Way-Too-Early Predictions for the 2027 MLB Playoffs and World Series

Rarely does a team make winning the World Series look as easy as the Milwaukee Brewers just did. They won 103 games during the regular season and then went 11-2 in the postseason. Take a bow, gents.

With that done, now we can talk about who's winning it all in 2027.

This exercise is every conceivable kind of "way too soon." The 2026 World Series literally just ended. Have some respect for the Tampa Bay Rays, who aren't even cold yet. Sheesh.

Oh, there's also a lockout coming. Nobody knows when the next competitive games will be, much less what the underlying structure of Major League Baseball will look like. It's been a long time since baseball has had such an uncertain future.

Yet because the baseball gods demand predictions, we are duty-bound to make them. We'll just have to take a lot about the 2027 season for granted and mix boldness with humility. After all, our predictions from last year aged about as well as you'd expect.

We'll go division by division, asking the big questions and projecting final standings as we go.

American League East

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Aaron Boone

The Biggest Unknown: How will the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays pivot?

One supposes what we have here are three big unknowns, but let's not split hairs. All three of these clubs had big hopes for 2026 after making the playoffs in 2025, only to fall prey to a Monty Python-style foot squish:

• Toronto Blue Jays: Finished in last place
• Boston Red Sox: Embarrassed in the Wild Card Series
• New York Yankees: Embarrassed in the Division Series

All three have "I'll be back" energy to some degree or another, though the Yankees' is the least inspiring. They'll do stuff this winter, sure, but they're also running it back with Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman for reasons only they know why. To boot, Aaron Judge couldn't stay healthy and will soon be 35 years old.

The Blue Jays, meanwhile, have the most to fix this winter. Namely, an offense that finished last in MLB in scoring and a pitching staff that was gutted by injuries. It's not an enviable task in the slightest.

So, dare we say don't sleep on the Red Sox?

They finished third overall in Wins Above Replacement this year, and that was with next to nothing from Garrett Crochet and Roman Anthony. Them being healthy in 2027 bodes well enough, and even more so if Boston leverages its financial and trade capital to bring in a big name or two during the offseason.

Other Big Unknowns

• Will the Rays continue to operate on a tight budget, even if it means risking trades of key contributors such as Yandy Díaz and Bryan Baker?
• What even is Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at this stage of his career?
• Are the Orioles prepared to subtract from their surplus of bats to add starting pitching? If so, keep an eye out for Gunnar Henderson rumors.
• Franklin Arias could crack Boston's Opening Day lineup in 2027, but it might mean getting Trevor Story out of his way first.

Projected 2027 AL East Standings

1. Boston Red Sox (95-67, No. 1 AL seed)
2. New York Yankees (90-72, No. 4 AL seed)
3. Tampa Bay Rays (88-74, No. 5 AL seed)
4. Baltimore Orioles (81-81)
5. Toronto Blue Jays (76-86)

American League Central

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Kevin McGonigle

The Biggest Unknown: What can the Detroit Tigers do to reestablish themselves?

Coming into 2026, the AL Central was supposed to be the Tigers' division to lose. They were coming off back-to-back playoff runs, and FanGraphs put their odds of another berth at 60.2 percent.

Instead, they finished in fourth place and traded Tarik Skubald and Casey Mize along the way. They're sure to remain elsewhere this winter, and Gleyber Torres and Jack Flaherty could depart as well.

You'd think that the brass would want to get aggressive to get the Tigers back on track, but that word hasn't been associated with this franchise in a long time. Owner Chris Ilitch is not as willing to spend as his late father, and president of baseball operations Scott Harris comes off as similarly risk-averse.

Make no mistake, though: This team is not going away.

An offense with Kevin McGonigle, Max Clark and Riley Greene? That'll play, and at least Framber Valdez, Troy Melton and Jackson Jobe are still around on the mound. A.J. Hinch really doesn't need many new toys to play with to get this team back on track in 2027.

Other Big Unknowns

• Will Steven Kwan still be with the Guardians in 2027? They say yes, but it's hard to actually see it.
• Are the Royals going to blow it up? Or, are they going to treat back-to-back years of diminishing returns as a problem they can fix?
• Can the Twins trade their way (i.e., Royce Lewis, Trevor Larnach) to more wins, or will they have to push their comfort zone in free agency?
• Do the White Sox have it in them to make a proper splash for starting pitching upgrades?

