10 Fearless Prediction's For 2026

First chance this new season to put my foot directly in my mouth. I really suck at this, but what the hell. There are many ways to look at the new season, new players, and new rules. One prediction already shot to hell with Kim being demoted to AAA. I was absolutely sure Freeland would be sent down after his absolutely awful performance at the plate this spring, so I am in the hole already.

Prediction one: The Dodgers will win between 98 and 104 games. I just believe with the offense they have and the pitching staff and depth, they will simply either bludgeon the opposition or smother their offenses with premium pitching. To me, it seems very unlikely the Dodgers lose more than three games in a row at any point this year.

Prediction two: They win the division by at least 9 games. There isn’t a team in the West with the Dodgers depth in both offense and pitching. Defensively, they will be better with Teo back on the left and Tucker now patrolling the right. Pages has made gigantic strides as a defensive center fielder.

Prediction three: Mookie Betts has a rebound season and one of his better offensive years as a Dodger. He is going to have plenty of opportunities to drive in runs with Ohtani and Tucker hitting in front of him. Also, since he will be in good health from the beginning of the year, I expect him to hit closer to 30 homers than just the 20 he had last year.

Prediction four: Freddie Freeman returns to the ranks of .300 hitters. I honestly believe a healthy Freeman can rise to that level another time. Freddie has a higher BA as a Dodger, .310, than he did as a Brave, .295. I also feel his homer production and RBIs will improve from last season’s numbers. Two injury-plagued and family issue seasons are now behind him. He has looked very good this spring.

Prediction five: The starting rotation will have at least three pitchers with 10 wins or more. Yoshi, Ohtani, Glasnow. Snell will miss significant time, but be nails come playoff time. At some point, River Ryan will contribute important innings during the season. There will be several IL stints among the staff. Diaz will become the first Dodger closer since Jansen to post 30-plus saves.

Prediction six: The Dodgers will lead the National League in home runs, with Betts, Freeman, Smith, Teo, Ohtani, Muncy, Tucker, and Pages all hitting more than 20. Ohtani will not hit 50-plus this year. His presence in the rotation will impact his overall offense. He will still put up big numbers, but his average will dip.

Prediction seven: The Dodgers will need to make a couple of trades at the deadline to either replace an injured player or replace a pitcher who is underperforming. It will be a surprise move to the fans. They will not trade for a big-name player, but for a player who fits the team’s needs.

Prediction eight: Though loved by the fans, Kike will not make a huge impact for the team. He will play somewhat better than last season, when he was injured, but with the entire starting lineup healthy, he will not get much playing time. His postseason impact will be minimal.

Prediction nine. The Dodgers will have a huge target on their back this year. That is a given. Every team will look for a weakness, and if they find one, they will exploit it to the fullest. LA will be facing every team’s best pitching day in and day out. To be the best, they are going to have to beat the best the league can throw at them.

Prediction ten: The Dodgers will come close to threepeating but fall just short. It is hard enough just to make it to the playoffs. Their path to the division is not all that difficult, but the other teams in both leagues, who are contenders, have made improvements, too. LA has the resources to get what it needs but will not go beyond what it believes is a reasonable deal. They will probably make it to the World Series but lose to the American League Champ. They almost lost last time.