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Ranking Mets, Red Sox and All 30 MLB Lineups for 2026 Season
Pitching wins championships, but it's no coincidence that the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays also ranked in the top five in runs scored on their way to reaching the World Series in 2025.
Now it's time for an updated look at how all 30 MLB offenses stack up heading into the 2026 season, following a busy offseason of roster shuffling in free agency and on the trade market.
Lineups are ranked based on lack of holes, depth, star power and recent production, with each team's projected go-to lineup for 2026 used as the baseline. Defense was not a factor, so the focus is solely on offensive production.
Nos. 30-26
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30. Colorado Rockies
The Rockies had a busy offseason, adding Jake McCarthy, Edouard Julien, Willi Castro and T.J. Rumfield who are all candidates to see 400-plus plate appearances in 2026. That could lead to some marginal improvement, but the lineup as a whole is still sorely lacking in impact talent outside of 2025 All-Star Hunter Goodman.
29. Washington Nationals
With a 31-homer slugger in James Wood and a perennial 20/30 threat in All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams, the Nationals have two quality bats. Outfielder Daylen Lile showed the makings of a third when he hit .333/.380/.576 with 27 extra-base hits after the All-Star break, and third baseman Brady House had a huge spring, but the lineup as a whole is still a work-in-progress with too many glaring holes.
28. St. Louis Cardinals
After trading away Nolan Arenado and Willson Contreras, the Cardinals lineup is now anchored by Alec Burleson, Ivan Herrera and Masyn Winn. It could be a make-or-break season for former top prospects Nolan Gorman, Jordan Walker and Victor Scott II, while rookie JJ Wetherholt has the upside to be the team's best hitter by this time next year. This lineup reads like a rebuilding team in transition before a youth movement.
27. Tampa Bay Rays
The trio of Junior Caminero, Yandy Díaz and Jonathan Aranda will need to do a lot of the heavy lifting for the Rays this season. Newcomers Gavin Lux, Cedric Mullins and Jake Fraley are all capable of above-average offensive production, while rookies Carson Williams and Jacob Melton are trending toward being key contributors at some point in 2026. As is often the case, their hopes of contention hinge on the pitching staff.
26. Miami Marlins
The Marlins finally have some offensive pieces to build around in Kyle Stowers, Jakob Marsee, Agustín Ramírez and the underrated middle infield tandem of Xavier Edwards and Otto Lopez. That core group could quickly grow if Owen Caissie and a healthy Connor Norby play up to their potential, but is there a true star in the bunch or just a lot of slightly above-average players?
Nos. 25-21
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25. Cleveland Guardians
The only real addition the Guardians made to their lineup this offseason was signing Rhys Hoskins to a minor league deal to serve as the primary DH, though full seasons of Chase DeLauter and George Valera in the outfield will always make a difference. It will once again be a question of whether José Ramírez will have enough support, or if this group will need to be carried by the pitching staff.
24. Chicago White Sox
With up-and-comers Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel, Miguel Vargas and Chase Meidroth joined by prolific Japanese League slugger Munetaka Murakami, the White Sox lineup has some intriguing upside. They are probably still a year or two away from this being a fully-formed offense, but they should be significantly more fun to watch than in years past.
23. Los Angeles Angels
Replacing Taylor Ward's 36-homer, 103-RBI production with Josh Lowe looks like a downgrade for the Angels offensively, and that's the only real change to the projected starting lineup. Can Mike Trout stay healthy while shifting back to center field after a season as the club's primary DH?
22. Minnesota Twins
The Twins have one bona fide star in Byron Buxton and a lot of intriguing talent on the cusp of potentially breaking out, including slugger Matt Wallner and the middle infield tandem of Luke Keaschall and Brooks Lee. They should get a nice in-season boost from top prospect Walker Jenkins, who has a 60-hit, 60-power offensive profile and middle-of-the-order upside.
21. Kansas City Royals
The only real change to the Royals lineup is in left field, where some combination of Isaac Collins, Lane Thomas and Starling Marte will look to upgrade a position that logged a .639 OPS in 2025. If the young duo of Jac Caglianone and Carter Jensen can deliver on their significant offensive upside, this group will quickly move closer to the middle of the pack.
Nos. 20-16
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20. Pittsburgh Pirates
After finishing dead last in the majors in runs scored, home runs and OPS last season, the Pirates made a legitimate effort to improve the offense this winter. They added Brandon Lowe, Ryan O'Hearn and Marcell Ozuna to the middle of the lineup, which alongside Oneil Cruz, Bryan Reynolds and Spencer Horwitz gives them an offense capable of better supporting their dynamic young pitching staff.
19. Cincinnati Reds
The Reds added Eugenio Suárez after a 49-homer, 118-RBI season in 2025, and he gives them a proven run producer to anchor a young lineup. Beyond that pickup, there is also significant room for in-house improvement if Matt McLain can parlay his strong spring into a bounce-back campaign and Elly De La Cruz can play more like he did in the first half (.854 OPS, 39 XBH) and less like he did in the second half (.666 OPS, 21 XBH).
