2024 MLB Playoffs: Predictions as divisional series matchups heat up

October baseball is in full swing. We are barely into the divisional series, but we've already seen miraculous wins, like the New York Mets taking down the Milwaukee Brewers in the wild card round. Major upsets, as the Detroit Tigers snapped the Houston Astros' seven-year streak of consecutive ALCS appearances. We may not have experienced an emotional winner-take-all rollercoaster yet, but if the wild card round was a sign of things to come, we're probably in for a wild ride.

While three of the four underdogs advanced in the wild card round, top seeds like the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees are still favorites to win the 2024 World Series. However, not everyone believes in such a predictable outcome. October baseball means upsets are bound to happen, and feel-good stories like the Detroit Tigers have as good a chance as anyone, right?

Here are expert predictions from around the internet for the 2024 MLB playoffs.

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2024 MLB Playoff Predictions:

USA Today Staff: Phillies and Padres should be the World Series favorites

Of the six experts asked by USA Today, half picked the Philadelphia Phillies and half picked the San Diego Padres. In regards to the Phillies, Steve Gardner said, "The Phillies still have the core of the team that fell just short against Houston two years ago largely intact. They’ll get the job done this time."

With the Padres, Gabe Lacques wrote, "Rotation, bullpen, lineup - nobody's better in all three phases."

Thomas Harrigan, MLB.com: Dodgers with another exit in the divisional series

Harrigan expects the Padres to knock the Dodgers out of the playoffs in the divisional series. He writes, "The Padres went 8-5 against L.A. in the regular season and posted the game's best record after the All-Star break at 43-20 before steamrolling the Braves in the NL Wild Card Series, so they're entering this matchup with a ton of confidence."

Harrigan also expects the Tigers, Phillies, and Yankees to advance to the AL and NL Championship Series.

Tim Kelly, Bleacher Report: Dodgers to disappoint again

It's easy to pick on the Dodgers for having immense regular-season success just to fall apart in the postseason. However, the San Diego Padres have been one of the hottest teams in MLB since the All-Star break, so an upset here wouldn't exactly be unexpected.

Kelly writes, "The Padres were baseball's best team in the second half, going 43-20 after the All-Star break. San Diego then proceeded to make quick work of the Braves in the NLDS, sweeping them in two games. There's a real magic at Petco Park right now." He continues, "The Padres may not have quite as scary of a lineup as the Dodgers, but Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill, Luis Arráez, and Jurickson Profar have more than enough firepower to win a championship."

Kate Feldman, CBS Sports: Tigers, Yankees, Dodgers, and Mets to advance

Feldman is the only expert on the entire CBS Sports staff to predict a Mets upset of the Philadelphia Phillies. After the Mets managed to stun the Phillies in Game 1, it may not be so far-fetched to see these Mets continue to dominate the postseason.

Feldman writes, "We've seen the Phillies play out of their minds in October before and I have no reason to doubt that they're poised to do it again. They've sat back for a week, rested up and got their rotation in order (yes, the bye week is a positive. Don't let anyone tell you any different). Everything is coming up Philly. Except the Mets are the team of destiny. They're riding high on humor, whimsy and joy and my goodness if it isn't working."

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB Playoff predictions: Expert picks for the 2024 divisional series