Anything short of a World Series will be a failure for these five teams in 2026
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
All 30 Major League Baseball teams would love to win the 2026 World Series, but these five teams are way more invested in a ring than others.
5. Los Angeles Dodgers (WS Odds: +370; Last WS: 2025)
The Dodgers can't possibly land at No. 1 on this list, but you better believe they are desperate to continue winning and will have plenty of egg on their face if they fall short of another title as the heavy favorites.
Along with the Dodgers, the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees are the teams most financially invested in buying a ring.
For these teams not winning a World Series would be a failure. Missing the postseason altogether would be a complete catastrophe.
Unlike the Dodgers, though, it's been a hot minute since any of these teams won, mostly just spending a lot of money to ultimately lose to the All-Star team in Los Angeles.
FREDDIE FREEMAN WALK-OFF HOME RUN IN THE 18TH INNING! #WORLDSERIES
4. Toronto Blue Jays (WS Odds: +1500; Last WS: 1993)
The Blue Jays are the "new money" of the bunch. In fact, they didn't even pay a luxury tax in 2024 while the other three have each done so in each of the past four years.
But after coming so painfully close to winning the World Series a few months ago and after spending all that they have in the past calendar year, the desperation level is clearly very high.
Addison Barger just hit the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history.
3. New York Mets (WS Odds: +1600; Last WS: 1986)
The Mets easily could climb to No. 1 if they actually show some desperation this winter in the form of adding Kyle Tucker/Cody Bellinger and an ace.
As is, though, their total spending (including tax payments) from 2021-25 was $1.897 billion-a mere $77M behind the Dodgers and more than $320M more than even the Yankees have spent.
And for their trouble, they've missed the playoffs three times and have won a combined total of eight postseason games.
At least for the Blue Jays and Mets, it doesn't feel like the championship window is on the brink of slamming shut, with both Juan Soto and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. still in their prime of life with plenty more of those cores nowhere near considering retirement.
Juan Soto mashes his first Mets home run at Citi Field 😤
2. Philadelphia Phillies (WS Odds: +1100; Last WS: 2008)
For the Phillies, however, Cristopher Sánchez is basically the only piece of the core that isn't either already at least 33 years old or 10 months away from hitting free agency.
We've been speculating since the 2023 loss to the Diamondbacks that "this year" might be the final one of their window as a real contender, but it really feels like it's 2026 or bust.
KYLE SCHWARBER FOUR HOME RUN GAME ARE YOU KIDDING
1. New York Yankees (WS Odds: +750; Last WS: 2009)
But the Yankees take the cake here. Their big five is even older than Philadelphia's, they're mired in the longest World Series drought in franchise history and have had to watch the Dodgers usurp their throne as MLB's evil empire.
And even after all the spending Toronto has done, the Yankees are on track to spend the most of any AL team for what would be the seventh consecutive season.
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Can they finally get over the hump before Aaron Judge enters his late 30s? Will they finally move on from Aaron Boone if they don't?
Previously on Blue Jays Central
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 31 | 156 ANSWERS Anything short of a World Series will be a failure for these five teams in 2026 Out of these teams who do you think will win the 2026 World Series? | ||
| Toronto Blue Jays | 133 | 85.3 % |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 20 | 12.8 % |
| New York Yankees | 2 | 1.3 % |
| New York Mets | 1 | 0.6 % |
| List of polls | ||