Opening Day is here, and fans all across the United States are gearing up for a baseball season like any other. Last season, we saw the Los Angeles Dodgers repeat as back-to-back World Series champions.
There are so many questions before going into this season: Will the Dodgers three-peat, or will a new up-and-coming team take their crown? Baseball is always filled with surprises, so let's jump right into my season predictions and see what this MLB season will have to offer.
NL East
1. Philadelphia Phillies 95-67
The Phillies are coming off a 2025 season that saw them fall short of their ultimate goal of making the World Series. They lost to the Dodgers in the NLDS in Game 4. The Phillies are running it back with the same core group of guys as they did in 2025. Led by Bryce Harper and Trea Turner, they are trying to bring a World Series to Philadelphia. They are also looking towards NL MVP candidate Kyle Schwarber to return to the MVP conversation this season.
The Phillies’ big offseason addition was signing outfielder Adolis García. He brings a veteran bat to an already veteran-led Phillies team. My main concern about this Phillies team is the starting pitching, which is very top-heavy with Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola and Jesús Luzardo. Their bottom two guys in the rotation lack the same punch as the top starters. This gives the Phils a lack of depth on the mound. The Phillies also strengthened their bullpen by trading for Brad Keller from the Pirates. The Phillies will be back from where they were in 2025 and will capture the NL East Crown.
2. New York Mets 91-71
The Mets are coming off a season where we saw them fall apart in the second half. Owner Steve Cohen and President of Baseball Operations David Stearns didn’t appreciate how last season ended. This offseason, we saw the Mets lose core players, which included Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, Edwin Diaz and Jeff McNeil. Fans were very displeased with this at the very start of the offseason. Stearns was nowhere near done after that; he made key additions, which included Bo Bichette, Jorge Polanco, Marcus Semien and Cy Young candidate Freddy Peralta.
The Mets also upgraded their bullpen after the loss of Diaz by bringing in Devin Williams and Luke Weaver. This version of the Mets lineup, led by Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor, has a lot of depth, which last year's lineup lacked. The pitching got a major upgrade with Peralta and a full season of Nolan McLean. The one question mark for me is the bullpen with a bunch of guys in it coming off down seasons, but if the Mets' bullpen performs well, this team could be a legit problem for the rest of the NL.
3. Atlanta Braves 85-77
The Braves are looking to return to the postseason in 2026 after a very injury-riddled season in 2025. The Braves were only able to win 78 games in 2025, which is very unlike the Braves during the last couple of years. This Braves lineup still has many of the pieces that won them the 2021 World Series. They look for a fully healthy season from superstar outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. The Braves' lineup looks to build off their superstar with players like Austin Riley and Matt Olson.
The big signing for this Braves lineup was adding Mike Yastrzemski. The Braves will also be without Jurickson Profar, who has been suspended for the full season due to PED use. The Braves' rotation sees many returners from the 2025 season, with Chris Sale included. The problem for the rotation will be the injury to their ace, Spencer Strider. The Braves' bullpen has seen a big upgrade this offseason with the team signing Robert Suarez, who was one of the best closers in 2025. The Braves are a team that I think many teams will overlook, and that could be a wild card contender in 2026.
4. Washington Nationals 75-87
The Nationals are one of the youngest teams in baseball entering 2026. We saw them in 2025 have a very lackluster season, winning 66 games. The Nationals' lineup is led by 23-year-old James Wood, who was the number one prospect in baseball not too long ago. This Nationals lineup can be a very sneaky one this season. Bats such as C.J. Abrams and Keibert Ruiz have another year of experience under their belts.
The more experience this Nats lineup gets, the better they will be. The problem for the Nationals is their pitching; they don’t have a true No. 1 pitcher, and their bullpen is very lackluster. The Nats have many good starting pitchers, but no guys who will be an ace on a contending team. Even with those problems, the Nats will be taking a big step up in year two of Wood. I could see this Nationals team being a wildcard team in two to three years down the line.
5. Miami Marlins 71-91
The Marlins saw major improvements in 2025, becoming a sleeper team in the NL Wild Card race by September. Last year's Marlins team saw them play some of their best ball when it mattered most, finishing the month of September with a 14-11 record. The Marlins will continue to be a sneaky ballclub in 2026. They brought in Christopher Morel and Owen Caissie to help improve their lineup. The Marlins failed to add to their starting pitching this offseason, but did add a key pitcher to their bullpen, Pete Fairbanks. This Marlins team could be a surprise to most fans this season with this lineup and their bullpen. The Marlins are 3-4 years out of making the playoffs as of right now.
