THE POWER GAP

SEPARATING THE STRIVERS FROM THE TANKERS

If you'd gone to sleep after the last out of Game 7 of the World Series and just woken up now, you'd find there had been no change among the MLB teams at the top. If anything, that grouping has gotten more entrenched after a winter in which nearly a dozen clubs punted on even trying to compete for a title in 2018. And so baseball enters its new season with its deepest divide between the rich and the rebuilding, the title favorites and the tankers, and teams that aren't in one camp or the other—such as the Angels—have become rare.

ALL IN ON '18

(TEAMS WITH PROJ. PAYROLL)

TRYING

FRINGE CONTENDERS

SUPER TEAMS

NON-CONTENDER IN '18

GIANTS

$193M

The Giants, who have one of the worst farm systems, lost 98 in '17, and are still gunning for a title in '18.

BLUE JAYS

$155M

MARINERS

$160M

ORIOLES

$128M

The O's have an aging roster, and Manny Machado is a free agent after this season.

RANGERS

$145M

ROCKIES

$145M

A'S

$58M

TWINS

$126M

PIRATES

$77M

REDS

$96M

CARDINALS

$143M

RAYS

$72M

PHILLIES

$76M

ROYALS

$125M

TIGERS

$130M

PADRES

$83M

MARLINS

$83M

WHITE SOX

$71M

Stocked with top prospects, Chicago is loaded for the future.

BRAVES

$115M

WORLD SERIES CONTENDER IN '18

ANGELS

$171M

RED SOX

$236M

D-BACKS

$128M

METS

$149M

NATIONALS

$175M

With Bryce Harper heading toward free agency, this could be the Nats' last chance to win a championship.

INDIANS

$134M

BREWERS

$84M

CUBS

$183M

ASTROS

$157M

DODGERS

$184M

YANKEES

$172M

New York is arguably baseball's best positioned team, with a championship-caliber roster, payroll flexibility and a top farm system.

BUILDING TO '21

TANKERS

FRINGE CONTENDERS

SUPER TEAMS