![\"Kansas](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2238671541.jpg\")
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If he stays healthy, Cole Ragans has the ceiling to finish as fantasy’s top pitcher. Scott Marshall \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n
March 23, 2026 6:00 am EDT<\/p>\n
With Opening Day 2026 finally approaching, it\u2019s time for me to rattle off some irresponsible MLB and fantasy predictions for the upcoming season.<\/p>\n
American League East predictionsAL East standings ALCS: Yankees over Red Sox<\/p>\n MVP: Aaron Judge<\/p>\n Cy Young: Cole Ragans<\/p>\n Rookie of the Year: Trey Yesavage<\/p>\n World Series: Yankees over Dodgers<\/p>\n Mar 23, 2026<\/p>\n Connections: Sports Edition<\/p>\n Spot the pattern. Connect the terms<\/p>\n Find the hidden link between sports terms<\/p>\n Play today’s puzzle<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If he stays healthy, Cole Ragans has the ceiling to finish as fantasy’s top pitcher. Scott Marshall \/…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":638714,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2374],"tags":[143,47,2538,5,28,4,125],"class_list":{"0":"post-638713","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-baltimore-orioles","8":"tag-baltimore","9":"tag-baltimore-orioles","10":"tag-baltimoreorioles","11":"tag-baseball","12":"tag-fantasy-baseball","13":"tag-mlb","14":"tag-orioles"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@mlb\/116278019314580093","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/638713","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=638713"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/638713\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/638714"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=638713"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=638713"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=638713"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nNew York Yankees
\nToronto Blue Jays (wild card)
\nBoston Red Sox (wild card)
\nBaltimore Orioles (wild card)
\nTampa Bay Rays
\nNew York Yankees
\nAaron Judge has the third-highest career wRC+ (178) among all hitters in baseball history, behind only Babe Ruth (194) and Ted Williams (187) for players with at least 1,000 games played. He also gets to hit in a terrific park for righty power and in a loaded lineup. It would likely require an injury to prevent Judge from winning MVP for the fourth time in five years.
\nJazz Chisholm goes 40-HR\/40-SB during his contract year, while Austin Wells swats 25+ homers.
\nJasson Dom\u00ednguez eventually benefits from a Giancarlo Stanton injury and never turns back \u2014 Dom\u00ednguez is drafted as a top-30 fantasy outfielder in 2027.
\nCam Schlittler has a better fantasy season than Max Fried, who\u2019s drafted 75 picks earlier.
\nWith prospects Elmer Rodriguez and Carlos Lagrange ready to contribute, along with Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rod\u00f3n eventually returning as reinforcements, the Yankees win the World Series.
\nToronto Blue Jays
\nVladimir Guerrero records MLB\u2019s best batting average, while George Springer regresses but remains a top-20 fantasy outfielder.
\nDaulton Varsho hit 20 homers over just 248 at-bats last season, and he can also reach 15+ steals. He\u2019s an outfielder to target, slated to bat between Springer and Guerrero.
\nInjuries have tested the Blue Jays\u2019 rotation depth, and the team may not be able to limit Trey Yesavage\u2019s workload as much as originally hoped. Yesavage wins Rookie of the Year and finishes as a top-25 fantasy starter with the help of a Blue Jays defense that might be the best in MLB.
\nRicky Tiedemann becomes a popular waiver-wire add before suffering another arm injury.
\nIt won\u2019t be easy after making a deep postseason run last year, but Toronto remains a threat to win it all in 2026.
\nBoston Red Sox
\nJarren Duran has a better fantasy season than Roman Anthony, who\u2019s drafted a round earlier. Ceddanne Rafaela finishes as a top-three fantasy second baseman, but Trevor Story spends far more time on the IL in 2026.
\nWillson Contreras is being drafted as the 19th first baseman off the board, but he should be treated as a borderline top-12 option after seeing a significant upgrade in environments<\/a> \u2014 hitting cleanup in Fenway Park.
\nHopefully, Garrett Crochet\u2019s disappearing K% (13.5) is a nothing-burger during spring, as he has an argument to be ranked as fantasy\u2019s No. 2 SP (given his presumed advantage in wins over Paul Skenes).
\nThe back end of Boston\u2019s rotation doesn\u2019t impress entering the year, but exciting prospects Connelly Early and Payton Tolle will be major contributors (and important fantasy adds).
