Playoff Potentials

With the 2025 Major League Baseball playoffs just days away, the regular season has already delivered its fair share of excitement. As teams jockey to secure their place as October’s contenders—or fade as season failures—the season has made a few things clear: Aaron Judge remains the heartbeat of the Yankees, the Mariners’ young core looks primed ready for a deep playoff run, and the Dodgers are prepared to defend their title. 

But for every breakout, there’s been an accompanying disappointment. Injuries derailed promising seasons, stars never found their rhythm, and teams collapsed just when expectations were highest. Now, with the postseason bracket nearly set, the only question is which of these heartbreaks will matter most in October.

MVP 

In the American League, Yankees’ right fielder Aaron Judge remains red hot in his pursuit of a third MVP with a .325 batting average and 49 home runs so far. Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (aka “The Big Dumper”) and the reigning Platinum Glove winner, led the MLB with 58 home runs. He has proven himself to be one of the most well-rounded players in the American League, putting up a monstrous 121 RBIs. To unseat Judge, Raleigh may need to top the 60-homer mark, as Judge recently surpassed Joe DiMaggio for the fourth most home runs in New York Yankees history.

As for the National League, Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is the overwhelming MVP favorite at -25000 (99.6% chance) on ESPN BET, which will be Ohtani’s fourth MVP and his third consecutive, placing him second for most MVP awards in MLB history. Though his return to pitching after Tommy John Surgery was slow, he has still been among the league’s best, posting a 3.29 ERA alongside 52 home runs and a 1.013 OPS, the second-highest in the league. The Dodgers plan to lean on him more heavily in the postseason pitching rotation as Ohtani continues to cement himself as one of the game’s true modern anomalies.

Cy Young

In the race for the Cy Young award, Tarik Skubal has been untouchable for the Detroit Tigers, practically clinching his win in the American League. The Red Sox’s Garrett Crochet trails Skubal, leading the league with 249 strikeouts to accompany his 17-5 win-loss rate (including an undefeated 4-0 record against the Yankees this season). Young Pirates star Paul Skenes (better known as Livvy Dunne’s boyfriend) has dominated the race in the National League, leading the MLB with a 2.03 ERA and 209 strikeouts. Despite Skene’s impressive stats, the struggles of the Pirates’ offense dropped his win-loss rate to 10-10 across the season.

Breakout Stars

Young talent and emerging stars have made a major impact across the league this season. The Oakland A’s found a spark with one of the best rookie duos we’ve seen in a while. Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson occupy the first and second slots in the ROY betting order. Across the country, Roman Anthony’s early-season surge in Boston put him just behind the Oakland duo. Yet while Wilson and Anthony have both had impressive rookie performances, with 13 and 8 home runs respectively this season, neither comes close to touching Kurtz’s 33 home runs and unforgettable four-homer game against the Astros.

The emerging front-runner to win the Rookie of the Year in the National League has become Cubs rookie pitcher Cade Horton after outpitching Paul Skenes in his series against the Pirates. He is now 11-4 on the season with a 2.66 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 115 innings. Drake Baldwin for the Atlanta Braves has also been a consistent favorite. The 24-year-old catcher has proved himself as one of the most efficient young hitters in the league with a .273 batting average and .800 OPS. The other name that has everyone talking is rookie pitcher Jacob “The Miz” Misiorowski in Milwaukee. He made himself known early in the season, making the All-Star team after just five starts. At the All-Star game, he threw a scoreless inning with nine pitches over 100 mph. 

The Playoff Picture

If the season ended today, the AL bracket would likely see the third-seed Tigers matched up with the sixth-seed Guardians in the Wild Card round. The fourth-seed Yankees are set to renew their old-age rivalry against the fifth-seeded Red Sox, with Toronto and Seattle awaiting in the divisional round after earning byes. In the NL, the third-seeded Dodgers would face the sixth-seeded Reds, while the fourth-seeded Cubs face the fifth-seeded Padres. Milwaukee and Philadelphia wait at the top as the one and two seeds, respectively. A lot can still change over the final week, but the stage is set for a postseason where regular powerhouses like the Dodgers and Yankees share the field with fresher faces like the Reds and Guardians. 

October Predictions

Now, we finally arrive at my personal playoff predictions. I see the Tigers beating the Guardians in two games if they ride Skubal and get production from star catcher Dillon Dingler. I feel confident that the Yankees can knock out the Red Sox; however, it may come in the final game of the best-of-three series. While pitcher Garrett Crochet has had the Yankees’ number all season, outside of his one appearance, the Red Sox fail to stack up well against New York’s deeper batting rotation. In the NL, I’ll take the Dodgers over the Reds in three games. In addition to Elly De La Cruz dealing with a lagging injury, I believe the Dodgers should have the edge over the Reds due to their depth, experience, and history of postseason success. The Padres are my upset pick in the Wild Card over the Cubs behind Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado.

My World Series prediction is a rematch between the Yankees and Dodgers. A chance for redemption for Aaron Judge, it also provides the possibility of a fairy-tale ending for future Hall of Fame pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who just announced his plans to retire at the end of this season. Despite this prediction, it’s still very early. The Phillies could beat the overrated allegations, the Mariners could shock the league with a deep run, and the Brewers could make it all the way behind rising outfielder Jackson Chourio. However, I still believe the Yankees have the kind of stars who can flip an entire series in a single at-bat. This unpredictability is exactly what makes baseball in October one of the most exciting months of sports since 1903, so don’t miss out.

David Daniel ’28 (david_daniel@college.harvard.edu) is praying the Red Sox lose.