Power Ranking All 6 MLB Divisions For 2026 Season
Before we get to ranking the divisions for the 2026 MLB season, it's worth remembering that even the weakest ones have had a fighting chance in recent years.
It was fair to consider the AL Central weak going into 2024, yet it landed three teams in the American League playoffs. The same was true of the NL Central in 2025, which went from perceived weakling to proud owner of three playoff clubs.
The point is that the following exercise could age poorly. Yet what must be done must indeed be done, so let's get to ranking all six divisions.
These rankings are based both on teams' performances in 2025 and their FanGraphs projections for 2026, plus a healthy helping of gut feeling.
6. American League Central
1 of 6
2025 Wins: 387
Projected 2026 Wins: 391
Best Projected Team: Detroit Tigers
Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander are aboard to support back-to-back AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal in what is clearly the best rotation in the division. Kenley Jansen was a nice add for the bullpen as well.
The strikeout problem that plagued Detroit's offense last year is unlikely to go away in 2026, but at least there's power in the middle of the lineup. And if Kevin McGonigle's spring is any indication, he'll be a game-changer for the top.
Worst Projected Team: Chicago White Sox
The White Sox at least figure to be interesting to watch this year, especially if Munetaka Murakami's power translates from Japan to MLB.
Even so, a massive leap forward after back-to-back seasons of 100-plus losses likely isn't in the cards. The biggest threat is of a leaky pitching staff, with FanGraphs projecting the Pale Hose to lead the AL in runs allowed.
Every Team in Between
The Guardians are the reigning division champs, but they were statistically the luckiest team in MLB last year. And even knowing their history of doing more with less, their deathly quiet offseason was still a major letdown.
The Royals are the sleeper here, mainly because of a likely offensive surge. The fences are coming in at Kauffman Stadium, and there might not be a bigger post-hype breakout candidate than Jac Caglianone.
This leaves the Twins, who are in their aimless wandering era. Though they project for a solid 79-83 record, what happened last year won't allow them to outrun trade speculation on Byron Buxton and Joe Ryan.
5. National League Central
2 of 6
2025 Wins: 421
Projected 2026 Wins: 399
Best Projected Team: Chicago Cubs
If you're going to lose a guy like Kyle Tucker, replacing him with Alex Bregman is a heck of a way to save face. He should ensure that Chicago's offense stays somewhat close to last year's offensive level (i.e., 116 OPS+), and hopefully more consistently.
Between their defensive quality and their depth of arms, the Cubs at least resemble a high-floor team in terms of run prevention. And at some point this summer, they stand to gain a potential No. 1 with Justin Steele's return from elbow surgery.
Worst Projected Team: St. Louis Cardinals
These aren't your dad's Cardinals. Or even your slightly older brother's Cardinals. Chaim Bloom's rebuild is on, and you can tell by how many stars he shipped elsewhere over the winter.
There are some potential bright spots, including NL Rookie of the Year candidate JJ Wetherholt. But with how anonymous this roster otherwise is, don't be surprised if the Cardinals top 100 losses for the first time since 1908.
Every Team in Between
This is where the NL Central rises above the AL Central, as the three teams beneath the Cubs are all candidates to finish this year with winning records.
The Brewers and Reds both made the playoffs last year, and both have sneaky NL MVP candidates in Jackson Chourio and Elly De La Cruz, respectively. And as much as it hurts the Reds to lose Hunter Greene for half the year, pitching depth is sort of that organization's whole thing.
The Pirates, meanwhile, should rightfully be hyped about the upcoming Paul Skenes-Konnor Griffin era. Skenes is the best pitcher in the NL, while Griffin will be the NL Rookie of the Year favorite if he arrives sometime before June.
4. American League West
3 of 6
2025 Wins: 406
Projected 2026 Wins: 404
Best Projected Team: Seattle Mariners
Here's the best-case scenario for the 2026 Mariners in a nutshell: the 2024 pitching combined with the 2025 offense.
They can be the best team in baseball if those two forces combine, and why can't they? It's still mostly the same staff that co-led MLB with a 3.49 ERA in 2024, and there's good depth around the superstar duo of Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez.
Worst Projected Team: Los Angeles Angels
Compared to some of the other bottom-feeders around MLB, the Angels aren't even that bad. They were the second-best last-place team of 2025, and they should hit plenty of long balls after launching 226 of them a season ago.
The problem is that there's basically no separation between this team's floor and its ceiling. That's their own dang fault, as you don't hitch your wagon to guys like Grayson Rodriguez and Alek Manoah if you actually give a damn about winning.
Every Team in Between
Even if the projections don't love either of the Texas teams, the thinking here is that both should at least contend for a wild card spot this year.
