Chaim Bloom is guiding a painful process that the team's fans hope pays off.

If the Rays have produced a losing record in back-to-back seasons, they will need their top-end talent to perform if they hope to rebound. The anticipated return of Shane McClanahan after two years away due to injury is vitally important to the team's chances of returning to the playoffs, especially after trading Zack Littell and Shane Baz.

Bochy worked his magic when he arrived in Texas in 2023, helping the team win a World Series. However, the team regressed over the last two seasons and failed to find an answer for their anemic offense. New manager Skip Schumaker has experience from his time in Miami, and he has plenty of talent to work with, including the additions of Brandon Nimmo and MacKenzie Gore.

Toronto came painfully close to winning the World Series over the Dodgers last season. The front office deserves credit for continuing to push in the offseason, signing Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce, Tyler Rogers, and Kazuma Okamoto. The loss of Bo Bichette and another injury to Anthony Santander will hurt, but the Blue Jays have the pieces in place to make another run.

Winning the World Series in 2019 bought more time for GM Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez, but the organization finally moved on this offseason. New president of baseball operations Paul Toboni looks to be in full rebuild mode, hiring 33-year-old manager Blake Butera and trading MacKenzie Gore. Toboni's analytical background could be a stark contrast to what the organization has grown accustomed to under Rizzo.