We made it. I repeat, we made it. The MLB Postseason officially kicks off today and we could not be more excited!!!

If you’re looking for a place to stay updated every step of this way this October, you’re reading it. We will have previews and recaps coming right to your inbox throughout the playoffs with everything you need to stay locked in.

After a thrilling final weekend of the MLB season (Did you all love that every Game 162 was at the same time? Absolute chaos in the best way possible), it’s time to shift gears to the postseason.

I’ll quit yapping now and let’s preview these Wild Card matchups!

MLB Postseason: Wild Card Round Preview

Red Sox vs. Yankees

^{Full article written by Joey Peterson}

What better way to kick off the 2025 MLB Postseason than with one of the most storied rivalries in baseball.

This is the matchup that the world (and the league) wanted to see in the first round! Boston vs. New York, Red Sox vs. Yankees, screaming Boston accent vs. screaming New York accent. This is peak baseball.

Boston has fared well against New York this year, going 9-4 in their head-to-head matchups during the regular season. However, the Yankees come into October as one of the hottest teams in baseball.

After winning nine of their last 10 games and 22 of their last 30 (tied for the best mark in baseball) heading into the postseason, New York nearly snatched the AL East away from the Toronto Blue Jays. Their offense is as hot as any in the sport, and they will look to ride that momentum at the plate all the way through the postseason.

On the other side of the matchup, the Red Sox head into New York winning 11 of their last 20 games and boasting a 17-13 record in their last 30. Owning a major bullpen advantage to go with a slight advantage in the baserunning and defense departments, will that be enough to overcome the Yankees’ prolific offense and pull off the first-round upset? That remains yet to be seen.

Tigers vs. Guardians

^{Full article written by Leo Morgenstern}

It’s the team that everyone thought was going to win the AL Central, taking on the team that actually did.

Take a look at the standings from just about a month ago and you will be quite confused that the Guardians are not only in the playoffs but HOSTING the Tigers in the first round.

Last year, it was the Cleveland Guardians who got off to a red-hot start and the Detroit Tigers who shocked the sport with a miraculous late-season surge. This year, it was the other way around.

Yet, with all said and done, the Guardians are the AL Central champions for a second year in a row, while the Tigers once again squeaked into the playoffs with the third and final Wild Card spot.

Just Baseball Trivia of the Week

Our newsletter will have a trivia question every week to test and expand the baseball knowledge of our subscribers! The answer to the weekly trivia question will be at the bottom of the newsletter each week.

Which three teams in the postseason have never won a World Series?

A) Guardians, Padres, Brewers

B) Padres, Mariners, Brewers

C) Reds, Mariners, Padres

D) Guardians, Brewers, Reds

Padres vs. Cubs

^{Full article written by Eric Treuden}

The first matchup locked in last week was between two teams with World Series aspirations, but a long path ahead of them and plenty of question marks.

The Cubs, owners of a 92-70 record in the regular season, enter October with a +144 run differential, which is second-best in the entire National League, trailing only the division rival Milwaukee Brewers, who wound up at +172.

With the Cubs’ victory on Saturday night, they clinched home field advantage in the upcoming Wild Card matchup against the Padres. For those that were around back then, the Cubs were actually the Padres’ first-ever playoff opponents all the way back in 1984. Now, in the year 2025, they prepare for a rematch.

Those very same Padres just wrapped up their own regular season with a 90-72 record. Their +81 run differential came in fifth in the NL and they finished the year with a 52-29 record at home. This bodes very well for the Cubs, since they won’t have to worry about the pesky Padres in their home park.

Reds vs. Dodgers

^{Full article written by Clay Snowden}

After clinching the final playoff spot on the final day of the season despite losing their last game (yikes Mets…), there is no bigger underdog than the Reds.

The late night NL Wild Card series will feature two old rivals entering the playoffs with very different seasons. The Dodgers are the big bad wolf with deep pockets who fell shorts of expectations despite racking up 93 wins.

The Reds’ season was consistent with the tides, in and out. It took some gutsy performances down the stretch, and some help from the Mets, but the Reds snuck in for the first playoff appearance since 2020, and their first real appearance since 2013.

This matchup will be the most “David vs. Goliath” series we have this postseason with the Dodgers having the highest payroll and the Reds landing in the bottom third. The Dodgers will be the clear favorites, and rightfully so, but the Reds rotation is going to give them a fighters chance.

Just Baseball’s Staff Predictions

Playoff Power Rankings

Here is how we ranked every team heading into the postseason⬇️

Check out Homage here to get 20% off the best MLB merch!

Other Headlines

😬 The season ended in ugly fashion for the Mets, who failed to reach the Postseason after being one of the best teams in baseball for the first few months of the year. It only goes worse as within just minutes of them being eliminated, Pete Alonso announced he’ll be hitting the open market again.

🥲 Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened! Clayton Kershaw officially pitched the final regular season game of his legendary MLB career. And, to the surprise of nobody, he shoved.

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Trivia Answer: B) Padres, Mariners, Brewers

These three teams, all among the top eight in World Series odds, have never won it all and will try to do so this October.

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