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World Series, LCS and Divisional Series Predictions

Vaseline October 5, 2024

After an exciting wild-card round, the Major League Baseball playoffs resume Saturday with the best-of-five Division Series kicking off.

The LDS winners will advance to their respective best-of-seven League Championship Series. Should the LCS both end on October 19th – meaning neither series lasts more than five games on the current schedule – the World Series will begin on October 22nd, with a possible Game 7 on October 30th.

Eight teams remain. Who will be the last team standing?

The only thing we know for sure come October is that a new team will be crowned champions with the 2023 defenseman of the World Series champion Texas Rangers, not in the postseason.

Here’s how USA TODAY Sports’ baseball writers and editors see the rest of the postseason shaking out:

Bob Nightingale

ALDS winners: Yankees, Guardians
NLDS winners: Phillies, Padres
AL champion: Yankees
Dutch champion: Fathers
World Series Winner: Fathers – Mark your calendars. San Diego will defeat the Yankees in a rematch of the 1998 World Series.

Gabe Lakken

ALDS Winners: Kings, Guards
NLDS winners: Phillies, Padres
AL champion: Guards
Dutch champion: Fathers
World Series Winner: Padres – Rotation, bullpen, lineup: No one is better in all three phases

Steve Gardner

ALDS Winners: Yankees, guards
NLDS winners: Phillies, Padres
AL champion: Yankees
Dutch champion: Phillies
World Series Winner: Phillies – The Phillies still have the core of the team that fell just short against Houston two years ago still largely intact. This time they will get the job done. Phillies in 6

Jesse Yomtov

ALDS Winners: Yankees, Guardians
NLDS winners: Phillies, Padres
AL Champion: Yankees
Dutch champion: Phillies
World Series WinnerR: Phillies – The third time will be the charm after Bryce Harper and the Phillies fell short the past two years

Scott Boeck

ALDS Winners: Yankees, Guardians
NLDS winners: Phillies, Padres
AL champion: Yankees
Dutch champion: Fathers
World Series: Padres – This one is for Peter Seidler, the former team owner who passed away last November. He brought Manny Machado to San Diego to bring the city its first championship in franchise history.

Steve Borelli

ALDS Winners: Yankees, Tigers
NLDS winners: Phillies, Padres
AL champion: Yankees
Dutch champion: Phillies
World Series Winner: Phillies – In this rematch of the 2009 World Series, Philadelphia has the deeper, more complete team from top to bottom and is less dependent on its star players.

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