The 2026 MLB season will begin on Wednesday with a matchup between the New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants, followed by a full-game slate on Thursday, which means this is the perfect time to address our final MLB predictions for the campaign.
Here’s our full list of potential winners for the 2026 MLB season, both at the individual and collective level.
Which Familiar Faces Will Win Their Divisions in the 2026 MLB Season?
- AL East winner: Yankees
- AL Central winner: Royals
- AL West winner: Mariners
- NL East winner: Mets
- NL Central winner: Cubs
- NL West winner: Dodgers
Perhaps the biggest surprise here comes with the Royals winning the AL Central over the Detroit Tigers, but that’s because the Royals should have enough internal improvement, as well as an AL MVP candidate in Bobby Witt, to hop over a Tigers team that could trend in the wrong direction, especially if they trade Tarik Skubal before the deadline.
Skubal isn’t expected to sign a new deal with the Tigers, so a midseason trade is a possibility, as they’d otherwise be at risk of losing him without getting anything in return.
The Yankees and Mariners are the clear-cut top teams in their divisions, so this is far from being surprising. The same goes for the Dodgers in the NL West, although we could see a change of guard in both the NL Central and NL East, with the Cubs and Mets coming out on top.
The Cubs got stronger over the winter while the Brewers got weakened following the departure of Freddy Peralta. As for the NL East, the Braves are a bounce-back candidate but have too many question marks in their rotation, so the Mets get the edge over a Phillies team that’s not getting any younger.
Will the Yankees and Dodgers Meet Again in the 2026 World Series?
- AL pennant winner: Yankees
- NL pennant winner: Dodgers
- World Series winner: Dodgers
The Dodgers might have a tougher path toward winning the National League pennant in 2026 compared to 2025, but they’re still the team to beat in the NL without a doubt. They have the best lineup after adding Kyle Tucker in the offseason, and their rotation will enjoy a full year of Shohei Ohtani paired with Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. There’s no team in the NL that can take down the Dodgers when they’re at full strength.
The picture gets a bit more crowded in the American League since there’s no clear-cut favorite between the Blue Jays, the Yankees, and the Mariners, but we’re giving the Yankees the edge since they should have a better rotation compared to 2025 with the return of Gerrit Cole, whereas the Blue Jays and Mariners overachieved a bit in the 2025 MLB playoffs. Look for the Yankees to return to the World Series and set up a rematch with the Dodgers.
Don’t expect things to go any differently compared to the last time these two teams played, though. The Dodgers are the better team, and the talk of them being baseball’s next dynasty will only get louder as they win a third straight World Series, something that hasn’t happened since the Yankees did it between 1998 and 2000.
Top American League Award Contenders for 2026
- AL MVP: Aaron Judge
- AL Cy Young: Tarik Skubal
- AL Rookie of the Year: Trey Yesavage
The Yankees are tipped to be one of the best teams (if not the best) in the American League, so Aaron Judge looks like a heavy favorite to win the AL MVP award for the third straight year and for the fourth time in the last five seasons. He has posted an OPS north of 1.000 in each of the last four regular-season campaigns, so the elite production and consistency are there.
Speaking of players who can repeat an award in back-to-back years, Skubal is the best pitcher in the American League and should cruise to winning the Cy Young once again for a third straight year. The only thing that might prevent Skubal from winning it is if he gets traded before the deadline, but even if that’s the scenario, if his (potential) new team plays in the AL, his odds could be unaffected.
For the Rookie of the Year award, we’re riding with a player who already shone last season on the biggest stage in Trey Yesavage.
The right-hander will begin the season on the injured list due to a shoulder injury, but he’s a lock to make the rotation once he’s fully healthy, and he showed glimpses of his quality during the 2025 MLB playoffs. If he can build off that and pitch at a high level over the course of an entire season, he should be the overwhelming favorite to win the award.
Top National League Award Contenders for 2026
- NL MVP: Shohei Ohtani
- NL Cy Young: Yoshinobu Yamamoto
- NL Rookie of the Year: JJ Wetherholt
The Dodgers could very well win the two biggest individual awards in the 2026 MLB season in the National League. If they end up being as dominant as expected (knowing there’s no such guarantee in a grueling 162-game regular season), then the Dodgers could see Ohtani win the MVP for a third straight year and Yamamoto earn the Cy Young for the first time in his career.
Ohtani’s accolades don’t need much introduction: he’s simply the best player in baseball and happens to play for the best team and in a stacked lineup. If he stays healthy, and the pitching isn’t much of a toll on his workload, there’s no one in his path to winning a third straight NL MVP award.
Meanwhile, Yamamoto pitched at a high level in 2025 and was one of the best pitchers in baseball, and another full year stateside could make him even better.
As for the NL Rookie of the Year award, Konnor Griffin is a strong candidate, but he’ll open the year in the minors, and there’s no guarantee as to when he’ll be called up by the Pirates.
Meanwhile, Wetherholt will break camp with the Cardinals and figures to play a big role for St. Louis as a game-changing infielder who can thrive on both offense and defense. If Wetherholt enjoys a strong start to the 2026 season, the award will be his to lose.
Which Players Will Lead the Majors in Key Fantasy Categories?
Three National League players are prime candidates to lead the majors in fantasy-worthy categories such as stolen bases, home runs, and RBIs: Pete Crow-Armstrong, Kyle Schwarber, and Kyle Tucker, respectively.
Crow-Armstrong isn’t the fastest player in baseball, but he’s coming off a 30-30 season and could see more on-base opportunities if he bounces back from his woeful 2025 second half. He should have more playing time and on-base opportunities to steal bases compared to faster players such as Chandler Simpson (who’s a sleeper for this category) and José Caballero.
When it comes to home runs, don’t expect Cal Raleigh to launch 60 dingers again as he did in 2025. The usual suspects, such as Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, are strong bets as well, but Judge will be playing the outfield, and Ohtani will also be part of the Dodgers’ rotation.
Meanwhile, Schwarber is a full-time DH whose only job is to hit the ball as far as he can every time he steps to the plate. Look for Schwarber to hover around the 50-homer mark in 2026 while going yard more than any other player in the majors.
When it comes to the run-production numbers, Tucker could be a player worth keeping close tabs on. He’s expected to hit in a premium spot in a lineup that will also feature Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernandez, Will Smith, and others. Tucker should have enough chances to rack up elite run-producing numbers while being inserted right in the middle of the best lineup in all of baseball.
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