Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves had terrible injury luck again in 2025, continuing the string of unfortunate events that began in the 2024 season. Understanding their shortcomings, the Braves’ front office went to work this offseason and brought in more pieces that can complement the current roster.
The Braves may not have made any high-profile signings, but they have added players like Mike Yastrzemski, Ha-Seong Kim and Jorge Mateo to boost their depth in the lineup. Their prized addition this winter brought in a new closer, Robert Suarez, who should boost the bullpen, which had suffered from a slow decline.
PECOTA is strongly in favor of the Braves’ comeback, with the team ranking at the top of the NL East. For Atlanta to live up to expectations, the team also needs offensive stars like Ozzie Albies, Michael Harris III, Matt Olson and Austin Riley.
The Braves are already in a tough spot with an injury to one of the young starters, Spencer Schwellenbach, but if there are no other serious injuries to regular players, the Braves should be a threat to many teams around the league.
Baltimore Orioles
Not long ago, the Baltimore Orioles were at the top of the AL East until the team experienced their worst slump in the 2025 season. The young core of the Orioles had to take back the lead. Still, with injuries to FĂ©lix Bautista, Kyle Bradish, Colton Cowser, Tyler O’Neill, Grayson Rodriguez, Tyler Wells and Jordan Westburg, the team didn’t have enough ammunition to bounce back as the remaining four AL East teams continued to push for the division lead.
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The most important part of the Orioles’ effort is that they didn’t stop at addressing their weaknesses. They doubled down and signed Pete Alonso to a five-year contract, which will obviously bring more leadership, experience and strength to the young squad. They also added Ryan Helsley, who can strengthen the bullpen that declined last year.
Underestimating the Orioles isn’t a good idea, especially when the team still has a lot of young players who can show their true performance ceilings. Even if PECOTA expects the team to finish third, there’s a chance that with a bit of luck, Baltimore can go all the way.
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals showed their potential in 2024 when stars like Vinnie Pasquantino and Bobby Witt Jr. took up the mantle to become the faces of the franchise. However, the Royals were not immune to the infamous sophomore slump as they finished third in the AL Central and missed the playoffs in 2025.
The Royals have not dropped significantly in any category, which is why their decline over the past season is more remarkable. The main reason the team couldn’t perform at its best was the drop in overall strength in the lineup and the lack of fundamentals like defense and baserunning.
Fortunately, the AL Central is a fairly winnable division. The Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins won’t be the favorites to win the division this year, and as long as the Royals can come out on top against the Cleveland Guardians and Detroit Tigers, they have a chance at a comeback.
To get back into contention, the Royals will need to lengthen their lineup to support their young stars and have a healthy pitching staff. Losing Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic to injuries last year proved detrimental to Kansas City, which lacked sufficient rotational strength.
Still, the Royals haven’t gone out of their way to make a notable upgrade this season, but their position in the AL Central should still work in their favor. PECOTA projection is confident in Kansas City’s recovery as the team sits in first place in the AL Central. All it takes is for Detroit and Cleveland to falter, even for a month. In that sense, the Royals’ dominance is not a complete illusion.
San Francisco giants
When Buster Posey joined the San Francisco Giants as president of baseball operations in the fall of 2024, he said, “We’re in the business of making memories.”
Under Posey’s leadership, creating something memorable was the goal. That led to the team making bold moves, such as trading for Rafael Devers at the start of the 2025 season. But the Giants didn’t come close to giving their fans the dream season last year. Some of this is due to the Dodgers’ continued dominance in the NL West, but most of the problems stemmed from the Giants performing poorly in pitching, hitting and fielding.
For the Giants, the 2026 season is their chance to prove that the team is still in the business of making memories. Catching up to the Dodgers’ level could be a challenge, but overpowering the precarious San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks should be the goal to return to the playoffs in some capacity.
The Giants’ roster isn’t in a bad place; the team consists of Willy Adames, Matt Chapman and Rafael Devers, who are responsible for bringing strength to the team. If they can also get production from young players like Drew Gilbert and Heliot Ramos, they will have a lineup that can compete for second place in the NL West. The biggest X-factor for San Francisco would be its starting rotation, which has been one of the weakest in the league. From that perspective, the addition of Tyler Mahle is the team’s attempt to add depth.
The Giants were victims of negative regression and slower starts among all-star players such as Willy Adames and Rafael Devers. But in baseball, the tables can turn at any time, and fortune could be in the Giants’ favor for a positive regression. Should the Padres and Diamondbacks continue to struggle this season, San Francisco puts itself in a great spot for their return to the playoff stage.
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