The MLB postseason bracket is set and ready to kick off, and after an intense Wild Card round, just 8 teams are still standing with their eyes on the World Series. Starting tomorrow, the Division Series gets underway, and every team left has its flaws — but also plenty of firepower to keep them going. The 4 series are loaded with tons of intrigue, smoking hot bats, elite arms, and a few underdogs looking to keep the chaos going for the run.
You couldn’t script it better with this showdown — Yankees vs. Blue Jays. Two division rivals, both with plenty of star power and postseason scars. Toronto earned a first-round bye as the #1 seed, while the Yankees had to claw through Boston in a tight 3-game series.
New York dropped Game 1 at home to Boston but bounced back behind big hits from Aaron Judge and solid pitching. In Game 2, they limited Boston to just 3 total runs, but shut them out in last night’s game to seal the deal. The Yankees’ staff ranks 2nd in the postseason with a 2.00 ERA, and their bullpen has been nothing less than sharp. They also have the 3rd-best team batting average in the playoffs with a .253.
Their big bats have been Aaron Judge with his .364 AVG, 4 hits, and 2 doubles, as well as Anthony Volpe with a .364 AVG, 2 RBIs, and 2 doubles.
Their offense hasn’t exploded yet, but it's been timely. Volpe and Judge carried much of the load in the Wild Card series, but they’ll need more help against a rested Blue Jays rotation that has been smoking hot this season.
The Blue Jays haven't played since the regular season ended, which can sometimes be a blessing or a curse. They have pitching depth and power, but they’ll face a Yankees team that already found its playoff rhythm.
If the Jays' starters show up early, they could easily control the tempo, but the Yankees have more postseason grit, and their pitching is already locked in.
Seattle comes into the ALDS as the #2 seed, facing a Tigers team that just shocked the Guardians in a back-and-forth Wild Card battle. Detroit is young and fearless and put down the Guardians after having a 15.5 game lead on them earlier in the season. Seattle is more seasoned but comes in off a break.
The Tigers edged out Cleveland in 3 games, with surprisingly big performances from the bottom half of their lineup. Dillon Dingler and Wenceel Perez were clutch in Game 3 to clinch their spot in the ALDS. Their offense hasn’t been flashy, in fact, it’s been pretty cold with only one home run in 3 games, but it’s been scrappy.
Javier Baez has been on fire with his .455 AVG and 5 hits, and Kerry Carpenter has been doing his part as well with a .400 AVG, 4 hits, and 4 RBIs. Overall, the team AVG sits at just .218, which is good for 4th among postseason teams.
Despite a slump with the bats, their pitching, though, has kept them in every game. Detroit boasts a 2.77 ERA across 3 games, holding Cleveland to a .178 AVG.
This is a team that’s not supposed to be here, given their collapse in the latter half of the season, but with how they're playing, they might not be going away anytime soon.
Like the Jays, the Mariners haven’t played since the regular season, so rust could be an issue. But their rotation is built for a short series. If Luis Castillo gets on the bump and sets the tone early, Seattle should be able to keep Detroit’s bats quiet. But scoring consistently has been a problem for the Mariners down the stretch.
It’s the showdown nobody expected, but everyone should watch. The division-winning Brewers are set to host the Cubs, who knocked out the Padres in a gritty 3-game series.
Chicago rode elite pitching to take down San Diego as they allowed just 3 total runs over 3 games. The Padres' bats have a lot of soul-searching to do after that series. Their bullpen is a wall, and their staff leads all postseason teams with a 1.67 ERA.
Offensively, they’re not what we’d call overwhelming, but Michael Busch and Pete Crow-Armstrong have come up big. Busch has a .400 AVG, HRs, and 4 RBIs, while PCA put up a .286 AVG and 3 RBIs. Overall, their team Batting AVG sits at .258, good for 2nd in postseason.
Though they’re still considered a long shot, this team has the pitching to upset anyone.
The Brewers had a week to rest, but they’re facing a Cubs team with tons of momentum. Their top arms — Corbin Burnes, Freddy Peralta, and Brandon Woodruff — will be key to winning this NLDS. They’ll need to outduel a Cubs staff that has been lights-out. Expect some serious pitching duels in this series.
Sure, their odds are higher than the Cubs, but there’s pressure here. If Milwaukee’s bats go cold, they’re in trouble fast.
This might be the most electric matchup of the round. Both teams are stacked, and both have World Series experience. In fact, these 2 teams are (somehow) the favorites to win the World Series with a +425 and +650, respectively.
The Dodgers handled Cincinnati in just 2 games, outscoring them 18-9. Their offense leads the postseason in batting average with a solid .373, OBP of .440, and OPS of 1.107. They're hitting everything right now, and we don’t see them slowing down.
Mookie Betts has been anchoring the team with his .667 AVG, 3 doubles, 3 RBIs, and an insane 1.700 OPS while getting help from both Enrique Hernandez and Ben Rortvedt, who are sitting at a .500 AVG.
LA’s pitching has been fine — not what we’d call elite — but when you’re scoring runs like this, it almost doesn’t really matter because whoever has more runs after 27 outs gets the win.
Philly had a bye and will now step into a storm in L.A. Their lineup is undoubtedly powerful, and they’ve got front-line starters who can go toe-to-toe with just about anyone. If Zach Wheeler and Aaron Nola can control games early, Philly definitely has the bullpen to finish.
Only the Dodgers have shorter odds. No one’s sleeping on this group.
If you’re betting or just following the divisional round closely, here’s the general mood around the remaining 8 teams—
The Dodgers have the best offense and the shortest title odds. Their biggest threat is probably Philly, which has the arms to silence that lineup.
Cubs and Yankees are pitching-heavy and battle-tested already.
Blue Jays and Brewers are top seeds that haven’t played yet and could be vulnerable early.
Tigers and Mariners both have strong pitching, but the Tigers have momentum, and the Mariners have the better roster on paper.
Want to catch the games? Fortunately, the MLB has done a decent job of laying these games out so you can catch every single game tomorrow.
Cubs at Brewers – 2 PM ET (TBS)
Yankees at Blue Jays – 4 PM ET (FOX)
Dodgers at Phillies – 6:30 PM ET (TBS)
Tigers at Mariners – 8:30 PM ET (FS1)
This Division Series slate has everything you could want in postseason baseball — rivalries, rising stars, and heavyweights going at it early. The Wild Card round already gave us a few surprises, and don’t be shocked if at least one underdog crashes the Championship Series party.
October’s just getting started, and there’s plenty of baseball left.