Sport Special: 2026 MLB Preview

This story appears in SPORT x Netflix Opening Night Collector’s Edition magazine.

Dave Roberts, the Dodgers’ manager, said it was “fair” to assume Shohei Ohtani will be a regular starting pitcher in 2026.

Fourteen other National League clubs wonder what’s fair about it.

Ohtani has been the league MVP and a World Series champ in both his Dodger seasons, with 99 home runs and 232 RBI. He didn’t pitch in 2024 and had 14 starts in 2025, gradually stretching himself, but was 2-1 in four postseason starts last year, with a gleaming 1.131 OPS and 28 strikeouts in 20 and one-third innings.

Ohtani is 31 and has four MVPs all told. Barry Bonds, with seven, is the only other player with more than three. With the Angels in 2021, Ohtani was fourth in Cy Young voting. It would be preposterous but not surprising if he finishes at least that high again. He has a 3.00 career ERA and a 1.078 WHIP. That would make him third and fourth among active MLB pitchers if he had a qualifying number of innings.

He joins Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasasi and Emmet Sheehan in the current rotation, with Blake Snell fighting shoulder fatigue. Edwin Diaz, the ex-Met, ascends the rocky throne in the bullpen. Kyle Tucker, the prime free agent prize in the outfield, joins the projected batting order that totals 64 years of major league service. At some point before the All-Star break, Tommy Edman will return from ankle surgery to play second base or centerfield. And Miguel Rojas, whose Game 7 home run was possibly a harder shot to Canada’s heart than Jack Hughes’ goal, is still lurking on the roster. 

Again, the Dodgers’ biggest problem is engagement, as they embark on a regular season that resembles a long summer drive through Nebraska. When do we get to October, Daddy?

The Dodgers were stuck in neutral through much of 2025. They won only 93 games. They didn’t have the home advantage in their last three postseason series. It is the toughest part of their season, dodging injury, bearing expectation, maintaining interest. Arizona and San Diego could indeed win the West. But the Dodgers don’t fly pennants for that. Last year they won on blind faith, happenstance (Andy Pages/Enrique Hernandez Christmas ornaments were all the rage in L.A.) and enormous self-belief. And, no, a $346 million payroll didn’t hurt. Neither does the prospect of Ohtani working double-time.

–  Mark Whicker

After a nail-biting American League East division race, the Toronto Blue Jays declared “Want It All” as their mantra, and the rallying cry swept across the Great White North as the team came within inches of winning the 2025 World Series.

Labelled as overachievers even while carrying the fifth highest payroll in the major leagues, the Blue Jays dramatically united Canada, which for months had been wincing at U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs and talk of annexation

After a bit of a roller coaster season, where pieces seemed to continually be switched around, the Blue Jays finished 94–68 (.580) and claimed the AL East title, on a tiebreaker over the Yankees, for the first time since 2015.

The playoffs arrived and it became fun to talk about Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (the only player born in Canada) and Bo Bichette instead of politics. While ousting the Yankees and then the Mariners, unexpected, previously unknown characters like Addison Barger and Nathan Lukes stepped to the plate day after day, while the heroics of George Springer never seemed to wane. The dichotomy of veteran hurler “Mad” Max Scherzer, all attitude and bravado, taking the mound after the awe-shucks-ness of rookie Trey Yesavage, who’d made it up from A ball in time for the playoffs, was magically compelling. 

But baseball can be a cruel game too, dreams dashed by the Dodgers in extra innings of Game 7. 

Armed with deep pockets, a passionate fanbase of 40 million or so, a renovated more baseball-friendly stadium, and a slightly retooled lineup that includes star Japanese import Kazuma Okamoto at third base (his young daughter told Dad she liked the Jays logo best) and Dylan Cease, the first pitcher signed out of free agency during the offseason, the Blue Jays are ready for their 50^th season. This year, Canada does Want It All.

– Greg Oliver

Though the New York Yankees lost in the American League Division Series to the Blue Jays three games to one, there was not a reactionary major overhaul by GM Brian Cashman. The roster, which tied the Jays atop the AL East, remains basically intact, but with a flurry of deals at the trade deadline, it isn’t the same lineup that started off 2025 either. Those additions include closer David Bednar, reliever Camilo Doval, Ryan McMahon at third, and utility players Amed Rosario and Jose Caballero.

There are other names worth waiting for too, with returning pitchers Gerrit Cole (Tommy John surgery, early June), Carlos Rodon (elbow surgery, early May), Clarke Schmidt (Tommy John surgery, August) and shortstop Anthony Volpe (shoulder surgery, mid-May).

It all means that the Yankees will churn through a lot of different lineups and rotations, and have depth at every position, and boast a stellar leading cast beginning with captain Aaron Judge—baseball’s best non-dual threat player—as well as the usual names like Cody Bellinger, Giancarlo Stanton, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Trent Grisham, and Austin Wells.

