As the offseason continues, things are starting to cool down a bit as many big free agents are now off the board. Now, it is time to wait for what the rest of the offseason will be like before spring training. As most of the big offseason move’s have already occurred, here’s a way too early prediction for how the National League will look like.
Predicting the National League Division Standings
NL West
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
With Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz being added to a team that is already a monster, the Los Angeles Dodgers will probably win the division with ease next season. Both the lineup and rotation looks amazing, and now many are even wondering if this team is the best ever. Only time will tell, but this team will probably take the division.
2. San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres must find a way to replace their losses from the offseason. However, San Diego still has enough stars and key players to make a run to the playoffs. If injury doesn’t hurt San Diego, they may be able to do more.
3. San Francisco Giants
Simply put, it doesn’t feel like a very major offseason for the San Francisco Giants in terms of losses or gains. This team feels like it could pretty much either make the wild card round or just be average and miss it yet again. The question remains what San Francisco can do with their rotation and hopefully better offense in 2026.
4. Arizona Diamondbacks
After back-to-back disappointing, empty seasons, the Arizona Diamondbacks are likely to remain the same this season. They have two of some of the best players in the MLB in Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte. However, the rotation and bullpen and even the outfield has some holes. This team is in all likeliness going to struggle in 2026.
5. Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies will simply continue to rebuild in 2026, hopefully gaining some more key young players. They still have much work to do, but these seasons are always interesting for teams in a rebuild. Plus, getting Michael Lorenzen can certainly lead to a good trade return after a 1–year, 8 million dollar deal.
NL Central
1. Chicago Cubs
After a largely disappointing season for the Chicago Cubs in 2025, they look like a team that can challenge just about anyone in 2026. Even though for the last few seasons the Milwaukee Brewers have made some impressive runs, this season Chicago should secure the division. They may have lost Tucker, but Chicago has added Alex Bregman and Edward Cabrera, setting up for a much improved team in 2026.
2. Milwaukee Brewers
Simply put, this team is a stubborn team that just doesn’t want to compete but still does. This time, Milwaukee will have to find a way to replace a Cy Young caliber pitcher in Freddy Peralta. With a relatively weak conference other than Chicago, they still might finish high in the conference, but a miracle is needed for the team to get away with another surprise season.
3. Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds for some strange reason thought to spend nothing this offseason after beating out the New York Mets for the final wild card last season. The Reds young core just isn’t getting helped, and another lucky season is needed for a wild card this season. The Reds just don’t look like they can compete as they literally added pretty much nothing.
4. Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates deserve a round of applause for spending some money this offseason. There is some work to do, however, the fact that they are willing to do such a thing is a good sign. With some young talent and the additions of some veterans, there definitely can be some better results this season. A wild card isn’t out of the question at all, they just must prove themselves.
5. St. Louis Cardinals
For the first time in a while, the St. Louis Cardinals will undergo a full out rebuild. This season, the wild card is probably way out of reach after trading away all of their veteran talent. The hope for the Cards is to get some really good seasons out of many of their future stars.
NL East
1. New York Mets
In a stacked NL East, the Mets feel like they could easily be number three or number one (not just in the division, in the whole MLB). A huge overhaul has changed their lineup into something more balanced and a lineup with much more potential. Meanwhile, the rotation with the addition of Peralta is much, much better. In the bullpen, the Mets have a ton of depth that makes them much more improved than last season. For New York, a lot of things must come together, but they feel like they can. Other than injuries, missing the playoffs for another season will be very hard.
2. Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves haven’t done as well in the offseason as they may have envisioned. The floor and ceiling for this team is among the biggest in the league. This team could easily finish with over 100 wins and win the division with star talent. However, it could easily disappoint thanks to the fact this team is one that has underperformed since 2024. If injuries and underperformances can stop affecting the team as much as it has, the Braves will easily compete in 2026.
3. Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies did what they wanted to do by re-signing two stars. However, they failed in their mission to acquire a new core piece, such as Bo Bichette who nearly signed before headed to the Mets. The Phillies are set to replace Max Kepler with Adolis Garcia, which isn’t very big because they have very similar stats. This team can definitely be a contender for the division, but a few things just spell disaster, including an old, unreliable rotation.
4. Miami Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a sneaky team in 2026. After going 35-32 after the All-Star break, they even added some more young talent to a team that looked dangerous last season. The Marlins also have a quality rotation with some youngsters returning and the lineup isn’t garbage by any means. The biggest challenge for the Marlins is the division itself, which can really be a bad problem with 3 dangerous and hungry teams in the Mets, Phillies, and Braves. The ultimate goal? Probably to see what they can do in 2026, and maybe that includes getting a wild card. It certainly isn’t impossible.
5. Washington Nationals
Simply put, the Washington Nationals are going to continue their rebuild, heading into year 7 of doing so. With some of the worst pitching in the MLB last season in both the rotation and bullpen, this team is likely going to just be lovely food to eat for the beast of the National League. Trading away MacKenzie Gore and losing other key pieces in bullpen spells trouble for this team. In all likeliness, this team might compete with the Rockies in the being the worst team in the whole league.
Baseball is among the most unpredictable sports there is. Sometimes, players that no one has heard of may blow up, while established stars die, leading to different looking outcomes. However, right now, it seems like there are some clear favorites to win certain divisions. One thing is for sure, next season is going to be an exciting season.
Main Image: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
