Now that the wild-card round is in the books, the 2026 MLB playoff field is down to eight teams!
Will Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers pull off a historic three-peat? Is this the year the Milwaukee Brewers or Tampa Bay Rays finally win it all as No. 1 seeds? Will the New York Yankees or San Diego Padres go from a wild-card sweep to the World Series? And whom should you root for in this year's field?
MLB experts Jorge Castillo, Bradford Doolittle, Alden Gonzalez, Jeff Passan and David Schoenfield get you ready with odds for every round, why every team could win it all -- or go home early -- and a name to watch for from all eight remaining World Series hopefuls.
Note: Doolittle's World Series and matchup odds come from a formula that uses power ratings as the basis for 10,000 simulations to determine the most likely outcomes. Team temperatures are based on Bill James' formula for determining how "hot" or "cold" a team is at any given point; the average is 72°.
Jump to a team:
TB | CLE | NYY | CHW
MIL | LAD | ATL | SD
Key links: Bracket | Schedule & more
American League
Tampa Bay Rays
No. 1 seed | 98-64 | AL East champs
ALDS opponent: Yankees (48% chance of advancing)
Doolittle's WS odds: 13.1% | DraftKings odds: +800
Team temperature: 84°
Why they can win the World Series: They do almost nothing poorly. No team strikes out as infrequently as the Rays (18.7% of plate appearances). They're hitting an MLB-best .283 with runners in scoring position. They turn batted balls into outs as well as anyone. They lead the AL in stolen bases. Drew Rasmussen is a legitimate front-line starter, and Nick Martinez and a resurgent Freddy Peralta backing him speaks to their rotation depth. Their bullpen is a grab bag of fun options, from Kevin Kelly's sinker to Ian Seymour's slider to Bryan Baker's changeup to Cam Booser's fastball. -- Passan
If they win it all, the 2026 World Series MVP will be: World Series MVPs are just as often complementary players as stars. Junior Caminero would be the obvious choice here, but there's also the possibility that teams will pitch around him and make the next batter beat them. That's usually Liam Hicks, a trade deadline pickup from the Marlins, and he's a really good hitter (one of five regulars with more walks than strikeouts) and the kind of high-contact player who often comes up big in October. He'll have RBI opportunities to be a star. -- Schoenfield
If they go home early, it will be because their big three hitters don't produce. The Rays finished the season tied for 11th in the majors in runs scored and tied for fifth in wRC+. They can wreak havoc with their speed and athleticism, which generated the second-most steals in the majors. But home runs are necessary to advance in October, when stringing together hits against the best pitching staffs is difficult, and Tampa Bay doesn't have a lot of power threats. Caminero (42), first baseman Jonathan Aranda (22), and designated hitter Yandy Diaz (22) combined to hit more than half of the Rays' 168 home runs. They'll need to fuel the offense against elite hurlers for Tampa Bay to reach its first World Series since 2020. -- Castillo
Ready for his October close-up: The last time Caminero appeared in the playoffs, it was January 2025, in his native Dominican Republic, during Game 7 of the LIDOM championship. Caminero hit a ninth-inning, go-ahead home run, a 454-foot blast to straightaway center field, and then had the most epic trot around the bases. It was obvious then that Caminero is a superstar who lives for the big moments. He has since put together back-to-back All-Star seasons, the last of which might make him the American League MVP, and now we'll see what he can do on MLB's playoff stage. Yes, Caminero, 23, made a brief appearance in the 2023 wild-card round, but he's a different player now. -- Gonzalez
Why you should root for them: Whatever facet of offense you most appreciate, the Rays have it to offer. No team puts the ball in play more often. No team is as aggressive in stealing bases. It's not a pure speed-based offense because no team with Caminero could be. At the same time, no team with Chandler Simpson could be a pure power-based team. To illustrate the diversity of the Rays' attack, consider this extreme: Caminero is one of just 12 players to hit at least 90 homers by age 22. Meanwhile, Simpson is the first player since Elvis Andrus in 2010 to roll up more than 600 plate appearances without going deep. -- Doolittle
Cleveland Guardians
No. 2 seed | 85-77 | AL Central champs
ALDS opponent: White Sox (57.7% chance of advancing)
Doolittle's WS odds: 8.5% | DraftKings odds: +1100
Team temperature: 98°
Why they can win the World Series: They can pitch with anyone. Gavin Williams has evolved into a legitimate No. 1 -- his xFIP, a predictive metric, was better than Cam Schlittler, Chris Sale and Dylan Cease's -- and Parker Messick has been every bit as good and deserves consideration for AL Rookie of the Year. Cleveland's relievers have the highest strikeout rate in the big leagues by a wide margin. Closer Cade Smith anchors that group after totaling 41 saves with a 1.95 ERA.
