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MLB Playoffs Preview: World Series Odds and MVP Contenders
Confirmed
In Short: MLB experts Jorge Castillo, Bradford Doolittle, Alden Gonzalez, Jeff Passan, and David Schoenfield have analyzed the playoff field, providing odds for every round and highlighting key players.
The 2026 Major League Baseball playoffs have narrowed down to eight teams, with nearly 40% of them aiming for their first-ever World Series title. The Seattle Mariners, who came close last year, are the only team yet to play in the World Series.
The Colorado Rockies have reached the World Series twice but have yet to win it all. In 1998, they were swept by the Yankees, and in 2006, they lost to the Tigers.
The New York Yankees and San Diego Padres are among the favorites, with experts predicting a potential clash between them in the World Series.
MLB experts Jorge Castillo, Bradford Doolittle, Alden Gonzalez, Jeff Passan, and David Schoenfield have analyzed the playoff field, providing odds for every round and highlighting key players.
Zack Wheeler's injury in game 162 has hurt the Philadelphia Phillies' chances in the Wild Card series against Atlanta. The Brewers, however, have surged in the odds, finishing the regular season with a bye to the NLDS.
The Milwaukee Brewers are now the second likeliest winner of the 2026 World Series, according to BetMGM, following a strong September performance.
The Tampa Bay Rays have clinched the American League East division and are now even odds with the Yankees to win the World Series.
The 2026 MLB regular season concluded with 12 teams entering the playoffs, with eight set to play in the Wild Card round starting tomorrow.
Background
The Yankees and Red Sox first met in the playoffs in 1999, with the Yankees winning in five games. In 2004, the Red Sox famously came back from a 3-0 deficit to win the World Series.
The Guardians are now aiming for their first World Series title since 1948, the longest current title drought in Major League Baseball.
What's confirmed
- The 2026 Major League Baseball playoffs have narrowed down to eight teams, with nearly 40% of them aiming for their first-ever World Series title. The Seattle Mariners, who came close last year, are the only team yet to play in the World Series.
- The Colorado Rockies have reached the World Series twice but have yet to win it all. In 1998, they were swept by the Yankees, and in 2006, they lost to the Tigers.
- The New York Yankees and San Diego Padres are among the favorites, with experts predicting a potential clash between them in the World Series.
- MLB experts Jorge Castillo, Bradford Doolittle, Alden Gonzalez, Jeff Passan, and David Schoenfield have analyzed the playoff field, providing odds for every round and highlighting key players.
- Zack Wheeler's injury in game 162 has hurt the Philadelphia Phillies' chances in the Wild Card series against Atlanta. The Brewers, however, have surged in the odds, finishing the regular season with a bye to the NLDS.
- The Milwaukee Brewers are now the second likeliest winner of the 2026 World Series, according to BetMGM, following a strong September performance.
- The Tampa Bay Rays have clinched the American League East division and are now even odds with the Yankees to win the World Series.
- The 2026 MLB regular season concluded with 12 teams entering the playoffs, with eight set to play in the Wild Card round starting tomorrow.
What's still developing
- They're all still in 2026, but who is most likely to win it all?
- There were also a pair of playoff seasons in the 2000s without advancement.
- Their recent run has seen five playoff berths in seven years, but they've only made one NLCS (2022), where they were bounced 4-1 by the Phillies.
- Note: Doolittle's World Series and matchup odds come from a formula that uses power ratings as the basis for 10,000 simulations to determine the most likely outcomes.
- Some teams sputtered to the finish line, while others made unforgettable stretch runs to shake up the seeding in a playoff format subject to a hot conversation of its own.
- In this piece, I’ll break down where the top contenders and the rest of the playoff teams landed in odds to win the 2026 World Series, and highlight some takeaways about the path they took to get there or what lies ahead of them.
- Unarguably, this was the best regular season squad in all of baseball this year, and they proved that by clinching the league’s best record for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
- With just two weeks remaining in the MLB regular season, the race for the playoffs is starting to get very interesting.
- The Padres’ path would likely begin against the winner of the NL East, which at the moment is looking like it will be the Atlanta Braves.
- There are a handful of teams they could potentially face, but if everything breaks the wrong way, the Friars could have one of the toughest playoff paths imaginable.
- If San Diego can find a way to steal a game against Chris Sale and put themselves in position to win the series, I think they have a legitimate chance to get through Atlanta.
- Today, we are completing our final Power Rankings of the 2026 season, with these being the most important: our 2026 MLB Playoff Power Rankings.
Sources
- CBS Sportslink
- Espnlink
- justbaseball.comlink
- Padresmissionlink
- Justbaseballlink
- Warpbeatlink
- Finchannellink
- WarpBeat — background on The only MLB playoff preview you need: World Series odds, likely MVPs and how far all 12 teams will go link
- WarpBeat — background on Cleveland Guardians Clinch Playoff Berth, Eye First World Series Title Since 1948 link
- SportsGrid On Demand — video link