Though we have two games to play before the actual postseason starts, the non-playoff teams are all gone. The tournament field is set, albeit without the NL having proper seeding. In light of knowing the playoff field, I wanted to rank the teams in order the likelihood to win the World Series. That's pretty damn tough now with two tiebreaker games on the docket, but we're gonna damn well try. In reverse order!
10. Rockies
The Rockies have hit .226/.295/.370 on the road this season. They face Walker Buehler on Monday in Dodger Stadium. Buehler has a 1.70 ERA in his last 11 starts and didn't allow an earned run against the Rockies on Sept. 19 with 12 strikeouts in six innings. This slot is due to my belief the Rockies lose Monday and then need to travel from Los Angeles to either Chicago or Milwaukee and play another road game on Tuesday. This is a very good team who could well prove me wrong, but the circumstances right now are tough.
9. Braves
Hey, they arrived a year early, so why not make a deep playoff run a year early? They have the pieces to get it done. I just feel like they are a bit outgunned in the NL and, hoo-boy, the AL is loaded.
8. Athletics
I just can't see them getting through the AL, but I didn't think they'd get to the playoffs when they were 34-36, either. They've gone an MLB-best 63-29 since.
7. Dodgers
They have the best NL record since that dreadful 16-26 start, but they don't get to use Clayton Kershaw either Monday or, if they lose, Tuesday in the wild card game. The circumstances here have to dock them a few spots. They've also been pretty inconsistent on offense. Dangerous team here, as everyone is, but a lot to overcome early.
6. Cubs
Wait, they just choked, right? The Cubs were 16-12 in September, which is a full-season pace of 93 wins. They just got run down by the machine the Brewers became down the stretch. I have a feeling the Brewers get them Monday and then, if the Cubs win Tuesday, the Brewers knock them out in the NLDS. If the Cubs do, however, get by the Brewers, their chances in the NL are very good.
5. Brewers
Just good vibes right now, you know? The starting rotation is a definite concern, but the Brewers' offense is in power mode right now behind the exploits of Lorenzo Cain and the NL MVP, Christian Yelich. The bullpen can be a huge difference-maker in October and the Brewers don't have just one or two weapons out there. They've got an arsenal. Again, they also have had so many big hits -- mostly home runs -- that just make you feel like it's their year. Yes, the Brewers are my top NL pick but only fifth overall.
4. Indians
It should be a surprise that the dominant AL mans the top four positions here.
They haven't been pushed all year, but they will be pushed now. What if the Indians get best versions of Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Bauer and Mike Clevinger? That's an absurd playoff rotation, that's what. What if they get the best versions of Andrew Miller, Cody Allen and Brad Hand? What if they get the best version of Josh Donaldson alongside Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez?
It's a very tall order to get by Houston, but if everything breaks for the Indians, they'll be breaking that World Series championship drought.
3. Yankees
If the Yankees can survive their one-and-done date with the pesky A's, it's not difficult to envision a scenario where they shock the number one seed again. Chris Sale's got a velocity problem, we can't deny David Price's playoff history and so much funkiness can happen in a five-gamer between the Yankees and Red Sox. If the Yankees do get by, they're extremely dangerous.
2. Red Sox
They just won 108 games. I can't go any lower than this, right?
1. Astros
Yes, right now my pick to win it all is the defending champs, going back-to-back on us (their neighbors, the Rockets, have done the same in the mid-90s!).
As for my rankings below, they might be different. Our body of work for the 2018 season is complete and the ranking is off of that. My rankings above are based upon how things might progress and, as noted, I had to factor in the NL circumstances.
