The MLB postseason is almost a week away, and the only thing we know right now is that the Atlanta Braves will receive a first-round bye. The American League is more unsettled, though with a 2.5-game lead, the Baltimore Orioles appear to have the inside track at a first-round bye.
If the regular season was any indication, the postseason could be among the most unpredictable and chaotic in recent history. No team is invincible, either, with the Braves and Dodgers dealing with questions in the rotation, the Brewers' inconsistent offense, and the Philadelphia Phillies now surging as Trea Turner looks like the Trea Turner of old after fans at Citizens Bank Park gave him a standing ovation.
In the American League, the Orioles' pitching staff remains a question. The Rays are also dealing with injuries in the rotation and bullpen and will also be without Wander Franco for the postseason. The Astros are as vulnerable this year as they have been during their dynasty run. The Rangers have bounced back after a down stretch. The Blue Jays have surged lately, going 7-3 in their last 10 games, and have a firm grasp on the second wild card spot while the Mariners are on the outside looking in.
Let's dive into three bold postseason predictions.
MLB Postseason bold prediction: Phillies make a deep playoff run
The Phillies did it last year, knocking out the Atlanta Braves on their way to a World Series appearance. I think they have a real shot at doing it again and going on a deep postseason run.
As currently constructed, the Phillies would face the Arizona Diamondbacks in the wild card round. The Diamondbacks would be a tough out in a three-game series with Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly headlining their rotation, but the Phillies were built for this environment with a lineup that includes Turner, Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Nick Castellanos and others.
The Phillies also have a rotation that has extensive postseason experience and was just in a similar situation a year prior. If they do ultimately beat the Diamondbacks, they will then move on to a Braves team that will be without Max Fried and Charlie Morton and should instead have Kyle Wright, who has dealt with shoulder inflammation in 2023 and struggled, as well as Bryce Elder (who was in an All-Star in 2023, but has struggled mightily in the second half).
Meaning that the Braves are vulnerable, and the Phillies could once again be in position to take advantage.
MLB Postseason bold prediction: Astros win only one postseason series
Perhaps this is a bit of a hot take considering the Houston Astros' recent downturn, a stretch that involved getting swept by the Kansas City Royals and also losing two of three to the Oakland A's. But I believe that the Astros will win only one postseason series.
This Astros team has been inconsistent throughout the entire season. At some point, I – and many others – expected them to ultimately turn it around and start playing like the Astros have during their dynasty run. But while they did show signs of life in a 5-1 win in Game 1 of a crucial series against the Mariners in Seattle, it's hard to trust them. At least right now.
It's possible that the Astros, a veteran team that is used to having their backs against the wall, continue to turn it on against the Mariners and then the Diamondbacks before the postseason gets here. If that is indeed the case, then they are as scary of an opponent as there is in the American League considering their past track record.
But I'm not buying it, especially with the Orioles, Rays and Rangers all looking formidable in the AL.
MLB Postseason bold prediction: Brewers defeat the Dodgers in the NLDS
If the season ended today (it doesn't), the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs would square off in a three-game wild card series. The winner of that series would then go on to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Divisional Series.
And I believe that the Brewers beat the Dodgers.
The Dodgers, for as talented as they are, are flawed. Clayton Kershaw is a shell of himself. Julio Urias will not pitch in the postseason. Their starting rotation will consist of Kershaw and rookies Bobby Miller, Ryan Pepiot and others. And against a Brewers team that has former MVP Christian Yelich, William Contreras, Mark Canha and others, as well as arguably the best pitching staff in baseball, the Dodgers could be in trouble.
Not to mention that Craig Counsell is one of baseball's best managers and has routinely found every single edge to give his team an advantage in postseason series. He did that in 2018, where he brought the Brewers to a Game 7 in the NLCS against the Dodgers, only to come up short. But I don't think history repeats itself this time. I believe that the Brewers knock out the Dodgers to once again advance to the NLCS in what could very well be Counsell's final season as the team's manager.