\nGarrett Whitlock has massive contingency fantasy upside should Aroldis Chapman get injured (or see his control regress).
\nThe Red Sox lose in the ALCS.
\nBaltimore Orioles
\nAdley Rutschman bounces back after a couple of down years, while 21-year-old Samuel Basallo hits 25 home runs.
\nTyler O\u2019Neill returns to 30 homers, as Baltimore became much more power-friendly after moving in its left-field fences last season.
\nTrevor Rogers disappoints his fantasy managers, but Kyle Bradish helps win leagues. Bradish is a dark-horse Cy Young candidate who finishes as a top-10 fantasy starter.
\nThe Orioles took some hits in spring training, losing Jackson Holliday and Jordan Westburg to injury, and they play in MLB\u2019s toughest division.
\nThe AL East is as tight as it gets, producing four playoff teams from the same division for the first time.
\nTampa Bay Rays
\nTampa Bay\u2019s hitters will suffer going from a minor league park back to Tropicana Field this season, but Yandy D\u00edaz remains underrated given how scarce batting average has become.
\nCedric Mullins is an afterthought in most fantasy leagues, but few, if any, players offer his 20-HR\/30-SB upside at that stage of drafts.
\nChandler Simpson is only a two-category fantasy contributor, but batting average is the most underrated one, and he\u2019s the favorite to lead MLB in stolen bases (80-100 are not out of the question<\/a>).
\nDrew Rasmussen finishes as a top-35 fantasy starter.
\nThe Rays enter the season seemingly planning on a closer by committee, but Griffin Jax could take over the role, especially if Edwin Uceta suffers a setback. Jax has top-5 fantasy RP upside if his manager cooperates.
\nTampa Bay would be contenders in other divisions, but the Rays finish last in a loaded AL East.
\nAmerican League Central predictionsAL Central standings
\nDetroit Tigers
\nKansas City Royals
\nMinnesota Twins
\nCleveland Guardians
\nChicago White Sox
\nDetroit Tigers
\nATC\u2019s aggregate projections<\/a> have Gleyber Torres as fantasy\u2019s eighth-best second baseman this season, yet he\u2019s the 17th off the board in composite ADP<\/a>.
\nKevin McGonigle is a better hitter than Konnor Griffin in 2026, but the latter\u2019s stolen bases give Griffin the fantasy edge even with a more precarious arrival date.
\nTarik Skubal remains dominant, although he settles for runner-up in the Cy Young race.
\nJack Flaherty records 200+ strikeouts and finishes as a top-25 fantasy starter.
\nKenley Jansen racks up another 30 saves, moving to third place all-time.
\nThe Tigers just barely hold off the Royals to win an AL Central that sports a combined payroll that\u2019s nearly
\nKansas City Royals
\nKauffman Stadium moved in its fences<\/a> during the offseason, which should result in more homers and runs scored<\/a>, with fewer doubles and triples \u2014 Kansas City has decreased HR for lefties an MLB-high 27% over the last three seasons, so the changes will especially benefit Vinnie Pasquantino, Jac Caglianone and Carter Jensen.
\nCole Ragans wins the Cy Young Award and finishes as fantasy\u2019s top pitcher.
\nCarlos Est\u00e9vez is the first established closer to lose his job in 2026, with a committee replacing him.
\nKris Bubic is a heightened health risk, but he was a top-15 pitcher in the first half of last season before a rotator cuff strain ruined his year. He offers massive fantasy upside for someone going as the SP55.
\nThe Royals have a real chance at winning the division if Ragans stays healthy.
\nMinnesota Twins
\nByron Buxton remains one of fantasy\u2019s best players per at-bat but continues to miss time with injuries.
\nRoyce Lewis reportedly put in work to stay healthy during the offseason, but his performance in spring was hardly encouraging.
\nRyan Jeffers and Victor Caratini are both sleeper targets at catcher in deeper leagues, with the latter slated to play DH.
\nMick Abel is a deep SP sleeper, but Zebby Matthews ultimately proves to be Minnesota\u2019s No. 2 starter despite possibly opening the season in the minors.
\nTaylor Rogers enters as the favorite for saves, but the Twins will likely go with a committee that frustrates fantasy managers.
\nMinnesota will be better than last season, but misses the playoffs again.
\nCleveland Guardians
\nJos\u00e9 Ram\u00edrez appears to have survived a scare with his shoulder, and Cleveland\u2019s offense would be a disaster without him.
