EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThere's been a lot of exciting baseball already just one week into the 2026 MLB season.Rookies are dominating the conversation around the sport as they've had stellar starts to their major league careers. Chase DeLauter and Munetaka Murakami made history by homering in each of their first three major league games, only the third and fourth rookies to ever do so. Kevin McGonigle had a four-hit debut, and JJ Wetherholt hit his first major league home run in his debut.We've also seen bullpen concerns in the early days (especially in Kansas City), an exciting first start on the mound from Shohei Ohtani and a surprising team atop the standings in Miami, and no teams have gone undefeated in the first week of game play.Is your favorite club off to a dominant start -- and more importantly, will it last? Or are you hoping the first week's returns aren't a glimpse of the future?Our expert panel has ranked every team based on a combination of what we've seen so far and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that is a full baseball season. We also asked ESPN MLB experts Buster Olney, Alden Gonzalez and Bradford Doolittle to weigh in with an observation for all 30 teams.Preseason rankings1. Los Angeles DodgersRecord: 4-2Preseason ranking: 1Roki Sasaki was a disaster in spring training, allowing 26 of the 52 batters he faced to reach base, 15 of which did so via walk. When he took the mound for his regular-season debut Monday, many expected the worst. And then he was ... fine. Sasaki pitched into the fifth inning and allowed just one run and two walks. It certainly wasn't dominant, but it was clearly a building block -- an exceedingly important one, given that Sasaki said he had "no confidence at all" going into that start. The Dodgers have made it clear that they're going to give Sasaki every opportunity to start for them, but he needs to continue to make progress. -- Gonzalez2. New York YankeesRecord: 5-1Preseason ranking: 3The pitching staff, with a 1.01 ERA through six games, has the potential to be overpowering by season's end if the Yankees can continue to have good luck with injuries. They allowed just three runs in the first four games, and Carlos Rodon and Gerrit Cole continue to make progress in their respective rehabilitations from arm surgery. Cole will be back in the first part of June, and Rodon will return in the next couple of months (although he might be slowed by some hamstring tightness experienced this week). Luis Gil will step into the fifth spot in the rotation on April 10. The Yankees' bullpen could be bolstered later in the year by rotation spillover. -- Olney3. Seattle MarinersRecord: 3-4Preseason ranking: 2The Mariners were previously able to finalize long-term deals with their two franchise cornerstones, center fielder Julio Rodriguez and catcher Cal Raleigh. Now they've secured someone they hope will reach the big leagues soon, signing highly touted infielder Colt Emerson to an eight-year deal worth at least $95 million. Emerson, the Mariners' first-round pick in 2023, has skyrocketed through their system, reaching Triple-A last year. At some point this season, he should become their every-day second or third baseman. By next year, he'll probably replace J.P. Crawford at shortstop. More importantly, the Mariners continue to sign players who should help them extend their contention window. -- Gonzalez4. Toronto Blue JaysRecord: 4-2Preseason ranking: 4The 2026 version of the Blue Jays should be better defensively and more versatile than the 2025 team. With the departure of Bo Bichette, Andres Gimenez is now entrenched as the Toronto shortstop, with Ernie Clement at second -- two high-end defenders. The surplus of outfielders allows the 36-year-old George Springer to become close to a full-time designated hitter, with Daulton Varsho, Addison Barger, Jesus Sanchez, Nathan Lukes and Myles Straw covering the innings in center, right and left. -- Olney5. New York MetsRecord: 3-3Preseason ranking: 6The start of last season was difficult at times for Juan Soto, in the wake of his record-setting $765 million deal with the Mets. He had a great experience in his prior one season with the Yankees, but at times with the Mets in 2025, he didn't seem to compete with the joy seen through his first years. But in Year 2 so far, Soto looks completely relaxed and is doing typical Soto-type stuff: He started the season with nine hits in his first 26 at-bats, for