The Super Bowl has come and gone, we are still pretty far away from the NBA and Stanley Cup Playoffs, and while many are focused on the 2025 NCAA Tournament, Thursday marks the start of the 2025 MLB Season. After another Spring Training session in Florida and Arizona, the wait for America's Pastime ends TOMORROW.
After breaking down my thoughts on both the American and National Leagues, here are my official postseason predictions for 2025!
American League:
The AL is wide open. The Yankees won it last year, but many teams like the Red Sox, Royals, and the Tigers are on the come up. The Orioles won 100 games just two seasons ago and the Astros are still the Astros. Anything can happen in the postseason with this league.
Wild Card Series:
6 Boston Red Sox (86-76) at 3 Houston Astros (87-75)
This matchup would be electric. Alex Bregman back in H-Town, the Astros trying to reassert dominance on the AL, as well as LHP Garrett Crochet pitching in the postseason. I love what the Sox have done in the offseason and while they may be a year away from potential dominance, I don’t think Houston did enough in the winter to make another deep run in October.
Red Sox win series 2-1 (Advance to ALDS to face the #1 overall seed New York Yankees)
5 Kansas City Royals (88-74) at 4 Baltimore Orioles (91-71)
The Orioles have made the postseason in each the last two years, and have scored just 12 runs in 5 total games. On the other hand, the Royals eliminated the O’s last year and have both my MVP and Cy Young picks. However, I’m higher on the Orioles than most. I think the core of Gunner Henderson, Adley Rutschman, Jackson Holiday, and Colton Cowser is too talented to not break through this year.
Orioles win series 2-1 (Advance to ALDS to face the 2-seed Cleveland Guardians)
Division Series:
6 Boston Red Sox (86-76) vs 1 New York Yankees (93-69)
The biggest rivalry in sports gets amplified one hundred times in the playoffs. While it may not be at the same hostility levels we saw from 1999 to 2007, the Sox and Yanks did meet in the 2021 Wild Card Game in a rowdy Red Sox home win. Call me biased, but the Red Sox are next up. The savvy veterans added this offseason mixed with the young stars gives me a lot more confidence than a lineup of aging stars like Cody Bellinger, Paul Goldschmidt, and Giancarlo Stanton trying to make up for the loss of Juan Soto. In a wide-open American League, anything can happen, just like we saw last year with the Tigers and Royals. I can’t pick another unwatchable Yankees-Dodgers World Series. Give me the Sox.
Red Sox win series 3-1 (Advance to ALCS to face either the Orioles or the Guardians)
4 Baltimore Orioles (91-71) vs 2 Cleveland Guardians (90-72)
This one is a weird matchup for me. I don’t love either team, both with glaring holes but also plenty of talent. The Orioles will surprise people in 2025, and the Guards are sneaky good, having made the ALCS last season. In the end, I do think the Orioles are the better team and have the better roster.
Orioles win series 3-2 (Advance to ALCS to face the Red Sox)
Championship Series:
6 Boston Red Sox (86-76) vs 4 Baltimore Orioles (91-71)
I believe that Boston is a year away from doing major damage in the fall, but just like in 2021, they are in a surge. With the AL being very even, the Orioles find themselves in the Championship Series despite a couple major losses in the offseason. Baltimore has more firepower up-and-down the roster, especially in the bullpen, and those advantages are usually what postseason games come down to.
Orioles win series 4-1 (Advance to World Series)
National League:
The NL is the Dodgers' league to lose. The Phillies are the biggest threat, as well as the D-Backs, but LA has built an All-Star team to remain public enemy #1 for everyone else.
Wild Card Series:
6 Atlanta Braves (86-76) at 3 Chicago Cubs (85-77)
The Braves should get contributions from Ronald Acuna Jr and Spencer Strider down the stretch if everything goes to plan. However, they are still a good enough team to compete for a playoff spot. The Cubs, on the other hand, are looking to make it back to the postseason for the first time since 2020. If we get this matchup it would be hard to pick against the Braves, but not knowing what Acuna and Strider would be like playing-wise, I think the Cubs would take care of business, especially in Wrigley.
Cubs win series 2-0 (Advance to the NLDS to face the #1 overall seed Dodgers)
5 New York Mets (89-73) at 4 Arizona Diamondbacks (90-72)
The Mets have the shiny object in Juan Soto, but Arizona has the best rotation outside of the Dodgers. In the playoffs, if you have a deeper staff to go along with a very good bullpen, which the D-Backs possess, you’re much better off. I’m going with the Snakes to pitch their way into the Divisional Series.
Diamondbacks win series 2-1 (Advance to the NLDS to face the 2-seeded Phillies)
Division Series:
3 Chicago Cubs (85-77) vs 1 Los Angeles Dodgers (103-59)
The Cubs are winners of the weakest division, while the Dodgers have fielded an All-Star team. While this is a hypothetical matchup, Los Angeles is so much better on paper and could probably beat Chicago with half of their team hurt.
Dodgers win series 3-1 (Advance to NLCS to face either the Diamondbacks or the Phillies)
4 Arizona Diamondbacks (90-72) vs 2 Philadelphia Phillies (93-69)
On paper, these two teams are pretty even, but the Phillies have a little more firepower with their bats while the Diamondbacks have the edge on the mound. In a rematch of the 2023 NLCS, I’m siding with the losers of that series in Philly. They are just too good to not make it back to baseball's greatest stage, especially after the underrated move to get LHP Jesus Luzardo. While Arizona is just as good, I don’t think their bats can do enough.
Phillies win series 3-2 (Advance to NLCS to face the Dodgers)
Championship Series:
2 Philadelphia Phillies (93-69) vs 1 Los Angeles Dodgers (103-59)
This is a mini World Series, with the two most talented teams in baseball facing off to make it there. While yes, I am going with the Dodgers, the Phillies have the best chance to knock them off. They definitely have the talent, but I am skeptical of their depth, while LA retains a lot of their core of younger players from last year whose impact flies way under the radar. Philadelphia will put up a fight, but the Dodgers will return to the biggest stage once again.
Dodgers win series 4-2 (Advance to World Series to face #4 (#1 WC) Orioles)
World Series:
Baltimore Orioles (91-71) vs LA Dodgers (103-59)
The O's make a run to the Fall Classic, but fall just short. If the Yankees last year with Soto only won one game vs. a slightly less stacked Dodgers team, nobody out of the AL will stand a chance. The Dodgers are the new evil empire, the favorites to win it all in 2025, and that’s what I think they’ll accomplish. Barring any unfortunate injuries, LA will hoist the Commissioner's Trophy at the end of this season.
Dodgers win the World Series 4-0
Final Thoughts:
While many of these predictions will probably end up being wrong, it’s always a fun thing to try to project a season, especially a long one like baseball. Hopefully you’ve learned something along this preseason journey with me, and enjoy the 2025 Major League Baseball season! Stay tuned for more baseball-related content coming throughout the 2025 campaign!
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