Category: Baseball

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The 2024 MLB playoffs are almost underway, so we asked our staff to create superteams out of the best players remaining in each league.

For Part 1, FOX Sports’ Deesha Thosar and Rowan Kavner drafted exclusively from American League postseason teams. Each roster includes eight position players, one designated hitter, four starting pitchers and one closer. The writers could assemble their teams in any order but had to declare what position each player would occupy upon selecting them. Naturally, things became competitive and contentious. 

Thosar drafted first in our American League exercise, with Kavner selecting first for our National League iteration. Both drafts were linear.

But enough with the footnotes. Enjoy the stacked lineups, ruthless trash talk and sometimes loopy explanations for certain selections. 

Here’s our AL mock draft!

No. 1 (Thosar): Aaron Judge, Yankees CF

Deesha: He’s a threat to change the game with every swing in every at-bat, and there’s no one else in the AL that I’d trust more at the plate in do-or-die moments to come up clutch. After his heartbreak of missing the playoffs last year, then leading the majors in home runs, RBIs, OBP and OPS this year, this is finally the October that he steps up as the postseason MVP.

No. 2 (Kavner): Bobby Witt Jr., Royals SS 

Rowan: I could take a player who hits for a high average. Or I could search for someone with slug. Or I could go with someone who can cause havoc on the bases. Or I can take a player I can rely on defensively at a premium position. Or…I can just go with Witt and get everything in one package. Sign me up.

No. 3 (Thosar): José Ramírez, Guardians 3B

Deesha: Perennial All-Star and MVP candidate? Add best third baseman in baseball to his list of accolades. Ramírez finished the year just one home run and one double shy of an unheard of 40/40/40 season.

Rowan: Damn, thought I had him, lol.

Deesha: Suckerrrrr.

No. 4 (Kavner): Juan Soto, Yankees RF

Rowan: Yankees fans are hoping Judge and Soto won’t be split up after this season. In this draft, though, I have to do it. With Witt and Soto, who are both hitting over .340 with runners in scoring position this year, I feel confident in my squad not just reaching base at a high clip but also bringing runners home when they have the chance.

No. 5 (Thosar): Gunnar Henderson, Orioles SS 

Deesha: Henderson will get on base, slug, bring runners home, swipe bags, and play solid defense in the hole. But he’s also the third MVP candidate on my team, and that friendly competition between teammates will only bring out the best in the 23-year-old shortstop.

No. 6 (Kavner): Jose Altuve, Astros 2B 

Rowan: We know Soto can thrive on the biggest stage, but it can’t hurt to add a veteran to the squad who happens to be one of the all-time greatest postseason performers. One of just two players in MLB history with 27 career playoff home runs, Altuve is far and away the most accomplished and productive second baseman in the AL playoff field.

Deesha: Ugh.

No. 7 (Thosar): Kyle Tucker, Astros RF 

Deesha: He should be more dangerous than usual in October thanks to all that extra rest and preserved energy from his three-month absence due to injury. Fortunately, it looks like he picked up where he left off in the first half, and he’ll be essential in creating runs and getting on base for my squad.

No. 8 (Kavner): Tarik Skubal, Tigers SP 

Rowan: Is it too early to grab the guy who won the pitching Triple Crown here? I don’t think so. Good luck, hitters. Oh, and if you do make contact against the guy with the most strikeouts in the AL, try not to hit it to shortstop.

Deesha: Predictable pick by you.

No. 9 (Thosar): Corbin Burnes, Orioles SP 

Deesha: An ace pitching in the playoffs weeks before he hits the free-agent market as the best available starting pitcher? Yes, please. After a 1.20 ERA in five September starts, I’m expecting Burnes’ postseason to be extra dominant as he stabilizes my rotation with his devastating cutter and workhorse mentality.

No. 10 (Kavner): Yordan Alvarez, Astros DH 

Rowan: I should probably just make him my left fielder here to justify taking a DH this high, but considering his health concerns going into the postseason and that we have to pick the position with each pick, I’ll just take the dude with a .949 career playoff OPS — the most dangerous bat remaining in the field — and worry about finding another guy to roam the outfield later.

Deesha: Wild to pick DH right now.

No. 11 (Thosar): Gerrit Cole, Yankees SP 

Deesha: We didn’t get to see last year’s Cy Young winner at his best in the postseason last year, but if you take out his weird intentional-walk start against the Red Sox, this is the closest we’ll get to that version of Cole. The 1-2 punch of Burnes/Cole will allow for zero breathing room for opposing hitters in a short series. Have fun!

Rowan: Oh, good. I was worried you might take one of the best pitchers left.

Deesha: Honestly, I‘m overthinking over here and that’s dangerous.

No. 12 (Kavner): Framber Valdez, Astros SP 

Rowan: You take your Burnes-Cole mix, and I’m plenty comfortable having the starter with the lowest ERA (Skubal) and second-half ERA (Valdez) in the AL playoff field.

Deesha: Don’t forget to mention his 12 earned runs in 12 innings last October.

Rowan: He also had 4 in 25 innings the previous one, so …

Deesha: Yeah, well, he was younger then.

Rowan: I didn’t see Cole’s first half numbers on your blurb? Did I skim over it?

No. 13 (Thosar): Anthony Santander, Orioles LF 

Deesha: Sure, he hasn’t played in left all that much. But the havoc he’ll cause with his bat after a 44-home run season that went under the radar makes my outfield a powerhouse full of guys who can slug and stay calm under pressure.

Rowan: Can’t even hate on that, except he basically never plays LF.

No. 14 (Kavner): Riley Greene, Tigers LF

Rowan: Well, turns out I didn’t need to wait that long to get that left fielder. Happy to get an All-Star at this spot with the fourth-highest OPS among all qualified AL outfielders this season. Greene is hitting over .300 in his last 20 games and has played a huge role in the Tigers’ stunning late-season run.

