Our baseball writers share their observations and insights throughout this week's AL and NL wild-card rounds. Tap here to see the full playoff bracket and every team's path to the World Series.
Judge out, Crochet and Stanton in for wild-card series
The Yankees and Red Sox haven't even taken the field yet, and there's already plenty of drama surrounding this series.
New York didn't include Aaron Judge on the roster as he continues to rehab from a calf injury. As difficult a decision as it probably was for Aaron Boone, it was likely too risky if the three-time MVP couldn't run. If Judge played and then had to be removed from the roster due to injury, the Yankees would've lost him for a potential ALDS matchup as well. New York played well for most of the regular season without Judge, and it'll hope to extend its campaign long enough to get him back.
However, adding Giancarlo Stanton to the roster makes Judge's absence a little easier to swallow. The 36-year-old hasn't played since late April because of a calf injury, but he recently took live at-bats and was cleared to play. Stanton's inclusion is a massive boost for a Yankees team that lacks right-handed power. He's also been an elite postseason performer throughout his career - hitting 18 home runs with a .926 OPS in 48 games - and has historically crushed the Red Sox. Boone couldn't have both Judge and Stanton limited to DH duties, so it made the most sense to pick the healthier option.
The Red Sox made their own shocking roster addition by including Garrett Crochet, who's also been sidelined since late April. The left-hander will serve in a relief role since he hasn't been stretched out. While it's hard to predict Crochet's effectiveness, he has the potential to be an elite bullpen weapon and could combat New York's left-handed sluggers Ben Rice, Cody Bellinger, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. Part of Boston's decision to include Crochet likely comes from his experience pitching in relief, as he spent his first three MLB seasons as a reliever before converting to a starter. Don't be surprised if the Red Sox throw Crochet in a massive spot in this series. - Brandon Wile
The wild-card round should be excellent
MLB's playoff format could use a revamp - especially the seeding - but regardless of that, we should be treated to four very entertaining series.
Despite stumbling into the postseason, the Phillies have enough firepower to give the Braves a fight, and it won't be a shock if that series between division rivals gets a bit heated. Both teams know their championship windows are growing smaller. While the White Sox-Astros series features the two worst records among the playoff teams and will be started by openers, it also features Munetaka Murakami and Yordan Alvarez. This series really doesn't have a favorite. We're getting a glimpse of the twilight of Houston's AL dynasty, while the young team from Chicago hopes to take its first steps toward its own sustained run of success.
Yankees-Red Sox has grown a bit tame in recent years, but at its core it remains one of the best rivalries in sports. Meeting in the wild-card round for a second time in as many years should add some juice, as should the Game 1 pitching matchup. Cam Schlittler and Payton Tolle are both oozing confidence and personality and should immediately inject some life into the series. New York went 7-6 against Boston during the regular season, and it'll be great to see how the contrasting styles go head-to-head. In a rematch of last year's wild-card series, the Cubs and Padres will play once again in what could be the best matchup of the four. The two clubs finished first and second in runs scored after the All-Star break, and who doesn't want to see Fernando Tatis Jr. go toe-to-toe with Pete Crow-Armstrong? It's a shame this series is only a best-of-three. - Brandon Wile
Looking at odds ahead of the postseason
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Dodgers | +225 |
| Brewers | +500 |
| Yankees | +750 |
| Rays | +750 |
| Guardians | +1000 |
| Red Sox | +1200 |
| Braves | +1400 |
| Cubs | +1600 |
| Phillies | +1600 |
| Padres | +1800 |
| Astros | +2000 |
| White Sox | +3500 |
Surprise, surprise - the Dodgers are favored to win a third straight World Series with +225 odds (30.8% implied probability). Shohei Ohtani and Co. will wait for the winner of the Braves-Phillies series, while the Brewers, the second favorite to win it all, will face either the Padres or Cubs. A National League team winning the World Series is -180 (64.3%), thanks not only to the Dodgers' win probability but also because all six teams have a legitimate shot at becoming champs.
The Yankees and Rays are the top two options in the American League, but New York must beat the Red Sox in the wild-card round first before facing Tampa Bay in the divisional series. You could argue the 93-win Yankees have the toughest path to a World Series among the favorites, which is why their championship odds are longer than the Brewers'.
The Guardians may be the best value on the board at +1000. They'll face either the Astros or White Sox in the divisional series and have the easiest path among all playoff teams to a championship series berth.
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