PECOTA knows more than a bit about prediction, but does our staff? You can judge for yourself with our Staff Playoff Predictions! A lot of the favored teams are unsurprising, but take heart, Cardinals, Nationals, and Twins fans, at least someone on our staff believes in you! See the breakdown of each series vote and all 71 ballots below.
Predictions breakdown
NL Wild Card
47 Nationals = 66%
24 Brewers = 34%
AL Wild Card
37 Athletics = 52%
34 Rays = 48%
NLDS: Braves/Cardinals
50 Braves = 71%
21 Cardinals = 29%
NLDS: Dodgers/Wild Card
57 Dodgers = 80%
13 Nationals = 18%
1 Brewers = 1%
ALDS: Twins/Yankees
45 Yankees = 63%
26 Twins = 37%
ALDS: Astros/Wild Card
62 Astros = 87%
7 Athletics = 10%
2 Rays = 3%
NLCS
41 Dodgers = 58%
15 Braves = 21%
12 Nationals = 17%
3 Cardinals = 4%
ALCS
46 Astros = 65%
16 Yankees = 23%
4 Athletics = 6%
3 Twins = 4%
2 Rays = 3%
World Series
28 Astros = 39%
20 Dodgers = 28%
9 Yankees = 13%
6 Nationals = 8%
4 Athletics = 6%
2 Braves = 3%
1 Cardinals = 1%
1 Twins = 1%
Individual ballots
Wild Card and Division Series
| Name | NL Wild Card | AL Wild Card | NLDS: Braves/Cardinals | NLDS: Dodgers/Wild Card | ALDS: Yankees/Twins | ALDS: Astros/Twins |
| Collin Whitchurch | Nationals | Rays | Braves | Nationals | Yankees | Astros |
| Alexis Collins | Nationals | Rays | Cardinals | Dodgers | Twins | Astros |
| Smith Brickner | Nationals | Athletics | Cardinals | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Justin Klugh | Brewers | Athletics | Cardinals | Dodgers | Twins | Athletics |
| Rob Mains | Nationals | Rays | Cardinals | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| E.J. Fagan | Nationals | Rays | Braves | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Mark Anderson | Brewers | Athletics | Braves | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Brandon Williams | Nationals | Rays | Cardinals | Nationals | Yankees | Astros |
| Anthony Rescan | Brewers | Athletics | Braves | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Mark Barry | Nationals | Athletics | Cardinals | Nationals | Yankees | Astros |
| Matt Trueblood | Nationals | Rays | Braves | Dodgers | Twins | Astros |
| Nick Schaefer | Nationals | Athletics | Cardinals | Nationals | Yankees | Astros |
| Kendall Guillemette | Brewers | Rays | Braves | Dodgers | Yankees | Rays |
| Scott Martin | Nationals | Rays | Braves | Dodgers | Twins | Astros |
| Mark Primiano | Brewers | Athletics | Cardinals | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| José M. Hernández Lagunes | Nationals | Rays | Braves | Dodgers | Twins | Astros |
| Scooter Hotz | Nationals | Athletics | Braves | Dodgers | Twins | Athletics |
| Keith Rader | Nationals | Rays | Braves | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Ben Carsley | Nationals | Rays | Braves | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Rich MacLeod | Brewers | Athletics | Braves | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Paul Noonan | Nationals | Athletics | Cardinals | Dodgers | Twins | Astros |
| Martin Alonso | Brewers | Athletics | Braves | Dodgers | Twins | Athletics |
| Greg Matthews | Brewers | Athletics | Braves | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Randy Holt | Nationals | Athletics | Braves | Dodgers | Yankees | Athletics |
| David Lesky | Nationals | Athletics | Braves | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Wilson Karaman | Nationals | Athletics | Braves | Dodgers | Twins | Astros |
| Demetrius Bell | Nationals | Rays | Braves | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Scott Orgera | Nationals | Rays | Braves | Nationals | Yankees | Astros |
| Beth Woerner | Brewers | Athletics | Braves | Dodgers | Twins | Astros |
| Bill Thompson | Nationals | Rays | Braves | Nationals | Twins | Astros |
| Derek Albin | Brewers | Athletics | Braves | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Jeffrey Paternostro | Brewers | Rays | Braves | Dodgers | Twins | Astros |
| Matt Sussman | Nationals | Rays | Braves | Nationals | Yankees | Astros |
| Nick Stellini | Nationals | Rays | Braves | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Ken Schultz | Nationals | Athletics | Braves | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Robyn Davidson | Brewers | Athletics | Braves | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Steven Goldman | Nationals | Athletics | Braves | Dodgers | Twins | Astros |
| Kate Preusser | Brewers | Athletics | Braves | Dodgers | Twins | Astros |
