First 2026 MLB Power Rankings: Blue Jays Lurking Just Behind World Series Champion Dodgers

As the calendar flips to January 2026 and the hot-stove season heats up, MLB.com and ESPN released their inaugural power rankings for the upcoming season on January 2, 2026. In a surprise that has Blue Jays Nation buzzing, Toronto sits at No. 2—trailing only the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers and ahead of the rest of the league in the eyes of most analysts.

The Dodgers, fresh off a dominant 2025 postseason run that culminated in a five-game World Series victory over the Atlanta Braves, naturally claim the top spot. But the Blue Jays’ placement at No. 2—leapfrogging perennial contenders like the Braves, Yankees, Phillies, and Orioles—signals just how much respect the baseball world now has for Toronto’s reloaded roster, aggressive offseason moves, and the return of a healthy Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

The Dodgers: Still the Team to Beat

Los Angeles enters 2026 as the clear benchmark. After trading for Shohei Ohtani, adding Blake Snell and Tanner Scott, and then winning it all, the Dodgers boast arguably the deepest lineup and rotation in baseball. Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Ohtani, Will Smith, and Teoscar Hernández form a top-five offensive core, while a rotation led by Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Bobby Miller (plus a fully recovered Clayton Kershaw) gives them unmatched depth.

MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand wrote: “The Dodgers aren’t just the defending champs—they’re the measuring stick. Until someone proves otherwise, they remain the team everyone else is chasing.”

Blue Jays at No. 2: The Most Improved Team in Baseball

Toronto’s meteoric rise in the rankings stems from a combination of continuity, health, and savvy additions. After finishing 2025 at 88-74 and falling just short of the wild card, the Blue Jays addressed their biggest weaknesses this winter:

• Signed ace left-hander Max Fried to a six-year, $150 million deal.
• Added elite reliever Tanner Scott (who helped the Dodgers win it all) on a four-year, $60 million contract.
• Locked up Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to an 11-year, $340 million extension that begins in 2026.
• Traded for veteran shortstop Carlos Correa from the Twins, reuniting him with his old Twins teammate José Berríos.
• Re-signed Kevin Gausman and Bo Bichette to extensions.

The result is a team that now projects as a top-three rotation (Fried, Gausman, Berríos, Bowden Francis, José Berríos) and a lineup anchored by Guerrero Jr., George Springer, Correa, Alejandro Kirk, and a resurgent Bo Bichette. Add in the best defensive outfield in baseball (Springer, Daulton Varsho, and Davis Schneider) and one of the most dominant bullpens in the AL, and Toronto looks ready to end a 32-year championship drought.

ESPN’s David Schoenfield ranked the Jays No. 2, writing: “This is the most complete Blue Jays team since the 1993 back-to-back champs. They’re not just contenders—they’re co-favorites in the AL.”

The Rest of the Top 10

3. Atlanta Braves – Still loaded with Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson, Austin Riley, and a young rotation, but injuries and a lack of offseason splash keep them behind the Dodgers and Jays.
4. New York Yankees – Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, and a revamped rotation give them firepower, but depth concerns linger.
5. Philadelphia Phillies – Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Zack Wheeler, and a stacked bullpen make them NL East favorites.
6. Baltimore Orioles – The young core (Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, Jackson Holliday) is elite, but pitching depth remains a question.
7. San Diego Padres – Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., and a strong rotation make them dangerous, but inconsistency in the bullpen hurts.
8. Cleveland Guardians – José Ramírez and a deep pitching staff keep them in the mix.
9. Houston Astros – Aging core but still dangerous with Yordan Alvarez and Framber Valdez.
10. New York Mets – Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso, and a revamped rotation under new manager Carlos Mendoza.

Why the Blue Jays’ Ranking Makes Sense

Toronto’s 2025 season showed flashes of greatness—they led the AL East for 87 days and won 88 games despite injuries to Guerrero Jr., Bichette, and Springer. With everyone healthy and the additions of Fried, Scott, and Correa, the Jays now have:

• The best projected starting rotation in the AL
• One of the deepest lineups in baseball
• The most improved bullpen in the league
• A manager in John Schneider who has proven he can win big

Analysts point out that Toronto’s farm system is still stocked with high-upside talent (Ricky Tiedemann, Brandon Barriera, Brandon Barfield), giving them flexibility for midseason moves.

Fan and Media Reaction

Blue Jays fans have flooded social media with excitement. “No. 2 in the first power rankings? We’re not just back—we’re here to stay,” one fan wrote. Others are cautiously optimistic: “We’ve been burned before, but this feels different.”

The ranking has also sparked debate about whether the Jays are being overhyped. Some analysts argue that the Dodgers’ depth and playoff experience still make them the clear favorites, but few dispute that Toronto has closed the gap significantly.

Looking Ahead to 2026

Spring training opens in less than six weeks. The Blue Jays will head to Dunedin as one of the most talked-about teams in baseball—a far cry from the rebuilding years of the mid-2010s. With Guerrero Jr. locked up long-term, Fried anchoring the rotation, and a bullpen that can slam the door, Toronto is no longer just a contender—they’re a legitimate World Series favorite.

The Dodgers may sit atop the first power rankings of 2026, but the Blue Jays are right behind them—and they’re coming for the crown.