We’ve reached the start of the 2026 MLB season at long last. Now that we’ve seen how the spring has played out, including who’s healthy and who’s not, we can make our predictions for the upcoming year. Including which team we believe will win it all.
MLB Regular Season Predictions for 2026
Let’s start with our predictions for the American League:
American League
- AL East Winner: Red Sox (#2)
- AL Central Winner: Tigers (#1)
- AL West Winner: Mariners (#3)
- AL Wild Card Winners: Blue Jays (#4), Orioles (#5), Astros (#6)
Call it a bold prediction but the Red Sox may very well be the team to beat in the AL East.
This season is shaping up to be a wild one in the East, as four teams (Yankees, Blue Jays, Orioles, Red Sox) have a chance to make the playoffs. And despite what was a slower offseason than what was expected in Massachusetts, the Red Sox have the ammunition to win the division title.
Roman Anthony is entering his first full season as a Major Leaguer, and he’ll look to follow up on what was a fantastic six-week stretch after the All-Star break. Boston also returns Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, and a deep lineup on paper that also includes newcomers Willson Contreras and Caleb Durbin.
But the real reason, aside from the upside in the lineup, we have Boston in first is that the Sox’s pitching staff may be the deepest in the division. Sonny Gray, Ranger Suarez, and Johan Oviedo deepen out a group that also has late-season breakout pitcher Connelly Early. Payton Tolle, by the way, is sitting in the Minors.
Moving to the AL Central, it should be a competitive three-team race between the Tigers, Royals, and Guardians.
Detroit easily has the best 1-2 punch atop a rotation in that division with Tarik Skubal and newcomer Framber Valdez. And last season, Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson took big steps forward.
As for the AL West, the Mariners have the best rotation on paper, thanks to a deep group that includes Bryan Woo and Logan Gilbert, two of the top strikeout pitchers in baseball last season.
Seattle’s lineup also has some new faces, including versatile infielder Brendan Donovan, who will join Julio Rodriguez, Randy Arozarena, Cal Raleigh, and Josh Naylor.
Lastly, the AL East should have at least one team coming out of it for a Wild Card spot. That division produced two in 2025 (Red Sox & Yankees), and it wouldn’t be a shock to see Toronto, the defending AL champions, there alongside an improved Orioles team.
The Astros, if the team can stay healthy, should be in competition for a playoff spot.
National League
Now, for the National League:
- NL East: Mets (#3)
- NL Central: Cubs (#2)
- NL West: Dodgers (#1)
- NL Wild Card: Brewers (#4), Braves (#5), Phillies (#6).
Heading into Opening Day, it feels like a perfect storm for the Mets to win the NL East.
The Mets have a very different-looking roster, one that has a bona fide ace in Freddy Peralta, plus more rotation depth now than compared to a year ago. Their lineup, led by Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, and now Bo Bichette, should be able to score runs in bunches despite the losses from the winter.
New York (NL)’s bullpen will be a point to watch in 2026. However, the talent is there to win a division title.
Chicago (NL), meanwhile, went to the NLDS last season and has a very good lineup on paper. Alex Bregman should take over Kyle Tucker‘s spot in the Cubs’ lineup, while new bullpen and rotation additions could make an already-good team even better. And don’t forget, Justin Steele is set to come back in the summer.
The Dodgers are the defending two-time World Series champions and have an even better roster than in 2025. Anything less than a division title in the regular season would be a shock.
As for the Wild Card spots, there’s too much talent on the Brewers for Milwaukee not to be a playoff team. A lot of rotation depth, plus a very talented lineup. We have the Braves and Phillies in there, as well. Atlanta will have to piece together innings without several of their key starters.
MLB Postseason Predictions for 2026
- AL Wild Card Round: Blue Jays def. Orioles, Mariners def. Astros
- NL Wild Card Round: Brewers def. Braves, Mets def. Phillies
- ALDS: Tigers def. Blue Jays, Mariners vs. Red Sox
- ALCS: Mariners def. Tigers
- NLDS: Dodgers def. Brewers, Cubs def. Mets
- NLCS: Dodgers def. Cubs
- World Series: Dodgers def. Mariners
We nailed our championship winner prediction last year, although picking the Dodgers wasn’t a Hail Mary by any stretch of the imagination.
Unless the Dodgers have a massive rash of injuries, it’s hard to envision the 2025 champions not in the NLCS, at the very least.
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