10 STORYLINES FOR 2026

MLB PREVIEW

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Ohtani, World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki

THE DODGERS GO FOR THREE IN A ROW

It took seven games, but the Dodgers won a second straight World Series in 2025 to make them back-to-back champions. No team had won consecutive World Series since the 1998 to 2000 Yankees. This year, the Dodgers will take aim at those same Yankees teams by trying to win three in a row. Los Angeles is once again the favorite to win it all after splurging on free agents Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz while bringing back a star-studded roster led by Shohei Ohtani, who also is chasing a third straight MVP award—and fifth in the last six seasons.

Okamoto

THE BLUE JAYS FLEX THEIR FINANCIAL MUSCLE

The Blue Jays blew a Game 7 lead to the Dodgers in the World Series and lost in 11 innings, but that didn't dampen the club's enthusiasm. Toronto outspent every team in free agency as it strives for its first championship since 1993. The Blue Jays spent a combined $337 million to sign righthander Dylan Cease, reliever Tyler Rogers, Japanese third baseman Kazuma Okamoto and 31-year-old righthander Cody Ponce, the reigning MVP in Korea. It’s a key season in Toronto with George Springer, Kevin Gausman and Daulton Varsho all in the final years of their contracts.

CAN CENTRAL TEAMS END THEIR PENNANT DROUGHT?