MLB 2026: Are the Dodgers that good and the Mets that bad?
What did we learn about the Dodgers and Mets during the most expensive series in history that Los Angeles won by a sweep?
The Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets have a combined payroll of more than $1 billion, but so far, only one of them is making a return on their investment.
The Dodgers completed a three-game sweep of the most expensive series in history on Wednesday night, improving their record to an MLB-best 14-4 and handing the Mets their eighth straight loss. The Mets fell to 7-12 and are in last place in the NL East.
It’s early, but what did we learn about these two teams this week? And what have we learned so far this season? The journalists of AM850 MLB, Alden Gonzalez and Jorge Castilloanalyze the Dodgers and the Mets, respectively.
Three things we learned about Dodgers:
1. Their lineup is deep.
Yes, everyone knew it, but maybe not to this point. Consider this: Mookie Betts has an oblique injury, Kyle Tucker has been one of their worst hitters, Shohei Ohtani has only recently come into his own… and yet the Dodgers rank among the best in the Major Leagues in almost every major offensive category.
Most of the production has come from the bottom of the batting order. Their No. 7, 8 and 9 hitters have a combined .935 OPS. This not only leads the Major Leagues, but is 130 points higher than the second-place Atlanta Braves. Furthermore, he is only 10 points behind Juan Soto’s OPS between 2023 and 2025. This will not last, but neither will the difficulties and absences of his three best hitters. And Andy Pagés, who usually bats eighth when everyone is healthy, could change the dynamic.
Pagés performed so poorly at the end of last season that he was benched in the playoffs, but he’s a 25-year-old with the potential for 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases, and he’s seemingly made significant strides in his second full season. It’s not just about his .409 batting average and 20 RBIs, it’s about his approach. Pagés is seeing more pitches and striking out less often, and he has made mechanical adjustments to his batting stance — staying slightly more inclined, shortening the bat’s path and limiting head movement — that are helping him achieve a high hard-hit rate.
2. Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto will motivate each other.
Dodgers pitching coach Mark Priortalked about it in spring training, remembering how to share the rotation with Kerry Wood in the early 2000s he upped his game. He then watched Zack Greinke, Hyun Jin Ryu and Walker Buehler improve as they became teammates with Clayton Kershaw. And he believes it will happen now, too, because Ohtani and Yamamoto are chasing one goal: the Cy Young Award, something no Japanese pitcher has ever won.
Yamamoto has pitched at least six innings allowing no more than two runs in his four starts this season. Ohtani has only allowed one earned run in 18 innings, with just 14 runners on base and 18 strikeouts.
The Dodgers are cautiously handling Blake Snell’s return from his shoulder injury. On any given week, they have no idea what to expect from Roki Sasaki. But their starting pitching depth remains the envy of baseball, with Tyler Glasnow a competent frontline starter, Justin Wrobleski and Emmet Sheehan showing encouraging signs of late, and River Ryan waiting for his chance. However, at the top are Ohtani and Yamamoto. And they could spend the whole year trying to outdo each other.
“Iron sharpens iron,” said the Dodgers manager, Dave Roberts. “I wouldn’t say it’s a competition, but I think they both complement and improve each other.”
3. Dodgers won the World Series in 2025 despite a disastrous bullpen. This year the situation is better.
This is not only because the Dodgers invested a large sum in star closer Edwin Diaz, but also because Tanner Scott could be regaining his dominance from 2023 and 2024. Roberts has already used Scott in a variety of roles this season: in low-pressure situations, in tight spots and, most recently, as a setup man. Scott has responded by allowing just one run without allowing a walk in 8.2 innings.
“Everything went wrong last year,” Scott said. “I had a terrible year. I just wanted to get back to who I was in 2023 and 2024.”
Scott, 31, has improved on his lower-body timing and avoiding getting too open when throwing (he checks with assistant pitching coach, Connor McGuinnessafter each outing to be sure). After a year in which he believes he threw “too many” strikes, Scott has also gotten better at throwing what he considers the right strikes: in the corners when he has a lead in the count.
