Are the two-time defending World Series champions still looking like the team to beat this season?
The 2026 MLB campaign is barely two weeks in, but the Dodgers remain on target for a historic three-peat. That’s not to say some other teams are making things interesting in these early days.
Dontrelle Willis List His Current Top-5 Power Rankings 🚨
FOX Sports MLB analyst Dontrelle Willis reveals who his top five teams are right now, which includes two American League teams and three from the National League. Here’s who made the cut.
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The AL Central-leading Guardians (8-6) check in at No. 5 on Willis’ list. They’ve only won three of their past six games, but Willis is convinced that there’s no cause for concern, as they’re riding the Chase DeLauter wave.
“They’re still able to win ballgames even though José Ramírez has not checked in,” Willis added. “You know, it starts and ends on the mound for me. Mr. [Gavin] Williams, he’s gonna continue to have a monster year.”
Last week, Cleveland rattled off back-to-back wins against Kansas City. On Wednesday, Guardians left fielder Angel Martinez went 4-for-5, including hitting a four-bagger to clear the bases with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the eighth. It was a huge early divisional win in an AL Central race that is likely going to be tight this year.
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(Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images)
The Braves (9-5) began the year without an off day through their first 13 games and a rotation missing Spencer Strider (oblique strain), Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow surgery), Hurston Waldrep (elbow surgery) and Joey Wentz (torn ACL). That said, they’ve emerged from this starting stretch in first place in the NL East, with the lowest ERA in MLB (2.03) and tied for the best run differential in MLB (+34). What’s more, they’ve managed to do this all without relying entirely on the arm of Chris Sale. Atlanta is in the midst of a three-game win streak, defeating its opponents by an average of five-plus runs over that span. That’s more than enough to land them at No. 4 on Willis’ list.
“They are finally healthy, as far as the core group of the guys that play every day [goes],” Willis said. “[Second baseman] Ozzie [Albies] is finally healthy. [Catcher] Drake Baldwin is a monster. His bat-to-ball skills and his game calling and throwing behind the plate [skills are] one of the best in all of baseball.”
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Even without Freddy Peralta and Caleb Durbin, Milwaukee is 8-5 and sits atop the NL Central. Despite the Brewers dropping their past three games, Willis isn’t ready to push the panic button. Instead, they land at No. 3 on his list.
“[Coach] Pat Murphy has these guys at the top of the [NL] Central playing his style of baseball,” Willis said. “[Left fielder] Christian Yelich looks like MVP Yelich. He looks — finally — healthy. [Center fielder Garrett] Mitchell in that lineup [is] providing some pop.”
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Earlier this month, Milwaukee finalized an eight-year contract with prospect Cooper Pratt, adding the prized 21-year-old shortstop prospect to the 40-man roster and optioning him to Triple-A Nashville. The deal with Pratt includes club options that could keep him with the Brewers through the 2035 season. Pratt is among the top prospects in a Brewers farm system that ranks among the best in MLB. He was rated by MLB Pipeline as the No. 60 overall prospect.
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Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and Clarke Schmidt started the season on the injured list, but it doesn’t seem to be a huge factor. Boosted by 25-year-old Cam Schlittler — who has 22 strikeouts, no walks and a 1.62 ERA through three starts — a Yankees’ rotation that has looked like the best in baseball in the early going. What’s more, 2024 AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil is ready to join when they need a fifth starter. Still, the AL East-leading Yankees (8-5) have dropped three in a row and are aiming to get back on track this weekend.
[MLB 2026: Dontrelle Willis Assesses Yankees Rotation Dominance]
“My New York Yankees, who I’ve been backing for the last couple [of] weeks, have been struggling at the plate,” Willis said. “I know it, but Aaron Judge is starting to heat up.”
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“The world champions,” Willis said when asked which team is his clear-cut No. 1. “The rich get richer!”
At the end of last season, the Dodgers became the first back-to-back World Series champs since the Yankees won three in a row from 1998 to 2000. In addition, it was the Dodgers’ third championship in the past six years.
The NL West-leading Dodgers (10-3) currently have the best odds to win the 2026 World Series at +230, followed by the Yankees (+1000).
