Expert predictions for the 2026 MLB playoffs and the likely World Series scenario

With the regular season over and the playoff berths secured, the 12-team tournament that will decide the World Series champion is taking shape. While nothing is guaranteed, experts’ predictions offer a possible picture of the matchups and surprises that may emerge.

As Bleacher Report notes, among Yahoo Sports and CBS Sports, round-by-round predictions from nine different experts have been presented, showing a partial consensus in some matchups and sharp divisions in others.

In the Wild Card round, eight of nine experts predict the New York Yankees will eliminate their longtime rivals, the Boston Red Sox. Two other series show strong support: the Atlanta Braves against the Philadelphia Phillies and the San Diego Padres against the Chicago Cubs, each with six of nine picks. The matchup between the Chicago White Sox and the Houston Astros was more divided, with five experts favoring the White Sox and four choosing the Astros.

In the Division Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers appear to have received the most backing, with eight of nine experts expecting the two-time defending champions to advance; the lone dissenter was CBS Sports’ Dayn Perry, who favored the Braves. The Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers were each picked by seven experts. On the American League side, the Yankees received two more picks, while in the National League picks were split between the Cubs and Padres, one each. The Cleveland Guardians were the only one of the two top seeds not to surpass the 98-win mark; they won 85 games, and five experts gave them the chance to advance, while four voted for a White Sox comeback — after three 100-loss seasons, they reached 84 wins this season.

In the Championship Series, votes spread more widely. In the American League, the Rays received six of nine votes — four times projected to face the Guardians and twice the White Sox — while two experts predicted Yankees versus Guardians and one voted for Cleveland over Tampa. In the National League, the Brewers emerged as favorites in six predictions: three times against the Dodgers, twice against the Padres and once against the Cubs. The Dodgers were predicted as NL winners only twice, while the Padres received a single pick. For the World Series, Milwaukee received the most support with five of nine experts; the most widespread scenario was Milwaukee versus Tampa, with four votes, while another expert gave Milwaukee the win over New York. The Rays and Dodgers received the remaining title votes, with scattered predictions for opponents and varied outcomes.

According to Bleacher Report, these predictions offer an interesting picture of experts’ expectations, but the road to the title will depend on daily form, injuries and developments during the playoffs that can hardly be predicted accurately.