With less than a month left in the MLB regular season, the playoff picture is finally starting to take shape. Division and wild card races are heating up, and the October classic is right around the corner. Could the gritty Tigers from Detroit pull off a miracle run? Are the Phittin’ Phils primed for a deep October push? Will my 2025 World Series future bet on the San Diego Padres finally pay off? Or are the new villains in Los Angeles set to repeat as champions?
Let’s break it all down.
American League
The six American League teams currently slotted in the playoff picture are the same six I believe will make it. That includes:
- Detroit Tigers (Central Champs, 1st seed)
- Toronto Blue Jays (East Champs)
- Houston Astros (West Champs)
- New York Yankees (Wild Card)
- Boston Red Sox (Wild Card)
- Seattle Mariners (Wild Card)
Detroit Tigers – Contender
The Tigers have stunned once again in 2025, though at this point we should have seen it coming. Under manager A.J. Hinch (yes, that A.J. Hinch) and GM Jeff Greenberg, Detroit has built a gritty, matchup-driven team that’s embraced its identity.
Led by future back-to-back Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, rising stars Riley Greene (not the country artist) and Kerry “Bonds” Carpenter, and a resurgent Javy Báez, the Tigers are built to thrive in the postseason. They lean into analytics, playing matchups masterfully. Skubal pitching twice in a five-game series? That’s two near-guaranteed wins. But outside of him… can you trust the rest of the staff?
They’re not perfect, but the Tigers are built for October. ALCS ceiling? Absolutely.
Toronto Blue Jays – Pretender
The Jays turned their season around after extending Vlad Jr., and made some splashy moves in acquiring Max Scherzer and Shane Bieber. Throw in the emergence of Addison Barger (who came out of nowhere), a re-energized George Springer, and an electric Rogers Centre crowd, and this team is… well, fun.
But their bullpen is a liability. Jeff Hoffman is throwing beach balls. José Berríos has a rough playoff track record. And both Max and Bieber are always one pitch away from another IL stint.
Fun team? Yes. October threat? No shot.
Houston Astros – Contender
Like a horror movie villain, the Astros just don’t die.
Despite trading Kyle Tucker, losing Alex Bregman, and only getting 36 games from Yordan Alvarez, they’re right back in the hunt. Framber Valdez and Josh Hader have bounced back. Carlos Correa is back in the fold. Hunter Brown has become a frontline arm.
Their playoff résumé speaks for itself. They’ve been here before, and they’ll be dangerous again.
New York Yankees – Pretender
As a Yankee fan, this hurts to say.
On paper, the Yankees are stacked: the best hitter in baseball in Aaron Judge, two top-tier starters, and a bullpen that’s “good enough.” But then there’s Aaron Boone and the front office — refusing to adapt, blindly trusting analytics for a team that isn’t built for them.
This team is a coin flip: they could bow out in the Wild Card round or reach the World Series. Boone should be gone either way.
Boston Red Sox – Pretender
Are the Red Sox the AL East’s version of the Tigers? Lefty ace Garrett Crochet, exciting young outfielders in Roman Anthony and Jarren Duran, and a rejuvenated Aroldis Chapman make for an intriguing group.
Offseason additions Carlos Narváez and Alex Bregman have worked out beautifully. But once you get past Crochet, who do you trust in October? Dustin May? Bryan Bello? Lucas Giolito? Yikes.
They’re scrappy, but not built for a deep run. Unless they’re playing the Yankees, they’re out early.
Seattle Mariners – Contender
This team is built for October — especially from the mound.
A stacked rotation (Bryan Woo, Luis Castillo, George Kirby, Logan Gilbert) and a nasty bullpen led by Andrés Muñoz give them a shot in any series. Offensively, they’ve got pop with Julio Rodríguez, Randy Arozarena, and the MVP candidate,The Big Dumper (Cal Raleigh).
But there are concerns: postseason inexperience, and a team batting average of just .242 (21st in MLB). If they can get timely hits, though? Watch out.
National League
In the NL, the six teams I’m locking in are:
- Milwaukee Brewers (Central Champs, 1st seed)
- Philadelphia Phillies (East Champs)
- Los Angeles Dodgers (West Champs)
- San Diego Padres (Wild Card)
- Chicago Cubs (Wild Card)
- New York Mets (Wild Card)
Honorable mention to the Cincinnati Reds, who are intriguing but likely miss the cut.
Milwaukee Brewers – Pretender
First in the NL, best record in baseball… and yet, I don’t believe in them.
They’ve done it without Devin Williams, Willy Adames, and Brandon Woodruff for most of the year. Freddy Peralta is chasing 20 wins, Jose Quintana has found new life, and Jacob Misiorowski is like a future ace. Offensively, it’s the best Brewers lineup in years — Jackson Chourio, Christian Yelich, William Contreras, Brice Turang, and waiver gem Andrew Vaughn.
Still… history matters. And the Brewers’ playoff history? It’s bad. Very bad. Sorry, Brew Crew. Not buying in.
Philadelphia Phillies – Contender
This could be the year.
Losing Zack Wheeler hurts, but Christopher Sánchez, Jesús Luzardo, and Ranger Suárez have stepped up. Johan Duran was a sneaky-good deadline pickup, and Bryce Harper + Kyle Schwaaaaaaarber is one of the most feared duos in October.
Add in the best home-field advantage in the league? Philly’s a real threat.
Los Angeles Dodgers – Contender
For a team that’s had a “down” year, the Dodgers are still terrifying.
They’ve dealt with injuries, slumps ( Mookie), and bullpen chaos. But this is still a $1 billion roster featuring Shohei Ohtani (yes, he’s pitching again), Freddie Freeman, and Will Smith having a career year.
Come October, they’ll be healthy — and dangerous.
San Diego Padres – Contender
Let me just say: I called this.
San Diego nailed the deadline, adding Mason Miller, Freddy Fermin, Ramón Laureano, and Ryan O’Hearn. If Michael King can stay healthy, the Padres have everything needed for a deep run.
Dodgers vs. Padres in the NLCS? Please, baseball gods.
Chicago Cubs – Pretender
What could’ve been.
The Cubs had a shot — and the front office did absolutely nothing to help. Pete Crow-Armstrong looked like an MVP candidate early and then fell off, Kyle Tucker forgot how to hit, and the pitching is uninspiring at best.
It’s been frustrating. Skip this team in October.
New York Mets – Contender
Tough team to evaluate.
They’ve been one of MLB’s worst teams since mid-June. The rotation is a patchwork of “maybe this works” guys. But prospects Noah McLean and Jonah Tong have looked impressive, and the lineup is experienced.
Could they be sneaky? Sure. Do I believe in them? Sure, I guess.
Final Thoughts
October baseball is almost here. Teams like the Tigers, Padres, and Phillies are built for a deep run, while usual suspects like the Dodgers and Astros lurk with postseason pedigree. And then there’s the chaos factor — any team can get hot.
Who’s your pick to win it all? And more importantly — can my Padres future cash?
Come back in a month for World Series Predictions.
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