By Jacob Becquey

The Offseason is upon us, and with it comes a longing for the drama of Baseball. With America’s pastime still months away, it’s time to let our minds run wild with hot takes and predictions that we’ll look back at with distaste when the season begins. Here’s 5 flaming-hot takes for Baseball in 2026:

(Note: these are not official predictions, just harmless ideas of what COULD transpire.)

#1: The Mariners miss the playoffs

Seattle’s 2025 was no short of amazing; a division title, a runner-up MVP season from their catcher, and an ALCS appearance were dreams realized for a young team with a history of heartbreak.

Unfortunately, that dream season ended in a nightmare when the M’s fell to the Blue Jays in 7 games, falling just short of their first ever World Series appearance. Is this the start of a new, winning era in Seattle? Or is it a great season in the midst of disappointment?

While many expect the Mariners to win back-to-back division titles, it is wholly possible for them to not only miss out on the division, but miss out on October as well. Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodriguez, Jorge Polanco, and the entire Mariners offense had great seasons, but this does not come as a guarantee for future success, and we’ve seen truly talented teams fall short of expectations for years (2024 Blue Jays, 2025 Orioles, 2025 Braves).

While still talented, don’t be surprised if this Mariners squad struggles to win games.

#2: Roman Anthony finishes Top 5 in MVP voting

MLB has had some surprising MVP candidates in the past few years; just this year alone, we saw names like George Springer and Geraldo Perdomo finish 7th and 4th in voting in the geeks of incredible bounce-backs and breakouts respectively. 2026 will have no shortage of surprises with individual players, but one young stud stands out: Roman Anthony.

In 2025, Roman Anthony came up as the #1 prospect in Baseball, joining a Red Sox team on the search for a wild card spot. While he got injured, Anthony helped the Red Sox attain a playoff berth, slashing .292/.396/.463 in 257 ABs with Boston. Anthony himself finished 3rd in AL ROTY voting, showing how voters already appreciate what’s he’s done in his young career.

Anthony could play another key role in Boston’s success in 2026, and at just 21 years of age, we’ve yet to see his true potential. Expect big things from the slugger in the next few years.

#3: The Orioles make some noise in the Postseason

In a disappointing 2025 campaign, the Orioles went 75-87 and finished dead last in the AL East. This came as a surprise to many, as they won 100 games with a similar lineup just 2 years prior. The O’s struggled in a lot of areas this past year, but the main problem resided in the pitching- both in the rotation and in the bullpen.

Despite a terrible disappointing season, Baltimore has a ton of talent in players such as Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday, and Sam Basallo. This young core proves to act as a sense of hope for the years to come, but why not 2026? We’ve seen a similar team in the Blue Jays go worst-to-first just last year, and that team had less young talent than the Orioles do now.

It would take a lot for the O’s to make the playoffs, particularly an upgrade in the pitching department. However, they have the talent to fuel not only a berth, but a run in October as well. This team has a history of struggles, but 2026 could prove to be a special year.

#4: Dylan Cease wins a Cy Young

Cease’s 2025 went not-as-planned, as he pitched to a 4.55 ERA in 168 innings with the Padres. Despite his elite strikeout numbers, Cease gave up too many homers (a career-high 21) and failed to pitch deep into games, which inflated his other stats. But don’t let those numbers fool you; Cease is an elite arm that every team wants for 2026.

In the past few years, we’ve seen some great Cy Young resumes, particularly those of Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes. While both had great ERAs (especially Skenes’), they won the award due to sheer dominance. Cease may have some issues with command, but he has an impressive ability to make the best batters look trivial.

A lot will have to go right for Cease to win a Cy Young; he would have to pitch to a good ERA, keep the ball in the park, and manage some impressive strikeout numbers, but he is capable of all of those. No matter what happens, whichever team signs Cease is in for a great couple of years.

#5: The Athletics win a Playoff series

The Athletics may not have a home next year, but what they do have is talent. Young stars like Nick Kurtz, Jacob Wilson, Shea Langeliers, and Tyler Soderstrom give the A’s a super bright future, not to mention their farm system headlined by Leo De Vries. But what if the soon-to-be Las Vegas Athletics had more than just a bright future?

The Athletics do struggle in the pitching department, but they have a lot of potentially amazing prospects in that department, such as Jamie Arnold, Braden Nett, and Mason Barnett, not to mention their big-money ace in Luis Severino. Their offense was also top 5 in Baseball last season, above teams like the Dodgers, Padres, and Yankees. The truth is, these Athletics have amazing talent and a chance to be good next year.

It would take a lot of things to go right next year for the Athletics to make the playoffs, let alone win a series. But the A’s have talent and offense, 2 vital things for an October run. If the pitching can just become suitable, you could see a surprising Postseason run for one of MLB’s most exciting young teams.

What hot takes do you have for 2026? Let us know on X, @Full_Count_Blog