Deadline moves reveal MLB teams' 2026 ambitions
An Athletic analysis uses the 'Ambition Tiers' to gauge each MLB club's 2026 plans based on activity ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline. Dodgers sit in Tier 1 as the all-in, title-or-bust favorite; Tier 5 includes teams like the White Sox, Marlins and Nationals signaling they’re a year early rather than all-in; Tier 6 covers Athletics, Rockies and Reds seen as gearing up for offseason changes; Tier 7 groups Giants, Mets, Royals and Angels weighing bigger roster shifts and introspection. Washington’s Curtis Mead for Connelly Early move illustrates balancing 2026 needs with longer-term aims, with the tiers updated as trades unfold.