Ranking Every MLB Team by How Desperate They Are to Win ASAP
All 30 Major League Baseball teams would love to win the 2026 World Series, but some teams are definitely more desperate for a ring than others.
Using a combination of World Series odds, projected spending, how long it has been since their last championship and just general vibes, we've ranked all 30 teams from least to most desperate in the year ahead.
Teams have been broken into nine tiers, ranging from the already hopeless to the ones that will have some serious explaining to do if they come up short yet again next fall.
The Hopeless Four
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30. Colorado Rockies (WS Odds: +50000; Last WS: Never)
29. Chicago White Sox (WS Odds: +50000; Last WS: 2005)
28. Washington Nationals (WS Odds: +50000; Last WS: 2019)
27. St. Louis Cardinals (WS Odds: +10000; Last WS: 2011)
Though the Rockies are one of five active franchises that has never won a World Series, they're also one of four that might as well already admit it's not happening in 2026, either. They have given us no good reason to assume they'll be any better than how historically awful they were this past season.
The White Sox have also lost at least 100 games in each of the past three seasons and may be destined for a fourth. At least they had a handful of young players break out in 2025, and they made some big waves with the signing of Munetaka Murakami. However, they remain nowhere near the end of the rebuilding tunnel.
The Nationals are yet again stuck in no man's land, grappling with whether they'd be better off just trading away the few coveted assets they have. Maybe Dylan Crews and Brady House emerge as "sophomores," and perhaps getting Josiah Gray and DJ Herz back from injury bolsters the rotation. But a lot of things need to go just right in order for this team to even sniff .500.
And then there's St. Louis, which appears to finally be embracing a rebuild with Chaim Bloom now calling the shots as president of baseball operations. The Cardinals already traded away Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras and have a stockpile of others—Nolan Arenado, JoJo Romero, Lars Nootbaar and Brendan Donovan—presumably on the trade block.
It's hard to imagine they'll ever bottom out quite like the 2011-13 Astros, 2022-24 Athletics or the current Rockies and White Sox, but it's shaping up to be a transitional year.
An Eclectic Bunch with Minimal Expectations
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26. Tampa Bay Rays (WS Odds: +5000; Last WS: Never)
25. Miami Marlins (WS Odds: +12000; Last WS: 2003)
24. Athletics (WS Odds: +10000; Last WS: 1989)
23. Minnesota Twins (WS Odds: +8000; Last WS: 1991)
22. Los Angeles Angels (WS Odds: +20000; Last WS: 2002)
21. Pittsburgh Pirates (WS Odds: +20000; Last WS: 1979)
Like the Cardinals, the Rays have already had back-to-back mediocre seasons and appear destined for a transitional year—and not just because they're moving back to the re-roofed Tropicana Field.
They have new ownership, they've already traded away one of their best players in Brandon Lowe and clearly look like the fifth wheel in what should be a ridiculously loaded AL East.
They would love to win their first World Series, but is any Rays fan optimistic/deluded enough to truly believe this is the year?
Both the Marlins and the A's finished strong in 2025, the former going 49-38 after a rough start, the latter going 34-24 down the stretch. But neither is expected to contend in 2026, nor is either in anything close to a "must win now" roster situation with basically all of the key players under team control for at least two more years.
That said, can we somehow merge them and let the A's lineup provide run support for the Marlins' pitching staff? That would be a fun contender.
The Twins are...maybe going to try to contend this season...but evidently not in any sort of desperate way?
Their big move thus far was signing Josh Bell for $7 million, and their bullpen remains a dumpster fire. But they haven't traded away Byron Buxton or Joe Ryan, so they still have some dream of contending within the next two years.
The Angels are clearly feeling desperation to win while Mike Trout is still contributing, gathering up reclamation projects this winter such as Grayson Rodriguez, Jordan Romano and Alek Manoah in hopes of at least posting what would be their first winning season since 2015.
However, among American League teams, only the White Sox have worse 2026 World Series odds, so it's almost a "sure would be fantastic if things were different, but we know they probably won't be" sort of resigned desperation to win.
Pittsburgh is the oddball of this group, talking like it's desperate to win one while Paul Skenes is still affordable and controllable, but still operating/spending like it always has.
The recent acquisitions of Lowe and Ryan O'Hearn were a nice step in the right direction, putting legitimate bats into two spots in the lineup that produced a sub-.700 OPS last season.
However, let's see if/how they address the other five spots that also met that description before deciding how desperate they truly are.
Fringe Contenders Who Have Won One This Century
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20. Arizona Diamondbacks (WS Odds: +5000; Last WS: 2001)
19. Texas Rangers (WS Odds: +3000; Last WS: 2023)
18. Kansas City Royals (WS Odds: +4000; Last WS: 2015)
17. San Francisco Giants (WS Odds: +4000; Last WS: 2014)
With Corbin Burnes likely to miss the entire 2026 season, the Diamondbacks are hoping for the best, but probably not expecting too much.
However, the good news is that—assuming Burnes doesn't opt out of the final four years on his deal, and it's hard to imagine he would—the entire nucleus will be back in 2027. That mitigates the desperation to win now.
