PEORIA, Ariz. -- The Los Angeles Dodgers are not content with simply being back-to-back World Series champions. As Cactus League play gets underway this week, the organization has made it abundantly clear that the 2026 season is about one thing: history.

The headlining addition this offseason was outfielder Kyle Tucker, who inked a four-year, $240 million contract to join what many are calling the most loaded roster in modern baseball history. Tucker made his Dodgers spring training debut in a 5-1 victory over the San Diego Padres at Peoria Sports Complex, batting second in the lineup. He went 0-for-1 with a walk and a run scored -- modest numbers, but the early returns are less about box scores and more about integration.

Tucker has already taken live at-bats against Dodgers aces Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, and Tyler Glasnow this spring. When asked about his first days in the Dodgers clubhouse, Tucker called the experience "pretty cool and pretty special," noting the franchise's relentless attention to detail and the way the front office takes care of players' families.

Perhaps most telling was Tucker's candid explanation for why he chose Los Angeles. "The pursuit of a three-peat made the decision easier," Tucker told ESPN, acknowledging that the chance to chase a historic championship run was the driving force behind his move to Southern California.

The Dodgers did not stop with Tucker. They also landed elite closer Edwin Diaz, the top reliever on the free-agent market, to shore up the back end of their bullpen. During the team's first full-squad workout, both Tucker and Diaz addressed their new teammates, speaking about the professionalism and winning culture that drew them to L.A.

Manager Dave Roberts has indicated that Tucker will patrol right field and likely slot into the second or third spot in the batting order. The implications are staggering. The top of the Dodgers' lineup now features three former MVPs and the game's most dynamic two-way talent in Ohtani, creating what many analysts consider the most formidable top of the order in baseball history.

The numbers reflect the expectations. Sportsbooks have installed the Dodgers at +210 to win the World Series, making them the only team in baseball trading at shorter than 11-to-1 odds. No other franchise is even close.

Around the rest of the league, other spring training storylines are generating buzz. Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Konnor Griffin, not yet 20 years old and ranked as baseball's top prospect, belted his first home run off live pitching this week and has a legitimate chance to break camp with the big league club. In Arizona, the Diamondbacks received disappointing news when it was announced that right-hander Merrill Kelly will not be available for his planned Opening Day start due to injury.

The 2026 MLB season officially kicks off on Wednesday, March 25, when the New York Yankees visit the San Francisco Giants, followed by a full 14-game slate on traditional Opening Day, March 26. Another wrinkle this spring: the Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System, powered by T-Mobile, will be deployed in every game played between MLB teams at major league stadiums, including all spring training contests.

But for now, all eyes remain fixed on the Dodgers. Andrew Friedman, the team's president of baseball operations, admitted the front office was not initially confident they could land both Tucker and Diaz. That they did speaks to the gravitational pull of a franchise on the brink of something truly extraordinary. The last team to win three consecutive World Series titles was the 1998-2000 New York Yankees. The 2026 Dodgers are built to chase that legacy, and spring training has only reinforced the feeling that this roster is historically special.