MLB September 26, 2026: Schedule, Team Analysis & Picks

MLB: September 26 Matches Overview

September 26, 2026 is set to be an interesting day in Major League Baseball, with many crucial matches scheduled. The teams will be competing for victories with the regular season fast approaching its end. The following preview provides an analysis of all the matches, timing, venue, and team performance statistics. The selected games for analysis include the predicted lineups of both teams. The analysis is based on performance factors such as batting and pitching. You are welcome to take a closer look at the games and find out their winners.  Get ready for a full day of baseball action and competitive battles.

MLB: Upcoming Schedule

Date & Day	Fixtures	Time Zones			Venue
		ET	PT	IST
26 September 2026 (Saturday)	Toronto Blue Jays vs Cincinnati Reds	03:07 PM	12:07 PM	12:37 AM (Next day)	Rogers Centre, Toronto
26 September 2026 (Saturday)	San Francisco Giants vs Los Angeles Dodgers	04:05 PM	01:05 PM	01:35 AM (Next day)	Oracle Park, San Francisco
26 September 2026 (Saturday)	Washington Nationals vs New York Mets	04:05 PM	01:05 PM	01:35 AM (Next day)	Nationals Park, Washington
26 September 2026 (Saturday)	Minnesota Twins vs Texas Rangers	04:10 PM	01:10 PM	01:40 AM (Next day)	Target Field, Minneapolis
26 September 2026 (Saturday)	Miami Marlins vs Atlanta Braves	04:10 PM	01:10 PM	01:40 AM (Next day)	LoanDepot Park, Miami
26 September 2026 (Saturday)	Milwaukee Brewers vs St. Louis Cardinals	07:10 PM	04:10 PM	04:40 AM (Next day)	American Family Field, Milwaukee
26 September 2026 (Saturday)	Chicago White Sox vs Colorado Rockies	07:10 PM	04:10 PM	04:40 AM (Next day)	Rate Field, Chicago
26 September 2026 (Saturday)	Kansas City Royals vs Cleveland Guardians	07:10 PM	04:10 PM	04:40 AM (Next day)	Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City
26 September 2026 (Saturday)	Boston Red Sox vs Chicago Cubs	07:15 PM	04:15 PM	04:45 AM (Next day)	Fenway Park, Boston
26 September 2026 (Saturday)	Philadelphia Phillies vs Tampa Bay Rays	07:15 PM	04:15 PM	04:45 AM (Next day)	Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia
26 September 2026 (Saturday)	San Diego Padres vs Arizona Diamondbacks	08:40 PM	05:40 PM	06:10 AM (Next day)	Petco Park, San Diego
26 September 2026 (Saturday)	Seattle Mariners vs Los Angeles Angels	09:40 PM	06:40 PM	07:10 AM (Next day)	T-Mobile Park, Seattle
26 September 2026 (Saturday)	Athletics vs Houston Astros	09:40 PM	06:40 PM	07:10 AM (Next day)	Sutter Health Park, West Sacramento

MLB: Key Match Previews

Match 1: San Francisco Giants vs Los Angeles Dodgers

Date: 26 September 2026 (Saturday)

Time: 04:05 PM ET | 01:05 PM PT | 01:35 AM IST (Next day)

Venue: Oracle Park, San Francisco

MLB Expected Lineups

San Francisco Giants

Position	Starter
Starting Pitcher	Anthony Molina
Relief Pitcher	Carson Seymour
Closer	Dylan Smith
Catcher	Drew Cavanaugh
First Baseman	Brett Harris
Second Baseman	Jonah Cox
Third Baseman	Shay Whitcomb
Shortstop	Christian Koss
Left Fielder	Turner Hill
Center Fielder	Drew Gilbert
Right Fielder	Grant McCray
Designated Hitter	Marcelo Mayer

Los Angeles Dodgers

Position	Starter
Starting Pitcher	Tarik Skubal
Relief Pitcher	Brock Stewart
Closer	Tanner Scott
Catcher	Will Smith
First Baseman	Freddie Freeman
Second Baseman	Tommy Edman
Third Baseman	Max Muncy
Shortstop	Mookie Betts
Left Fielder	Teoscar Hernandez
Center Fielder	Andy Pages
Right Fielder	Kyle Tucker
Designated Hitter	Shohei Ohtani

MLB Stats & KPI Comparison

KPI	Los Angeles Dodgers	San Francisco Giants
Batting Average Leader	Freddie Freeman (.292)	Jung Hoo Lee (.276)
Home Runs Leader	Shohei Ohtani (30)	Rafael Devers (37)
Runs Batted In (RBI) Leader	Shohei Ohtani (81)	Rafael Devers (98)
Pitching Wins Leader	Yoshinobu Yamamoto (14)	Robbie Ray (10)
Earned Run Average (ERA) Leader	Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2.53)	Robbie Ray (3.08)
Strikeouts Leader	Yoshinobu Yamamoto (182)	Landen Roupp (143)
Team Batting Average	.257	.246
Team Runs	790	665
Team Home Runs Hit	199	178
Team On-Base Percentage	.339	.308
Team Slugging Percentage	.425	.403
Team ERA	3.59	4.36
Home Runs Allowed	172	155
Team WHIP	1.15	1.362
Batting Average Against	.219	.248

