We’d be remiss if we didn’t offer our playoff predictions before the fun gets started, though! We have 14 different writers looking into the crystal baseball. Here’s how we see the first round going: No,

After the Diamondbacks’ playoff hopes ended with five consecutive losses, baseball’s postseason will begin without them this week.

The 2025 MLB postseason is here. The MLB regular season came to a close on Sunday, September 28, setting the stage for a playoff field where there’s no clear dominant team. Fans can expect plenty of chaos, drama, and unpredictability. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

While 18 teams will be watching from home, 12 clubs still have a chance at baseball’s ultimate prize. Ahead of the opening slate of games, let’s dive into those 12 teams, ranking them by the likelihood they’ll be raising the Commissioner’s Trophy at the end of October.

The best hitter in baseball remains the best hitter in baseball. He's a strong candidate to repeat as AL MVP -- and win that particular piece of hardware for the third time in his career -- thanks to another dominant season at the plate. In 2025, Judge churned out another OPS+ north of 200 and the highest WAR in the majors.

Baseball's economic disparity is evident in the playoffs. The Los Angeles Dodgers have committed over $500 million in salaries and luxury tax this season.

The Cincinnati Reds snapped their long drought, earning their first playoff bid in a 162-game season since 2013. However, the Seattle Mariners (two years), Boston Red Sox (three) and Chicago Cubs (four) all broke out of multi-year funks of their own.

Guardians outfielder Chase DeLauter could become the sixth player in Major League Baseball history to make their big-league debut during the postseason on Tuesday, when Cleveland opens its Wild Card Series against the Detroit Tigers (GameTracker).

Twelve teams will enter October, but only one team will leave (with a ring). You can root for the three franchises that have never won a title before … or you can pull for the Yankees or Dodgers.

Playoff baseball gets underway on Tuesday, and while a strong pitching staff remains one of the biggest keys to hoisting the World Series trophy, a lack of offensive fire power can also bring a team's playoff run to an early end.