We have made it folks. 162 games (for some 163), 30 teams, all with one goal in mind… MAKE THE POSTSEASON! There have been many ups, and many downs, home runs, strikeouts, cycles, no-hitters, 30-30 seasons, and breakout years. Rookies have risen, veterans have fallen and records were shattered. Now, none of that matters anymore, 10 teams that have stood the test of a 162 game season (163 games for some) and come out victorious will now have their records wiped clean to an even 0-0 and face off in the Playoffs while 20 other teams look on and think about what could have been.

The Postseason is what every baseball fan dreams of (including myself as an Angels fan). It is a chance to become champions. For players, it is a chance to say that you were the team that won it all and to raise the World Series trophy not only for your team but for your city and all of its loyal fans that root for you through thick and thin.

Winning the World Series is the pinnacle of the baseball world and it gives everyone that identifies with the winning team the chance to say that their team is the best in the sport with no counterargument being able to rebuke that claim. These following teams are one step closer to reaching the World Series and all the joy and pride that comes with that, and in this article, I will predict who I believe will reign supreme by the end of the 2018 Postseason based on educated guesses, gut instinct, and just plain old fashion bias. Regardless of whether I am right or wrong (most likely the latter) this will be a Postseason to remember and it is going to be fun to watch.

Let’s kick this thing off with the Wild Card Games!

American League Wild Card Game

Oakland Athletics (5) v. New York Yankees (4)

The Oakland A’s have had an incredible 2018 season after finishing last in the American League West division for the last three years in a row. The A’s have a dynamic pitching rotation with a star-studded relief core along with a solid starting rotation. Their lineup also considers the likes of Khris Davis and Matt Chapman, to major power threats and incredible hitters to boot. The A’s will come at the power-heavy Yankees with everything they have, but despite their best efforts, the New York Yankees will prove to be too strong with Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Didi Gregorius, Gleyber Torres, Miguel Andujar, along with breakout players Luke Voit and Aaron Hicks.

The Yankees will be at home in their third Wild Card Game in four years and they are not about to lose this one to Oakland. The A’s miraculous comeback this season was a good story, but the power of the Yankees and the inexperience of their lineup will prove costly in this Wild Card Game with the Bronx Bombers advancing and the A’s getting sent home prematurely.

National League Wild Card Game

Colorado Rockies (5) v. Chicago Cubs (4)

After both the Chicago Cubs and the Colorado Rockies lost their respective Game 163s, the two will face off in the National League Wild Card Game to determine who plays the No. 1 seed Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Division Series. After losing a heartbreaker to the Brewers in their home stadium and subsequently getting banished to the Wild Card Game, the 2018 Postseason will not be getting any kinder to the 2016 World Series Champions and the Colorado Rockies will barge into Wrigley Field with their star-studded lineup led by Nolan Arenado and Charlie Blackmon to win the Wild Card Game after falling to the Diamondbacks in 2017’s National League Wild Card Game.

American League Division Series

New York Yankees (4) v. Boston Red Sox (1)

The Boston Red Sox have been absolutely incredible in 2018 after being led by the likes of American League Most Valuable Player Award candidate Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez, Chris Sale, David Price, and Craig Kimbrel just to name a few. The Red Sox have been the best team in baseball and while they are the favorites to win this matchup, there is no way that it will be as close as the stat sheets suggest. The Yankees-Red Sox rivalry is one of the most intense in all of sports and the Yankees will not just lay down and die in this one. As a matter of fact, I am picking the Yankees to win this one and after being beaten around by the Sox all year, the Bronx Bombers will win when it counts and beat the Red Sox to advance to the American League Championship Series.

National League Division Series

Colorado Rockies (5) v. Milwaukee Brewers (1)

I would first like to note that I received some backlash from one particular Cubs fan for picking the Milwaukee Brewers to win the division over the Cubs via my co-writer Daryll’s Twitter and after the Brewers won Game 163 to claim the division title and the No. 1 seed going into the playoffs, it is safe to say I was right…Anyways…

After upsetting the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card Game, the magic will run out for the Colorado Rockies against the talented Brewers club and the team led by Christian Yelich, Lorenzo Cain, and Jesus Aguliar, will come in and crush the Rockies’ dreams of winning their first World Series in franchise history. Unfortunately for Colorado, a combination of inexperience (granted the Brewers have to deal with that as well) and the Rockies inability to play as well on the road as at home will cost them dearly as the Brewers dismantle them over the course of the National League Division Series.

American League Division Series

Cleveland Indians (3) v. Houston Astros (2)

Simply put, the Astros are reigning World Series Champions and the Cleveland Indians won their horrible excuse for a division on Opening Day. The Indians have not played in a competitive Division all year and the Astros (who have played in arguably the toughest Division in baseball) will be waiting to tear apart the ballclub from Cleveland as the World Series drought in Cleveland continues.

At least you still have Lebron…

National League Division Series

Atlanta Braves (3) v. Los Angeles Dodgers (2)

The Atlanta Braves are the youngest team in baseball and their inexperience could cost them in the playoffs. That being said, I am predicting Atlanta to win this series with another Dodgers postseason collapse on the horizon. While experience typically wins over youth, and the Dodgers have plenty of the former after winning their sixth consecutive National League West Division title, the Brave just have that it factor that you see in teams that go a long way in the playoffs. They have a studly pitching rotation headed by Mike Folkenwitz and an incredible hitting core led by Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies, Nick Markakis, and of course, Ronald Acuna. The Braves will upset the Dodgers and make their way to the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers.

American League Championship Series

New York Yankees (4) v. Houston Astros (2)

The Yankees and Astros will meet each other once again in the American League Championship Series and this time it will be the Yankees who will advance to the 2018 World Series after their incredible glut of power hitters powers their way past the likes of Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa. There has not been a repeat World Series winner since the New York Yankees in the 1999 and 2000 seasons, and the Astros will not be the next team to accomplish the feat.

National League Championship Series

Atlanta Braves (3) v. Milwaukee Brewers (1)

The Atlanta Braves and the Milwaukee Brewers. Two teams that few thought would even make the playoffs, and if my predictions prove to be correct, they are now fighting for the National League Pennant. The Brewers will give the Braves everything that they have and the Braves will do the same. This series will be an incredible back and forth battle between young and inexperienced teams with nothing to lose and everything to gain. The series will be close, but in the end, the Atlanta Braves will reign supreme as the National League’s best team in 2018 for the first time since 1999.

World Series

Atlanta Braves (3) v. New York Yankees (4)

The New York Yankees, at this point, have beaten the two best teams in the American League to get to where they are and they are not about to be defeated now. The Braves will fight hard, but their incredible season will come up just short of a World Series ring as the “Evil Empire” wins the 28th World Championship in franchise history and their first since 2009.

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You heard it here first folks, my 2018 Postseason Predictions are complete. I would like to encourage you to tell me what you think of both my predictions and who you think will reign supreme in the 2018 Postseason. Be sure to check my co-writer and partner in crime Daryll Dorman’s predictions and don’t be hesitant to let us have it in the comments.