\nJoey Cantillo is a fantasy sleeper, while Parker Messick emerges as Cleveland\u2019s best pitcher after the All-Star break.
\nThe Guardians fail to produce as many save opportunities as usual, as Cade Smith falls outside the top-five fantasy closers.
\nCleveland won its division last season, but the Guardians will fight for fourth place in 2026.
\nChicago White Sox
\nWelcome to the least helpful fantasy squad, as the White Sox don\u2019t employ a player with an ADP inside pick No. 175.
\nColson Montgomery has received little hype for someone who hit 21 homers over just 255 at bats as a 23-year-old rookie. The curbed enthusiasm makes sense given his batting average risk and the loaded shortstop position.
\nMiguel Vargas will bat third and is a sneaky corner infield filler in deep fantasy leagues.
\nMunetaka Murakami flirts with a .200 batting average.
\nSeranthony Dom\u00ednguez records 20+ saves, as the superior Grant Taylor is used as a multi-inning reliever to prepare for a return to starting in 2027.
\nThe White Sox finish with the fewest wins in the American League.
\nAmerican League West predictionsAL West standings
\nSeattle Mariners
\nTexas Rangers
\nHouston Astros
\nAthletics
\nLos Angeles Angels
\nSeattle Mariners
\nJosh Naylor is a fantasy disappointment thanks to a full season in T-Mobile Park, while Cal Raleigh hits .230 and suffers obvious regression.
\nWilliam Contreras, who played through a fractured finger for most of last season, has the better fantasy season despite being drafted 40 picks later.
\nLogan Gilbert has a better fantasy campaign than Bryan Woo, who doesn\u2019t finish as a top-10 starter.
\nThe Mariners have a strong team and look like the favorites to secure the No. 1 seed thanks to the highly competitive AL East.
\nTexas Rangers
\nWyatt Langford is a first-round fantasy pick in 2027 despite Globe Life Field becoming baseball\u2019s second-best pitcher\u2019s park.
\nCorey Seager stays healthy enough to hit 30 homers, as he remains one of the league\u2019s elite hitters.
\nJacob deGrom finishes as a top-10 fantasy starter, while Nathan Eovaldi is top 20.
\nMacKenzie Gore disappoints fantasy managers, but Kumar Rocker reemerges as a popular waiver wire add.
\nTexas remains outside the playoffs.
\nHouston Astros
\nYordan Alvarez puts up a monster fantasy season, but Jeremy Pe\u00f1a\u2019s fractured finger affects his performance after returning.
\nChristian Walker rebounds with 30+ homers.
\nHunter Brown finishes outside the top-five starting pitchers, while Mike Burrows is a sleeper who finishes top 50.
\nJosh Hader doesn\u2019t throw a pitch for Houston; Bryan Abreu has the upside to be a top-three fantasy closer should that prove true, but he\u2019s struggled in the role before and sports a possibly alarming -5.0 K-BB% in spring.
\nThe Astros miss the postseason for the second year in a row.
\nThe Athletics
\nNick Kurtz\u2019s batting average will drop, but his power will remain prodigious with the help of Sutter Health Park.
\nBrent Rooker has an advantage in batting average and the ability to add double-digit steals, so there\u2019s a good chance he\u2019s the Athletics\u2019 most valuable fantasy hitter in 2026.
\nTyler Soderstrom has a better fantasy season than Josh Naylor.
\nDenzel Clarke looks like a potentially generational defensive center fielder, but no pitcher in Sacramento is worth rostering in most fantasy leagues.
\nThe Athletics will be one of the most fun squads to watch in baseball in 2026, as they are the only team projected to be top five in runs scored and bottom five in runs allowed.
\nLos Angeles Angels
\nJorge Soler returns to 25 homers, but Mike Trout fails to play in 100 games after returning to center field.
\nJo Adell hits under .220.
\nGrayson Rodriguez would have little trouble emerging as the Angels\u2019 ace if he\u2019s healthy, but he may require patience, having not pitched since 2024. His spring performance hasn\u2019t been overly encouraging<\/a>.
\nTyler Bremner gets called up after the All-Star break and induces aggressive free-agent bids.
\nKirby Yates takes over as Los Angeles\u2019 closer and records 20+ saves, but the Angels finish last in the AL West.
\nMore predictions<\/p>\n<\/p>\n