NL Central
1. Milwaukee Brewers 94-68
The Brewers are coming off a season where we saw them capture the NL Central title and win a playoff series against the Cubs. The Brewers are going to return as the favorite to win the NL Central. The Brew Crew didn’t do much this offseason besides trading their ace, Freddy Peralta, for two prospects. They didn’t really need to make major changes to their lineup; it already has great depth with multiple MLB All-Star caliber players, including Christian Yelich, Jackson Chourio and Brice Turang. For the Brewers' pitching staff, they will be relying on some younger guys like Brandon Sporat and Kyle Harrison to carry some of the load this season. As for the Brewers' bullpen, they still have one of the best in all of baseball. The Brewers are definitely going to continue where they left off in 2026.
2. Chicago Cubs 89-73
The Cubs are entering 2026 after beating the Padres in the Wild Card round with a ton of momentum. They ended up losing to the Brewers in the NLDS, but the Cubs were definitely ahead of the curve just by making the playoffs. That was the first time they made the postseason since the shortened 2020 season. Looking at this year's Cubs’ team, the offense lost a major piece in All-Star Kyle Tucker.
But they were able to sign Gold Glove third baseman Alex Bregman to add a much-needed boost to this lineup that looked a little depleted after losing Tucker. They also brought in Michael Conforto to help provide some depth to the outfield. The Cubs will also look towards Pete Crow-Armstrong to back his 30 home run and 30 stolen bases season. The Cubs added to their rotation by trading for Edward Cabrera. They pair Cabrera with Cy Young contender Shota Imanaga and with 2025 breakout Cade Horton. This Cubs’ bullpen is very lackluster, bringing in Phil Maton and Hunter Harvey. The Cubs will definitely be a contender for a postseason spot in 2026, and could give Milwaukee a run for the NL Central.
3. Cincinnati Reds 83-79
Last season, the Reds made the postseason for the first time since 2020. They were led by Elly De La Cruz and TJ Friedl. This offseason, the Reds added a major slugger to their lineup by the name of Eugenio Suárez. He finished fifth in the MLB in home runs with 49 homers. He adds a much-needed power bat to this lineup, which the Reds lacked last season. The Reds also added Ke'Bryan Hayes, who gives them a big defensive upgrade at third base. For their pitching staff, they are running it back with the same crew from last season, which is led by Andrew Aboutt and Brady Singer. The Reds also upgraded their bullpen by acquiring Pierce Johnson and Brock Burke. The Reds will look to return to the postseason in 2026.
4. Pittsburgh Pirates 78-84
The Pirates look to make the playoffs for the first time since 2015. The fans of the Pirates have been waiting a long time for a postseason appearance. Last year, the Pirates were led by O’Neill Cruz and Bryan Reynolds. During this offseason, the Pirates did an amazing job building around their two all-stars. The Pirates were able to sign Ryan O’Hearn and Marcell Ozuna. These guys bring a load of pop to this young Pittsburgh offense. They also traded for Brandon Lowe, who is a great contact hitter to get on base for their home run hitters. The Pirates' rotation is led by Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes and the very underrated Mitch Keller. During the offseason, the Pirates upgraded their bullpen by signing Gregory Soto and José Urquidy. The Pirates are a year or two removed from making their long-awaited return to the playoffs.
5. St. Louis Cardinals 70-92
The 2025 Cardinals' season was the third consecutive year they missed the playoffs. The Cardinals last year were led by Mayson Winn and Nolan Gorman. This year, the Cardinals have called up top prospect J.J. Wetherholt, who was the seventh overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. He will look to add a much-needed spark to this Cardinals lineup. For their rotation, they will look towards 24-year old Matthew Liberatore and free agent signing Dustin May. The bullpen improved by signing Ryne Stanek and trading for George Soriano. I do think that the Cardinals are still years removed from the MLB playoffs, but there is still hope with their prospect group in the future.
NL West
1. Los Angeles Dodgers 107-55
The Dodgers are an absolute juggernaut after completing back-to-back championship seasons in 2025. Somehow, a roster that was already loaded with an insane amount of talent could improve even more. This team was led by NL MVP Shohei Ohtani, and all-stars Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. The rich got richer this offseason when the Dodgers signed one of the best free agents on the market, Kyle Tucker. Luckily for MLB fans, the Dodgers didn’t sign anyone for the rotation, however, they got the best closer in baseball, Edwin Diaz, to pair with Tanner Scott. If the Dodgers don’t win the World Series, I will be completely shocked. This roster is loaded from top to bottom, and there is no reason why they should not three-peat in 2026.
