Toronto Blue Jays move up in MLB's first power rankings of 2026

Since the Blue Jays landing Dylan Cease, Kazuma Okamoto, Cody Ponce, Tyler Rogers, and projected to add more, this offseason feels like one of the best in franchise history.

That may be the reason why Toronto has moved up a spot in MLB.com's first power rankings of 2026.

The Dodgers are getting older, particularly in the lineup, which is why you really can't take your eyes off them this offseason:

You can sense them lurking in the weeds on a lot of free agents.

Either way, they're the favorites to win a third straight World Series title, even if they stand pat for the rest of the winter (which they surely won't).

When you get as close as the Blue Jays did to winning the World Series -- multiple times! -- you certainly can't be blamed for pushing as hard as they already have this offseason.

They're clearly better with Dylan Cease and Kazuma Okamoto. Could Kyle Tucker be next?

We all keep waiting for the Mariners to make another addition or two, and while they still might, this already looks like the clear AL West favorite.

Now that they've cracked the door open, are they ready to finally rush through it?

Will J.T. Realmuto return? Are there more additions coming? The Phillies will once again try to win it all in 2026, before this team gets too old.

It should be noted that they are not in fact that old yet. And a Bryce Harper bounceback in his age-33 season sure would be nice.

Their two biggest offseason additions (Willson Contreras and Sonny Gray) have come from the Cardinals, but they were both smart moves that didn't cost Boston too much.

This team has a clear, solid foundation and surely still has some cards left to play. The AL East is stacked. But the Red Sox seem very much on the rise.

The team with the best record in baseball last year traded Isaac Collins, and there are persistent rumblings that their top starting pitcher, Freddy Peralta, might be next. If that makes you doubt them, well, people doubt the Brewers every year, and they keep winning the NL Central anyway.

The Yankees are running out of years of Peak Aaron Judge, which is why it has been so unsettling to so many Yankees fans that they've been so quiet this offseason. Is it possible the Yankees are closer to fourth in this division right now than first?

It has been an emotionally demoralizing offseason for Mets fans, who have had to say goodbye to some beloved players, but don't get it twisted:

This team still has MVP candidates in Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor, all kinds of young talent and plenty of money to spend if it needs to. There is zero need for despair here.

At last, the Orioles have started to address their rotation, with their trade for Shane Baz (as well as re-signing Zach Eflin), and they've been aggressive in the lineup, too, with the additions of Pete Alonso and Taylor Ward.

But you've got to think they're all the way in at this point: Another starter, hopefully of the top-shelf variety, would seem to be next in line for a team with a whole bunch at stake in 2026.

Much to their fans' chagrin, the Cubs had been awfully quiet this offseason until they pulled off a trade for Marlins flamethrower Edward Cabrera on Wednesday (shortly after our voting closed).

The Cubs might still be the favorites in this division, even assuming Kyle Tucker doesn't return, but another significant move certainly wouldn't hurt.

Source: MLB.com

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