World Series 2022: Reviewing Picks from MLB Experts

As the 2022 MLB playoffs continue to unfold, five teams remain alive for a World Series berth.

Saturday saw the Houston Astros complete their sweep of the Seattle Mariners, sending Houston to the American League Championship Series. The San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies, meanwhile, won 3-1 series over the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves, respectively.

San Diego and Philadelphia will kick off the National League Championship Series on Tuesday.

One series in the divisional round remains unsettled, as the Cleveland Guardians turned a late ninth-inning rally into a 2-1 series lead over the New York Yankees. The winner of that series will face Houston on Wednesday.

Now that the field has narrowed, let's take a look at the predictions of some of the MLB experts around the web, what's on the upcoming schedule and some of the latest postseason storylines.

Upcoming MLB Schedule

Yankees OF Aaron Judge (Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 15: New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) rounds the bases after hitting a 2-run home run during the third inning of the Major League Baseball ALDS Game 3 between the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians on October 15, 2022, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Sunday, October 16

New York Yankees at Cleveland Guardians: 7:07 p.m. ET on TBS

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Monday, October 17

Cleveland Guardians at New York Yankees (if necessary): 7:07 p.m. ET on TBS

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Tuesday, October 18

Philadelphia Phillies at San Diego Padres: TBD on Fox, FS1

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Wednesday, October 19

Philadelphia Phillies at San Diego Padres: TBD on Fox, FS1

Cleveland/New York at Houston Astros: TBD on TBS

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Thursday, October 20

New York/Cleveland at Houston Astros: TBD on TBS

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Friday. October 21

San Diego Padres at Philadelphia Phillies: TBD on FS1

Expert Predictions

San Diego Padres 3B Manny Machado (Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

SAN DIEGO, CA - OCTOBER 15: Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres celebrates after the Padres defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park on Saturday, October 15, 2022 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

With one ALDS matchup still unsettled, predictions for the championship round are few and far between. However, Quinn Allen of SportsBettingDime does have a pick in for the NLCS, taking the Padres over the Phillies:

"In a seven-game series, it comes down to pitching depth. Both teams have it, but in my opinion, the Padres hold the edge with go-to guys like Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove and Blake Snell. Plus, all three are experienced at this stage."

Bleacher Report's Joe Tansey also has the Padres going over the Phillies in the NLCS.

"San Diego's pitching depth, not the hitting of Juan Soto or Manny Machado, will ultimately give it the edge and send it back to the World Series for the first time since 1998," Tansey wrote.

FiveThirtyEight uses an Elo-based statistical system and simulations to set odds to win the World Series that is updated after every game. The chances of winning it all based on this model are as follows:

• Houston Astros: 41 percent
• San Diego Padres: 20 percent
• Philadelphia Phillies: 18 percent
• New York Yankees: 11 percent
• Cleveland Guardians: 10 percent

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While many of the following predictions have been rendered irrelevant by Saturday's results, let's have a little fun and review some expert predictions from the start of the divisional round.

Ben Verlander of Fox Sports

AL Divisional: Yankees, Houston; NL Divisional: Atlanta, Los Angeles

AL Champions: Houston; NL Champions: Atlanta

World Series Champions: Houston

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Alex Rodriguez of Fox Sports

AL Divisional: Yankees, Houston; NL Divisional: Atlanta, Los Angeles

AL Champions: Houston; NL Champions: Los Angeles

World Series Champions: Los Angeles

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Kate Feldman of CBS Sports

AL Divisional: Yankees, Houston; NL Divisional: Atlanta, Los Angeles

AL Champions: Houston; NL Champions: Los Angeles

World Series Champions: Los Angeles

Phillies, Padres Subvert Expectations

Phillies 2B Jean Segura (Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 15: Philadelphia Phillies Second Baseman Jean Segura (2) throws out Atlanta Braves Right Fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) (not pictured) after fielding a ground ball during the eighth inning of Game 4 of the NLDS between the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies on October 15, 2022, at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA.(Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

As you can see from our review of early playoff predictions, not many experts believed that the Phillies and Padres would be the final two teams standing in the National League. The Dodgers, who won 111 regular season games, were largely considered the favorites in the NL.

However, great team baseball—and some solid pitching—allowed San Diego to run past L.A. to make its first appearance in the championship round since 1998.

"It took a team effort to beat a really good team, and we did that tonight," Padres third baseman Manny Machado said, per ESPN's Alden Gonzalez.

San Diego's surge was led by star pitchers Yu Darvish and Blake Snell.

The Phillies were similarly considered underdogs against the 101-win Braves. Philadelphia advances after a thrilling five-run rally on Saturday.

Philadelphia's pitching duo of Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola is proving to be a problem for playoff opponents, and the Padres' in-season trade for Juan Soto is paying dividends. We're likely to see some exciting pitching duels in this series.

With both the Padres and Phillies advancing to the NLCS, one wild-card team is guaranteed to make the World Series.

Can the Guardians Finish off New York?

Guardians 1B Gabriel Arias (Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 15: Cleveland Guardians first baseman Gabriel Arias (8) advances from first to third base on a single during the sixth inning of the Major League Baseball ALDS Game 3 between the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians on October 15, 2022, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

If we're going off of FiveThirtyEight's model, the Astros have a strong chance of beating whoever emerges from the final ALDS matchup. Houston is coming off of a sweep and a 106-win regular season.

But the ALCS isn't set just yet, and there's a real chance that we have a bit of a shocker on our hands.

The Yankees have been one of baseball's hottest teams this season, thanks in no small part to Aaron Judge and his chase of 62 home runs. The Guardians, meanwhile, have largely flown under the radar.

However, Cleveland took a 2-1 series lead on Saturday after a three-run rally in the ninth. Keeping Judge at bay may be the key to finishing off the Yankees on Sunday.

Judge began the series 0-for-9 on 10 appearances with eight strikeouts to open the series—which led to him taking his fair share of social media heat. However, he responded with a two-run homer on Saturday. Judge believes that Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole, however, will be the key to extending the series.

"He's our ace," Judge said, per Randy Miller of NJ Advanced Media. "He's pitched in big games for us. He always goes out there with intensity and we’re going to match his energy and go out there and take this back to the Bronx."

Cleveland will look to quiet both Cole and Judge in front of a home crowd to return to the ALCS for the first time since 2016. The reward for this series winner will be a date with the juggernaut Astros.