Editor’s Note: All my graphics going forward will come directly from Stat Soldier. Go check it out by clicking here.
Hard to believe there are only three series left to play in the 2026 MLB season. Let’s dissect the remaining ball clubs in contention to win the 2026 World Series.
Before I break down the rosters, I want to point out one off-field topic.
If you complain about the salary discrepancy across Major League Baseball, please look at the payrolls of the remaining teams.
Final 4 Payrolls:
Los Angeles Dodgers - $339,319,244 (2nd MLB)
Milwaukee Brewers - $146,206,320 (19th MLB)
Tampa Bay Rays - $95,615,469 (28th MLB)
Cleveland Guardians - $74,459,014 (30th MLB)
Money doesn’t guarantee success…look at the New York Mets.
I will give a case for and against for each of the remaining teams, with my predictions at the bottom. Thanks for reading!
Milwaukee Brewers
The Case For - There are no glaring weaknesses on this Milwaukee team. I mean, they were the best team in baseball this season by record, with 103 wins. The Brewers are electric to watch from top to bottom. They have a legit 1-2 knockout punch with Jacob Misiorowski and Logan Henderson as their frontline starters to pair with a deep bullpen and a loaded lineup.
The Case Against - In case you don’t read all my material that I put out there, that is perfectly fine. In my latest blog before this, I wrote, “If I had to make a case against the Brewers, it would be the fact that they don’t hit the long ball. T-28th overall in Team HR (153), this could be a fatal flaw come postseason play. The pitching is just so good in October that small-ball doesn’t work, and a team might rely on a lucky swing to put up some runs.” Be that as it may, the Brewers find ways to put up runs. I do continue to have this reservation about Milwaukee, though, as they have put up the least amount of runs this postseason of any remaining playoff team. The Brew Crew is running into a freight train of pitching with Los Angeles on the docket, and I am concerned it may be too much arm talent to overcome to advance to the World Series.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Case For - I mean, it is the Dodgers. This may be the most talented team to ever be assembled in the history of Major League Baseball. They are winning, and Shohei Ohtani is batting .154 this postseason. The Dodgers management has done an exceptional job at developing talent, adding depth for when injuries or slumps occur, and are currently the reigning champion. They have the chance to go and three-peat, which has not been done since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees.
The Case Against - Most of the teams do not have too many glaring weaknesses. If I had to make an argument here, I’d go with the bullpen. The issue is the bullpen has a ton of talent. Edwin Diaz is pitching to a 0.00 ERA this postseason with 2 recorded saves. They also have Roki Sasaki, Tanner Scott, Evan Phillips, Tanner Scott, and Alex Vesia at their disposal. It is going to take everything Milwaukee has to win this series.
Tampa Bay Rays
The Case For - This is the top team in the American League. They won 98 games this season, and that wasn’t by sheer luck. The Rays and Brewers are eerily similar. Both teams are in the bottom third of baseball when it comes to home runs, yet combined to win 201 games this season. It is because there are so many good hitters in both lineups. When it comes to team batting average, these are the top two teams in baseball, with both tied at .258 (1st in MLB). Not to mention the Rays can pitch. Drew Rasmussen, Nick Martinez, and Freddy Peralta are all reliable and can go grab the Rays a win.
The Case Against - I will not be totally lazy and say “see Brewers above,” but the same case here. The postseason is simply a wild time, and one swing can make all the difference. If the Rays find themselves in a pinch, there are only so many hitters in the lineup I would look to go and hit me a bomb. Outside of Caminero, Diaz, and Aranda, the lineup lacks some power.
Cleveland Guardians
The Case For - The American League is “down” this year. I say that because the American League West winner was .500, and 9 of the 15 teams were below .500. No team in the league had a 100-game winning season. The Guardians have been lingering for years, and maybe this is the year they sneak up on everyone and reach the World Series for the first time since 2016. The rotation looks sharp with Parker Messick, Gavin Williams, and gang; the bullpen is good as always; J-Ram is a future 1st-ballot Hall of Famer; and the Rays aren't unbeatable.
The Case Against - The Guardians lack the overall lineup depth to compete with Tampa. Tampa won 98 games in the American League East, while the Guardians won 85 in a mediocre American League Central.
Predictions:
Dodgers in 6.
Tampa in 5.