Projected 2027 AL Central Standings

1. Detroit Tigers (86-76, No. 3 AL seed)
2. Cleveland Guardians (83-79, No. 6 AL seed)
3. Chicago White Sox (80-82)
4. Minnesota Twins (79-83)
5. Kansas City Royals (67-95)

American League West

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Jerry Dipoto

The Biggest Unknown: Can the Seattle Mariners fix everything that broke?

The Mariners darn near went to the World Series in 2025, and we were convinced that they would get there and win it when we did this last year.

Instead, they reduced us to Kurtz at the end of Heart of Darkness. The horror. The horror. Any given 76-86 season can do that, yet this one took on an unusually strong sense of doom that only got worse as time went on.

The Mariners need to turn the page, and hiring a better manager than Dan Wilson (shouldn't be too hard) is just the start. How such a talented pitching staff only had a 4.20 ERA requires a full investigation. The offense and defense deserve to be set ablaze for crimes against baseball, but big fixes via free agency and the trade market will have to do.

To that end, Jerry Dipoto can throw his weight around if he wants to. There's room in the budget for at least one big signing, and the club's trade capital includes multiple spare arms and a whole bunch of talented prospects.

Granted, Dipoto is normally another risk-averse type. But since even he seems to know his seat is hot, there's no time like the present to finally go all-in.

Other Big Unknowns

• Just how far to the east will Randy Arozarena end up fleeing?
• With both their GM and manager roles vacant, we still need to find out who, exactly, will be running the Astros in 2027.
• The A's are set to move to Las Vegas in 2028, so is now the time to push the envelope? Or do they wait?
• How soon can Stan Kroenke put his stamp on the Angels? After all, the sale of the team isn't quite final yet.
• Do the Rangers double down on a roster that's starting to show age? Or do they look to maybe trade Corey Seager and/or Jacob deGrom?

Projected 2027 AL West Standings

1. Seattle Mariners (91-71, No. 2 AL seed)
2. Houston Astros (81-81)
3. Texas Rangers (77-85)
4. Athletics (68-94)
5. Los Angeles Angels (62-100)

National League East

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Juan Soto

The Biggest Unknown: Are the New York Mets going to get this offseason right?

It must be really frustrating to be a fan of the Atlanta Braves or Philadelphia Phillies. They're the good teams in the NL East, yet all anyone talks about is those less-than-amazin' Mets!

[Accepts stack of cash from Big New York Sports] Sorry, but this is just how it is.

The Mets have ranked first or second in the league for payroll every year since 2022. They're also run by David Stearns, who laid the foundation for what the Brewers are today. He and owner Steve Cohen should be an unstoppable force… and yet, here we are wondering what they'll do after an 88-loss season.

Investing in pitching is a no-brainer, specifically in the sense that the Mets seem like the best landing spot for Tarik Skubal. Maybe that would be enough, given that Nolan McLean is already in place to be a co-ace.

For the offense, there is no better center of gravity than Juan Soto. But just in case, it would be best not to just assume Francisco Lindor and Bo Bichette will be better in 2027. Another hitter is a good idea, perhaps especially if said hitter comes from Japan and is named Teruaki Sato.

Other Big Unknowns

• The Phillies badly need to shake up their aging core, but it won't be easy to trade Bryce Harper or Kyle Schwarber even if they want to.
• Do the Braves need to move on from Ronald Acuña Jr.? Or has that ship sailed along with his peak trade value?
• The Marlins could be a contender if they batten down the hatches and build around their stars. But if they trade Otto Lopez and/or Xavier Edwards instead, nobody will be surprised.
• The Nationals need a lot of pitching. Probably too much to secure all in a single offseason. So, do they trade CJ Abrams while the getting's good?

Projected 2027 NL East Standings

1. Atlanta Braves (92-70, No. 3 NL seed)
2. New York Mets (85-77, No. 6 NL seed)
3. Philadelphia Phillies (80-82)
4. Miami Marlins (79-83)
5. Washington Nationals (75-87)

National League Central

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William Contreras

The Biggest Unknown: Can the Milwaukee Brewers keep from breaking up the band?

Here, you will find no Brewers slander. Not after what they just did. Wire-to-wire excellence, and on a budget? Heck yes. Brewers for President, 2028.

Alas, a certain aspect of their reputation precedes them to such an obvious degree that the following conversation started before the final out of the World Series was squeezed: Will they keep all their core players this winter?

