The grind of 162 is over. October doesn’t care about your regular-season record — just whether you can deliver right now.
Four Wild Card series, eight teams, three games max. Sudden-death baseball starts here.
The Format
- Best-of-3, higher seed hosts all games.
- No travel, no excuses.
- Win two, survive. Lose two, go home.
Red Sox vs Yankees
- Baseball’s classic rivalry gets an October reboot.
- Yankees have the bats and bullpen depth.
- Boston snuck in with late-season magic.
- Prediction: Yankees in 2.
Tigers vs Guardians
- Tarik Skubal could swing the entire series.
- Cleveland’s lineup is deeper, but pitching thins.
- Detroit’s youth makes them dangerous.
- Prediction: Tigers in 3.
Cubs vs Padres
- Chicago returns to October with momentum.
- Padres’ offense is strong but pitching falters.
- Cubs bullpen depth is the edge.
- Prediction: Cubs in 2.
Dodgers vs Reds
- Dodgers bring postseason pedigree.
- Reds are scrappy, playing with house money.
- L.A. has too much experience to fold.
- Prediction: Dodgers in 3.
AL X-Factors
- Skubal’s dominance for Detroit.
- Yankees’ bullpen depth.
- Boston’s spark vs New York’s swagger.
NL X-Factors
- Cubs’ late-season surge.
- Dodgers’ veteran lineup led by Ohtani.
- Reds’ pitching must punch above its weight.
Bullpen Rules October
- Starters set the tone, but relievers decide games.
- One bad ninth inning can erase an entire season.
- Expect heavy bullpen usage from every contender.
Bottom Line
Wild Card baseball isn’t about who was best across 162. It’s about who shows up now. Our picks: Yankees, Tigers, Cubs, Dodgers. Drama guaranteed, heartbreak inevitable.
