The MLB regular season is wrapping up in about three weeks, meaning the MLB playoff picture is rounding into the form. The Rays, Yankees, and Red Sox compete for the AL East crown and top seed of the league, while the Brewers, Dodgers, and Braves are in a heated battle to claim the #1 seed in the National League.
Following over 140 games of baseball, this year’s contenders are loud and clear. Among World Series favorites, which clubs have the best case to win the pennant?
Below, we’ll highlight the World Series payouts via PrizePicks, followed by our best MLB World Series predictions before the postseason begins in a matter of weeks.
Make your MLB futures predictions on PrizePicks — including World Series winners!
{{mlb_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
MLB World Series Favorites, Payouts via PrizePicks
The table below features the 10 lowest payouts to win the MLB championship, followed by the remainder of potential playoff squads carrying lofty 33.33x payouts to win the pennant.
The top MLB World Series have the lowest payouts, meaning a higher chance of the outcome occurring, according to user picks. Higher payouts bring a larger potential payout, but that pick’s laced with a lower probability.
Payouts indicate real-money earnings if a prediction is correct. For example, a 2.94x on a $100 entry pays out $294 on PrizePicks.
Best World Series Predictions for 2026 MLB Playoffs
With the top 10 MLB World Series favorites laid out, let’s get to our top World Series predictions.
The Dodgers, who are chasing the first three-peat since the Yankees did it from 1998 to 2000, are the clear favorite. It comes with good reason, as FanGraphs credits Los Angeles with a .256 batting average (tied for second), .331 wOBA (second), and .419 SLG (third).
Adding to a strong batting order, the Dodgers have a sick starting rotation, featuring the likes of SP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2.67 ERA, 3.04 xERA in 25 GS), SP Tarik Skubal (2.86 ERA, 2.99 xERA in 22 GS), SP Blake Snell (1.97 ERA, 2.12 xERA in 6 GS), and SP Tyler Glasnow (3.12 ERA, 2.66 xERA in 10 GS), though SP Shohei Ohtani (1.79 ERA, 2.73 xERA in 14 GS) is likely done pitching this season. That lineup contributes to a team 3.67 xERA (third) and 3.83 xFIP (fifth).
The Dodgers are the clear World Series favorite, and that’s unlikely to change unless the sky begins to fall before the playoffs. However, Los Angeles has real competition to win its third consecutive Commissioner’s Trophy, drawing our attention to our top MLB World Series predictions.
Brewers to Win MLB World Series: Yes 5.88x | No 1.12x
Milwaukee has hung with the Dodgers all season, and it currently holds a 1.5-game lead over L.A. for first place in the National League.
However, the Brewers are only 5-5 over their last 10 games, as of this writing. Furthermore, the Braves are only 3.5 games behind Milwaukee in the standings.
Earning the top seed would be the Brew Crew’s first major step toward their first World Series pennant in franchise history.
Headlined by SP Jacob Misiorowski’s 1.21x payout to win the NL Cy Young Award on PrizePicks, Milwaukee certainly has its ace for the postseason. Miz touts an absurd 1.97 ERA backed by an eye-popping 2.08 xERA and 2.25 xFIP.
And he stacks strikeouts with the best of them, as Baseball Savant gives Misiorowski a ridiculous 38.3% K rate (100th percentile). Having a player of this caliber for the playoffs can give the Brewers an automatic win or two in every series, proven by an 18-8 record when he’s on the mound this season.
However, Miz comes off his worst performance of the year by allowing 5 earned runs over 4.0 innings vs. the Cubs on September 2. If he doesn’t turn it around before the playoffs, Milwaukee’s World Series hopes could be over before the quest even begins.
Ultimately, the Brew Crew carry the pitching to hang with a team like the Dodgers — including a team 3.53 xERA (first). 2B Brice Turang (.255/.352/.423), C William Contreras (.269/.338/.404), OF Jackson Chourio (.281/.339/.471), and 1B Jake Bauers (.270/.397/.493) lead a batting order that’s exceeded expectations with 5.0 runs per game (third), a .256 batting average (second), and a .326 wOBA (fourth).
