The 2026 MLB season is inbound!

Let’s preview what lies ahead for the NL & AL West divisions this season.

NL West

Los Angeles Dodgers

• Pitching Grade: We’re the Dodgers
• Batting Grade: We’re the Dodgers
• Vibes Grade: We’re the Dodgers
• Star to watch: ..any of them?
• Non-star to watch: Is Kyle Tucker actually a star?
• Intangible reason to watch: There’s never been a more “Us against the world” team

They are the Los Angeles Dodgers. They won back-to-back World Series titles, have the best player in baseball history on their roster (sorry, Babe Ruth truthers), and only added pieces this offseason. They have the luxury of Mookie Betts or Freddie Freeman having a down year, or of a major signing not panning out, because they not only develop as well as anyone, they can spend as well as anyone, and they get the “I want to live in LA and play with Ohtani” discount. The embarrassment of riches is the catalyst for the impending lockout, according to anyone that you ask, because the gap is that unfair.

But let’s talk about this actual season: we were having a similar conversation about the free-agent acquisitions they made last year, but they were on cruise control during the regular season and just got to 93 wins to stay loaded for October. This year, they’ll add Edwin Diaz, they paid a hefty price for Kyle Tucker, and will presumably be healthier this season than last year in the rotation. They also happen to be the Dodgers and could just add anyone they want via trade this year if necessary. It’s another season of them being in a tier of their own, but we play the games for a reason!

San Francisco Giants

• Pitching Grade: B
• Batting Grade: A-
• Vibes Grade: B+
• Star to watch: Willy Adames
• Non-star to watch: Bryce Eldridge
• Intangible reason to watch: Tony Vitello managing

The Giants have quickly gone from a bit of an identity-less .500 team to a team that is stirring the pot as a disruptor in the Buster Posey era! Slick Willy Adames was the big fish signing and is looking to bounce back. They made the trade of the season last year, going all-in on Rafael Devers, and are now employing the most divisive manager hire: college dynasty coach Tony Vitello, who has no major league experience. When you’re blood rivals with the entity that is the Dodgers, you have to be bold enough to try things that no one else is.

No matter the decisions that Vitello makes as a manager, the Giants are trending upwards from the roster alone. The main acquisition is now a full season of Devers, but they got a value add in Harrison Bader in left field, and Luis Arraez is kind of made to play in the pitcher-friendly park, considering he just hits for contact, and they can play small ball to generate runs. Bryce Eldridge could potentially be the top prospect that makes the team from day one and could be the face of the franchise if Devers doesn’t want to be and just wants to be the slugger he’s paid to be! They’re disruptors full of postseason upside. Falling off after the Devers move last year has them motivated to go for a new look and a bounce-back.

San Diego Padres

• Pitching Grade: A-
• Batting Grade: B+
• Vibes Grade: B-
• Star to watch: Jackson Merrill
• Non-star to watch: Nick Castellanos
• Intangible reason to watch: They’re trending downward, but still HATE the Dodgers

Another early postseason exit for San Diego after more all-in moves is making the up-and-coming Padres feel a bit exhausted, and losses of Dylan Cease, Luis Arraez, and Robert Suarez, replaced with a band-aid of some veteran low-risk deals like Nick Castellanos and Walker Buehler, isn’t exactly inspiring. That being said, the “we’re not the little brother” swagger that they consistently have played with with Manny Machado (who is aging like a fine wine at the plate) and now getting a full season of budding star Jackson Merrill with his sea legs after having some injuries makes the dads a team that you can never count out on the upside, especially with trigger-happy AJ Preller.

They’re carried by a top-heavy lineup and a stout bullpen (who knows if Mason Miller will eventually make the rotation?), but we had this exact conversation about the Padres this time last year, only for them to still make the playoffs.

Arizona Diamondbacks

• Pitching Grade: B-
• Batting Grade: B+
• Vibes Grade: C+
• Star to watch: Geraldo Perdomo
• Non-star to watch: Jordan Lawlar
• Intangible reason to watch: EVERY game they’re in is chaotic

There’s never a normal Arizona Diamondbacks game. You get 50-homer Eugenio Suarez seasons, Corbin Carroll triples into the gap, and Geraldo Perdomo line drives that cap off a 5-run deficit in the 8th because the offense is so prolific, yet the pitching is, in fact, that bad. It’s why the former NL champ has failed to make the postseason the last two seasons. 

Despite losing Eugenio and Carroll starting the year injured, the Snakes are going to hit. They held their Ketel Marte stock and didn’t trade the best second baseman in baseball. They made a move for a bargain legend in Nolan Arenado. Top prospect Jordan Lawlar could break out, and Geraldo Perdomo is finally getting the attention he deserves as one of the most versatile infielders in the game.

But until we see it, it doesn’t matter if Corbin Burnes, Zac Gallen, and Merrill Kelly are all coming back: pitching in the desert is a myth until proven otherwise, and it puts them at a major disadvantage in the Pac-12 after dark.

Colorado Rockies

• Pitching Grade: F
• Batting Grade: C
• Vibes Grade: F
• Star to watch: Hunter Goodman
• Non-star to watch: Chase Dollander
• Intangible reason to watch: When a team loses to them, that shouldn’t happen because the game is in Coors

Should we give credit to the Rockies for… actually making signings this year? Bringing in the Browns GM just to try and actually make changes for once, despite likely finishing last again?

