Mike Axisa’s bold second-half MLB predictions: history for Ohtani, a deadline blockbuster, and more

The second half of the MLB season rarely starts quietly, and CBS Sports columnist Mike Axisa is leaning into that reality. In a preview published during the All-Star break, Axisa outlined five bold predictions meant to frame what matters between now and September: individual milestones, postseason positioning, and a trade deadline impact that could swing a contender’s outlook.

Axisa’s first theme centers on Shohei Ohtani and the kind of “more history” storyline that tends to define late-season conversation when elite performance collides with narrative momentum. The prediction, as presented in Axisa’s piece, points to Ohtani adding another layer to his 2026 season through a major benchmark, a concept that carries its own weight in MLB because it affects both how fans remember the campaign and how opponents plan around a single player’s at-bats and batting order impact.

The second theme is pitching, specifically the kind of breakthrough that can alter a team’s postseason ceiling. Axisa flags a potential no-hitter outcome, tying the idea to Tarik Skubal, a name that has become synonymous in recent seasons with dominance in starting pitching. In MLB, a no-hitter is not just a stat line, it can change how a rotation is managed late, since it can validate a club’s internal confidence around its top arm during a month where every series matters.

The largest team-building prediction in the column is a “blockbuster trade” less than three weeks ahead of the traditional trade-deadline window. Axisa frames the trade as a central storyline for the second half, which is consistent with how contenders and challengers often use the final days to address a specific need, from bullpen innings to lineup balance. Because the prediction is presented as a forecast, the important takeaway is the intent: Axisa is expecting an acquisition-level move to be a defining moment for at least one roster.

Power hitting is the fourth theme, and Axisa keeps the focus on Aaron Judge and home-run production. In a second-half preview, that kind of prediction functions as a shorthand for both personal achievement and team consequences. If a player’s power run accelerates, it can lift a lineup’s ability to turn single scoring opportunities into multi-run outcomes, which is often the difference between being “in the race” and sustaining it through late August.

Finally, Axisa looks beyond the weekly grind toward the broader baseball calendar, with predictions that include events tied to the All-Star break and the MLB offseason pathway, including The Futures Game, the Home Run Derby, and the MLB Draft. Even for readers not invested in those events as standalone competitions, they matter because they point toward the next wave of talent development, which eventually feeds the major league roster decisions made during the same window as the trade deadline.

It is worth stressing what this column is and is not. Axisa is not reporting a confirmed transaction, a scheduled statistical outcome, or verified standings projections. He is offering a set of educated, high-contrast predictions built around recurring MLB storylines, which means they should be read as framing devices for what to watch, not as guarantees or preliminary official results. Still, the items he highlights, from Ohtani to Skubal to a potential deadline swing, map cleanly onto the most common drivers of late-season momentum.

As the second half begins in earnest, the practical questions are straightforward: will MLB’s signature stars accelerate into new milestones, and will the trade-deadline market produce a move large enough to change a contender’s playoff math? The answers will arrive series by series, but Axisa’s list provides a clear checklist for fans as the calendar turns away from the All-Star break and toward September stakes.