2. San Diego Padres 93-69
The Padres are entering 2026 with a very similar core to the one they had in 2025. They are led by Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado. They also saw Jackson Merrill take a huge step up in 2025, as he bloomed into stardom. This offseason, the Padres improved their depth by signing Nick Castellanos and Ty France. The rotation is led by Michael King, who had an outstanding 2025 campaign, and they also signed Germán Márquez and Walker Buehler. This brings some much-needed pitching help to the backend of their rotation. The bullpen is still loaded with talent, with Mason Miller, Adrián Morejón and Jeremiah Estrada all playing major roles last season. The Padres are definitely a team that could make a run at the Dodgers.
3. San Francisco Giants 82-80
The Giants made one of the biggest blockbuster trades at the deadline, yet failed to make the playoffs last season. Here is what to expect from them this season. The Giants' offense is led by Rafael Devers and Willy Adames, who are two stars of the game. This offseason, they added one of the best contact hitters in all of Major League Baseball by signing Luis Arraez. They also signed Harrison Bader to shore up their outfield. The rotation is led by Logan Webb and Robbie Ray, who both have the capability of being in the Cy Young race. The Giants also brought in Tyler Mahle and Adrian Houser to provide depth to the rotation. The bullpen for San Francisco is a little lackluster without any major names in it. The Giants could be a team that fights for a wild card spot come September.
4. Arizona Diamondbacks 80-82
Last year, the Diamondbacks finished with a record of 81-81. This year, they look to make it back to the postseason. The Arizona lineup is led by Ketel Marte, Corbin Carroll and Geraldo Perdomo. This offseason, the D-backs brought in a veteran hitter to help with their lineup, former NL MVP Nolan Arenado, who is coming off a down year in St Louis, where he only batted 237 with 12 homers.
The Diamondbacks’ rotation, on the other hand, is very stacked with guys like Zac Gallen, Eduardo Rodriguez and Brandon Pfaadt. They also brought in Michael Soroka, who is a nice four starter in the rotation. For the DBacks bullpen, they brought back Paul Sewald, who was on the team when they went to the World Series in 2023. They also signed Jonathan Loáisiga, who had a good year with the Yankees in 2025. The Diamondbacks will be looking a lot at their bullpen to eat up innings and their bats to play a huge role in their chase to return to the postseason.
5. Colorado Rockies 64-98
The Rockies finished the 2025 season with only 43 wins and 119 losses, which adds them to the list of teams with the most losses in Major League history. Returning from last year's team is Ezequiel Tovar, who was a bright spot on this team last year. In the offseason, they looked to build around him by trading for Jake McCarthy and signing Willi Castro. The Rockies' rotation in 2025 was highlighted by Kyle Freeland. He returns to the team but this time with depth behind him, which includes Michael Lorenzen, Jose Quintana and Tomoyuki Sugano. This gives the Rockies options on the mound instead of relying on one quality guy. For the Rockies' bullpen, it is very underwhelming, with not a lot of big names in it. The Rockies have improved this offseason, but are still very far from the playoffs.
AL East
1. Toronto Blue Jays 96-66
The Blue Jays are coming off an American League Championship, which saw them fall short in the World Series to the Dodgers. This Blue Jays team looks to go back to the World Series this year, but this time bring it home to Toronto. They are led by 26-year-old slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr., but their lineup did lose a big part of their World Series run in Bo Bichette to the Mets. The Blue Jays did sign Jesús Sánchez and Kazuma Okamoto to try to balance out the bottom half of their lineup. For the Blue Jays' pitching, they brought in Padres Ace Dylan Cease; they added him to a rotation with Kevin Gausman and Max Scherzer. The Blue Jays bullpen is stacked with talent, with names like Jeff Hoffman and a free agent signing, Tyler Rogers. The Jays have a complete roster on paper, and fans should be very excited to watch this team hit the field.
