Congrats to the Milwaukee Brewers for a dominant postseason run and the first World Series title in franchise history. There was absolutely no doubt they were the best team of 2026. It is a well-deserved championship for a team that played an electrifying brand of baseball.
Now, we take our first look ahead to 2027 with our Way-Too-Early Power Rankings. Yes, a lockout looms once the collective bargaining agreement expires on Dec. 1, and while some expect a flurry of early free agent signings in November before that happens, how the offseason will unfold is a mystery.
These rankings reflect the state of rosters heading into the winter, factoring in key free agents, what we saw in 2026, potential improvement of young players and incoming impact prospects. The top team? It's your defending champs.
1. Milwaukee Brewers
2026 record: 103-59
Final 2026 ranking: 1
Key free agents: Jake Bauers, Brandon Woodruff, JoJo Romero, Dustin May ($20M mutual option), Antonio Senzatela ($14M club option)
Potential 2027 impact rookies: IF Jesus Made, 3B/1B Andrew Fischer, RHP Tyson Hardin, RHP Bishop Letson
The Brewers are going to be very good for a long time. They already have a terrific young core with Jacob Misiorowski, Logan Henderson, Jackson Chourio and 2026 rookies Cooper Pratt and Luis Lara -- all of whom were 24 or younger this past season. They have Chourio signed through 2033 and Pratt and Lara through 2035 (all including club options). Brice Turang still has three years until free agency.
And Milwaukee has more impact talent on the way: Made is perhaps the top prospect in the minors, Fischer led the minors with 48 home runs and infielder Luis Pena and outfielder Braylon Payne are next in line. The Brewers will look to re-sign Bauers after his big season and, after picking up the final year of catcher William Contreras' deal, should look to negotiate a long-term extension with him. As we saw in this postseason, he seems like the glue of the team.
2. Los Angeles Dodgers
2026 record: 100-62
Final 2026 ranking: 2
Key free agents: Tarik Skubal, Evan Phillips, Alex Vesia, Enrique Hernandez, Miguel Rojas (retired)
Potential 2027 impact rookies: OF Josue De Paula, OF/1B James Tibbs III
The first big question of the offseason has already been answered: Shohei Ohtani will not require surgery on his knee or arm, and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said he fully expects Ohtani to pitch in 2027. The second question: Will the Dodgers make a run at keeping Skubal? They could look to make one final mega-signing before potential new rules affect what they can spend in the future. The concern there is whether investing in more pitching is the right move. The Dodgers have been hemorrhaging runs on offense for several years -- down more than 100 runs scored since 2023 -- and veterans Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts aren't getting any younger. De Paula is going to be a star, but the Dodgers will have to move Teoscar Hernandez to clear room in left field.
3. New York Yankees
2026 record: 93-68
Final 2026 ranking: 5
Key free agents: David Bednar, Paul Blackburn, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Paul Goldschmidt, Trent Grisham
Potential 2027 impact rookies: RHP Elmer Rodriguez, RHP Carlos Lagrange
"The players didn't live up to their end of the bargain in the playoffs," owner Hal Steinbrenner said in explaining why manager Aaron Boone will return for a 10th season. That's fair, even if Yankees fans didn't like the decision.
The Yankees have a high floor in 2027 no matter the manager thanks to a stellar rotation of Cam Schlittler, Max Fried, Carlos Rodon and Gerrit Cole -- plus, they'll hit a lot of home runs. Don't expect a lot of other major changes since they already have $218 million committed to just seven players. They'll need to re-sign Bednar and Blackburn, their closer and top reliever, but any improvements on offense will likely have to come internally: a healthy and productive Aaron Judge -- entering his age-35 season -- and from second-year players George Lombard Jr. and Spencer Jones.
