10 MLB Records That Could Fall During the 2026 Season
Every MLB season has its big moments, but 2026 feels like something special. A perfect storm of superstar talent, veteran legends, and league-wide trends has created real potential for history to change. Records are becoming vulnerable across individual brilliance, all-time leaderboards, and even the way the game is being played. Here are 10 MLB records that could be challenged in 2026.
Juan Soto: The Longest Streak of Elite Discipline
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Consistency at the plate is one of the hardest things to maintain in baseball, but Juan Soto keeps doing it. If he posts another season with an on-base percentage above .395, he would stretch a streak that already places him in rare company. Only names like Ted Williams, Stan Musial, and Ferris Fain have lived in that space for that long.
Shohei Ohtani: Extending a One-Man Record
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There are great hitters. There are great pitchers. Then there is Shohei Ohtani, who would add another season to a category that essentially belongs to him alone if he finishes 2026 with around 40 home runs while also striking out more than 100 batters on the mound. The two-way standard Ohtani created is a new version of what baseball greatness can look like.
Paul Skenes: The Youngest Pitcher to Repeat as ERA King
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Paul Skenes is right on the edge of becoming the youngest pitcher ever to lead his league in ERA for back-to-back seasons, since earned runs became official in both leagues. That would move him past Clayton Kershaw, who set the current benchmark.
Tarik Skubal: Multiple Triple Crowns
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Winning a pitching Triple Crown, which means leading in ERA, strikeouts, and wins, is already uncommon. Doing it more than once is even rarer. Tarik Skubal has a real shot at putting together another season where he is at or near the top in all three categories. Only a small group of pitchers in history have won multiple Triple Crowns. Doing everything at a high level over a full season does not come around often.
José Ramírez: Consecutive 30-30 Seasons
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José Ramírez keeps his power and speed aligned. If he reaches another 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases this season, it would give him three straight 30–30 years. Only Barry Bonds has ever done that. It would be a chance to match a record that has stood alone for decades.
Luis Arraez: Winning Titles with Different Teams
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Winning a batting title is hard, but Luis Arraez has already done that three times with three different franchises. He’s with the fourth franchise this year and could become the first player ever to win batting titles with four different franchises.
Kenley Jansen: Approaching The Record 500 Saves
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There is a reason 500 saves carry so much weight. Very few pitchers in history have reached that number, and Kenley Jansen is within striking distance. Closers do not always get long careers at the top, which makes this milestone feel like a record-level achievement.
Aroldis Chapman: Climbing the All-Time List
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The radar gun has always told part of the story, but now the numbers are catching up for Aroldis Chapman. He is close to breaking into the top 10 in career saves, a list filled with some of the most successful closers in MLB history. Once a player enters that range, every save starts to shift the leaderboard.
Verlander & Scherzer: Oldest Strikeout Leaders
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Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer are still adding to their strikeout totals and moving higher on the all-time leaderboard. Verlander is already in the top 10 and has a chance to keep pushing toward the top five. Scherzer, meanwhile, is close to moving into the top 10 himself. Most pitchers slow down at this stage of their careers, so watching two future Hall of Famers climb historic lists at the same time adds another layer to the story.
The League-Wide Record for Walks
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Right now, the entire league is trending toward historically high walk rates. Early numbers suggest a spike that could make 2026 one of the most walk-heavy seasons in MLB history if it holds. Changes in the automated ball-strike system, a shifting strike zone, and evolving pitching styles are all shaping this trend.