2. New York Yankees 90-72
The Yankees are entering 2026 after a playoff season in 2025. The Bronx Bombers are returning most of their roster this season, led by their captain and AL MVP Aaron Judge. The Yankees also re-signed All-Star Cody Bellinger, who played a big role last season. The Yankees' lineup is the same as last season. The Yankees' rotation is led by Max Fried, with the hope that Ace Gerrit Cole returns soon. They are also looking for Carlos Rodon to make his return to the bump soon as well. The Yankees bullpen is made up of David Bednar, Camilo Doval and Fernando Cruz. The Yanks are looking to make it back to where they were in the 2024 World Series. This offense has a lot of talent, but they need to be able to hit in the clutch moments, which was a big problem for the Bombers last year.
3. Boston Red Sox 89-73
The Red Sox are coming off a loss in the playoffs to their rival, the Yankees. They look to rebound with their young and exciting core in 2026. Their offense is led by Jarren Duran and Roman Anthony. Both are young and exciting players the MLB and fans should be excited to watch them for years to come. The Red Sox also added Willson Contreras and Caleb Durbin to replace Alex Bregman. The Boston rotation is led by ace Garrett Crochet and free agent signing Ranger Suarez. They also brought in Sonny Gray to help the back end of the rotation. The bullpen has big names like Aroldis Chapman and Garrett Whitlock that will play a major role this season. The Red Sox look to return to the playoffs this season.
4. Baltimore Orioles 86-76
The Orioles were the offseason champions in my opinion. They are coming off a down year in which they finished in last place in the AL East. The Orioles offense is led by Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman. Both young stars have brought life back to Camden Yards last season. They look to bring a playoff appearance back to Baltimore this season. The Orioles signed Pete Alonso, who is just the perfect power hitter to go with this young core. The Orioles also helped balance out their pitching staff by signing Chris Bassitt and Shane Baz. The Orioles rotation was a big question mark going into this offseason. The Orioles signed closer Ryan Helsley, who struggled with the Mets in the second half of last season. The Orioles are ready to compete for a postseason spot this year after missing the playoffs in 2025.
5. Tampa Bay Rays 80-82
The Rays are returning to Tropicana Field in the 2026 season as the hurricane took away their home in 2025. The Rays also had a down year on the field last year having 77 wins. The Rays did not do much this offseason to improve their roster. They signed Cedric Mullins who had a poor second half performance. The Rays offense had a lackluster season last year as they look to improve this time around. The Rays rotation is the most complete part of the team which is led by Drew Rasmussen and Shane McClanahan. The Rays also brought in Steven Matz and Nick Martinez to add some extra arms to the rotation. Tampa Bay also added an electric arm to their bullpen in Griffin Jax in a trade with the Twins. The rays are looking to make their way back to the postseason race in 2025.
AL Central
1. Detroit Tigers 91-71
The Tigers had one of the biggest second half collapses in baseball in 2025. The Tigers still ended up making the playoffs in 2025. This year they look to take home the AL Central Crown. This year's Tigers’ lineup is filled with young and exciting talents that were key to their success last season. Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson are two of the young guys that have been key to the success of this organization. The best part of this Tigers team is their rotation led by Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty and their big free agent addition Framber Valdez. The Tigers also upgraded their bullpen by signing Kenley Jansen. The Tigers are looking to win the division this time around and go far in the postseason.
2. Cleveland Guardians 89-73
The Guardians ended up having a monster second half to close out the 2025 season that won them the AL Central. The Cleveland offense is led by slugger José Ramírez and Steven Kwan. The Guardians signed Rhys Hoskins this offseason which gives them more postseason experience. The pitching staff is very top heavy with guys like Tanner Bibee and Gavin Williams. With the bottom of the rotation lacking quality arms. The Guardians main focus this offseason was to upgrade their bullpen which they did by signing Colin Holderman and Shawn Armstrong. That was their Achilles heel in the playoffs last year. This year the Guardians look to repeat as division champs but this time look to go further in the postseason.
3. Kansas City Royals 81-81
This Royals team was really fun for fans to watch in 2025 with young talent that gave Royals’ fans hope for the future. MVP candidate Bobby Witt Jr. was a big reason the Royals were able to finish the season above .500. Jac Caglianone was another spark plug of last year's Royals team. They added a bunch of outfield depth in the offseason by signing Isaac Collins, Starling Marte and Lane Thomas. Which provides this young lineup with some veteran experience. The rotation is the same as they ran out last season led by Seth Lugo and Micheal Wacha. In the offseason they did upgrade their bullpen by getting two former Phillies in Carlos Estévez and trading for Matt Strahm. The Royals have plenty of room to grow and this season is a perfect time for it.
