The 2025 MLB playoffs are right down to the ultimate 4 groups after an action-packed division collection spherical that noticed the Milwaukee Brewers and Seattle Mariners transfer on in thrilling Sport 5s.
Now that the matchups are set — Los Angeles Dodgers-Brewers and Mariners-Toronto Blue Jays — it is time for some (extra) predictions! We requested our MLB consultants to weigh in on who will attain the World Sequence, which gamers will earn league championship collection MVP honors and the themes that may rule the week to come back. We additionally had our consultants clarify why their preliminary Fall Basic picks are nonetheless in play — or the place they went very mistaken.
LCS previews: Blue Jays-Mariners, Dodgers-Brewers | Bracket
Bounce to: ALCS | NLCS | Predictions we got right | … and wrong
ALCS
Seattle Mariners (8 votes)
In what number of video games: seven video games (5 votes), six video games (3)
MVP if Mariners win: Cal Raleigh (4), Randy Arozarena (2), Josh Naylor (1), Julio Rodriguez (1)
Who picked Seattle: Jorge Castillo, Alden Gonzalez, Paul Hembekides, Eric Karabell, Tim Keown, Kiley McDaniel, Jeff Passan, David Schoenfield
Toronto Blue Jays (7 votes)
In what number of video games: seven video games (3 votes), six video games (3), 5 video games (1)
MVP if Blue Jays win: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (3), George Springer (1), Kevin Gausman (1), Daulton Varsho (1), Ernie Clement (1)
Who picked Toronto: Tristan Cockcroft, Bradford Doolittle, Tim Kurkjian, Matt Marrone, Dan Mullen, Buster Olney, Jesse Rogers
The one factor we’ll all be speaking about:
How a perpetually tormented franchise goes to characterize the American League within the World Sequence. The Mariners have performed 49 seasons. They’re the one group in MLB by no means to make the World Sequence. And to advance to the American League Championship Sequence in such dramatic trend solely supercharges the stakes for them.
The Blue Jays, in the meantime, spend yr after yr within the AL East meat grinder, have not been to the World Sequence since profitable it in 1993 and returned a lot of the roster from a group that went 74-88 final yr. They seem to be a pleasant group to observe, although, placing the ball in play, vacuuming balls on the defensive aspect like Pac-Man, working the bases with goal and throwing tons of filthy splitters.
Future calls one in every of these snakebit organizations. It is a combat a long time within the making. — Jeff Passan
The celebs in each lineups. On one aspect you may have George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who torched the Yankees within the American League Division Sequence. On the opposite, it is Julio Rodriguez and Cal Raleigh. Complementary gamers matter in October, however stars gasoline deep October runs. — Jorge Castillo
There’s a lot to love in regards to the Mariners — the highly effective lineup led by Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez, good beginning pitching and an efficient nearer, they usually’re good at residence — however they’ll begin this collection at such a drawback due to how their collection performed out towards the Tigers. Whether or not Dan Wilson chooses an opener or goes with a beginning pitcher on brief relaxation or leans into Bryan Woo for his first look in a month, the dominoes from the ALDS Sport 5 will have an effect on the alternatives Seattle should make on this spherical. In the meantime, the Jays might be comparatively well-rested. — Buster Olney
It hardly ever comes down to 1 factor in baseball, however as I like the way in which the Blue Jays’ hitters match up towards the Seattle workers, I feel we’ll be harping on the significance of constructing contact as a standout trait for an offense on this period of strikeout hyper-inflation. This may particularly be the case if the Blue Jays find yourself enjoying the Brewers within the World Sequence. Batting common is alive and effectively! — Bradford Doolittle
NLCS
Los Angeles Dodgers (10 votes)
In what number of video games: seven video games (2 votes), six video games (4), 5 video games (3), 4 video games (1)
MVP if Dodgers win: Shohei Ohtani (6), Blake Snell (2), Teoscar Hernandez (1), Freddie Freeman (1)
Who picked Los Angeles: Jorge Castillo, Alden Gonzalez, Paul Hembekides, Tim Kurkjian, Matt Marrone, Kiley McDaniel, Buster Olney, Jeff Passan, Jesse Rogers, David Schoenfield
Milwaukee Brewers (5 votes)
In what number of video games: seven video games (3 votes), six video games (2)
MVP if Brewers win: Jackson Chourio (4), Andrew Vaughn (1)
Who picked Milwaukee: Tristan Cockcroft, Bradford Doolittle, Eric Karabell, Tim Keown, Dan Mullen
The one factor we’ll all be speaking about:
How the Dodgers’ rotation would not simply have them getting ready to changing into the primary repeat champion in 1 / 4 century, however may make a case for the perfect a group has ever fielded this time of yr. The foursome of Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani and Tyler Glasnow will proceed to dominate. — Alden Gonzalez
How the massive market Dodgers have tipped the financial scales in baseball would be the discuss throughout the World Sequence, however for the LCS, the dialog might be about Shohei Ohtani. He will get scorching. Hitting .148 within the postseason to this point — with 12 strikeouts to simply three walks — is an outlier. That may reverse itself very quickly as his struggles this postseason come to an finish beginning on Monday. He is your NLCS MVP. — Jesse Rogers
Can anybody cease the Dodgers? It is the identical query that was requested final yr. The reply was no. And now Los Angeles is coming off a collection by which it beat a really recreation Philadelphia group whereas posting a .557 OPS and hitting two residence runs, the fewest of any division collection group. The prospect of the Dodgers’ bats staying chilly for an prolonged time frame is unlikely, no matter what’s thrown at them.
