Larry’s Fantasy Baseball Bold Predictions

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  • By Larry Vannozzi

    I have more bold predictions this year after nailing one last year.

    Back then, I called for Devin Williams to wilt in his debut under the bright New York City lights and lose his closer job to Luke Weaver.

    Boom!

    Like I said – nailed it!

    So I return this year even though forming bold predictions is difficult. It is hard to thread the needle between being bold enough yet not so bold that you look like a stooge. So, here’s my 2026 list of things that just might happen.

    1) Josh Hader Misses Entire Season; Replaced by Top 10 Closer Bryan Abreu

    Buoyed by last year’s successful RP/Closer prediction (ahem, re-read above!), I’m heading back to the bullpen for some of this year’s predictions. First, we have stud RP Josh Hader. Unfortunately, his 2025 season ended prematurely due to a shoulder injury. Those wishing for a healthy start to 2026 were disappointed when Hader reported to spring training with bicep tendinitis. Ooof.

    My gut says that Hader is heading for trouble. I realize that he was able to have a bullpen session on March 10 and that he “felt good.” However, did you see that session? It looked like he was throwing 75 mph. That’s a total guess on my part because actual speeds were not revealed by the Astros.

    And that brings me to another point. Should we trust any Astros health updates?

    Not for me, thank you very much.

    After the drawn-out injury sagas with Kyle Tucker in 2024 and Yordan Alvarez in 2025, I am a believe-it-when-I-see-it guy when it comes to this team.

    So, I’m going with a worst-case scenario for the six-time All-Star. I think the Astros and Hader will sprinkle occasional positive updates about his health during the next several weeks, right up until a ‘shocking’ announcement that his biceps “inflammation” has deteriorated into season-ending elbow surgery. Not only does Bryan Abreu start the season as the team’s closer, but he also keeps the job all year and finishes as a Top 10 RP.

    2) Bryce Harper Proves Doubters Wrong and Finishes in Top 20

    Shush. Hold still. If you listen carefully, you can hear growing doubts about Bryce Harper.

    It started last October when Harper batted a homerless .200 in the postseason as the Phillies bats went silent and brought and premature end to their playoffs. Soon afterward, Phillies GM Dave Dombrowski dropped what felt like a bomb to some Phillies fans when he was asked about Harper’s season and replied, “He didn’t have an elite season like he has had in the past. And I guess we only find out if he becomes elite or he continues to be good.” For a guy who has often been among the best, hearing “…if he becomes elite…” had to hurt.

    That’s not all, though, as things worsened during the World Baseball Classic. As of March 17, Harper batted just .167 with no homers and struck out eight times in 24 at-bats. Not good. You can bet that those tough people in Philly noticed. They made plenty of comments that Harper has indeed peaked, that he lost bat speed and that it’ll be all downhill moving forward.

    So here’s my bold prediction: Harper might start off slowly in the regular season but he’ll use all those negative vibes as motivation for a great year. He will have a chip on his shoulder and use it to smash his was back to a Top 20 season. Maybe he’ll collapse soon but it won’t be this year.

    3) Raisel Iglesias Loses Role Before June and Robert Suarez Becomes Braves Closer

    Back to the bullpen for this next prediction. It’s my least-bold prediction because it happened for a brief time last year. I just think it will happen again in 2026 and this time it will be permanent.

    I’m referring to Iglesias faltering and being replaced as the Braves closer. He was terrible last April and May when his ERA was over 6.00 and was accompanied by four losses and three blown saves. The Braves removed him from the role. However, none of his replacements fared well so the Braves re-installed Iglesias as their closer. In fairness, he did well upon his return – extremely well. He was great late last year when he gave up just one lone run in his final 24 appearances.

    My prediction is that Iglesias will stumble again sometime early this season. Unlike last year, the Braves are more prepared with a better Plan B this year after they signed Robert Suarez to a three-year, $45 million contract in the offseason. Suarez had 40 saves and a 0.90 WHIP for the Padres last year. If (when) Iglesias slips, he’ll get bumped from the role and his closing days will be over as Suarez leads the pen the rest of the year.

     

    4) Ezequiel Tovar Crushes ADP and Finishes as Top 75 Player

    I’m heading to the Mile High City for my next bold prediction. Expectations for Ezequiel Tovar’s 2025 season evaporated due to hip and oblique injuries. He played in only 95 games and hit just nine homers with five steals and a .253 average. Those stats were “good” enough to place him outside last year’s top 500 players. Ouch.

    After seeing Tovar fail last year, the fantasy community isn’t fully buying back in on Tovar as his ADP has been hovering around 200.

    However, digging deeper reveals that all wasn’t lost for Tovar last year. Despite his health problems and missing so many games, he managed to slightly improve his walk, strikeout, line drive and contact rates. He hit the ball harder, too, as he set career highs in average exit velocity and max exit velocity.

    Tovar is entering his fourth year as a full-time player but he’s still just 24 years old. He already had two very good seasons when healthy (ranked 149 in 2023; 66 in 2024). He is a young and improving player who will turn heads in a career year in 2026 that sees him become a Top 75 player.

     

    5) Carlos Estévez Implodes in April and Loses Role

    I’m sorry, but I can’t help myself from going to the bullpen for one more bold prediction. I thought this prediction had a chance last year and I’m even more convinced that it will happen this year.

    Carlos Estévez wasn’t really meant to be a closer. After all, he has a career 1.31 WHIP and that’s despite the past two years when he averaged 1.00. Let’s see… 1.31 vs 1.00. If you even slightly believe in ‘reverting back to the mean’, you must agree that the clock is about to strike midnight on Estévez.

    No?

    Ok, then try these stats.

    His K% fell from 28% in 2023 to just 20% last year. Over the same period, his K-BB% fell from 16.7% to just 11.9%. He also lost a full tick off his fastball in the past two seasons and far outpitched his expected ERA last year. Oh, and surely you are aware of what the Royals did to Kauffman Stadium’s fences in the offseason, right?

    That ticking you hear is the countdown clock to an April Carlos Estévez implosion that will give Lucas Erecg a shot at closing games for the Royals.

    6) Bonus Bold Prediction: 2027 Season No Longer in Jeopardy as Owners and Players Unite; Agree to 10-Year CBA

    Hey, a guy can make a wish, can’t he?

    March 17, 2026, 5:00 pm