As we wrap up the 2026 Major League Baseball regular season, it's time for some final grades. The 2026 season might not have gone as expected, but we still had breakout performances, surprising teams, unpredictable results, a flamethrowing phenom, a season for the ages and a very mediocre AL. Let's go to the grades.

Milwaukee Brewers: A+ — What a wonderful, engaging and thrilling regular season for the Brewers. They've already set the franchise record for wins in a single season, breaking last year's mark of 97, and are heading to the top record in the majors for the second year in a row. Jacob Misiorowski has been the best individual story of the season — alongside division rival Pete Crow-Armstrong — but it has been an impressive teamwide effort. Brice Turang's 6.9 bWAR is second among MLB position players.

Tampa Bay Rays: A+ — Nope, the Rays never faded. In fact, they went 18-10 in August and are 14-6 in September after clinching the division (and the top record in the AL) with a win over the Yankees on Tuesday. While Junior Caminero has been a standout and Jonathan Aranda is closing in on 100 RBIs, it has been a year of unsung heroes: Drew Rasmussen has 16 wins and a 2.67 ERA, while Nick Martinez has 15 wins and a 2.94 ERA.

Atlanta Braves: A — More steady than dominant, the Braves built an early lead in the NL East but appeared vulnerable at times. Huge shoutout to Chris Sale, who carried a rotation that received just eight starts from Spencer Strider and none from Spencer Schwellenbach. Alongside Sale, the bullpen has been the team's MVP, with the highest win probability added in the majors.