Each team's biggest takeaway from the season's first week

3:30 AM UTC

The first week of the 2026 regular season is in the books, and what a first week it was. There were tremendous performances from youngsters making their Major League debuts, dramatic comebacks, amazing pitching performances and some mammoth home runs.

Sure, it's still (very) early, but let's have a look at the biggest takeaway for each club from the campaign's first week.

Jump to: AL East | AL Central | AL West | NL East | NL Central | NL West

American League East

Blue Jays: might already be a star
Forget settling in, Okamoto is already taking Toronto by storm. Okamoto’s stardom from Japan has carried right over to Major League Baseball with the Blue Jays and in his first week, he’s already shown exciting power paired with solid defense in the field. John Schneider is already using him as a moving piece up and down the lineup, anywhere from second to seventh, and continues to speak about how Okamoto “fits” what the Blue Jays are trying to build. Yes, there will be growing pains along the way and countless new pitchers to adapt to, but Okamoto’s first impression couldn’t be going any better. -- Keegan Matheson

Orioles: is living up to the hype
The O’s opening homestand was a bit uneven, but Alonso is already providing a steady presence in the heart of the order. No surprise, right? This is why Baltimore went big and signed the Polar Bear to a five-year, $155 million contract over the offseason. The 31-year-old slugger hit a go-ahead RBI single in the seventh inning of Sunday’s 8-6 win over the Twins, and two days later, he swatted his first Orioles homer, taking former Mets teammate deep in an 8-5 loss to the Rangers. Alonso is hitting .304 (7-for-23) over his first six games for the O’s. -- Jake Rill

Rays: and can hit, too
There has been a lot of hype around , for obvious reasons. He hit 45 homers and drove in 110 runs last season, and he’s one of the most electric young players in baseball. Opponents have approached him with an appropriate level of care to start the season, pitching around him whenever possible, and he’s walked six times in six games. But hey, the guys hitting in front of him are elite in their own right -- arguably two of the best pure, well-balanced hitters in the sport. Díaz has 12 hits and six RBIs in Tampa Bay’s first six games, and Aranda has gone 7-for-23 (.304) with two homers. The Rays’ lineup has looked better than expected as a group so far, but it all starts with those two and Caminero atop the order. -- Adam Berry

Red Sox: is human
Considering that Anthony is all of 21 years old, the amount of expectations that have been put on him to carry the Red Sox in a post - and post- world has been a little much. It does speak to Anthony’s immense talent and poise. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some lumps still to be taken. After getting three hits and reaching base four times on Opening Day, Anthony went 1-for-18 in his next four games. However, Anthony did go home on a positive note with a pinch-hit homer in the ninth in Wednesday’s loss in Houston. One thing that will help take pressure off Anthony is for Boston’s other key hitters -- beyond -- to start producing. -- Ian Browne

Yankees: ‘Pen pals pitching in
On paper, the bullpen appeared to be the Yankees' biggest question mark entering this season. The early returns looked strong: 11 scoreless innings across their season-opening sweep of the Giants, with just five hits allowed. picked up two saves, looked dominant in a pair of scoreless appearances, and 's wicked movement has been impressive -- said that if Bird keeps looking like this, he could become a breakout star of the relief corps. They tossed three shutouts in their first five games, a feat that hadn’t been done since 1943 (Cardinals). -- Bryan Hoch

AL Central

Guardians: The offense is a work in progress
One week is too small of a sample to draw any final conclusions, but the Guardians’ lineup is off to a slow start. Cleveland, which has a lot of continuity from a 2025 mix that collectively struggled, entered Wednesday slashing .188/.269/.305 with 17 walks and 65 strikeouts through six games before scoring four runs in their win over the Dodgers. (who appeared to avoid a serious injury after fouling a ball off his left foot on Tuesday) was responsible for each of the club’s' first four home runs. The Guardians have faced some tough starting pitching against the Mariners and Dodgers, but certainly have plenty of room for improvement at the plate. -- Tim Stebbins

