MLB playoff predictions: Projecting the 12-team field after the trade deadline
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- Rays projected as AL East champs with a 4½-game lead entering Thursday, bolstered by their trade deadline acquisition of Freddy Peralta despite his rocky Coors Field debut.
- Guardians picked to win the AL Central over the White Sox (three-game lead), cited for their history of overachieving rosters and the easiest remaining schedule in baseball.
- Mariners tabbed to win the AL West despite currently sitting third behind Houston and Texas — their final 22 games include seven each against the Angels and A's and three vs. the Rockies.
- Braves projected as NL East champs with an 8½-game lead over the Phillies, having gone an NL-best 14-5 since the All-Star break.
- Brewers picked for the NL Central with a 5½-game lead, with the writer projecting they'll finish with baseball's best overall record.
- Padres claim the final NL wild-card spot over the Pirates by a single game, buoyed by post-deadline rotation upgrades, a strong bullpen, and untapped offensive upside.
- Yankees would finish with the AL's third-best record yet play in the Wild Card round, because the Rays and Red Sox occupy the top two spots in the same division.
Why it matters: The most striking projection: the Yankees would finish with the AL's third-best record yet play a road Wild Card series because the Rays and Red Sox occupy the top two spots in the same division. Meanwhile, the Padres edge the Pirates by a single game for the NL's final spot.
