MLB Predictions 2026

MLB Predictions 2026 

By David A. Avila

Are you ready for 2026?

When you add the best reliever in baseball and the best available free agent hitter to an already powerful lineup and World Series winner, odds are that team will be chosen to win it all in 2026.

Once again, the Los Angeles Dodgers are the team to beat. And once again a question is raised : Is this year’s team from Chavez Ravine the best ball club in baseball history?

Where does this 2026 Dodger team rate among the great teams of the past such as the 1936 to 1939 New York Yankee teams that won four consecutive World Series and was led by Lou Gehrig and Joe Dimaggio. Or the 1949 to 1953 Yankee team led by Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle. Of course, those teams did not endure the extra-long playoff scenario with Wild Card entrees that can allow a lesser team to get hot and steal a World Series like the Washington Nationals did in 2019.

Other teams that can be measured in whispered tones are the Oakland Athletics of 1972, 73, and 74 with pitchers like Catfish Hunter and hitters like Joe Rudi and Reggie Jackson. Another National League powerhouse was the Cincinnati Reds of 1975 and 76 with Johnny Bench and Joe Morgan. And most recently the New York Yanks that won 1998, 99, and 2000 led by Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and Andy Pettite set the bar for modern baseball clubs in the Wild Card playoff format.

A lot of elements must go a team’s way to survive the long arduous season and most especially sustain good health. An injury to a key player can sink any team’s hopes.    

Last year the same question was posed for that team that had recently picked up Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki and was expecting Shohei Ohtani to finally be able to pitch after a year away due to arm surgery.

Nothing is assured when it comes to baseball and its very long season. Injuries mount for every team and then there are the free agent signings in late July that allow a team to subtract and add a crucial player that can make all the difference in the world.

Last year injuries stripped the Dodgers of most of its premier starting rotation. If not for the return of sure-fire Hall of Fame pitcher Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers would have limped to the finish line. But the ace lefty pitched an amazing 112 innings while winning 11 and losing only twice and had an ERA of 3.36. His performance along with Yoshinobu Yamamoto kept the Dodgers out front until the rest of the ailing staff recovered and kept them in first place until the end.

It was not a runaway victory for the NL West title.

The year before it was Walker Buehler and Jack Flaherty who unexpectedly carried the team to the NL West division title. Both Buehler and Flaherty are pitching elsewhere now.

After winning back-to-back World Series the Dodgers are primed to snatch a third trophy that would make them the first National League team in history to accomplish a trifecta.

Ohtani presented each Dodger with a $4,000 watch and personal note that read “Let’s three-peat.”

The Dodgers are the team to beat but as always, the season is long and anything can happen to derail even the greatest of teams.

Here are our picks for the divisions races in both the American and National League.

AL East

It’s going to be a very crowded competitive division race this year until the very end. Expect four teams to be in the hunt at the end of the season. The Blue Jays will not surprise the division this year. The Yanks have re-loaded, the young Red Sox have a year of experience and Tampa Bay always has something up their sleeves. Baltimore, however, needs more help.

1.    Toronto

2.    New York

3.    Boston

4.    Tampa Bay

5.    Baltimore

Toronto

The Blue Jays came within one out of winning the World Series on several occasions but inexperience during hot situations kept them from defeating the powerful Dodgers. The Blue Jays used a strong pitching staff and clutch hitting behind Vlad Guerrero to run down the Yankees and win the division and playoffs last year. They have made some additions to this year’s team including starting pitcher Dylan Cease from the San Diego Padres. They also signed Japanese all-star Kazuma Okamoto.

New York

Despite leading the Major Leagues in runs scored the Yanks were overrun by the red hot Blue Jays at the end of the 2025 season. This year the Yanks expect help from the return of Gerrit Cole one of the top pitchers of 2024. No other team scored 849 runs proving the Bronx Bombers do not suffer from hitting. They also re-signed Cody Bellinger whose left-handed bat is a major asset. His speed and glove are also assets for the team that had relied too much on power and not speed. They pack a lot of firepower.

Boston

You can never count out the Red Sox who aways have a boatload of young talent. Last year a slew of young pitchers arrived and corrected the team’s course to compete for most of the year. Veteran pitcher Sonny Gray leads the rotation but he has young burners behind him that proved to be reliable. The Red Sox also had steady hitting with Trevor Story and Jarren Duren and added veteran slugger Willson Contreras. On paper they could be in a battle royale with four other teams in the East Division.

Tampa Bay

Injuries to their ace created a big pothole the team could not navigate. Shane McClanahan has not pitched in nearly two years but before injuring his arm he was one of the top hurlers in the American League. The offense of the Rays has been revamped but that’s nothing new with this team. They always seem to find new talent in their farm system. Pitching has always been their strong point.

Baltimore

For a few years the Orioles were shoo-ins for the playoffs until opposing pitchers figured out how to pitch to All Star catcher Adley Rutschman who has not produce similar to his big numbers in 2023. As Rutschman goes so go the O’s. Despite the free agent signing of homerun hitter Pete Alonso, will that be enough. Pitchers are taking deals with other clubs. Zach Eflin, Chris Bassitt and Shane Baz will be relied on to carry the team.   

