2024 MLB Playoff Predictions: ALDS, NLDS Experts Face Dodgers, Yankees, Phillies Intriguing Matchups

The 2024 MLB postseason is heating up with the Wild Card series in the books. Eight teams remain after the Orioles, Braves, Brewers and Astros were eliminated in the first round.

Both the ALDS and NLDS begin Saturday with Phillies vs. Mets and Dodgers vs. Padres in the National League, and Yankees vs. Royals and Guardians vs. Tigers in the American League. Each team brings its own strengths and, somewhat more than others, its own weaknesses.

As such, your CBS Sports MLB experts are here to predict how each of the best-of-five series will play out. We will leave the game to the athletes. We just get to judge.

Guardians vs Tigers

Anderson: The Tigers are a funny story, and they actually outwit the Guardians in their head-to-head meeting. The potential impact of a two-day scubal start should not be lost on anyone. I'm still going with the guardians. I think they have a better lineup and I think their overall pitching staff is better (despite Skubal being the best individual starter). They are probably close to washing up on defense. Anything can happen in a short series, but factor in home field advantage and that's Cleveland for me. sort: Parents 4

Axis: I think this will be a low-scoring series with two offenses (both just so-so) and a deep bullpen (both excellent), and in the end, the Tigers will come out on top because Tarik Skubal will be able to get all the off-days (three!) in the ALDS this year. Start Game 5 on normal rest given. I find Guardians and Tigers pretty evenly matched. Yes, Cleveland won six more games in the regular season, but the Tigers have not been the team they have been for most of the season. Being the best pitcher in the league makes the difference. sort: Parents in 5

Feldman: The Tigers have the best pitcher in the American League (perhaps all of baseball) and are on a career hitting streak. I know we're supposed to think the hot hand isn't real but sometimes you just fall into the groove. Detroit is in a groove. pick up: Tigers in 2012

Perry: Thanks to two off-days built into the ALDS schedule, the Tigers can get two full days of rest from ACE and AL Cy Young favorite Tarik Skubal. He's the best player in this series, and it's telling here that he'll be the difference maker in this clash of AL Central rivals. sort: Tigers in 2012

Pianovich: The Most Exciting Midwestern Best-Five Series You Can Understand Out of One Hand Tariq Skuball is an ace. But Jose Ramirez is the right Boer. The best offensive player in this matchup will have enough moments to swing this series in Cleveland. Pick: Guardian at 5

Fraud: The Guardians are probably a bit underrated here as everyone seems to be (rightly) raving about the Tigers for their recent run, but the Guardians are a good team and the extra rest in this series as well as the extra day off means Stephen Vogt could lean horribly. Solid in his stellar bullpen. It's better and deeper than a very good tiger bunch. I'm going with four games because if the Tigers get to Game 5, Tarik Scubal will get two starts in this series and that's worrisome for Cleveland. sort: Parents 4

Yankees vs. Royals

Anderson: Don't sleep on the royals. Their pitching staff (Cole Ragans aside) may not have knockout stuff, but they throw the kitchen sink at you and it works. They are a very good fielding club and have, Bobby Witt Jr., a potential American League MVP Award runner-up. At the same time, the Yankees have the edge in talent overall, in my estimation, and I think they're going to find a way to take this series out on their way to the ALCS. sort: Yankees in 5

Axis: So many nights this season, the difference for the Yankees is that they had Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, and the other team didn't. I hope the same here. Bobby Witt Jr. is incredible, I think he's the best all-around player in the game, but he's only one man. Kansas City has had a tough time scoring runs lately — they've scored two or fewer runs in 10 of their last 13 games! – And you can only go so far with this little offense. With Cole Ragans and Seth Lugo giving the Royals a fighting chance, I don't think this series will be one-sided, but in the end, the Yankees have Judge and Soto, and the Royals don't. I like the Yankees. Pick: Yankees at 4

Feldman: Bobby Witt Jr. is one of the best players in MLB and in most situations, I think he's good enough on his own to give the Royals an advantage. The Yankees are without Aaron Judge And Juan Soto. I might even be inclined to give Kansas City the edge in pitching, but it's not enough. sort: Yankees in 4th

Perry: I expect a low-scoring series due to the strength of the Royals' pitching and the weakness of the non-Bobby Witt Jr. parts of the Royals' lineup. For the Yankees, the Aaron Judge-Juan Soto uber-combo will arrive at just the right moment. sort: Yankees in 5

Pianovich: Bobby Witt Jr. has been great, but the rest of the Royals' offense hasn't exactly inspired the confidence of a two-game sweep of the Orioles. Aaron Judge and Juan Soto are confident-inspiring as a duo. Pick: Yankees at 3

