Matt Johnson
As we head into another week of the 2026 Major League Baseball season, all 30 clubs have now played at least 20 games. There are quite a few teams on hot streaks right now and one club in particular that is frigid cold. As the weekend action nears its conclusion, we’re going to try and project what happens on the MLB schedule this week.
Let’s dive into our bold MLB predictions for the upcoming games this week.
Carson Benge Hits First HR Since Opening Day
This prediction certainly isn’t about numbers. After all, the New York Mets entered Sunday on a 10-game losing streak, and rookie outfielder Carson Benge has gone 68 plate appearances since last homering on Opening Day. What’s particularly concerning is that he’s collected just one extra-base hit (double) in his last 62 plate appearances and put up an abysmal .140/.210/.158 triple-slash line in that span. However, we’re rolling with the gut call here that Benge’s power drought comes to an end this week with a home run at Citi Field against either Simeon Woods Richardson (Wednesday) or at some point in the three-game homestand against the Colorado Rockies. The Mets will win that game, too.
Shota Imanaga Gets 10+ Ks in Consecutive Starts
With the Chicago Cubs without three starters—Justin Steele, Matthew Boyd, and Cade Horton—there’s even more pressure on the shoulders of Shota Imanaga. This past week, he was lights-out against the Philadelphia Phillies with 11 strikeouts and just 3 hits allowed in 6 innings. Facing the same team in consecutive starts isn’t ideal, but the Phillies’ lineup does have the fifth-highest strikeout rate in MLB (24.3 percent) since April 5. We think another gem is coming from Imanaga this week.
Shohehi Ohtani Homers, Throws 5 Hitless Innings
In his major-league career, Shohei Ohtani boasts a .930 OPS with 10 home runs against the San Francisco Giants, and he’s hit 4 home runs at Oracle Park in 58 career at-bats. Not only do we see the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ two-way star going deep this week in San Francisco, we also think he’ll make it through 5 hitless innings against the Giants lineup.
Read More: SF Giants Very High on Top MLB Draft Prospect
Cleveland Guardians Go 5-1
Starting pitching has carried the Cleveland Guardians this season, demonstrated by the fact that the team entered Sunday with the third-lowest rotation ERA (3.00) in baseball. Fortunately for the Guardians’ lineup, there’s a “get right” series to open the week against a Houston Astros pitching staff that has a 6.80 ERA (worst in MLB) this month. We think Cleveland sweeps the Astros at home and then goes into Toronto and takes the three-game series, coming out of the week with a 5-1 record that strengthens their positioning atop the AL Central.
Aaron Judge Homers Twice vs Boston Red Sox
Aaron Judge is going to have some fun this week at Fenway Park. He gets a three-game series against a Boston Red Sox pitching staff that has allowed the fifth-most home runs (26) in baseball this season, just as many as the Colorado Rockies (25). While he hasn’t hit for a high average at Fenway (.217) in his career, he still has 12 homers at this ballpark, with 3 of those coming last season. Maybe it’s a two-homer game, but we’re more inclined to say Judge homers in two of the three games at Fenway.