With as many low-strikeout hitters as they've got, the Guardians' offense is better than in recent seasons, but that isn't saying a lot. Cleveland is the only team in MLB without a 20-homer hitter. The Guardians finished 27th in the big leagues in home runs. The last time Cleveland reached the World Series, of course, it wasn't exactly replete with home run hitters, either. And in this AL field, anything is possible. -- Passan
If they win it all, the 2026 World Series MVP will be: Steven Kwan, who would be an MVP in the mold of Jeremy Pena in 2022 or David Eckstein in 2006 -- more of an ignitor than a slugger. Kwan had a terrible first three months but leads MLB in on-base percentage since the beginning of July. If he's getting on base and scoring runs, the Guardians can shock the world. -- Schoenfield
If they go home early, it will be because the pitching staff falters. Cleveland, as always, is built around its pitching. The offense, though deeper than recent years with Kwan's bounce-back season and the emergence of rookies Chase DeLauter and Travis Bazzana, is near the bottom of the majors in runs scored this season. Jose Ramirez, an MVP-level metronome for the past decade, had the worst full season of his career. Cleveland will not win slugfests. The Guardians went 27-22 in one-run games. They'll need to continue winning tight, low-scoring affairs to avoid a short stay in October. -- Castillo
Ready for his October close-up: In spring training, there were questions about whether Messick would be part of the season-opening rotation. He has since become an All-Star, a Cy Young contender and a Rookie of the Year candidate. Messick made an abbreviated start in the regular-season finale and seems like the logical pick to start Game 1 of the ALDS. His fastball-changeup combo is one of the best in the game. He misses bats, limits walks, avoids barrels and, at just 25 years old, is the pitcher the Guardians want on the mound with their season on the line. -- Gonzalez
Why you should root for them: This is far from the best Cleveland team we've seen over the past decade but, then again, the Guardians have fielded a lot of contending teams during that span. Still, baseball's longest title drought endures, and a Cinderella Guardians run to finally land a title for the city and for future Hall of Famer Ramirez would be a heck of a story. -- Doolittle
New York Yankees
No. 4 seed | 93-68 | AL wild card
ALDS opponent: Rays (52% chance of advancing)
Doolittle's WS odds: 17.8% | DraftKings odds: +500
Team temperature: 98°
Why they can win the World Series: Their rotation can shut down every lineup in baseball, and their hitters regularly leave the yard. Cam Schlittler, Max Fried, Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon are capable of navigating playoff lineups and pitching deep into games. If the Yankees' starters afford manager Aaron Boone the ability to shorten his bullpen to Brent Headrick, Paul Blackburn and David Bednar -- -- combined ERA over 232⅔ innings: 2.09 -- they'll be in an envious spot.
The Yankees outhomered every team in MLB this year, and considering Aaron Judge missed more than half the season, that's saying something. With perfectly OK defense and baserunning, they're susceptible to the same miscues that doomed them in the 2024 World Series. They also have the highest upside of any team in the league -- particularly if Judge returns from a calf strain later in October. -- Passan
If they win it all, the 2026 World Series MVP will be: Let's go chalk here and pick Schlittler. Similar to Yoshinobu Yamamoto last year or Stephen Strasburg in 2019, Schlittler has the big-time stuff that wins games in October. His late-season performance, on his way to the AL Cy Young Award, has been otherworldly: 5-0 over an 11-start span with a 1.46 ERA, a .143 average allowed and just one outing in which he allowed more than one earned run before a three-inning tuneup appearance Thursday night. He has also been efficient enough to pitch deeper into games, although it will be difficult to match Yamamoto's two complete games from last postseason. -- Schoenfield
If they go home early, it will be because the offense goes silent without Judge. News flash: The Yankees are significantly better when Aaron Judge is in their lineup. Judge was hampered for many of his 66 games this season, playing with a rib fracture or coming back from it without a rehab assignment, and the Yankees still went 41-25 when he played. They went 52-43 without him. The difference? They recorded 5.1 runs per game and a .764 OPS with him in the lineup. Without him, those numbers sank to 4.2 runs and a .685 OPS. The drop-off is significant.
