Expert MLB 2026 Predictions: Opening Day World Series and Awards Picks
Major League Baseball arrives with a clean slate on Opening Day. Filmogaz.com compiled Expert MLB 2026 Predictions: Opening Day World Series and Awards Picks from five national writers. Their forecasts show clear patterns and sharp disagreements.
Division consensus
Experts largely agree on a few division winners. The Los Angeles Dodgers were the unanimous pick to win the NL West. All five writers projected the Dodgers to top their division again.
The Seattle Mariners also drew near-consensus for the AL West. Four of five prognosticators selected Seattle as division champion.
- AL Central: The Detroit Tigers were the majority choice.
- AL East: The Toronto Blue Jays were a frequent pick.
- NL East and NL Central: Picks split between the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, and Milwaukee Brewers.
Why the Dodgers remain front-runners
Writers pointed to the club’s continuity and offseason additions. The Dodgers entered the season as two-time defending World Series champions. They also added outfielder Kyle Tucker this winter.
Such moves reinforced expectations. The roster upgrade helped cement the Dodgers as the team to beat in the NL West.
Postseason outlook
Predictions diverge once the regular season ends. Several writers forecasted NLCS appearances for the Dodgers. Others saw the Philadelphia Phillies advancing deep into October.
World Series picks varied widely. Some projected the Mariners to win it all. Others favored the Phillies, Tigers, or Dodgers in their championship scenarios.
Selected World Series picks from contributors
- Mariners over Phillies.
- Phillies over Tigers.
- Mariners over Dodgers.
- Tigers over Dodgers.
- Dodgers over Blue Jays.
Awards and rookies
Experts spread their votes across many candidates for major honors. Shohei Ohtani and Bryce Harper appeared among NL MVP choices. The AL MVP ballot featured diverse names including Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Julio Rodríguez.
Pitching awards also saw varied selections. Paul Skenes received multiple NL Cy Young votes. Garrett Crochet was a frequent AL Cy Young pick.
Notable award predictions
- AL MVP: names included Bobby Witt Jr., Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Julio Rodríguez, Cal Raleigh, and José Ramírez.
- NL MVP: picks included Bryce Harper, Juan Soto, Shohei Ohtani, and Ronald Acuña Jr.
- AL Cy Young: Garrett Crochet, Framber Valdez, Tarik Skubal were on ballots.
- NL Cy Young: Paul Skenes, Cristopher Sánchez, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto drew support.
- Rookie of the Year: Kevin McGonigle and Nolan McLean earned multiple votes.
Key takeaways
The Dodgers are the clear favorite in the NL West. Their star addition and championship pedigree shaped that view.
Yet experts differ on the title’s final destination. The path to October remains uncertain despite early consensus on some divisions.
Filmogaz.com’s Expert MLB 2026 Predictions: Opening Day World Series and Awards Picks highlight both agreement and debate. The season promises compelling storylines from Opening Day through the postseason.
