And then there were eight. MLB’s wild-card series are done and dusted, and now we're onto the division series. Some highly intriguing matchups await, and every team will be put to the test during this stage of the postseason.
The Rays, Guardians, Dodgers and Brewers secured first-round byes, but they’ll now get in on the action in the division series, set to face their first tests of October. Thus far, we’ve seen the Phillies, Red Sox, Astros and Cubs bounced in the wild-card series. The division series, which is a best-of-five format, will run from Oct. 3 to 11, after which we’ll know the four teams competing in the championship series.
Let’s rank the eight teams remaining in the hunt for the 2026 World Series, as well as identify the x-factors for each team to move on to the next round.
1. Dodgers
The Dodgers are built to succeed in the playoffs. They have the most experience, the most star power and MLB’s deepest roster. Despite entering the postseason as the No. 2 seed in the National League, they’re going to be the toughest team to beat in October. They’re on the verge of completing MLB’s first three-peat since the 1998–2000 Yankees, and they certainly have the means of achieving that lofty goal. Los Angeles will lean on its elite, and mostly healthy, starting pitching and its dominant lineup consisting of multiple former MVPs as it seeks to return to the World Series for the sixth time in the last 10 years.
X-factor: Shohei Ohtani
Ohtani slumped down the stretch of the regular season, hampered by multiple injuries which ultimately ended his chances of pitching in October. Ohtani was limited to 47 games in the second half of the season and recorded a .772 OPS with eight home runs and 59 strikeouts. Those aren’t awful numbers, but they’re far below the standard Ohtani has set for himself throughout his career. If he can’t figure things out at the plate, it could spell trouble for the Dodgers.
2. Brewers
Milwaukee finished the regular season with MLB’s best record. This is the best era of Brewers baseball in franchise history, and they’ll feel confident in any series with Jacob Misiorowski on the mound, the runaway favorite to win the NL Cy Young. The Brew Crew doesn’t hit for much power, but they have elite contact hitters who can get a rally going quickly and inflict damage by stringing multiple base hits together. Milwaukee had MLB’s third-highest OPS in the regular season despite hitting the second fewest home runs in the league. The Brewers pitching is stacked from top to bottom, including its bullpen which had the third-lowest ERA in the league, so they have the ability to hold any offense in check in October.
X-factor: Jacob Misiorowski
Fresh off of one of the most dominant regular seasons in recent memory, Misiorowski will now take the ball in October for what will be his first postseason start. He pitched in relief in last year’s postseason, but this will be a new challenge for the flame-throwing 24-year-old.
3. Rays
The American League’s top team during the regular season, the Rays were one of MLB’s biggest surprises this season. They finished the year tied for first in MLB with a .258 batting average and tied for second with 164 stolen bases. Getting home-field advantage throughout most of the postseason was huge for Tampa, as the Rays have defended their home field better than any other team in MLB, going 55–26 at Tropicana Field after playing last season at the George M. Steinbrenner Field while their stadium was undergoing repairs. This team is scrappy, has a top-tier pitching rotation, and hits well for contact while also rostering one of MLB’s biggest sluggers in Junior Caminero.
X-factor: Junior Caminero
The Rays’ best offensive weapon is also their worst defensive player. Caminero is a nightmare for opposing pitchers, having recorded 42 home runs and 101 RBIs. As good as he is offensively, he’s been one of MLB’s worst defenders, registering -11 outs above average, which ranks 262nd out of 272 qualified players. If he can play clean defense while supplying his usual offensive output, the Rays should be in good shape.
4. Yankees
The Yankees cruised in the wild-card series without Aaron Judge on the roster, and while his status for the ALDS remains undetermined, the team proved it can create runs without him. New York dominated the Red Sox by a total score of 18–2 in their two-game sweep in the wild-card round, and if Judge returns to the mix, the lineup will be even scarier. Their pitching was electric in the opening round, with both Cam Schlittler and Max Fried throwing six-plus innings, which in turn left their high-leverage bullpen arms unused. They’ll be well rested and ready to make an impact against the Rays. If Judge is ready to go in the ALDS, the Yankees will be tough to beat.