Judge's status remains a question after he suffered a calf strain Sept. 19 that sidelined him for the final week of the regular season and wild-card round. Without him, the Yankees could have Heliot Ramos start in right field against left-handers and Spencer Jones start there against right-handers. Most teams don't have that level of depth -- Castillo
Ready for his October close-up: Regardless of whether Judge can find a way to contribute in the playoffs, it's clear he will be limited. And it's probably also clear that Ramos, another right-handed-hitting corner outfielder acquired from the Giants before the trade deadline, will play a much bigger role than anticipated.
Ramos would be Judge's replacement, essentially, against left-handed pitching. Ramos has struggled mightily all year, especially since arriving in the Bronx. Since Judge first went down at the start of June, the Yankees have been one of the worst in the sport against left-handed pitching. Ramos might need to step up. -- Gonzalez
Why you should root for them: For most fans, it's a lot easier to formulate reasons to root against the Yankees, despite the massive size of their fan base. But if you are not an owner of a classic "NY" cap and just like to watch baseball games for baseball reasons, the Yankees have plenty to offer.
The Judge injury situation is a drama by itself, whether or not he's on the field, but he's a lot more fun to watch when he's playing. Beyond that, the Yankees' postseason rotation of Schlittler, Cole, Fried and Rodon is a smorgasbord of elite starting pitching, and they all go about it a little differently. Great starting pitching is always worth watching. -- Doolittle
Chicago White Sox
No. 6 seed | 84-78 | AL wild card
ALDS opponent: Guardians (42.6% chance of advancing)
Doolittle's WS odds: 4.4% | DraftKings odds: +1800
Team temperature: 95°
Why they can win the World Series: The power is real and plentiful, and the vibes are strong. Championships aren't won on feelings, of course, but Chicago is young, talented and together. Miguel Vargas is real, Munetaka Murakami can find his early-season self and Colson Montgomery is a threat every time he steps to the plate. They're an enormous part of how, over just two years, a team can go from a record 121 losses to a postseason berth. Going even further won't be easy.
The White Sox lack a front-line starter. Their staff is on fumes. They're not a good defensive team. As much as all of those things matter in the postseason, they've also got the easiest route of any postseason team, and that is wild considering they're the last seed. First, they went to Houston and swept the Astros. Now, they face the Guardians, whom they nearly beat in the AL Central. The path is obvious. The question is: Can they walk it? -- Passan
If they win it all, the 2026 World Series MVP will be: The White Sox rely on home runs for their offense, so we'll go with one of the sluggers. Given the propensity for Murakami and Montgomery to strike out, Vargas is the choice. He has better contact skills to go with elite plate discipline (96th percentile chase rate), and he launched 33 home runs. He runs well and will steal a base as well (20 for 22). The White Sox will need all three to make a run, but Vargas is the best bet to have consistent production. -- Schoenfield
If they go home early, it will be because the front office didn't adequately improve the rotation at the trade deadline. The White Sox approached the deadline with one clear need: starting pitching. General manager Chris Getz addressed it by acquiring Luis Castillo from the Mariners in the midst of a down year. The move proved disastrous. Castillo, who was moved to the bullpen, posted an 8.42 ERA across 31 innings while Chicago's starting rotation ranked near the bottom of the majors in ERA after the trade deadline. Sean Burke and Davis Martin, the club's top two starters, had strong but not elite seasons. Beyond that, quality depth is lacking. -- Castillo
Ready for his October close-up: Murakami spent most of this season appearing to be one of the great contract bargains in free agency, finishing July with a .935 OPS and 24 home runs. Since then, though, it has been a struggle for the Japanese first baseman. Murakami slashed .184/.328/.423 in the second half. He has added 15 home runs, but he has also struck out a whopping 108 times. The holes in his swing that made many teams pause this offseason have started to show. The White Sox desperately need the Murakami from April, May and July to reemerge. They hope he does in October. -- Gonzalez
Why you should root for them: This year's White Sox are easily the most root-worthy team in the playoffs. You can scoff at the AL's mediocrity, but when it comes to Chicago, you have to remember that entering this season, even mediocrity felt like a long way away.
