Ryan Bautista | Head Editor & Layout Manager
April 5, 2026
Ladies and gentlemen, baseball season is upon us once again. The pitchers are warming up, batters are getting into their stances, and the first pitch is about to be thrown. But of course, before the season starts, predictions have to be made in order to anticipate likely outcomes for the upcoming…
What did you say? Opening Day already happened? Dang it, I knew I should have written this article earlier.
Well, I had to change some of these to accommodate my tardiness, but the points should still get across. Here are my predictions for the 2026 baseball season.
1. The Athletics will be a playoff team
The Athletics will be a very interesting team to watch this season. First off, they are STILL playing in a minor league stadium. Home runs, here we come! Second, they may have the sneakiest team ever due to their young stars. American League (AL) Rookie of the Year Nick Kurtz might be the best hitter on this side of the Mississippi, losing out on the country due to Aaron Judge. He is only 23, leaving plenty of time for him to overtake the superstar outfielder. Kurtz is joined by fellow newbies Brent Rooker, Jacob Wilson, and Tyler Soderstrom in one of the best lineups in baseball. The possibility of them entering the playoffs as a wild-card or division champ is not far-fetched, mainly because the AL West is…not that good.
2. Young stars are taking over
Speaking of young stars being really good, this season could be the time when a changing of the guard finally occurs. Kurtz is fighting Judge, Paul Skenes is cementing his name at the top of all aces (ignore the first game he pitched, where he only made it through two outs), and several other players are beginning to make a case to be the best at their positions. Adding in the slow starts veterans have gotten off to, key examples being Bryce Harper and Mookie Betts both failing to hit .200, the door is open for anyone to barge on through.
3. MIKE TROUT IS BACK!
I feel like this deserves its own section due to the hype it is getting. Yes, I know, everyone is very excited because Mike Trout is hitting the baseball again. Once considered the best baseball player of the generation (at least until a certain Japanese superstar decided to pitch and hit), Trout has struggled with injuries for the past few seasons. Even last year, when I said he wouldn’t be injured, he got injured, so thank you Mr. Trout for making me look like an idiot. At least this season, things have changed. He is not injured, has two home runs, and has even stolen two bases. Junior Stephen Fitzpatrick is “really excited about what the Angels could do if Trout is healthy” and said his ultimate goal for the season is for them “to not be awful.” I don’t know about the Angels not being awful, but I do think Trout’s success will continue, and he will have a resurgent year.
4. The Dodgers are winning the World Series
This one isn’t a prediction, it’s a promise. No, I’m not biased, stop accusing me of playing favorites. The reigning champs won the last two World Series despite not having a) a star outfielder and b) a dominant closer. This off-season, the Dodgers got a star outfielder and a dominant closer. Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz may have been expensive options, but when has money ever stopped the Dodgers? Both have already made their presence known, with Tucker providing a game-winning hit and Diaz collecting three saves. The holes have been plugged up, and nothing can stop the Dodgers from three-peating. Junior Charlie Coniglio described how he “respects what the Dodgers are doing, but is concerned about what it means for the rest of the league.” He agreed that “they will win the World Series, but what will happen afterwards?” More on that later. Back to the Dodgers, their lineup, anchored by Shohei Ohtani, is the deepest in the league, with former All-Star Teoscar Hernandez batting 7th. Yes, in going from “best” to “worst,” the Dodgers have an All-Star batting seventh in their lineup. Adding that to their dominant pitching staff, also including Ohtani and reigning World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Dodgers are winning it all once again.
Looking back at last year’s predictions, I was…let’s say 1.5/4. Therefore, don’t take these predictions as accurate prophecies regarding the future. Instead, relax and enjoy what may be the final full season of baseball for a while.
Why, you may ask? Everyone is probably going to argue with each other regarding a salary cap, and no one will want to play. But that’s next year’s problem.
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