2026 World Series prediction: Dodgers still the best bet entering MLB playoffs
We’ve waited 162 games — six long months — for the games that actually matter in baseball.Finally, the MLB playoff picture is clear, and matchups are set; there’s no need to speculate on who will make it in.Baseball’s postseason begins this Tuesday with the Wild Card round as teams look to make the push for the ultimate prize.The best teams in each league have been well established since the start of summer and in some cases, even longer.In the National League, the Brewers and Dodgers locked up the top two seeds and will wait for the rest of the field on their side of the bracket to fight it out amongst themselves in the Wild Card games.They are also the first and second choice at the sportsbooks (Dodgers +220, Brewers +550 at BetMGM) to win the World Series.
The Braves and Cubs have had their moments and will be formidable, but the top two teams separated themselves from the pack a while ago.The American League has been a bit trickier.The Rays have been at the top since the end of June; the Yankees stayed within striking distance for most of the summer, while the Red Sox established themselves as the third-best team with a spirited mid-season turnaround.But the Guardians locked up the second bye after their late-season surge pushed them into the lead in the AL Central.The Guardians’ run has moved their odds to win the World Series from 17/1 to 11/1 over the course of a week.It feels like there’s much more room in the AL for an outlier to emerge because two of the three best teams by record will be out of the playoffs entering the ALCS.It’s difficult to ignore past results when making predictions on the future, but things really feel like they are lining up for the Dodgers entering the playoffs.
They’ve known what’s at stake since Spring Training, and a three-peat is clearly within reach for them.Yes, the Brewers have the better record and won the regular season series, but the gap is razor-thin.The Brewers’ style of baseball won them a ton ...