Under the guidance of manager Aaron Boone, in his ninth season, the Yankees will be top contenders. “I’m personally excited about having the players that we do going back at it because I think there’s a hunger there after we didn’t finish the job, and I think we’re really good,” Boone told WFAN radio in early March.

If the Yankees don’t win the World Series for the first time since 2009, it may be time for far bigger changes, in the front office, in the dugout, and on the field.

– Greg Oliver

Managers get a lot of attention in major league baseball, but the spotlight on Giants bench boss Tony Vitello is very unique. He is the first ever manager to jump directly from the college ranks, something that is common in football and basketball. Guiding the Tennessee Volunteers to the 2024 College World Series, on top of two other CWS appearances (2021, 2023), Vitello drew praise as a recruiter and for his ability to connect with players.

At the press conference introducing Vitello, Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey said there are “going to be uncertainties and risk in any hire” but that he’s “betting on the person.”

How Vitello’s skill set translates onto the field in a much longer season is based a lot on the roster put together by Posey and GM Zack Minasian.

The Giants have a certified stud in Logan Webb, who was the Game 1 starter for the USA in the World Baseball Classic, but the rotation after him, projected to be Robbie Ray, Tyler Mahle, Adrian Houser, and Landen Roupp, is in tough. Whether someone will step up and star out of the bullpen is a question mark.

Eyes are on No. 1 prospect Bryce Eldridge, and whether the first baseman will crack the opening day roster, pushing aside the incumbent Rafael Devers. They will need more from shortstop Willy Adames, who had a team-high 30 homers last season—the highest Giants mark since Barry Bonds in 2004. For all the question marks on the field, the one certainty seems to be in the standings, where the Giants are in the NL West with the powerhouse Dodgers and contending Padres, and the improving Diamondbacks ... and the Rockies, who had a 2025 to forget. Making the playoffs will require more than the ol’ college try.

— Greg Oliver

Sometimes to look forward you have to look back. Today we know the Home Run Derby as a well-established highlight of MLB’s All-Star Week–it may even be a bigger draw than the ASG itself. This summer’s smash sesh looks to be no exception; Philadelphia’s Citizen Bank Park is known as one of the friendliest confines to hitters and there happens to be two very experienced sluggers on the Phillies roster–Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper–that are certainly capable of reaffirming that fact.

The Derby didn’t always have its lofty status on the baseball calendar, though. Once upon a time, circa 1960, it was a fledgling TV show with no live audience, nor any official MLB connection, that aired for only a single season. Simply titled Home Run Derby, the short-lived program served as the direct inspiration for the official All-Star event we know and love today.  

There were 18 sluggers that appeared on Derby, ten of which went on to become Hall of Famers: Eddie Matthews, Al Kaline, Willie Mays, Duke Snider, Mickey Mantle, Gil Hodges, Frank Robinson, Ernie Banks, Hank Aaron, and Harmon Killebrew. Every one of these sluggers appeared on the cover of SPORT Magazine at least once in some form.

Hank Aaron made the most appearances on Derby, with seven, each of which consisting of a single head-to-head matchup, winning six times. Mickey Mantle racked up the most home runs overall, smacking 44 into the bleachers over five episodes. In total, 26 thirty-minute episodes were produced until, sadly, host Mark Scott passed away shortly after this first season finished airing. Rather than carry on with a new lead, the show came to an end just as it was beginning.

The first “official” MLB Home Run Derby was held in 1985, a full quarter-century after the TV program it took inspiration from. Dave Parker won that inaugural competition in Minnesota’s Metrodome with only six homers, a far cry from the kind of numbers we’re accustomed to today. Last year’s winner, Cal Raleigh, hit 19 bombs in the semifinal round alone. 

The growth of the Derby speaks to baseball’s modernization as a whole. We’re in a new era, one that demands fast-paced excitement — bigger, louder, and with more swagger. MLB’s 2026 Home Run Derby, streaming for the first time on Netflix, is sure to be just that.

- James Siddall

This could actually be the Pirates’ year. 

It starts with Paul Skenes — already one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball. But the other four spots in Pittsburgh’s rotation look strong as well, headlined by Mitch Keller and top prospect Bubba Chandler, and nearly the entire group is still on the right side of 30. The depth could improve even further as the season progresses. If Jared Jones returns from elbow surgery at full strength or Hunter Barco proves ready for a larger role, the Pirates have the kind of pitching infrastructure that can carry a team through a long season.

For the first time in what feels like forever, Pittsburgh also addressed its lineup in a meaningful way. By adding Ryan O’Hearn, Brandon Lowe and Marcell Ozuna this offseason, the Pirates have injected experience and power into a lineup that too often relied solely on internal development.