No. 15 (Thosar): Emmanuel Clase, Guardians closer

Deesha: The best closer in baseball – and nobody is even remotely close. It’s virtually impossible to score on him (you can count the number of runs he gave up all year on one hand) and, somehow, Clase surrendered just two home runs in 74 appearances. The game is over the minute those bullpen doors swing open.

Rowan: Lol … thought about it.

Deesha: No ragrets

No. 16 (Kavner): Alex Bregman, Astros 3B

Rowan: After Ramírez went early, there’s no question Bregman stands out as the next best option at the position, so this is incredible value for him before Deesha snags him and tries to play him somewhere else. Bregman should be extra motivated as he heads into free agency, but if he performs anywhere close to the way he has the last couple months — he has an OPS over .880 since the start of August — I’m in good shape.

No. 17 (Thosar): Salvador Perez, Royals 1B

Deesha: Amid 49 games played at first, the Royals veteran enjoyed a renaissance season — drawing a career-high 44 walks while earning his ninth All-Star nod. Perez brings World Series experience to my team, where he’ll fit right in as the cleanup hitter.

Rowan: Oh, here we go … 

Deesha: Hey, he did play at first a lot!

Rowan: I actually didn’t realize he played THAT much at first. I thought it was like five games.

Deesha: So much first.

No. 18 (Kavner): Yainer Diaz, Astros C

Rowan: I promise I didn’t set out to create an Astros All-Star team, but here we are. Since Deesha got fancy putting Perez at first base, I’ll take the other top offensive catcher on the board so she can’t. Diaz had the highest batting average of any qualified catcher in the majors this year and should keep the line moving in this stacked lineup.

Deesha: Nnnnnoooooonooooo. You are literally Joe Espada at this point.

Rowan: This is what happens when the guardians and royals and tigers all make the playoffs. i’m realizing i’m gonna have to take hader now too eventually. maybe i’ll get cute and use a different guardians reliever. I can still get Jason Heyward to play center.

No. 19 (Thosar): Seth Lugo, Royals SP

Deesha: Lugo’s not getting the same attention as some of MLB’s other lights-out rotation arms, but he’s been just as dominant in only his second season switching to a full-time starter, earning his first career All-Star selection in his age-34 season. We won’t disrespect him on my team, at least.

No. 20 (Kavner): Cole Ragans, Royals SP

Rowan: Not a surprise to see the top Royals arms go back-to-back. While Lugo has the edge in ERA and wins, Ragans’ whiff rate is far superior. Missing bats is crucial in October, and I’m thrilled to end up with the AL’s top two strikeout leaders in Skubal and Ragans.

No. 21 (Thosar): Hunter Brown, Astros SP

Deesha: The Astros’ top-of-the-rotation arm is a solid addition to round out my pitching staff. He owns a 1.69 ERA in 10.2 innings across seven playoff appearances that have all come out of the bullpen, and now I’m expecting Brown to produce those results for the rotation with ease.

No. 22 (Kavner): Josh Naylor, Guardians 1B

Rowan: The fact that Perez, who spends most of his time behind the plate, was the first first baseman to go in this draft demonstrates the dearth of elite options at the position. Naylor, though, brings the most pop at the spot, leading all AL first baseman this year in both homers and RBIs.

No. 23 (Thosar): Adley Rutschman, Orioles C

Deesha: Even though Rowan thought he messed up my game plan by taking Diaz, I’m happy this late in the draft to go with the Orioles catcher who’s one year removed from a Silver Slugger award. It’s been a disappointing second half, no doubt. But I’m not counting out the two-time All-Star just yet.

Rowan: he’s been so bad. but yeah i was tempted too

No. 24 (Kavner): Colton Cowser, Orioles CF

Rowan: He’s been in the conversation for AL Rookie of the Year all season and is a helpful piece on both sides of the ball. Offensively, his strikeout rate can make him prone to ebbs and flows, but he has 24 home runs and can get hot in a hurry (he had four homers over his last eight games). Defensively, his 11 outs above average are more than the rest of Baltimore’s outfielders combined.

No. 25 (Thosar): Kerry Carpenter, Tigers DH 

Deesha: Among designated hitters with a minimum of 100 plate appearances not named Aaron Judge, Carpenter has the best OPS (.968) in the AL. His numbers likely would’ve been even better had injuries not slowed him down, but he’s getting red-hot at exactly the right time.

No. 26 (Kavner): Tanner Bibee, Guardians SP

Rowan: I wanted to add a right-hander to my southpaw-heavy group, and I feel great about getting the ace of Cleveland’s staff here. Bibee has been the one reliable force in the rotation of the AL Central champs and will head into October with some momentum after posting a 2.64 ERA in five September starts.

Deesha: That’s a good one for this late.

No. 27 (Thosar): Jazz Chisholm, Yankees 2B

Deesha: After Rowan took Altuve early, I knew I could afford to make second base my final pick if only because the position is so terribly depleted among AL playoff teams. Still, snagging Chisholm here gets me extra speed and that’s music to my ears.

Rowan: I almost took him for CF, lol. I don’t know how I’d feel about throwing him back in the outfield for the playoffs. You ready for the finale?

No. 28 (Kavner): Cade Smith, Guardians closer

Rowan: “Who?” some who haven’t watched much AL Central baseball might be asking. OK, this might be getting a little cute, but the Cleveland bullpen’s dominance goes beyond Clase, and Smith is the strikeout king of the group. In October, I want my closer to miss bats, to not give up free passes and to keep the ball in the yard. Smith ranks in the top 10 among all qualified MLB relievers in strikeout rate and strikeout-to-walk ratio and has surrendered one homer — ONE! — all year in more than 75 innings of work. I’ll take the guy who by fWAR is MLB’s most valuable reliever this year. Plus, Hader had too many Sept blowups

Deesha: Smith has one save! this feels like grounds for disqualification. Luke Weaver was RIGHT there

Rowan: Have you seen Smith’s numbers? He strikes people out, unlike your closer. And he has more saves than Santander has starts in left field this year.

Deesha: You’re the first and only person ever to attempt Clase hate.

