The Los Angeles Dodgers became the first back-to-back World Series champions since the New York Yankees pulled off three consecutive titles in 1998-2000. Winning two consecutive championships is one of the toughest accomplishments for a team in any sport, not just baseball. So, what is the likelihood the Dodgers can do it again in 2026?

There have been only four instances in major-league history where franchises won three or more consecutive world championships. Besides those Yankees featuring the famous “Core Four” (Jeter, Posada, Rivera, and Pettitte), there were also the Yankees in 1936-1939 and 1949-1953, and the Oakland A’s in 1972-1974. (As a side note, baseball historians often overlook those A’s teams that featured Reggie Jackson, Joe Rudi, Sal Bando, Vida Blue, Catfish Hunter, and Rollie Fingers.)

What the Dodgers have in their favor is a solid core of outstanding players who are all under contract next season. Losing three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw to retirement after this season will have virtually no impact for 2026, because of the rest of the impressive talent on the team.

Of course, the team will be led again by the incomparable Shohei Ohtani, who along with shortstop Mookie Betts and first baseman Freddie Freeman have six MVP titles among them. (I am including Ohtani’s yet-to-be announced fourth title for his historic pitching and hitting performances in 2025.) Other mainstays on the team include veterans Will Smith, Max Muncy, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman. They are largely unsung compared to the trio of MVP’s, but they usually find a way to help win games.

The team returns a starting pitching rotation comprised of Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, and Ohtani, who saw action in the second half of the 2025 season. All of them are top-of-the-line starters who can pitch deep into games.

If there is a weakness on the team, it is in the bullpen. Closer Tanner Scott and veteran relievers Kirby Yates and Blake Treinen were largely ineffective and unable to be relied on in the recent post-season. Sasaki may be shifted to the bullpen next year, a role in which he was an impactful contributor during the playoffs.

The Dodgers’ needs for 2026 will likely include bolstering the bullpen and replacing utility players Kike Hernandez and Miguel Rojas, both of whom opted for free agency after this season. The Dodgers will likely look internally to find another full-time outfielder, since Michael Conforto, whom the Dodgers had acquired on a one-year deal for 2025, was a total failure.

Yet history shows that practically every season can be a crapshoot. Injuries and slumps can ruin a season, regardless of the talent level on the roster. In fact, the Dodgers experienced both of these circumstances in 2025. At one point during the season, the team had 16 players (10 pitchers and 6 position players) on the injured list. The team’s offense went dormant in July (10-14 record) and August (barely over .500). Their slump enabled the San Diego Padres to reduce the deficit for the division lead by six games during that period.

But the Dodgers were able to recover with help from their farm system, a few minor player acquisitions, and the return of key injured players toward the end of the season. Although they have extensive financial resources, they did not play that card at the trade deadline at the end of July.

The Dodgers currently have the highest odds to win the 2026 World Series, with betting lines around +370. Many fans believe that teams like the Dodgers, Yankees, and Phillies, who have the highest payrolls in baseball, should expect to win it all. But that isn’t often the case. For example, just look at the disappointing New York Mets, who outspent the Dodgers in payroll in 2025. The Yankees have not won a World Series since 2009. Heck, it was only because of late-game heroics that the Dodgers barely eked out the championship over the Blue Jays. The Series could have easily gone the other way.

Yes, it appears the Dodgers are positioned to win again in 2026. On paper, that is. They still must play the games.