Game 7 of the World Series is less than 24 hours old and baseball activities have already shifted to the 2026 season. Dozens of players officially became free agents on Sunday, while others are choosing whether to exercise or decline options for next season.
But one thing is certain: the Los Angeles Dodgers are the overwhelming favorite to win a third straight World Series.
This may seem obvious because the Dodgers will likely have the MLB’s highest payroll on the field on opening day. But there is content that goes with the big money.
Here are five reasons why the Dodgers will become the first team since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees to win three straight titles:
1. The complete Shohei Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani did not make his season debut as a pitcher until June 16, 73 games into the Dodgers’ season, after his second major elbow surgery. Since it was impossible to send him on a rehab assignment without removing him from the MLB roster, he rehabilitated his way back through a slow rebuild.
Well, that won’t be necessary in 2026. Ohtani will be fully at work from Opening Day. He threw just 47 innings over 14 regular season starts, but saw no boundaries in the postseason, as we saw when the right-hander started Game 7 on three days’ rest. During the regular season, Ohtani posted a 2.87 ERA with 1.7 walks and 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings.
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