Rowan: I love Clase. I’m sad I couldn’t pick him.

Team Deesha’s starting lineup:

1. Gunnar Henderson, SS
2. Kyle Tucker, RF
3. Aaron Judge, CF
4. Jose Ramirez, 3B
5. Kerry Carpenter, DH
6. Salvador Perez, C
7. Anthony Santander, LF
8. Adley Rutschman, C
9. Jazz Chisholm, 2B

SP1. Corbin Burnes
SP2. Gerrit Cole
SP3. Seth Lugo
SP4. Hunter Brown
Closer: Emmanuel Clase

Team Rowan’s starting lineup:

1. Jose Altuve, 2B
2. Juan Soto, RF
3. Bobby Witt Jr., SS
4. Yordan Alvarez, DH
5. Josh Naylor, 1B
6. Alex Bregman, 3B
7. Riley Greene, LF
8. Yainer Diaz, C
9. Colton Cowser, CF

SP1. Tarik Skubal
SP2. Framber Valdez
SP3. Cole Ragans
SP4. Tanner Bibee
Closer: Cade Smith

National League draft coming Tuesday…

Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on Twitter at @RowanKavner.

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Four months after dropping 11 games under .500, the New York Mets earned a playoff berth a day after the regular season was supposed to end.

With an 8-7 win at Atlanta in the opener of a makeup doubleheader on Monday behind Francisco Lindor’s ninth-inning homer, the Mets advanced to a best-of-three NL Wild Card Series starting Tuesday at Milwaukeex or San Diego. If New York wins the second game, it would play at the Padres. If the Mets lose the nightcap, they would play at Milwaukee.

New York overcame an 0-5 start to advance to the postseason for just the 11th time in 63 seasons. The Mets then rebounded from deficits of 3-0 in the eighth inning and 7-6 in the ninth to beat the Braves in Monday’s opener. And the big hit was by Lindor, who returned Friday from a back injury that had sidelined him since Sept. 15.

A 10-3 loss to the Dodgers on May 29 completed a three-game Los Angeles sweep at Citi Field by a combined 18-5. New York dropped to 22-33 in its first season under manager Carlos Mendoza and was six games out of the last wild-card berth and needing to overcome seven teams.

Lindor called a players’ only meeting. As players explained it, the Mets aired some issues in the clubhouse that day and committed themselves to positivity, effective preparation and a team-first approach dedicated to helping each other and winning games.

“We just opened the floor and talked about ways we can turn it around,” outfielder Brandon Nimmo said then. “Just felt like a boiling-over point.”

Since then, with Lindor leading the charge, they have the best record in the majors at 67-39. They have outscored opponents 541-430.

Baseball’s biggest spenders since Steve Cohen bought the team ahead of the 2021 season, the Mets reached the playoffs in 2022 only to lose a three-game Wild Card Series to San Diego. The Mets sank to 75-87 last year, when they had a record $319.5 million payroll and were assessed a record $100.8 million luxury tax.

They began this year as the top spender again at a projected $321 million, including $70 million in payments to teams covering salaries of traded players Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander and James McCann. Their projected luxury tax was $83 million.

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Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Finally, MLB’s postseason is here!

The entire field isn’t set, though. The Atlanta Braves and New York Mets are playing a pair of games on Monday to determine which two teams will get the final National League wild-card spots.

We know 10 of the teams in the field, and all of them have at least some sort of a nasty element to them entering the postseason. Here’s how I rank the 13 remaining teams, with World Series odds via FanDuel Sportsbook. 

13. Arizona Diamondbacks (89-73, last week unranked)
World Series odds: +4800

The Diamondbacks’ playoff fate is out of their hands, as they watch the Braves and Mets play two on Monday and needing either team to sweep. If Arizona makes the postseason, it arguably has the best offense in the playoff field, ranking first in runs and on-base percentage and second in batting average and slugging percentage. The D-backs’ pitching wasn’t great (27th in ERA), but they might have a strong enough top four of the rotation (Zac Gallen, Brandon Pfaadt, Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez) to negate that.

12. Atlanta Braves (88-72, LW unranked)
World Series odds: +2500

The Braves just need to win one of two on Monday in order to make the postseason. It feels like a borderline miracle that they even have a shot to make the postseason entering Games 161 and 162 considering the severity of the injuries they’ve dealt with this season. But Chris Sale’s Cy Young campaign and Marcell Ozuna’s strong season at the plate have almost single-handedly kept the club afloat. The Braves have gotten some strong performances from Matt Olson, Michael Harris and Max Fried of late and could make them a tough out in October. 

11. Kansas City Royals (86-76, LW unranked)
World Series odds: +2500

I loved what the Royals did in the offseason when they added veteran players like Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha and Will Smith to their budding young core. Those moves paid off, especially the Lugo signing. So, I’m happy to see them back in the postseason for the first time in nine years. It’ll be fun to see Bobby Witt Jr. on the October stage for the first time, as well. They’ll take on an Orioles squad that didn’t have a great end to the season, which makes for a compelling wild-card showdown.

10. Detroit Tigers (86-76, LW 9)
World Series odds: +2700

Entering the year, who thought the AL Central would have two, let alone three playoff teams? Well, the Tigers’ improbable run down the stretch ensured that would happen, as they went 31-13 to close out the season. Detroit’s outfield was tremendous at the plate, and it might have the best pitcher in the postseason in Tarik Skubal. Its matchup with Houston means manager A.J. Hinch will take on his former squad. Regardless of what happens against the Astros, it’s been a good year in Detroit.

9. New York Mets (88-72, LW 8)
World Series odds: +3200

As we just hit on the two biggest surprises in the American League, the Mets were among the biggest surprises in the National League this season. Now, they just need to win at least one game on Monday to make the postseason. Francisco Lindor returned from a brief absence because of a back injury and looked like he didn’t miss a beat, hitting .333 with a homer over the weekend. If it weren’t for Shohei Ohtani being so nasty, Lindor might be the NL MVP. A playoff berth could help soothe the snub, though.

