2021 MLB playoffs – Our predictions from the wild-card games through the World Series

The 2021 MLB playoffs begin Tuesday night time with 10 teams hoping to increase this year’s Planet Sequence trophy.

The San Francisco Giants enter October with Significant League Baseball’s best history, though their rivals in the Nationwide League West, the Los Angeles Dodgers, have hopes of starting to be baseball’s initial repeat champions because the New York Yankees won 3 straight from 1998 to 2000. In the meantime, the Tampa Bay Rays have some unfinished business in the American League soon after falling to L.A. in very last year’s Drop Vintage — and, of study course, there is certainly that Yankees-Pink Sox AL Wild Card showdown to start out every little thing (8 p.m. ET on ESPN).

Who will gain each individual round? And which squad will be the last standing at the stop of the postseason? We questioned far more than 30 of our MLB gurus — from ESPN.com, Television, Stats & Data and far more — to give us their predictions: wild-card winners, division series winners, league championship sequence winners and Planet Collection champion.

American League Wild Card Video game

New York Yankees 27 votes

(Tory Barron, Elizabeth Baugh, Scott Beaman, Jason Benetti, Tristan Cockcroft, Brendan DeAngelis, Bradford Doolittle, Doug Glanville, Alden Gonzalez, Paul Hembekides, Tim Kurkjian, Tim Keown, Joon Lee, Matt Marrone, Kiley McDaniel, Jacob Nitzberg, Buster Olney, Phil Orlins, Jeff Passan, Kyle Peterson, Jesse Rogers, Enrique Rojas, David Schoenfield, Matthew Stupienski, Rachel Ullrich, Matt Vasgersian, Ben Ward)

2 Associated

Boston Purple Sox 9

(Mike Bonzagni, Gregg Colli, Joe DeMartino, Dave Flemming, Eric Karabell, Dan McCarthy, Dan Mullen, Karl Ravech, Clinton Yates)

The Yankees are the too much to handle decide in this article — why did you choose them? I like the Yankees’ sizzling proper-handed hitters — specially Aaron Choose and Giancarlo Stanton, but you could also incorporate Gleyber Torres to that list — at Fenway Park. I like Gerrit Cole in the setting up pitcher matchup versus Nathan Eovaldi, and I like the much more outlined back of the Yankees’ bullpen. New York has also performed as well on the highway as at house this year, the two by record and operate differential. — Bradford Doolittle

Nationwide League Wild Card Sport

Los Angeles Dodgers 29

(Barron, Baugh, Beaman, Benetti, Cockcroft, Colli, DeAngelis, DeMartino, Doolittle, Flemming, Glanville, Hembekides, Karabell, Keown, Kurkjian, Marrone, McCarthy, McDaniel, Mullen, Nitzberg, Olney, Passan, Peterson, Ravech, Rojas, Ullrich, Vasgersian, Ward, Yates)

St. Louis Cardinals 7

(Bonzagni, Lee, Orlins, Rogers, Rojas, Schoenfield, Stupienski)

The vast majority of our professionals picked the Dodgers — why did you go with the Cardinals pulling an upset? Two elements brought me to pick the Cardinals in excess of the Dodgers: St. Louis is the most popular staff in baseball, and I never ever believed the Dodgers have been going to repeat as champions — so if they’re likely to eliminate, why not in a solitary recreation instead of a for a longer time series? — Jesse Rogers

American League Division Sequence

ALDS: Tampa Bay Rays vs. New York Yankees/Boston Crimson Sox winner

Rays 31

(Baugh, Beaman, Benetti, Cockcroft, Colli, DeMartino, Doolittle, Flemming, Glanville, Gonzalez, Hembekides, Karabell, Keown, Kurkjian, Lee, Marrone, McCarthy, McDaniel, Mullen, Nitzberg, Olney, Orlins, Passan, Peterson, Ravech, Schoenfield, Stupienski, Ullrich, Vasgersian, Ward, Yates)

