Biggest strength and ticking time bomb for each remaining playoff team

The Wild Card Series has officially come to an end, and what a period of three days it was. The Los Angeles Dodgers were able to eliminate the Cincinnati Reds in two games with relative ease, but the other three series went the distance, and were honestly must-see TV.

The Detroit Tigers found a way to get big hits when they needed to knock out the Cleveland Guardians, the Chicago Cubs won two incredibly close games against the San Diego Padres, and the New York Yankees were able to rally to beat the Boston Red Sox thanks to rookie sensation Cam Schlittler.

Now that the eight teams set to participate in the Division Series are set in stone, let's take a look at each team's biggest strength and what might hold them back.

Biggest strength and weaknesses for each remaining MLB postseason team

1. Toronto Blue Jays
2. New York Yankees
3. Seattle Mariners
4. Detroit Tigers
5. Milwaukee Brewers
6. Chicago Cubs
7. Philadelphia Phillies
8. Los Angeles Dodgers

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Toronto Blue Jays

Biggest strength: Contact hitting

The Toronto Blue Jays don't play the sexiest brand of baseball, but something they do extraordinarily well is put the ball into play. They struck out just 1,099 times this regular season, the second-fewest in the majors. Rarely striking out while scoring the fourth-most runs in the majors sure sounds like a good combination.

Putting the ball into play puts the pressure on the defense to make every play, and with a matchup against a defensively-challenged Yankees team looming, this could come to their advantage. Bo Bichette's status being a question hurts, and I don't know if their lack of power will come to bite them or not, but the Jays didn't hit .265 as a team (first in MLB) by accident. Their lineup is full of professional hitters who put up quality at-bats consistently and we should see plenty of that in the postseason.

If the Jays are able to go on a deep run, it's because they found a way to string hits together at a clip we're unaccustomed to seeing in the postseason.

Biggest weakness: Bullpen

The biggest weakness for Toronto is undoubtedly the bullpen. Not only has Jeff Hoffman had a shaky season as the closer, but the rest of the team has had its ups and downs, particularly in the second half as their 4.63 bullpen ERA (23rd in majors) would suggest.

Tommy Nance has been a godsend, but he's also fairly inexperienced -— can he be trusted in October? Seranthony Dominguez and Braydon Fisher have solid ERAs, but they've also walked more than five batters per nine in the second half — can they throw enough strikes? Hoffman's ERA was fine thanks to a strong September, but he, too, had trouble with walks, and also allowed six (!) second half home runs. Can he be trusted in the ninth? Brendon Little was their primary left-handed reliever for much of the year, and Louis Varland was their biggest bullpen addition — can either of these pitchers throw the ball as they're capable of?

Yes, this unit pitched better down the stretch, and getting a week to rest certainly helps, but there are question marks up and down the staff. It'll be interesting to watch how this bullpen performs in October.

New York Yankees

Biggest strength: Lineup depth

It feels crazy to say this after the New York Yankees lost Juan Soto, but their lineup is just as good, if not better, than last year's. Aaron Judge is doing Aaron Judge things, and while they didn't quite replace Soto's production with one single player, they have as deep a lineup as there is in the majors. Here's a look at the lineup we're likely going to see in Game 1 of the ALDS on Saturday.

Six of the nine regulars for New York were over 20 percent better than league average offensively based on wRC+, which is absurd. Eight of the nine hitters in this lineup hit 20 or more home runs, with Anthony Volpe, who hit 19, serving as the only exception.

All eyes are on Judge, and understandably so, but even while there isn't a Soto-esque hitter in this order, the depth is not something the Yankees have had in recent postseasons. Perhaps this time around, because of that depth, we'll see a consistent offense in October, whether Aaron Judge is able to slay his postseason demons or not.

Biggest weakness: Bullpen

The Yankees only allowed six total runs in their three-game series against the Red Sox, but three of them were surrendered by their bullpen. That unit did pitch well in Game 2 of the series, there's a lot of talent to like, but based on how things have gone, particularly since the second half, the bullpen is cause for concern.

As poor as Toronto's bullpen was in the second half, New York's was worse, ranking 26th in the majors with a 4.78 ERA. David Bednar has been the lockdown closer New York has needed, but who else do you really trust?

Devin Williams looked great in that Boston series, but his entire Yankees tenure has been a roller coaster. Fernando Cruz has incredible strikeout stuff, but he can lose the plate, and his second-half ERA is just a shade below 5.00. The same can be said about Camilo Doval. Luke Weaver had a shaky September and played a crucial role in New York's lone postseason loss. I trust Bednar to seal the deal, but if the starter can't go eight innings like Schlittler just did, who is going to set up for Bednar?

They have the names to pitch well, but Yankees fans haven't seen any consistency all year.

Seattle Mariners

Biggest strength: Power bats

Hitting for power goes a long way in any given game, but this is only emphasized in the postseason. It's so hard to string hits together against elite pitching, so one big swing is more likely to put runs on the board this time of year than putting the ball into play. The Seattle Mariners do not run the bases well, aren't a good defensive team, and they don't hit for a very high average, but they absolutely can hit the ball over the fence.

