We made it, baseball followers. It was a chaotic dash to end the common season, however with 162 video games on the books, it’s time to kick off the postseason with the wild-card round.
Four best-of-three series begin Tuesday, so let’s leap in. Here’s what you want to know concerning the wild-card matchups, together with projected starters, X-factors and series predictions.
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Yahoo’s picks for the primary spherical of the postseason. (Mallory Bielecki/Yahoo Sports)
No. 6 Detroit Tigers vs. No. 3 Cleveland Guardians
Projected starters
Game 1: Tarik Skubal (DET) vs. Gavin Williams (CLE)
Game 2: Jack Flaherty (DET) vs. Tanner Bibee (CLE)
Game 3: Casey Mize (DET) vs. Slade Cecconi (CLE)
How they bought right here
Tigers: For many of the first half, Detroit seemed just like the No. 1 group within the American League. The Tigers entered the All-Star break with baseball’s greatest report, dominating like a souped-up model of the 2024 membership that improbably snuck into the postseason. Tarik Skubal was sensational, the opposite pitching was ok, the offense of interchangeable items was producing. Javy Baéz even made the All-Star group. All was nicely.
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Then the bottom fell out. Detroit went 28-37 after the break, the worst second-half report of any playoff group. And when the Guards bought scorching in September, the Tigers couldn’t proper the ship, coughing up the division crown over the season’s remaining week. Only a similarly catastrophic collapse from the Astros saved Detroit within the playoff subject. But now they’re in, and they nonetheless have the very best pitcher on the planet.
Guardians: On the morning of Sept. 5, the Guards had been 11 video games behind the division-leading Tigers, wallowing away in third within the AL Central. Their playoff odds, in accordance to FanGraphs, had been 2.9%. Their division odds, understandably, had been even decrease, comically so, at 0.1%. The previous few weeks appeared destined to be a forgettable epilogue to a tumultuous season that included two players being positioned on administrative depart as a part of a playing investigation.
Cleveland’s pitching workers caught hearth, and the Guardians rode their distinctive model of crisp protection, aggressive baserunning and unflappable, José Ramírez-style moxie to a comeback of historic proportions. The membership completed the season 19-4 over its remaining 23 video games to catch and move the flailing Tigers.
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Belief is a harmful factor, and these Guardians have fairly a surplus proper now.
X-factors
Tigers: Riley Greene
At the break, Greene’s .879 OPS ranked fifteenth amongst certified hitters. He’d seemingly emerged as a younger star, the face of Detroit’s in any other case nameless lineup. That earned him the honor of hitting second for the American League in the Midsummer Classic, instantly in entrance of Aaron Judge.
But for the reason that break, Greene has a .694 OPS, a mark that ranks 117th amongst certified hitters. This dude is meant to be this group’s greatest hitter, its greatest offensive participant, and for the previous two months, because the season began to crumble, he turtled. The greatest model of Greene is harmful, imposing, an actual energy menace. The Tigers want that man to reappear in the event that they’re going to survive one final journey to Cleveland.
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Guardians: Jhonkensy Noel and José Ramirez
The man delightfully generally known as “Big Christmas” is the one energetic Guardian to have ever hit a house run off Tarik Skubal. Playoffs included, Cleveland’s roster has a collective .311 profession slugging proportion in 145 plate appearances in opposition to the reigning AL Cy Young. For reference, Cleveland’s light-hitting backup catcher, Austin Hedges, has a profession .313 slugging proportion.
The righty-hitting Noel might be going to face Skubal thrice in Game 1. Whether he will get a maintain of 1 — and what number of runners are on base if and when that occurs — might dictate the result of your complete series.
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That mentioned, it’s actually all about Ramírez. Every time he steps to the plate, he exudes swagger and confidence, the flavour of which has unfold to your complete Guardians membership over the previous few weeks. He’s the sparkplug, the guts and soul, the be-all and end-all for this group.
How they win
Tigers: Skubal dominates, and crucially, this time he doesn’t longsnap the game away through his legs. Even although Cleveland received the 2 most up-to-date Skubal showdowns, each of which occurred up to now 10 days, the Cy Young-in-waiting allowed simply two earned runs throughout these outings whereas punching out 17. It’s greater than conceivable that the American League’s greatest pitcher storms into Progressive Field, silences the group and modifications the narrative.
Then what?
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Well, baseball is foolish, and Cleveland’s offense stays comparatively mediocre. They ranked 14th in OPS whereas they had been chasing down the Tigers in September. Skubal plus a nasty day for the Guards’ lineup might simply push Detroit by to the ALDS.