4. Tampa Bay Rays
2026 record: 98-64
Final 2026 ranking: 3
Key free agents: Freddy Peralta, Nick Martinez ($20M mutual option), Cedric Mullins ($10M mutual option)
Potential 2027 impact rookies: C Cam Bodine, RHP Brody Hopkins, CF Theo Gillen
The 2027 Rays will probably look a lot like the 2026 Rays, with Martinez's situation -- he could decide to test free agency for a multiyear deal after going 15-6 with a 3.10 ERA this past season -- needing resolution. Ryan Pepiot should be ready to rejoin the rotation after missing all of 2026 due to hip surgery, and remember: Shane McClanahan missed the end of the season and playoffs. Having Liam Hicks for the entire season will improve the lineup, but as we saw in the World Series, the bottom of the order is weak -- and the bullpen depth is thin, with no guarantee that Brayan Baker can repeat his huge season as closer. Gillen, who hit .288/.390/.504 in 59 games in Double-A, is interesting. The Rays don't rush their prospects, but he might be ready to take over in center field, at least in the second half.
5. Boston Red Sox
2026 record: 87-75
Final 2026 ranking: 9
Key free agents: Sonny Gray ($30M mutual option)
Potential 2027 impact rookies: SS Franklin Arias
Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has already done the heavy lifting to get the Red Sox into this position, with a stable roster built around starting pitching and defense. That was enough to get them to the postseason the past two years, but not enough to advance past the wild-card series. Gray's situation is in flux, but Garrett Crochet, after making just six starts in 2026, will be ready to go.
Roman Anthony's jump to stardom didn't happen, as he missed most of the season with that finger injury, but he still projects as a big-time bat. Then there's Arias, a top-three overall prospect in the game. He's a better player now than current shortstop Trevor Story, but Story still has one year left at $25 million. Arias is ready, and the Red Sox need to get his bat into the lineup. If Anthony and Arias hit as expected, this offense will score a lot more runs in 2027.
6. Atlanta Braves
2026 record: 94-68
Final 2026 ranking: 4
Key free agents: Tyler Mahle, Raisel Iglesias, Martin Perez, Dominic Smith, Ha-Seong Kim
Potential 2027 impact rookies: LHP Cam Caminiti
Are the Braves a safe projection for 2027? They won 94 games but are just one season removed from winning 76. The offensive core remains intact, but Austin Riley had a bad season, Ozzie Albies had a .290 OBP, they still need a shortstop and Ronald Acuna Jr. missed time again due to injury. Perez and late-season pickup Mahle combined for 4.7 WAR, not so easy to replace; Atlanta will need Spencer Strider and Spencer Schwellenbach to bounce back from injuries. The bench, as always, remains thin, and there doesn't appear to be much help coming from the upper minors. As long as Chris Sale is healthy and the bullpen pitches like it did in 2026 -- Didier Fuentes likely replaces Iglesias as the closer -- the Braves should be fine, but there are some holes to fill.
7. Detroit Tigers
2026 record: 76-86
Final 2026 ranking: 20
Key free agents: Gleyber Torres, Jack Flaherty, Kenley Jansen ($12M club option), Drew Anderson ($10M club option)
Potential 2027 impact rookies: RHP River Ryan, OF Zyhir Hope, C/1B Josue Briceno, 2B/3B Max Anderson
The Tigers receive a big jump from their end-of-season ranking for a few reasons:
1. Their plus-71 run differential was fourth in the AL, not that far behind the Rays (plus-86) or Red Sox (plus-78), and that's a positive indicator for the following season.
2. They have key young players to build around in Kevin McGonigle (7.1 WAR as a rookie) and Max Clark (1.2 WAR in 51 games), plus several rookies ready to contribute in 2027, including Ryan, who came over in the Tarik Skubal trade.
3. Troy Melton (2.76 ERA in 20 starts), Jackson Jobe (3.91 ERA in nine starts) and Ryan are ready to fill the spots of Skubal and Casey Mize.
Yes, Detroit will need to address the bullpen, but this is still a deep roster that underperformed in 2026.
8. Cleveland Guardians
2026 record: 85-77
Final 2026 ranking: 10
Key free agents: Foster Griffin, Nathaniel Lowe, Austin Hedges
Potential 2027 impact rookies: 1B Ralphy Velazquez, C/OF Cooper Ingle, IF Angel Genao
On paper, the Guardians might look a lot like every other Guardians team this decade: strong in pitching, lacking in offense. They were the only 2026 team with four starters to make 30 starts, a key to their success, so that's a reason to like them again in 2027, but there are also reasons to see offensive improvement. Chase DeLauter and Travis Bazzana, coming off good rookie seasons, should get better. Jo Adell will be here for the entire season to provide some additional power. Jose Ramirez will be 34 years old, so a turnaround isn't a sure thing, but it's clear the wrist injury affected his power in the second half. Then, there are some interesting bats in the minors in Velazquez (.904 OPS at Triple-A) and Ingle (.951 OPS at Triple-A), who could provide help and lengthen the lineup.
