Fantasy baseball: Bold predictions for every National League team

Making bold sports statements without any real repercussions can be fun, and fantasy baseball is certainly fun, so it’s time for us to combine these fun things into one column. Well, actually it’s two columns, as we go bold separately with the American League and National League, making a myriad of predictions and hoping that some/many might hit. Maybe not, but at least they should make one think.

For example, a year ago we predicted that Milwaukee Brewers OFs Jackson Chourio and Christian Yelich would each score 30/30. They didn’t do it. Miami Marlins RHP Sandy Alcantara did not earn an All-Star offer or be traded. However, we also predicted that Philadelphia Phillies DH Kyle Schwarber would drive in 125 runs (close, 132 RBIs) and that Colorado Rockies C Hunter Goodman would hit more home runs than walks (it was close, 31-33). Michael Harris II’s Atlanta Braves led the team in stolen bases.

Some (most) of these predictions will seem a little ridiculous in six months, or even sooner. However, there is a basis for each of these elements to be bold statements, and maybe that makes you think. Maybe the player in question has a particular skill – or opportunity – that challenges groupthink. Perhaps this statement is not positive. Fantasy Baseball managers tend to follow rankings and projections, but it’s also important to trust your instincts. Trust yourself. Take a few chances. Maybe some of these bold choices will seem wise in a few months.

With this in mind, let us be bold again, this time for 2026, ending with the National League.

Arizona Diamondbacks: 3B Jordan Lawlar finally becomes a top-50 fantasy option, hitting 16 homers and stealing 26 bases. …SS Geraldo Perdomo didn’t hit 20 home runs, but he walked 100 times and stole 32 bases. … Rookie DE Ryan Waldschmidt hits 25 home runs. … RHP Brandon Pfaadt finally figures things out: 3.60 ERA, 180 K. … RHP Paul Sewald leads the team with 21 saves.

Atlanta Braves: A healthy Ronald Acuna Jr. hits 30 home runs and steals 55 bases. … Catchers Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy combine for 52 homers, with Baldwin spending ample time at DH. … RHP Spencer Strider strikes out 240 batters with a 3.40 ERA. … RHP prospect JR Ritchie wins eight of his 11 MLB starts with a 2.95 ERA.

Chicago Cubs: OF Seiya Suzuki adds more power, hitting 36 home runs with 110 RBIs. … Regular DH Moises Ballesteros is hitting .260 with 24 homers. … LHPs Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga each win 16 games with an ERA below 3.00.

Cincinnati Reds: Rookie 1B Sal Stewart hit 28 home runs, batting .280. … Three Reds go 20/20 (Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, Noelvi Marte). … RHP Chase Burns strikes out 200 batters with a 3.50 ERA.

Colorado Rockies: Six Rockies hit 20+ homers, including OF Jordan Beck and 1B Troy Johnston. …OF Brenton Doyle steals 32 bases. … OF/2B/3B Willi Castro had his first 20/20 season. … The surprising RHP Jimmy Herget saves 22 games. … The Rockies finish with an ERA below 5.00 for the first season since 2021.

Los Angeles Dodgers: We predicted DH Shohei Ohtani would only steal 20 bases last season. He stole 19. Let’s say he comes back to 30 steals this season. … On the mound, Ohtani made 20 starts and won 10 games. … 1B Freddie Freeman, at age 36, wins his first batting title. … RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the only Dodger to make more than 22 starts last season, is the only one to do so again in 2026. … However, LHP Blake Snell has a 1.99 ERA in his 16 starts.

Miami Marlins: OF Jakob Marsee and 2B Xavier Edwards combined to steal 76 bases and they hit 14 home runs. … C Agustin Ramirez moved into the top 3 at the position, hitting 28 home runs with 22 steals. He moved to first base midseason. … OF Christopher Morel hits 24 home runs. … LHP Robby Snelling wins 14 games. … RHP Sandy Alcantara is not traded.

Milwaukee Brewers: Jackson Chourio’s real season is here. It goes 30/30. … Longtime 1B prospect Tyler Black, who is off to a hot start at Triple-A Nashville, sidelines 1B Andrew Vaughn in May. Black is hitting .280 with a 12% walk rate for the Brewers. … SS prospect Jett Williams doesn’t fend off SS Joey Ortiz. Ortiz bounced back with 15 homers, 15 steals and Gold Glove defense. … RHP Brandon Woodruff leads the staff with 149 K. … RHP Abner Uribe leads the staff with 22 saves.

New York Mets: SS Francisco Lindor (hand) plays opening day and every day. He played all 162 games and made 30/30 for the third time. … OF Juan Soto steals 24 bases. … Nine Mets hit 20 or more homers, including 3B/2B Brett Baty and 3B Mark Vientos. … Overlooked RHP Clay Holmes leads the staff in innings and ties RHP Freddy Peralta with 14 wins.

Philadelphia Phillies: “Elite” 1B Bryce Harper scores 100 points for the first time since 2019, and he scores 90 points. … Revitalized OF Adolis Garcia hits 35 home runs. … 3B Otto Kemp hits 20 home runs over 400 PA. … OF Justin Crawford steals 42 bases. … RHP Zack Wheeler makes his debut in late April and has a 2.76 ERA with 16 wins. … Five Phillies pitchers whiff at least 150 batters, including Wheeler and rookie RHP Andrew Painter.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Rookie SS Konnor Griffin made his debut in late April and was still hitting .280 with 25 home runs and 22 stolen bases. He’s a top-20 fantasy option for the 2027 drafts. …Seven Pirates top 20 home runs, including newcomers 2B Brandon Lowe, 1B/OF Ryan O’Hearn and DH Marcell Ozuna. … RHP Paul Skenes wins a career-high 16 games. … RHP Jared Jones (elbow) returned in June and won 12 games with a 3.20 ERA.

San Diego Padres: Healthy OF Jackson Merrill hits 32 home runs, leading the team. … 2B Jake Cronenworth takes the lead and scores 90 points. …OF Nick Castellanos, playing primarily at DH, hit .270 with 25 homers. … RHP Joe Musgrove, returning from Tommy John surgery, leads the starters with a 3.30 ERA.

San Francisco Giants: 1B Luis Arraez, adding 2B eligibility in early April, wins his fourth batting title with his fourth different franchise. … The Giants get 45 home runs from rookie DH platoon Bryce Eldridge and OF Jerar Encarnacion. … Backup C Daniel Susac hits twice as many home runs as starter C Patrick Bailey. … RHP prospect Blade Tidwell works his way into the rotation in June and wins 10 games with a 3.60 ERA.

St. Louis Cardinals: 3B/2B Nolan Gorman and DH Ivan Herrera achieve their first 30-homer seasons. … OF prospect Joshua Baez makes his debut in June and hits 18 homers and steals 16 bases. … No Cardinals pitcher wins 10 games, strikes out 150 batters or saves 15 games.

Washington Nationals: SS CJ Abrams, looking to provide more power, leads the team with 26 home runs. He stole 26 bases. … OF James Wood reduces his strikeout rate and he only hits 25 home runs. … C prospect Harry Ford wins opening day starter’s role and hits .275 with 16 stolen bases. … No National pitcher wins 10 games or strikes out 150 batters. However, RHP Clayton Beeter saves 16 games.