A lack of power could be this club’s biggest concern, as Milwaukee’s .399 SLG is tied for 18th while its 0.92 home runs per game ranks last in baseball. Against an all-around loaded Dodgers squad, game-shifting home runs could be a brutal blow throughout a five- or seven-game series.
Predict the Brewers to win the World Series on PrizePicks!
Yankees to Win MLB World Series: Yes 7.14x | No 1.08x
The American League is topped by three AL East squads, with the Rays leading the way, while the Yankees (4.0) and Red Sox (6.0) are within six games of the top spot.
According to PrizePicks, the Rays (3.57x), Yankees (3.7x), and Red Sox (5.26x) have the shortest payouts to win the American League. Between the three, one of these clubs feels bound for the 2026 World Series.
Perhaps the biggest story in the AL is Yankees OF Aaron Judge’s return following a three-month absence from a rib injury.
Judge is the kind of player who completely shifts a race, as he won three MVP awards from 2022 to 2025. Over 59 games early in the season, he continued to produce solid numbers with a .248/.375/.533 slash line while launching 17 home runs and tallying 38 RBIs.
The superstar outfielder’s .248 batting average was lower than what we’re accustomed to, but Baseball Savant credits Judge with a .270 xBA. Assuming Judge looks like his self over the final weeks of the regular season, he can produce at his usual MVP-level. If that’s the case, the Yankees are suddenly in business.
Additionally, Judge is returning at the perfect time for New York to make a push for the AL East crown. This is the difference between a wild card spot and likely the #1 seed in the American League.
The Yankees have the pitching, armed with a 3.69 xERA (fourth). SP Max Fried (2.73 ERA, 2.54 xERA in 17 GS) and breakout SP Cam Schlittler (2.04 ERA, 2.97 xERA in 29 GS) form a two-headed monster in the rotation, supported by a bullpen with a 3.55 xERA (third).
The batting order has an alarming .234 batting average (tied for 26th) and a .315 wOBA (17th), but it’s somewhat saved by a .406 SLG (10th), .173 ISO (third), and 3.6% home run rate (first). Plus, the Yanks have increased their batting average (.245) over the last 30 days. DH Ben Rice has enjoyed a breakout season, led by a team-high 36 HRs and 88 RBIs. OF Cody Bellinger provides more relief thanks to a solid .264/.344/.412 slash line.
If this order maintains its recent success — featuring 5.0 runs per game over the last 10 games — paired with a healthy, dominant Judge, the Yankees can truly contend for their first World Series win since 2009.
Lock in your MLB World Series predictions on PrizePicks before the playoffs begin.
{{mlb_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Make MLB World Series Predictions on PrizePicks
Can anyone beat the Dodgers and prevent a World Series three-peat? The Brewers and Yankees have the next-shortest payouts behind Los Angeles to win the World Series, and each club sports a true chance to win it all.
Place your MLB World Series predictions on PrizePicks alongside MLB future picks for divisional winners, playoff qualifiers, award winners, and more — available in 36 states!
Stay locked in on Playbook for daily MLB predictions, picks, and news every day all the way through the 2026 MLB season.
Team Picks and Culture Picks are event contracts offered by Performance Predictions II, LLC d/b/a PrizePicks Predict, a CFTC-registered FCM and NFA Member. All event contract customers must be U.S. residents and 18+. Some event contracts may not be available in every state.Event contract trading carries significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. No guarantee against loss is offered. Past results are not necessarily indicative of future results.Void where prohibited by law. Restrictions apply. For full terms of service see prizepicks.com/predict-regulatory. Team and Culture Pick Early Payouts subject to market liquidity. The content provided is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, or a recommendation to trade any commodity interest.