Rk | Teams | Chg | Rcrd | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | What an amazing regular season at 108 wins. Now the real work begins. | -- | 14-12 |
| 2 |  | They just died laughing at the "World Series Hangover" narrative for 162 games. | -- | 7-19 |
| 3 |  | Have they gotten right? That's nine wins in 13 to close out the regular season. | -- | 17-9 |
| 4 |  | The best regular season story on the AL side resides here. Billy Beane is still looking to be the last team standing, though. This group pulling it off would be amazingly unlikely and worth another book. | -- | 10-16 |
| 5 |  | What Christian Yelich is doing right now with a bat is probably a felony in some parts of the world. He's become like some Barry Bonds/Babe Ruth/Ted Williams hybrid for a few weeks. | 2 | 16-8 |
| 6 |  | Javier Baez is the first player in franchise history with 40 doubles, 30 homers and 20 steals. | 1 | 16-9 |
| 7 |  | Manny Machado is a career .174/.240/.348 hitter in the postseason. Time to do some damage and fix that. | 1 | 16-11 |
| 8 |  | They've won nine of 10 and now face a tough task to win their first-ever NL West title in Game 163. Sentiment is certainly on their side. | 4 | 7-19 |
| 9 |  | They were better on the road (47-34) than at home (43-38) this season. | 1 | 17-6 |
| 10 |  | Andrew Miller's last outing: 2/3 IP, 5 H, 4 ER. It was against the Royals. Uh oh. | -- | 18-7 |
| 11 |  | They won 90 games this season. It's a simple fact and eye-popping nonetheless. | 2 | 13-13 |
| 12 |  | The Mariners just had the winningest season the franchise has seen since 2003, but I imagine no true Mariners fan is happy right now. What a miserable collapse and the future doesn't look so bright. | 1 | 13-12 |
| 13 |  | The Cardinals' playoff odds coming into the week were hovering around 80 percent. They went 1-5 and get an early vacation now. They could've done that with Matheny. | 2 | 11-14 |
| 14 |  | Chris Archer had a 2.70 ERA in September and the Pirates should have a strong rotation next season with Trevor Williams, Jameson Taillon and Archer at the top. | -- | 13-13 |
| 15 |  | Still plenty of pieces to make the playoffs again next season. The question is if there will be a new man wearing No. 34. | -- | 10-14 |
| 16 |  | How weird will it be to see a new manager? The last time Mike Scioscia wasn't the Angels manager, Carlos Beltran won the AL Rookie of the Year. | 2 | 10-15 |
| 17 |  | Record by month: 20-8, 8-19, 19-9, 13-13, 14-12, 9-18. What a weird season. | 1 | 12-14 |
| 18 |  | They had to work awfully hard to end up with a losing record, but they did it. After Aug. 7, the Phillies went 15-34. Only the Orioles were worse. What a total meltdown. | 1 | 16-10 |
| 19 |  | The Joe Mauer sendoff was unreal. When he put the catcher's gear back on and was crying, wow. That was the scene of the weekend. | 1 | 11-13 |
| 20 |  | Very nice sendoff for David Wright this past weekend. | 1 | 13-11 |
| 21 |  | We saw some interesting young hitters this year like Lourdes Gurriel, Teoscar Hernandez, Billy McKinney, Danny Jansen, Dwight Smith Jr. and Rowdy Tellez. | -- | 13-13 |
| 22 |  | The Giants just went 5-21 in September and laid down when there was a possibility they could eliminate the Dodgers from postseason contention. Pitiful. | -- | 12-14 |
| 23 |  | The Padres close with wins in four of their last six games and now look forward to a possible "turn-it-around" year. Nice sendoff for their fans. | 4 | 14-14 |
| 24 |  | Adrian Beltre is still looking for a ring. He can help a contender. Please keep playing, Adrian. | 1 | 13-13 |
| 25 |  | Can they grab some starting pitching this offseason? | -- | 14-11 |
| 26 |  | Year 1 of the Derek Jeter Era: Not great, Bob. | 2 | 6-20 |
| 27 |  | Very good career Victor Martinez. Happy trails. | 1 | 14-11 |
| 28 |  | The Royals went 16-12 in September. They got within four games of the White Sox in the standings and took two of three from them this month. We'll make the bump here. | 1 | 16-10 |
| 29 |  | So, was the 2017 Avisail Garcia breakout season a tease? | 1 | 3-22 |
| 30 |  | The team leaders in WAR for the Orioles this season: Manny Machado, Kevin Gausman, Richard Bleier and Jonathan Schoop. None of them appeared in a game with the club after July. That pretty well sums it up, no? | -- | 16-8 |
