The postseason begins without a clear favorite, as MLB finished the regular season without a 100-game winner for the first time since 2014. Every team seemingly has a path to a title, and every team also seems to have a flaw as big as the last. Death star. So who will take home the trophy at the end of the play-off marathon? Our staff experts weigh in with their predictions:

Andy McCullough (Houston): They have the best starting rotation. They have a championship core. This is what the Astros do.

Will Sammon (Philadelphia): Their lineup remains as formidable as anyone’s. Their rotation includes enough starters that opponents don’t want to see in a crucial game. Oh, and they also created a bullpen packed with variety, depth and talent.

Fabian Ardaya (Houston): I mean, they’ve reached this point. And once the Astros join the dance, they tend to go far.

C. Trent Rosecrans (Cleveland): They don’t have the sexiest team, but they just do everything right. They are death by a thousand paper cuts. They are a team that won’t make big mistakes, but will force their opponents to do so.

Eno Sarris (San Diego): Excellent starters, great relievers by the handful, a lineup that not only makes contact but does it with power are all things the Padres enjoy.

Andrew Baggarly (Philadelphia): My gut feeling is for me to pick the Padres because they have starting pitchers capable of dominance, a deep and nasty bullpen, and a star-laden lineup. But the Phillies have all those things and maybe more – plus the best home field advantage in the major leagues. Ring the bell.

Jen McCaffrey (Philadelphia): They are deep and experienced. This feels like their year to finally sort everything out.

Keith Law (Philadelphia): They are almost fully healthy and have the kind of top hitters and pitchers who will make a difference in the limited postseason schedule.

Stephen J. Nesbitt (Philadelphia): There is no perfect team this postseason. But the Phillies are getting closer than anyone else. They have a well-rounded lineup, a rotation led by Cy Young candidate Zack Wheeler, and a bullpen with some of the worst stuff in the sport. They are able to get on the board quickly and hold on.

Sam Blum (Cleveland): Bullpens win games in the playoffs. And there’s no better bullpen than Cleveland’s.

Chad Jennings (Philadelphia): If the Phillies aren’t going to win, what is their fatal flaw? For the Dodgers, it’s their bloated rotation. For the Yankees, it’s a thin bullpen and an uncertain bottom of the order. For the Astros, it’s injuries that have weakened their outfield and robbed them of several starting pitchers. But the Phillies don’t have a glaring weakness. Their pitching staff has a legitimate ace, a four-deep rotation and an elite bullpen. Their lineup can run, hit home runs, and score in multiple ways from top to bottom. Manager Rob Thomson is a proven veteran with a steady hand.

They have come close over the past two seasons. This is the year they win everything.

Chandler Rome (San Diego): The Padres are the most complete team in sports.

Zack Meisel (San Diego): AJ Preller’s maniacal drivel finally pays off. The Padres have the pitching and just enough offense to get it done.

Kaitlyn McGrath (Philadelphia): At one point this season, it looked like the Phillies were going to have the best record in baseball. That didn’t happen, but even within their uneven play, there was never any serious doubt that the Phillies wouldn’t figure it out. The Phillies have been a major presence in the postseason for a few years now and it feels like this is finally the moment where Bryce Harper leads them all the way.

David O’Brien (Philadelphia): It’s their time, with almost the same group of veterans making several runs together on this thing.

Sahadev Sharma (San Diego): They seem to be the most balanced team. The defense isn’t great, but everything else is well above average.

Patrick Mooney (Philadelphia): A star-studded roster built for the postseason.

Noah Furtado (Los Angeles): They have Shohei Ohtani.

(Top photo: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)