“I just locate the ball better,” Scott said. “I have more control. Last year I was throwing strikes, but sometimes the strikes aren’t good.”
The Dodgers are still awaiting the return from the injured list of three key right-handed relievers: Brusdar Graterol, Evan Phillips and Brock Stewart. However, it appears they were spared a scare by their best right-handed pitcher, Diaz, who showed reduced velocity last Friday and hasn’t pitched since. Diaz felt discomfort in his recently operated right knee, but said he felt fine during a bullpen session on Tuesday and was preparing to pitch the ninth inning on Wednesday before the Dodgers put the game away in the bottom of the eighth.
“I’m ready,” Diaz said. “I feel good”.
Three things we learned about Mets
1. Mets are not yet at the level of the Dodgers.
The objective of Steve Cohen when he bought the Mets in November 2020 it was to create the East Coast Dodgers. That requires an elite organization, which is why he hired David Stearns of the Milwaukee Brewers to run baseball operations after the 2023 season. For now, the organizations remain far apart.
Losing Juan Soto for a few weeks was a very hard blow. But the Mets’ roster, after a transformative offseason that included revamping its core position players, is too expensive for the offense to go under without a player, even if that player has a salary of $61.875 million this season.
Look at the Dodgers. Betts, their starting shortstop and future Hall of Famer, also went on the injured list early in the season and they have continued to perform flawlessly. Yes, they feature Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith and other stars. But Pagés, a 25-year-old center fielder trained in the youth system, has been one of the best hitters in baseball.
The Dodgers invest money and develop talent at the highest level. The difference was evident this week.
2. Mets need Soto to return as soon as possible.
Luis Robert Jr. and Francisco Álvarez have been the bright spots of the offense. That’s all. New York ranks 27th in the Majors in runs scored per game, 29th in wRC+ and 27th in extra-base hits.
Francisco Lindor (71 wRC+), Bo Bichette (65 wRC+) and Marcus Semien (53 wRC+), who will earn a total of $102.1 million this season, are off to a disastrous start. Mark Vientos, 0-for-23 with eight strikeouts in his last seven games, batted third on Monday against the Dodgers. Jorge Polanco batted third on Tuesday and could go on the injured list with bursitis in his left Achilles tendon. Brett Baty, who batted third in the series finale on Wednesday, has a wRC+ of 30.
The Mets scored just three runs in the three games against the Dodgers, with 12 hits and 27 strikeouts.
It’s too early to draw conclusions. Lindor, known for his slow starts, and Bichette, one of baseball’s best contact hitters, should bounce back. The Mets believe Semien, 35, still has a lot to offer, although his last two seasons do not suggest a return to the All-Star level. But this offense lacks power and consistency without Soto. The Mets need him back and in top shape.
3. Nolan McLean is an exceptional player.
The 24-year-old right-hander has resumed his pace from last season with a 2.28 ERA in four starts. His fourth outing against the Dodgers, on Tuesday, was his best: seven innings allowing just one run with eight strikeouts.
Nobody spins the ball with McLean’s precision. His sweeper moves 21 inches to the side of his glove, the second-largest horizontal break in the major leagues. His curveball moves 17.5 inches to the side of his glove and has the highest spin rate in baseball. Additionally, his 95 mph sinker moves 17.6 inches to the side of his arm and has been one of the best pitches in the game with a career value of four.
He is the third pitcher since 1900 to accumulate at least 80 strikeouts and allow 20 runs or fewer in his first 12 career appearances, joining Matt Harvey and Paul Skenes. His 2.13 ERA in 12 starts ranks second in franchise history.
The Mets acquired Freddy Peralta, a two-time All-Star in his prime, during the offseason, but McLean is the team’s ace. The only unknown is whether McLean will be able to handle the workload of a full season in the Major Leagues after having pitched 113.2 innings in the Minor Leagues and 48 in the Major Leagues in 2025.