9. Pittsburgh Pirates
2026 record: 82-80
Final 2026 ranking: 13
Key free agents: Brandon Lowe, Gregory Soto
Potential 2027 impact rookies: RHP Seth Hernandez
One of the most shocking results of 2026 was the Pirates finishing sixth in the majors in runs scored after ranking last in 2025. That helped lead to an 11-win improvement, and while you might normally pencil in regression, that won't necessarily be the case. Konnor Griffin has the tools to explode in his sophomore season while Esmerlyn Valdez slugged .510 with 17 home runs in half a season. Bringing Lowe back after he hit 35 home runs is a big key, and he should be in the Pirates' range to re-sign.
Then there's this: There is every reason to believe the rotation will be better, from Paul Skenes to Bubba Chandler to Jared Jones to Hernandez debuting at some point. The defense wasn't good and the bullpen needs help, but the Pirates have every reason to believe they can reach the postseason for the first time since 2015.
10. Philadelphia Phillies
2026 record: 88-74
Final 2026 ranking: 8
Key free agents: Luis Arraez, Alec Bohm, Jose Alvarado, Edmundo Sosa
Potential 2027 impact rookies: 3B Aidan Miller, RHP Gage Wood
If you're looking for the 2026 playoff team most likely to collapse in 2027, it's probably the Phillies -- they have an aging lineup, bad defense and a lack of bullpen depth.
"Our offense needs to be better," president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said in his end-of-season news conference. "We only have two players that were above average, really." He was referring to Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, two guys entering their age-34 seasons.
The Phillies were 23rd in OBP and 24th in slugging. The rotation foundation of Cristopher Sanchez, Zack Wheeler and Jesus Luzardo keeps them in the top 10 for now, but they're heavily reliant on those three to remain healthy and pitch at a high level.
11. Seattle Mariners
2026 record: 76-86
Final 2026 ranking: 22
Key free agents: Randy Arozarena, J.P. Crawford, Taylor Ward
Potential 2027 impact rookies: LHP Kade Anderson, RHP Ryan Sloan, OF/DH Lazaro Montes, OF/2B Michael Arroyo
Look, it was a bad season: Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodriguez and Josh Naylor dropped way off from 2025, the rotation regressed, closer Andres Munoz led the majors in blown saves, and the defense was among the worst in the majors. Still, the Mariners have the talent to rebound, especially those core hitters and starting pitchers. Arozarena was their best hitter in 2026, however, so they'll have to replace him, as he reportedly wants to return to the East Coast.
Anderson will be a Rookie of the Year favorite, and Montes flashed his power potential during a September call-up, so he could get a shot, maybe in a DH role. Add in Colt Emerson, who needs to improve at the plate, and the Mariners will have an infusion of youth. That's a general positive -- as is a new manager -- but they'll still need those veterans to bounce back.
12. Miami Marlins
2026 record: 80-82
Final 2026 ranking: 17
Key free agents: Pete Fairbanks
Potential 2027 impact rookies: LHP Thomas White, RHP Karson Milbrandt, OF Cam Cannarella
There is a lot to like here other than the lack of a winning tradition. The Marlins didn't quite finish over .500 but did finish with their first positive run differential since 2010. It was only plus-3, but it's a start. Here's something else: 98.5% of their plate appearances came from players 28 or younger, and three regulars (Owen Caissie, Javier Sanoja, Joe Mack) were just 23 years old.
The double-play combo of Otto Lopez and Xavier Edwards was one of the best in the majors as both got on base, and Lopez had an outstanding season with the glove. As always, though, the question remains: Will the Marlins do anything in free agency? Will they upgrade the pitching staff or simply hope Eury Perez makes a big leap and White gets healthy? There will be Sandy Alcantara trade rumors as he enters the final year of his deal, but the Marlins will need his durability and innings.
