With spring training starting this past week, MLB Opening Day is now less than a month and a half away. This year is shaping up to be very competitive, and there is no telling where the World Series trophy will end up at the end of the year. This year, opening day is on March 26, with the Red Sox’s first game in Cincinnati against the Reds on the 27th.
The Dodgers open as the favorite to win the World Series, hoping to achieve their third straight, and with a strong lineup highlighted by players like Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and the newly signed outfielder Kyle Tucker, they are in a great position to make a deep run this season.
In the AL East, the Red Sox stand not too far behind the Dodgers, with the sixth-best odds in the league to win it all. After acquiring some infield help this offseason and bringing in a few great starting pitchers in Ranger Suárez and Sonny Gray, the Red Sox will have one of, if not the best, starting rotations in the league. Despite losing a star player in Alex Bregman, the Red Sox have a solid roster this year, despite being in one of the most competitive divisions in the MLB.
Additionally, the Blue Jays open with the same odds as the Red Sox to win the World Series. After blowing a three-run lead to the Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series in November, they are looking to finish what they were not able to last year. Although they lost Shortstop Bo Bichette, they added Dylan Cease and Kazuma Okamoto from Japan, so their roster looks just as strong as it did last year.
The opening AL MVP favorite is Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, who is hoping for another dominant season at the plate. He is followed by Royals shortstop Bobby Witt, whose outstanding defense and talent at the plate make him one of the biggest weapons in the league, and Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who is following up his 60 home run season in 2025.
In the NL, the early MVP favorite is Dodgers pitcher and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, who is searching for his third straight and fifth career MVP. He is followed by Mets outfielder Juan Soto, whose powerful bat makes him a weapon in New York, and then third is Ronald Acuña Jr. from the Atlanta Braves, after dealing with injuries last year, making him miss 70 of the team’s 162 games.
With numerous teams capable of making a run in October, this season promises six months of drama. Whether it is a repeat champion in Los Angeles or a new team rises to the top, this season has a great chance to be one of the more exciting seasons in recent history.
