Who will make the MLB playoffs in 2026? Another Major League Baseball season is just around the corner, with first pitches and Opening Day tipping off in 2026. With the roster largely set, it's time to speculate more on what we might see in baseball this year.
Before Opening Day, let's take a look at our MLB playoff predictions for this season. We'll start with round-by-round predictions for the American League, then the National League, followed by the World Series.
AL Wild Card Round: (4) Baltimore Orioles vs. (5) New York Yankees, (3) Seattle Mariners vs. (6) Boston Red Sox
We're looking at three teams from the American League East making it to the MLB Playoffs this season, which will see them face off in October. The Baltimore Orioles should bounce back nicely after a disappointing 2025 campaign heading into the offseason. We think the New York Yankees will get off to a slow start as their starting rotation overcomes injuries, but they will find form by the summer. In a winner-take-all game, New York advanced with a road win at Camden Yards.
Meanwhile, the Boston Red Sox will face the challenge of defeating the AL West champions. This will be an excellent series, with both AL clubs boasting excellent postseason rotations and great pitching depth to pair with it. However, the Seattle Mariners boast a superior lineup and timely hitting sending them to the American League Division Series.
- Prediction: Mariners and Yankees move on
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American League Division Series: (2) Toronto Blue Jays vs. (3) Seattle Mariners, (1) Detroit Tigers vs. (5) New York Yankees
We think we'll get a rematch of the 2025 American League Championship Series, just one round before the MLB postseason. The Toronto Blue Jays strengthened their pitching staff after the previous season's loss in the World Series, while Seattle responded to their Game 7 loss in Toronto by acquiring Brendan Donovan. While sequels are almost never as good as the originals, the Mariners vs. Blue Jays matchup in the ALDS will be close. However, this time, Seattle's postseason rotation is healthy and proves to be a difference maker.
Elsewhere in the AL, it will be a rematch of the 2012 American League Championship Series. The real test will be how successful the Yankees lineup can be against the Detroit Tigers rotation. Aaron Judge and Max Fried will be responsible for New York winning two games in each series, but it will be the Tigers who will punch their ticket to the ALCS under the leadership of Tarik Skubal and Riley Green.
- Prediction: Mariners beat Blue Jays in four games, Tigers beat Yankees in five games
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ALCS: (3) Seattle Mariners vs. (1) Detroit Tigers
The American League's dominance comes to the fore in the battle between the Tigers and Mariners in the ALCS. We saw this matchup last October, when Seattle had home-field advantage and won a winner-take-all Game 5 in the 15th inning. It's going to the ALCS at seven. Skubal would lead Detroit to two wins, but he would only be available out of the bullpen for that crucial Game 7 at home. Led by a stellar performance on the mound by veteran Brian Woo and a home run by Julio Rodriguez off Friar Valdez, the Mariners are headed to the World Series for the first time in franchise history.
- Prediction: Mariners win over Tigers in seven games
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NL Wild Card Round: (4) Atlanta Braves vs. (5) Arizona Diamondbacks, (3) Chicago Cubs vs. (6) Philadelphia Phillies
We've got two National League teams that missed the MLB playoffs last year and are facing off in the Wild Card games this season. The Arizona Diamondbacks arrive here on the strength of a lineup of Corbin Carroll, Geraldo Perdomo and Ketel Marte, while improved defense provides a little more stability overall. However, in a do-or-die game at Truist Park, it would be the bats of Drake Baldwin and Mike Yastrzemski that would help the Atlanta Braves reach the National League Division Series.
Perfect for playoff baseball, this will be a must-see matchup between the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies that should draw big ratings. We would see Christopher Sanchez outpoint Matthew Boyd in a pitcher's duel, with Jhoan Duran giving up a two-run lead in the ninth at Wrigley Field to put Philadelphia ahead.
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National League Division Series: (2) New York Mets vs. (4) Atlanta Braves, (1) Los Angeles Dodgers vs. (6) Philadelphia Phillies
Maybe there's some wishing here with the hope that we get these two matchups in the National League Division Series. The most talked about matchup will be for the Braves against the New York Mets, a battle for bragging rights between the two NL East rivals. Atlanta has gotten to this point thanks to a great lineup with timely hitting, but the magic is gone at Citi Field. Nolan McLean delivers a pitching masterclass in a crucial game, with Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor both going deep in the series to send the Mets to the NLCS.
So far, we've seen the Phillies face off against the Los Angeles Dodgers a few times in October. Philadelphia can at least make things interesting with a playoff rotation of Sanchez, Zack Wheeler, Jesus Luzardo and Andrew Painter. This will not be enough. The Phillies' lineup has gone cold again in a crucial playoff series, vacated by Yoshinobu Yamamoto and struggling against Tyler Glasnow as the Dodgers move back to the NLCS.
- Prediction: Dodgers in four games, Mets in four games
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National League Championship Series: (2) New York Mets vs. (1) Los Angeles Dodgers
The best teams that money can buy are vying for the National League pennant. To the delight of MLB and its TV partners, the series will also include two of the largest media markets in the country. Unfortunately for Mets owner Steve Cohen, the Dodgers have greater pitching depth and a much deeper lineup than New York. This is the kind of series that many around baseball can point to as proof that MLB needs the salary cap, with a super team with a $400 million payroll beating a super team with a $360 million roster. Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Kyle Tucker led the Dodgers back to the World Series.
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World Series 2026: Dodgers win the World Series
The Dodgers would become only the third franchise in MLB history – joining the Yankees (three times) and the Oakland Athletics (1972–74) – to become World Series champions three times. Los Angeles needs to go all-in in 2026 as the salary cap is approaching and the Fall Classic will be under threat of a lockout. Ohtani would further his legacy as one of the greatest players of all-time by winning the World Series MVP for the first time in his career.
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