MLB Playoffs 2018: Latest World Series Bracket, Predictions and Odds

The American League has the two winningest teams in baseball squaring off against each other in its Championship Series.

The Boston Red Sox won 108 games and the American League East title before defeating the New York Yankees in four games in the Division Series. The Houston Astros won 103 games in winning the AL West, and the defending World Series champions swept the Cleveland Indians in the first round of the playoffs.

The Astros jumped out to an early lead after beating the Red Sox 7-2 in the series opener. Justin Verlander was on top of his game while striking out six hitters in six innings and allowing two hits and two runs, but Red Sox starter Chris Sale struggled with his control. 

The Astros held a 3-2 lead heading into the ninth inning, but they put the game away with four runs in the ninth thanks to home runs by Josh Reddick and Yuli Gurriel.

American League Championship Series

Schedule

Game 1: Astros 7, Red Sox 2; Astros lead 1-0

Game 2: Astros at Red Sox; Sunday, Oct. 14 at 7:09 p.m. ET on TBS

Game 3: Red Sox at Astros; Tuesday, Oct. 16 at 5:09 p.m. ET on TBS 

Game 4: Red Sox at Astros; Wednesday, Oct. 17 at 8:39 p.m. ET on TBS 

*Game 5: Red Sox at Astros; Thursday, Oct. 18 at 8:09 p.m. ET on TBS 

*Game 6: Astros at Red Sox; Saturday, Oct. 20 at 5:09 p.m. ET on TBS 

*Game 7: Astros at Red Sox; Sunday, Oct. 21 at 7:39 p.m. ET on TBS 

*If necessary.

The Red Sox took a big step up in the power department this season when they added J.D. Martinez in the offseason. Martinez blasted 43 home runs and knocked in 130 runs, and his preparation before each game was a big reason for his success.

Martinez was joined by Mookie Betts, who should be among the favorites for the Most Valuable Player Award. Betts hit 32 home runs and stole 30 bases during the season and is also an outstanding defensive player.

The Astros counter with Alex Bregman, George Springer and Jose Altuve, all of whom have been outstanding clutch hitters.

The Astros have an advantage if it comes down to a battle of bullpens. The Red Sox had a few breakdowns in that area during the second half of the regular season, but that was not a problem in Game 4 of the ALDS, when the bullpen shut down the Yankees from the sixth through the eighth inning.

However, when closer Craig Kimbrel got the ball in the ninth inning, the Yankees scored two runs and came within a few feet of extending the series to five games via a game-ending grand slam off Gary Sanchez's bat.

Still, Kimbrel is the strongest part of Boston's bullpen.

One other key factor in this series is Boston manager Alex Cora's familiarity with the Astros. Cora was Houston manager A.J. Hinch's trusted bench coach in 2017, and he understands all of the Astros' strengths and weaknesses.

More importantly, he has turned the Red Sox into a looser, tougher and more aggressive team than they were a year ago.

The Astros are minus-235 favorites, while the Red Sox are plus-195 underdogs, according to OddsShark. A Houston backer would have to risk $235 to win $100, while Red Sox bettors wager $100 to win $195.

Prediction

The Astros have gained the early edge with their Game 1 victory at Fenway Park. However, the Red Sox will not give up, and they will find a way to win this series in seven games.

National League Championship Series

Schedule

Game 1: Brewers 6, Dodgers 5; Brewers lead 1-0

Game 2: Dodgers 4, Brewers 3; series tied 1-1

Game 3: Brewers at Dodgers; Monday, Oct. 15 at 7:39 p.m. ET on FS1

Game 4: Brewers at Dodgers; Tuesday, Oct. 16 at 9:09 p.m. ET on FS1 

*Game 5: Brewers at Dodgers; Wednesday, Oct. 17 at 5:05 p.m. ET on FS1 

*Game 6: Dodgers at Brewers; Friday, Oct. 19 at 8:39 p.m. ET on FS1 

*Game 7: Dodgers at Brewers; Saturday, Oct. 20 at 9:09 p.m. ET on FS1 

*If necessary.

The Milwaukee Brewers got the jump in the NLCS, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-5 in Game 1 Friday night.

However, the Dodgers bounced back and evened the series with a 4-3 victory in Game 2 Saturday, as Justin Turner turned a one-run deficit into a one-run lead with a two-run homer in the top of the eighth inning. Closer Kenley Jansen dispatched the Brewers in the bottom of the ninth, and the series is squared 1-1 as the teams head to Los Angeles for Game 3.

The Brewers are considered to have the better bullpen in the series, but the Dodgers are determined to show that their relievers are also an asset.

"That's something that to a man, I think our guys are taking it personal, as a challenge, because our guys are pretty good back there, too," manager Dave Roberts said of the Los Angeles bullpen, per Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. "And so there's not a whole lot said about them. But without those guys, we wouldn't be in this position."

The Dodgers are minus-170 favorites to win the NLCS, while the Brewers are plus-150, per OddsShark.

The Brewers will send Jhoulys Chacin to the mound in Game 3 against hard-throwing Walker Buehler of the Dodgers.

Chacin had a 15-8 record during the regular season with a 3.50 ERA, and he has not allowed more than three earned runs in any of his last 12 starts. Buehler was 8-5 with a 2.62 ERA, and he helped steady the Dodgers rotation in the second half of the year.

Prediction

Even though the Dodgers won Game 2 to even the NLCS, the Brewers will not let their opportunity to win the National League pennant slip away. They will win the series in seven games.