NL:

NL East:

New York:  Is This A Video Game?

Safe to say that it’s been an interesting 10 months for the Mets.  After completing one of the worst collapses last season and missing the playoffs entirely, the team had a roller coaster of an offseason.  Fan favorites Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil got traded while other fan favorites Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz found new homes in free agency.  Safe to say it wasn’t a great start.  But New York recovered well, trading for Luis Robert Jr. as well as signing Bo Bichette, Jorge Polanco, Devin Williams, Luke Weaver, and other stars who join Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor.  The team is almost unrecognizable from last year, but will the moves result in wins?

Atlanta:  Can They Stay Healthy?

This is becoming an annual conversation, and not a fun one at that.  Last year was the second in a row in which the Braves were absolutely derailed by injuries.  Funnily enough, once the team recovered, they ended the season on a tear and showed just how talented they are when healthy.  If they can stay healthy, they are certainly among the top NL contenders, but if they can’t, we’re just going to keep having these uncomfortable conversations.

Philadelphia:  Can They Finally Get Over the Hump?

Philly is in a funny place.  Year after year, they are constantly finishing with incredible records and enter the postseason with good odds to win it all.  But year after year, they keep coming up agonizingly short of a pennant.  With the window closing on this group of players, it’s hard to imagine that the Phillies will have many more opportunities at  title run.  Is this finally their year?

Miami:  Can Last Year’s Success Carry Over?

The Marlins were a really fun team last year.  In a stacked NL, they ended last season on a tear and even remained in playoff contention until the final week of the season.  With lots of young talent, and an equally tough NL, can they find themselves in a similar Cinderella Story?

Washington:  What Now?

This may be a rough year for the Nationals.  After a disappointing season in 2025, they did little to improve and find themselves competing in one of baseball’s toughest divisions.  That being said, many were high on them last year (including me), and last year Miami showed that anything is possible in baseball.

NL Central:

Milwaukee:  Will a Quiet Offseason Hurt Them?

The NL Central was much better last year than anticipated.  At the top, the Brewers shocked the world and posted the league’s best record.  In Pat Murphy’s second season as the skipper, the small market team went all the way to the NLCS.  Many of their division rivals made improvements during the offseason, but the Brew Crew stayed relatively quiet.  Will this cost them the division title, or can they find some more unexpected success.

Chicago:  NL Sleepers?

After a great improvement last year, Chicago went on a nice run to the NLDS and really pushed Milwaukee in their series.  After that, the team was not shy in free agency, making several moves, but most notably bringing in veteran star Alex Bregman.  The improvements mean that Chicago has more than an NLDS trip in mind for the upcoming season, but can they live up to the lofty expectations?

Cincinnati:  Will the magic carry over?

Last year was simply magical for the Reds.  With relatively low expectations in year 1 of the Francona era, the Reds stunned the baseball world.  With a great rotation and star Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati magically secured a postseason appearance.  With lots of talent coming back, Cincinnati has lofty expectations.  But in a tough division, will the success continue?

St. Louis:  Rebuilding time?

The Cards have Cranford’s own Gordon Graceffo, but outside of that, there is little going for them.  After years of being a model franchise and constant participants in the postseason, the Cards have fallen into a state where they simply can’t compete.  This could be a long season as the rebuild begins.

Pittsburgh:  How far can Skenes go?

Paul Skenes is an absolute star, but with little help, Pittsburgh has had little luck winning games.  They tried getting him some help, and with an improved lineup, can he do the impossible and lead them to the postseason?

NL West:

Los Angeles:  3-peat loading?

The Dodgers are far and away the best team in baseball.  A lineup that featured Ohtani, Freeman, Betts, Muncy, and countless other stars paired with a rotation of Snell, Yamamoto, and Sasaki was good enough to be the first back-to-back champions in 20 years.  But the rich got richer, and for good measure, the Dodgers added Kyle Tucker, largely considered to be the best free agent, and Edwin Diaz, the best closer in baseball.  Far and away the favorites, 3 straight World Series Titles may be in store.

San Diego:  Can they finally break through in the postseason?

In many ways, San Diego has been stuck in the mud in recent years.  They have a great roster with stars like Fernado Tatis, but always find themselves coming up just short in the postseason.  The front office went all in at the deadline last season, acquiring several key pieces, but it was only good enough for a 3 game loss in the Wild Card.  In a  very talented National League, is San Diego able to compete.

San Francisco:  Is this the year they return to the postseason?

San Francisco has been in a weird spot.  Since their 2010s dynasty, they’ve struggled to put together wins outside of one season.  Last year was a roller coaster to say the least as the team started hot, made a splash and traded for Red Sox star Rafael Devers, went on a losing streak, and ended the season on a high note once it was too late.  But with their acquisitions and top play at the end of the season, the Giants are a frisky team to reemerge in the postseason.

Arizona:  That World Series run feels like a while ago, right?

Remember that?  In 2023, the Diamondbacks shocked the baseball world and went on a magical ride to the World Series.  With their ahead-of-schedule success, many people thought that they were the new mainstays in the postseason.  Fast forward to 3 years later and that’s not the case.  After a collapse in 2024, and a disappointing 2025, is this core still good enough to make the postseason?

Colorado:  Do you remember them?

This may be another long season for a team that’s had too many.  With a rebuild slowly beginning, please check in on your friends if they are Rockies fans.