The 2023 Orioles had a bigger two-year leap than the White Sox, going from 52 wins to 101. But before that, you have to go back to the 1930s to find anything similar. But it's more than the rags-to-riches angle. The White Sox are a young, power-hitting, selfless group that is a gas to watch. -- Doolittle
National League
Milwaukee Brewers
No. 1 seed | 103-59 | NL Central champs
NLDS opponent: Padres (63.8% chance of advancing)
Doolittle's WS odds: 21.6% | DraftKings odds: +500
Team temperature: 116°
Why they can win the World Series: They ran roughshod through a 162-game season, and they're as well-balanced a team as there is in MLB. Milwaukee, similar to Tampa Bay, does everything well, except hitting home runs. And in September, the Brewers were a middle-of-the-pack team in long balls, so it's not as if they're incapable. Homers aren't necessary for Milwaukee's offense to cook. The Brewers put the ball in play, they run like cheetahs and they're excellent in clutch situations.
The real answer to this, however, might be as simple as they've got Jacob Misiorowski, Logan Henderson and one of the two best bullpens in baseball. With at least four relievers topping out at 100 mph, the Brewers, it turns out, have power. It's just in the pitchers whom they'll need to deliver Milwaukee's first World Series championship. -- Passan
If they win it all, the 2026 World Series MVP will be: Sometimes, the obvious answer is the right one. The Brewers need to win Misiorowski's starts, and they need him to pitch deep into games, so they can lean heavily on the bullpen when the other starters pitch.
But to maximize his usage throughout the postseason, Misiorowski will have to pitch at times on four days' rest, which he has done just four times (and one of those was a three-inning stint late in the season). Three of those four starts came after six rest days in his previous outing. Can he sustain his same level of pitching on shorter rest?
If they go home early, it will be because the offense flounders again. The Brewers scored four runs in four games in the NLCS against the Dodgers last year. They again wouldn't face the Dodgers until the NLCS this year, but they'll be tested in the National League whether they face them or not. Scoring runs wasn't a problem for Milwaukee during the regular season. The Brewers were second in the majors, but they were third last season and still couldn't solve the Dodgers when it mattered. Similar to the 2025 Brewers, the 2026 Brewers don't hit many home runs. Last year, they ranked 22nd with 166 homers. This year, they finished last. Time will tell whether the formula will produce better results in October. -- Castillo
Ready for his October close-up: Henderson worked through a flexor strain late last season and ultimately wasn't included on the Brewers' postseason roster despite dominating in his brief introduction to the major leagues. Then, Henderson came back and was even better, going 11-3 with a 2.47 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 98⅓ innings. His 0.84 WHIP was the lowest ever for a rookie who made at least 15 starts, according to research by the Elias Sports Bureau.
The Miz might have absorbed all of the attention, but Henderson was almost as good. And if you're looking for reasons to believe this Brewers team won't come up short, as it did against a premier opponent last fall, look no further than those two. -- Gonzalez
Why you should root for them: This organization does everything right. Sure, you can claim the Brewers could be more aggressive with payroll, but even without spending big, Milwaukee wins year in and year out. The version of the Brewers from the past couple of years has won with an aesthetically pleasing style of play built around excellent athletes who put the bat on the ball. The Brewers are worth watching for their outfield defense alone. That was true even before top prospect Luis Lara was summoned from the minors, and it's even more true now.
The Brewers draw more than 34,000 fans per game in baseball's smallest market. If your team isn't in the bracket, this is the bandwagon on which to jump. -- Doolittle
Los Angeles Dodgers
No. 2 seed | 100-62 | NL West champs
NLDS opponent: Braves (62.1% chance of advancing)
Doolittle's WS odds: 21.8% | DraftKings odds: +200
Team temperature: 105°
Why they can win the World Series: They won the past two and are greedy for more. It's nice to start with a rotation of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow. It's even nicer to feature a lineup with Shohei Ohtani, who, even though he isn't expected to pitch all postseason, is plenty capable of carrying the Dodgers. Andy Pages and Edwin Diaz are back from the injured list, too, giving Los Angeles its full complement of main characters.