Al Central

1.    Cleveland

2.    Kansas City

3.    Detroit

4.    Minnesota

5.    Chicago WS

Cleveland

The Guardians scored less than 100 runs than Detroit yet won the division with a powerful pitching staff, good defense and speed. The leader of their team third baseman Jose Ramirez recently signed a new contract and will continue to terrify opposing pitchers with his quick bat and good eye. He can also steal bases as other Guardians did on many occasions. It’s an old school team that you cannot count out.

Kansas City

The Royals shocked a lot of teams last year and have improved even more. Led by their All-Stars Bobby Witt and catcher Salvador Perez, the team has loads of pitching to keep the team in every game. This year they need to score more runs to reach the top of the division. They have defense and pitching but need help scoring runs.

Maikel Garcia had a very good year but expect an even better year. He has the tools. Look for second baseman Jonathan India to return to his Cincy ways of offensive production.

Detroit

The Tigers led the division early in the year but were caught by Cleveland. They learned their lesson. Led by lefty ace pitcher Tarik Skubal, the Tigers led the division during the first half but took their foot off the pedal and nearly lost their place in the playoffs. They led the division in runs scored but after Skubal the other pitchers were not consistent. Offensively, the team is led by Spencer Torkelson and Gleyber Torres.

Minnesota

The Twins lost the services of last year’s shortstop Carlos Correa but still have their main guy Byron Buxton who leads the team in everything. He can hit, run, throw and defend and if you had one more Buxton on this team it might make a big difference. But the Twins need more pitching. They added Dodger reliever Anthony Banda but they need more than that. They also have ex-Dodger outfielder James Outman.

Chicago

The White Sox have a knack for discovering pitching and have a load of good hurlers on the roster. This year the problem is scoring runs. They need more hitting to compete with the other teams. But you can never count out the White Sox scouting staff. They always seem to have a good minor league system. Just don’t expect them to compete this year.

AL West

1.    Texas

2.    Seattle

3.    Houston

4.    Oakland

5.    LAA

Texas

The Rangers have enough pitching on paper to right the ship and return to the top of the dog pile. But that’s on paper. Led by stalwart pitchers Jacob DeGrom and Nathan Eovaldi they should be hard to beat, but the problem is keeping them on the field. Every year they seem to suffer some kind of injury. They do have solid hitting led by Corey Seager one of the best clutch hitters in baseball, but is he enough?

Seattle

The Mariners finally broke through last year after several years of falling short of predictions to make the playoffs. They made it to the post season but were taken down by Toronto in a scrappy series. Pitching remains a strong point and the sudden surge of power by catcher Cal Raleigh spearheaded their offensive attack last year. Can he do it again?

Houston

Pitching has remained a major asset for the Astros and though they lost a number of their hurlers in the past few years, they always seem to have more arms at the ready. Last year the Astros were led by pitchers Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez. Offensively they are led by old pro Jose Altuve who showed signs last year of slowing down. They can’t afford that he suddenly gets old. It is a long season.  

Oakland

The Athletics always seem able to dig down into their minor league teams and come out with diamonds. Whether it’s pitching or hitting the Athletics bring up new talent that produces and surprises the rest of the division. This year their new stars have a year under their belt and will cause havoc in the division. The last three years Brent Rooker has powered the lineup with an average of 30 homers a season. Add pitchers like Jeffrey Springs, Jacob Lopez and J.T. Ginn and you have a team on the rise.

Los Angeles

The Angels lack hitting and pitching but at least they have Mike Trout a surefire Hall of Famer when he retires. Meanwhile the team from Anaheim continues to befuddle experts with strange moves. Last year, though Trout did not have his typical year the team finally saw Jo Adell finally breakthrough and smash 37 homers. He was joined by Taylor Ward with 36 homers. Pitching seems to be a question mark especially their bullpen.

National League

NL East

1.    Philadelphia

2.    New York

3.    Miami

4.    Atlanta

5.    Washington   

Philadelphia

We’re picking Philadelphia by the slimmest of margins mainly because they have their lineup and rotation intact. Expect the Phillies to have a season-long battle with the Mets and Marlins until the end of the season. The team is getting older especially at catcher with J.T. Realmuto now 35 years old. He still produces but will he be able to go the distance. Thankfully they still have their hitting core with Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper and Trea Turner and a very good pitching staff. Ace pitcher Aaron Nola dropped off a bit but was picked up by Zack Wheeler and Christopher Sanchez.

New York

The Mets were unable to re-sign the big hitter Pete Alonso who is now with Baltimore, but they now have Bo Bichette and Marcos Semien and Luis Robert to pick up the slack. Will it be enough? The loss of top closer Edwin Diaz will hurt but the Mets still have solid pitching and Devin Williams as the new closer. That’s not bad.

Miami

The Marlins are one of those teams that always have talent hidden in the shelves. Last year they nearly crashed the party and this year they have the experience to make the playoffs if things go their way. Pitching is their main strength led by Sandy Alcantara, Eury Perez and Edward Cabrera they can match any team for three games. They also have some hitting but maybe not enough with Kyle Stowers and Agustin Ramirez leading the way.  

