Art by Mariah Mapa
Transparency: This is the opinion and perspective of the writer.
The 2025 season, despite the Los Angeles Dodgers championship repeat, had one of the more entertaining postseasons. From first baseman Freddie Freeman walking off an 18 inning Game 3 in the World Series to DH Shohei Ohtani winning his third MVP in a row, the Dodgers ran the baseball season for the second year in a row.
The Dodgers signing right fielder Kyle Tucker shook up the baseball world, stacking onto their already star-studded roster, but the Toronto Blue Jays look to repeat their success by signing starting pitcher Dylan Cease.
As opening week starts, members of the Graphic are taking guesses at which MLB players and teams will succeed in the seemingly new Dodgers era. Here’s what we predicted for this upcoming season:
2026 Award Winners: Most Valuable Player
American League
- Shane: Aaron Judge, Outfielder for the New York Yankees
- Marcos: Wyatt Langford, Outfielder for the Texas Rangers
- Nina: Aaron Judge
- Clementine: Bobby Witt Jr., Shortstop for the Kansas City Royals
- Connor: Julio Rodriguez, Outfielder for the Seattle Mariners
- Tony: Aaron Judge
- Henry: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., First baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays
“Mama, that’s a bad bad man.” – Nina Fife
“Trust, Canada is gonna have a crazy year.” – Henry Adams
National League
- Shane: Shohei Ohtani, Designated Hitter for the Los Angeles Dodgers
- Marcos: Elly De La Cruz, Shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds
- Nina: Shohei Ohtani
- Clementine: Shohei Ohtani
- Connor: Juan Soto, Outfielder for the New York Mets
- Tony: Shohei Ohtani
- Henry: Shohei Ohtani
“Shohei looked better in red anyways.” – Shane Stephens
“This is the year Elly puts it all together behind a stacked Red’s rotation.” – Marcos Lizarraga
Cy Young
American League
- Shane: Jose Soriano, Pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels
- Marcos: Logan Gilbert, Pitcher for the Seattle Mariners
- Nina: Garrett Crochet, Pitcher for the Boston Red Sox
- Clementine: Gavin Williams, Pitcher for the Cleveland Guardians
- Connor: Jacob deGrom, Pitcher for the Texas Rangers
- Tony: Garrett Crochet
- Henry: Tarik Skubal, Pitcher for the Detroit Tigers
“WAR PIG.” – Tony Gleason
“Favorite and best pitcher in the American League.” – Clementine Metz
“Does Soriano have huge flaws? Yes. Am I an Angels fan? Yes. Let me believe” – Shane Stephens
National League
- Shane: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers
- Marcos: Logan Webb, Pitcher for the San Francisco Giants
- Nina: Paul Skenes, Pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates
- Clementine: Paul Skenes
- Connor: Paul Skenes
- Tony: Yoshinobu Yamamoto
- Henry: Yoshinobu Yamamoto
“GUY SHOVES.” – Nina Fife
“After the past World Series, I’m genuinely terrified of this guy.” – Shane Stephens
“Two Logans for Cy Young!” – Marcos Lizarraga
MLB Division Winners
American League (East, Central, West)
- Shane: New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers, Seattle Mariners
- Marcos: Tampa Bay Rays, Kansas City Royals, Seattle Mariners
- Nina: Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, Seattle Mariners
- Clementine: Toronto Blue Jays, Cleveland Guardians, Seattle Mariners
- Connor: Toronto Blue Jays, Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros
- Tony: Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, Seattle Mariners
- Henry: Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels
“I really want to say the Red Sox will win the East, but they just don’t have enough offense.” – Tony Gleason
“Canada 2026. Believe in it.” – Henry Adams
“We have watched the Blue Jays and Mariners rebuild take off and the Tigers are finally catching up.” – Nina Fife
National League (East, Central, West)
- Shane: Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers
- Marcos: Philadelphia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers
- Nina: Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers
- Clementine: Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers
- Connor: New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers
- Tony: New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers
- Henry: New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers
“Braves bounceback season is going to feed families.” – Shane Stephens
“What Shane said.” – Clementine Metz
“I don’t do sports betting but I feel so confident in these picks I would put money on them.” – Nina Fife
World Series
- Shane: Dodgers beat Mariners in 5
- Marcos: Tigers beat Dodgers in 7
- Nina: Dodgers beat Blue Jays in 6
- Clementine: Mariners beat Blue Jays in 7
- Connor: Dodgers beat Astros in 6
- Tony: Dodgers beat Mariners in 7
- Henry: Mets beat Blue Jays in 6
“I’m optimistic about the Mariners performance… root for underdog” – Clementine Metz
“It’s gonna be big for Canada but even bigger for the Big Apple. They can’t stop winning.” – Henry Adams
“Dodgers 3-peat is more predictable than a Mets late season collapse” – Shane Stephens
“Skubal coming out of the bullpen, in Game 7, to strike out Shohei, Kyle Tucker and Mookie Betts might heal me and bring my love for baseball back.” – Marcos Lizarraga
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Contact Shane Stephens via email: shane.stephens@pepperdine.edu