A wild and unpredictable MLB season has concluded and it’s now down to 12 teams battling for the right to call themselves World Series champions.
The postseason begins Tuesday with four games on the slate:
- Detroit Tigers vs. Cleveland Guardians (1 p.m. ET on ESPN)
- San Diego Padres vs. Chicago Cubs (3 p.m. ET on ABC)
- Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees (6 p.m. ET on ESPN)
- Cincinnati Reds vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (9 p.m. on ESPN)
The Philadelphia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays all have a bye.
Who has the most momentum heading into October? Here is Sportsnaut’s MLB Playoff Power Rankings.
1. Philadelphia Phillies (Last week: 1)
The Phillies secured the all-important first-round bye and are back-to-back National League East champions. They will face the winner of the Reds-Dodgers Wild Card series. Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper are ready to shine under the spotlight. They have a .908 and 1.016 OPS in October, respectively, and have combined for 38 postseason home runs. The championship feels like theirs for the taking.
2. Los Angeles Dodgers (Last week: 4)
The Dodgers are peaking at the perfect time. Not only will we get to see Shohei Ohtani hit, but he will also pitch for the first time ever in the postseason. Los Angeles won 14 of its last 19 games and will face the Reds at home in the Wild Card. It would be a monumental upset if they don’t advance to face the Phillies in the NLDS.
3. Seattle Mariners (Last week: 5)
America will get to know Mariners superstar Cal Raleigh extremely well as he’s the first catcher in MLB history to hit 60 home runs in a season. The Mariners have a first-round bye and will face the winner of the Tigers-Guardians series. Seattle also surged down the stretch, overtaking the Houston Astros for the American League West title and securing the No. 1 seed in the AL.
4. New York Yankees (Last week: 6)
Even though they weren’t able to catch the Blue Jays for the American League East crown, the Yankees finished hot down the stretch, winning 14 of 17. But the biggest question heading into the postseason is how Aaron Judge will perform. The two-time MVP has struggled to break through in October, hitting just .205 with 86 strikeouts in 58 playoff games. The Yankees face the Red Sox at home in the Wild Card.
5. Milwaukee Brewers (Last week: 2)
The Brewers finished with the best record in baseball but they fell off in September, going 12-12 and scoring just 103 runs in those 24 games. They might be without two starters in the postseason in Brandon Woodruff and Jose Quintana, but their bullpen got a boost with the returns of closer Trevor Megill and reliever D.L. Hall. They will face the winner of the Padres-Cubs series.
6. Toronto Blue Jays (Last week: 3)
The Blue Jays secured their first American League East title since 2015 — when they made it to the ALCS — and earned a first-round bye. However, the status of Bo Bichette remains uncertain as he’s been out with a knee injury that sidelined him for the final weeks of the season. He rebounded from a brutal 2024 to hit .311 with an .840 OPS, 18 home runs and 44 doubles. He’s a free agent after the year, adding extra significance to his potential postseason return.
7. Chicago Cubs (Last week: 7)
Good news for the Cubs: they have All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker back for the playoffs. The bad news: they will be without rookie pitcher Cade Horton — at least for the Wild Card series — due to a right rib fracture. With Shota Imanaga’s struggles in September, it’s a significant loss for the rotation. The Cubs will face the Padres in the Wild Card series at Wrigley Field.
8. Cleveland Guardians (Last week: 8)
After being given just a 0.2% chance at the beginning of the month to win the American League Central, the Guardians pulled off a stunning comeback. They overtook the Detroit Tigers and won the division by one game after going 20-7 in September. They will now face the team they leapfrogged for the title in the Wild Card.
9. San Diego Padres (Last week: 9)
The Padres couldn’t overcome the Cubs for home field advantage in the Wild Card and will have to travel to Chicago. That’s bad news for a San Diego team that went just 38-43 on the road this season. San Diego also has rotation issues behind Game 1 starter Nick Pivetta, as both Dylan Cease and Yu Darvish struggled this season while Michael King dealt with injuries.
10. Boston Red Sox (Last week: 10)
The Red Sox have an ace in Garrett Crochet, but unfortunately for Boston, he can’t pitch in every game. Can Brayan Bello and Lucas Giolito help carry the team in a three-game series at Yankee Stadium? Boston was 9-4 against New York in 2025, but it’s a different beast in the postseason. The Red Sox will also be without outstanding rookie Roman Anthony.
11. Detroit Tigers (Last week: 11)
On Sept. 1, the Tigers had a 99.8% chance of winning the AL Central and were up 15.5 games on the Guardians at one point during the season. That all changed after Detroit collapsed, going 7-17 in the month and nearly missing the playoffs altogether. They travel to face Cleveland in the Wild Card.
12. Cincinnati Reds (Last week: 13)
It took until Game 162 and an epic New York Mets collapse, but the Reds squeaked into the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Their reward? A matchup with the defending World Series champion Dodgers in Los Angeles.