Fraud: I believe NBA people call it the gentleman's broom. The Yankees are a much better team; In fact, the Royals had a losing record when they didn't play the White Sox this year and managed just three runs in their two wins over the Orioles in the Wild Card Series. The Royals have Bobby Witt Jr., but the Yankees have Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. The Royals have a good rotation, but at this point, so do the Yankees. Pick: Yankees at 4

Dodgers vs. Padres

Anderson: I understand why other teams, Padres included, have become more fashionable picks to win the NL pennant. The Dodgers' pitching staff has been battered, and there's an undeniable sense of fatigue from watching this team compete for the pennant every fall for a decade. This team is still really dangerous and capable of scoring hits and runs in a hurry. They gave nine batters 300 or more plate appearances this season … eight of them had an OPS+ of 100 or better. That's stupid, stupid stuff. Jack Flaherty and Yoshinobu Yamato would be accepted as a good top end of a rotation for most teams — they feel less strong here because the focus is on who's missing. etc. No offense to the Padres, they're pretty good too (and a lot of fun), but I'd have to go with LA Pick: Dodgers at 5

Axis: The Joe Musgrove injury really hurts but I still like the Padres a little more here. I think their pitching staff is good from top to bottom besides Musgrove — Dylan Sease and Mike King are the two best starting pitchers in this series in my opinion, and they both wear the brown and yellow — and their offense is better than I think it gets credit for. They have power, pace, communication, depth, you name it. I am going the distance in this series. These two teams tend to play very entertaining games when they meet and I hope we get five thrillers in the ALDS. sort: Padres 5

Feldman: This is the toughest pick for me, and I think this is easily going to be the most fun series of the round, maybe the entire postseason. The Padres' rotation is excellent, even without Joe Musgrove, and people that can hurt the offense when they are there. But the Dodgers are just as good. Can you really bet against Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, let alone Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Jack Flaherty? i can't sort: Dodgers 5

Perry: I really like the way the Padres roster is set up after the deadline and after some key players get healthy. I think it's a deep run and has come together very well to upset their rivals in blue. So is the uncertainty surrounding Joe Musgrove. As for the Dodgers, that lineup is capable of burying anyone, but they have too many injuries in their rotation right now. Pick: Padres at 5

Pianovich: The Dodgers are currently on a six-game postseason losing streak (a streak that began two years ago with three straight losses to the Padres in this round). The offense looked like a shell of itself against the D-backs in the NLDS last year. They can't go out like this again After adding Shohei Ohtani, right? This should be a dynamite series, and I can see the Dodgers finding a way to out-slug the Padres three times. Pick: Dodgers at 5

Fraud: The best series of this round is here and it's going to be crazy. We'll see lots of lead changes, including delays. Even with the Joe Musgrove elbow issue, I like how the Padres are better set up here with their rotation and bullpen. You could even argue that the Padres have the better lineup, top-to-bottom, despite the Dodgers having Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts. There's so much talent here, we deserve five action-packed games. Hopefully that will happen. Pick: Padres at 5

Phillies vs. Mets

Anderson: I know the Phillies struggled at times in the second half. I think they are the best team here. Jack Wheeler is the best pitcher Brackett has in the NL, and the Phillies have an advantage in being able to rest their pitching staff and organize just the way they want going into the series. That's enough to pick Philly. Pick: Phillies at 5

Axis: For me, the Phillies are the best team in the NL, and they've had all week to line up their rotation and heal their bumps and bruises. I'm just picking who I think is the best team here, and that's the Phillies, even if their opponent isn't just playing a horrible three-game wild card series. sort: Phyllis 4

Feldman: We've seen the Phillies go out of their minds in October before, and I have no reason to doubt they're ready to do it again. They've sat out for a week, rested and sequenced their rotation (yes, the bye week is a positive. Don't let anyone tell you different). Everything is coming to Philly. Team of destiny except the Mets. They're riding high on humor, whimsy and joy and my goodness if it doesn't work. sort: Mets at 5

Perry: Speaking of a roster assembled for a deep October run, the Phillies boast. As always, that first-round bye provides a competitive advantage, all else being equal. The lineup is balanced with multiple threats, the rotation has an impressive front end, and the bullpen is deep. Anything can happen in the playoffs, but the Phillies are the best team in this series. Pick: Phillies in 4

Pianovich: An upstart wild-card team in the NL East that looked terrible the first two months of the season but is now riding high on October vibes against the NL East champion? We've seen this movie two years in a row, and we know how it ends: Phyllis wins. Pick: Phillies in 4

Fraud: My main concern with the Phillies is Ranger Suarez after pitching to a 6.49 ERA in his last six starts, but he's No. 4 at this point. If Suarez is OK, the Phillies have four All-Star-caliber starters in front of a loaded bullpen and backed by a top-to-bottom dangerous lineup. This group has plenty of experience with deep playoff runs and is extra hungry after coming up short twice. pick up: Phyllis 4