2026 MLB expert predictions: World Series, playoff teams, MVP and more picks

With Opening Day here this week, MLB predictions are flying everywhere with playoff teams, award winners, breakout stars and everything in between. But as the official ticketing marketplace of Major League Baseball, SeatGeek holds its baseball takes to a higher standard.

So for our official 2026 MLB predictions, we went with two very different kinds of experts.

In one corner is Brandon Gustafson, SeatGeek’s MLB expert, a longtime baseball voice who has covered the sport for decades and has been published by outlets, including CBS Sports.

In the other is ChatGPT-5.4 Thinking, one of today’s top LLMs. It can process mountains of information in seconds. It can analyze trends, synthesize projections and make a compelling case for just about anything.

But does ChatGPT actually know ball?

Welcome to Brain vs. Bot, where we stack a baseball lifer against artificial intelligence and see who comes out on top in our MLB predictions for the 2026 season.

2026 MLB expert predictions: Brain vs. Bot

To put our predictions showdown to the test, we asked both Brandon Gustafson and ChatGPT-5.4 Thinking to make their picks for the biggest MLB storylines for the 2026 season.

For each category, you’ll get a pick from both Brandon and ChatGPT, with one side offering a short explanation for the prediction. That means a little less debating and a lot more getting the picks on the record before the season starts.

American League division winners

Gustafson: Yankees, Tigers, Mariners ChatGPT: Yankees, Tigers, Mariners

Gustafson: The Astros and Rangers can certainly challenge the Mariners for the AL West title in 2026, but Seattle feels like the deepest team of the three while also having a major chip on their shoulders after how last season ended. 

The Guardians surprisingly usurped the Tigers late in the year for the AL Central, but it’d be shocking if that happened again, especially after Detroit added Valdez to pitch behind Tarik Skubal, giving the Tigers maybe the best 1-2 starting pitching punch in the American League. I also think their lineup should improve in 2026. 

The Yankees didn’t do much in terms of adding from the outside this offseason, but the team is still plenty loaded across the board, and getting a Cy Young winner in Cole back at some point will only make them more dangerous. Plus, Aaron Judge is Aaron Judge. 

National League division winners

Gustafson: Mets, Cubs, Dodgers ChatGPT: Braves, Cubs, Dodgers

ChatGPT: The Dodgers are the easiest call of the three because they still look like the class of the NL on paper and continue to top the major preseason projection systems. The Cubs feel like the steadiest bet in the Central, where they’ve consistently shown up as the division favorite in projection models, while the Braves get my nod in the East as a bounce-back pick thanks to their combination of star power, overall roster depth and a roster that still has enough frontline talent to win the division if it stays healthy.

American League playoff teams

Gustafson: Yankees, Tigers, Mariners, Blue Jays, Astros, Royals ChatGPT: Yankees, Tigers, Mariners, Blue Jays, Red Sox, Orioles

ChatGPT: The division-winner part of this pick is pretty straightforward. The Yankees still look like the safest bet in the East, the Tigers have the frontline pitching and overall upside to take back control of the Central, and the Mariners feel like the most complete team in a very competitive West.

Where it gets interesting is the Wild Card race, and that’s where I’m leaning into the AL East’s depth. The Blue Jays and Red Sox both profile as legitimate playoff-caliber teams in most preseason models. That’s why I’m willing to put three AL East Wild Cards in the field, with Baltimore getting the final spot over teams like the Royals, Astros and Rangers. There’s just too much talent in that division for me to ignore, and the Orioles still feel dangerous enough to grab the last seat.

National League playoff teams

Gustafson: Mets, Cubs, Dodgers, Phillies, Padres, Reds ChatGPT: Braves, Cubs, Dodgers, Mets, Phillies, Pirates

Gustafson: The Dodgers are the two-time defending champs for a reason. Something would have to go very wrong for them to miss the playoffs. The Cubs lost Kyle Tucker to L.A. but got Alex Bregman on board, and they should be very good once again in a very open NL Central. Arguably no team was busier this offseason than the Mets, who have built an incredibly deep roster that can help offset the losses of Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz. 

The Phillies have as much postseason experience as any team not named the Dodgers or Astros, and they figure to contend once again. How the Padres play under new manager Craig Stammen remains to be seen, but there’s no denying the team ranks in the top 5-10 in terms of overall talent level. And the young and plucky Reds made a surprise postseason run a year ago, so why not have them make the dance again this year? 

MVP

Gustafson: Julio Rodriguez (AL), Shohei Ohtani (NL) ChatGPT: Aaron Judge (AL), Shohei Ohtani (NL)

Gustafson: It’s Ohtani’s world and we’re all living in it. He’s one of two players (Barry Bonds) to win four or more MVP awards in MLB history, and considering he’ll be back on the mound for all of 2026, it’d be a major surprise if someone else won the award in the National League assuming he stays healthy. 