More than anything, though, the Dodgers understand the vagaries of October baseball. They've learned to take punches, weather them and respond. It's one thing to be the most talented team in the game. It's something different altogether to supplement that with the wherewithal and know-how to navigate a month of peril. -- Passan
If they win it all, the 2026 World Series MVP will be: Face it, Dodgers haters, this has Kyle Tucker's name written all over it. He had a miserable regular season, but then got hot in September, looking like the hitter the Dodgers expected when they gave him that controversial four-year, $240 million contract. One thing Tucker has maintained throughout his struggles is a good approach (90th percentile walk rate) and contact ability (77th percentile strikeout rate). With Ohtani potentially not at full strength and Freddie Freeman playing through some injuries as well (one home run the final two months), Tucker might have to carry the Dodgers. -- Schoenfield
If they go home early, it will be because age, injuries and their back-to-back World Series runs caught up with them. The Dodgers have the oldest roster in the majors, with an average age of 31.1 years old. Most of their important players are on the wrong side of 30. Then, there are the injuries. Ohtani was banged up for most of the season and won't pitch in October. Pages (hand), Roki Sasaki (blister), Díaz (neck), Blake Treinen (elbow), Will Smith (neck), Justin Wrobleski (forearm), Glasnow (back), Brock Stewart (shoulder), and Snell (elbow) all returned from injuries after the trade deadline.
The Dodgers remain the favorites to become the first NL team to win three consecutive World Series titles with the most talented -- and expensive -- roster in the sport. The Dodgers did, after all, have the second-best record in baseball, with seven more wins than last season. And yet rivals believe they're vulnerable. -- Castillo
Ready for his October close-up: Skubal is no stranger to the postseason stage, but this time, it will be different. He'll be pitching for a Dodgers franchise hated by every fan base outside of L.A., on the eve of what could be a record-setting free agency, with the chance to help his new team become the first from the National League to win three straight championships, and he'll headline a rotation that will be counted on heavily once again.
The Dodgers rode four starting pitchers to a title last fall. And this year, with questions surrounding the health of Ohtani at the top of their lineup and the effectiveness of Diaz at the end of games, they're primed to do so again. All eyes will be on Skubal, as usual. -- Gonzalez
Why you should root for them: Let's face it, you probably shouldn't.
OK, OK. Some people really are Dodgers fans, especially certain celebrities who can't stop letting us know it. There are countless fans who root for L.A. because of Ohtani, and you can understand being enthralled with an all-time great. The Dodgers' collective excellence is baseball in a higher form, and that, too, can be appreciated. A first NL three-peat champion, that's fodder for the history-obsessed. There are reasons to root for MLB's marquee franchise. Then again, anyone who subscribes to the "evil empire" narrative can find just as many reasons not to. -- Doolittle
Atlanta Braves
No. 3 seed | 94-68 | NL East champs
NLDS opponent: Dodgers (37.9% chance of advancing)
Doolittle's WS odds: 7.9% | DraftKings odds: +950
Team temperature: 78°
Why they can win the World Series: Sometimes all it takes is a couple of good starters, a great bullpen and a lineup full of home run hitters. And that's exactly what the Braves are. As snakebitten as their rotation has been, they've still got Chris Sale at the top and Tyler Mahle -- and his 1.28 ERA over 49⅓ innings with Atlanta -- behind him. With Robert Suarez back, the Braves' bullpen is right there with San Diego's and Milwaukee's in terms of depth and excellence. And that lineup? It finished the season with more than 200 home runs, and from Matt Olson to Ronald Acuna Jr. to Drake Baldwin to Michael Harris to Ozzie Albies and beyond, the Braves are loaded with damage-doing bats. -- Passan
If they win it all, the 2026 World Series MVP will be: Ronald Acuña Jr. is due for a big postseason. He missed the Braves' World Series run in 2021 and was also injured for the wild-card loss in 2024. Acuña has struggled in the postseason, however, with three home runs in 29 career playoff games and just one RBI in his past 17 playoff games. He didn't have his best season, but he did hit for much more power in the second half and September was his best month with seven home runs and an OPS over 1.000. -- Schoenfield
If they go home early, it will be because the starting pitching behind Chris Sale doesn't hold up. Sale continued defying Father Time this season, pitching to a 2.16 ERA across 162 ⅔ innings at 37 years old. The rest of the rotation defied expectations, no one more so than Mahle. Acquired at the trade deadline, Mahle went from a 5.13 ERA in 18 starts with the Giants to that 1.28 ERA in eight starts for Atlanta. The sample size is too big to ignore, but October is a different beast. Mahle, Grant Holmes, and Martín Pérez will decide if the Braves return to the World Series for the first time since winning it all in 2021. -- Castillo
Ready for his October close-up: To nobody's surprise, a veteran starting pitcher became the most important trade-deadline acquisition this season. To everybody's surprise, that person is Mahle, not Tarik Skubal. When Mahle came to the Braves, the storyline then was about how Jacob deGrom used his no-trade clause to nix a trade to Atlanta and longtime general manager Alex Anthopoulos didn't pivot to land a legitimate No. 2 starter behind Sale. And yet, Mahle has been that and more, pitching like a bona fide ace over these last two months. -- Gonzalez
Why you should root for them: When the Braves won the 2021 World Series, Acuña was out with his first knee injury and Eddie Rosario was taking a star turn in the playoffs. When Acuña enjoyed his historic 41-homer/73-steal season in 2023, the 104-win Braves were knocked out in the NLDS by the Phillies. Thus, Acuña is still looking to lead the Braves to a title for the first time, at least one in which he's in the spotlight.