13. Chicago White Sox
2026 record: 84-78
Final 2026 ranking: 12
Key free agents: Erick Fedde, Sean Newcomb, Randal Grichuk
Potential 2027 impact rookies: OF Caleb Bonemer
Years ago, Bill James coined the "Plexiglas Principle": Teams that improve dramatically in one season tend to decline the next season (and teams that suffer a big decline tend to bounce back). While the White Sox have an exciting young core, after a 24-win improvement from 2025 to 2026, they might fall prey to this theory. They're thin on the pitching side of things, and the offense wasn't as good in the second half, as the strikeouts started piling up.
The good news is that general manager Chris Getz has a lot of payroll room to bolster the staff in free agency if that's the direction the franchise chooses. Indeed, it's a long shot, since the White Sox have never signed a $100 million free agent, but making a play for Skubal could be a possible scenario.
14. St. Louis Cardinals
2026 record: 77-85
Final 2026 ranking: 19
Key free agents: Ryne Stanek ($6M club option)
Potential 2027 impact rookies: C Leo Bernal, C Rainiel Rodriguez, LHP Liam Doyle, OF Joshua Baez, LHP Quinn Mathews, RHP Tanner Franklin
It has been four straight October-less seasons for the Cardinals, three of those losing years, but president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom has the Cardinals in an excellent position for the future. There are young position players to build around in JJ Wetherholt, Jordan Walker, Masyn Winn, Ivan Herrera and major league RBIs leader Alec Burleson, who, at 27, was the oldest of that group. There is also an impressive list of prospects who just reached the majors or should at some point in 2027.
Not only is everyone back, but Wetherholt, who signed an eight-year contract, is the only player with a long-term contract; everyone else is in arbitration. That gives Bloom enormous payroll flexibility to improve a pitching staff that ranked 24th in strikeout rate. The Cardinals have never been big players in free agency, but they're another team that could afford a run at Skubal.
15. Arizona Diamondbacks
2026 record: 86-76
Final 2026 ranking: 11
Key free agents: Zac Gallen, Ildemaro Vargas, Taylor Clarke, Kevin Ginkel, Jonathan Loaisiga
Potential 2027 impact rookies: LHP Mitch Bratt, RHP David Hagaman
It has been a frustrating three seasons for the Diamondbacks since their surprise World Series appearance in 2023: They won 89 games in 2024 but missed the playoffs via a tiebreaker; they were one game out of a wild card with five games to play in 2025 but lost all five; and they missed a wild card by two wins in 2026. They need to figure out how to win 90 games -- which they haven't done since 2017 -- and, for next season, that means addressing a rotation that ranked 19th in ERA and 29th in strikeout rate. Three key relievers are free agents, complicating matters. Arizona would probably love to trade Ketel Marte, who has four years left on his contract, but that wouldn't be easy.
16. New York Mets
Final 2026 record: 74-88
Final 2026 ranking: 23
Key free agents: None (assuming Bo Bichette picks up his $42M option)
Potential 2027 impact rookies: IF Jefferson Rojas, LHP Jonathan Santucci
The Mets probably wish they had more free agents. For now, they're stuck with Jorge Polanco, Marcus Semien, Sean Manaea, Kodai Senga, Devin Williams and even Bichette -- six players who will make $147 million in 2027 and combined for minus-2.6 WAR in 2026. Ouch.
On the bright side, Carson Benge (4.1 WAR), A.J. Ewing (3.1) and Nolan McLean (3.0) had excellent rookie seasons, providing a young and exciting trio to build around alongside stars Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor (who hit 16 home runs in 65 games in the second half). On the other bright side, president of baseball operations David Stearns can't possibly have as bad an offseason as he did last winter. He has said the top priorities will be fortifying the rotation and addressing first base.
17. Chicago Cubs
2026 record: 89-73
Final 2026 ranking: 6
Key free agents: Seiya Suzuki, Ian Happ, Shota Imanaga, Kevin Gausman, Clay Holmes ($12M player option), Matthew Boyd ($15M mutual option), Michael Conforto, David Peterson
Potential 2027 impact rookies: C/1B Owen Ayers
The Cubs are the most difficult team to rank due to their long list of free agents -- Holmes and Boyd will no doubt elect to test the market and seek multiyear deals. That basically means their entire rotation is either heading to free agency or returning from injury. They did lead the majors in runs scored, but Suzuki (5.1 WAR) and Happ (2.9 WAR) are key free agents. Did we mention the Cubs need a closer?