8. Baltimore Orioles (91-71, LW 10)
World Series odds: +1200

The Orioles are likely disappointed that they didn’t defend their AL East title this season after an unimpressive showing over the last two months of the season. But they have had their most impressive stretch of baseball in quite some time over the past week, taking two of three from the Yankees before sweeping the Minnesota Twins. Corbin Burnes, Zach Eflin and Cade Povich have been good enough that you still shouldn’t sleep on Baltimore entering October, even if its hitting hasn’t been stellar lately.

7. Cleveland Guardians (92-69, LW 7)
World Series odds: +1100

It was impressive to see the Guardians win the AL Central and earn a first-round bye after losing Shane Bieber so early in the season. Their rotation is still pretty thin months after Bieber’s injury, but their elite bullpen could make up for that in the postseason. Anything also seems possible if you have José Ramírez in the heart of your lineup. 

6. Milwaukee Brewers (93-69, LW 6)
World Series odds: +1900

The Brewers could’ve played on cruise control over the past couple of weeks after clinching the NL Central so early, but they didn’t as they took two of three from the Mets over the weekend. It’s been fun to watch Jackson Chourio grow into a strong hitter and a catalyst for this team in the second half. Their rotation hasn’t been stellar this season, but Freddy Peralta, Aaron Civale and Tobias Myers have been good enough of late to give them a strong chance against whichever team they face in the first round.

5. Houston Astros (88-73, LW 5)
World Series odds: +850

The Astros again solidified themselves as the kings of the AL West this season, despite giving the Seattle Mariners a 10-game head start in the standings before winning the division with ease. Houston’s rotation has been elite since the All-Star break, while Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez have been mashing at the plate. Even though the Astros don’t have a bye, it’s hard not to see them as one of the top contenders in the American League.

4. San Diego Padres (93-69, LW 4)
World Series odds: +1100

The Padres might be the hottest team in baseball entering the postseason. They went 43-19 after going .500 through the first 100 games of the season. Similar to the Astros, the Padres are getting strong performances everywhere. Manny Machado, Jackson Merrill, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Luis Arráez and have great of late. On the mound, Michael King has eased some of the pain from trading Juan Soto, joining Dylan Cease, Joe Musgrove and Yu Darvish to make a strong rotation. It’ll be fun to see this team in the postseason again. 

3. New York Yankees (94-68, LW 3)
World Series odds: +450

After hitting some turbulence in the middle of the season, the Yankees look like the team to beat in the American League in October. Aaron Judge and Juan Soto might be the best hitting duo we’ve seen in the postseason in quite some time. Judge hit 58 homers and nearly won the triple crown. He’ll win MVP again. Soto hit 41 homers to go with an always impressive on-base percentage (.419). Some of the concerns New York has had about the depth of its lineup have been relieved lately. The Yanks’ rotation is somewhat unpredictable, but the pieces are there for a deep run. New York just needs to put it all together come October, something it’s failed to do in the Judge era.

2. Philadelphia Phillies (95-67, LW 2)
World Series odds: +360

The Phillies had a historic start to the season, but they’ll have to settle for the No. 2 seed in the National League after cooling off a bit in the second half. Make no mistake, though, this team is still dangerous. They might have the best rotation in baseball, with Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola and Ranger Suarez pitching like aces at various points in the year. The lineup is still lethal, with Kyle Schwarber hitting homers and Bryce Harper continuing to be one of the best position players in baseball. If the last two Octobers are any indication, Philadelphia is a serious threat to win the World Series. 

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (98-64, LW 1)
World Series odds: +350

Once again, the Dodgers enter the postseason as arguably the team to beat. Their lineup might be the most loaded from top to bottom in quite some time, spearheaded by Shohei Ohtani and his 50/50 season. While Ohtani makes his postseason debut, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman hope to turn around their playoff struggles from the past two years. With Teoscar Hernandez consistently slugging, the Dodgers have more answers than ever on offense. Of course, their rotation and its health is a worry. But Los Angeles’ lineup might be good enough to carry it to a World Series title anyway.

Ben Verlander is an MLB Analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the “Flippin’ Bats” podcast. Born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, Verlander was an All-American at Old Dominion University before he joined his brother, Justin, in Detroit as a 14th-round pick of the Tigers in 2013. He spent five years in the Tigers organization. Follow him at @BenVerlander.

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The San Francisco Giants have named former catcher Buster Posey their new President of Baseball Operations and fired Farhan Zaidi.

Chairman Greg Johnson made the announcement Monday after the Giants finished 80-82 in manager Bob Melvin’s first season — with one more victory than a year earlier. San Francisco won the NL West in 2021 but hasn’t made the playoffs since.

The 37-year-old Posey joined the club’s ownership group in September 2022, less than a year after his retirement in November 2021.

“As we look ahead, I’m excited to share that Buster Posey will now take on a greater role as the new President of Baseball Operations,” Johnson said in a statement. “We are looking for someone who can define, direct and lead this franchise’s baseball philosophy and we feel that Buster is the perfect fit. Buster has the demeanor, intelligence and drive to do this job, and we are confident that he and Bob Melvin will work together to bring back winning baseball to San Francisco.”

Zaidi was hired away from the rival Los Angeles Dodgers in November 2018.

“We appreciate Farhan’s commitment to the organization and his passion for making an impact in our community during his six years with the Giants,” Johnson said. “Ultimately, the results have not been what we had hoped, and while that responsibility is shared by all of us, we have decided that a change is necessary.”

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Welcome to the most unpredictable time of the year. While parity in Major League Baseball seems greater than ever, it’s been a fabric of the postseason since the turn of the century. No team has won consecutive World Series titles since the 2000 Yankees, a streak that will continue as the defending champion Texas Rangers have nothing to defend this October. 

While there are new and familiar favorites heading into these playoffs, recent history has shown that the past six months should be taken with a grain of salt. It’s all about who can catch fire over the next four weeks. And all 12 — well, 13 for now — remaining clubs are contenders.

