MLB expert playoff predictions and wild card picks: Yankees or Red Sox?
MLB fans in for a wild card series including Yankees-Red Sox and Braves-Phillies matchups.
The 2026 Major League Baseball playoffs commenced with the inaugural best-of-three wild card series commencing on Tuesday, September 29. This series includes notable matchups, notably a New York Yankees versus Boston Red Sox clash in the American League. Meanwhile, in the National League, the San Diego Padres host the Chicago Cubs, while the Philadelphia Phillies travel to Atlanta.
In the other American League series, the Houston Astros, currently holding a 81-81 record (the worst among playoff teams in history), clash with the Chicago White Sox. Across four seasons since MLB altered its playoff structure in 2022, only two wild card series teams have advanced to the World Series: the 2023 Texas Rangers and the 2025 Los Angeles Dodgers.
According to USA TODAY Sports MLB reporters and editors, their predictions for the best-of-three wild card series are as follows: Bob Nightengale anticipates the Yankees will triumph in three games; Gabe Lacques predicts a Yankees sweep; Kristie Ackert also foresees a Yankees victory in three. For the Astros versus White Sox series, Nightengale predicts a White Sox win in three, Lacques predicts the same, and Jesse Yomtov forecasts a White Sox triumph in three.
In the Atlanta vs. Phillies series, Nightengale predicts Atlanta's victory in three games; Lacques predicts a Atlanta sweep; Yomtov predicts a Phillies win in two. Finally, for the Padres versus Cubs series, Nightengale predicts a Padres win in two games; Lacques predicts a Padres win in three; Ackert anticipates a Cubs victory in three; and Yomtov predicts a Padres win in three.
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