With Opening Day just around the corner, it’s time to settle in and get ready for another MLB season.
Every team starts the year with expectations, but you can never be sure what will happen over the course of a 162-game campaign.
Unless you have a crystal ball, predicting how the year will play out can be tricky. The early outlook is never as clear as it seems, and what you see in spring training does not always carry over to the regular season. That’s where bold predictions come into play.
Every year comes with a few storylines that no one saw coming. From surprise contenders to breakout performances, baseball is often defined by the unexpected. With that in mind, here are some bold predictions for the 2026 MLB season.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Hits 50 Home Runs
The Blue Jays’ superstar has already shown he can hit for power, reaching 48 home runs during the 2021 campaign. While he only went yard 23 times last season, he’s still firmly in his prime and remains one of baseball’s most dangerous players at the plate.
Now playing with a deeper lineup around him, pitchers won’t be able to pitch around him as easily. This should lead to more hittable pitches – and more home runs – throughout the year. If he can stay healthy, there’s no reason why Vladdy can’t hit the 50-home run plateau in 2026.
Ohtani Wins NL Cy Young
Having accomplished just about everything possible as a hitter, 2026 will be the year Ohtani extends his greatness to the mound. With excellent velocity, an elite splitter and a high strikeout rate, the Japanese phenom has proven that he has what it takes to be a successful pitcher at the MLB level.
The biggest thing standing in Ohtani’s way is playing time. The Dodgers will want to be safe with their franchise player, bringing him along slowly and limiting his pitch count. But as long as he gets a consistent workload, he’ll be in the conversation for this year’s Cy Young award.
A Last Place Team from 2025 Makes the Playoffs
Every MLB season sees at least one team that flips the script and this year will be no different. Just because a club finished in last place doesn’t mean they can’t turn things around the following year. In fact, the gap from worst to first is often much smaller than it appears.
Some last-place teams struggle as their younger players gain valuable experience, while others get derailed by injuries or underperformance. Regardless of the reason, it doesn’t take much for a team to move back into contention. Add in baseball’s expanded playoff format, and this type of turnaround begins looking even more realistic.
De La Cruz Joins 40-40 Club
With his rare combination of elite speed and raw power, Elly De La Cruz has the talent and potential to join baseball’s elusive 40-40 club. The 6’6” shortstop has displayed flashes of greatness over his first three seasons in the majors, and enters 2026 looking to take his game to the next level.
De La Cruz is one of the fastest players in baseball, having stolen 104 total bases over the past two years. Hitting 40 home runs will be the bigger challenge, but few players hit the ball harder. If he can show patience at the plate and stay aggressive on the base paths, Cincinnati’s young star would become just the seventh player in MLB history to join the 40-40 club.
Paul Skenes Throws a Perfect Game
Predicting a perfect game may seem foolish, but not when it’s with a pitcher as talented as Paul Skenes. The Pirates’ ace has already established himself as one of the game’s next generational arms, and he’s only beginning to show what he’s capable of on the mound.
With a fastball that routinely sits in the upper 90s and a devastating slider, Skenes has the kind of arsenal few pitchers can match. There have only been 24 perfect games in MLB history, but they tend to come from dominant pitchers with overpowering stuff. If everything clicks on a given night, Skenes could add his name to that exclusive list.
AL East Sends 4 Teams to the Playoffs
In the history of Major League Baseball, four teams from the same division have never made the playoffs. We’re predicting that the AL East brings that streak to an end in 2026. As the deepest division in baseball over the past few years, there’s a real chance the AL East can pull off the unthinkable.
The Yankees and Blue Jays are coming off 94-win campaigns, while the Red Sox followed with 89 wins and have plenty of momentum heading into the season. If those three teams can qualify, it would just take a playoff berth from the Orioles or Rays to make this bold prediction a reality.
Skubal Finishes Season with Dodgers
As one of the top pitchers in baseball and coming off back-to-back Cy Young campaigns, Tarik Skubal is the most valuable commodity on the Tigers’ roster heading into 2026. If Detroit falls out of the playoff race ahead of the trade deadline, he would instantly become the league’s most sought-after trade target.
The Dodgers have never been shy about making aggressive moves, especially when it comes to their starting pitching. Adding Skubal would give them yet another dominant presence at the top of the rotation and help them in their pursuit of a third-straight World Series title. With the way the Dodgers have been spending money as of late, a move like this almost feels inevitable.