Analysis

The Los Angeles Dodgers come into this game with superior statistics. Both overall this season and against the San Francisco Giants. The Dodgers’ offensive lineup consists of players like Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and Mookie Betts. San Francisco will need effective pitching and timely hitting to challenge the visitors. The home-field advantage of Oracle Park will not be enough for the Giants to overcome Los Angeles.

The Pick: Los Angeles Dodgers

Match 2: Miami Marlins vs Atlanta Braves

Date: 26 September 2026 (Saturday)

Time: 04:10 PM ET | 01:10 PM PT | 01:40 AM IST (Next day)

Venue: LoanDepot Park, Miami

MLB Expected Lineups

Miami Marlins

Position	Starter
Starting Pitcher	Sandy Alcantara
Relief Pitcher	Michael Petersen
Closer	Calvin Faucher
Catcher	Joe Mack
First Baseman	Griffin Conine
Second Baseman	Xavier Edwards
Third Baseman	Javier Sanoja
Shortstop	Otto Lopez
Left Fielder	Heriberto Hernandez
Center Fielder	Jakob Marsee
Right Fielder	Esteury Ruiz
Designated Hitter	Kyle Stowers

Atlanta Braves

Position	Starter
Starting Pitcher	Chris Sale
Relief Pitcher	Robert Suarez
Closer	Raisel Iglesias
Catcher	Drake Baldwin
First Baseman	Matt Olson
Second Baseman	Ozzie Albies
Third Baseman	Austin Riley
Shortstop	Ha-Seong Kim
Left Fielder	Mauricio Dubon
Center Fielder	Michael Harris II
Right Fielder	Ronald Acuna Jr.
Designated Hitter	Mike Yastrzemski

MLB Stats & KPI Comparison

KPI	Miami Marlins	Atlanta Braves
Batting Average Leader	Otto Lopez (0.304)	Michael Harris II (0.292)
Home Runs Leader	Heriberto Hernández (24)	Matt Olson (41)
Runs Batted In (RBI) Leader	Otto Lopez (71)	Matt Olson (91)
Pitching Wins Leader	Sandy Alcantara (13)	Chris Sale (14)
Earned Run Average (ERA) Leader	Max Meyer (2.68)	Chris Sale (2.16)
Strikeouts Leader	Eury Pérez (152)	Chris Sale (200)
Team Batting Average	0.248	0.248
Team Runs	704	731
Team Home Runs Hit	163	201
Team On-Base Percentage	0.326	0.311
Team Slugging Percentage	0.399	0.411
Team ERA	4.10	3.62
Home Runs Allowed	168	180
Team WHIP	1.29	1.24
Batting Average Against	0.233	0.236

Analysis

The Atlanta Braves, on the other hand, have a better overall record in addition to more home run power. Their best batter is Matt Olson with 41 home runs, and Michael Harris II also adds to their offensive capabilities. On the other hand, their starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara is quite experienced compared to Miami. However, Atlanta has better offensive output and a better ERA. The Marlins will need consistent hitting and effective bullpen support to compete.

The Pick: Atlanta Braves

Match 3: Milwaukee Brewers vs St. Louis Cardinals

Date: 26 September 2026 (Saturday)

Time: 07:10 PM ET | 04:10 PM PT | 04:40 AM IST (Next day)

Venue: American Family Field, Milwaukee

MLB Expected Lineups

Milwaukee Brewers

Position	Starter
Starting Pitcher	Jacob Misiorowski
Relief Pitcher	Abner Uribe
Closer	Trevor Megill
Catcher	William Contreras
First Baseman	Jake Bauers
Second Baseman	Brice Turang
Third Baseman	Joey Ortiz
Shortstop	Cooper Pratt
Left Fielder	Jackson Chourio
Center Fielder	Garrett Mitchell
Right Fielder	Luis Lara
Designated Hitter	Christian Yelich

St. Louis Cardinals

Position	Starter
Starting Pitcher	Michael McGreevy
Relief Pitcher	Ryne Stanek
Closer	Riley O’Brien
Catcher	Leo Bernal
First Baseman	Alec Burleson
Second Baseman	JJ Wetherholt
Third Baseman	Thomas Saggese
Shortstop	Masyn Winn
Left Fielder	Bryan Torres
Center Fielder	Nathan Church
Right Fielder	Jordan Walker
Designated Hitter	Ivan Herrera

