The 2026 Major League Baseball season will be remembered not for individual player triumphs like Pete Crow-Armstrong's breakout or Cam Schlittler's emergence as an ace, but for the significant underperformance of numerous teams across the league.
The New York Mets, in particular, repeated and amplified their struggles from the previous season. Hopes for improvement were dashed as the team faltered. Similarly, the 2025 ALCS finalists, excluding the Yankees, found their success a near curse. The Blue Jays, Mariners, and Tigers all fell short of expectations, contributing to a down year in the American League.
The American League's overall quality was notably poor, with several underachieving teams still in playoff contention with mere weeks remaining in the season. This parity, born of widespread disappointment, characterized the league's competitive landscape.
Individually, the narrative was mixed. While some players excelled, others saw their fortunes turn. Paul Skenes experienced a decline after the Pittsburgh Pirates aimed to build a stronger team around him, a downturn that seemed to mirror the Pirates' own struggles. In other instances, managerial changes failed to yield expected results. Terry Francona could not replicate his previous success with the Cincinnati Reds for a second consecutive year, and Tony Vitello's collegiate coaching experience did not translate to immediate success with the San Francisco Giants.