Royals: The rotation looks solid again
The Royals felt good about their five starters along with all the depth heading into the season, but you never really know how it’s going to play out. Well, the first week showed why the club had a lot of optimism in the first place. was hurt by the long ball on Opening Day, but the swing and miss stuff was still there. and followed that up by pitching scoreless gems of six and 6 1/3 innings, respectively. And gave the fans something to cheer about for six strong innings in the home opener Monday. The Royals will go as far as the rotation takes them this season. So far, so good. -- Anne Rogers

Tigers: is already a focal point
It took less than a week for McGonigle to advance from a 21-year-old rookie infielder to a hitter that opponents plan around. McGonigle had four hits and two doubles in his MLB debut, added a go-ahead hit the next night, then moved up from sixth to second in the Tigers' lineup a few days later. Add in some solid play in the infield, and McGonigle is fast becoming a key cog in Detroit’s quest for a third consecutive playoff berth and their first division title since 2014. -- Jason Beck

Twins: The bullpen is starting to take shape
Through the first four games, pitched three times, while neither nor got an appearance. Funderburk is clearly very trusted, and it appears they’re funneling the ninth to . is the other trusted righty besides Sands, while as expected there’s a decent amount of faith in all of the lefties. It’s not all sorted out but it’s a bit clearer than it was. -- Matthew Leach

White Sox: is as good as advertised
By his own admission, the left-handed-hitting first baseman from Japan has plenty of work to do as he begins his Major League career. In fact, Murakami has focused more on early shortcomings and the process for improvement even when opening weekend accolades were heaped upon him. But Murakami became the first player in White Sox franchise history to have a home run in each of his first three big league games, not to mention producing a hit in each of his first five, an RBI in four of those five and showing great patience at the plate with a walk in three of those five. He appears to be a needed bonafide power source. -- Scott Merkin

AL West

Angels: The old looks back
Trout is a three-time AL MVP and an 11-time All-Star but hasn’t been selected to a Midsummer Classic since 2023 because of a recent spate of injuries, including knee problems in each of the last two seasons. But Trout is finally healthy and back to producing at an elite level. Through his first seven games, he has a 1.007 OPS with two homers, three RBIs and two stolen bases. His speed is also back, as he's matched his stolen base total from last year in 130 games and has returned to his natural position of center field. If he can stay on the field, he could be in for a monster year. -- Rhett Bollinger

Astros: A healthy is a difference-maker
Alvarez was held to only 48 games last year, missing 100 games with a hand injury and then the final couple of weeks of the regular season with a sprained ankle. The Astros have made keeping Alvarez in the lineup a priority, and his red-hot start to the season provided a reminder of his impact. Through seven games, Alvarez is slashing .417/.563/.917 with three homers, six walks (three intentional) and four strikeouts. With Alvarez leading the way, the Astros scored at least six runs in five consecutive games from Saturday through Wednesday and are averaging 8.6 runs per game in that span. -- Brian McTaggart

Athletics: looks like an MVP-type hitter
established himself as the top hitting catcher in baseball last year, but Langeliers is making an early case to wrestle that title away from him with a scorching hot start, with his five home runs tied for most by a primary catcher in his team’s first six games of a season. It’s only one week, but Langeliers has been performing as one of the top sluggers in baseball dating back to the 2025 All-Star break. -- Martín Gallegos

Mariners: and the bottom of the order has pop
Seattle’s thumpers -- Cal Raleigh, and -- are a combined 7-for-78 (.090), the type of production that probably would’ve led to a brutal Opening Week in the win column. Yet, the Mariners were able to withstand those struggles and manage a 3-4 record thanks to the Nos. 6-9 hitters. Entering Wednesday, that group combined for an MLB-best .897 OPS in that stretch. And there are signs that this could be legitimate, especially the showing from the 22-year-old Young, who’s continued from a stellar Spring Training. -- Daniel Kramer

Rangers: is having a real offensive impact
The Rangers acquired Nimmo in a one-for-one trade with the Mets that sent Marcus Semien to New York this offseason, just a small part of trying to revamp an anemic offense. In just six games, that impact has been felt at the top of the lineup, as Nimmo’s approach has percolated throughout the lineup. He fights off pitches, he draws his walks, he swings at strikes, he does everything that new manager Skip Schumaker wants from the lineup. -- Kennedi Landry

