The Milwaukee Brewers captured their first World Series championship in 2026, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays and leaving four franchises still seeking their inaugural title. Here is a ranking of those teams based on their proximity to a first championship.
4. Colorado Rockies
2026 record: 58-104 (5th in NL West). The Rockies missed the postseason and their only pennant came in 2007. New leadership under president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta and general manager Josh Byrnes has brought modern analytics, and pitchers like Chase Dollander have reshaped their arsenals. However, the organization lacks depth; only a handful of players project as contender-caliber. Coors Field remains a competitive disadvantage, and the NL West features the dominant Dodgers. The Rockies appear several years away from contention.
3. San Diego Padres
2026 record: 91-71 (2nd in NL West), lost in the NLDS. Pennants: 1984, 1998. The Padres boast a young core including Jackson Merrill, Fernando Tatis Jr., and catcher Ethan Salas, plus veteran Manny Machado and elite closer Mason Miller. The front office has found value additions, and new ownership signals willingness to spend. Yet large contracts for aging stars (Machado, Xander Bogaerts, Jake Cronenworth) limit flexibility. The pitching staff is thin with Michael King and Nick Pivetta potentially departing. A top-heavy roster and the Dodgers in the same division make a 2027 title possible but reliant on many factors.
2. Seattle Mariners
2026 record: 76-86 (3rd in AL West), missed postseason. No pennants in franchise history. Seattle's strength is a homegrown rotation (Logan Gilbert, Emerson Hancock, George Kirby, Bryce Miller, Bryan Woo) and up-the-middle talent (Colt Emerson, Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez, Cole Young). The AL West is baseball's weakest division, offering a clearer path to the playoffs. However, the core underperformed in 2026, key players approach free agency, and ownership has kept payroll in the middle tier, limiting pursuit of elite free agents. With modest offseason moves, the Mariners could contend next season.
1. Tampa Bay Rays
2026 record: 98-68 (1st in AL East), lost World Series. Pennants: 2008, 2020, 2026. The Rays feature a bona fide superstar in 23-year-old Junior Caminero, a deep farm system including outfielder Theo Gillen, and a new ballpark planned in Tampa. They return most key players in 2027, with the majority under 30. Constraints remain: payroll likely stays middle-of-the-pack, limiting margin for error, and the AL East houses the Red Sox, Yankees, and Blue Jays. Having just reached the Fall Classic, the Rays are positioned to win their first title as early as next season.
