Andrew Friedman stood at the podium inside Dodger Stadium on January 20, fielding questions about how you justify adding a four-year, $240 million outfielder to a roster that just won back-to-back World Series titles. He didn't flinch. "It's about how can we win as many games and put ourselves in the best position to win a championship in 2026 without really compromising ourselves out into the future," Friedman said, as if signing Kyle Tucker was the most obvious next step after Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched the final two innings of Game 7 on fumes—one day's rest, 11th inning, legacy on the line—to close out Toronto 5-4 on enemy territory.
That's the weight of the crown currently upon the reigning champs' head right now. The Dodgers became the first back-to-back champions since the Yankees' 1998-2000 dynasty, with Yamamoto earning World Series MVP honors after three wins and a 1.02 ERA. Miguel Rojas had tied Game 7 in the ninth with a home run that gave LA barely a 10% chance of emerging as champions once again. But as we all remember, they duly lived up to the billing courtesy of Will Smith, who launched the extra-inning winner off Shane Bieber.
Two months on from that triumph, attention has already turned to the 2026 season, and with Spring Training fast approaching, online betting sites think that the three-peat is almost nailed on. The latest odds from the popular LuckyRebel betting site currently list the Dodgers as a clear +225 frontrunner to win their third straight World Series, and considering their offseason additions, perhaps we shouldn't be surprised by the lofty billing. So, who will their main challengers be? Well, here are three outsiders who will be aiming to take the fight to the greatest team in the land.
Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto claimed the AL East crown with a 94-68 record in 2025, their first division title in a decade, then pushed the Dodgers to the limit before falling a run short of a championship in that 5-4 Game 7, a game which brought down the curtain on their first World Series appearance since 1993. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had already committed long term with a franchise-record 14-year, $500 million extension signed in April 2025, and he followed it by winning ALCS MVP honors on the strength of one of the most dominant postseason runs in club history.
The front office chose a measured approach this winter. Anthony Santander arrived to deepen the middle of the order, Andrés Giménez came over to tighten up the infield defense, and veteran reliever Yimi Garcia stayed in the fold while rookie right-hander Trey Yesavage positioned himself as a rotation riser. It is not a headline-grabbing overhaul, but it does preserve the identity of a team that already proved it can get through the American League. With a returning World Series roster, a superstar locked in through his prime, and odds generally floating at 12/1, Toronto sits in that sweet spot where the market seems to be pricing last October as a one-off instead of a stepping stone.
Seattle Mariners
Seattle’s 89-73 finish delivered their first AL West title since 2001 and an ALCS run that ended one win shy of the first World Series appearance in franchise history. Cal Raleigh has emerged as one of the game’s premier catchers, piling up 7.3 WAR in 2025 while pairing top-tier framing with plus power. Julio Rodriguez added another star-level season, stacking counting stats and highlight plays in equal measure, and he still has room to grow as he enters his mid-20s.
The key winter move was clean and targeted. Josh Naylor signed a five-year, $92.5 million deal that finally gives the Mariners a stable, middle-of-the-order presence at first base, a position that had been an offensive sinkhole for several seasons. Behind him, top prospect Colt Emerson looms as a potential midseason addition at third base with the bat to enter the Rookie of the Year conversation.
The broader context matters here too: the AL West is far more vulnerable than it was at the height of the Astros’ run, and Seattle brings back almost the entire roster that just played into late October. That continuity, plus another legitimate middle-order bat and a still-rising superstar in center field, justifies their status near the top of the non-Dodgers tier in the futures market.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers posted the best record in baseball at 98-64 in 2025, won a third straight NL Central title, and scored 821 runs—third-best in the league behind the Yankees and the Dodgers. Despite that success, oddsmakers opened them at 28/1 to win the World Series anyway. Then they traded Freddy Peralta—17-6, 2.70 ERA, fifth in NL Cy Young voting—to the Mets for Brandon Sproat and prospect Jett Williams, and suddenly the message became crystal clear: Milwaukee trusts its pitching development infrastructure more than any individual arm.
But while they may well trust their pitching staff, the bookies certainly don't. That trade saw betting sites push Milwaukee even further out, all the way to 30/1, with the likes of the Padres, Orioles, and Cubs all considered more likely champions, despite last season's success. But their recent offseason move is from the same playbook they ran with Corbin Burnes and Devin Williams, flipping expensive pitchers before free agency and rolling out top-10 staffs anyway.
Brice Turang's evolution tells the story. After winning the 2024 Platinum Glove at second base, he posted a 124 wRC+ in 2025 with 18 home runs—up from seven the previous year—ranking fourth among primary second basemen. Vegas keeps undervaluing Milwaukee's sustained excellence, pricing them like a cute overachiever instead of a legitimate championship threat with elite player development and a soft-landing division. If you're looking for market value, it can be found at American Family Field.
