Three MLB Futures Picks to Beat Los Angeles Dodgers in 2026

With Spring Training getting underway, most teams’ free agents are starting to settle into their new locations. There are still a couple of players waiting to find their new homes, but we mostly know how teams will be constructed heading into the start of the year.

The Dodgers are once again the prohibitive favorites to take home a World Series, and with their offseason acquisitions of Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz, it’s not too crazy to think they will be able to complete their three-peat.

Fortunately, even with the super team the Dodgers will be fielding, baseball still has so many variables that could prevent them from winning again. Here are my three favorite bets for teams to vanquish the supervillains in Los Angeles.

Seattle Mariners +1300

The best thing going for the Mariners is that they play in the American League, specifically the AL West. I’m not particularly high on any team in the West this year, so I think the Mariners have a great shot at winning their division or even the American League crown.

Elite pitching is one of the most important things in baseball, and Seattle has lots of it. The Mariners were just one game away from a World Series appearance last season, and a fully healthy rotation is going to be a tough one to beat.

A core of Bryan Woo, Logan Gilbert, and Luis Castillo is one of the best in the sport, but their offense is deeper than in years past. Cal Raleigh should once again be one of the best catchers in the sport, and Randy Arozarena and Julio Rodriguez headline one of the most exciting outfields in baseball.

Seattle also resigned Josh Naylor and made a big trade to bring in Brendan Donovan, shoring up the left side of their infield. This is one of the best rosters in baseball, and I like their chances of winning the AL West. From there, they have a great shot in the postseason, and getting them at +1300 is great value.

Boston Red Sox +1500

The AL East is loaded in 2026. The Yankees are the favorites to win the AL, the Blue Jays added pieces to a team that was inches away from winning the World Series, and the Orioles got aggressive, adding a few bats to their young core– but I love the Red Sox this year.

I just talked about the Mariners’ pitching being elite, but Boston is at another level. Garrett Crochet was nearly a CY Young winner last season, and Brayan Bello had a bit of a breakout year in his third full season of big league play.

That wasn’t enough for Boston as they got very aggressive, adding Ranger Suarez and Sonny Gray to their rotation as well. They also traded for Johan Oviedo this offseason, and if he can retain the success he found with the Pirates, this might be the best rotation in the American League.

Boston did lose Alex Bregman, but I think their young offensive core can still provide enough for this pitching staff. They brought in Caleb Durbin to replace Bregman, and Wilson Contreras to add a solid middle-of-the-order bat as well.

However, the young guys are the main pieces for Boston. Roman Anthony needs to continue his superstar development, and someone else needs to take a big step with him.

Ceddanne Rafaela was more productive last year, but still just a league-average bat. Wilyer Abreu was a nice piece in left, but still left value on the table, and Marcel Mayer and Kristian Campbell showed flashes at points last year. They just need a little bit more out of the young core, and if they can get that, they could be favorites out of the American League. `

New York Mets +1400

Someone has to compete with the Dodgers in the NL, and I think it’s going to be the Mets. Last year was a disaster of a year for the Mets. Everything that could go wrong went wrong, and there’s a real possibility that it will happen again. Fortunately, they still have Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor in the middle of their order, so I’m betting on them being able to lead them to the postseason.

The Mets did miss the playoffs last year and will have to replace Pete Alonso, Edwin Diaz, Brandon Nimmo, and Jeff McNeil. I do think they did a decent job of that, adding Bo Bichettem Devin Williams, Freddy Peralta, Marcus Semien, Luke Weaver, Jorge Polanco, and a few others.

The starting rotation was far too inconsistent last year for the Mets, and I believe Peralta is the perfect piece to solidify the top of their rotation. Nolan McLean was called up late last season as well, and he looked the part of an ace for the Mets as well. If the back end of the rotation is able to bounce back, this team could easily win 90+ games.

Even with a healthy version of the Braves, the NL East is very winnable. You probably won’t get a first-round bye with the Dodgers existing, but someone has to battle with them in the postseason, and I think the star power of the Mets could be enough in the postseason.