X-factor: Aaron Judge
Judge is the heart and soul of this Yankees team. They survived his absence in the wild-card series, and easily at that, but they’ll face a more difficult challenge in the ALDS. Having Judge in the lineup could be the deciding factor for New York in October, as the offense struggled without him during the regular season.
5. Padres
The Padres are perhaps MLB’s hottest team, and that was on full display as they dismantled the Cubs in two games during the wild-card round, outscoring Chicago and its usually potent offense by 11 runs. The pitching looked sharp, with Michael King throwing seven scoreless innings and striking out eight. San Diego got off to a slow start this year, but their stars have heated up during the second half. Fernando Tatis Jr. was MLB’s third-best offensive player by wRC+ (172) during the second half, and Jackson Merrill has been scorching hot of late, too, collecting four hits in the wild-card series against Chicago. The Padres have one of the league’s best bullpens, so inflicting damage against their starting pitchers will be crucial. If they can hold a lead late into a game, it’s rare that they’ll surrender it.
X-factor: Fernando Tatis Jr.
Tatis has been one of the best postseason performers of the last decade, even if the Padres haven’t made many deep runs in October. Across 18 playoff games, Tatis owns a 1.112 OPS with seven home runs, 13 RBIs and 21 hits. He enters the postseason as one of the league’s hottest hitters, and he’ll look to continue carrying the San Diego offense as the team looks to stun the Brewers in the NLDS.
6. Braves
The Braves have a potent offense, loads of playoff experience and a formidable bullpen that ranked fourth with a 3.44 ERA. They hit for plenty of power (tied for seventh in MLB in home runs and fifth in slugging) but have a tendency to be impatient at the plate, ranking 28th in walks and OBP. Chris Sale has been perennially reliable on the mound, and Tyler Mahle put on a terrific performance in Game 2 of the wild-card series, despite the loss to the Phillies. If the Braves can consistently put together good at-bats at the plate, they have the talent to make a deep run in October.
X-factor: Austin Riley
Riley struggled throughout the regular season, but he played hero for Atlanta in Game 1 of the wild-card series. He hasn’t always had the most success in the postseason, but he also has a history of some clutch hits in big spots in October. If Riley can produce at the plate, he’ll be another dangerous weapon within an already-strong Braves lineup.
7. Guardians
The Guardians will take on a familiar foe in the ALDS, with the White Sox coming to town for Games 1 and 2. Despite a down year from Jose Ramirez, Cleveland won its third consecutive AL Central title. If Ramirez can get going offensively, the Guards will be in great shape against Chicago. Steven Kwan has returned to form after a disastrous first half of the season, and he’s been MLB’s best contact hitter over the last couple of months. With an elite starting pitching tandem of Parker Messick and AL strikeout leader Gavin Williams, the Guardians will feel confident in the starting rotation’s ability to limit damage early in games. Cleveland doesn’t hit for much power––they’re the only team in MLB without a 20-home run hitter on the roster, but the small ball approach works for them.
X-factor: Jose Ramirez
Can Ramirez bounce back after the worst regular season of his career? When he’s at his best, he’s undisputably Cleveland’s best player, but he hasn’t looked like his usual self this season, posting career lows in various key categories. His performance will be make or break for the Guardians in the ALDS and beyond.
8. White Sox
The White Sox dismantled the Astros on the road in the wild-card series, and they’ll be riding that high into the ALDS. The roster lacks true superstars, and its starting pitching doesn’t inspire confidence, but they have a strong bullpen with multiple players capable of handling multiple innings of work. That recipe served them well in the regular season, and they were also MLB’s lone team with three 30-home run hitters. Chicago endured three straight 100-plus-loss seasons prior to breaking through in 2026, becoming the first team to ever reach the postseason, and win a postseason series, after a three-peat of 100 or more defeats. Will Venable has done a masterful job of turning the club around, and now he’ll hope to stun the Guards and secure what would perhaps be the most unexpected ALCS berth in MLB history.
X-factor: Colson Montgomery
Montgomery was red hot during the first half of the season, but he cooled off considerably during the second half in what was a dreadful slump for the 24-year-old. He set an MLB record for most strikeouts in a single season with 225, but also hit 31 home runs throughout the year. If he can get back to the form he displayed early this season, he can be a spark plug in the bottom third of Chicago’s lineup.