There is money to spend to make some signings -- Skubal is certainly the perfect fit here -- but bringing back Suzuki and Happ plus signing Skubal and finding a closer is a heavy lift. Chicago will eventually climb these rankings once it finds more help for Pete Crow-Armstrong, but the front office might be under more pressure than any other as the offseason kicks off.
18. Texas Rangers
2026 record: 80-82
Final 2026 ranking: 14
Key free agents: Cal Quantrill, Jakob Junis ($5M mutual option), Joc Pederson ($18.5M mutual option), Tyler Alexander
Potential 2027 impact rookies: IF Sebastian Walcott
The Rangers have little choice but to roll forward with a similar team in 2027: Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi are entering the final years of their deals (they have a 2028 option on DeGrom); Corey Seager and Brandon Nimmo are 30-something-year-old veterans with years left on their deals (five for Seager, four for Nimmo); Wyatt Langford and Josh Jung will be key guys in the lineup; and MacKenzie Gore and Kumar Rocker will fill out the rotation.
The problem is this core wasn't good enough in 2026, even in a bad division. Despite playing in a pitchers' park, all four of those starters had ERAs over 4.00 -- indeed, Rangers starters had a 5.00 ERA on the road. The park helped mask that it was really a mediocre rotation. The Rangers will need that group to be better.
19. Minnesota Twins
2026 record: 77-85
Final 2026 ranking: 24
Key free agents: Ryan Jeffers, Taylor Rogers, Josh Bell ($10M mutual option)
Potential 2027 impact rookies: OF Walker Jenkins, SS Kaelen Culpepper, OF Emmanuel Rodriguez
What the Twins really need is a superstar player. For too long, they hoped Byron Buxton would be that player, but his only 5-WAR season came way back in 2017. Now there's a new generation of Twins coming up. All three of those top prospects debuted at the end of 2026.
Culpepper played the best, while Jenkins arrived with the most hype. Jenkins hit .308/.407/.532 in Triple-A at age 21, so maybe he will be the middle-of-the-order linchpin they need. But he also has a Buxton-like history of getting hurt, failing to play 100 games in the minors in 2024, 2025 or 2026. Rodriguez has also had problems staying healthy, playing just 170 games in the minors over the past three seasons. Getting Pablo Lopez back from Tommy John surgery will be key, and a bullpen makeover is needed, but the Twins need the three youngsters to contribute -- because we know improvements are unlikely to come externally.
20. Toronto Blue Jays
2026 record: 79-83
Final 2026 ranking: 16
Key free agents: George Springer, Shane Bieber, Max Scherzer, Patrick Corbin, Myles Straw ($8M club option)
Potential 2027 impact rookies: LHP Ricky Tiedemann
The Jays aren't losing much value from those free agents, but they are losing volume in the rotation (including Gausman, traded away at the deadline). The front office did a nice job of filling in on the fly, however, acquiring Jose Soriano from the Angels to join Dylan Cease and Trey Yesavage. Spencer Miles could be stretched out into a starter's role, and Cody Ponce will return from knee surgery. Jose Berrios is still here, although his Tommy John surgery was in May, so it might be a late-2027 season return for him.
That still leaves the offense to be fixed, and it's not as simple as "Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has to hit," although that's the first step. The Jays still put the ball in play -- they had the second-lowest strikeout rate -- but were last in the majors in runs. Finding an outfielder should be the top priority.
21. San Diego Padres
2026 record: 91-71
Final 2026 ranking: 7
Key free agents: Michael King ($28M player option), Ty France, Adrian Morejon, Walker Buehler, Robbie Ray, Casey Mize, Jason Adam
Potential 2027 impact rookies: C Ethan Salas
The Padres might be in trouble. King has player options for 2027 and 2028 for $28 million and $30 million, but he's coming off a strong season and is likely to get a nine-figure deal in free agency. That would leave Randy Vasquez as the top returning starter, plus Joe Musgrove, who last made a regular-season start in 2024. France had the team's highest OPS and is also a free agent, as are two key relievers. The farm system doesn't offer much hope, and Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts will be 34 years old and coming off the worst seasons of their careers.