a .346 average and .414 on-base percentage. The 27-year-old needs just five more homers to reach 250 for his career. -- Olney6. Milwaukee BrewersRecord: 5-1Preseason ranking: 11The media arrived early on a cold gray morning before the Brewers' opener to startling news: Star outfielder Jackson Chourio had been placed on the IL after an MRI revealed a hairline fracture in his hand, which had been hit by a pitch during the World Baseball Classic. Tough news to be sure, but not only is Chourio's absence not expected to be a prolonged one, the Brewers went out without him to post MLB-leading run totals over their first few games. Once again, athleticism figures to be at the forefront of the Milwaukee attack, as the Brewers averaged more than two steals per game over the first week. -- Doolittle7. Philadelphia PhilliesRecord: 3-3Preseason ranking: 5Andrew Painter's debut could not have gone better, with the tall right-hander averaging almost 97 mph in his debut and spotting his secondary pitches. Like other rookies around baseball, he competed with remarkable composure. "That is him," texted David Dombrowski, the Phillies' head of baseball operations. "He does not seem to get rattled. However, an extremely competitive person. He keeps that inside." Painter could help extend the Phillies' championship window. -- Olney8. Chicago CubsRecord: 3-3Preseason ranking: 7A highlight of the Cubs' uneven start was the debut of new righty starter Edward Cabrera at Wrigley Field. Cabrera throttled the Angels for six innings, holding a fairly hot offense scoreless with just one hit and five strikeouts. His four-seamer averaged 96.5 mph in the outings and touched 98.1, a clear demonstration of the kind of much-needed dominance Cabrera is capable of adding to the Chicago rotation. His game score of 74 was the sixth highest of his career. The Cubs would love to see about 20-25 more outings like that from Cabrera by the time the season is over. -- Doolittle9. Detroit TigersRecord: 2-4Preseason ranking: 8In a season marked by exciting rookie debuts, the Tigers have already seen evidence that their decision to break camp with Kevin McGonigle on the Opening Day roster was sound. Detroit fans have seen a player who, at the very least, dominates the strike zone, grinds at-bats and maintains a mature approach in high-leverage spots. He also looked equally comfortable at shortstop, his focus in the minor leagues, and third base, where he barely played before reaching the majors. It's only a week, but McGonigle has shown why his arrival with the Tigers generated so much hype. -- Doolittle10. Atlanta BravesRecord: 4-2Preseason ranking: 10In the weeks and months ahead, Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep could rejoin the Atlanta rotation. Until then, the Braves will try to make it work with what they have, which is why the solid performances from Reynaldo Lopez and Bryce Elder felt very important. Lopez recovered his velocity after making a mechanical adjustment in his delivery, and Elder continues to throw harder, something he showed at the end of last season. The Braves hope Strider will be back from his oblique injury in three to four weeks. -- Olney11. Texas RangersRecord: 4-2Preseason ranking: 14The Rangers' first season under new manager Skip Schumaker is off to a solid start. They've won four of their first six games, with veterans Jake Burger, Corey Seager and Brandon Nimmo swinging the bat well, and two young pitchers in MacKenzie Gore and Jack Leiter putting together solid starts in their first turns through the rotation. It's early, but the vibes are good. "We're having fun," Jacob deGrom told local reporters. "Skip's done a great job managing this thing so far, and the guys have been having a good time. ... You have to show up every day and get ready to play, but you also have to have fun playing." -- Gonzalez12. Boston Red SoxRecord: 1-5Preseason ranking: 9Boston manager Alex Cora has said he will handle the glut of outfielders/DHs he has, but it won't be easy. Masataka Yoshida started at DH on Tuesday but has just eight at-bats and is still hitless through five games. When Yoshida was in the starting lineup, Jarren Duran did not play. Roman Anthony, who might be Boston's best offensive player, has appeared in every game, as has Wilyer Abreu -- a star in this year's World Baseball Classic -- and Ceddanne Rafaela, regarded as perhaps the best defensive center fielder in the game. So long as this group stays healthy, hard