We are a little under halfway through the 2026 MLB season and the league is starting to take shape. Teams are evaluating their position in the league, their roster, and the likelihood of their club competing in the postseason. In my opinion, there are a number of teams who have underperformed in comparison to their overall potential; and despite early struggles, have a realistic shot at playing meaningful playoff baseball come the fall. In this article, I will be looking at two teams, that are currently out of the playoff picture, that I believe will turn the tide and qualify for the 2026 MLB postseason. Additionally, I will be discussing a long shot to be the #1 seed in the American League.
Mets (27-35) [+550 to make playoffs]
To say the first half of the 2026 regular season has been a disappointment for the New York Mets would be a wild understatement. Despite having the highest payroll in Major League Baseball, the Mets are last in the NL East and are 15 games behind the Braves for the lead in the division. The two new additions to their infield, Marcus Semien and Bo Bichette, have struggled mightily in NY thus far combining for a -1.1 WAR in 62 games played. Furthermore, the pitching has been mediocre overall and has proven to be lacking the necessary depth to compete at a high level. With that being said, the Mets are not totally out of it. If the Mets get hot and work their way back to .500 by the time the All-Star and the Trade Deadline roll around, they can contend for a playoff spot. As of now, the Mets are currently only 6 game out of a wild card spot. If some of their hitters return to their average and they add some pitching at the trade deadline, the Mets could easily make the playoffs. Given the current price of them to make the playoffs (+550), this is a no brainer for me.
Blue Jays (29-33) [+120 to make playoffs]
The price on this bet is admittedly not as attractive as the previous, but getting the defending American League champions at “plus money” is great value regardless. The Jays have dropped their last four games which has led to the odds dropping. Toronto is a talented, well rounded team that, in my opinion, can easily win the AL Pennant again this year. The Jays pitching core of Trey Yesavage, Kevin Gausman, and Dylan Cease have been performing well thus far and the hitters have been around average. The Jays could look to add a bat come the trade deadline to boost their offense or potentially a relief pitcher, but even as they are constructed now, I’d be surprised if the Blue Jays did not make the postseason this year
Guardians (36-27) [+800 to be #1 seed]
Let’s get one thing out of the way: I do not believe that the Cleveland Guardians are the best team in the American League. Furthermore, at the beginning of the season I would not have selected them as the team to finish first in the American League. However, given their record and performance as of late, I think their odds to be the #1 seed in the American League is disrespectful. The Guardians have the most wins in the American League as of June 4th and their hitters, especially Jose Ramirez, have been performing below expectations. Gavin Williams and Patrick Messick have been a legit 1-2 punch on the mound for Cleveland posting an impressive 4.9 combined WAR and thus far. In my opinion, like the other teams mentioned in this article, Cleveland’s hitting will return to average making them a serious threat to finish the 2026 regular season with the most wins in the American League.