2026 MLB Season: What Changes Can we See and How are Fans Feeling?

Yankee Stadium, home to one of the favored teams of Marist students, highlighting how baseball brings fans together and what they have to look forward to in just a few weeks. Photo courtesy of Shinya Suzuki on Flickr

As football season winds down, sports fans may be looking for another form of entertainment. Luckily, baseball season is right around the corner, with spring training games in full swing. 

But can fans expect to see the same Major League Baseball (MLB) teams that they know and love? Teams are looking to make offseason moves that will strengthen their rosters and put them in a position to reach the playoffs. Many have free agents and notable acquisitions/subtractions this offseason.

Acquisitions are MLB teams’ additions to the organization, typically through free agency or trades with other teams. Subtractions, on the other hand, are players that teams lose during the offseason, acquired through free agency, releases and trades. 

However, there is one major change being made in the league. MLB.com said that in the 2026 season, players will be able to turn to the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System when they would like to request that the strike zone be reevaluated. 

This is like a mix of human and robot umpires. Each team will be given two challenges to start the game, which will be used during pre- and post-season play, and will be implemented in every MLB stadium. 

Looking at the actual teams themselves, ESPN provided fans with rankings of all 30 teams based on predicted win average, chance to make it to the playoffs and likelihood of being World Series champions. The Los Angeles Dodgers are ranked number one, while the Colorado Rockies are ranked number 30. 

And there are reasons why each team in the league did not get a particular addition for the 2026 season. The first team is the Los Angeles Dodgers, stating, “Why the heck didn’t the Dodgers get the Holy Grail?” This refers to the fact that the team pretty much has everything, especially after coming off a World Series victory in 2025. 

Despite this, some adjustments have led fans to discuss whether their teams are going to succeed or if this is going to be more of a rebuilding year. 

New York Yankees fan Riley Falk ‘29 is excited for the upcoming season, as she enjoys following spring training while waiting for real games to begin.

“Growing up, my parents had always been Yankees fans, and it was always on in the background, but I really started caring about baseball in middle school when I began softball.”

Falk, a New Jersey native, is about a 30-minute drive from Yankee Stadium, so attending games is something she looks forward to. 

As it is her favorite sport to watch, Falk said that the Yankees' offseason has been more on the boring side, as there are not many trade deals occurring, and the majority of their players were re-signed. 

“This is kind of a make-or-break season for them because they have the potential to be really good, and they need to break their World Series drought,” she said.

Despite the Yankees not making major deals, two of the most discussed teams in the MLB this offseason are the LA Dodgers and the Baltimore Orioles. These two teams have gained many valuable players, including Edwin Díaz to the Dodgers and Pete Alonso to the Orioles, both of whom previously played for the New York Mets. 

Others, such as Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil, show how the Mets have lost significant talent. Hopefully, with their fair amount of new players like Bo Bichette and Luis Robert Jr., they can have a more memorable season. 

Aside from the New York fans, Helen Robicheaw ‘29 has followed the Boston Red Sox from a young age, as she grew up near New England. 

Robicheaw has always enjoyed sports, but when she was around seven, she started to understand the game. “My parents watched a lot of baseball, and my brother played, so I started watching it more.” 

She follows the Red Sox and other teams more closely when they are in season, as she is constantly checking to see the status of teams. Her favorite part of the season is the playoffs and watching the fight for the World Series. 

Overall, fans are clearly eager to see what their favorite teams have in store and the competition that is about to begin. 

The opening of the 2026 MLB season is fast approaching. Opening Night is Wednesday, March 25 (New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants), and Opening Day is Thursday, March 26, with 22 different teams playing.