On the field, Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. has it all. He’s a rare breed, a true five-tool player who excels at arguably the toughest defensive position. Over the course of his young career, Waiter has established himself as one of the biggest names in basketball and a perennial MVP candidate.
But if Witt could get into the body of any other major leaguer, he would choose one that allows him to turn his slider (in video game terms) all the way up.
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Draft your Yahoo Fantasy Baseball team for the 2026 MLB season
“I think Aaron Judge has the obvious answer because of how big he is … the way he plays,” Witt told Yahoo Sports. “But I also want to have speed. So a player like Eli de la Cruz would be cool because he has it all.”
The concept is familiar to Witt, who, like most other baseball fans, grew up attending MLB The Show. Before Witt became the MLB icon he is today, he spent his childhood attending countless MLB The Show games at Fenway Park and Wrigley Field (some of his favorite ballparks). and leading Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout in the Home Run Derby.
When the game actually began, however, Witt took no prisoners.
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“I’ve always loved winning at video games,” Witt said. “So I always turn up the slider, put it at a rookie level and dominate the team.”
Now, of course, Witt doesn’t have to play video games to have this power fantasy. He played real-life games at Fenway and Wrigley and became true friends with Trout.
It was quite a surreal experience.
“It’s so cool to be a kid and play games and then grow up and get to know these guys and then go against them in my job and everything,” Witt said. “Then getting to know them, building relationships. Now playing myself in a video game, it’s a really cool full-circle moment.”
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Witt is about to begin another Major League Baseball season in which his Royals face heightened expectations. After emerging on the scene in the World Baseball Classic, Witt will prepare for a grueling 162 games in which he hopes to rack up a lot of wins and hoist the World Series trophy.
But if you’re not Bobby Witt Jr., you can always try to replicate the experience in MLB The Show 26. Yahoo Sports did just that, simulating the entire 2026 MLB season in a video game.
Some of its predictions, including one for a World Series winner, were shocking.
Bobby Witt Jr. can play every game on MLB The Show 26. (Image from San Diego Studio)
(San Diego Studio)
MLB The Show 26 Predictions for the 2026 Season
2026 World Series Champions: Cincinnati Reds defeat New York Yankees
World Series MVP: Tyler Stephenson
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Congratulations Reds fans, because your team will win it all in 2026. While the Reds made the playoffs last season, it was unexpected, especially considering they did so with the final wild-card spot.
But Cincinnati stands out among all season predictions. However, they did not win the National League Central Championship. That honor belongs to the 97-win Pittsburgh Pirates.
Cincinnati’s pitching staff ended up leading the way with Hunter Green, Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo and Chase Burns. That proved to be the case in the World Series, as Stephenson won the MVP after batting .437 with one home run and two RBIs.
All-Star Weekend Results
Home Run Derby Winner: Keitel Marte defeats Kyle Schwarber
All-Star Game starters: Garrett Crochet and Paul Skenes
All-Star Game results: NL defeated AL 5-1, Francisco Lindor was named Player of the Game
Futures game: Netherlands won 2-0
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The year in the simulation was Ketel Marte’s year, and that was the first big sign as he defeated Kyle Schwarber to become the Home Run Derby champion. Schwarber hit just eight homers in the final round, while Matt won with nine. Do virtual baseball players get tired? Because that certainly seems to be the case here.
End of season rewards
National League Most Valuable Player: Ketel Marte, hit .329 with 48 homers and 119 RBIs
American League Most Valuable Player: Kerry Carpenter, hit .247 with 46 homers and 118 RBIs
NL Cy Young: Yoshinobu Yamamoto 20-4
AL Cy Young: Garrett Crochet
NL batting titles: Cottle Malte
American League batting titles: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., leads baseball with .349 average
National League Relief Award: Dennis Santana
AL Relay Award: Joan Duran, traded to Athletics
Al Roy: Munetaka Murakami, hit 26 home runs and batted .275
Holland Roy: Nolan McLean defeated Connor Griffin
Marte won some surprising MVP awards. Detroit Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter hit 46 home runs and was named American League MVP. He beat out Vladimir Guerrero, who hit a whopping .349 on the season.
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Although Pirates ace Paul Skenes had the lowest ERA among starters, he lost the NL Hyper Award to Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who led the 110-win Los Angeles Dodgers to a 20-4 record.
Strikeouts weren’t a major issue for Chicago White Sox rookie Munetaka Murakami, who hit .275 and won the AL Rookie of the Year award. In the National League, New York Mets prospect Nolan McClain beat Connor Griffin for the award.
Oh, and you’ll notice that Jhoan Duran won the American League’s reliever award. About that…
unexpected transaction
• Tampa Bay Rays trade Drew Rasmussen to San Francisco Giants
• Texas Rangers trade ace Jacob deGrom to Chicago Cubs
• Baltimore Orioles conducted a fire sale, sending Tyler Ward and Ryan Helsley to the Kansas City Royals
• The Orioles then sent Trevor Rogers and Kyle Bradish to the Athletics
• Houston Astros trade Josh Hader to Cincinnati Reds
• Philadelphia Phillies send Jhoan Duran, Aaron Nola and JT Realmuto to A’s
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The Philadelphia Phillies and Baltimore Orioles made surprising sales at the trade deadline. The O’s beat out Kyle Braddish, Ryan Helsley, Trevor Rogers and Tyler Ward in two separate trades. They didn’t make the playoffs.
The Phillies added Duran, Aaron Nola and JT Realmuto to the Athletics in a trade that also acquired Rodgers and Bradish. Those acquisitions paid off, with the Athletics clinching the American League’s final wild-card spot before falling in the playoffs.
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 23: Elly De La Cruz, No. 44 of the Cincinnati Reds, smiles as he waits for the Washington Nationals’ pitch during the first inning at Nationals Park on July 23, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jesse Rapfogel/Getty Images)
(Jesse Rapfogel via Getty Images)
The most unlikely things MLB The Show 26 predicted
The Phillies’ bizarre waiver trade is right there, with the Phillies entering the 2026 MLB season as one of the top contenders for the World Series title.
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The Buccaneers’ 97-win season also ranks among the best. Skenes performed as well as expected, but the team’s offense performed much better than you might have expected. Marcell Ozuna, in particular, is proving to have a great season left with the bat. When Dennis Santana took home the NL Relief Pitcher Award, the bullpen was dark. Griffin didn’t perform well in his rookie season, but the team still earned the second seed in the National League.
And then the Reds won it all. It’s not the least likely thing to happen in the 2026 MLB season, but it would be unexpected. While the Reds have plenty of talent, especially in the rotation, the team is projected to win just 77.2 games, according to Baseball Prospectus.
Of course, projections don’t mean everything, but they do provide a good snapshot of how this year’s team will look. If the Reds exceed all expectations and pull off a shocking run in the 2026 World Series, remember “MLB The Show 26” believes in them first.
(Yahoo Sports received an advanced copy of MLB The Show 26)
