MLB execs, insiders on 2026 playoff favorites, biggest threats - ESPN

As the 2026 MLB regular season winds down and reaches its conclusion, it's anyone's guess as to which teams will emerge as participants in this year's World Series. Each league has its own version of parity, though the National League clearly possesses a better group of teams this season than the American League. Of course, that won't matter in the playoffs until the leagues face off in the Fall Classic.

With that in mind, we asked a panel of 16 executives and scouts around baseball: Who are the teams to beat in each league heading into October? No one affiliated with a contending team was part of our poll to keep things as unbiased as possible.

In last year's poll, the consensus October sleeper pick was the Seattle Mariners, who fell one game short of making it to the World Series. They didn't show up in our poll this time around — for good reason, as they likely won't make the postseason — and while there was no consensus overall sleeper team that could go all the way this year, there was agreement on an underdog in each league.

Here's how those in the game view the upcoming playoffs.

(Los Angeles Dodgers, 5; Philadelphia Phillies, 4; Chicago Cubs, 1)

Like last year's poll, voting was tight in the NL — and like last year, the Brewers came out on top.

It didn't work out for them in the 2025 playoffs, but experts weren't deterred by their defeat to the Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. Instead, voters doubled down on Milwaukee for one reason and one reason only: pitching. The Brewers are even better on the mound than a year ago, according to the insiders we spoke to. While their team ERA is about the same as it was last season, the top end of their staff, as well as the bullpen, is as good as anyone's