choices will have to be made by Cora. -- Olney13. Baltimore OriolesRecord: 3-3Preseason ranking: 12Adley Rutschman's offensive production was in precipitous decline each of the past two years, with his OPS dropping from .809 in 2023 to .709 in 2024 and then .673 last season. But he is off to a hot start in 2026, a great sign for the Orioles, as he has reached base in six of his first 13 plate appearances. The early signs are that new manager Craig Albernaz will use Rutschman similarly to how the Mariners use Cal Raleigh, deploying him at catcher in most games -- he started four of the Orioles' first five games behind the plate -- and at DH on the days he doesn't catch. -- Olney14. Houston AstrosRecord: 5-2Preseason ranking: 13Lance McCullers Jr.'s first start of 2026 saw him throw seven innings for the first time since September 2022, qualifying as one of the cooler stories of this season's first week. McCullers missed the entirety of the 2023 and 2024 seasons, then worked through a 6.51 ERA in 55 innings -- while making four separate stints on the injured list -- in 2025. It was hard to expect anything from him going into this year -- but then he recorded 21 outs, allowed just one run and struck out nine batters against the Red Sox in his debut. The Astros' offense has been swinging it well in recent days. If the Astros can get more starts like this from McCullers, they might just make a playoff run. -- Gonzalez15. Cincinnati RedsRecord: 3-3Preseason ranking: 18If the first week is any indication, Sal Stewart seems intent on proving that his late-season power surge upon his arrival in the majors last season was only a teaser of what's to come. He homered twice over the Reds' first few games, but more exciting than that was the fullness of a slash line that landed him the season's first National League Player of the Week honors. Stewart rang up nine hits over his first five games with six walks, both totals leading the NL during that span. The walks were offset by just three whiffs, suggesting Stewart's start is as much fueled by approach as it is a hot streak. As with all of this season's fast-starting rookies, the sample is tiny. But Stewart seems poised to stake claim as the Reds' first baseman of the present and future. -- Doolittle16. Kansas City RoyalsRecord: 3-2Preseason ranking: 15Give the Royals credit for not clinging to preprogrammed thinking when it comes to their bullpen hierarchy, though the evidence around Carlos Estevez might have been too troubling to ignore. Estevez averaged 96 mph with his four-seamer while leading the American League with 42 saves last season.This spring, he was throwing in the 89-91 mph range, and in his first regular-season appearance, a save opportunity in Atlanta, he averaged 91, showed zero command and allowed six runs, including a game-ending grand slam by Dominic Smith. Initially, Estevez remained on the active roster in hopes of building back the missing velocity, likely in a low-leverage role. However, on Wednesday, he landed on the IL with a bruised foot. Maybe the break will do him good. -- Doolittle17. Cleveland GuardiansRecord: 4-3Preseason ranking: 20The elevator pitch for rookie Chase DeLauter has always been something like "advanced approach, plus bat-to-ball skills, exciting power potential, held back by incessant injuries." During his first week in an MLB regular season, we've seen a lot of that on display, most of it good. DeLauter mashed four homers during Cleveland's first three games and did so in a tough venue (T-Mobile Park) against one of baseball's top pitching staffs (Seattle). Alas, the injury bugaboo reared its ugly head yet again when DeLauter had to leave a game at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday after fouling a ball off his foot. X-rays came back negative, so hopefully it's nothing that will linger. -- Doolittle18. Tampa Bay RaysRecord: 2-4Preseason ranking: 21Tampa Bay demonstrated in its first games that it should have a formidable offense, with Yandy Diaz, Jonathan Aranda and Junior Caminero leading the way as the Rays are batting .274 as a team. One concern, though, is teams' early strategy to work around Caminero, who hammered 45 homers and drew just 41 walks last season. In his first 19 plate appearances, just 34.8% of pitches to Caminero were in the zone, tied for the second-lowest percentage in the majors at the time. -- Olney19. Arizona DiamondbacksRecord: 3-3Preseason ranking: 19The D-backs began their season by being swept