The marathon that is the Major League Baseball regular season is coming to an end this weekend, and the postseason field is almost set.
The push for the pennant is on, and the Scout Sports staff has made their picks for who will be raising the Commissioner’s Trophy at the end of October.
Chicago Cubs
By Ethan Diamond
The Cubs may be stumbling their way into the playoffs, which historically is not a great sign, but this team has shown just how hot they can get during the season.
Chicago’s offense ranks first in runs, OPS and total bases and second in home runs. Their defense is historically good, having broken the team Outs Above Average record while employing the best defensive center fielder in the sport.
Speaking of that center fielder, Pete Crow-Armstrong has by far been the best overall player in baseball this season. By the FanGraphs Wins Above Replacement metric, he’s about to break the Cubs single-season record after posting over 40 homers and 40 stolen bases on offense.
The offense is further anchored by Alex Bregman and Seiya Suzuki, among a plethora of other quality contributors.
The starting rotation has a large veteran presence. Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes were acquired at the trade deadline, with the former having made two starts in the 2025 World Series. Shota Imanaga and Matthew Boyd are also veteran options.
Where the Cubs falter is their bullpen. Outside of Daniel Palencia and Ryan Rolison, the team hasn’t found reliable options. David Peterson, who has been stellar in the rotation since his mid-June acquisition, could be an option. Team ace Justin Steele could also help the bullpen if Chicago can find room to activate him off the injured list.
If the Cubs want to make a deep postseason run, they’ll need their bullpen to get hot, their veteran pitchers to step up and their offense to stay hot.
New York Yankees
By Ian Manley
The Yankees just fell short of winning their division. Historically in the MLB, second-place teams are rarely positioned to win the World Series, if they’re even in the playoffs at all.
The Yankees are different.
For starters, their division is uniquely tough. The team’s 90 wins are well ahead of the other two divisions in the American League; it just so happened that the 84-win Red Sox and 96-win Rays joined the Yankees in a hyper-competitive AL East.
Despite some unlucky losses, the team has been dominant, outscoring opponents by a staggering 134 runs. They’re number one in the league in home run percentage and number two in opposing batting percentage.
The team dominates on both sides of the ball, racking up runs at a high rate while doing a great job preventing opponents from scoring. Simply put, if you get to a slow start against them, the game is already over.
The World Series is unpredictable and chaotic, but through that chaos, the most successful team in league history will emerge with yet another World Series title.
Atlanta Braves
By Jake Aimone
After missing the playoffs last year, the Braves are the NL East champions for the first time since the 2023 season. Reclaiming their crown from the Phillies, the Braves look to finally dominate the competition with their stacked roster.
While Atlanta fans have not had much to cheer for in October since their miraculous World Series run in 2021, the Braves look to change that narrative this postseason.
Headlined by a top-10 offense featuring the likes of Ronald Acuna Jr., Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies and Drake Baldwin, Atlanta looks to light up the night and any pitchers they face.
Not to be outdone, Chris Sale continues to lead the staff, and he seems to have gotten better during his tenure in Georgia. A rotation that has allowed the fifth fewest runs in the league will pair nicely with their fiery offense once October rolls around.
A run to the chip will likely include locking horns with the defending champs, but the Braves have faced this test before, back in their most recent World Series journey, and they will conquer them again.
Tampa Bay Rays
By Cooper Smith
The Tampa Bay Rays are the biggest threat in the American League to teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers.
They have their big three in MVP candidate Junior Caminero, Yandy Diaz and Jonathan Aranda, but that’s not all. They have stellar pitching in Drew Rasmussen, Nick Martinez and Bryan Baker.
With this team, you don’t want to be on the road against them having a home record of 55-26. They also don’t need to overpower you; they just play small ball, being second in batting average at .258. On the mound, their strongest stat is that teams have only a .675 OPS .
That is the fourth-best in the league, only behind the Yankees, Dodgers and the Brewers. The Rays are the scariest team, and people should not sleep on them at all. Don’t be shocked if the Rays are the 2026 World Series champions.
Los Angeles Dodgers
By Mark Wagner
No team in the major leagues has won three World Series titles in a row since the Yankees did it from 1998 to 2000. This season, the Dodgers have a chance to do exactly that.
Los Angeles is home to one of the best starting rotations from top to bottom, with stars like Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tarik Skubal and Tyler Glasnow in their ranks, not to mention one of the league’s best players, their two-way MVP candidate, Shohei Ohtani.
The Dodgers also have a ton of power on their roster, with four players hitting 20 home runs or more, including two All-Stars in center fielder Andy Pages and third baseman Max Muncy. And to top off their infield, first baseman Freddie Freeman and shortstop Mookie Betts have that playoff consistency that the team needs.
As a team, the Dodgers have the most quality starts in the MLB with 82, 22 of them coming from Yamamoto. Offensively, they’re tied for the number one spot in batting average with the Tampa Bay Rays at .258, even though none of their players are batting .300 or over in 2026.
Even in today’s National League, with teams like the Cubs, Braves and Brewers looking to clinch the pinnacle of baseball, the Dodgers will not make it easy for them. If your money isn’t on the Dodgers to win the Commissioner’s Trophy, be prepared to be disappointed.
Philadelphia Phillies
By Paul Swartz
Over the course of 162 games, teams can get by on simply having great offenses. When the playoffs start, though, the games start and end with pitching.
Philadelphia has the best starting rotation in the playoffs.
Over the course of three games, they can trot out Cristopher Sanchez, Zack Wheeler and Jesus Luzardo. Three innings eaters used to dominating strong hitters, they can and will shut down the best offenses, allowing their own bats to go to work.
And go to work they will.
This lineup is full of veterans and playoff risers. The addition of Luis Arraez adds a new dimension to their offense. Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber anchor a group that can explode in any given inning.
This group of players has been waiting for the perfect time. In a season with plenty of ups and downs, the Phillies are poised to win the World Series for the first time in almost two decades.
