The 2023 regular season of Major League Baseball will begin soon. There’s nothing quite like a baseball game in the spring, but the novelty wears off soon and everyone is ready for some real Major League Baseball. This season, several familiar names are playing for different teams than usual.
Every MLB team in 2023 will have its own unique set of challenges. You can’t put a number on pressure, but you can recognize it when you see it, and you certainly recognize it when you feel it. As a result, some teams play under intense pressure to succeed.
Many others are under intense pressure to accelerate the recovery process. And some squads face an altogether different type of strain. Considering that the 2023 campaign is just around the corner, CBS Sports have ranked the top three teams in terms of how much pressure they are under to win the World Series this year.
3. New York Yankees
Having just signed Aaron Judge to a massive nine-year deal, along with Gerrit Cole and valued free agency signing Carlos Rodón, it’s safe to say that the Yankees are back. The pressure to win the World Series is always quite high.
At this point in their lives, Cole, Judge, and Rodon are all in their 30s, as is Giancarlo Stanton. There are only a certain number of peak years left for this core. The Yankees didn’t offer Judge a multi-year deal without serious plans to compete for a championship.
2. San Diego Padres
The Padres’ success demonstrates that the “small market” is more than just a geographic location. The roster is stacked with players, and San Diego has the third-highest competitive balance tax payroll in the league at $275 million. With this new deal, Xander Bogaerts is locked in for the next 11 years.
The 11-year contract that Manny Machado just signed is a huge deal. After enduring an injury and a ban for using performance-enhancing drugs, Fernando Tatis Jr. is making a comeback. Also, they have Juan Soto, who is perhaps the finest player on the team.
1. New York Mets
It is reasonable to assume that the Mets, with the greatest payroll in baseball history (roughly $475 million in payroll and competitive balance tax in 2023), will eventually win a World Series.
A good season would include more than 105 wins, the NL East crown, and a loss in seven games of the NL Championship Series. Owner Steve Cohen has allocated resources in pursuit of a title. Players, coaches, and executives now have the responsibility of delivering.
