The 2026 MLB season is just around the corner, so it is time to predict what will happen throughout the course of a grueling 162-game season.
Why the Chicago Cubs Will Win the NL Central Division
The Chicago Cubs were in a strong position to win the division in 2025, but the offense suffered an epic meltdown in the final two months of the season. The Cubs posted a collective .771 OPS before the All-Star break, which ranked second in the NL and fourth best in the majors, but that number fell all the way down to .721 after the break, 16th best in the majors.
That, coupled with a sizzling stretch by the Brewers that saw them win 14 straight games in August, as well as 11 in July, gave Milwaukee a third straight NL Central title.
Do not expect that to happen again in 2026, though. The Brewers should experience statistical regression compared to the second half of the 2025 season, and even though pitching will remain a strength, the decision to part ways with Freddy Peralta will haunt them.
Meanwhile, the Cubs solved their gap at third base by signing Alex Bregman to a five-year deal, and they should recover Justin Steele, who missed most of the 2025 campaign with an elbow injury, during the first half of the schedule. As things stand now, the Cubs look poised to win their first NL Central title since the 2020 shortened season.
How the Milwaukee Brewers Can Snag a Wild Card Berth
Not everything will be bad for the Brewers, though. Milwaukee has a deep roster, a strong pitching staff, and several players who are difference makers on offense, such as Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, and Christian Yelich, just to mention three.
This team should be good enough to hang with the Cubs in the NL Central until mid-September. Once Chicago clinches, look for the Brewers to snag one of the three Wild Card berths in the NL while hovering around 88 to 90 wins.
Why the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates Will Miss the Postseason
The Reds were one of the biggest surprises in the National League during the 2025 season, gaining steam in the final two months and eventually securing a Wild Card berth on the last day of the regular season, beating the New York Mets. However, the Mets should not have such an epic meltdown, and there are simply too many above-average teams in the NL East and NL West to believe Cincinnati will clinch a Wild Card berth again.
As for the Pirates, they will have a dominant pitcher on the mound every five days in Paul Skenes, but it is hard to see them doing too much in other areas to believe they will be in contention for a playoff berth. Skenes should be his dominant self, though, and if he stays healthy, he should be a contender for the NL Cy Young Award once again after winning the award unanimously in 2025.
Why the St. Louis Cardinals Are in Full Rebuild Mode
Back in the day, the Cardinals were the class of the NL Central and one of the top teams in the National League under the leadership of players like Yadier Molina, Albert Pujols, Paul Goldschmidt, and, until recently, Nolan Arenado. Fast forward to 2026, however, and it is a clear rebuilding year for the Cards. Unless they pull a significant upset and defy the odds, the Cardinals are ticketed to end the 2026 season in last place in the division.
They traded nearly all of their productive veterans in the offseason, including Arenado, Sonny Gray, and Willson Contreras, as well as utility player Brendan Donovan.
They got a good haul of prospects in return, but there is no way the Cardinals will contend in 2026 while getting younger. This will be a year in which the organization will assess its young talent, with an eye toward continuing the rebuilding process, which typically takes three to four years to yield results.
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