With that, FOX Sports MLB experts Rowan Kavner and Deesha Thosar make the case for why each postseason participant will and won’t win the World Series in 2024. 

(Teams are listed by seeding. The National League’s final two wild-card seeds will be determined Monday by the Braves-Mets doubleheader. World Series odds from FanDuel Sportsbook.)

AMERICAN LEAGUE

1. New York Yankees
World Series odds: +450

Why they’ll be 2024 World Series champions: The Yankees own the best offense in the American League, and even though there’s a steep drop-off in production after their top-heavy heart of the order, they’ve still managed to overpower opposing pitching staffs throughout the course of a nine-inning game. Facing Aaron Judge and Juan Soto is a pitcher’s nightmare, and if Giancarlo Stanton can replicate his .963 postseason OPS and Austin Wells recaptures some of his late-summer magic, there will be little choice but to go through New York’s dynamic duo, rather than just give them free passes. The Big Three of Judge, Soto, and Gerrit Cole operating at their best this October gives the Yankees a clear advantage that could take them all the way to the Fall Classic.

Why they won’t: Defense and silly, unforced errors. Gleyber Torres‘ suboptimal baserunning is a glaring issue, particularly because no other player has been thrown out at the plate more than the Yankees’ second baseman this year, but he’s not the only one with mistakes on the basepaths. The Yankees are ranked dead last in baserunning metrics and Soto, too, has made questionable decisions while attempting to advance. Too often this year, we’ve seen Alex Verdugo failing to hustle out of the box, and other players at times lacking heads-up decision-making. Rookie Jasson Dominguez has been having quite the adventure in left field, struggling to make catchable plays and generally appearing uncomfortable. Other playoff contenders are much cleaner and sharper on defense, to the point where this flaw could be fatal. — Deesha Thosar

2. Cleveland Guardians
World Series odds: +1100

Why they’ll be 2024 World Series champions: They have the best bullpen and closer in the majors. Emmanuel Clase has a 0.61 ERA on the year and has converted each of his past 34 save opportunities. Each of the Guardians’ four most-used relievers — Clase, Hunter Gaddis, Tim Herrin and Cade Smith — have an ERA under 2.00 for the year. The Cleveland bullpen’s 2.57 ERA is the lowest mark of any relief group since the 2013 Braves. If the Guardians build an early lead, the game’s over. Superstar José Ramírez has some help in the power department this year from Josh Naylor, and deadline addition Lane Thomas and rookie Kyle Manzardo are heating up at the right time.

Why they won’t: Cleveland’s elite arms at the back end can stifle any opponent, but building a lead to get to those behemoths will be an issue. The Guardians rank 17th in OPS on the season and 26th since the break. Their offense has the lowest hard-hit rate in baseball while their starting pitchers rank 24th in ERA. No team has won a World Series with a rotation that ranked outside the top 10 in ERA since the 2015 Royals. The only move the team made to address the issue was trading for Alex Cobb, who was injured the entire first half. He has been limited to three starts all season. Matthew Boyd provided a second-half spark, but aside from Tanner Bibee, the options don’t exactly inspire confidence. — Rowan Kavner

3. Houston Astros
World Series odds: +850

Why they’ll be 2024 World Series champions: They cannot be counted out until the final out of an elimination game. Many people don’t want to hear this, but what the Astros have done to win their seventh division title in the past eight years is nothing short of remarkable. They were 10 games behind the first-place Mariners in late June, dealing with injuries to multiple key players, only to clinch the AL West again with their third different manager in six years. The Astros have won before by cruising, but these past couple of years they’ve gone into October battle-tested to preserve a now eight-year streak of playoff appearances. That kind of pedigree can frighten opponents before even stepping onto the field. Once again, Houston has the roster talent and the street cred to get it done.

Why they won’t: Yordan Alvarez’s knee injury and potential first-year manager stumbles. The Astros slugger has been such an integral part of their recent runs, including slugging six homers and tallying 15 RBI in 11 playoff games last year. With their playoff weapon dealing with a sprained right knee, it’s unclear if Alvarez will even play in the postseason, let alone be healthy enough to do anything but DH. That could limit plate appearances for catchers Yainer Diaz and Victor Caratini. Alvarez’s injury couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Astros. Then there’s the unknown element of Joe Espada’s first time managing in the playoffs, and all the nerves and indecision that could accompany it. Espada has done well to this point, but he’ll have to stay intact as the lights get brighter. — Deesha Thosar

4. Baltimore Orioles
World Series odds: +1200

Why they’ll be 2024 World Series champions: A talented offense and a certified ace in Corbin Burnes. Baltimore’s No. 1 starter becomes a free agent this winter, and the Orioles will be depending on him to take them to the World Series while they have him, particularly because most of the arms behind Burnes are less than threatening. Since 2020, only Wheeler (24.5) has a higher fWAR than Burnes (21.4). Competitive to his core, it will be fascinating to watch Burnes test his own limits in Baltimore’s playoff run, mere days and weeks before he explores the market under agent Scott Boras’ guidance. There is already no doubt he will enter free agency as baseball’s top available pitcher, and it will only boost his appeal if he’s towing a World Series ring.

Why they won’t: Their suboptimal second half. The Orioles were the best team in baseball to begin the year, only to look like a completely different ballclub since the All-Star break. Their bullpen has really hurt them these past few months, ranking 27th in the majors in ERA (4.60) and 18th in WHIP (1.28) since July 19. They had several chances to catch the Yankees, who also spiraled into the All-Star break, for the division lead. But the O’s squandered any and every opportunity to capitalize down the stretch. There have been key players in prolonged slumps, and it’s easy to forget that this is still a young roster because of their surprising division-clinching race to the playoffs last year. Momentum is still possible, but the O’s might have too many question marks to answer at this stage. — Deesha Thosar

5. Kansas City Royals
World Series odds: +2500

Why they’ll be 2024 World Series champions: They have a superstar in Bobby Witt Jr. putting together one of the greatest all-around seasons from a shortstop ever and one of the top catchers and rotations in the playoff field. Their starting pitchers will enter the postseason with the lowest ERA of any team playing in October. In Seth Lugo, Cole Ragans and Michael Wacha, the Royals boast three starting pitchers who rank in the top 20 in ERA. The club’s relievers haven’t been quite so reliable — but that hasn’t been an issue lately.  The Kansas City bullpen ranks in the top 10 in ERA this month, settling in behind boosts from Daniel Lynch, who hasn’t allowed a run since getting recalled in late August, and deadline addition Lucas Erceg.

