MLB futures odds: Best bets to make and miss the playoffs in 2026

Since a 13-year drought from 1982-94, the New York Yankees have been a fixture in the MLB postseason, qualifying in 26 of the last 31 campaigns. They went on a 13-year run after the dry spell, winning four World Series championships in that span, and have reached the playoffs eight of the last nine seasons.

The Yankees currently are in a good position for another trip to the postseason. They ended the first half of the 2026 MLB season with a four-game winning streak and entered Sunday atop the American League wild-card standings with a 54-43 record and just two games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East.

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However, New York dropped a 2-1 decision to the two-time reigning world champion Los Angeles Dodgers in its return from the All-Star break. The following day, the team was forced to transfer three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge to the 60-day injured list as the slugger has yet to begin baseball activities since beginning June on the sidelines due to a fractured rib.

The 34-year-old Judge likely won't return until September instead of mid-August, which could make the Yankees' playoff quest a bit more challenging. The team went 18-20 over its first 38 games without its captain and has struggled offensively without his bat, scoring fewer than five runs 25 times in that stretch.

New York also has been without left-hander Max Fried since mid-May because of a bruised elbow, and veteran power hitter Giancarlo Stanton (calf) hasn't played since April 24. But Ben Rice is having a fantastic offensive season, as he is among the league leaders in both home runs (29) and RBI (68), and right-hander Cam Schlittler entered Sunday's start against Los Angeles atop the AL with a 2.05 ERA and third with 137 strikeouts.

Fried is getting close to returning, as he made a rehab start with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Saturday, and Judge figures to be back for the stretch run, so it's difficult to imagine the Yankees being spectators for the 2026 MLB playoffs. FanDuel Sportsbook has very little doubt they'll qualify, pricing them at -3500 to make the postseason and +1020 to miss it.

The sportsbook, which believes the Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers are shoo-ins, also clearly expects the Rays (-2000), Atlanta Braves (-2000) and Philadelphia Phillies (-1500) will be playoff participants. However, FanDuel doesn't have as much faith in the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals, who began Sunday tied for the third National League wild card spot and priced at +235 to make the postseason but are -320 and -310, respectively, to miss out.

FANDUEL ODDS TO MAKE AND MISS THE 2026 MLB PLAYOFFS

In the American League, backing the Boston Red Sox to make the playoffs appears to be a good bet right now. The club fell 14 games under .500 with its loss to the Colorado Rockies on June 24 but has been on fire since, winning 17 of its last 19 contests and 12 in a row to enter Sunday over the break-even mark for the first time since it opened the season with a victory.

Boston began the day with a one-game lead for the third wild card in the AL and its longest winning streak since it put together a 12-game run in 2006. It has received stellar performances from its rotation during the current streak, as Red Sox starting pitchers posted an ERA under 2.00 over the first 11 games of the torrid stretch.

An AL team worth picking to miss the postseason is the Texas Rangers. Even though they won their first World Series title in 2023, that marked the only time they reached the playoffs in the last nine years.

Texas entered Sunday with a 1 1/2-game lead over the Seattle Mariners for first place in the AL West but hasn't won the division since 2016. The Mariners are in a rut at the moment, having lost six of their last eight contests, but are capable of having a strong second half as they went 39-27 after the break last year to finish atop the AL West for the first time since 2001. They got within five outs of the first World Series appearance in franchise history.

The Rangers have yet to lose more than four consecutive games this season, but one lengthy slump could put their playoff hopes in jeopardy. They are third among the three AL division leaders, own the fifth-best record in the junior circuit and have seven teams within 4 1/2 games of them.

Finding good prices on NL teams to make and miss the postseason is more problematic. The Cardinals and Marlins are attractive, but they respectively are the two youngest teams in the majors. The former has missed the playoffs each of the last three years while the latter has qualified only twice since winning the 2003 World Series.

The San Diego Padres didn't live up to expectations in the first half, going 48-48, but began Sunday just 3 1/2 games out of a wild-card spot. Backing a squad with a lineup that features Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts, Jackson Merrill and Fernando Tatis Jr. to catch fire and make the playoffs for the fifth time in seven years wouldn't be the craziest idea.

Tatis has yet to discover his power swing this season as he has gone deep just six times over his first 97 games after eclipsing the 20-home run mark in each of his first five full campaigns in the majors. A strong second half by the 27-year-old and continued dominance by closer Mason Miller very well could help get the Padres into the playoffs, as long as they don't decide to be sellers at the trade deadline.

While picking the Pittsburgh Pirates to miss the postseason is likely the most logical decision, it's certainly not the most lucrative. The team that would line your pockets with cash and has a solid chance to fizzle in the second half is the Philadelphia Phillies.

Yes, the club turned things around after firing manager Rob Thomson when it was 10 games under .500 and replacing him on an interim basis with Don Mattingly, The Phillies are 46-25 over Mattingly's first 71 contests at the helm. And sure, Kyle Schwarber entered Sunday as the majors' home run leader with 33, Brandon Marsh has bounced back after appearing lost at the plate for much of 2025 and the starting rotation features three of the top pitchers in the game this year in Cristopher Sanchez, Zack Wheeler and Jesus Luzardo.

But the Phillies still have too many holes in their lineup, as reigning NL batting champion Trea Turner, J.T. Realmuto, Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott are underachieving, and two of their three current everyday outfielders are rookies. In addition, Philadelphia has an excellent closer in Jhoan Duran, but getting the game to him has been challenging at times.

The Phillies began Sunday just half a game behind the Chicago Cubs for the top wild card and two behind the Atlanta Braves for first place in the NL East. However, the remainder of their schedule includes 11 series against teams currently possessing a winning record, including three-game sets with Milwaukee and Tampa Bay to end the regular season, and five more versus clubs no more than three games under .500. Philadelphia has disappointed its fans each of the last three postseasons, and there's a solid chance it won't even get the opportunity to do so this year.