Atlanta

The mighty Braves have slipped from their perch as the leaders of the NL East. They lack in pitching and hitting despite having Matt Olson and Ronald Acuna on the team. Pitching was their strength but when your ace is 36-year-old Chris Sale then pitching may be a problem. It’s a weakness that hasn’t been a problem for decades. Maybe their farm system will provide, we shall see.

Washington

At one time the Nationals were loaded with talent. How the mighty have fallen. They still have young talent such as shortstop CJ Abrams to lead the way. Pitching is a major weakness for the D.C. team and they recently lost ace MacKenzie Gore to Texas in a trade. Pitching is a major need.

NL Central

1.    Chicago

2.    Milwaukee

3.    Cincinnati

4.    Pittsburgh

5.    St. Louis

The Cubs led the division and looked to be a lock early last season. Then the Brewers caught them and passed them while never looking back. The Cubs are stacked this year with pitching and hitting though they lost Kyle Tucker. The Cubs have Michael Busch, Seiya Suzuki and Pete Crow-Armstrong leading their hitting attack and added Alex Bregman to the gang. The pitching staff remains solid with Matthew Boy, Colin Rea and Shota Imanaga leading the way. On paper, the Cubs look strong. But it is a long season.

Milwaukee

The Brewers caught the Cubs last year and it was smooth waters until they ran into the Dodger machine in the playoffs. Pitching is always a strength for the Brewers but last year they added hitting behind the resurgent Christian Yelich, Jackson Chourio and Brice Turang. As always, the Brewers have a strong pitching staff led by Freddy Peralta and Quinn Priester.

Cincinnati

The Reds made the playoffs and proved ready for the big time, just not against the Dodgers. The young Reds are led by ace pitcher Hunter Greene who is coming into his own behind his blistering stuff. Add Brady Singer, Andrew Abbott and Nick Lodolo and you have a young talented staff. Offensively the Reds have good young hitters and some speed with Elly De La Cruz. They will make waves in the division again.

Pittsburgh

The Pirates have the best young pitcher in baseball in Paul Skenes and a lot of talented pitchers to help. The problem is their lack of hitting. They do have veterans Andrew McCutchen who returned to his roots and Tommy Pham to help young guns Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds, but that won’t be enough. Last year the team scored a paltry 583 runs while the division winners the Brewers scored 806 runs. That’s a big difference to make up.

St. Louis

Once upon a time the Cardinals were the envy of the National League but ever since catcher Yadier Molina and pitcher Adam Wainwright retired, the once great organization has spiraled downward. Every year the Cardinals bring up somebody new who can contribute, they may need more than one to climb back this year. The Cardinals picked up ex-Dodger Dustin May but lost Sonny Gray. Hitting is a major concern.

NL West

1.    Los Angeles

2.    Arizona

3.    San Francisco

4.    San Diego

5.    Colorado  

Los Angeles

The Dodgers are hunting for a third consecutive World Series and are not slowing down to sip the champagne. Instead of celebrating, the best team in baseball added top closer Edwin Diaz and top free agent hitter Kyle Tucker. They already had the best team in baseball and added even more talent. Injuries and health are their worst enemy and nearly toppled them last year if not for Clayton Kershaw who is now retired. Their pitching staff is the strongest in MLB and their hitting attack led by Shohei Ohtani remains intact and potent. Only they Yankees scored more than the Dodgers 825 runs.

Arizona

The Diamondbacks added more pitching to help compete with the Dodgers and the rest of the NL West which is baseball’s toughest division. Scoring runs is never a problem for the D-Backs who scored 791 last year. It’s stopping the opposition that is a problem especially for their bullpen. Jonathan Loaisiga will bolster their bullpen. He was excellent with the New York Yankees and helps Arizona’s need for relief.

San Francisco

The Giants always have pitching especially with ace Logan Webb leading the way. The problem with the Giants has been their offense They scored 120 runs less than the Dodgers and remained in contention until the last month a year ago. Having outfielder Harrison Bader for an entire year along with heavy-hitting designated hitter Rafael Devers and Luis Arraez will certainly help the team’s bid to make the playoffs. The race for second place will go down to the last week in the NL West/

San Diego

The Padres lost a lot of last year’s talent including star pitcher Dillan Cease and hitters Luis Arraez and Jason Heyward who retired. They still have plenty of hitting behind Manny Machado, Jackson Merrill and Fernando Tatis. They also picked up Ramon Laureano and his strong outfield skills. Pitching is their strength though they are not as strong as last year. Their minor league system remains strong, so expect help to arrive.

Colorado

Though the Rockies play in high elevation that allows for balls to travel further in the mile high city, the team did not benefit offensively. The team scored a paltry 597 runs last year that was second to last in the NL. The team does have solid pitching but not enough to compete in the most difficult division in baseball. A few more arms and some hitting are needed to help catcher Hunter Goodman and Mickey Moniak.

There you have it. Our entire predictions for the MLB season 2026.