Why they won’t: At a time you’d hope to be building some momentum going into October, the Royals have a losing record this month. It’s not a coincidence that coincides with the loss of their first baseman. The lack of depth in the lineup has been exposed after Vinnie Pasquantino’s thumb injury late last month. Since he went down, the Kansas City offense ranks last in the majors in every slash line category. Pasquantino could be back for the postseason, but the length of the lineup will remain an issue. Of the 13 Royals batters with at least 20 at-bats this month, seven are hitting under .200. And while the Royals’ bullpen has been strong lately, it’s still a group that ranks in the bottom half of the sport in ERA and strikeout rate in the season’s second half. — Rowan Kavner

6. Detroit Tigers
World Series odds: +2700

Why they’ll be 2024 World Series champions: Youthful exuberance, paired with legitimate talent, can be a secret weapon in the postseason. Whether it’s 24-year-old outfielder Riley Greene’s .827 OPS, or Kerry Carpenter’s strong return from injury, or the impactful prospects they called up to complement emerging talents, all the Tigers do lately is win. Plus, Detroit’s bullpen sneakily owns the fourth-best ERA in the big leagues. The relief unit of Jason Foley, Tyler Holton, and Will Vest has been all kinds of dominant, and that’s a huge X-factor as long as the Tigers offense can give them some run support. A.J. Hinch is managing this year’s Cinderella Story team and Detroit’s underdog element could be the spoiler for some playoff favorites — even though it’s a long shot.

Why they won’t: Ultimately, this is a lineup lacking stars with no real experience having what it takes to get through the gauntlet that is postseason baseball. We saw how quickly the young and inexperienced Orioles were dismantled by the Texas Rangers as early as the wild-card round last year, and it would surprise exactly no one if the Tigers fell to the same fate. Their lack of pitching depth is another concern in October. Imagine how much better their chances would’ve been if they hadn’t traded Jack Flaherty to the Dodgers, and he was lined up to pitch behind ace Tarik Skubal? It’s astonishing that Detroit is even on this list, and for that, the club deserves a spending spree from ownership this winter for quality veterans who will support 2024’s promising roster. — Deesha Thosar

NATIONAL LEAGUE

1. Los Angeles Dodgers
World Series odds: +350

Why they’ll be 2024 World Series champions: Their pitching staff is depleted, they’ve won fewer than 100 games in a full season for the first time since 2018 and yet … here the Dodgers are, the top seed in the National League with the best record in baseball. Despite their deficiencies, they have Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman (assuming he is able to return from his ankle injury in time for the playoffs). That trio plus a highly capable supporting cast behind them led by Teoscar Hernández, Will Smith and Max Muncy might be enough to outslug the pitching concerns. The deadline acquisitions of Jack Flaherty, Michael Kopech and Tommy Edman could be just enough to give them everything they need.

Why they won’t: So, about those pitching concerns … how many playoff games would a team win with a rotation starring some combination of Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw, Gavin Stone, Dustin May, River Ryan and Emmet Sheehan? Well, all of them will be unavailable to the Dodgers when the calendar flips to October. Considering the up-and-down season for Walker Buehler and how little there is available to the Dodgers behind him, there’s a lot riding on the success of Flaherty and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who missed nearly three months with a shoulder injury. Too much, perhaps. — Rowan Kavner

2. Philadelphia Phillies
World Series odds: +360

Why they’ll be 2024 World Series champions: They’re a well-balanced team. The Phillies are smooth in several facets of the game, including a dominant starting rotation led by Zack Wheeler, one of the most cool-under-pressure arms in the majors, and a potent offense that’s ranked fifth in MLB in slugging. The Phillies are as hungry as they’ve ever been to bring a parade back to Philly after getting stung by the Astros in the World Series in 2022 and collapsing versus the Diamondbacks in the NLCS last year. After a heartbreaking offseason and a determined regular season, they want to prove they can finish the job. They’re already in better shape than in years past by winning their first division title since 2011. The Phillies enter October as one of the top three teams to beat, alongside the Yankees and Dodgers.

Why they won’t: The bullpen, and the offense when Bryce Harper, Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber aren’t crushing home runs. Dave Dombrowski did a good job at the trade deadline by bolstering the relief corps, the Craig Kimbrel-induced Achilles heel that more or less led to their collapse in last year’s NLCS. This time around, the addition of Carlos Esteves in the mix should help a great deal, but their bullpen is still ranked 16th in MLB in ERA, with several other playoff contenders sporting better, more complete units. The Phillies might need their starters to go as deep as possible to minimize bullpen usage, and even then there are no guarantees with this group. Plus, the offense can be somewhat flaky when the usual suspects aren’t crushing bombs, and that’s a concern for an otherwise dominant Phillies team. — Deesha Thosar

3. Milwaukee Brewers
World Series odds: +1900

Why they’ll be 2024 World Series champions: The Brewers traded Corbin Burnes … and still managed to assemble one of the best pitching staffs in the sport. Freddy Peralta leads an unheralded rotation that includes a rookie in Tobias Myers who deserves more attention than he has received, but what guides this team is a bullpen that leads the NL with a 3.17 ERA. The group was already electric with Devin Williams out and, to no one’s surprise, looks even better since his return.  The shutdown closer hasn’t allowed a run in September. Offensively, the loss of Christian Yelich hurts, but the power of William Contreras and Rhys Hoskins, the speed of Brice Turang and the combination of both provided by Willy Adames and breakout rookie Jackson Chourio gives manager Pat Murphy plenty to work with.

