Think games in July don't matter? The Yankees played two absolutely terrible series in Toronto in July. If they'd gone 2-5 instead of 1-6 in those seven games, they would've won the AL East by two games and been the No. 1 seed in the American League instead of a wild card team. It works the other way, too. The Tigers have been utterly horrendous since mid-August. They somehow pissed away a 15-game lead in the AL Central. Yet, despite their best efforts, they're still going to the playoffs on the strength of their excellent first half.
Detroit wasn't the only team that collapsed. The Mets managed to play themselves totally out of the playoffs, with Cincinnati (despite not being much better down the stretch) getting the last NL wild card spot instead. Terry Francona is a freaking wizard! Don't be surprised if he ends up winning NL Manager of the Year. And, while the Reds probably have little to no chance against the Dodgers, it's still pretty awesome that Elly de la Cruz gets to play on the postseason stage.
And how about Cleveland?! They did what the Tigers did last year, and then some! Detroit certainly helped them, but the Guardians went from completely out of the playoffs to AL Central champs, and now they get to host the Tigers in a rematch of last season's ALDS. They just played each other last week, too. This is either really good for the Tigers, who could easily morph back into the team they were for the first three months of the season, or they'll be the 2025 version of last year's Orioles. Great in the first half only to flame out in the Wild Card Series.
As we enter the postseason, it's wide open. Of the 12 remaining teams, there are seven I could easily see making the World Series, if not winning it. But those seven are just as capable of losing in the first round. So, instead of doing a series-by-series preview, I've decided to do power rankings based on which team I think is most likely to win it all.
12. Reds: Getting here was such a tremendous achievement. While many people considered the Reds an up-and-coming team, very few thought they'd reach the playoffs this year. Especially when it was the Mets they chased down. Alas, they have to face the Dodgers on the road in the Wild Card Series. Great story, but their run ends here.
11. Guardians: I have nothing against the State of Ohio. Honestly. And I wouldn't be totally surprised if the Guardians continue this insane run. Especially since they've been doing it with pitching, and that's what wins in the playoffs. However, while I can see them beating the Tigers, I can't see them beating Detroit, then Seattle, then an AL East team, then the NL pennant winner. As such, they're No. 11.
10. Red Sox: Boston won eight straight against the Yankees this season and has Garrett Crochet and Bryan Bello pitching Games 1 & 2 at Yankee Stadium. They can very easily advance to face Toronto. Similar to the Guardians, though, while I can see them winning one or even two series (against division rivals), it's hard to envision them winning two more (when they stop playing other AL East teams).
9. Cubs: The difference between winning the NL Central and being the No. 4 seed was huge. The Brewers obviously had an incredible season, which the Cubs couldn't really do anything about. But, as a result of being the wild card instead of the division winner, they have to play San Diego in a best-of-3. I'd like their matchup much better against anybody else in the National League. I don't like the matchup against the Padres. Thus, the Cubs are my top Wild Card Series loser.
8. Tigers: It really depends on which Tigers team shows up. The one that went on an insane run to end last season and carried it over into the start of this year? Or the one that faltered down the stretch and blew a 15-game division lead? If it's the first one, this is one of the best teams in baseball. They're still capable of being that team. They need to find it fast, though. Playing Seattle (the actual best team in the American League) in the Division Series doesn't help their case, either.
7. Padres: Now we hit the teams where making a World Series run wouldn't be a surprise at all. Last year, the Padres had a 2-1 lead on the Dodgers in the Division Series, only to get shut out in both of the last two games. Then, this season, they hung with the Dodgers for most of the season before ending up as a wild card. On paper, they're just as good as, if not better than the Cubs. (Fun fact: this will be the first Cubs-Padres playoff series since the 1984 NLCS.) They can give the Brewers a run for their money, too. And, if they get past Milwaukee, it's easy to see them also beating whoever survives that Phillies-Dodgers series.
6. Blue Jays: Winning the division and getting the 1-seed was vital for the Blue Jays! They are such a different team at home on the turf. For Toronto, the home field truly is an advantage. Especially this year. All they have to do is win their home games and they'll end up in the World Series. I think their Division Series matchup will be important, though. Especially since they know it'll be a division rival they'll be facing. They'd probably prefer the Yankees over the Red Sox. Either way, they need to get the pitching to back up the hitting they've had all season if they want to make this a truly special year.
5. Dodgers: Can the Dodgers repeat as champions? Of course! Would it be a great way for Clayton Kershaw to go out? Absolutely! I think there are a few things standing in their way as they attempt to match the 1998-2000 Yankees, though. The first is how streaky they were this season, which is what we've seen from the Dodgers in the playoffs repeatedly until last year. They also have to play the extra series, which could either be good or bad. Most importantly, if they beat the Reds, they have to play the Phillies. They avoided that matchup in the NLCS last year. This season, they won't get so lucky. And the Phillies are better than them.
4. Brewers: When the Brewers got swept by the Yankees to open the season, you never would've thought they'd end up winning 97 games and with homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. The question is can they carry their incredible regular season into the playoffs? They have a lot of history to overcome, too. Milwaukee has made the postseason in seven of the last eight years. The only series they've won in that time was the first--the 2018 NLDS against Colorado. It's been six straight playoff series/Wild Card Games lost since then. Should the Brewers finally get over the hump and win a series, though, that first World Series appearance as a member of the National League could definitely be in the cards.
3. Yankees: Yes, it was against the Twins, Orioles and White Sox. What the Yankees did down the stretch to completely erase their AL East deficit can't be discounted, though. They're playing their best baseball heading into the playoffs and seem to have fixed the problems that plagued them for two months over the summer. However, and this is a big however, their playoff path includes two division rivals against whom they went a combined 9-17 this season. It's equally conceivable to see them winning the World Series as it is to see them lose to either of their division foes.
2. Mariners: Seattle is the best team in the American League and has been for two months. The Mariners made a bold statement with the Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suarez trades and, absent a small hiccup, have looked like legitimate World Series contenders since those moves. They have the lineup. They have the starting pitching. They have the bullpen. They have the most talked-about player in the game. They're the only team in the Majors that's never been to the World Series. That could easily change by the end of this month.
1. Phillies: My pick to win the World Series, though, is the team that shares a parking lot with the one that won the Super Bowl. I though the Phillies were the best team entering the playoffs last year, only for their bullpen to completely abandon them against the Mets. They took care of that situation at the trade deadline, getting a closer in Jhoan Duran. That was the only real flaw this team had, and Duran has been magnificent in Philadelphia! They're the most complete team in the field, which is why I think they're the team to beat.
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