With high expectations comes added pressure.
The MLB regular season always features a couple of teams with hopes of achieving great things, only for their season to be riddled in disaster.
Here are BaseBlog’s picks for 5 teams that can underdeliver on their preseason expectations.
1. New York Mets
Oh, the Mets. The lowly Mets.
The 2025 season was supposed to be the one where they would finally get over their hump; instead, it quickly turned into one to forget. After breaking the bank for Juan Soto and offering him a staggering 15-year/$785M contract last offseason, the team missed the playoffs after an NLCS appearance in 2024. After a tumultuous offseason, I don’t see a world where the Mets overcome their recent failures.
New York was involved in a flurry of moves in preparation for the 2026 season. They watched their top free agents Edwin Diaz (Dodgers) and Pete Alonso (Orioles) walk away and their replacements don’t generate one lick of excitement. Devin Williams proved to be human after a disastrous stint with the Yankees severely affecting his reliability, and the level of confidence we used to view him with is completely out the window. Bo Bichette was brought in to command 3B after an unexpected down-year from Mark Vientos, and until now, he has looked shaky–especially with the glove.
On top of that, they are praying for Jorge Polanco to continue his 2025 surge and provide enough production so the Pete Alonso departure is not felt as heavily. On the pitching side, they traded for Brewers’ ace Freddy Peralta, and although I anticipate a strong season from him, I am extremely skeptical about the rest of their starting rotation. Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes and David Peterson are not reliable arms and even with the meteoric rise of top prospect Nolan McLean, I am concerned about their ability to produce at a high-level all year long.
The NL East is a gauntlet this year (with the exception of the Nationals) and the NL Wild Card race is as deep as it’s ever been. Juan Soto would have to play at a record-breaking level if the Mets have any hopes of being in October this year.
But hey, what else can you possibly expect from the Mets?
2. San Diego Padres
The championship window is starting to close in San Diego.
The Padres have been a perennial Wild Card contender over recent years, however, the team hasn’t invested all this money for zero championships in return. After winning the trade deadline (as they usually do) by bringing in superstar closer Mason Miller and much needed depth help with Ramon Laureano and Ryan O’Hearn, the team ultimately suffered a heartbreaking defeat in Wrigley Field. It seems as though this team is cursed beyond repair.
San Diego was awfully quiet during the offseason and only signed aging veterans on “prove it” type deals. Nick Castellanos and Walker Buehler headline their most intriguing additions and neither one of them generates any type of excitement for the Friar Faithful. Re-signing Michael King was a must, but after being sidelined for the majority of the 2025 season, it is hard to determine a realistic projection of what his 2026 season could look like. The same can be said for Joe Musgrove who didn’t throw a single pitch last year and is set to start the year on the IL. Combined with the loss of Yu Darvish, the team will have to heavily rely on Randy Vasquez to deliver solid performances year-round if they truly want to contend.
The lineup is also riddled with questions. Fernando Tatis Jr. hasn’t been the same player ever since he got suspended for PEDs. If you don’t believe me, look at the numbers: before his suspension, Tatis hit 42 HRs in 2021 (his best season yet) with an elite .975 OPS and a 166 OPS+. Ever since he got busted in 2022, “El Niño” is yet to surpass an OPS higher than .833 and has yet to even reach the 30 HR tally benchmark. His talent is undeniable, but he has to bounce back or we will begin to remove the “superstar” label from his name.
With Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts on the wrong side of 30 and no reliable answer at first base or catcher, the 2026 season feels like a “make or break” type year. In a division featuring the juggernaut Dodgers and rising Giants, the Padres’ window is being slammed shut.
It is not always sunny in San Diego.
3. Detroit Tigers
You can’t have anything in Detroit.
Detroit suffered a humiliating late season debacle after surrendering a 15.5 lead on the AL Central, ultimately being dethroned by the Guardians. Even as the team bounced back and punched Cleveland in the mouth during the Wild Card round, they got exposed for what they truly are: pretenders.
