MLB futures odds: Dodgers-Brewers, Yankees-Mariners favored matchups for 2026 LCS

The Los Angeles Dodgers had an easy time against the Milwaukee Brewers in last year's National League Championship Series en route to their second consecutive World Series title, sweeping the best-of-seven matchup. Milwaukee would love to have a chance to avenge that defeat.

With more than one-third of the 2026 MLB season complete, SportsLine's Inside the Lines team's projection model believes the rematch will happen. Los Angeles and Milwaukee both sit atop their respective divisions, as the Dodgers own a 7 1/2-game lead over the San Diego Padres in the NL West and the Brewers are four games ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central.

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Los Angeles is on track to make its 14th straight postseason appearance and would be looking to reach the NLCS for the ninth time in that span. Dating back to 2008, the Dodgers have advanced to that round of the playoffs 10 times and have gone 5-5, but they've won five of their last six trips.

Last year, Los Angeles won its fourth consecutive division title and 12th in 13 seasons. After sweeping the Cincinnati Reds in the wild-card round and defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 3-1 in the NL Division Series, the Dodgers rolled past the Brewers in the NLCS, limiting Milwaukee to just one run in each of the four games.

It was the third NLCS appearance by the Brewers and second against the Dodgers, who won their 2018 meeting in seven games. Milwaukee is seeking its fourth straight division crown and eighth trip to the postseason in nine years. The club played a three-game series in Milwaukee last month, with Los Angeles outscoring the Brewers 16-4 in winning the final two contests after having lost the opener.

SportsLine's ITL team's model believes the teams are headed for another clash in October. It has Dodgers' projected odds to reach the NLCS at -142 and its simulations have them reaching that stage 57% of the time. It has -108 odds for the Brewers, who make the round in 51% of its simulations.

Odds and simulation percentages for 2026 NLCS appearance

The ITL's model also likes one team from last year's American League Championship Series to return this postseason. The Seattle Mariners made its fourth ALCS appearance last season and first since 2001, and they had a 3-2 lead over the Toronto Blue Jays in the best-of-seven series. Seattle lost Game 6 but was eight outs away from its first pennant before George Springer's three-run homer in the seventh inning erased a deficit and lifted Toronto to a 4-3 victory.

The Mariners entered Thursday with a two-game lead over the Texas Rangers for first place in the AL West. The model sees Seattle getting another shot at the elusive AL pennant this year against a team that owns the record for most LCS appearances in the New York Yankees. The Bronx Bombers made their 19th trip in 2024, when they defeated the Cleveland Guardians in five games before falling to the Dodgers in five in the World Series.

SportsLine's ITL team's model lists the Yankees' projected odds to make the ALCS at -143 and its simulations say they reach the round 57% of the time. The Mariners' odds are +123, while they make a return trip in 44% of the model's simulations.

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Odds and simulation percentages for 2026 ALCS appearance

New York currently is tied with the Tampa Bay Rays for the top spot in the AL East. The Yankees, who took two of three games at Seattle earlier this season, beat the Mariners in six games in the 2000 ALCS and won their rematch the following year in five.