Every October, baseball reminds us just how much the postseason has changed. Not too long ago, Wild Card teams had to live with the chaos of a single-elimination game. A season of 162 games decided by one night, one bad pitch, or one lucky swing.

It was thrilling for fans, but brutal for bettors. Imagine grinding through six months only to have your season vanish before your ace even made a second trip to the mound.

That all shifted in 2022, when MLB expanded the playoffs and gave us the Wild Card Series: a best-of-three battle. Depth matters more than ever. A shaky bullpen or a lineup overly reliant on one bat is far easier to expose across three games than in a one-night coin flip.

The result? A postseason that’s still just as tough to predict, but with a touch more fairness mixed into the madness.

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⚾️ Wild Card Series Predictions

Cleveland Guardians vs Detroit Tigers

Cleveland’s late-season surge makes them one of the hottest teams entering October. After pulling off what many called a “miracle” comeback to win the AL Central, the Guardians carry momentum, confidence, and home-field advantage into this matchup. 

Detroit limped into the postseason after nearly collapsing down the stretch. While the Tigers can point to a solid record as moneyline favorites this year, they’re an underdog in this spot and will need a spark to flip the narrative. 

Prediction: Cleveland wins the series 2-0 (+330)

San Diego Padres vs Chicago Cubs

This matchup is as tight as it gets, with the betting market calling it a near 50-50 toss-up. The Cubs own home-field advantage, but their recent postseason history is tough to ignore: they haven’t won a playoff series since 2017, losing their last three. 

San Diego, on the other hand, has been perfect in the Wild Card round since 2020. With two evenly matched rosters, the deciding factor becomes experience under pressure, and the Padres have consistently proven they can deliver in this exact spot. 

Prediction: Padres Win the Series (+105)

New York Yankees vs Boston Red Sox

Baseball’s most famous rivalry takes center stage in a three-game showdown. The Yankees bring the power, leading the majors in home runs and boasting a lineup built to punish mistakes. 

The Red Sox counter with superior pitching, highlighted by ace Garrett Crochet and a lights-out bullpen, but the absence of Roman Anthony looms large over Boston’s offense. That loss makes them far less dangerous at the plate, and in October, runs are hard enough to come by. 

Prediction: Yankees win the Series 2-1 (+230)

Los Angeles Dodgers vs Cincinnati Reds

The Dodgers are the biggest favorites of the Wild Card round and for good reason. They dominated the regular-season series against Cincinnati, winning five of six, and their offense averages over five runs per game. 

With Shohei Ohtani anchoring the lineup and Blake Snell likely starting Game 1, Los Angeles has both star power and firepower. In a short series, L.A.’s ability to score consistently and overwhelm opponents makes them the clear choice. 

Prediction: Dodgers win the Series 2-0 (+140)

🌲 The Pine Line

🏀 Back on the court 4 months after Achilles injury. Celtics fan are buzzing.

🩹 Big injury leaves big questions. Baltimore is bracing for the next injury update.

🏈 Beating a 3-0 team in your debut? No QB had done this in over 20 years. Until yesterday. 

🥊 Postgame handshakes got heated in Jacksonville. Was it warranted?

⚾️ All they had to do was win one game. A 4-0 loss slammed the door shut.

🏈 Monday Night Football

New York Jets at Miami Dolphins

Both the Jets and Dolphins are 0-3, making this a desperation game in Miami. The Jets are giving up 31 points a night and missing key defenders, while the Dolphins still don’t have a single takeaway. 

New York’s rushing attack and Garrett Wilson’s playmaking give them hope, but history favors Miami’s passing game, which has consistently produced against the Jets. Oddsmakers lean Dolphins to finally grab their first win.

Darren Waller Over 1.5 Receptions 

This line feels low for a player of his caliber. While he was retired last season, in his most recent year of play he averaged over four catches per game and cleared this number almost every week. Miami has struggled to get consistent production from TEs, so Waller has a real chance to step in and immediately become a reliable passing option.

Garrett Wilson Over 5.5 Receptions 

Wilson’s huge usage makes the over appealing. He’s averaging 7 catches on 10 targets per game, has cleared this number in two of three contests, and posted 10 receptions in his only road appearance. With the Jets likely chasing points, Wilson should once again see a heavy workload.

Cincinnati Bengals at Denver Broncos

Cincinnati heads to Denver reeling from a 48-10 collapse that some have called the worst loss in franchise history. With Joe Burrow on injured reserve, Jake Browning is in charge of an offense already hampered by one of the league’s weakest lines. Oddsmakers have set the Bengals’ team total at just 18.5 points.

Denver is 1-2 but riding a six-game home winning streak. The Broncos opened as 7.5-point favorites, and the market has backed them to control this matchup. The Broncos should right the ship with a dominant win tonight.

Troy Franklin Over 43.5 Receiving Yards 

Franklin is averaging 47 yards per game this season and has cleared this mark in two of three outings. He now faces a Bengals defense ranked 18th against wideouts. Denver’s passing game should find room, and Franklin has carved out a consistent role.

Evan Engram Over 2.5 Receptions 

This line sits at 2.5 with plus-money odds, and the case for the over is strong. He’s gone over in 80 percent of his last five games and 90 percent of his last ten, and in Denver’s only home game this year he pulled in three catches. Cincinnati ranks 25th in receptions allowed to tight ends, which makes Engram a sneaky value play in a favorable matchup.

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