{"id":646656,"date":"2026-03-27T14:20:28","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T14:20:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/646656\/"},"modified":"2026-03-27T14:20:28","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T14:20:28","slug":"opinion-graphic-predicts-the-2026-mlb-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/646656\/","title":{"rendered":"Opinion: Graphic Predicts the 2026 MLB Season"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Art by Mariah Mapa<\/p>\n

Transparency: This is the opinion and perspective of the writer.<\/p>\n

The 2025 season<\/a>, despite the Los Angeles Dodgers<\/a> championship repeat, had one of the more entertaining postseasons. From first baseman Freddie Freeman<\/a> walking off<\/a> an 18 inning Game 3 in the World Series to DH Shohei Ohtani<\/a> winning his third MVP<\/a> in a row, the Dodgers ran the baseball season for the second year in a row.<\/p>\n

The Dodgers signing right fielder Kyle Tucker<\/a> shook up the baseball world, stacking onto their already star-studded roster, but the Toronto Blue Jays<\/a> look to repeat their success by signing starting pitcher Dylan Cease<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As opening week starts, members of the Graphic are taking guesses at which MLB players and teams will succeed in the seemingly new Dodgers era. Here\u2019s what we predicted for this upcoming season:<\/p>\n

2026 Award Winners: Most Valuable Player<\/p>\n

American League<\/p>\n

Shane: Aaron Judge, Outfielder for the New York Yankees<\/p>\n

Marcos: Wyatt Langford, Outfielder for the Texas Rangers<\/p>\n

Clementine: Bobby Witt Jr., Shortstop for the Kansas City Royals<\/p>\n

Connor: Julio Rodriguez, Outfielder for the Seattle Mariners<\/p>\n

Henry: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., First baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays<\/p>\n

\u201cMama, that\u2019s a bad bad man.\u201d \u2013 Nina Fife<\/p>\n

\u201cTrust, Canada is gonna have a crazy year.\u201d \u2013 Henry Adams<\/p>\n

National League<\/p>\n

Shane: Shohei Ohtani, Designated Hitter for the Los Angeles Dodgers<\/p>\n

Marcos: Elly De La Cruz, Shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds<\/p>\n

Clementine: Shohei Ohtani<\/p>\n

Connor: Juan Soto, Outfielder for the New York Mets<\/p>\n

\u201cShohei looked better in red anyways.\u201d \u2013 Shane Stephens<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the year Elly<\/a> puts it all together behind a stacked Red\u2019s<\/a> rotation.\u201d \u2013 Marcos Lizarraga<\/p>\n

Cy Young<\/p>\n

American League<\/p>\n

Shane: Jose Soriano, Pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels<\/p>\n

Marcos: Logan Gilbert, Pitcher for the Seattle Mariners<\/p>\n

Nina: Garrett Crochet, Pitcher for the Boston Red Sox<\/p>\n

Clementine: Gavin Williams, Pitcher for the Cleveland Guardians<\/p>\n

Connor: Jacob deGrom, Pitcher for the Texas Rangers<\/p>\n

Henry: Tarik Skubal, Pitcher for the Detroit Tigers<\/p>\n

\u201cWAR PIG.\u201d \u2013 Tony Gleason<\/p>\n

\u201cFavorite and best pitcher in the American League.\u201d \u2013 Clementine Metz<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes Soriano<\/a> have huge flaws? Yes. Am I an Angels<\/a> fan? Yes. Let me believe\u201d \u2013 Shane Stephens<\/p>\n

National League<\/p>\n

Shane: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers<\/p>\n

Marcos: Logan Webb, Pitcher for the San Francisco Giants<\/p>\n

Nina: Paul Skenes, Pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates<\/p>\n

Henry: Yoshinobu Yamamoto<\/p>\n

\u201cGUY SHOVES.\u201d \u2013 Nina Fife<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter the past World Series<\/a>, I\u2019m genuinely terrified of this guy.\u201d \u2013 Shane Stephens<\/p>\n

\u201cTwo Logans for Cy Young!\u201d \u2013 Marcos Lizarraga<\/p>\n

MLB Division Winners<\/p>\n

American League (East, Central, West)<\/p>\n

Shane: New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers, Seattle Mariners<\/p>\n

Marcos: Tampa Bay Rays, Kansas City Royals, Seattle Mariners<\/p>\n

Nina: Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, Seattle Mariners<\/p>\n

Clementine: Toronto Blue Jays, Cleveland Guardians, Seattle Mariners<\/p>\n

Connor: Toronto Blue Jays, Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros<\/p>\n

Tony: Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, Seattle Mariners<\/p>\n

Henry: Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels<\/p>\n

\u201cI really want to say the Red Sox<\/a> will win the East, but they just don\u2019t have enough offense.\u201d \u2013 Tony Gleason<\/p>\n

\u201cCanada 2026. Believe in it.\u201d \u2013 Henry Adams<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have watched the Blue Jays and Mariners<\/a> rebuild take off and the Tigers<\/a> are finally catching up.\u201d \u2013 Nina Fife<\/p>\n

National League (East, Central, West)<\/p>\n

Shane: Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers<\/p>\n

Marcos: Philadelphia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers<\/p>\n

Nina: Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers<\/p>\n

Clementine: Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers<\/p>\n

Connor: New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers<\/p>\n

Tony: New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers<\/p>\n

Henry: New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers<\/p>\n

\u201cBraves<\/a> bounceback season is going to feed families.\u201d \u2013 Shane Stephens<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat Shane said.\u201d \u2013 Clementine Metz<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t do sports betting but I feel so confident in these picks I would put money on them.\u201d \u2013 Nina Fife<\/p>\n

World Series <\/p>\n

Shane: Dodgers beat Mariners in 5<\/p>\n

Marcos: Tigers beat Dodgers in 7<\/p>\n

Nina: Dodgers beat Blue Jays in 6<\/p>\n

Clementine: Mariners beat Blue Jays in 7<\/p>\n

Connor: Dodgers beat Astros in 6<\/p>\n

Tony: Dodgers beat Mariners in 7<\/p>\n

Henry: Mets beat Blue Jays in 6<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m optimistic about the Mariners performance\u2026 root for underdog\u201d \u2013 Clementine Metz<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s gonna be big for Canada but even bigger for the Big Apple. They can\u2019t stop winning.\u201d \u2013 Henry Adams<\/p>\n

\u201cDodgers 3-peat is more predictable than a Mets<\/a> late season collapse\u201d \u2013 Shane Stephens<\/p>\n

\u201cSkubal<\/a> coming out of the bullpen, in Game 7, to strike out Shohei, Kyle Tucker and Mookie Betts<\/a> might heal me and bring my love for baseball back.\u201d \u2013 Marcos Lizarraga <\/p>\n

_________________________________<\/p>\n

Follow the Graphic on X: @PeppGraphic<\/a><\/p>\n

Contact Shane Stephens via email: shane.stephens@pepperdine.edu<\/p>\n