And then there’s Konnor Griffin. If the top prospect forces his way onto the Opening Day roster — potentially skipping Triple-A entirely — he could provide the same kind of jolt Skenes provided when he arrived. 

On paper, the offense doesn’t look like a unit that allowed Skenes to finish with a 10-10 record despite having a sub-2.00 ERA and over 200 strikeouts. In a National League Central without a clear runaway favorite, that combination creates a very real path for Pittsburgh to make a run.

– Chris Manning

Detroit enters 2026 walking a narrow line between contention and urgency. 

Last season showed both promise and fragility. The Tigers looked like the class of the AL Central early, winning 37 games across April and May, before a brutal September collapse cost them the division on the final weekend. They recovered in October, eliminating Cleveland in the Wild Card round and pushing Seattle to a 15-inning Game 5 in the ALDS, but the season ultimately reinforced how thin the margin is.

Everything still revolves around Tarik Skubal, who captured his second consecutive AL Cy Young Award and struck out 36 batters against just four walks in three postseason starts. He also happens to be in the last year of his contract. 

Detroit spent the winter trying to maximize that window, adding Framber Valdez to form a formidable one-two punch atop the rotation and bringing in Kenley Jansen to stabilize the ninth inning. The late signing of franchise legend Justin Verlander added depth. Intent and sentiment. You don’t sign a 43-year-old unless you think it gets you over the hump. 

The offense remains solid but not overwhelming, led by Riley Greene, Spencer Torkelson, Kerry Carpenter and Gleyber Torres. Detroit’s real upside may come from its elite prospect pipeline, with Kevin McGonigle, Max Clark and Josue Briceño pushing toward the majors. 

If the young talent accelerates, and Torres and Verlander support Skubal, the Tigers could run the division and the pennant. If it doesn’t, they may find themselves wondering if the best move is to trade Skubal and hit eject on this era.

– Chris Manning

The connection between art and sport has always always been evident in the pages of SPORT magazine – whether through stunning color photography taken by legends like Ozzie Sweet and Lawrence Schiller, or via longform investigative journalism from the pen of wordsmiths like Grantland Rice. At its launch in 1946, SPORT magazine was North America's first significant sporting publication to go beyond the box score and study the inherent human drama behind it through an uber creative lens. 

It comes as no surprise, then, that we at SPORT are very excited to see MLB’s return to the Field of Dreams this season, where life will imitate art once more. After four long years, baseball fans can wade out of the towers of maize into a cinematic baseball experience like no other. 

The MLB at Field of Dreams, held in 2021 and 2022, has already felt like a living painting; baseball skies hit differently above a fully pastoral landscape, one akin to that on which the pastime was founded well over a century ago. Now in 2026, those of us watching at home will be treated to even deeper artistic scope – as part of their groundbreaking partnership with MLB, Netflix will present a handful of significant dates on the baseball calendar this season, including an Opening Night match-up between the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants, and, yes, the Field of Dreams game. Who could deliver a Hollywood-inspired gameday experience better than Netflix? Cinematic camerawork and editing seems the right treatment for a site straight out of the movies, and their compelling teaser trailer for Opening Night already backs this theory. 

Aside from the delivery, there’s more newness to the 2026 Field of Dreams game: a fully redone, permanent and “professional” stadium on site in Dyersville, Iowa, and two new competitors to bring it to life, the Philadelphia Phillies and Minnesota Twins. Don’t know about you, but we are more than ready to witness some Schwarbombs scorched through the Iowa skies and into the corn. It’s sure to be a sight, one seen through new eyes. Lights, camera… play ball! 

– James Siddall 

The Babe Ruth Called Shot from the 1932 World Series is part of baseball lore, but what to make of Juan Soto’s called MVP? Maybe that’s exaggerating, but at the Mets spring training home of Port Lucie, Florida, in February, Soto put the reigning National League MVP, Shohei Ohtani, on notice.

Both superstars are under contract on massive deals through 2033.

“I’m going to be there every year, too,” Soto warned during a media scrum. “So he better keep doing what he’s doing, because I’m coming.”

The dual-threat Ohtani is a four-time MVP, twice in the American League with the Angels, and the last two seasons in the NL with the Dodgers.

In 2021, Soto, then with the Nationals, finished second to Bryce Harper of the Phillies, in MVP voting, which is his highest spot to date. Soto has also finished third twice in New York: in 2024 with the Yankees, and 2025 with the Mets.

The sweet-swinging, disciplined outfielder from the Dominican Republic has posted numbers that belong in the MVP conversation, including a batting title in 2020, four All-Star nods, six Silver Slugger Awards and the Babe Ruth Award as postseason MVP in 2019.

The next step, though, is the biggest. Ohtani is in his sights. “I’ve just got to beat him.

Definitely, it’s not going to be easy, but I’ve got to find a way to beat him.”

– Greg Oliver