18. San Francisco Giants
A full season of Rafael Devers and newcomers Luis Arraez and Harrison Bader give the Giants lineup a more complete look than it has had in years, especially after Willy Adames hit his stride following a shaky start to his San Francisco tenure. Catcher Patrick Bailey is a black hole and DH production seems contingent on Bryce Eldridge getting off to a hot start in the minors, but this is a solid group overall.
17. Houston Astros
The Astros have plenty of impact talent, led by Yordan Alvarez and Jose Altuve. However, they also have a shaky outfield situation that could turn into a major issue if guys like Cam Smith, Joey Loperfido and Zach Cole don't take the step forward the organization is banking on. How do all the pieces fit together on the infield once Jeremy Peña returns from a fractured finger?
16. San Diego Padres
It's difficult to rank the Padres any lower than the middle of the pack given all their star-level talent, but the back of the lineup could also turn into a significant hole if things don't break right. Ramón Laureano, Gavin Sheets and Miguel Andújar are all potential regression candidates based on track record, and the organization as a whole is thin on MLB-ready depth.
Nos. 15-11
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15. Texas Rangers
The Rangers offseason essentially amounted to swapping out Marcus Semien, Adolis Garcia and Jonah Heim for Brandon Nimmo and Danny Jansen while creating an everyday role for standout utility man Josh Smith. Whether that moves the needle is debatable, but there's plenty of in-house upside if Josh Jung and Evan Carter are healthy and productive.
14. Milwaukee Brewers
Aside from trading away better-than-expected rookie contributors Caleb Durbin and Isaac Collins, the Brewers lineup is largely unchanged, and they were effectively replaced by Luis Rengifo and a healthy Garrett Mitchell. If Jackson Chourio and Sal Frelick take another step forward, and Andrew Vaughn does his job as a run producer, this group has top 10 potential.
13. Arizona Diamondbacks
The D-backs finished sixth in the majors in runs scored last season, but replacing Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez at the corner infield spots with Carlos Santana and Nolan Arenado likely results in a step backward. How much of Geraldo Perdomo's breakthrough offensive season proves to be sustainable will go a long way in determining if this is a top 10 challenger or a league-average group.
12. Atlanta Braves
Healthy seasons from Austin Riley (102 games) and Ronald Acuña Jr. (95 games) would go a long way toward getting the Braves back to being a top-tier offense, as would a bounce-back season from Ozzie Albies after he posted a career-low 89 OPS+ in 2025. Once Sean Murphy and Ha-Seong Kim are back healthy, the only real change to this team will be Mike Yastrzemski replacing Marcell Ozuna.
11. Detroit Tigers
The Tigers climbed from 19th in the majors in runs scored in 2024 to 11th last season, and they continue to trend up thanks to the arrival of top prospect Kevin McGonigle with his 70-hit, 60-power offensive profile. The versatility of guys like Colt Keith, Matt Vierling and Zach McKinstry also positions them well to navigate injuries over the course of a long season.
Nos. 10-6
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10. Boston Red Sox
Newcomers Willson Contreras and Caleb Durbin, along with a full season of rising superstar Roman Anthony, should make the Red Sox a better overall lineup even after Alex Bregman walked in free agency. If Marcelo Mayer can live up to his top prospect billing while settling in as the primary second baseman, there won't be a hole in the lineup.
9. Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles added 74 home runs and 229 RBI when they signed Pete Alonso and acquired Taylor Ward in a trade with the Angels, and last year's big free-agent signing Tyler O'Neill is also capable of significantly more after an injury-plagued first season in Baltimore. They will need to tread water on the infield while Jackson Holliday and Jordan Westburg are sidelined, but this has a chance to be an elite offense once they are at full strength.
8. Seattle Mariners
With Josh Naylor re-signed and Brendan Donovan added to man third base, the Mariners enter the season without the glaring offensive holes that plagued their roster during the first half in 2025. Second baseman Cole Young is a breakout candidate, and he'll be pushed by top prospect Colt Emerson, who headlines one of baseball's deepest farm systems.
7. Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies are banking on Adolis García and rookie Justin Crawford being an upgrade over Max Kepler and Nick Castellanos in the outfield, otherwise they return essentially the same core group. It's a contract year for Alec Bohm, while Bryson Stott has two years of control left, so they will both be looking to raise their offensive profile.
6. Chicago Cubs
With Kyle Tucker gone and Alex Bregman now manning third base, the Cubs will have a different look this season, but all the pieces are still there for them to be an elite offense. Moisés Ballesteros will get a shot at everyday playing time in the DH role, and his 60-hit, 55-power offensive profile could mean another impact bat.
5. New York Yankees
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2026 Go-To Lineup
1. CF Trent Grisham
2. RF Aaron Judge
3. LF Cody Bellinger
4. 1B Ben Rice
5. DH Giancarlo Stanton
6. 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr.