22. Baltimore Orioles
2026 record: 79-82
Final 2026 ranking: 18
Key free agents: Trevor Rogers, Andrew Kittredge, Chris Bassitt, Zach Eflin ($25M mutual option)
Potential 2027 impact rookies: RHP Anthony Eyanson, LHP Luis De Leon, LHP Joseph Dzierwa, LHP Caden Hunter, RHP Michael Forret
The path to the playoffs in the post-Adley Rutschman era isn't difficult to envision. It starts with Gunnar Henderson fixing whatever has gone wrong as he fell from 8.8 WAR in 2024 to 3.2 in 2026. That's followed by Samuel Basallo developing into an elite slugger alongside Pete Alonso, which is entirely possible. Then, the Orioles hit on some of the promising arms who are close to the majors.
You also need a committed owner and ... well, it remains to be seen how committed David Rubenstein is to winning. Given his comments in two years of owning the Orioles, he seems more concerned about wanting a salary cap than spending the resources to turn the Orioles back into contenders in the AL East.
23. Washington Nationals
2026 record: 77-85
Final 2026 ranking: 21
Key free agents: None
Potential 2027 impact rookies: LHP Jackson Kent, RHP Luis Perales
The Nationals were 11 wins better in 2026 thanks to a much-improved lineup: It was the youngest in the majors but finished fourth in runs after scoring 134 more than in 2025. A couple of the key guys are no longer here, though, as Luis Garcia Jr. and Curtis Mead were traded, leaving James Wood and CJ Abrams. Minor league vet Andres Chapparo, who replaced Garcia at first base and hit .268/.364/.530, looms as an important player in 2027.
The pitching staff -- 26th in ERA, 25th in strikeout rate, last in FanGraphs WAR -- needs a lot of help, especially since Foster Griffin was also traded away. Stephen Strasburg's $35 million salary is finally off the books as the payroll has been trimmed to the bare bones, so the question: With all that payroll flexibility, will president of baseball operations Paul Toboni make a big push to add some free agent pitching help?
24. Houston Astros
2026 record: 81-81
Final 2026 ranking: 15
Key free agents: Bryan Abreu, Steven Okert, Daulton Varsho
Potential 2027 impact rookies: OF Lucas Spence, RHP Ethan Pecko
The Astros had three big strengths in 2026: Yordan Alvarez, Josh Hader and home runs (most in the majors). That was good enough to win 81 games and a division title, but this organization is running on fumes. Check out the run differentials since 2021: plus-205, plus-219, plus-129, plus-91, plus-21, minus-32. The Astros' payroll will be about $40 million below where it was in 2026, so there's some room to make some moves, but with Jeremy Pena, Isaac Paredes and Christian Walker all in their walk years and Alvarez, Hader and Hunter Brown two seasons from free agency, there will be plenty of trade rumors surrounding the Astros. Given the weak state of the farm system, you could argue the smart move would be to start the rebuilding process -- but that isn't owner Jim Crane's style.
25. Kansas City Royals
2026 record: 69-93
Final 2026 ranking: 26
Key free agents: None
Potential 2027 impact rookies: None
There might be more upside here, considering the Royals won 86 games in 2024 and 82 in 2025, but the pitching fell apart in 2026 and the offense wasn't good enough to cover. With Cole Ragans projected for a midseason return and Stephen Kolek out for all of 2027, the Royals will need to find some rotation help in the offseason considering the lack of projectable rookies. And they need a new bullpen after ranking 29th with a 5.05 ERA. And an outfielder or two. And, really, they can't keep Salvador Perez as the regular DH hitting in the middle of the lineup.
But Kansas City has Bobby Witt Jr., Jac Caglianone was one of the best hitters in the second half, and Maikel Garcia missed half the season, so the team will dig into the second tier of free agents and hope to find some depth.
