As we do every year at this time, the staff at MLBbro.com has made its annual postseason predictions.
With the matchups for the Division and League Championship Series still yet to be determined, our panel of 11 contributors made its selections based on the current field of teams while only selecting winners for the Wild Card Series.
MLBbro.com will update its picks for the following rounds as the field gets narrowed.
Our Panel:
Rob Parker
JR Gamble
Mark Gray
David Grubb
Malik Wright
Dante Miles
Ronald Agers
Gary Sheffield Jr.
Rachel Hill
Jaelen Gilkey
Kevin Moore
American League Wild Card
Toronto Blue Jays (6) at Minnesota Twins (3)
Season series: 3-3
This is one of the most evenly matched series in the postseason, based on the regular season results between these two teams. Toronto finished in third place in the AL East, arguably the toughest division in the American League.
Three teams from that division made the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Twins won the AL Central for the third time in the last five years. Both teams have endured long droughts when it comes to winning in the playoffs.
The Twins haven’t won a playoff game since 2004 or a playoff series since 2002. Toronto is also making its third postseason appearance in five seasons.
However, the Jays haven’t won a playoff series of their own since 2016. Going by the voting of our panel, we expect the Blue Jays to move on while the Twins’ suffering continues for at least another year.
Panel’s pick: Toronto (7 votes to 4)
Blue Jays: Moore, Gamble, Agers, Miles, Gray, Gilkey, Wright
Twins: Grubb, Parker, Sheffield, Hill
Texas Rangers (5) at Tampa Bay Rays (4)
Season series: Texas 4-2
After failing to produce a winning season in their first decade of existence, the Tampa Bay Rays have become one fo the most consistent winners in baseball. Since 2008 the Rays have been to the playoffs nine times, including two World Series appearances (2008, 2020).
After getting off to a historic start this season, the Rays cooled down considerably down the stretch, losing their grip on the top spot in the AL East and falling to the fourth seed. The Rangers had to fight until the final week of the season to clinch a playoff spot.
This should be an incredible matchup between the two teams with the most runs and highest run-differentials in the American League.
Tampa and Texas have combined to outscore their opponents by 360 runs. In a narrow vote, the Rangers earned our pick.
Panel’s pick: Texas (6 votes to 5)
Rangers: Hill, Wright, Sheffield, Moore, Parker, Grubb
Rays: Gilkey, Gray, Miles, Agers, Gamble
National League Wild Card
Arizona Diamondbacks (6) at Milwaukee Brewers (3)
Season series: Arizona 4-2
This is a series between a teams that’s been here before and a team that isn’t supposed to be here at all. The Milwaukee Brewers have yet to get over the hump since falling one game short of the World Series in 2018, but they have played October baseball in five of the last six seasons.
Milwaukee took the NL Central crown for the third time in that span, holding off the second place Chicago Cubs by nine games.
Arizona came into the season overshadowed by the expectations for the Padres and Giants, yet strung together enough wins to be one of only two teams in the playoffs with a negative run differential (Miami).
Despite the Diamondbacks’ improbable run to the postseason, we’re going with the Brew Crew to advance.
Panel’s pick: Milwaukee (8 votes to 3)
Brewers: Parker, Moore, Agers, Gray, Grubb, Gilkey, Wright, Hill
Diamondbacks: Gamble, Sheffield, Miles
Miami Marlins (5) at Philadelphia Phillies (4)
Season series: Miami 7-6
Things did not start smoothly for the defending NL Champions, as they were just 25-30 at the end of May. Once they got healthy, the Phillies were once again one of the best teams in baseball. From June through the end of the regular season, Philadelphia posted a 65-42 record.
The Phillies have relied on their offense all season long, and they’ll need to continue to score runs to put away the pesky Miami Marlins.
Miami finished with a winning record for only the second time since 2010 by somehow going 17-9 in September while outscoring their opponents by a total of three runs.
One-run games were huge for the Marlins all-season; they went 33-13 in those games. That could be great preparation for the tense playoff atmosphere they’re about to enter. For our money though, we’re taking the Fightin’ Phils to advance.
Panel’s pick: Philadelphia (7 votes to 4)
Phillies: Agers, Parker, Gamble, Sheffield, Wright, Grubb, Moore
Marlins: Miles, Gray, Hill, Gilkey
American League Champion
Picking the AL Champion was really a two-horse race between the upstart Baltimore Orioles and the defending World Series Champions, the Houston Astros. In a narrow win, our panel thinks the Astros will get back to the Fall Classic for the sixth time in franchise history, and the fifth time in the last seven seasons.
Panel’s pick: Houston (5 votes)
Astros: Grubb, Moore, Agers, Sheffield, Gray
Orioles: Gamble, Miles, Gilkey, Hill
Rangers: Parker, Wright
National League Champion
It seems like the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers are on a collision course. The Dodgers have won the NL pennant three times since 2017, but only have one World Championship to show for it.
The Braves won the World Series in 2021, but were upset by the Phillies last season in the Division series. These may be the two best teams in baseball, with great offenses and tremendous pitching. This year, we’re giving the edge to Atlanta.
Panel’s pick: Atlanta (8 votes)
Braves: Grubb, Parker, Agers, Sheffield, Miles, Gray, Wright, Hill
Dodgers: Moore, Gamble, Gilkey
World Series Champion
Five different teams earned votes from our panel to claim the Commissioner’s Trophy: Atlanta, Baltimore, Houston, Los Angeles, and Texas.
But, like they have all season, the Atlanta Braves separated themselves from the pack.
They are this year’s MLBbro.com choice to win their fifth World Championship. If they do, hopefully this time they’ll take a little more time rolling through downtown Atlanta during their victory parade.
Panel’s pick: Atlanta (6 votes)
Braves: Parker, Grubb, Sheffield, Agers, Hill, Miles
Orioles: Gamble
Astros: Gray
Dodgers: Moore, Gilkey
Rangers: Wright
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