Yankees 4

(Barron, DeAngelis, Rogers, Rojas)

Purple Sox 1

(Bonzagni)

Will the Astros’ powerful lineup mail Houston earlier the White Sox and into the ALCS? Carmen Mandato/Getty Illustrations or photos

ALDS: Houston Astros vs. Chicago White Sox

Astros 24

(Barron, Baugh, Beaman, DeAngelis, Doolittle, Flemming, Glanville, Gonzalez, Hembekides, Karabell, Keown, Kurkjian, Marrone, McCarthy, McDaniel, Mullen, Olney, Orlins, Passan, Ravech, Rojas, Schoenfield, Ullrich, Vasgersian)

White Sox 12

(Bonzagni, Benetti, Cockcroft, Colli, DeMartino, Lee, Nitzberg, Peterson, Rogers, Stupienski, Ward, Yates)

The Astros are the common select listed here — why do you assume the White Sox can progress? The White Sox boast one of the most gifted groups in baseball. With Luis Robert and Eloy Jimenez out for big stretches, the team didn’t have its complete-power lineup for significantly of this time. The White Sox existing a formidable team of pitchers with Lance Lynn and Lucas Giolito joined by stunning performers Carlos Rodon and Dylan Cease. And finally, the bullpen that includes Craig Kimbrel, Garrett Crochet and Michael Kopech is constructed for the postseason. — Joon Lee

National League Division Sequence

NLDS: Milwaukee Brewers vs. Atlanta Braves

Brewers 25

(Beaman, Benetti, Bonzagni, Cockcroft, Colli, DeMartino, Doolittle, Glanville, Hembekides, Karabell, Keown, Kurkjian, Lee, Marrone, Mullen, Olney, Orlins, Ravech, Rogers, Rojas, Schoenfield, Vasgersian, Ullrich, Ward, Yates)

Braves 11

(Barron, Baugh, DeAngelis, Flemming, McDaniel, Orlins, Nitzberg, Passan, Ravech, Stupienski, Yates)

An NLDS matchup with the MLB-best Giants awaits the winner of Wednesday’s Cardinals-Dodgers NL Wild Card Sport. Joe Camporeale-United states Nowadays Sports activities

NLDS: San Francisco Giants vs. St. Louis Cardinals/Los Angeles Dodgers winner

Dodgers 19

(Barron, Baugh, Beaman, Cockcroft, Colli, DeAngelis, DeMartino, Doolittle, Gonzalez, Hembekides, Kurkjian, McDaniel, Nitzberg, Olney, Passan, Peterson, Rojas, Ward, Yates)

Giants 16

(Benetti, Bonzagni, Flemming, Glanville, Karabell, Keown, Lee, Marrone, McCarthy, Mullen, Ravech, Schoenfield, Orlins, Stupienski, Ullrich, Vasgersian)

Cardinals 1

(Rogers)

San Francisco and Los Angeles have the two best data in baseball — why did you consider the Giants to conquer the Dodgers? The Giants are the ideal group in baseball. They have excelled by means of pitching by reaching manager Gabe Kapler’s plans of gaining rely leverage, getting a lower stroll amount and successful strike one. But residence operates matter. And they have hit the most in the NL whilst providing up the fewest in all of baseball. They strike promptly and neutralize their opponent from performing the similar. They have a successful formulation, and all period extended it has labored in opposition to every person. Even the Dodgers. — Doug Glanville

American League Championship Sequence

Astros 13

(Baugh, Doolittle, Flemming, Glanville, Gonzalez, Keown, Marrone, McCarthy, Mullen, Passan, Ravech, Schoenfield, Vasgersian)

Rays 13

(Beaman, Cockcroft, Colli, DeMartino, Hembekides, Karabell, Kurkjian, Lee, McDaniel, Nitzberg, Olney, Orlins, Ullrich)

White Sox 6

(Benetti, Bonzagni, Peterson, Stupienski, Ward, Yates)

