The MLB regular season is over, so the postseason bracket is officially set. There was an opportunity for the New York Mets to make the playoffs in the National League, and the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers could have swapped seeds with the Toronto Blue Jays and Cleveland Guardians, respectively, but seeding ended up staying the same as it was coming into Game 162. So, what is the playoff schedule with the Wild Card round right around the corner?
MLB playoff bracket
American League:
1 seed: Toronto Blue Jays (first round bye)
2 seed: Seattle Mariners (first round bye)
3 seed: Cleveland Guardians
4 seed: New York Yankees
5 seed: Boston Red Sox
6 seed: Detroit Tigers
National League:
1 seed: Milwaukee Brewers (first round bye)
2 seed: Philadelphia Phillies (first round bye)
3 seed: Los Angeles Dodgers
4 seed: Chicago Cubs
5 seed: San Diego Padres
6 seed: Cincinnati Reds
Wild Card schedule
Sept 30:
Padres @ Cubs, 3:08 p.m. ET, ABC
Tigers @ Guardians, TBD, ESPN
Red Sox @ Yankees, TBD, ESPN
Reds @ Dodgers, TBD, ESPN
Oct 1:
Padres @ Cubs, 3:08 p.m. ET, ABC
Red Sox @ Yankees, TBD, ESPN
Tigers @ Guardians, TBD, ESPN plat
Reds @ Dodgers, TBD, ESPN
Oct 2:
Red Sox @ Yankees, TBD, ESPN plat
Tigers @ Guardians, TBD, ESPN plat
Padres @ Cubs, TBD, ESPN plat
Reds @ Dodgers, TBD, ESPN plat
MLB postseason predictions
The American League Wild Card will feature arguably the biggest rivalry in all of baseball, as the Yankees will face the Boston Red Sox. The Yankees went 4-9 against the Red Sox this season. They even lost eight straight games against the team. Their fortune will change in the postseason, though. The Yankees got hot late in the season, even winning eight consecutive games to end the year. The team is stacked with power hitters and has the potential to make the World Series yet again.
A Wild Card win would pin the Yankees against the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALDS. Unfortunately, the Blue Jays were bitten by the injury bug at the wrong time. Bo Bichette, Chris Bassitt, and Jose Berrios are all currently out, so the Yankees' postseason experience will once again triumph in this potential series.
The other Wild Card series in the AL will also feature division rivals. The Cleveland Guardians outplayed the Detroit Tigers during the last quarter of the season, and that shouldn't change come playoff time. The Tigers are 2-8 over their last 10 games, and they've looked like a shell of their former selves for over a month now.
A Guardians win would lead to a showdown against the Seattle Mariners. Seattle had an incredible trade deadline, and their mid-season influx of talent will be enough to win its ALDS matchup. Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor were two such trade deadline accusations, and they pair incredibly well with MVP contender Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez. Raleigh will make his MVP case known against the Yankees, who also have an MVP candidate in Aaron Judge. The Mariners are the only active MLB team that has never appeared in the World Series, but that will change this year.
In the National League, the Los Angeles Dodgers should be able to handle the Cincinnati Reds with ease. The defending champions are just so stacked with star talent and reliable depth, and there isn't a clear weakness on their roster. The Dodgers could also handle the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS. Both teams are stacked with big-name superstars, but the Dodgers have proven that they can win when the lights are the brightest. In contrast, the Phillies have continuously had postseason disappointments as currently constructed.
The Chicago Cubs will play the San Diego Padres in the other Wild Card matchup. The Padres are another team that will continue reaping the rewards of being active at the trade deadline. They will not only come up with a Wild Card win, but they will also best the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS, despite the fact that Milwaukee finished the regular season with the best record in baseball.
That would lead to an NLCS clash between two NL West teams. The Dodgers were 9-4 against the Padres this year. They will win in the NLCS and successfully defend their title in the World Series against the Mariners.