The Astros are already banged up, but newcomer hurler Tatsuya Imai and a healthy Yordan Alvarez are two pieces they didn't have last year. And even if their offense stays shaky, adding MacKenzie Gore to a staff that led MLB in ERA last year could be what keeps them afloat.
As for the A's, Nick Kurtz and company make them worth watching for their offense. Just don't expect them to pitch enough to eclipse, say, the low 80s with their win total.
3. National League West
4 of 6
2025 Wins: 387
Projected 2026 Wins: 404
Best Projected Team: Los Angeles Dodgers
The two-time defending World Series champs are projected to win more games in 2026. Not that that's surprising, given that it's basically the same team but now with Kyle Tucker and Edwin Díaz.
Maybe the only question here is if a bad World Series hangover will finally set in after taking it easy on the Dodgers last year. As it is, Blake Snell's achy shoulder and Roki Sasaki's unpredictability are less-than-encouraging storylines.
Worst Projected Team: Colorado Rockies
Hey, 96 losses sure beats 119 losses. And after being famous for being anti-innovative for so many years, it's refreshing to hear talk of "funky, whacky ideas."
Yet contrary to some of the other bad teams around MLB, there's no way to "Maybe if [X, Y, Z]" with this Rockies team. The roster simply doesn't have high-upside talent, and they need that a lot more than even the funkiest, whackiest ideas.
Every Team in Between
The Padres are the only one of the three that rose above .500 in 2025, and they lost a lot more talent than they gained over the winter. Among other things, that has led to glaring shortages of talent at the back ends of their lineup and rotation.
The Giants stole Luis Arraez off the Padres as part of an offseason that was active, but far from aggressive. But they at least have the potential for an impact offense, particularly if Bryce Eldridge lives up to his track record as a MiLB slugger.
Despite a weak-looking bullpen, the D-backs are the potential chaos agent in this division. The top three of their lineup is sneaky-elite, while deals with Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly effectively saved their rotation.
2. National League East
5 of 6
2025 Wins: 400
Projected 2026 Wins: 407
Best Projected Team: New York Mets
The tiebreaker here is the Mets' run differential, which FanGraphs projects as greater than Atlanta's. The key there is an expectation that the Mets will be slightly better at preventing runs.
That is the whole idea, but it'll only work if Juan Soto, Bo Bichette and Jorge Polanco adjust to new positions, and if a new-look bullpen holds together. Mets fans should cross their fingers, and maybe hope for an explosive offense as Plan B.
Worst Projected Team: Washington Nationals
This is the only team in MLB that gives off the same kind of "yikes" energy as the Rockies, but at least the Nats have marketable talent. James Wood is a fun slugger, and Dylan Crews is another prime candidate for a post-hype surge.
At least for the non-Denver division of the league, however, this is easily the worst pitching staff in MLB. Travis Sykora can't come soon enough.
Every Team in Between
The Braves and Phillies are both legitimate threats to win the NL East on paper, though both also have reasons to keep them at an arm's length.
For the Braves, there's the offense that has fallen on harder and harder times since 2023, plus all the pitching injuries. For the Phillies, there's the sheer number of dudes in their mid-30s.
The Marlins aren't likely to crash the party, but they're still one of the better No. 4 teams in any division. The Sandy Alcantara-Eury Pérez duo atop their rotation alone can do damage…at least for as long as Alcantara sticks around.
1. American League East
6 of 6
2025 Wins: 429
Projected 2026 Wins: 424
Best Projected Team: New York Yankees
FanGraphs has a history of liking the Yankees, and they do check a bunch of boxes this time around. Aaron Judge still leads an offense that out-homered and outscored all the others in 2025, and the pitching staff isn't wanting for talent.
The pitfalls mostly relate to age, particularly with Judge and Giancarlo Stanton in their mid-30s. And if Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón aren't the same after elbow surgeries, the young flamethrowers the Yankees have will need to grow up fast.
Worst Projected Team: Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays aren't even that bad, and they could even contend for a playoff spot if their pitching meets expectations. Only Boston is projected to allow fewer runs among AL East clubs.
That said, a fully healthy Shane McClanahan seems more aspirational than realistic. And apart from Junior Caminero, nobody in this offense really scares you. The fear of too many one-run losses is real.
Every Team in Between
They're the defending AL champs, so apologies to the Blue Jays for getting relegated to this spot. And honestly? They're still our pick as the divisional favorite despite what the projections say.
The Red Sox are a contender for the AL East title in their own right, precisely because they figure to be a run prevention machine. Offense is supposed to be their weak point, but maybe not if Roman Anthony achieves superstardom.
With Pete Alonso aboard and Gunnar Henderson still around, the Orioles are an offensive powerhouse in their own right. And while their rotation lacks a proper No. 1, you have good depth if Zac Eflin is your No. 5.
Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.
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