26. Athletics
2026 record: 64-98
Final 2026 ranking: 28
Key free agents: Jeffrey Springs ($15M club option), Jeff McNeil ($15.75M club option), Jonah Heim
Potential 2027 impact rookies: LHP Jamie Arnold, SS Leo De Vries, IF Joshua Kuroda-Grauer
The focus for Taylor Smith, the new 31-year-old president of baseball operations, will be improving the pitching and defense that combined to allow 937 runs, most in the AL and most by the franchise since 1997. The A's were tied for last in defensive runs saved and ranked next to last in Statcast's fielding runs saved, which didn't help a pitching staff that allowed the second-highest batting average in the majors (ahead of only the Rockies). With better health from the position players -- Lawrence Butler, McNeil and part-timer Carlos Cortes were the only three to play 120 games -- the A's should score more runs. But we'll see how aggressive Smith will be in his first season with a team that's still in a holding pattern before moving to Las Vegas.
27. San Francisco Giants
2026 record: 65-97
Final 2026 ranking: 27
Key free agents: None
Potential 2027 impact rookies: OF Bo Davidson, RHP Miguel Mendez
The Giants are kind of stuck. They're committed to a highly paid veteran core of Rafael Devers, Matt Chapman, Logan Webb, Jung Hoo Lee and Willy Adames, but that group wasn't good enough in 2026. And Adames' salary jumps from $13.1 million to $31.1 million in 2027. The farm system is intriguing with infielders Josuar Gonzalez, Jhonny Level and Luis Hernandez and pitcher Jackson Flora -- Gonzalez and Hernandez were regarded as the top international prospects in 2025 and 2026 -- but that group is a few years away other than Flora, who could move quickly after going No. 4 in the 2026 draft. In the meantime, president of baseball operations Buster Posey will attempt to address all areas of the pitching staff in the offseason.
28. Los Angeles Angels
2026 record: 62-100
Final 2026 ranking: 29
Key free agents: None
Potential 2027 impact rookies: RHP George Klassen, OF Nelson Rada, RHP Tyler Bremner, IF Arjun Nimmala
There's a lot going on here that will likely lead to a slow offseason, even aside from the lockout. New owner Stan Kroenke officially takes over from Arte Moreno in the first quarter of 2027, but in the meantime, a new general manager needs to be hired to replace interim John Mozeliak, and then the new GM needs to hire a manager and coaching staff. Coming off a 100-loss season for the first time in franchise history, there is no reason to be hyper-aggressive anyway since the Angels are several offseasons away from building a playoff-worthy team.
One immediate goal: Cut down on the strikeouts after leading the majors each of the past two seasons.
29. Cincinnati Reds
2026 record: 75-87
Final 2026 ranking: 25
Key free agents: Tyler Stephenson, Brady Singer, Brock Burke, Emilio Pagan ($10M player option), Eugenio Suarez ($16M mutual option)
Potential 2027 impact rookies: None that stand out
The Reds have Elly De La Cruz and the wonderful Chase Burns, and Sal Stewart hit 32 home runs and drove in 111 runs as a rookie, but they still aren't a good team. They had a minus-160 run differential, with only the Rockies and A's worse (and the Royals were the only other team at minus-100). That means they overperformed their Pythagorean (65-97) or BaseRuns record (66-96), which is a negative indicator for 2027. Hunter Greene is out for the season after Tommy John surgery in August. The defense ranked near the bottom of all the metrics. Cincinnati has some interesting prospects at the lower levels of the system but probably not any impact players for 2027, so the best bet for next season is getting better years from Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo and Rhett Lowder.
30. Colorado Rockies
2026 record: 58-104
Final 2026 ranking: 30
Key free agents: Jose Quintana, Tomoyuki Sugano
Potential 2027 impact rookies: 1B/OF Charlie Condon, OF Sterlin Thompson
The Rockies improved by 15 games and were still the worst team in the majors. There's little chance of a White Sox-like turnaround here, but at least the new front office committed to a young lineup in 2026 and appears to be taking the team in the right direction. It's just going to take some time. The pitching needs to be rebuilt from the ground up as the staff was old and bad. The top eight Rockies pitchers in innings pitched all finished with ERAs above 5.00. Even accounting for Coors Field, that's an amazing stat.