4. Minnesota Twins 78-84
The Twins are coming off a season that only saw them win 70 games. The Twins have relied heavily on an aging Byron Buxton. To help Buxton the Twins signed Josh Bell this offseason. This offense lacks depth and a real identity. The pitching staff is led by Joe Ryan and Taj Bradley. The rotation is missing a true number one ace compared to most teams in their division, During the offseason the Twins signed Taylor Rogers and Anthony Banda. This team is going to have a very tough time this year compared to the teams in their division and it will be hard for them to be competing for a Wild Card spot.
5. Chicago White Sox 70-92
The White Sox last year had a 100 loss season, this year they look to improve with a younger roster for the future. The offense is led by Miguel Vargas and Andrew Benintendi. These two guys combined with all the depth they brought in during the offseason could get the White Sox out of the basement of the AL Central. Austin Hays and Munetaka Murakami were two of their major free agent signings that could help play a role in the rebuild of this franchise that has seen dark days. They also brought in Anthony Kay and Erick Fedde which very much helps their rotation. The bullpen also shows signs of positivity with the signing of Seranthony Domínguez, who will serve as their closer this season. There is hope going forward for this White Sox organization that they could be a playoff team sooner rather than later.
AL West
1. Seattle Mariners 92-70
The Mariners are coming in off a successful season in 2025. The Mariners have one of the most complete lineups in all of the MLB. They are led by stars Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez. The pickup of Brendan Donovan, who provides a great bat to an already amazing lineup. This lineup is stacked from top to bottom and fans should be very excited to watch this team for years to come. The Mariners have the best rotation in baseball in my opinion. Logan Gilbert, Bryan Woo and Luis Castillo can all be in the Cy Young race. This team is loaded with talent at each and every position. The Mariners are the team to beat in the AL in my opinion and if they get hot at the right time they will be a World Series contender.
2. Houston Astros 84-78
The Astros are looking to make their return to the postseason in 2026 after missing it in 2025. This Astros lineup still has a lot of depth that they have had for years. The offense is led by Yordan Alvarez and Jose Altuve. This team even though its ageing can still go out there and compete with the best the league has to offer. They have a very talented rotation which is led by Cristian Javier and NPB signing Tatsuya Imai. The Astros bullpen is led by Bryan Abreu who is one the best relievers in baseball. The Astros are going to have a tough time reaching the playoffs this year but I think they will give the Mariners a run for their money come playoff time.
3. Athletics 81-81
The Athletics had a very strong finish in 2025, they look to gain momentum from that in 2026. The A’s are going to have one of the best offenses in baseball in my opinion. They added Jeff McNeil who struggled with the Mets last season. Their pitching rotation is very lackluster which is led by Luis Severino and they also brought in Aaron Civale to help bring in some depth. The A’s bullpen is underwhelming; they did add Mark Leither Jr. this offseason. The A’s will be able to compete this year but I still see them being a year out of the playoffs.
4. Texas Rangers 78-84
The Rangers finished last year at 500 and look to get back to where they were in 2023. The offense is still very good but they traded Marcus Semien for outfielder Brandon Nimmo. Nimmo adds a great leadoff hitter to get on for guys like Cory Seager and Jake Burger. The Rangers starting pitching is led by Jacob DeGrom and Nathan Eovaldi. They also added MacKenzie Gore to help boost the middle of the rotation. The Rangers bullpen is led by Robert Garica and not that many other high quality arms. The bullpen is a big question mark going into this season for the Rangers. If the Rangers are in the wild card race come September I will count this season as a success for fans.
5. Los Angeles Angels 72-90
The Angels are coming into this season after a struggling 2025. The offense is led by the former MVP Mike Trout and Jorge Soler. The Angels added Josh Lowe and Adam Frazier to add some much needed depth to this lineup. This Angels pitching staff is very underwhelming with the big names in the rotation being Yusei Kikuchi and José Soriano. The bullpen took a major improvement during the offseason by adding Jordan Romano and Drew Pomeranz. I still think that the Angels are a long way away from the playoffs as of this season.
Noah’s Playoff Prediction
NL
1. Dodgers 107-55
2. Phillies 95-67
3. Brewers 94-68
4. Padres 93-69
5. Mets 91-71
6. Cubs 89-73
AL
1. Blue Jays 96-66
2. Mariners 92-70
3. Tigers 91-71
4. Yankees 90-72
5. Red Sox 89-73
6. Guardians 89-73