As for the American League, Aaron Judge is the frontrunner considering he’s a three-time winner in his own right and is coming off his fourth career 50-homer season, but we’ll take more of a longshot pick here with Seattle’s Julio Rodriguez, who picked up his third top-10 MVP finish last year. Rodriguez is known for slow starts and red-hot finishes, so this prediction is centered around the idea that he’ll finally get off to a better start in March, April and May, which would boost his already impressive numbers across the board.

Cy Young

Gustafson: Garrett Crochet (AL), Paul Skenes (NL) ChatGPT: Tarik Skubal (AL), Paul Skenes (NL)

ChatGPT: This is one spot where I’m not overthinking it. Skubal still looks like the pitcher to beat in the American League, and Skenes has already reached the point where he enters a season as the National League standard with the Pirates. Both guys have the kind of stuff and swing-and-miss profile that can overwhelm a league for six months, and that’s where I’m landing here.

Rookie of the Year

Gustafson: Munetaka Murakami (AL), JJ Wetherholt (NL) ChatGPT: Trey Yesavage (AL), Konnor Griffin (NL)

Gustafson: It’s always hard to pick Rookie of the Year winners, but two stand out to me this year. In the American League, the White Sox added one of the better international players on the market in Murakami, who has drawn comparisons to Philadelphia’s Kyle Schwarber. He’s a more proven player than other AL rookies and could be in line for a big year in Chicago. 

Pittsburgh’s Konnor Griffin is the presumed favorite in the National League, but I like another NL Central player in St. Louis’ Wetherholt. The guy has raked at every turn in the minors after a stellar college career and he should get a ton of playing time for a rebuilding Cardinals team. 

Manager of the Year

Gustafson: Dan Wilson (AL), Carlos Mendoza (NL) ChatGPT: Dan Wilson (AL), Craig Counsell (NL)

ChatGPT: Wilson fits the award profile really well because the Mariners are viewed as a legitimate division-winning team, and he’s opened the season as one of the betting favorites in the AL market. Counsell gets the NL nod because the Cubs are one of my division-winner picks, and he’s also sitting near the top of the preseason odds board in the National League. For this award especially, I’m looking for managers attached to teams that can take a step forward or exceed expectations, and both Wilson and Counsell check that box.

World Series matchup and winner

Gustafson: Dodgers over Mariners ChatGPT: Dodgers over Yankees

Gustafson: The Dodgers have the best team in baseball, and until someone knocks them off the mountaintop, it’s hard to pick against them. Shohei Ohtani and Co. are dangerous across the board, and speaking of Ohtani, he should have a near full workload on the mound this season, making the Dodgers even tougher to beat. 

The Mariners are the only team in MLB to never make the World Series, and they were a hair away from winning a pennant last year. The team should be very good once again in a wide-open American League, so we’ll back Seattle to finally get the monkey off its back.

From here, we’ll shift into a lightning round, with both sides making a pick and one quick explanation for each category.

Team that missed the playoffs last season that will make it this year

Gustafson: Royals ChatGPT: Pirates

Gustafson: I love the Royals roster. Bobby Witt Jr. is a known superstar, but Maikel Garcia and Vinnie Pasquantino are All-Star-caliber players while the rotation should be a lot better in 2026 with Cole Ragans back and healthy. 

Team that made the playoffs last season that will miss it this year

Gustafson: Brewers ChatGPT: Guardians

ChatGPT: The Guardians look like a regression candidate after winning 88 games with a negative run differential in 2025. That’s a tough formula to repeat when the rotation leans so heavily on Tanner Bibee and the lineup still lacks real punch.

Surprise hitter that finishes with 40+ home runs 

Gustafson: Kyle Stowers ChatGPT: Oneil Cruz

Gustafson: A change of scenery paid instant dividends for Stowers, as he hit 25 homers with an OPS over .900 in his first full year with the Marlins in 2025. He did so in 117 games, too, so playing more will certainly help his case.

Offseason acquisition that makes the biggest impact

Gustafson: Kyle Tucker ChatGPT: Framber Valdez

ChatGPT: Detroit already had one of the best frontline arms in baseball in Tarik Skubal, and adding Valdez gives the Tigers a nasty left-handed 1-2 punch that can swing the AL Central and make them a real October problem.

Top breakout player

Gustafson: Colt Keith ChatGPT: Jackson Holliday

Gustafson: Keith had a great first half last year for the Tigers before struggling down the stretch, but he does a lot of things well at the plate and doesn’t have much swing and miss in his game. For more breakout candidates, I shared my favorite 10 picks on the SeatGeek blog.

Get ready for the 2026 MLB season with SeatGeek

Whether Brain or Bot comes out on top with their predictions, the best part is that we’ll get to watch it all play out over the course of the 2026 MLB season. From division races and award chases to October pushes and World Series dreams, there will be no shortage of storylines to follow. And when you’re ready to catch the action live, SeatGeek has MLB tickets all season long, making it easy to get in the building for the biggest games on the calendar.