With the MLB trade deadline out of the way, now is the time for us to turn our collective attention to the handful of teams who are not only going to make the postseason, but potentially win it all. While a dozen teams will inevitably punch their tickets into the playoffs for some additional October baseball, only about six, maybe eight teams have a realistic shot of winning the World Series this postseason.
So what I wanted to do today is to put forth some way-too-early playoff field predictions with two months of regular-season baseball left to be played. I am sure I will get any of this and all of this wrong, but who does not love a bold prediction? Anyway, I am strictly going on the vibes each of these teams I have making the field are putting out there into the universe. Only one can win it all!
Here is how I project the American League postseason field will look like after the regular season.
- Detroit Tigers (AL Central winner)
- Houston Astros (AL West winner)
- New York Yankees (AL East winner)
- Toronto Blue Jays (AL Wild Card No. 1)
- Boston Red Sox (AL Wild Card No. 2)
- Seattle Mariners (AL Wild Card No. 3)
And here is what I envision the National League postseason field will look like come early October.
- Milwaukee Brewers (NL Central winner)
- Los Angeles Dodgers (NL West winner)
- New York Mets (NL East winner)
- Philadelphia Phillies (NL Wild Card No. 1)
- Chicago Cubs (NL Wild Card No. 2)
- San Diego Padres (NL Wild Card No. 3)
Now that we know who is making the postseason, I will break down who advances from each round.
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Projected 2025 MLB postseason bracket and outcomes
I will start out by saying what four teams will be advancing out of the best-of-three wild card series.
Wild Card Series
Let's start off with the four teams who will be playing in these series over in the American League.
American League
Here is who will be playing in the American League Wild Card Series, and who all will be advancing.
- No. 3 New York Yankees advance over No. 6 Seattle Mariners, 2-1
- No. 5 Boston Red Sox advance over No. 4 Toronto Blue Jays, 2-1
I have the No. 3-seeded New York Yankees advancing past the No. 6-seeded Seattle Mariners in three games. This series will be in The Bronx. While New York will prove to be the far better team, I just have a feeling they will give a game away to Seattle due to the big bats of the Mariners and how the ball tends to fly out of Yankee Stadium when the lights are the brightest. A clear winner, but only barely.
As for the other ALWCS, I have the No. 5-seeded Boston Red Sox advancing over the No. 4-seeded Toronto Blue Jays in three games. This series will be played north of the border. This comes down to what baseball culture do I trust more. Toronto may be the better team, but Boston may be playing with house money in this best-of-three, allowing the Red Sox to play a little bit loser and get a second win.
Now, let's move over to the National League to see what could happen in their two Wild Card Series.
National League
Here is how I envision the two National League Wild Card Series shaking out in the end in October.
- No. 3 New York Mets advance over No. 6 San Diego Padres, 2-0
- No. 5 Chicago Cubs advance over No. 4 Philadelphia Phillies, 2-1
I have the No. 3-seeded New York Mets getting past the San Diego Padres fairly easily in only two games. This series will be played in Queens. For as much as I think the Padres could potentially get someone, New York will be playing with a crashing sense of urgency in this best-of-three. The Mets will have battled down to the wire to just edge out the rival Philadelphia Phillies for the NL East crown.
In the other best-of-three NLWCS, I have the No. 5-seeded Chicago Cubs somehow getting past the No. 4-seeded Philadelphia Phillies. This series will be played in the City of Brotherly Love. Despite winning Game 1 quite comfortable, an implosion in Game 2 by Philadelphia has it going to a winner-take-all Game 3. Since every postseason has ended earlier for Philadelphia of late, that will continue.
Now, let's move our attention to the always intriguing best-of-five division series in both leagues.
Division Series
There are only eight teams left at this point, so let's see who wins the best-of-five division series.
American League
Here is what I think may happen in the two American League Division Series of note this postseason.
- No. 1 Detroit Tigers over No. 5 Boston Red Sox, 3-1
- No. 2 Houston Astros over No. 3 New York Yankees, 3-2
The Detroit Tigers will not let the first-round bye get the best of them like it has been the case with so many other teams under this new format. The top-seeded Tigers will be getting past the No. 5-seeded Boston Red Sox in four games. Boston may be able to win a game or so in Fenway, but Detroit will not be pressing in this best-of-five as much as the Red Sox will. Boston will hand them the series.
As for the other one, I have the No. 2-seeded Houston Astros continuing to mess with the American League rival New York Yankees. This one will come down to the final game in Houston, but the Astros will prevail on account of some unbelievable managerial nonsense put forth by much-maligned skipper Aaron Boone. Aaron Judge's bat will not show up and Max Fried will struggle in his two starts.
Now, let's see what teams will be playing for the right to win the National League pennant this fall.
National League
Over in the National League, this is my way-too-early best guess of who will be playing for a pennant.
- No. 5 Chicago Cubs over No. 1 Milwaukee Brewers, 3-2
- No. 2 Los Angeles Dodgers over No. 3 New York Mets, 3-2
In a complete shocker, I have the No. 5-seeded Chicago Cubs getting the best of their NL Central rival in the top-seeded Milwaukee Brewers three games to two in their best-of-five series. I hate to say it, but until further notice, there will be at least one team who gets a first-round bye who will not be ready for momentum coming their way, especially from a rival. Milwaukee cannot match Chicago's energy.
In the last division series, I have another one going down to the wire. With the final game of the best-of-five being played out in Chavez Ravine, I have the No. 2-seeded Los Angeles Dodgers just eking it out past the No. 3-seeded New York Mets. In the end, a clutch hit or two is going to decide the game. It may not be by much, but I am rolling with Freddie Freeman or Shohei Ohtani to get this done here.
And then there were four... Let's find out who is going to raise a pennant and play in the World Series.
Championship Series
While four teams have made it this far, only three can win the World Series, but only one of them will.
American League
Here is how the American League Championship Series could shake out if I am indeed Nostradamus.
- No. 1 Detroit Tigers over No. 2 Houston Astros, 4-2
Against my better judgement, I am going with the top-seeded Detroit Tigers to win their first American League pennant since 2012 over the perennial Junior Circuit juggernaut Houston Astros four games to two. Having home-field advantage will play a crucial part in this for the Tigers. They will take the first two at home before stealing either Games 4 or 5 on the road before then taking Game 6.
Now let's find out who will be playing the Tigers for the rights to be named World Series Champions!
National League
It all comes down to this in the National League, but I do not think it will be particularly close at all...
- No. 2 Los Angeles Dodgers over No. 5 Chicago Cubs, 4-1
In the most lopsided series of the postseason, I have the No. 2- seeded Los Angeles Dodgers cruising past the plucky No. 5-seeded Chicago Cubs in five games. I envision the Dodgers taking the first two games effortlessly before Chicago gives away either Game 3 or 4. Rather than come back home for Games 6 or 7, look for the Dodgers to be well-rested with a breezy series win in five games.
Now that we know who has won the AL and NL pennants, let's turn our attention to the World Series!
World Series
Between the No. 1 Detroit Tigers and No. 2 Los Angeles Dodgers, who is going to come out on top?
- No. 1 Detroit Tigers over No. 2 Los Angeles Dodgers, 4-3
Yes, I have the Tigers winning their first World Series Championship since 1984 by thankfully preventing a Dodgers' World Series repeat. While Freddie Freeman and Shohei Ohtani will have done everything they can at the plate, the Dodgers' pitching staff will let them down in the end. I see Tarik Skubal winning two or three games in this series, including pitching the game of his life in Game 7.
If either the Dodgers or Tigers do not win it all, keep your eyes on Houston and either New York team.