Eight teams remain in the hunt for the World Series after wild-card weekend wrapped up Thursday night with Atlanta’s 6-2 win over Philadelphia. All four MLB Division Series are best-of-five affairs, with the higher seed hosting Games 1, 2 and 5. Here is a breakdown of all four of our MLB Division Series predictions:
Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
The two-time defending champion Dodgers enter with well over 95 wins and a rotation bolstered by the summer addition of Tarik Skubal, giving Los Angeles the deepest starting staff in the National League. Atlanta reached the division series by eliminating Philadelphia in a decisive Game 3, powered by home runs from Michael Harris II and Matt Olson.
The Braves lean on the star power of Olson and Ronald Acuna Jr., but their path to an upset likely runs through containing a Dodgers lineup and pitching staff that has been battle-tested in back-to-back championship runs.
Atlanta’s starting pitching staff isn’t particularly deep after suffering a plethora of injuries, and ace Chris Sale already pitched twice in the wild-card round and likely won’t be available until Game 3.
Pick: Dodgers series handicap -1.5 (+115)
Dodgers -1.5 series handicap
San Diego Padres vs. Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee enters with the best record in baseball, topping 100 wins for a second straight season and earning a first-round bye. The Brewers’ rotation duo of Jacob Misiorowski and Logan Henderson gives them a formidable one-two punch, though their offence remains a question mark due to a lack of power.
San Diego arrives after sweeping the Chicago Cubs in the wild-card round, riding one of the hottest stretches in baseball since August. The Padres’ bullpen, featuring Mason Miller and Adrian Morejon, is among the best in the sport and gives manager Craig Stammen the luxury of shortening games.
Pick: Padres to win series (+150)
Padres to win series
New York Yankees vs. Tampa Bay Rays
The top-seeded Rays won the American League East and get a Yankees team that is red hot, having swept Boston in the wild-card round by a combined score of 18-2. New York’s pitching staff carries a league-best 3.35 ERA, anchored by Cam Schlittler and left-hander Max Fried, while the lineup has remained hot despite slugger Aaron Judge being sidelined. One of the biggest storylines of this series will centre around Judge’s potential inclusion on the ALDS roster. Is he healthy enough to play? And if so, how effective will he be?
Tampa Bay’s success this season traces back to pitching depth and a roster built to overachieve on a shoestring budget. The Rays won the AL East for the fifth time in franchise history despite entering the year with modest expectations after consecutive fourth-place finishes, finishing with a 96-61 record and the AL’s best mark for the fourth time ever.
What stands out most is consistency: Tampa Bay spent 128 total days in first place, including an 88-day stretch without relinquishing the division lead, and never endured a full losing month. Going 55-26 at home at Tropicana Field provided a foundation, and the front office’s usual formula — finding value through pitching depth and timely roster management rather than star power — again proved sustainable, even in MLB’s toughest division.
Pick: Rays to win series (+105)
Rays to win series
Chicago White Sox vs. Cleveland Guardians
This is a series between two AL Central rivals, and neither arrives with gaudy numbers. Cleveland finished 85-77, the weakest record among the 12 playoff teams, but captured the division title anyway. Chicago, by contrast, is the feel-good story of the postseason, reaching October after consecutive 100-loss seasons and sweeping Houston in the wild-card round.
The White Sox lean on power, ranking third in the American League with 181 home runs, but their starting rotation has been inconsistent. Cleveland’s strength is its bullpen and situational pitching, led by left-hander Parker Messick.
We’ll go with the team with some momentum in this spot and back the White Sox to win in a long series that will likely go the distance.
Pick: White Sox to win series (+125)