Why they won’t: That offense has started to show cracks, ranking 27th in batting average and 26th in on-base percentage in September. Lefties in particular can cause problems for the lineup. But the biggest red flag is the rotation, which just might not have enough elite arms to carry the team through October. Peralta orchestrated his second straight 200-strikeout season, but Myers is a rookie, Colin Rea has a 7.43 ERA over his last seven appearances and veteran addition Frankie Montas has an ERA close to 5.00 on the year. — Rowan Kavner

4. San Diego Padres
World Series odds: +1100

Why they’ll be 2024 World Series champions: The new-look Padres offense with Luis Arráez at the top boasts the highest batting average and lowest whiff and strikeout rates in the sport. Jurickson Profar is having a career year at age 31, Jackson Merrill has emerged as a Rookie of the Year contender at 21, and their stars are hot at the right time. But it goes beyond the offense. The Padres have been the best team in baseball in the second half in large part due to a pitching staff that has the National League’s lowest ERA since the break. San Diego’s rotation is whole again and pitching lights out in September, and the deadline-bolstered bullpen is one of the sport’s most imposing. All the pieces are there for a deep run.

Why they won’t: As good as the pitching staff has been, it’s never great going into the postseason with the ninth inning feeling unsettled. Robert Suarez is an All-Star this year, but he has a 6.00 ERA and three blown saves in September and has allowed hits in 11 of his past 14 appearances. Michael King has played a vital role in the rotation’s success, but he’s in uncharted territory having already shattered his previous high in innings pitched. Behind him, a season-ending injury to Ha-Seong Kim now will force the Padres to shift Xander Bogaerts back to shortstop. It’s nitpicking, but that’s not an ideal defensive scenario in San Diego. — Rowan Kavner

5. Atlanta Braves
World Series odds: +2500

Why they’ll be 2024 World Series champions: Chris Sale, set to win his first career Cy Young, is as lethal a weapon as it gets in the playoffs. The 1-2 punch of Sale and Max Fried, plus righty Reynaldo Lopez and the emergence of Spencer Schwellenbach, makes Atlanta scary in a three or five-game series. Pitching wins in October, and Atlanta’s arms have the best ERA in the majors — yes, topping even Seattle’s pitching staff. No team has come close to matching the staff’s total strikeouts, the bullpen is strong and the entire unit is capable of carrying the Braves to their second championship since 2021. Plus, it seems like Atlanta excels when its expectations are low – à la ‘21 without Ronald Acuña Jr. It’s not like things went well when they flashed the best regular-season record in baseball last year, only to collapse against their rival Phillies in the NLDS. Perhaps, coming out of the wild-card side of the postseason bracket will be more ideal.

Why they won’t: Then again, maybe this just isn’t their year. As much credit as the Braves should receive for making it this far without their stars, this is exactly the time of year when it’s hard to ignore the onslaught of injuries to Acuña, Austin Riley, Spencer Strider, and even A.J. Minter. The Braves don’t have as much depth as they’re used to relying on in the playoffs, and that could come back to hurt them. Their offense is another typical area of reliability that has underwhelmed this year. In terms of wRC+, Marcell Ozuna is the only hitter in the Braves lineup to appear among the top 45 hitters in the majors this season. Atlanta’s on-base percentage is just league average this year, and that could be especially concerning in the postseason against the top pitchers in the game. — Deesha Thosar

6. New York Mets
World Series odds: +3200

Why they’ll be 2024 World Series champions: Grimace is determined to throw out the first pitch in a World Series game. The Mets’ quirky season has revealed a sense of camaraderie and chemistry that can be the stuff of magic for World Series champions. There is something to be said of the club digging itself out of the basement in May to becoming one of the hottest teams in baseball, led by a first-year manager in Carlos Mendoza who expertly guided a sinking ship to October baseball. Stars like Francisco Lindor (enjoying an MVP caliber season), J.D. Martinez (2018 World Series winner), and Edwin Díaz (one of the best closers in baseball) can be dangerous in the playoffs. But Pete Alonso has been somewhat of a sleeping bear this season who very well could wake up just in time before his upcoming free agency to be the wildest of the bunch, yet.

Why they won’t: While Sean Manaea and Luis Severino had bounce-back seasons that were critical to the Mets clinching a playoff spot, it remains concerning whether the rotation overall is a big enough threat to go deep into October, let alone win the Fall Classic. Manaea has a 15.26 ERA in three career playoff outings (two starts). Severino has historically struggled to step up in big games, giving up 25 earned runs in 43.2 playoff innings with the Yankees. Behind those two arms, the durability of Jose Quintana, who pitches better with longer rest periods, is something of an unknown. And southpaw David Peterson is coming off an up-and-down September and lacks playoff experience. — Deesha Thosar

7. Arizona Diamondbacks
World Series odds: +4800

Why they’ll be 2024 World Series champions: The D-backs have committed the fewest errors in the sport again, but if last year’s NL champs are going to finish the job in 2024, it’s an offense that ranks in the top two in every slash line category that will be leading the way. All-Star starter Ketel Marte has the third-highest OPS among qualified NL players, Christian Walker should have been an All-Star, Joc Pederson has an OPS over .900, Eugenio Suarez has 29 homers in a bounce-back year, Randal Grichuk is hitting over .400 this month and Corbin Carroll is finding his form. It’s not a fluke that the Snakes have MLB’s top offense since the break.

Why they won’t: As the offense is thriving, the pitching staff is floundering. D-backs pitchers have the highest ERA in MLB this month. The issues are widespread. The bullpen has an ERA over 6.00 and the rotation has an ERA over 5.00 in September — a surprise considering the pieces Arizona added to try to remedy both issues. Newcomers Jordan Montgomery and Eduardo Rodriguez have been replacement level players this season, each with an ERA over 5.00. Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly demonstrated last year they don’t need much help to carry the squad’s rotation, but the bullpen just doesn’t look capable right now of providing much support. — Rowan Kavner

Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on Twitter at @RowanKavner.

Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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The Miami Marlins have parted ways with Skip Schumaker, ending the 2023 NL Manager of the Year’s two-season stint with the team.

The Marlins went 146-178 under Schumaker, who was hired in 2022 as the franchise’s 16th manager. His contract was for two years with a club option for the 2025 season, which the team voided earlier this year.

“It has been a tremendous honor serving as manager of the Miami Marlins. I’ve built long-lasting friendships with the staff and players and am proud of all that we accomplished together,” he said.

In his first season, Schumaker led the Marlins to their first playoff appearance in a non-pandemic year since 2003. They made the postseason despite a minus-57 run differential and eventually were swept by the Phillies in their NL wild-card series.

Miami underwent significant changes in its front office this past offseason, including parting ways with general manager Kim Ng, who was responsible for hiring Schumaker and building the roster that made the playoffs.

The Marlins’ 2023 success did not carry over to this season, and after a 0-9 start that was the worst in franchise history, new President of Baseball Operations Peter Bendix sent two-time batting champion Luis Arraez to the Padres for four prospects in a move that prompted a small fan protest over the direction of the franchise.

Schumaker remained optimistic throughout the Marlins season, in which they went 62-100 and were without 2022 Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara, opening day starter Jesus Luzardo and right-hander Eury Perez because of injuries.

“We’ll turn this around,” Schumaker said in April.

But another rebuild is on the horizon for the Marlins after they traded away their veterans with big league salaries for prospects. Star center fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. was dealt to the Yankees, and first baseman Josh Bell, outfielder Bryan De La Cruz, relievers Tanner Scott and Bryan Hoeing also were traded.

Schumaker — who played for World Series-winning clubs in St. Louis in 2006 and 2011 — joined the Marlins after spending the 2022 season as the Cardinals’ bench coach. He had been a first-base coach and associate manager for San Diego from 2018 through 2021, then joined the Cardinals’ staff.

He becomes the latest in a revolving door of managers in Miami.

“The Marlins will immediately begin the process of searching for the next leader to serve as our new field manager,” said Marlins owner Bruce Sherman.

In the club’s 32-year history, only Don Mattingly has managed the team for more than four seasons, lasting from 2016 through 2022.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Charlie Morton gave up a three-run homer to Michael Massey in the first inning and the Atlanta Braves squandered a chance to clinch a postseason berth, losing to the playoff-bound Kansas City Royals 4-2 on Sunday in what was supposed to be the final day of the regular season.

Atlanta hosts a doubleheader Monday against the New York Mets, a makeup of two games that were rained out last week between the NL East rivals as Hurricane Helene slashed through the southeastern U.S.

Atlanta and the Mets are both 88-72, and Arizona finished 89-73. If either team sweeps Monday, the Diamondbacks reach the playoffs. But if the doubleheader is split, the Mets and Braves advance and Arizona is out because the Braves and Mets hold the tiebreaker edge over the Diamondbacks.

Before recording an out, Morton gave up a leadoff double to Tommy Pham, a single to Bobby Witt Jr. and Massey’s homer.

Morton (8-10) surrendered four runs on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings.

The 40-year-old was drafted by the Braves in 2002 and made his MLB debut for Atlanta in 2008. He made what could be his final major league start and was given a small ovation after manager Brian Snitker pulled him in the top of the fifth inning.

Atlanta had ample opportunity to score more than two runs but went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position.

Alec Marsh (9-9) allowed one earned run over five innings for the win. Kris Bubic pitched a scoreless ninth for his first save.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Shohei Ohtani went 1 for 4 and fell short in his bid to become the National League’s first Triple Crown winner since 1937, stealing his 59th base to help the Los Angeles Dodgers rally past the Colorado Rockies 2-1 on Sunday in Charlie Blackmon’s final game.

Ohtani finished the regular season leading the NL in homers (54) and RBIs (130). His .310 average trailed San Diego’s Luis Arráez (.314) in the batting race.

The charter member of the 50-50 club, Ohtani swiped his 59th base during the eighth-inning rally.

The last NL Triple Crown winner was St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Joe Medwick in 1937. In the AL, Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera won the Triple Crown in 2012.

Chris Taylor tied the game in the eighth with his first homer since July 7. Soon after Austin Barnes swiped third as part of a double steal with Ohtani. Rockies reliever Seth Halvorsen appeared to get his cleat caught in the dirt in his delivery and stopped. He was called for a balk to bring home Barnes.

[Related: How Shohei Ohtani, without half his powers, rewrote MLB history again and went 50/50]

Evan Phillips (5-1) earned the win and Edgardo Henriquez closed out the ninth for his first career save, among 14 Dodgers with saves this season.

The Dodgers wound up a major league-best 98-64, breaking a string of four straight full seasons with 100 or more wins (they went 43-17 during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season). The NL West champions open the Division Series on Saturday and have home-field advantage throughout the postseason.

Sam Hilliard launched a 476-foot shot into the right field third deck to give the Rockies a 1-0 lead in the second, the fourth-longest in the major leagues this season.

Starter Ryan Feltner scattered two hits over six strong innings in a no-decision. Reliever Victor Vodnik (5-4) took the loss.

It was an emotion-filled afternoon for Blackmon, who went 1 or 2 in his 14th and final season — all with the Rockies. He was lifted for a pinch-runner after his single in the third.

Blackmon was honored in a pregame ceremony and trotted out to center field all alone to soak in the applause. He leaves as the franchise’s all-time leader in triples and second behind Hall of Famer Todd Helton in games played and runs scored.

Colorado (61-101) has back-to-back 100-loss seasons. The team went 59-103 last season. The Rockies saw 2,540,195 fans attend games at Coors Field this season. Last year, the attendance at the hitter-friendly ballpark was 2,607,935.

Before the game, Rockies manager Bud Black sidestepped the topic of his expiring contract.

“I’m not talking about me. You know that,” Black playfully said. “Thank you for not asking.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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