National League East

Braves: Rotation concerns have been quieted
The Braves got what was expected when they had start the fifth game of the season. But each of the first four starters have been solid and it looks like will be a good replacement when that fifth spot comes up again on Sunday. 's fastball was back in the mid 90’s and could be just a week or two away from being activated. Depth remains a concern, but so far, so good for a group that lost four pitchers to injuries during Spring Training. -- Mark Bowman

Marlins: The bullpen is legit
, who signed a franchise-record deal for a reliever, has gone 2-for-2 in save situations. The surrounding cast has been just as strong. Miami's bullpen owns the lowest ERA (0.51) and the second-fewest walks in the Majors, and has yet to surrender a long ball. Marlins relievers were able to sit back and relax on Wednesday, when starter tossed a "Maddux" against the White Sox. After a long hiatus, lefty looks like his dominant 2023 form. Righties and make for formidable setup men. -- Christina De Nicola

Mets: The rotation has real potential
This was the biggest question for the Mets heading into camp, considering the extent to which their rotation melted down over the final four months of last season. makes a big difference though, while and -- surprise, surprise -- both look legit. With those three atop their rotation and and serving as steady sources of innings, the Mets could really be onto something here. And that’s without even considering , and the next wave of depth behind them. -- Anthony DiComo

Nationals: New coaching staff has team locked in
The Nationals, who won their first series of the season against the Cubs, have bought into first-year manager Blake Butera as he emphasizes attention to detail and efficiency. Entering Wednesday, they ranked second in the NL in batting average, and third in runs scored, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS. Valuing roster flexibility, the Nats already have implemented the opener strategy. Their offense has been led by a surprise contributor, Joey Wiemer, who tied Carlos Delgado’s record for reaching base safely in 10 consecutive plate appearances to start the season. -- Jessica Camerato

Phillies: The kids are alright
Phillies rookies and provided a jolt to the team, even if the Phillies overall got off to a slow start. Crawford singled on the first pitch he saw in the big leagues on Opening Day. He got two hits in his debut. He made a nice catch in center field on Saturday. And he delivered a walk-off single to lift Philadelphia to a win over the Nationals on Wednesday. He has looked more than capable of holding down center field this season. Painter, meanwhile, lived up to the hype in his MLB debut on Tuesday, striking out eight in 5 1/3 innings. The Phillies don’t need Crawford and Painter to carry them this year, but it’s good to know they can do the job. -- Todd Zolecki

NL Central

Brewers: So many of the good ingredients from last season are back
The Brewers didn’t have a lot of position player turnover from last season, so maybe it’s not surprising to see them playing such a familiar brand of offense. They lead the Majors in stolen bases through the opening week by a wide margin, a total boosted by going 7-for-7 against White Sox catcher in Game 2 of the regular season. And after leading the NL in on-base percentage last year, they lead the Majors so far this year. They're also tied for the MLB lead in runs scored. Those elements all work together, of course, part of the Brewers’ plan to “drag” opposing pitchers at every opportunity. -- Adam McCalvy

Cardinals: is making things happen
Yes, it’s early, but the way Wetherholt is playing, he could become the first member of the Cardinals to win the NL Rookie of the Year Award since Albert Pujols did so in 2001. In Wetherholt, it looks like St. Louis has a leadoff hitter for years to come. Through the first six games of the season, Wetherholt has a slash line of .280/.321/.400. His impact has been felt since Day 1 of the regular season. Two days after hitting his first Major League homer, Wetherholt drove in the game-winning run with a single in the bottom of the ninth inning off Rays right-hander . Wetherholt became the first Cardinals rookie to accomplish that feat since on Aug. 25, 2021 against the Tigers. -- Bill Ladson

