ALDS, NLDS Matchup Takeaways: Dodgers Upset Coming?

The 2026 wild-card round is officially over and now we're on to the divisional matchups. The second round of the 2026 Major League Baseball playoffs is set and will kick off on Saturday, Oct. 3.

In the American League, the final four teams standing are the Tampa Bay Rays, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox and the Cleveland Guardians. In the National League, the final four teams left are the Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and the Atlanta Braves.

Let's take a look at each matchup and predict the outcome.

NLDS

Sep 27, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski (32) throws a pitch in the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Milwaukee Brewers (No. 1) vs. San Diego Padres (No. 4)

The Brewers enter the playoffs as the top seed in the National League and have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. That's what is going to happen when you stack up 103 wins in the regular season. The Padres are the hottest team in baseball. It's just a five-game series, which means it could be volatile. All it takes is three wins to advance. The Brewers should be the favorites, although it's a tough matchup.

Prediction: Brewers in five games.

Los Angeles Dodgers (No. 2) vs. Atlanta Braves (No. 3)

Sep 23, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) delivers in the third inning against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This is the matchup to watch the closest in the NLDS. On paper, the Dodgers are obviously the better team. They will be able to roll out some sort of combination of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow on the hill. Plus, of course, all of the firepower in the lineup. On paper, nobody should be able to beat the Dodgers. But the Braves are loaded themselves. Chris Sale was the second-best pitcher in the National League this season, behind just Jacob Misiorowski. Don't count out the firepower of guys like Ronald Acuna Jr., Drake Baldwin, Matt Olson and Ozzie Albies, among others.

The Braves are a team that has been around the block and has won. The Dodgers had a few days off. The Braves have already had to battle in the 2026 postseason. If Los Angeles doesn't come into the series with its foot on the gas, the Braves could be the team that takes them out.

Prediction: Braves in five games.

ALDS

Sep 17, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Chandler Simpson (14) hits a two rbi single against the Oakland Athletics in the fourth inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Tampa Bay Rays (No. 1) vs. New York Yankees (No. 4)

The Rays and the Yankees had the two best records in the American League throughout the regular season. It's a shame that they have to face off in the ALDS, rather than the American League Championship Series.

If Aaron Judge is able to play throughout the series, the Yankees should be the favorites.

Prediction: Yankees in four games.

Cleveland Guardians (No. 2) vs. Chicago White Sox (No. 6)

Sep 30, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami (5) looks on during batting practice prior to game two of the Wildcard round against the Houston Astros in the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The baseball world has been watching and the White Sox are the feel-good story of the postseason so far. There's no limit to what they can do at this point.

Prediction: White Sox in four games.

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