Seattle ranked third in the majors in home runs, and has several players capable of hitting the ball over the fence.

They might not be quite as deep offensively as the Yankees, but they had six players who hit 20+ home runs, and they had two of the five most prolific sluggers in the game in Cal Raleigh and Eugenio Suarez. Raleigh's 60 home runs led the majors. These points, combined with the fact that Julio Rodriguez finished his season strongly and Randy Arozarena is a historically great October performer, should have Mariners fans excited for what's to come.

Biggest weakness: Road pitching

It's fun to see the Mariners have a potent offense for the first time in quite a while, but unfortunately, their starting rotation isn't quite as formidable as it had been in recent years. Don't get me wrong, there's a ton of talent in their starting staff, but Seattle's 3.97 rotation ERA was good for 13th in the majors. The reason for that has to do with how they've performed on the road.

The only starter in Seattle's projected postseason rotation with a respectable road ERA is Bryan Woo, and his status is up in the air due to a pectoral injury. The Mariners have announced that George Kirby, Luis Castillo and Logan Gilbert will start their first three games, and it's hard to trust any of them on the road. Seattle will have home-field advantage in the ALDS, but there's a pretty good chance that won't be the case in the ALCS or the World Series, making their road to winning it all more challenging.

These pitchers are all talented, and it wouldn't shock me to see them come through on the road in October, but Mariners fans haven't seen this happen all year. Hopefully, that changes when the lights are bright.

Detroit Tigers

Biggest strength: Best pitcher in baseball

The Detroit Tigers' biggest strength was on full display in the Wild Card Series, as they had the best pitcher in the sport, Tarik Skubal will them to a win in the opening game, putting the team in the driver's seat.

In that game, Skubal allowed just one run on three hits in 7.2 innings, and he fanned 14 batters. Anytime a pitcher capable of doing that takes the mound, that team is in a pretty good spot when it comes to winning. If you can count on a guy to win any given game, that takes a lot of pressure off the rest of the club, lessening what they have to do. For example, if Skubal starts twice in the ALDS, that means the Tigers would only have to win one game in which he doesn't pitch in order to advance, assuming he does his job.

Other teams have aces, but Skubal is the ace of aces. Having a pitcher of Skubal's caliber is something only the Tigers can say they have.

Biggest weakness: Lack of SP depth

Having Skubal is great, and insanely valuable, particularly in a short series. With that being said, to win a World Series, Detroit would have to win a pair of best-of-seven sets. We can pencil Skubal in to make two or maybe even three starts in a seven-game series, but who is going to win the other games needed?

Casey Mize and Jack Flaherty were the other starters to take the ball for Detroit in the Wild Card Series, and while they were able to limit the damage, they combined to pitch just 7.2 innings in those two starts. The Tigers don't really trust anyone other than Skubal, and I don't blame them.

This might not be a huge deal if Detroit had a lethal bullpen, but they had a 4.05 bullpen ERA in the regular season, good for 17th in the majors. The Tigers have the best pitcher, but do they have the best pitching? Not even close.

Milwaukee Brewers

Biggest strength: Base running

Against all odds, the Milwaukee Brewers finished the season with the best record in the majors. Many (myself included) predicted that this team would've taken a step back after losing both Willy Adames and Devin Williams in free agency, but instead, they finished with the best record in franchise history. They've found success relying on the fundamentals. They can pitch, they make contact, they play defense, and they run the bases extremely well.

Running the bases well is often overlooked, but the Brewers do it better than anyone else in the majors, per Baseball Savant.

The Brewers are as aggressive, yet as smart, as any team on the base paths in the majors. For example, they had the best run value from outs on extra-base taken attempts, meaning they got thrown out the fewest among all MLB teams trying to take an extra base. They also ranked third in extra-base taken attempts, meaning they were both aggressive and successful.

Runs are at a premium in October, and the Brewers can steal them better than any team. This can come in handy in a big way.

Biggest weakness: Lack of power

The Brewers better hope they can steal runs, because they don't hit the ball out of the ballpark very much. Milwaukee ranked 22nd in home runs in the regular season. The only postseason team with fewer, the Padres, were knocked out in the Wild Card Series.

Christian Yelich and Jackson Chourio were the only Brewers position players to clear the 20-home run mark, and they didn't have a single 30-home run hitter. Guys like Brice Turang and William Contreras can pop one out now and again, but Yelich is really the only guy the opposition has circled as a home run hitter.

This didn't matter in the regular season, but again, it's so hard to string hits together in October. Milwaukee's base running might lessen the amount of hits they'll need to score runs, but it's still hard to envision them going on a deep run without hitting for power.

Chicago Cubs

Biggest strength: Defense

The Chicago Cubs' biggest strength was on full display in the Wild Card Series. Save for Pete Crow-Armstrong's rare error, the Cubs' defense dazzled in their three-game set against the Padres and played an instrumental role in allowing the team to advance.