After two rounds, the Dodgers have solved their nearer difficulty — Roki Sasaki is the man — however their lack of bullpen depth has been exacerbated. For a seven-game collection, supervisor Dave Roberts wants to seek out at the very least yet one more reliever he can belief, or the Dodgers might discover themselves within the form of late-inning hassle that has but to derail them. If that and the paltry offense could not do the job, maybe nothing can. — Passan
The discuss of the NLCS would be the identical story as within the Dodgers’ NLDS win over the Phillies: the beginning pitching and their new nearer.
Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow are peaking on the proper time, the primary cause — together with Roki Sasaki — why the Dodgers held the Phillies to a .212 common of their collection (and beneath .200 in case you ignore the Clayton Kershaw disastrous aid outing). In fact, the associated discuss, in the event that they do dominate, is that that is the final word store-bought workers of high-end pitchers, with 4 free brokers and Glasnow (acquired in a commerce, signed to a giant extension). Not a single homegrown starter. — David Schoenfield
World Sequence predictions we’re proper about — to this point
I hardly ever go chalk when filling out a bracket, however this yr I did precisely that by seed line — selecting each the Brewers and Blue Jays. In fact, these No. 1 seeds have been additionally far much less in style selections going into the postseason than the Yankees and Phillies, amongst others, however a second straight World Sequence between high seeds continues to be in play. — Dan Mullen
The Blue Jays simply dealt with the Yankees, particularly at Rogers Centre. They’re rightfully the slight Vegas favourite to win this collection with home-field benefit. However I picked the Mariners to win the World Sequence earlier than the common season began and once more earlier than the postseason, so I am sticking with them. — Castillo
The Dodgers have been one unhealthy Orion Kerkering resolution away from doubtlessly having to return to Philadelphia and win a do-or-die recreation — and now, they need to be everybody’s favorites. The Yankees simply received crushed by a greater group. — Passan
Properly, clearly the Phillies discovered a strategy to “Phillies” once more, so they will not be profitable, however I had the Mariners representing the AL, they usually have the pitching to carry the Blue Jays comparatively in examine. Within the NL, it is Milwaukee’s finest likelihood in such a very long time. It could be unconventional towards the behemoth Dodgers, however the Brewers have the pitching and depth. We’ll have a first-time WS champion, the Brewers. — Eric Karabell
World Sequence predictions gone mistaken
My World Sequence choose (Phillies-Yankees): If I had it to do yet again, I’d have picked two groups that didn’t lose within the LDS. Pondering again to my late-September self, I am positive I used to be entranced by the veteran presence and lengthy ball energy on each the Phillies and Yankees. It didn’t work out. — Doolittle
I additionally predicted Yankees-Phillies, a 2009 World Sequence rematch that did not materialize due to a scorching Blue Jays lineup and a dominant displaying from the Dodgers’ beginning rotation. — Paul Hembekides
Earlier than the playoffs, I predicted the Phillies would beat the Dodgers within the NLDS and go on to win the World Sequence. The house-field benefit wasn’t what I assumed it might be for Philly, although the starters and Jhoan Duran have been nearly as good as anticipated: 30.1 innings, 6 earned runs for a 1.78 ERA within the collection. I will shift my World Sequence winner prediction over to the Dodgers, as they have been my second possibility from earlier than the playoffs. — Kiley McDaniel
I had the Phillies profitable the World Sequence, which says quite a bit about what it meant for the defending-champion Dodgers to get previous them within the division collection. They could have been essentially the most gifted on this discipline. — Gonzalez
Since my authentic choose, the Phillies, determined to play the Dodgers simply as Roki Sasaki and Emmet Sheehan reworked the Dodgers’ bullpen right into a formidable unit, Los Angeles looks like the apparent choose right here now — and why not a West Coast World Sequence towards the Mariners, with the shadows creeping from the mound to residence plate within the late afternoon solar, and each recreation ending 2-1? — Tim Keown
