2026 MLB Postseason: Can anyone take down the Dodgers?

Three-peat? The Dodgers won 100 games and finished first in the majors by FanGraphs WAR. They also seem to be peaking at the right time. The trio of Mookie Betts , Kyle Tucker , and Teoscar Hernández have each caught fire after frustrating summers, propelling their lineup to a 122 wRC+ in September. They should be even better now with Shohei Ohtani back from the injured list. The pitching has been equally dominant, with a quartet of frontline starters and a deep bullpen. Sure, the playoffs in MLB are something close to a coin flip. But the Dodgers have the shiniest, weightiest coin in their possession. They should be expected to win their third straight title until they don't.

It's hard to choose a team from the American League to win the World Series this year, but the Guardians just might be the pick. They've been strong in the second half as they made a long chase down of the White Sox in the AL Central. They have one of the best rotations in the majors, led by Gavin Williams and rookie Parker Messick . They have an absolutely lights out high-leverage bullpen anchored by Cade Smith . The lineup struggled early, which is why their record doesn't look great, but they've been better of late — and nobody in the AL has a good lineup. If José Ramírez 's recent hot streak is a sign he's finally recovered from a hamate injury that sapped his power in June, then this is the most complete roster in the AL.

The Brewers just wrapped up their best-ever regular season. They won 103 games as the league's winningest team, and topped triple digits for the first time in franchise history. They have the league's ace in Jacob Misiorowski . They have one of the best bullpens in the majors. And they have a great lineup, even if the average fan might not recognize Jake Bauers , Brice Turang , or Jackson Chourio on the street. A title is the only thing left to accomplish this year for Milwaukee.