Cubs: could be a huge addition
When Cabrera took the mound at Wrigley Field for his Cubs debut on Monday, the announced attendance of 36,702 was the largest home crowd he had experienced in his MLB career. Not only was he in the North Side’s rowdy environment, but the wind was blowing out and it was his shot at a good first impression as Chicago’s big trade acquisition over the winter. Cabrera was unfazed by all of it. The big righty showed off his powerful arsenal and held the Angels to one hit over six shutout innings. He flashed a combination of swing-and-miss (15 whiffs) and trust in the Cubs’ elite defense. It was an impressive debut in every way and showed why Chicago had been trying to reel in Cabrera for a couple years. -- Jordan Bastian

Pirates: The pitching staff needs more run support
The Pirates continue to have a strong pitching staff. Outside of the first game of the season, which included the shortest outing of ’ career, the team’s ERA is 2.00. But the arms need run support. Last offseason, the Pirates addressed their offensive woes by signing free agent and trading for . Even though they have done well, Pittsburgh, as a whole, has been below average at the plate, going 14-for-67 (.209) with runners in scoring position.The team needs to be more patient at the plate. So far this season, Pittsburgh batters have struck out 59 times as opposed to walking 25 times. -- Bill Ladson

Reds: is legit
The Reds wanted an offensive boost when they signed free agent in February but their biggest contributor so far is the rookie first baseman, Stewart. With a mature plate approach that enables him to hit to all fields and rarely strike out, the 22-year-old has built on his September call-up very well while making some history. Since rookie stats were counted in 1958, he was only the second to reach safely at least three times in each of his team's first four games. Through six games, Stewart is batting .474 with a 1.562 OPS. -- Mark Sheldon

NL West

D-backs: The bullpen is still a work in progress
The bullpen was the Achilles' heel for the D-backs in 2025, and it has had its share of struggles early in this season. It’s a small sample size and there have been some encouraging performances like the ones from and closer , but they will need to get some more contributions from others before co-closers and return from the injured list. Of particular irritation to manager Torey Lovullo is the amount of walks the pen has allowed. -- Steve Gilbert

Dodgers: is making an impact on defense
Tucker signed with the Dodgers having previously won a Gold Glove Award in right field in 2022, but he took a step back defensively last year. L.A. believes that he could have another Gold Glove in him, and Tucker has bought into that idea. Tucker already has two outfield assists this season. He had five total outfield assists in 2025. He also showed that he's comfortable with the dimensions of his new home ballpark by nonchalantly taking away a potential homer on Saturday. For all the talk of how Tucker lengthens the Dodgers' lineup, his impact on the team's defense may be just as significant. -- Sonja Chen

Giants: could be a weapon out of the bullpen
Winn came up as a starter, but the Giants decided to convert him into a reliever last year after he was hampered by a series of arm injuries at the beginning of his career. The 28-year-old right-hander is healthy now and earned a spot in the Opening Day bullpen after impressing with his fastball-splitter combination during Spring Training. Winn is already showing he can handle high-leverage spots, as he was brought in to protect a three-run lead in the eighth inning of Monday’s series opener against the Padres and went on to strike out the side on 13 pitches. -- Maria Guardado

Padres: The back of the rotation is a serious concern
The Padres’ bullpen is arguably the best in baseball, and their offense should hit more than it has. The question marks come in the rotation -- and thus far, and have done little to answer them. The pair combined to allow seven runs across just seven innings in their two Opening Week starts. Both have a track record of success. But both underwent major elbow surgeries in recent seasons and haven’t been the same since. and are on their way back from injuries, which is a positive sign. The Padres could use some help. In the meantime, they need more from Buehler and Márquez. -- AJ Cassavell

Rockies: This club is aggressive, especially on the road
Most of the games on the season-opening trip were close in the late innings, and the Rockies pushed the stolen base. It was their best chance against the strong pitching of the Marlins when they were swept, and the Blue Jays, when they won two of three. An eighth-inning steal set up the tying run Wednesday, and the Rockies beat the Jays in 10 innings, 2-1. Regular leadoff man McCarthy's four steals lead the club, but the other steals have come throughout the order. For a team with a long history of struggling for consistent hitting outside of Denver's offense-heavy atmosphere, it's sound strategy. -- Thomas Harding