MLB Playoff Predictions

Photo courtesy of Zach McHoul/Wikimedia Commons

Baseball fans can finally take a deep breath as we move into October, unless you are a fan of a team that made it to the postseason field. As the 2025 Major League Baseball (MLB) postseason is set to begin, what better time to make a fool of myself with some impromptu predictions? 

Baseball’s greatest stage looks to be wide open, with almost every squad appearing to have a fighting chance to lift the Commissioner's Trophy. For a sport that is often ridiculed for being dull and monotonous, playoff baseball really ramps up the tension and pressure, making every pitch thrown feel like life or death. This year in particular looks as unpredictable as ever, which should make for a truly intoxicating display of baseball. On that note, let us dive right into some predictions that I can hopefully look back on with pride rather than embarrassment. 

Yankees vs. Red Sox, Yankees in three games:

Starting off with one of the most historic rivalries, not just in baseball but in all sports, this storied and fiery clash is a timeless affair that never fails to deliver baseball fever. What is so interesting about this matchup is that despite the fact that the Yankees finished five games ahead of Boston at regular season’s end, the Sox largely dominated the head-to-head matchups as they went 9-4 against the Bronx Bombers this season. 

Game one will be on Tuesday, Sept. 30 in the Bronx. Headlined by a duel between two sensational pitchers who are the aces of their respective pitching staffs, Max Fried and Garett Crochet have had equally exceptional debut seasons in their respective clubs. Overall, I am rocking with the Yankees for a multitude of reasons: they have played extremely well as of late (9-1 record in their last 10) and, of course, they have home-field advantage. 

I believe that we will finally see Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge finally arrive on the postseason stage. Judge has done it all in a glory-riddled decade-long career, but the one thing that has eluded him has been postseason success. I believe that this will be the year that Judge puts those struggles to bed. For Judge and the Yankees, there is no better way to start a long and triumphant postseason run than with a victory over their long-detested rivals in Boston. 

Cleveland Guardians Vs. Detroit Tigers: Tigers in three games:

Conversely, the Guardians and Tigers matchup is a rivalry that is not fueled by a decades-long feud filled with animosity and hatred, like that of New York and Boston. Nonetheless, this rivalry has intensified in recent years as these two teams faced each other last postseason, with Cleveland coming out on top. 

This season has only added to the anticipation of a playoff rematch. The Guardians just won the American League (AL) Central by catching the Tigers and completing the largest divisional comeback in MLB history. This momentous feat was due in large part to Cleveland’s steady pitching staff, which finished with the best Earned Run Average (ERA) in the month of September, with a microscopic 2.51 team ERA. 

Even so, the Guardians’ hitting has been porous all season long; at season’s end, they ranked 29th in team On-Base Plus Slugging (OPS) average and dead last in hits. The Tigers, on the other hand, will need to regroup after enduring this cataclysmic collapse and quickly find the form that helped them finish with the best record in baseball at the All-Star break. 

I believe the Tigers will bounce back primarily because of pitcher Tarik Skubal. The Tigers’ Cy Young-awarded left-hander will be taking the mound for game one. Skubal has been untouchable all season long, sporting a 2.21 ERA and 241 strikeouts. Detroit will need the 28-year-old to be near perfect, and there isa great chance he will be. Cleveland is a pesky squad that will not be easy to put down, but the Tigers will ride their superstar pitcher to a revenge-driven wild-card series victory. 

With the wild card round set, baseball fans are about to embark on a month-long journey of fandom that can lead them from ecstasy to despair in the time it takes for a pitch to be thrown. In October, reputations are on the line, legacies are forged, and heroes can rise at any moment. Buckle up, ladies and gentlemen, because the postseason is about to take us on another unforgettable ride.