7. SS Anthony Volpe
8. 3B Ryan McMahon
9. C Austin Wells
Bench: C J.C. Escarra, 1B Paul Goldschmidt, IF José Caballero, IF/OF Amed Rosario
The biggest moves of the Yankees offseason were bringing back Trent Grisham on a qualifying offer and re-signing Cody Bellinger to a five-year, $162.5 million, preserving the key lineup protection for three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge.
The 1-6 of this lineup stacks up to any in baseball when guys are healthy and swinging it well. The X-factor will be whether Ryan McMahon and Austin Wells can be quality run producers rather than sub-100 OPS+ bats that don't make much of an impact at the bottom, and both are capable of more than they showed in 2025.
Shortstop Anthony Volpe will start the season on the injured list, giving speedy José Caballero a shot at regular playing time. It's not out of the question to think he could carve out a bigger role with a strong start.
4. Athletics
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2026 Go-To Lineup
1. 1B Nick Kurtz
2. C Shea Langeliers
3. LF Tyler Soderstrom
4. DH Brent Rooker
5. SS Jacob Wilson
6. RF Lawrence Butler
7. 3B Max Muncy
8. 2B Jeff McNeil
9. CF Denzel Clarke
Bench: C Austin Wynns, IF Darell Hernáiz, IF Andy Ibáñez, OF Carlos Cortes
If the Athletics jump off the page as a surprise inclusion inside the top five in these rankings, you haven't been paying attention.
Nick Kurtz, Brent Rooker and Shea Langeliers all had a 120 OPS+ and at least 30 home runs last season, Jacob Wilson started the All-Star Game as a rookie while showcasing the hit tool to be a perennial batting title contender and Tyler Soderstrom was one of the biggest breakout offensive players of 2025.
As far as untapped upside, Denzel Clarke looks a lot like what Pete Crow-Armstrong did at this time a year ago with a similar tool box. Even if he stays a glove-first contributor, the top six hitters in this lineup are good enough to make this an elite-level offense.
3. New York Mets
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2026 Go-To Lineup
1. SS Francisco Lindor
2. LF Juan Soto
3. 3B Bo Bichette
4. 1B Jorge Polanco
5. CF Luis Robert Jr.
6. DH Brett Baty
7. 2B Marcus Semien
8. RF Carson Benge
9. C Francisco Alvarez
Bench: C Luis Torrens, 1B/3B Mark Vientos, IF/OF Vidal Bruján, OF Tyrone Taylor
The Mets reacted to their September collapse with a roster overhaul, and the five new faces in their projected go-to lineup all have the upside to be among the most productive players at their respective positions.
It will be strange not seeing Pete Alonso in the middle of the lineup, but this is a more well-rounded group top-to-bottom than a year ago, and there's serious upside in Luis Robert Jr. and Marcus Semien after a change of scenery.
Carson Benge is the No. 19 prospect in baseball and Francisco Alvarez had a .921 OPS in 139 plate appearances after the All-Star break last year. If that's the No. 8 and 9 hitters in your lineup, you're in good shape.
2. Toronto Blue Jays
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2026 Go-To Lineup
1. DH George Springer
2. CF Daulton Varsho
3. 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
4. RF Addison Barger
5. C Alejandro Kirk
6. LF Jesús Sánchez
7. 3B Kazuma Okamoto
8. 2B Ernie Clement
9. SS Andrés Giménez
Bench: C Tyler Heineman, IF/OF Davis Schneider, OF Nathan Lukes, OF Myles Straw
The Blue Jays scored 105 runs in 18 games last postseason, and nearly rode a red-hot offense all the way to a World Series title.
Losing Bo Bichette hurts, but they have an in-house replacement in Ernie Clement, who set an MLB record with 30 hits during the team's playoff run and has starred in a super-utility role the last two seasons.
His shift into the everyday second base role, along with the addition of Kazuma Okamoto who had six 30-homer seasons in Japan, could more than offset Bichette's impact and keep this one of baseball's most dangerous offensive teams.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
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2026 Go-To Lineup
1. DH Shohei Ohtani
2. RF Kyle Tucker
3. SS Mookie Betts
4. 1B Freddie Freeman
5. C Will Smith
6. 3B Max Muncy
7. LF Teoscar Hernández
8. CF Andy Pages
9. 2B Tommy Edman
Bench: C Dalton Rushing, IF Alex Freeland, IF Miguel Rojas, OF Alex Call
Adding Kyle Tucker to a lineup that already featured Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith and Max Muncy feels borderline unfair, and that group alone is talented enough for the Dodgers to stake claim to the No. 1 spot.
Despite a down year last year, Teoscar Hernández is just a year removed from a 135 OPS+ and 33 home runs, and he's going to hit seventh. Behind him is a 25-year-old coming off a 114 OPS+ and 27 long balls in his first season as an everyday big leaguer in Andy Pages.
Second baseman Tommy Edman will start the season on the sidelines as he works his way back from ankle surgery, but in his absence Alex Freeland will get a chance to prove himself, while Miguel Rojas and Santiago Espinal provide quality depth.
There's just not a hole in this lineup, and not a chance to come up for air if you're the opposing pitcher.
