CBS Sports’ offseason reset takes aim at MLB’s “worst” 2026 teams, and asks which could swing fastest toward 2027

In the late-season MLB lull before the postseason stretch run fully takes over, CBS Sports published an assessment of which clubs it views as among the worst performers in 2026, and which of them might realistically turn their course for 2027. The premise is straightforward: even with playoff races still active, several organizations are already planning as though their current seasons will end early, either because results have lagged expectations or because the roster construction has not yet produced the consistency expected at this stage.

CBS framed the 2026 landscape as crowded, with more than a handful of teams sliding into the “mediocre” category rather than clearly separating from the pack. In that context, the piece argues that opportunity exists for teams that can fix the underlying issues rather than simply react to one disappointing month or one injury-filled stretch. The article also points to league-wide parity in the middle of the standings, suggesting that improvement does not always require a complete rebuild, but it does require targeted changes in the areas that decide wins and losses: starting pitching depth, bullpen reliability, and offense that can sustain run production against late-season rotations.

Among the teams referenced, the Mets and Giants are described by CBS as “surprising disappointments,” a phrasing that points to an expectation gap between preseason optimism and the reality of 2026. That expectation gap matters because it tends to compress decision-making timelines. If a club looks like it is failing to meet its own internal bar, it can move faster on personnel evaluation, trade-market priorities, and coaching or development adjustments, rather than waiting for a longer “process” cycle to play out.

The CBS piece contrasts that category with clubs it describes as “exactly as bad as we expected,” naming the Rockies and Angels in its preview. Those teams, in CBS’s framing, are less likely to be trapped by the burden of unmet expectations and more likely to be judged on whether the organization can convert an overdue reset into visible on-field improvement. That is where 2027 becomes a roster-planning year, not just a hope year, because the margin between “project” and “contender” is often driven by what comes out of the farm system, how quickly young pitching reaches usable form, and whether midseason experimentation translates into repeatable performance.

CBS also identifies the Tigers and Orioles among the clubs discussed for turnaround potential. Even without specific claims in the preview text, the inclusion of teams like those typically indicates a key analytical distinction: some organizations can be “in the mix” while still carrying obvious weaknesses, and those weaknesses can become the focal point of an offseason overhaul. For contenders and near-contenders alike, the question is not whether to improve, but how to improve without breaking what is already working, especially in the bullpen and in late-game lineups.

For fans, the most practical takeaway is that 2027 planning is already underway for multiple franchises, regardless of where they sit in August. Watching how each club prioritizes its offseason resources, including whether it targets rotation innings, how it reshapes its leverage bullpen group, and what it demands from the lineup’s top and middle spots, will be the clearest indicator of whether CBS’s “turnaround” thesis is grounded in organizational capacity or merely in the hope of a better year.

The other thing to monitor is the standings context CBS alludes to in its preview. When several teams are close enough to make a late push, “turnaround” can mean different things: either catching fire for a postseason run or strategically retooling while remaining competitive long enough to protect future leverage. That distinction often determines how aggressive a front office can be at the trade deadline, and whether a team rolls into winter with flexibility or with contracts and roles that limit maneuvering.