“DUDE. IT’S VALENTINE’S DAY. YOU’RE EARLY.”

Can’t argue. Mid-February is far too soon to have a legitimate on any Major League Baseball baseball season. The first Spring Training game is four days away, and there are still free agents to be signed, and trades to be made, and, most importantly, 25-man rosters to be set.

But that won’t stop Chicago Sports Stuff and Strat-O-Matic from throwing in their six cents.

This week, in an eagerly awaited reunion, the two titanic sports institutions will break down how the 2026 Major League Baseball season might play out. (Actually, SOM will do most of the breaking down. I’m mostly copying and pasting.)

Today: Chicago Cubs 2026 simulation.

Tuesday: Chicago White Sox 2026 simulation

Wednesday: National League 2026 simulation

Thursday: American League 2026 simulation

Friday: MLB Playoffs, World Series, and statistical leaders simulation

So if you can’t wait for the Cubbies’ Opening Day on March 26 — or, probably more accurately, Closing Day on September 27 — to see where the North Siders land in 2026, CSS and SOM have your back. Now let’s check out what Pete Crow-Armstrong and the boys might have in store for us.

Strat-O-Matic creates a 2026 card for every player with their Baseball Daily product based on player projections. During the actual season, new cards are generated each day that account for their projections, to-date season totals, and recent trends for each player. This simulation includes projected rosters as of February 15th.

Michael Busch — .840

Seiya Suzuki — .810

Carson Kelly — .785

Matthew Boyd — 15

Cade Horton — 12

Shota Imanaga — 12

Matthew Boyd — 3.61

Shota Imanaga — 3.72

Cade Horton — 3.74

Daniel Palencia — 28

Phil Maton — 9

Hunter Harvey — 3

Shota Imanaga — 1.09

Cade Horton — 1.15

Matthew Boyd — 1.20

Gold Glove Winners: Hoerner, Crow-Armstrong, Swanson

Game of the Year: Crow-Armstrong went 4-for-4 (2 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI) on July 3 vs. STL

Hot Start: Boyd opened the season 9–1

Power Surge: Ten players hit 10+ home runs

Career Highs: Swanson (29 HR) and Carson Kelly (26 HR)