Tarik Skubal is the best pitcher in the American League and with the addition of Framber Valdez via free agency, the team features a formidable two-headed monster atop their rotation. However, I am skeptical about Jack Flaherty and Casey Mize as their complementary pieces. Furthermore, the lineup is tremendously streaky and that has never proven to be a recipe for success.
Riley Greene was second in the league in strikeouts last year (201) and although his power is one of a kind, this level of inconsistency is a big reason why they lost in October at the hands of the elite pitching staff of Seattle. Spencer Torkelson broke out, but the same narrative applies with him. A .238 batting average doesn’t spark confidence from your projected 5-hole hitter and their bottom of the lineup is as unreliable as it can be. Highly ranked prospect (#2 overall) Kevin McGonigle aims to alleviate some of that pain, but I am still unsure if the Tigers can replicate recent success this year.
With the sudden rise of the Guardians, and the Royals looking strong this year, a Wild Card spot might be their only chance for October baseball.
I don’t believe in the Tigers for 2026.
4. Milwaukee Brewers
What are you doing?
The Brewers achieved the best overall record in 2025 after an impressive 97-65 record. They earned the #1 seed in the National League but it was all for nothing after getting steamrolled in the NLCS at hands of the eventual World Series champions. Milwaukee looked poised to give their city their first ever championship, but after an abysmal offseason, that might not be the case in 2026.
After being only 4 wins away from representing the NL in the Fall Classic, the team decided it was best to let some of their best pieces go. They traded their ace Freddy Peralta to the Mets in order to avoid paying him a measly $8M, and inexplicably parted ways with Caleb Durbin to Boston after he showed signs of being an elite player in the making (finished 3rd in AL Rookie of the Year voting). While everybody blames the Dodgers for their heavy spending, the Brewers deserve to be placed under more scrutiny and receive more blame for the lack of competitive balance surrounding MLB.
Even their stars are facing questions. Christian Yelich performed like the Yelich of old in 2025, but a more thorough look at his stats tells the story of a player bound to regress. He recorded career-high in strikeouts (167) and his OPS of .795 shows of an average player at best. William Contreras is great, but an OPS+ of 111 does not read of the elite catcher he is sought out to be. Jackson Chourio is yet to fully break-out as he has struggled mightily with injuries, and if his surge doesn’t happen this year, the high-ceiling placed on him might only stay as a projection rather than a reality.
If they had only abandoned their mediocre “budget first” philosophy and had instead made a play for Pete Alonso or Framber Valdez, they wouldn’t find themselves in this list.
I’d be ashamed to be a Brewers fan in 2026.
5. New York Yankees
Where on Earth are the Yankees of old?
The “Bronx Bombers” failed to deliver a championship to New York and their recent dry-spell will continue heading into 2026. The “Evil Empire” era of Yankees baseball is long gone and although the team looks poised to make a deep October run, they don’t induce much fear as they used to.
Over the winter, they prioritized bringing back all of their most important free agents and will be running it back with a roster that was humbled by the Blue Jays in the ALDS. Cody Bellinger was given the big deal he had been looking for (5-year/$162.5M) but when compared with what was available–Kyle Tucker–it definitely felt like a panic type move from New York. Trent Grisham was rewarded with a 1 year/$22M contract after a breakout year in 2025, yet, when you see his career numbers, it is hard to imagine a world where he replicates that same level of production.
Max Fried earned every single penny last year and Carlos Rodon finally found his groove. Cam Schlittler dazzled against Boston in the Wild Card round while Gerrit Cole is set to join their elite starting rotation some time in May. I am not questioning their ability to give the Blue Jays a run for their money for the division, I am however doubting their capability of winning when it matters most. If Aaron Judge can’t get his head out of the gutter and deliver when the lights are brightest, this team has no chance of capturing ultimate glory.
Don’t misunderstand what I am saying, the Yankees will be good in 2026. I included them in this list because I don’t trust them to go the distance and will yet again disappoint their fanbase come October.
Be wary New York–your time is running out.
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