by the reigning-champion Dodgers, further emphasizing the concerns around their depth heading into the season. But they followed that by sweeping the Tigers and getting a couple of uplifting performances along the way. The first came from Michael Soroka, the oft-injured starter who recorded 10 strikeouts in five scoreless innings against the Tigers on Monday. The second occurred 24 hours later, when Jose Fernandez was called up from the minor leagues for an injured Pavin Smith, started at third base and put together a historic performance, going 3-for-4 with two home runs and four RBIs to spark the D-backs' massive comeback win. Before Fernandez, only six players had ever homered twice in their major league debuts. -- Gonzalez20. San Diego PadresRecord: 2-4Preseason ranking: 16The Padres began this season with serious concerns about their rotation, and this first week hasn't done much to alleviate them. Nick Pivetta allowed six runs on Opening Day; Walker Buehler, who showed such promise during spring training, was only able to complete four innings; and German Marquez, who was signed with the hope that he would succeed away from Coors Field, recorded just nine outs against a previously scuffling Giants lineup. The Padres boast one of the game's best and deepest bullpens, but they can't tax it so early. Pivetta should be fine, as evidenced by his solid start on Wednesday, and eventually Griffin Canning and Joe Musgrove can join the staff. But Marquez and Buehler need to figure it out in the meantime. -- Gonzalez21. Miami MarlinsRecord: 5-1Preseason ranking: 25Before last year's trade deadline, some teams were reluctant to invest heavily in a pursuit of Sandy Alcantara, unsure of whether he would ever get back to being the Cy Young-caliber performer he was earlier in his career. But he threw better at the end of last season, and his first two starts this year were excellent: Facing the Rockies, Alcantara allowed just one unearned run over seven innings, and according to Statcast data, not a single hitter barreled a ball against him. He followed that by throwing the first complete game of the season against the White Sox, allowing just three hits and striking out seven. -- Olney22. Pittsburgh PiratesRecord: 3-3Preseason ranking: 22While several teams, even some rebuilding ones, decided to open the season with elite prospects on the roster, the Pirates decided to start Konnor Griffin off with his first exposure to Triple-A. The decision was not particularly controversial, as he's only 19 years old and hit just .171 this spring, albeit with electric power. Well, Griffin appears to be determined to make his Triple-A journey a brief one. Over his first five games for Indianapolis, Griffin is 7-for-16 with five walks, three doubles and a three stolen bases. He (probably) won't keep OPSing at 1.196, but how long can the Bucs hold off summoning him if this keeps up? Rumors about a possible early extension for Griffin might suggest otherwise. -- Doolittle23. San Francisco GiantsRecord: 2-4Preseason ranking: 17We didn't know what to expect from Tony Vitello in his jump from college coach to major league manager, but we knew it was going to be interesting. And this first week certainly didn't disappoint. It began with the Giants scoring one run in their first three games against the Yankees, during which Vitello blamed, of all things, his emotional speech. And it ended with his team taking two of three from the division-rival Padres, during which Vitello summoned Kanye West for some reason. What matters most of all, though, is that the Giants' offense finally woke up on Tuesday, scoring nine runs on 16 hits, and that Vitello has seemingly found some footing. -- Gonzalez24. St. Louis CardinalsRecord: 4-2Preseason ranking: 26Here's yet another club whose opening week was dominated by excitement surrounding a new face. In the Cardinals' case, it's JJ Wetherholt, who drove in four runs over his first five games, struck out just three times in 23 plate appearances before a pair of whiffs on Wednesday, and led all St. Louis hitters in win probability added. Wetherholt led a surprising offense that averaged nearly five runs per game during the Redbirds' opening homestand, doing so with the second-youngest average hitter age in baseball, behind Washington. The early returns on the offensive part of the St. Louis youth movement are encouraging, and Wetherholt is leading the way. -- Doolittle25. AthleticsRecord: 1-5Preseason ranking: 23There