2025 MLB Baseball Playoff Race Heats Up: Key Games, Standout Performances & What’s Next

The 2025 MLB playoff field is finally locked in, and October drama is officially on deck. Twelve clubs survived the 162-game gauntlet and now chase the Commissioner’s Trophy under MLB’s expanded postseason format. Postseason bracket at a glance • American League: (1) Toronto Blue Jays, (2) Seattle Mariners, (3) Cleveland Guardians, (4) New York Yankees, (5) Boston Red Sox, (6) Detroit Tigers. • National League: (1) Milwaukee Brewers, (2) Philadelphia Phillies, (3) Los Angeles Dodgers, (4) Chicago Cubs, (5) San Diego Padres, (6) Cincinnati Reds. Why the Blue Jays and Brewers sit atop the bracket Both No. 1 seeds rode elite pitching depth and late-season surges to clinch home-field advantage through the LCS round. Toronto’s rotation led MLB in ERA after August 1, while Milwaukee’s bullpen posted the NL’s best strikeout rate over the final six weeks. Wild Card Series storylines to watch • Yankees–Red Sox: The rivalry gets its first October chapter since 2021. New York’s Gerrit Cole, fresh off another 200-strikeout campaign, lines up for Game 1, but Boston counters with breakout lefty Kyle Teel. Short porches and power bats promise fireworks in the Bronx. • Guardians–Tigers: Detroit returns to the postseason for the first time since 2014, powered by Rookie of the Year favorite Jace Jung. Cleveland counters with the league’s stingiest staff; closer Emmanuel Clase hasn’t allowed a run since Labor Day. • Cubs–Padres: Chicago’s Wrigley revival pits a deep rotation against San Diego’s star-studded lineup headlined by Juan Soto and Fernando Tatís Jr. The Friars’ biggest question: can the bullpen hold late leads? • Dodgers–Reds: Los Angeles swept Cincinnati in the regular season and just eliminated them in a Wild Card winner-take-all last year. Clayton Kershaw’s October return from a shoulder strain adds intrigue, while Reds rookie Elly De La Cruz brings must-watch speed and power. Key dates and TV info • All Wild Card games begin Tuesday, Oct. 7; higher seeds host every game. • Division Series open Saturday, Oct. 11. • League Championship Series start Oct. 12–13. • World Series Game 1 is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 24 on FOX. Matchups that could decide the Division Series If seeding holds, Toronto would square off against the Yankees-Red Sox winner, while Seattle awaits the Guardians-Tigers survivor. In the NL, Milwaukee hosts the Cubs-Padres winner, and Philadelphia faces the Dodgers-Reds victor. The potential for a Brewers-Dodgers showdown looms large; Cy Young frontrunners Corbin Burnes and Walker Buehler could collide twice in a best-of-five. Players heating up at the right time • Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: slugged .372 with nine homers in September, anchoring Toronto’s league-leading OPS. • Julio Rodríguez: the Mariners center fielder stole 14 bases after Sept. 1, forcing opponents to rethink pitching around him. • Bryce Harper: clubbed seven homers over his last 15 games, giving Philadelphia crucial left-handed thump. • Christian Yelich: posted a .420 OBP in September as Milwaukee’s table-setter. Statistics to know before first pitch • Home teams went 6-2 in last year’s Wild Card round. • The No. 3 seed has advanced in four of six series since the 12-team format debuted. • Bullpen usage spikes: Wild Card winners averaged only 4.1 innings per start in 2024, underscoring the premium on late-inning arms. What’s different in 2025 Pitch clocks shaved average game time to 2:34, meaning postseason contests should move quicker while keeping all the tension. In addition, the automated strike zone challenge system debuts, allowing managers to contest up to three calls per game, a wrinkle that could swing pivotal at-bats. Bottom line With iconic rivalries, breakout rookies and perennial powerhouses all converging, the 2025 MLB playoffs promise appointment viewing. Bookmark this page for daily bracket updates, results and schedule changes as the march to the Fall Classic begins tonight.