2026 MLB Thread

[MuggsyB]

My guess is roughly business as usual, maybe a bit more aggressive on rentals. Probably a mid-leverage lefty reliever and a mid rotation SP to keep things steady while they back off Miz and Harrison.  Ironically Peralta would be a fine fit, but I think giving a (relative) pittance back for him isn't a deal Stearns or Arnold would make.  I think the Brewers get one of Minter or Raley though.  Maybe they try to go after one of SPs on big money expiring contracts to make a team swallow some money and water down the return - Robbie Ray, Kevin Gausman, Jack Flaherty.

Sounds like they're not gonna go for it.  I get not dealing the young guns. 

[The Sultan]

Don't know who Luis Pina is,

Don't know who Luis Pina is (and obviously neither do you), but the Brewers aren't trading Luis Peña even for Skubal.

I would be shocked if they did.

Oh how cute! You tried to pull a JB but then f*cked up the quoting...

We will see. In the end I doubt they pull a trade for Skubal regardless. Regardless I know who he is.

[muwarrior69]

Maybe you guys should have a separate thread for the Brewers.

[Uncle Rico]

Maybe you guys should have a separate thread for the Brewers.

Someone else can bring up other teams at any point. 

We just had half a dozen posts or so discussing the Tigers and what they'll do.  Should there be a separate Tigers thread?

[The Sultan]

Eeyore gonna eeyore.

[Jockey]

Oh how cute! You tried to pull a JB but then f*cked up the quoting...

We will see. In the end I doubt they pull a trade for Skubal regardless. Regardless I know who he is.

Cute is knowing how to use the word 'regardless' both ending AND starting a sentence.

[The Sultan]

Cute is knowing how to use the word 'regardless' both ending AND starting a sentence.

Oof. Man if that's the best you can do, why even try?

But congrats on learning how to use the quote feature correctly!!

[cheebs09]

My guess is roughly business as usual, maybe a bit more aggressive on rentals. Probably a mid-leverage lefty reliever and a mid rotation SP to keep things steady while they back off Miz and Harrison.  Ironically Peralta would be a fine fit, but I think giving a (relative) pittance back for him isn't a deal Stearns or Arnold would make.  I think the Brewers get one of Minter or Raley though.  Maybe they try to go after one of SPs on big money expiring contracts to make a team swallow some money and water down the return - Robbie Ray, Kevin Gausman, Jack Flaherty.

I believe Gausman has the Brewers on his No-Trade List. Other than that, I think this is spot on.

[Pakuni]

Rough season so far for the "MLB has a competitive balance" problem argument.

Entering Tuesday's play, 24 of the 30 clubs are within five games of a postseason spot, and 21 are within two games.

Oh, and the New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays and San Francisco Giants — teams with the game's second-, fifth- and 11th-highest luxury-tax payrolls, respectively — were among those more than three and a half games out.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7474087/2026/07/28/mlb-competitive-balance-standings/

[MU82]

Rough season so far for the "MLB has a competitive balance" problem argument.

Entering Tuesday's play, 24 of the 30 clubs are within five games of a postseason spot, and 21 are within two games.

Oh, and the New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays and San Francisco Giants — teams with the game's second-, fifth- and 11th-highest luxury-tax payrolls, respectively — were among those more than three and a half games out.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7474087/2026/07/28/mlb-competitive-balance-standings/

The Dodgers have lost three in a row, too.

But luckily for them, they have the Mariners coming into town.

Sorry, eeyore69 ... I should have started both a Dodgers thread and a Mariners thread to post this.

[wadesworld]

Rough season so far for the "MLB has a competitive balance" problem argument.

Entering Tuesday's play, 24 of the 30 clubs are within five games of a postseason spot, and 21 are within two games.

Oh, and the New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays and San Francisco Giants — teams with the game's second-, fifth- and 11th-highest luxury-tax payrolls, respectively — were among those more than three and a half games out.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7474087/2026/07/28/mlb-competitive-balance-standings/

I think the "competitive balance problem" comes more from a lack of true title contenders, not an expanding Playoff field allowing a bunch of mediocre teams to be "in the hunt" going into August.

[Uncle Rico]

I think the "competitive balance problem" comes more from a lack of true title contenders, not an expanding Playoff field allowing a bunch of mediocre teams to be "in the hunt" going into August.

A lot of mediocre teams in contention for playoff spots. 

Serves its purpose to keep the faithful of these clubs engaged.  Interesting that it keeps teams from selling but dilutes the market and chances of deeper deadline intrigue.

[GB Warrior]

The Dodgers have lost three in a row, too.

But luckily for them, they have the Mariners coming into town.

Sorry, eeyore69 ... I should have started both a Dodgers thread and a Mariners thread to post this.

Starting a new thread about the need for different threads

[Pakuni]

I think the "competitive balance problem" comes more from a lack of true title contenders, not an expanding Playoff field allowing a bunch of mediocre teams to be "in the hunt" going into August.

How does one define "true" title contenders?

[TallTitan34]

Just get in the playoffs. After that anything can happen.

Haven't something like eight Wild Card teams won it all? 

[wadesworld]

How does one define "true" title contenders?

The LA Dodgers.

[The Sultan]

Just get in the playoffs. After that anything can happen.

Haven't something like eight Wild Card teams won it all? 

22 of the 31 "Wild Card era" World Series champions were top 10 in Opening Day payroll. Of the seven Wild Card teams to win the World Series, five were top ten in Opening Day payroll. The only two that weren't were the '02 Angels and '03 Marlins.

[Pakuni]

The LA Dodgers.

Would that be the LA Dodgers that was one pitch from losing in 6 last year?

[TallTitan34]

Would that be the LA Dodgers that was one pitch from losing in 6 last year?

And a good secondary lead from losing in 7.

[wadesworld]

And yet...they'll 3 peat.  When is the last time we have seen a 3 peat in any major American sport?  College football or men's basketball or the NHL, MBL, NBA, or NFL?  Over a quarter century ago with the Lakers?

Just like I said all last year and turned out to be right, the Dodgers are the only team with a chance to win the World Series this year.

[The Sultan]

And yet...they'll 3 peat.  When is the last time we have seen a 3 peat in any major American sport?  College football or men's basketball or the NHL, MBL, NBA, or NFL?  Over a quarter century ago with the Lakers?

Just like I said all last year and turned out to be right, the Dodgers are the only team with a chance to win the World Series this year.

You were right that the Dodgers won the World Series. You are wrong if you believe that no other team had a chance to. As pointed out above, the Jays were very close to winning last year.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

You were right that the Dodgers won the World Series. You are wrong if you believe that no other team had a chance to. As pointed out above, the Mariners were very close to winning last year.

Impressive that the Mariners almost won the series without even making the series. 

[The Sultan]

Impressive that the Mariners almost won the series without even making the series. 

LOL...today has not been my day... Corrected.

[TallTitan34]

the Dodgers are the only team with a chance to win the World Series this year.

They have the best chance, yes.  That chance is not 100% however.

[Uncle Rico]

They have the best chance, yes.  That chance is not 100% however.

The only thing that's 100% is Willie posting after a Marquette loss