For most of this season, he looked nothing like peak Acuña before reportedly altering his stance in late August. Since then, he has been one of the best offensive players in the game. He's not quite peak Acuña because he doesn't steal bases like he once did after the knee injuries. But the more we get of him in October, the more fun it will be. -- Doolittle
San Diego Padres
No. 4 seed | 91-71 | NL wild card
NLDS opponent: Brewers (36.8% chance of advancing)
Doolittle's WS odds: 5.7% | DraftKings odds: +1100
Team temperature: 116°
Why they can win the World Series: Their stars are playing like stars, and their bullpen is as deep and nasty as any. And with Nick Pivetta back and carving and Michael King one of the most consistent starters in the game, they've got the goods to capture the franchise's first championship. Of course, that depends on Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill continuing their second-half surges.
They are the alpha and omega of the Padres, and though everyone in between has improved, from Ty France to Manny Machado to Xander Bogaerts, they can't rely exclusively on the home run. The Padres run well, and they'll need to. The Padres field well, and they'll need to do that, too. Teams are scared to play San Diego, and with good reason. -- Passan
If they win it all, the 2026 World Series MVP will be: Can a relief pitcher win World Series MVP? It has happened four times, most recently with Mariano Rivera of the 1999 Yankees. Mason Miller, of course, has had a dominant season, although he has limited usage beyond one inning -- two appearances of two innings, two more of five outs, a handful of four-out ones. The Padres have a deep bullpen, but being ultra-aggressive with Miller and getting more than three outs from him, as Joe Torre often did with Rivera, seems to be a key to the Padres' title hopes. -- Schoenfield
If they go home early, it will be because their starters don't pitch deep enough for their dominant bullpen to take over. San Diego has one of the top relief corps in the majors. Miller is the best closer in baseball. Adrian Morejon, Bradgley Rodriguez, and Yuki Matsui were elite this season. Getting Jason Adam back Wednesday could provide another boost.
The question is, can the rotation pass the baton to that group with a lead, or at least without facing a significant deficit? Robbie Ray and Casey Mize struggled after being acquired at the Aug. 3 trade deadline, but the Padres' rotation was better down the stretch anyway. Before Aug. 4, San Diego starters ranked 27th in the majors with a 4.66 ERA. After that, they were tied for 11th led by No. 1 starter Michael King. If that improvement doesn't carry over to October, the Padres could be in trouble. -- Castillo
Ready for his October close-up: Ethan Salas came up in September as a 20-year-old who had played just 24 games above Double-A. Now, it seems he'll be behind the plate when it matters most. Salas has always impressed the Padres with his ability to manage a staff, but now they know it can transfer to the major league level. Just as important, he has impressed with his approach and production as a left-handed hitter.
On the night the Padres clinched, Salas navigated five Padres pitchers through nine innings of two-run ball against a loaded Dodgers lineup. He also broke up Tyler Glasnow's no-hitter with an opposite-field single in the sixth and drove in the game's third run with a base hit up the middle an inning later. "I'm impressed," Padres third baseman Manny Machado said moments later. "Not a lot of people impress me." -- Gonzalez
Why you should root for them: Just imagine the setting: The Padres are at home with a chance to close out the Dodgers in the NLCS (if the bracket allows it), leading by a run, with Miller's entrance cued up by the opening notes of Korn's "Blind" and the Petco Park crowd in a frenzy. Then, imagine that scenario repeating itself in the World Series against the AL champion, with the Padres' first title on the line. Your goose bumps would get goose bumps. -- Doolittle