The Rangers just won it all three seasons ago, but their window to get another one is probably closing fast. Jacob deGrom will turn 38 in June, Nathan Eovaldi will be 36 by Opening Day, and it's tough to even say who their third-best pitcher is. Corey Seager isn't getting any younger (or cheaper), either.
The Royals are in a similar boat, with Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha and Sal Perez each well into his mid-30s. They're also probably going to lose Kris Bubic in free agency next winter.
However, Bobby Witt Jr. and Maikel Garcia aren't going anywhere any time soon, and at least they won a World Series a decade ago.
Of this bunch, San Francisco surely feels the most strain after its big investments in Matt Chapman, Willy Adames and Rafael Devers. And with Robbie Ray entering the final year of his deal, the future of this rotation is questionable at best.
They've added Adrian Houser, but if they make another big investment in a Framber Valdez or Ranger Suárez this winter, that would really announce their intention to overtake the Dodgers in the NL West.
The Buckeye State
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16. Cleveland Guardians (WS Odds: +3000; Last WS: 1948)
15. Cincinnati Reds (WS Odds: +3500; Last WS: 1990)
For both of these small-market Ohio-based franchises, the desperation has been steadily mounting for decades and could be reaching a breaking point.
The Guardians did at least make it to a World Series in 2016, as well as twice in the 1990s. However, they have the longest active title drought by a margin of more than 20 years, as the five clubs without a championship were all founded in 1969 or later.
Meanwhile, the Reds haven't won a playoff game since 2012 and haven't won a postseason series since 1995. The latter is the longest drought in the sport by a full decade.
Despite that less-than-flattering history, it's not outlandish to think either of these teams could make a run at winning it all in 2026, after both made the postseason this past October.
Though Cleveland has the longer drought by 42 years, Cincinnati ranks higher on the desperation scale because it has several key players who will be free agents this winter. The Guardians don't have any of particular note and could be looking even stronger heading into next season if 2024 No. 1 overall pick Travis Bazzana is ready for his time in the spotlight.
For both, though, it has been far too long.
Won It All Within Past Decade; Viably Searching for More
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14. Chicago Cubs (WS Odds: +2200; Last WS: 2016)
13. Boston Red Sox (WS Odds: +1700; Last WS: 2018)
12. Atlanta Braves (WS Odds: +1600; Last WS: 2021)
11. Houston Astros (WS Odds: +1300; Last WS: 2022)
For spending purposes alone, you could argue all four of these teams belong inside the top 10 as opposed to just outside it. Both Boston and Houston paid a small luxury tax in 2025 while both Atlanta and Chicago narrowly avoided a tax of their own.
However, none of the four is quite in "spending like there's no tomorrow" territory like the Dodgers, Mets, Yankees, Phillies and Blue Jays. Moreover, each of the four has experienced at least one parade within the past decade, so it's not like the Cubs and Red Sox have fans wondering if there will ever be a championship in their lifetime.
However, one more thing this quartet of teams has in common is legitimate aspirations for a World Series in 2026.
The Cubs have the worst odds of the bunch, but they're probably going to wind up entering Opening Day with the best "to win their division" odds in this tier. If the Red Sox re-sign Alex Bregman or if the Astros sign another top-of-the-rotation starter, either could be the favorite to win the American League.
And if the Braves can stay a bit healthier this time around, perhaps they'll be the top challenger to the Dodgers that they were supposed to be this past season.
The 'Please, God, Let This Be the Year' Tier
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10. Seattle Mariners (WS Odds: +1300; Last WS: Never)
9. Milwaukee Brewers (WS Odds: +2000; Last WS: Never)
8. San Diego Padres (WS Odds: +2000; Last WS: Never)
As noted, there are five active franchises that have never won a World Series.
Both Colorado (founded in 1993) and Tampa Bay (founded in 1998) already look like they're headed for last place in their respective divisions in 2026, but San Diego (1969), Milwaukee (1969) and Seattle (1977) each made the playoffs in 2025 and figure to be back in the mix this coming season.
Of the trio, Seattle is simultaneously the most likely to win it all in 2026 and arguably the least desperate to do so. With the exception of Randy Arozarena and J.P. Crawford, everyone is under team control into at least 2027, and the Mariners have maybe the most loaded farm system of them all right now.
That isn't to say those fans would be perfectly fine with a lost season after coming so close to the promised land two months ago, but it also doesn't feel like it has to happen this year.
Both Milwaukee and San Diego might be feeling much differently—the former is slated to lose Freddy Peralta, Brandon Woodruff and Andrew Vaughn next winter with a permanently minimal budget to replace them; the latter is possibly losing Michael King, Nick Pivetta and plenty more while the expensive nucleus of Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts and Co. just gets one year older.
At least for the Brewers, 2025 marked a franchise record for wins in a regular season, and it feels like they've developed some magic elixir that enables them to keep putting together a contender no matter who leaves in free agency.
The Padres, on the other hand, started spending recklessly a few years ago and have completely gutted their farm system in the name of holding this contender together for as long as physically possible.