Yankees 4

(Barron, DeAngelis, Rogers, Rojas)

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The Astros and Rays were split amongst our voters — why do you think Houston will gain the American League? The lineup is as lethal as any other in the activity, and however their pitching workers leaves some thing to be ideal, the emergence of more youthful arms these types of as Framber Valdez, Jose Urquidy and Luis Garcia offers Astros manager Dusty Baker the overall flexibility to get inventive. Not to be discounted: The core of this team is battle-examined and motivated to verify a little something. — Alden Gonzalez

National League Championship Sequence

Dodgers 14

(Baugh, Beaman, Colli, DeAngelis, DeMartino, Doolittle, Gonzalez, Kurkjian, McDaniel, Nitzberg, Passan, Rojas, Ward, Yates)

Giants 13

(Benetti, Bonzagni, Flemming, Glanville, Karabell, Keown, Lee, Marrone, Mullen, Orlins, Ravech, Ullrich, Vasgersian)

Brewers 6

(Cockcroft, Hembekides, McCarthy, Olney, Peterson, Schoenfield)

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Braves 2

(Barron, Stupienski)

Cardinals 1

(Rogers)

Although the two NL West groups are our picks, the Brewers were not too significantly powering. Why did you take Milwaukee to come out of the Countrywide League? The toughest-to-strike trio in the significant leagues will carry the day. Corbin Burnes finished with a 2.43 Era, just 7 property runs in 167 innings and a .201 batting average authorized. Brandon Woodruff experienced a 2.56 Era and .200 average authorized. Unheralded Freddy Peralta had a 2.81 Period and a .165 normal allowed. Burnes and Peralta averaged additional than 12 K’s per 9 innings, with Woodruff examining in at a meager 10.6. Fantastic luck, opposing hitters. Pitching and protection — no team is better up the center with Willy Adames, Kolten Wong and Lorenzo Cain — and just adequate offense is a recipe that will supply the Brewers the initially Environment Collection in franchise record. — David Schoenfield

Globe Series

Dodgers 10

(Baugh, DeMartino, Doolittle, Gonzalez, Kurkjian, McDaniel, Nitzberg, Passan, Rojas, Ward)

Rays 9

(Beaman, Cockcroft, Colli, Hembekides, Karabell, Lee, Olney, Orlins, Ullrich)

Giants 5

(Bonzagni, Flemming, Glanville, Marrone, Mullen)

Astros 4

(Keown, McCarthy, Ravech, Vasgersian)

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Yankees 3

(Barron, DeAngelis, Rogers)

White Sox 3

(Benetti, Peterson, Yates)

Brewers 1

(Schoenfield)

Braves 1

(Stupienski)

A Dodgers repeat is our most well-known select. Why did you go with Los Angeles in this article? It can be risky to bet on a team to go all the way that’s in a wild-card sport and will be with no its most productive place participant for a little bit. That would fret me if it wasn’t the defending champ that — by a huge margin — 1) authorized the fewest operates in the league and 2) had the best operate differential, whilst falling just one video game quick of the most effective report in all of baseball. Guess on the most effective horse, specifically when it has the finest rotation in the game. — Kiley McDaniel

The addition of Max Scherzer and Trea Turner at the trade deadline will be the change. Scherzer joined a pitching staff members that was previously marvelous, it completed the season with a batting average from of .207, the next-cheapest in historical past to the 1968 Indians (.206). Dominant pitching wins in October. — Tim Kurkjian

And why did you decide on the Rays to get their very first title this October? Many people today viewing these postseason game titles possibly couldn’t even identify a single pitcher on the Rays’ roster, but let us facial area it, this was a 100-gain group in spite of that, and it’s mainly because Tampa Bay’s plan is rock strong. Possibly in a 12 months in which workloads were these types of a be concerned for each and every crew, the workforce to select is the one particular that pretty considerably mixed and matched its full year and never needs to fear about these follies as “workloads.” — Tristan Cockcroft