MLB Stats & KPI Comparison

KPI	Milwaukee Brewers	St. Louis Cardinals
Batting Average Leader	Jackson Chourio (0.285)	Alec Burleson (0.279)
Home Runs Leader	Jake Bauers (26)	Jordan Walker (28)
Runs Batted In (RBI) Leader	Brice Turang (94)	Alec Burleson (113)
Pitching Wins Leader	Jacob Misiorowski (15)	Andre Pallante (12)
Earned Run Average (ERA) Leader	Jacob Misiorowski (1.86)	Gordon Graceffo (2.73)
Strikeouts Leader	Jacob Misiorowski (247)	Matthew Liberatore (154)
Team Batting Average	0.258	0.241
Team Runs	815	710
Team Home Runs Hit	152	162
Team On-Base Percentage	0.340	0.314
Team Slugging Percentage	0.402	0.379
Team ERA	3.52	4.24
Home Runs Allowed	166	156
Team WHIP	1.19	1.35
Batting Average Against	0.223	0.253

Analysis

In this series, the Milwaukee Brewers have the edge over their opponents in terms of offense and team ERA. The Milwaukee Brewers have Jacob Misiorowski, who has the lowest ERA of 1.86 as well as 247 strikeouts for the team. The Milwaukee Brewers have an edge over their opponents in terms of batting average, runs scored, and on-base percentage. St. Louis will need consistent hitting and effective pitching to challenge the hosts. Milwaukee’s overall statistical profile and home-field advantage make them the pick.

The Pick: Milwaukee Brewers

Match 4: Kansas City Royals vs Cleveland Guardians

Date: 26 September 2026 (Saturday)

Time: 07:10 PM ET | 04:10 PM PT | 04:40 AM IST (Next day)

Venue: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City

MLB Expected Lineups

Kansas City Royals

Position	Starter
Starting Pitcher	Michael Wacha
Relief Pitcher	Alex Lange
Closer	Nate Pearson
Catcher	Carter Jensen
First Baseman	Vinnie Pasquantino
Second Baseman	Michael Massey
Third Baseman	Maikel Garcia
Shortstop	Bobby Witt Jr.
Left Fielder	John Rave
Center Fielder	Kyle Isbel
Right Fielder	Jac Cagianone
Designated Hitter	Salvador Perez

Cleveland Guardians

Position	Starter
Starting Pitcher	Gavin Williams
Relief Pitcher	Hunter Gaddis
Closer	Cade Smith
Catcher	Patrick Bailey
First Baseman	Nathaniel Lowe
Second Baseman	Travis Bazzana
Third Baseman	Jose Ramirez
Shortstop	Brayan Rocchio
Left Fielder	Angel Martinez
Center Fielder	Steven Kwan
Right Fielder	Jo Adell
Designated Hitter	Chase DeLauter

MLB Stats & KPI Comparison

KPI	Kansas City Royals	Cleveland Guardians
Batting Average Leader	Jac Caglianone (0.283)	Steven Kwan (0.280)
Home Runs Leader	Carter Jensen (25)	Angel Martinez (18)
Runs Batted In (RBI) Leader	Carter Jensen (76)	Brayan Rocchio (70)
Pitching Wins Leader	Michael Wacha / Noah Cameron (9)	Gavin Williams (14)
Earned Run Average (ERA) Leader	Michael Wacha (3.33)	Cade Smith (1.96)
Strikeouts Leader	Noah Cameron (155)	Gavin Williams (244)
Team Batting Average	0.246	0.237
Team Runs	673	653
Team Home Runs Hit	165	153
Team On-Base Percentage	0.315	0.314
Team Slugging Percentage	0.399	0.375
Team ERA	4.73	3.75
Home Runs Allowed	201	170
Team WHIP	1.40	1.26
Batting Average Against	0.260	0.236

Analysis

The Cleveland Guardians are favored in this game. Because of their lower team ERA as well as good run prevention against the Kansas City Royals. Gavin Williams is the pitcher in charge for Cleveland. Michael Wacha is the pitcher that the Kansas City Royals can call on. Although the Kansas City Royals outshine the Cleveland Guardians in some offensive stats, Cleveland’s pitching stats will counteract that. The Guardians are the pick based on their overall pitching advantage.

The Pick: Cleveland Guardians

Conclusion

September 26, 2026, is a day with many promising baseball games. The preview games chosen below reveal some of the disparities among the teams. Regarding how they perform in terms of their batting prowess and strong pitchers. Some of the teams included in the match analysis and preview are the Dodgers, Braves, Brewers, and Guardians. There are varying aspects that are brought out in the game analysis. But team statistics give good information on what is likely to happen. It is good to look at the expected lineups and statistics for the whole season before writing. Fans can follow the schedule, compare team performances, and enjoy another memorable day of MLB action.