This might be their last year before things start going downhill in a Los Angeles Angels sort of way where they are just stuck with a top-15 payroll for a decade's worth of losing seasons. And if you wanted to argue for them at No. 1 because of that, you might be right.
It's Been Four Decades and the Window Is Closing Again
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7. Baltimore Orioles (WS Odds: +2200; Last WS: 1983)
6. Detroit Tigers (WS Odds: +2500; Last WS: 1984)
Say this much for the Baltimore Orioles: They're finally going for it in a big way.
We kept thinking that any of the past three offseasons might be the year they really start spending to supplement the foundation they built during their 2018-21 rebuild, but better late than never.
Assuming arbitration estimates are reasonably accurate, four of Baltimore's five highest-salaried players for 2026 are guys they've acquired in the past two months. However, three of those four pickups (Taylor Ward, Andrew Kittredge and Ryan Helsley) could leave next winter, alongside Trevor Rogers, Ryan Mountcastle and Keegan Akin. And by the end of 2028, Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson and every pitcher worth mentioning on this roster will potentially be out of the picture.
At least Baltimore plausibly could be a contender again in 2027 if the upcoming season doesn't pan out as planned.
For Detroit, it feels like now or never after what has already been 40 years' worth of nevers.
Tarik Skubal is entering his final season before what promises to be a major payday in free agency. Also heading into their final year under Detroit's control are Gleyber Torres, Jack Flaherty, Casey Mize, Jake Rogers and recent one-year signee Kenley Jansen.
On the one hand, that's a boatload of money coming off the books, plus 2027 will be the last year of Javier Báez's $140 million contract. Combine that with the quickly approaching promise of top prospects Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark, and let's just say there's a reason people were speculating Detroit might trade away Skubal this offseason in the name of instead trying to win one in the 2028-30 timeframe.
Both of these teams appear to be in it to win it in 2026, though, which is exciting/terrifying news for the significant percentage of their fanbases that have never celebrated a World Series title.
Won Two in a Row, But Thirsty (and Spending) for a Three-Peat
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5. Los Angeles Dodgers (WS Odds: +370; Last WS: 2025)
How desperate can you possibly be when you've won two World Series in a row and three of the last six?
Better question: How complacent can you possibly be while on track to once again spend roughly as much as the five stingiest clubs combined?
The Dodgers can't possibly land at No. 1 on this list, but you better believe they are desperate to continue winning and will have plenty of egg on their face if they fall short of another title as the heavy favorites.
Also of note: This team is slowly but surely starting to get old. We don't mean that in a "their success is getting old" sort of way, which is true in the eyes of many, but rather that the average age of this roster is creeping upward.
With the exception of Andy Pages, the 11 team leaders in plate appearances in 2025 were already playing in at least their age-30 season. Same goes for three of the four starting pitchers who appeared in Game 7 of the World Series.
They're more than fine for now. Probably for 2027, too, provided that season isn't lost to a lockout. But they'd love to win at least one more while the likes of Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani are still major contributors and not just major expenses.
Anything Short of a World Series Will Be a Failure
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4. Toronto Blue Jays (WS Odds: +1500; Last WS: 1993)
3. New York Mets (WS Odds: +1600; Last WS: 1986)
2. Philadelphia Phillies (WS Odds: +1100; Last WS: 2008)
1. New York Yankees (WS Odds: +750; Last WS: 2009)
Along with the Dodgers, these are the teams most financially invested in buying a ring.
Not winning a World Series would be a failure. Missing the postseason altogether would be a complete catastrophe.
Unlike the Dodgers, though, it's been a hot minute since any of these teams won, mostly just spending a lot of money to ultimately lose to Los Angeles.
The Blue Jays are the "new money" of the bunch. In fact, they didn't even pay a luxury tax in 2024 while the other three have each done so in each of the past four years. But after coming so painfully close to winning the World Series a few months ago and after spending all that they have in the past calendar year, the desperation level is clearly very high.
The Mets easily could climb to No. 1 if they actually show some desperation this winter in the form of adding Kyle Tucker/Cody Bellinger and an ace. As is, though, their total spending (including tax payments) from 2021-25 was $1.897 billion—a mere $77M behind the Dodgers and more than $320M more than even the Yankees have spent. And for their trouble, they've missed the playoffs three times and have won a combined total of eight postseason games.
At least for the Blue Jays and Mets, it doesn't feel like the championship window is on the brink of slamming shut, with both Juan Soto and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. still in their prime of life with plenty more of those cores nowhere near considering retirement.
For the Phillies, however, Cristopher Sánchez is basically the only piece of the core that isn't either already at least 33 years old or 10 months away from hitting free agency. We've been speculating since the 2023 loss to the Diamondbacks that "this year" might be the final one of their window as a real contender, but it really feels like it's 2026 or bust.
But the Yankees take the cake here.
Their big five is even older than Philadelphia's, they're mired in the longest World Series drought in franchise history and have had to watch the Dodgers usurp their throne as MLB's evil empire. And even after all the spending Toronto has done, the Yankees are on track to spend the most of any AL team for what would be the seventh consecutive season.
Can they finally get over the hump before Aaron Judge enters his late 30s? Will they finally move on from Aaron Boone if they don't?
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