Maybe prospects Chase Dollander finds a way to pitch on the moon at Coors, and Hunter Goodman is one of the best-hitting catchers in baseball for fantasy. Enjoy the high-scoring games!

AL West

Seattle Mariners

• Pitching Grade: A+
• Batting Grade: A
• Vibes Grade: B
• Star to watch: Julio Rodriguez
• Non-star to watch: Bryan Woo
• Intangible reason to watch: After the Seahawks winning in the same year, is this the season the curse is lifted?

Everything was looking up for Seattle as a contender in the American League after coming very close to making the World Series last year. You can take your pick of which arm you like as a potential Cy Young candidate in the rotation playing in a pitcher’s park. If Julio Rodriguez can finally put it together for a full season at his potential and avoid the slow start, he’s a potential face of baseball.

It’s likely Big Dumper can’t replicate that same sort of historic year, so they were still aggressive in free agency and added Brendan Donovan to go for it truly. Truly, they look like one of the most complete teams in the AL, but then the weird Cal Raleigh Randy Arozarena World Baseball Beef either did or did not happen? Are there good or bad vibes in Seattle? I guess we’ll find out this year!

Texas Rangers

• Pitching Grade: A
• Batting Grade: B-
• Vibes Grade: B-
• Star to watch: Wyatt Langford
• Non-star to watch: Jacob Latz
• Intangible reason to watch: Skip Shumaker back in the saddle!

The Texas Rangers last year went from the “who is stopping this offensive lineup?” to “Let’s try and win every game 1-0!” It was baffling how far the offensive firepower of the lineup on paper fell, despite suddenly becoming one of the best pitching teams in baseball. Turns out, according to Corey Seager and Marcus Semien, it’s very hard to keep winning games when the team apparently hates each other in the locker room!

They regrouped but kept Seager at MVP. They doubled down on pitching by going from sellers to buyers and making a big splash for Mackenzie Gore, a young strikeout machine that was hampered by a losing situation in Washington. They brought in Skip Schumaker, who won Manager of the Year in MIAMI before parting ways with a team not committed to winning. The hope is that last year was the nightmare World Series hangover year, you brought in names with uncapped ceilings that may be in a better position to perform, and you continue to get better health in the rotation.

Oh, and that guy Wyatt Langford might take the superstar leap this year at age 24.

Houston Astros

• Pitching Grade: A-
• Batting Grade: B
• Vibes Grade: C+
• Star to watch: Jeremy Pena
• Non-star to watch: Cam Smith
• Intangible reason to watch: It truly feels like the new era of Astros baseball. For real, this time. What does that look like?

The Houston Astros went from “titan finally showing chinks in the armor” to a team that regrouped and was quickly forgotten in 2025, missing the postseason for the first time after a decade of dominance in the American League. With Framber Valdez gone in free agency, we’re left with only Jose Altuve and a chance to see what the front office and coaching staff have up their sleeve to get this group back on track. Jeremy Pena has been up and down since winning Rookie of the Year and World Series MVP in 2022, but after finishing top-10 in MVP last year, it truly feels like it’s the shortstop’s team now as he enters his prime.

We’ll get a full season of the Cam Smith show as the marquee prospect in the Kyle Tucker deal, and how awesome is it that Tatsuya Imai decided to join the pitching factory of H-Town? Houston is a bit of a mystery box in that they were a Fortune 500 company of consistency for so long, and now, with a smorgasbord of unfamiliar faces where they’re no longer the face of the West, the expectations are muddled.

Las Vegas A’s

• Pitching Grade: C-
• Batting Grade: A-
• Vibes Grade: B
• Star to watch: Nick Kurtz
• Non-star to watch: Jacob Lopez
• Intangible reason to watch: Year 2 of playing in a sandbox

The baby A’s, playing in a minor league park again, are the most-beloved lineup in baseball; that’s the trendy “they could make some noise” offense. Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson could potentially be the best thunder and lightning duo on the same trajectory path, given their ages, one a monster home run hitter and the other the hit for contact king, and they’ve got 6 guys in the lineup 25 and under for a bright future with a grumpy Jeff McNeil as the old man addition.

The problem? Their ace is Luis Severino, who complained about the ballpark he was pitching in after signing a major deal, and it’s going to be incredibly challenging keeping the ball inside the park with a rotation all having a projected ERA over 4. However, the offense has the potential to be so prolific that it may not even matter.

Los Angeles Angels

• Pitching Grade: F
• Batting Grade: C+
• Vibes Grade: D
• Star to watch: Zach Neto
• Non-star to watch: Grayson Rodriguez
• Intangible reason to watch: Is Jo Adell the best worst player or the worst best player?

The Los Angeles Angels once again continue to dominate the offseason by taking the leftover meat on the bone from other organizations that have devoured the remainder of the wing and calling it a day, throwing their hands up, and saying, “We’re a team in sunny Los Angeles! See, people want to come here!”

It’s not ideal when you’re expecting reliable innings from Alek Manoah and then make a trade for Grayson Rodriguez, who has had elite talent, but parted ways with Baltimore after the best ability, availability was a consistent issue.

The lineup is actually incredibly fun, with Jo Adell hitting tanks, Mike Trout hopefully getting more healthy reps in Center Field again, and Zach Neto turning into one of the most exciting shortstops in baseball, but they continue to be run like a mom-and-pop organization. If they didn’t commit to winning or developing talent WITH Shohei Ohtani, it’s unlikely that they will be without him once again. It’s just uninspiring.