Whether you look at fielding run value, outs above average or defensive runs saved, the Cubs were nothing short of elite in the regular season. Crow-Armstrong is the best defensive outfielder in the game, the middle infield combination of Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner is as good as it gets, and let's not ignore the fact that both Ian Happ and Kyle Tucker are Gold Glovers in their own right.

Scoring runs is important, but keeping the opposition off the board is equally important. A way to do that is by playing the field well, and the Cubs do it as well as anyone.

Biggest weakness: Starting pitching

Chicago's defense better be on point the rest of the way, because I just don't know what to make of this rotation. It has the potential to be quite good, but it just isn't when compared to other postseason teams.

Some of that isn't their fault. Justin Steele has missed most of the season due to injury, and Cade Horton is out for who knows how long with an injury of his own. The Cubs' pitching stepped up in the Wild Card Series, but I thought Matthew Boyd got a ton of help from his defense, and Shota Imanaga's success in a bulk role out of the 'pen didn't exactly last as long as Craig Counsell would've liked.

Boyd and Imanaga are the two best starters the Cubs have to offer, and it's hard to trust either one of them with how they pitched in the second half. Boyd had a 4.63 ERA in the second half, and Imanaga had a 4.70 ERA. At the end of the day, there's only so much an elite defense can do. The pitchers have to execute, and I don't necessarily trust these Cubs arms to do that.

Philadelphia Phillies

Biggest strength: Starting rotation

It might seem crazy to label the Philadelphia Philies' starting rotation as their biggest strength with Zack Wheeler on the sidelines, but how can I not? Their three-headed monster of left-handed starters consisting of Cristopher Sanchez, Ranger Suarez and Jesus Luzardo is really good, and having an arm with the ceiling of Aaron Nola as the No. 4 is very good too.

If it weren't for Paul Skenes, Cristopher Sanchez would probably be the Cy Young favorite in the NL. Ranger Suarez allowed one earned run or fewer in 14 of his 26 starts, and he allowed three earned runs or fewer in all but five of his outings. He's dominant more often than not, and it's almost unheard of for him to allow more than three runs in an outing. Oh yeah, he has a 1.43 postseason ERA as well, excelling both as a starter and a reliever.

Jesus Luzardo's 3.92 regular season ERA wasn't exactly elite, but 20 of the 80 earned runs he allowed came from back-to-back brutal starts in late May and early June. He had a 2.15 ERA in 11 starts before those starts, and he has a 3.57 ERA in 19 starts since. He's been mostly excellent. The same can't be said about Nola, but again, as a No. 4 starter, does it get much worse than a guy with his track record?

Biggest weakness: Health

This Phillies team doesn't really have many weaknesses, and the injuries aren't their fault, but the fact that they aren't healthy right now is concerning. Zack Wheeler, of course, is out for the season, putting a major hole in the top of the rotation. I have faith in the rest of the staff, but there's no replacing Wheeler.

On the position player side, Trea Turner returned from his hamstring strain on the regular season's final day, but is he really 100 percent? I certainly hope so, but hamstring injuries can linger. If the Phillies have Turner at less than 100 percent, can they generate enough offense?

These are two superstars that the Phillies are either without or could have playing at less than full strength. Oh yeah, Jose Alvarado is out too after getting suspended for PEDs earlier this season. I think the Phillies have what it takes, but the injuries and/or suspensions they're dealing with could come back to bite them.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Biggest strength: Star power

There's a reason everyone was terrified of the Los Angeles Dodgers entering the 2025 campaign. They won it all in 2024 and got substantially better in the offseason. The regular season didn't exactly go as planned, but they won the NL West and swept the Reds in the Wild Card Series. Now, the defending champs are back in the NLDS and have as talented a roster as any.

On the starting pitching side, the Dodgers didn't even use Shohei Ohtani in the Wild Card Series because of how good Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are. Yes, they didn't feel the need to use their $700 million man in the Wild Card Series, and they even have Tyler Glasnow looming as well.

As for the position players, Ohtani is joined by Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernandez, and Will Smith. Guys like Andy Pages and Tommy Edman will likely hit in the lower third of the order, assuming Smith is able to return in the NLDS, which is just absurd. Their lineup is as deep as any.

Biggest weakness: Bullpen

The same, however, cannot be said about this bullpen. The 'pen is full of big names, but it gave a couple of scares in the Wild Card Series and was one of the worst units in the regular season among the remaining playoff teams.

Tanner Scott was signed to be their lockdown closer, but he's been anything but. Guys like Kirby Yates, Brock Stewart, Michael Kopech and Evan Phillips who were supposed to be important pieces in the bullpen are all hurt.

It's gotten to the point where Roki Sasaki, a pitcher who was recently in the minor leagues, is now one of the most important pitchers in this Dodgers bullpen. There's a lot to like name-wise in this bullpen, but it's been a problem all year. If the Dodgers fail to repeat, there's a good chance the relievers will be the biggest reason why.