The Brewers generally don't let their stars reach free agency, and that has meant trading Corbin Burnes, Josh Hader, Devin Williams and Freddy Peralta in advance of their dates with the open market. Should they follow the same template this winter, William Contreras and Trevor Megill would be next.

On one hand, the Brewers have earned the benefit of the doubt even if they do pursue trades of those guys this winter. This year was not a one-off. The Brewers have made the playoffs in eight of the last nine seasons. This is a well-oiled project.

On the other hand, is it too much to ask that they make this winter an exception to the rule? Even if there is a lockout looming, winning the World Series is supposed to be good for business. Perhaps that should not mean business as usual in Milwaukee.

Other Big Unknowns

• The Cubs badly need to upgrade their pitching staff. That should mean pursuing Tarik Skubal. Alas, it probably won't.
• Joey Votto thinks the Reds should trade Elly De La Cruz. Do they dare take his advice?
• The Pirates got close to making the playoffs for the first time since 2015, but further progress in 2027 will hinge on fixing Paul Skenes.
• The Cardinals surprised people this year, but they'll need to decide whether it's worth accelerating their rebuild under Chaim Bloom. If not, expect Masyn Winn and Iván Herrera rumors.

Projected 2027 NL Central Standings

1. Milwaukee Brewers (98-64, No. 2 NL seed)
2. Chicago Cubs (90-72, No. 5 NL seed)
3. Pittsburgh Pirates (84-78)
4. Cincinnati Reds (77-85)
5. St. Louis Cardinals (72-90)

National League West

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Shohei Ohtani

The Biggest Unknown: What will the Los Angeles Dodgers' wrath be like?

The Dodgers got their third 100-win season of the 2020s this year, but they didn't get their three-peat. And now, they're staring down a nasty labor fight that will largely be about bringing them to heel. What ever shall they do?

"I welcome it," the Dodgers' president of baseball operations said after his team was swept by the Brewers in the NLCS. "People saying that we're done and we're on the downside of this run—it's just more noise to us."

Actually, nobody is saying that… yet the point is well-taken, if for no other reason than obviously the Dodgers are in for a big winter. It may well be their last chance to go full-Dodgers before the new CBA, and they do need to make the most of it.

The pitching staff needs reinforcements, and the offense needs to get younger and more athletic. Don't be surprised if they retain Tarik Skubal, and they're sure to be involved in the market's top trade targets as well.

As for Shohei Ohtani, they need to have the attitude that this season showed them how not to handle the four-time MVP. If he's going to continue as a two-way star, they simply have to come up with a better plan to keep both acts sustainable.

Other Big Unknowns

• The Padres have new owners who seem all-in on bringing the World Series to San Diego. How far are they willing to go to make good? Far enough to keep Michael King? Far enough to replace him with Tarik Skubal?
• The Diamondbacks need to figure out what to do with Ketel Marte. Keeping him sounds like a bad idea. Selling low on his trade value may not be a better idea.
• The Buster Posey-Tony Vitello Giants already feel like a failed experiment, and we'll be darned if there are any obvious ways to fix that.
• Whatever the Rockies can do to escape their 100-loss doom loop, trading Hunter Goodman may not be it. And yet, it may be their best hope for a better future.

Projected 2027 NL West Standings

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (102-60, No. 1 NL seed)
2. San Diego Padres (93-69, No. 4 NL seed)
3. Arizona Diamondbacks (84-78)
4. San Francisco Giants (72-90)
5. Colorado Rockies (58-104)

Projecting the 2027 Postseason

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Payton Tolle

Wild Card Series

AL1: Cleveland Guardians (6) over Detroit Tigers (3)
AL2: Tampa Bay Rays (5) over New York Yankees (4)

NL1: Atlanta Braves (3) over New York Mets (6)
NL2: San Diego Padres (4) over Chicago Cubs (5)

Division Series

AL1: Seattle Mariners (2) over Cleveland Guardians (6)
AL2: Boston Red Sox (1) over Tampa Bay Rays (5)

NL1: Milwaukee Brewers (2) over Atlanta Braves (3)
NL2: Los Angeles Dodgers (1) over San Diego Padres (4)

Championship Series

AL: Boston Red Sox (1) over Seattle Mariners (2)
NL: Los Angeles Dodgers (1) over Milwaukee Brewers (2)

World Series

Boston Red Sox (1) over Los Angeles Dodgers (1)

Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.