Guardians: The approach they’ve been successful, child. That recipe is nice beginning pitching, mistake-free protection, a couple of electrifying J-Ram moments, an infield hit or 5, and the nice graces of the hard-ball gods. Being a Cleveland Guardian proper now looks like probably the most enjoyable, heart-warming job in your complete world. They reaffirm each final cliche about “playing for one another” and “doing the little things right.” And they’re nonetheless enjoying with home cash.
Series prediction: Guardians in three
Skubal carves in Game 1, however the Guardians win the subsequent two to maintain their magical experience rolling.
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— Mintz
No. 5 Boston Red Sox vs. No. 4 New York Yankees
Projected starters
Game 1: Garrett Crochet (BOS) vs. Max Fried (NYY)
Game 2: Lucas Giolito (BOS) vs. Carlos Rodón (NYY)
Game 3: Brayan Bello (BOS) vs. Cam Schlittler (NYY)
Note: Boston hasn’t introduced the order it’ll roll out Giolito and Bello, however Giolito has been higher not too long ago. The Yankees additionally haven’t introduced a Game 3 starter; their different two choices are Luis Gil and Will Warren.
How they bought right here
Red Sox: What a curler coaster.
Here’s an incomplete checklist of notable issues that occurred to the 2025 Red Sox: They traded away the face of the franchise, Rafael Devers, after a really avoidable, very public kerfuffle about his defensive place. That state of affairs escalated the way in which it did solely as a result of the group’s presumed first baseman of the longer term, Tristan Casas, suffered a season-ending knee harm on May 2. Big-ticket free agent Alex Bregman missed two months due to a quad situation. A trio of high prospects debuted and then both dissatisfied (Kristian Campbell) or bought harm (Marcelo Mayer, Roman Anthony). Garrett Crochet, who will finish second for the AL Cy Young, went to the zoo and noticed some pandas. The group appeared magically tethered to .500 earlier than a nine-game successful streak main into the All-Star break propelled them again into playoff rivalry.
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It feels just like the 2025 Red Sox performed 5 seasons this season. Now they’ve to play one other one.
Yankees: This is the very best offense in baseball. The Bombers lead MLB in runs, homers, slugging proportion and OPS. Aaron Judge is either going to win MVP or almost win MVP. Giancarlo Stanton returned from a weird series of elbow points and spent a lot of the summer time placing followers within the outfield in danger. Jazz Chisholm solidified himself as the most effective second basemen within the sport. Ben Rice and Trent Grisham broke out. Cody Bellinger discovered his groove. Besides the mysterious capitulation of Anthony Volpe, issues had been actually good for Yankee hitters this 12 months.
The identical was true for the rotation, which stepped up big-time after ace Gerrit Cole went down with a torn UCL in spring coaching. Max Fried was good in his debut season within the Bronx. Carlos Rodón evolved his game, delivering a crucial bounce-back season. Two rookies, Cam Schlittler and Will Warren, emerged as stalwarts. We’ll, uh, speak concerning the bullpen later.
The Yankees struggled versus playoff-caliber golf equipment for a lot of the season earlier than a stable stretch in September in opposition to Houston, Toronto, Boston and Detroit. There are nonetheless issues concerning the protection and the baserunning — these pesky buggers that doomed New York within the 2024 World Series — however this group is enjoying nicely on the proper time.
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X-factors
Red Sox: The lefty-mashing specialists: Romy Gonzalez and Rob Refsnyder
New York’s two greatest starters, Fried and Rodón, each throw with their left arm. In 42 plate appearances this season in opposition to lefty Yankees, Gonzalez and Refsnyder are a mixed 13-for-35 with six extra-base hits and seven walks. That’s a .371/.476/.629 line. The different essential righty bats in Boston’s lineup — Trevor Story, Alex Bregman, Carlos Narvaez — will probably be essential as nicely, however how Romy and Rob do in opposition to Fried and Rodón might swing this series.
Yankees: The bullpen
This has been the membership’s weak hyperlink all season, and it might be their Achilles’ heel in October. David Bednar, acquired from Pittsburgh on the deadline, has been nice within the nearer position. But the bridge between him and the starters has been shaky at occasions. The Luke Weaver/Devin Williams tandem hasn’t lived up to expectations. Another deadline add, sidewinding righty Camillo Doval, has proven flashes of dominance however doesn’t foster supreme confidence. The identical is true for Fernando Cruz, whose splitter baffled hitters within the first half however hasn’t been as efficient not too long ago.
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The names are large, the pedigrees are spectacular, however when it will get late and tense in October, does this Yankees ‘pen have what it takes?
