Which 10 teams are under the most pressure to make it through the offseason? Here are the MLB franchises where temperatures are already rising, in alphabetical order.
With a young core and rising expectations after recent strong seasons, the Orioles are increasingly under scrutiny to take the next step. Continued pitching development and offensive upgrades will be necessary to meet growing fan excitement. Missing the postseason in 2025 puts additional pressure on the front office to deliver meaningful upgrades.
In what will be a huge division, the Red Sox have already shown they are not afraid to make big moves this season with the trade for starting pitcher Sonny Gray. Boston was eliminated in the wild card round last year by their arch-rivals from the Bronx, so how do they go deeper in 2026?
Detroit entered late 2025 with a big lead in the division, but stumbled down the stretch and fell short. That collapse turned a promising season into a bitter near miss, and offseason expectations are now high. Fans will expect a rebound with corrections, not another stumble, especially with Tarik Skubal’s future in the Motor City looming over the franchise.
After making the playoffs every year from 2016 to 2024, 2025 ended with the Astros missing October entirely. With championship-era veterans and expectations of contention, Houston will feel intense pressure to readjust and prove their window is not closed, especially with the Seattle Mariners looking like the kings of the division after last October’s run.
Maybe you’ve heard of it all drama that’s brewing in Queens? The Mets have a huge payroll, but do they also have huge chemistry problems? After missing the postseason last year, several questions still remain about how the Mets can improve in 2026 in a division that is loaded.
As perennial contenders with a huge payroll and a large fan base, the Yankees always operate with a “championship or nothing” mentality. Making the playoffs in 2025 was fine, but a return to the World Series didn’t happen and the Yankees haven’t won it all since 2009.
The Phillies have had plenty of star power in recent seasons, but “Red October” hasn’t ended with a World Series ring. This feels like a roster that could change this offseason, so will the right moves be made in Philadelphia when it comes to Kyle Schwarber’s decision and other free agent moves?
The Padres are once again among the high-pressure clubs due to significant payroll, previous expensive offseason transfers and a front office that seems focused on “winning now.” For San Diego, a lack of postseason success (or a failure to build a consistent contender to make deep postseason runs) would likely be viewed as wasted high-dollar investments.
The “Best Fans in Baseball” aren’t happy after a sub-.500 season. New front office leader Chaim Bloom has already sent Sonny Gray packing, so will Nolan Arenado and Willson Contreras be far behind? As the Cardinals rebuild, is Oliver Marmol the right person to become manager? There are a lot of questions with not a lot of answers under the Gateway Arch right now.
After an embarrassing World Series loss, Toronto now faces the task of shaking off the disappointment and retaining contender status in 2026. Shane Bieber and Dylan Cease give the rotation some big names, but can the lineup remain at its best? Sometimes it’s easier to reach the top of the AL than to stay there.
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