were concerns about the pitching, certainly, but the A's were expected to field an impressive, dynamic lineup in 2026, the type some believed might be good enough to propel them to unlikely contention. The start they got off to, with that context, was stunning. Through their first four games -- all losses -- the A's offense slashed .170/.222/.289, scored just 11 runs and struck out a whopping 57 times. It's an incredibly small sample size, and things will almost certainly turn around, but it was eye-opening nonetheless. "We're not going to hit the panic button by any measure," A's manager Mark Kotsay said then. "You go through these stretches during the middle of the year." -- Gonzalez26. Washington NationalsRecord: 3-3Preseason ranking: 29The season is just a week old, important context for the Nationals' strong offensive performance so far. So far, only the Astros and Brewers had scored more runs than Washington. But what has been more surprising is that the Nationals are piling up those runs despite relatively slow starts from the player generally regarded as their best hitter, James Wood, who has struck out 12 times in his first 27 at-bats. CJ Abrams has four singles, a home run and one walk through six games, and Daylen Lile, a second-round pick by the Nats in 2021, has an OPS just under 1.000. -- Olney27. Minnesota TwinsRecord: 1-4Preseason ranking: 24After the Twins mostly emptied out their bullpen with last season's flurry of in-season trades, the relief corps on this year's roster was rife with uncertainty. Early on, it looks like one productive contributor might be familiar: Taylor Rogers. It was something of a stunner when the Twins dealt Rogers and pre-breakout slugger Brent Rooker to San Diego for Chris Paddock and current Reds closer Emilio Pagan right before Opening Day in 2022. Since then, Rogers has gone from San Diego to Milwaukee to San Francisco to Cincinnati to the north side of Chicago.Now back with the Twins, he put up scoreless innings in two low-leverage outings early on. He's throwing a cutter that he has only experimented with in the past, so it will be interesting to see if Rogers' leverage index begins to climb as manager Derek Shelton sorts out Minnesota's new-look bullpen. -- Doolittle28. Los Angeles AngelsRecord: 3-4Preseason ranking: 27It's been a long time since we saw the prime version of Mike Trout, but the early part of this season has provided glimpses of it. Trout has been stealing bases, drawing walks, hitting home runs and making diving catches in center field, looking very much like the perennial MVP candidate from, well, seven years ago at this point. He played in 130 games last season for the first time since 2019, but he finished with only a .797 OPS and was relegated to designated hitter. This offseason, he worked to get his body back in a position to return to center field without putting too much stress on his knees, hoping it might benefit him offensively, too. It's early, but he's seeing the results he hoped for thus far. -- Gonzalez29. Chicago White SoxRecord: 1-5Preseason ranking: 28Since it's too early to panic about anything in particular, even something as alarming as the horror show early numbers of the White Sox pitching staff, let's instead zero in on something happy: the proof of concept that has marked the first few games of Munetaka Murakami's debut. Murakami homered in his first three MLB games, displaying the historic power stroke he flashed in Japan. He added a good dose of walks as well, boosting his early OBP. It's an encouraging start for the target of Chicago's surprise hot stove splurge. We still have to see how Murakami handles the adjustments pitchers will surely make against him, but he has shown so far that the power is real. -- Doolittle30. Colorado RockiesRecord: 2-4Preseason ranking: 30It's not necessarily a novel thought, but new president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta believes that for the Rockies to have any chance at contention, their offense needs to be elite -- at least in their surface-level numbers, given the reality of their home environment. So far, that has been the case only once. The Rockies burst out for 14 runs in their fourth game of the season in Toronto. In their four other games, though, they've averaged just two runs on seven hits**. The Rockies' first homestand of the season is up next, and they'll host the Phillies and Astros. If the bats don't awaken, this season will turn ugly fast. -- Gonzalez
