A remarkably entertaining postseason culminated with the Los Angeles Dodgers winning the World Series. It was a month of baseball at its best, and we’re sad we won’t get to watch meaningful games until next spring.
What was your biggest takeaway from this postseason?
Don’t tweak the postseason format: Although traditionalists would probably like to move back to having fewer teams make the playoffs, the current format works just fine. There’s no way to please everyone, but less than half the teams in the league making the playoffs is very reasonable. This October showed how much fun the revamped wild-card round can be, and teams still have enough in the tank for the World Series. Stay the course.
The bye week is good: I’m glad that this narrative is being put to rest. Three of the four best teams reached the LCS after being handed the advantage. Two won pennants, and the one that was eliminated early certainly didn’t lose because of extra rest. If anything, MLB should go one step further and make it an even bigger advantage by giving the top seeds home field for the entire LDS. The bye gives teams an added incentive to play well down the stretch.
Home runs remain king: The greatest way to win playoff games is with the long ball. Sure, other factors go into winning a championship, but with pitching at a premium and runs so hard to come by in October, hitting the ball over the fence remains the best path to victory. It’s no coincidence that the Dodgers, who won their eighth World Series title, hit a postseason-best 27 homers in their 16 games.
What was your favorite moment from any series?
Freddie Freeman’s World Series walk-off grand slam: The greatest home run in Dodgers history belonged to Kirk Gibson until Freeman delivered a walk-off grand slam in extra innings in Game 1 of the World Series. Not only was it the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history, Freeman hit the historic round-tripper on a bad ankle and set the table for what became a dominating championship performance from the Dodgers.
Francisco Lindor’s slam to send Mets to NLCS: The biggest “OMG” moment of the Mets’ playoff run was unquestionably Lindor’s sixth-inning grand slam to eliminate the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 of the NLDS. The star shortstop’s blast was all the offense New York needed in a 4-1 victory en route to securing a trip to the NLCS for the first time since 2015.
Juan Soto’s HR in ALCS Game 5: The greatness of Juan Soto was on full display during a now legendary at-bat against Cleveland Guardians reliever Hunter Gaddis: the swagger, the close takes, the stare-downs, and, of course, the towering home run. Soto delivered a signature moment when it mattered to propel the Yankees to their first World Series since 2009.
Who was your postseason MVP?
Mookie Betts: Mookie needed a strong performance after slumping in his past few postseason trips. He delivered big hits in every series this year and regularly provided his trademark excellent defensive play in right field. The 32-year-old shone bright in the NLCS, hitting .346 with six extra-base hits and nine RBIs in six games. On top of it all, Betts also drove in the World Series-winning run in Game 5.
Giancarlo Stanton: It’s fair to wonder whether the Yankees would have reached the World Series without Stanton. He was great against the Royals in the ALDS and then homered four times in five games to win ALCS MVP. The 34-year-old led New York in home runs (7), RBIs (16), and slugging percentage (.709) throughout their pennant-winning run to further cement himself as one of MLB’s greatest postseason hitters.
Tommy Edman: In a Dodgers lineup full of MVPs and stars, Edman stood out the most. He was acquired at the trade deadline for his defensive versatility more than his bat, but he posted a .328/.354/.508 slash line with 20 hits, 13 RBIs, and 31 total bases in 16 playoff games. He was instrumental in the Dodgers’ NLCS win, earning MVP of the series, and continued to play at an elite level in the Fall Classic, collecting five hits in seventeen at-bats.
Who was your breakout performer?
Mark Vientos: The Mets slugger set a franchise record with 14 playoff RBIs. He slashed .327/.362/.636 and went deep five times in 55 at-bats. Vientos had an inconsistent regular season but now figures to be a building block for the Mets. He could be leaned on even more in 2025 if Pete Alonso doesn’t return.
Luke Weaver: The right-hander began his breakout for the Yankees during the regular season, but he carried the momentum into the playoffs. Playing October baseball for the first time in his career, Weaver pitched in twelve of the Yankees’ 14 playoff games, authoring a 1.76 ERA and 0.65 WHIP with 16 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings. He was a lifesaver for Aaron Boone during high-leverage situations, recording more than three outs in eight different appearances.
Tarik Skubal: It seems strange to call the likely AL Cy Young winner a breakout star, but that’s exactly what he is. Few people outside of Michigan knew much about Skubal until his Tigers crashed the playoff party. All Skubal did once he got there was dominate, twirling two scoreless starts while striking out 20 with only two walks in 19 innings to lead the Tigers to the ALDS. The Tigers went home early, but not before Skubal emerged as the best starter of these playoffs. He did what an ace is supposed to do in October and made sure that his starts will be appointment viewing for baseball fans going forward.
Who was your most disappointing player or team?
Philadelphia Phillies: After consecutive deep runs in October, expectations were World Series or bust for the Phillies after cruising to an NL East title. But things didn’t go according to script: They lost to the Mets in the NLDS in four games. The bullpen was the biggest sore spot, struggling to the tune of an 11.37 ERA. Philadelphia’s core continues to age, so the clock is rapidly ticking as the club looks to win its first World Series since 2008.
Aaron Judge: There is no bigger postseason disappointment than Judge, who flopped on the grandest of stages when his team needed him most. The Yankees captain and soon-to-be two-time MVP looked lost at the plate in the playoffs, hitting .184/.344/.408 with 20 strikeouts in 49 at-bats. He struggled the most in the World Series, collecting just four hits in those five games. Judge said losing the World Series “will stick with me until I die.”
Baltimore Orioles: This was supposed to be the year the Orioles made noise in the postseason. Instead, they went out with a whimper yet again. Baltimore’s powerful lineup – which ranked second in the AL in runs scored and home runs – scored just once while being swept in two games by the Royals in the wild-card round. Now, with Corbin Burnes and Anthony Santander headed for free agency, the club’s once-bright future looks a little dimmer.
What pre-playoff prediction did you have the most wrong?
The Phillies would be unstoppable: I didn’t just think the Phillies would win it all. I had them mopping the floor with their opponents. This was as complete of a team on paper as you’ll ever find, with a roster seemingly tailor-made for October success. But this is why they play the games. Yes, the Mets were in the middle of a hot streak, but that wasn’t why the Phillies lost the NLDS, and it wasn’t the bye week either. Outside of Zack Wheeler, Bryce Harper, and Nick Castellanos, the Phillies simply didn’t show up when the lights turned on. They’ll have to dig deep to slay these playoff demons in 2025, and I’ll have to think twice before picking them again.
Orioles would win a series: The AL was wide open, and it seemed like the time might be right for Baltimore to have a postseason breakthrough. That couldn’t have been further from the case – Baltimore’s bats struggled mightily, hitting .167 with a .467 OPS in another quick October exit. The Orioles are loaded with young talent and have an enthusiastic owner determined to make the club a consistent contender. The core is 0-4 in the postseason and the pressure will be ratcheted up again in 2025 as the Orioles look to find some postseason success.
Thinking the Astros were as good as they used to be: Blinded by past postseason performances, I predicted Houston would appear in its eighth consecutive ALCS. Boy, was I wrong. The Astros couldn’t even get out of the wild-card round – the Detroit Tigers swept them on their home turf. The signs of an early exit were there, too. Houston’s starting staff entered the playoffs eleventh in FIP, while its once-heralded bullpen ranked 12th in win probability added. But a lack of runs ultimately doomed the Astros – they only scored three times in the two contests against the Tigers.
