MLB Preseason Predictions Graded After 2026 Season

ESPN has evaluated its preseason predictions for all 30 Major League Baseball teams following the conclusion of the 2026 season.

The Chicago White Sox received the highest grade of an A+ for their 24-win improvement and playoff appearance. Reliever Grant Taylor led the bullpen's rise with 10 saves and a 2.25 ERA. The team also earned an A+ for forecasting that Kevin McGonigle would win American League Rookie of the Year, a title he secured with an .806 OPS and 18 home runs.

Pete Alonso and Chase Burns also received A+ grades. Alonso became the first player to lead both leagues in RBIs with 113 runs driven in and 43 home runs. Burns posted a 15-3 record with a 2.86 ERA for the Cincinnati Reds. Parker Messick of Cleveland and Hunter Goodman of Colorado earned A grades for their strong statistical performances.

The Houston Astros received an A-minus with an asterisk. The club won the AL West at an 81-81 record, and Yordan Alvarez hit 42 home runs while winning the batting title. However, the Astros were outscored by 32 runs during the regular season, complicating the assessment of their success.

Several players received B+ grades for near misses. Athletics closer Mason Miller finished with a 1.67 ERA, just shy of a historic sub-1.00 mark. Milwaukee's Jackson Chourio hit 25 home runs but missed the All-Star game due to injury. Philadelphia's Jesus Luzardo went 14-5 before a shoulder issue, while Tampa Bay's Junior Caminero hit 42 home runs at age 22.

Notable misses included the Boston Red Sox rotation, which ranked fourth in the American League with a 3.92 ERA. Garrett Crochet struggled with a 6.30 ERA in six starts. Kansas City's Bobby Witt Jr. recorded 6.7 WAR, falling short of his projected MVP-caliber 9.5 WAR. Texas veterans Nathan Eovaldi and Jacob deGrom both finished with 4.20 ERAs, missing their sub-3.00 targets.

The Los Angeles Dodgers were projected to win 110 games but finished with 100. Key injuries limited Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, and Blake Snell to a combined 36 starts. Will Smith played only 73 games, and Freddie Freeman hit just one home run after the All-Star break. These results provide a baseline for offseason negotiations, including deGrom's final year on a five-year contract worth $37 million.