This season-by-season look identifies the biggest ups and downs for all 30 MLB clubs through the lens of fantasy value and betting angles. It highlights breakout talents like Geraldo Perdomo and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and notes pivotal shifts—injury blights, roster moves, and late-season surges—that will shape 2026 fantasy projections and postseason bets. The Dodgers loom as potential back-to-back champs, but health and depth will determine whether the forecast is fate or fiction.

Two weeks remain and the Rangers’ playoff math is razor-thin. Division odds hover near 2.6%, with Seattle holding the tiebreaker and Houston looming. To win the West, Texas must take two of three in Houston, then hope Seattle falters while Cleveland or Detroit stay steady. A Houston series win, plus a Miami sweep and Seattle setback could trigger a three‑way tie Texas would own on head‑to‑head, setting up a final-week wild-card chase in Seattle.

Oakland Athletics ride a late-season surge, spoiling Cincinnati in a three-game span as rookie Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson heat up, fueling a potential contending window amid Las Vegas relocation chatter. The A’s sit at 70 wins, with a strong run differential and better road record, while Reds chase a NL wild card. Batting races see Aaron Judge atop the AL and Trea Turner leading the NL. Rockies stumble, and trivia nods to Canseco, McGwire, and Weiss as former ROY winners from Oakland. Milwaukee’s comeback mood and Kody Clemenss homer spree loom large.

Seattle seized the AL West lead in September, powered by Cal Raleigh's 54 homers and a rejuvenated Julio Rodríguez. A potent lineup backs a rising rotation as Houston fights back with Álvarez, Peña, and Brown–Valdez. Texas, Oakland, and Los Angeles push for late-season playoff buzz amid streaks, injuries, and youth breakthroughs.

Nick Kurtz launched a 493-foot grand slam—the longest this MLB season by a player not named Mike Trout—as Oakland overwhelmed Cincinnati 11-5. Rooker and Cortes also went deep, with Jacob Wilson adding RBI doubles to fuel the late rally. Hunter Greene faltered, boosting his ERA, while Reds slip further in the wild-card chase. The A’s offense flashed power (Kurtz’s blast) and structure (Langeliers’ run-scoring hit, Wilson’s doubles) in a pivotal win.