For the LA Galaxy, the 2026 MLS season has already begun
Assessing the state of the Galaxy a few months ago, I believed there was light at the end of the tunnel for a historic club going through a historic downfall.
Things have only gotten better since! The Blue White and Gold are a healthy 4-2-2 in their last 8 matches in all competitions, seemingly figuring out how to succeed without talisman Riqui Puig. And while the 16-game winless streak basically tanked the season, the Galaxy still have plenty to play for. A win at home vs. the Seattle Sounders on Wednesday and LA qualify for the CONCACAF Champions Cup and battle Orlando or Miami for the Leages Cup title. A win in October vs. Toluca and the Campeones Cup is theirs.
Just as importantly, this past week the Galaxy have taken several important steps towards preparing for the 2026 MLS season.
Firstly, the Galaxy bit the bullet and traded goalkeeper John McCarthy to the New York Red Bulls. It was a somber moment dealing the beloved MLS Cup winning veteran, but with three starting-caliber keepers on the books LA have relieved themselves of a logjam at the position.
For his part, Marcinkowski earned his first start and kept a shutout over the weekend after missing over two years with a gruesome knee injury. If Marcinkowski can return to the form that had him receiving USMNT call ups, the Galaxy have a reliable net minder to compete with Novak Mićović.
With the League Cup semifinal vs. Seattle looming, LA rotated their squad vs. the Rapids, following the mantra of Matt Doyle aka the most knowledgable analyst in the league.
Play the kids.
What unfolded was a pleasant surprise: The Galaxy ran the Rapids off the field.
It should be noted Colorado are a fringe playoff team who didn’t exactly have a great outing. Manager Chris Armas fielded a 4-4-2 gifting their opponents plenty of space in the midfield to operate.
LA took full advantage. Acquired from Louisville City FC over the winter, Elijah Wynder was an attacking tour de force in the midfield. The 2024 USL Championship Young Player of the Year drove the ball up the pitch, breaking lines seemingly at will. Wynder was rewarded with his debut goal for the club in the 55th minute, feeding Miki Yamane on the right flank before intelligently drifting into the box, accepting a return pass and neatly tucking away a finish into the corner.
Wynder has had his ups and down this season shuffling between Ventura County FC and the first team, but Saturday was undoubtedly a major step forward.
“Elijah was awesome tonight,” Greg Vanney beamed during the postgame presser. “He was really, really good. I thought his field awareness, feel for time, his relationship with Edwin was really good.”
“Again, can't say one thing about him off the top of my head that was out there.”
A defender by trade, Harbor Miller was thrust into a hybrid winger/wingback role and thrived, playing with confidence and a maturity level beyond his years. This was evident when the 18-year old shrugged off a midfield foul and continued racing down the field, arriving in the box just in time to score his debut goal for the club.
Miller has proven he can compete at this level. (Not for the first time)
“He'll be with us [the first team]. He's going to get some opportunity for sure to play, and we want to try to get him ready for next season and build him forward.
“He's ready for this level. This is where he needs to be and continue to play and progress and move his game forward.”
Finishing off the trifecta of firsts on the night, Tucker Lepley recorded his first league assist. Though the sample size is small, per FBRef Lepley is in the 98th percentile of touches in the opponent’s penalty area and 99th in progressive passes received, reinforcing his prowess as a possession fulcrum.
As Vanney clarified afterwards, the Galaxy manager is already making decisions with an eye on 2026.
”..We need to make this team deeper, and part of that is moving these young playing coming along, and part of it over son where you bring in players to fill roles and spots. These two things have to converge as we move into next year so we can have a deep team, because with the way the schedule is next year it's going to be super congested with the World Cup break and games will come fast you have to have rotation and not big drop offs. So that's the big part of the investment for us in the stretch, too. Just bring these guys along.”
Expect to see the kids receive more playing time.
There are other issues the club is facing this winter. Can Riqui fully recover from his ACL injury? How will GM Will Kuntz reinforce the squad? That being said, it’s encouraging the Galaxy seems to be back on the right track heading into the offseason.
Onto Wednesday.