How they win
Red Sox: Crochet shoves in the opener, and the Sox win a low-scoring game thanks to a few solo shots off Fried and the Yanks’ pen. Then Boston pounces on Game 2 starter Rodón, who struggled in his three begins in opposition to the Sox this 12 months, with 10 earned runs in 15 ⅔ innings. Just like that, carried out and dusted, the Sox ship the Yankees on an early trip whereas reinvigorating baseball’s most historic rivalry.
Yankees: By bludgeoning Boston into submission. The Yankees’ lineup is healthier than the Red Sox’s lineup by a fairly important margin. Of course, something can occur in a brief series, however New York’s firepower up and down the lineup seems like a game-changer.
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Series prediction: Yankees in two
Fried retains it shut sufficient with Crochet in Game 1 for New York’s lineup to explode late. The Red Sox can’t bounce again and fizzle out quietly in Game 2.
— Mintz
The postseason begins with two rivalry matchups in Tigers vs. Guardians and Red Sox vs. Yankees. (Stefan Milic/Yahoo Sports)
No. 6 Cincinnati Reds vs. No. 3 Los Angeles Dodgers
Projected starters
Game 1: Hunter Greene (CIN) vs. Blake Snell (LAD)
Game 2: Nick Lodolo (CIN) vs. Yoshinobu Yamamoto (LAD)
Game 3: Andrew Abbott (CIN) vs. Shohei Ohtani (LAD)
How they bought right here
Reds: When you rent Terry Francona to be your supervisor, which the Reds did this previous offseason, you’re making an announcement to your fan base and your group that expectations are going to be larger. But it appeared for many of the 2025 season {that a} postseason look wasn’t within the playing cards for Cincinnati.
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That is, until the New York Mets left the door open for the third NL wild-card spot. The Reds had been in a position to outplay New York over the ultimate three months of the common season, reaching the playoffs for the primary time since 2020 and their first time in a 162-game season since 2013.
Dodgers: We all went into this season believing the Dodgers would run roughshod by the league after a winter during which they added ace Blake Snell, nearer Tanner Scott and worldwide free agent Roki Sasaki. But baseball doesn’t work that approach, and issues weren’t simple for the Dodgers in 2025. On offense, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman struggled in a approach the group couldn’t have anticipated, however the excellent news for L.A. is Shohei Ohtani greater than makes up for others’ flaws, hitting a franchise-record and career-high 55 home runs and seemingly successful his third consecutive MVP Award whereas returning to the mound.
As up to now a number of seasons, accidents plagued L.A.’s beginning rotation within the first half. But they bought more healthy within the second half, with a rotation of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Shohei Ohtani coming into view. In the tip, like they’ve carried out 12 occasions up to now 13 seasons, the Dodgers discovered a approach to seize the NL West title.
X-factors
Reds: Hunter Greene
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If the Reds win this series in opposition to the Dodgers, it will likely be as a result of their ace will get them off on the proper foot and helps them get a crucial Game 1 victory. When Greene is at his greatest, like he confirmed when he almost tossed a no-hitter in opposition to the Cubs on Sept. 18, he’s a real difference-maker. If Greene is nice in L.A., the Reds have an opportunity.
Dodgers: Roki Sasaki
We didn’t know if we might see Sasaki once more this season, as he missed many of the season due to a proper shoulder impingement. Even when he was wholesome, he didn’t present a lot consistency. But the rookie right-hander has looked like a different pitcher since his recent return to the big leagues in a relief role, along with his fastball trying unhittable and his signature splitter retaining hitters off-balance.
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What makes Sasaki the final word X-factor is that where the Dodgers are most vulnerable right now is in their bullpen, significantly in excessive leverage. When he’s proper, Sasaki in all probability has the filthiest stuff on the Dodgers’ roster, and with Blake Teinen and Tanner Scott each struggling, the Dodgers might make Sasaki their nearer this postseason.
Even although Sasaki’s stuff has seemed electrical, the stress of the postseason is a unique animal. But fortune favors the daring, and the Dodgers won’t have a greater choice.
How they win
Reds: Pitching. Pitching. And extra pitching. The Reds reached the postseason behind robust beginning pitching, and in the event that they hope to beat the juggernaut Dodgers, it would have to be their starters who as soon as once more carry them. And Cincinnati will roll out their greatest in Greene, Andrew Abbott and Nick Lodolo in opposition to L.A. If there’s something that may cease a world-class lineup just like the Dodgers, it’s the arms on the Reds.
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Dodgers: There’s no secret sauce to the Dodgers’ success. When their superstars are enjoying at their greatest, they’re nearly unimaginable to beat. The mixture of Ohtani, Betts and Freeman provides them a trio that few groups in MLB historical past might rival. If simply one in every of them has an enormous series, that might be sufficient to carry this group into the subsequent spherical. But L.A.’s bullpen is their weak hyperlink going into October. They’ll want size from their starters to maintain that leaky bullpen from being uncovered.