| Jenn Smith | Brewers | Rays | Braves | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Jason Takefman | Brewers | Rays | Braves | Nationals | Twins | Astros |
| Forest Stulting | Nationals | Athletics | Cardinals | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Keanan Lamb | Nationals | Athletics | Braves | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Jeff Wiser | Nationals | Rays | Braves | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Sean O’Rourke | Brewers | Athletics | Braves | Dodgers | Yankees | Athletics |
| Darius Austin | Nationals | Rays | Cardinals | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Nathan Graham | Brewers | Athletics | Braves | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Samuel Hale | Nationals | Athletics | Braves | Dodgers | Twins | Astros |
| Ben Spanier | Nationals | Athletics | Braves | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Matt Winkelman | Nationals | Athletics | Cardinals | Dodgers | Twins | Astros |
| Craig Brown | Nationals | Rays | Braves | Nationals | Yankees | Astros |
| Bret Sayre | Nationals | Rays | Cardinals | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Colby Wilson | Brewers | Athletics | Braves | Dodgers | Twins | Astros |
| Holly M. Wendt | Nationals | Rays | Braves | Dodgers | Twins | Astros |
| Zach Crizer | Nationals | Athletics | Cardinals | Nationals | Yankees | Astros |
| Andrew Salzman | Brewers | Athletics | Braves | Dodgers | Twins | Astros |
| Austin Yamada | Nationals | Rays | Cardinals | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Craig Goldstein | Nationals | Rays | Cardinals | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Scott Delp | Brewers | Rays | Cardinals | Dodgers | Yankees | Rays |
| Kevin Jebens | Nationals | Rays | Braves | Dodgers | Twins | Astros |
| Krystal Languell | Brewers | Rays | Braves | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Tim McCullough | Brewers | Athletics | Braves | Dodgers | Twins | Astros |
| Zack Moser | Nationals | Rays | Cardinals | Nationals | Twins | Astros |
| Robert Au | Nationals | Athletics | Braves | Dodgers | Twins | Athletics |
| Kazuto Yamazaki | Nationals | Rays | Braves | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Joe Reed | Brewers | Athletics | Braves | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Gerald Schifman | Nationals | Rays | Cardinals | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
| Jon Hegglund | Nationals | Athletics | Braves | Nationals | Twins | Astros |
| Spring Marie Cullen | Brewers | Athletics | Braves | Brewers | Yankees | Athletics |
| Jeff Euston | Nationals | Athletics | Cardinals | Nationals | Yankees | Astros |
| Ginny Searle | Nationals | Rays | Braves | Dodgers | Twins | Astros |
| Marc Webster | Nationals | Rays | Cardinals | Dodgers | Yankees | Astros |
Championship and World Series
| Name | ALCS | NLCS | World Series |
| Collin Whitchurch | Astros | Nationals | Nationals |
| Alexis Collins | Astros | Dodgers | Dodgers |
| Smith Brickner | Yankees | Cardinals | Yankees |
| Justin Klugh | Athletics | Cardinals | Athletics |
| Rob Mains | Astros | Dodgers | Astros |
| E.J. Fagan | Astros | Dodgers | Astros |
| Mark Anderson | Astros | Braves | Astros |
| Brandon Williams | Yankees | Nationals | Nationals |
| Anthony Rescan | Yankees | Dodgers | Dodgers |
| Mark Barry | Astros | Nationals | Nationals |
| Matt Trueblood | Astros | Dodgers | Astros |
| Nick Schaefer | Athletics | Nationals | Athletics |
| Kendall Guillemette | Yankees | Braves | Braves |
| Scott Martin | Astros | Dodgers | Astros |
| Mark Primiano | Yankees | Dodgers | Dodgers |
| José M. Hernández Lagunes | Twins | Braves | Twins |
| Scooter Hotz | Athletics | Dodgers | Athletics |
| Keith Rader | Astros | Dodgers | Dodgers |
| Ben Carsley | Astros | Dodgers | Astros |
| Rich MacLeod | Astros | Dodgers | Dodgers |
| Paul Noonan | Astros | Dodgers | Astros |
| Martin Alonso | Twins | Dodgers | Dodgers |
| Greg Matthews | Astros | Dodgers | Dodgers |
| Randy Holt | Yankees | Braves | Yankees |
| David Lesky | Astros | Dodgers | Astros |
| Wilson Karaman | Astros | Dodgers | Dodgers |
| Demetrius Bell | Yankees | Braves | Yankees |
| Scott Orgera | Astros | Braves | Astros |
| Beth Woerner | Astros | Braves | Braves |
| Bill Thompson | Twins | Nationals | Nationals |
| Derek Albin | Yankees | Dodgers | Yankees |
| Jeffrey Paternostro | Astros | Dodgers | Dodgers |
| Matt Sussman | Yankees | Nationals | Nationals |
| Nick Stellini | Yankees | Braves | Yankees |
| Ken Schultz | