NFL
By: Joe Cardoso
With the frost going away, clocks springing forward, and temperatures jumping, MLB baseball isn’t too far away from coming back. The 2026 MLB season is upon us, and with it, hope for all the teams and questions we need to get answers for. Anyone with a pulse is still buzzing from the WBC action and the new fans it brought to the game. So, without further ado, here are 3 storylines I think will be topics throughout the upcoming season.
Can The Dodgers Three-Peat as World Series Champions?
After a heart-pumping second title run, can the Dodgers do what hasn’t been done since the Yankees of 1998-2000? They made a massive splash by signing star outfielder Kyle Tucker to a four-year, $240 million contract (with heavy deferrals and opt-outs), which instantly bolstered an already stacked lineup featuring Shohei Ohtani and others. You can cry about how unfair it is all you want, but the bottom line is this team is STACKED, period. Don’t like it, then beat them, I say.
If the Toronto Blue Jays proved anything last year, it is that this team can be beaten. The Dodgers’ payroll flexibility, depth, and talent make them look nearly unstoppable on paper. They project for 99–105 wins, with World Series odds as high as 27%. The question is whether fatigue, injuries, or a motivated challenger (like the Mets or Blue Jays) can finally dethrone them. This storyline won’t go away, and the folks in Vegas and fans know this. If there is one thing all real baseball fans can agree on, we love numbers and history, so that’s part of what makes watching the Dodgers this season so important.
What Will the Offseason Chaos Mean for MLB Contenders?
The Tucker to the champs move wasn’t the only one that has us talking. Kyle Tucker landed with the Dodgers in one of the richest AAV deals in history (around $57–60M effective), while longtime Met Pete Alonso left New York and signed a five-year, $155 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles. Other moves included the Blue Jays flexing their financial muscle and various teams addressing holes (or not). These moves reshaped rosters dramatically. The Dodgers got even stronger, the Orioles added proven power to pair with young talent like Gunnar Henderson, and the Mets had to pivot after losing a fan favorite. It raises broader questions about competitive balance, deferral-heavy contracts, and whether big-market spending (or smart mid-market additions) will translate to October success. Fans and analysts are still digesting how these changes shift division races and playoff odds.
A talented and deep Red Sox rotation added a proven vet in Sonny Gray, along with Johan Ovidio and Edwin Diaz. The Dodgers, the White Sox, the Astros, and the Blue Jays all signed talented Japanese stars. In grabbing Alex Bregman, do the Cubs have the best defensive infield in baseball? Can the Seattle Mariners finally make it to the World Series? One win from winning its first AL pennant last season, they are loaded again and ready to rock with a full season of trade deadline pickups. Josh Naylor, a fast start from Julio Rodriguez, would be great, along with their improved bullpen. In Toronto, the spending and adding of pieces needs to pay off and help them get over the hump.
Can Any Central Division Team Finally Break Through and End the Pennant Drought?
How Will Rule Changes, Payroll Imbalances, and Labor Tensions Shape the Season?