Series prediction: Dodgers in three
The Dodgers are higher than the Reds by way of elite expertise, however the equalizer on this series might be the beginning pitching. Greene has proven down the stretch that he will be one of many elite aces in baseball, and the Reds have sufficient to win a 3-2 or 2-1 sport. But in the end, the Dodgers’ high-powered offense would be the distinction on this series. When you have players like Andy Pages and Teoscar Hernández hitting within the backside of the order, that’s almost unbeatable lineup depth.
— Dorsey
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No. 5 San Diego Padres vs. No. 4 Chicago Cubs
Projected starters
Game 1: Nick Pivetta (SD) vs. Shota Imanaga (CHI)
Game 2: Dylan Cease (SD) vs. Matthew Boyd (CHI)
Game 3: Yu Darvish (SD) vs. Jameson Taillon (CHI)
How they bought right here
Padres: San Diego’s path to the postseason was completely different than in years previous. Usually, it’s the offense led by Manny Machado and Co. that drives the Padres. But this time round, it was the pitching, as San Diego completed the season top-three in baseball in group ERA and first in bullpen ERA. One of the massive turning factors for San Diego was the commerce deadline, after they made arguably the largest transfer within the sport, acquiring fireballer Mason Miller from the A’s. President of baseball operations AJ Preller as soon as once more cashed in his chips on a lights-out bullpen — one constructed to thrive in October.
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Cubs: For the primary time since 2018, the Cubs reached the playoffs in a full season, recording their most wins since that 12 months. With a first-half offense that was the very best in baseball and breakout years from Pete Crow-Armstrong and Michael Busch, the Cubs surged early this 12 months. But after a powerful first half, the second half noticed Chicago have to grind to get into the postseason. Their offense sputtered, and they’d to lean on their pitching to safe a wild-card spot. But they made it with room to spare, and the Cubs can have a chance to face their division rivals within the NLDS if they will get by San Diego.
X-factors
Padres: Jackson Merrill
It hasn’t been the simplest sophomore season for Merrill, coming off an exceptional rookie season during which he turned a family title. He started the season by signing an enormous, seven-year extension, however shortly after, he landed on the injured checklist due to a hamstring pressure But fast-forward to September, and the 22-year-old not solely seems to be totally wholesome but additionally has locked in on the good time, with a .938 OPS and seven homers this month. Merrill hitting within the cleanup spot behind Fernando Tatis Jr. and Machado makes the Padres harmful when the trio is firing on all cylinders.
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Cubs: Michael Busch
You could make a case that Busch has been the most underrated offensive player in baseball this season. With his 34 house runs, the Cubs’ first baseman has carried out one thing that not even Anthony Rizzo did in his time in Chicago, and his tally is probably the most by a Cub since Kyle Schwarber hit 38 in 2019. Busch has been probably the most constant offensive participant within the Cubs’ lineup, and whichever approach he goes, normally Chicago’s offense follows. Busch having an enormous series vs. San Diego can be large for Chicago’s hopes to advance.
How they win
Padres: San Diego will advance to the NLDS for the second 12 months in a row if their stars come by. Preller constructed his lineup and roster round star energy, and with Machado, Tatis and Merrill main the way in which, San Diego has loads of offensive firepower. Plus, past their beginning pitchers, the ability arms of their bullpen grow to be the equalizer. If the Padres can get to the fifth inning with a lead, it’ll be tough for the Cubs to report hits, not to mention rating, in opposition to Jeremiah Estrada, Adrian Morejón, Mason Miller and Robert Suarez.
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Cubs: If the Cubs rediscover the offense from the primary half that made them one in every of baseball’s greatest groups, they will and will get to the NLDS. Chicago has proven glimpses of that with their surge over the last week of the regular season, particularly from Seiya Suzuki, who appears to have rediscovered his energy stroke. If the Cubs can come by with some clutch hits, they’ll get previous San Diego and face Milwaukee within the NLDS.
Series prediction: Padres in two
The greatest blow for Chicago is that they are going to be with out NL Rookie of the Year candidate Cade Horton, who was placed on the injured list due to a rib fracture on Saturday. Horton would’ve been the Cubs’ seemingly Game 1 starter, however as an alternative they’ll flip to a mix of Imanaga, Boyd and Taillon.
Postseason expertise issues, and if there’s one large benefit for San Diego right here, it’s that the Padres have been within the playoffs yearly since 2022. After they had been eradicated within the NLDS final 12 months, after they believed they had been the very best group in baseball, it’s tough to think about them getting knocked out early a second 12 months in a row. San Diego‘s potential to shorten video games with their bullpen provides them the sting in a brief series.
— Dorsey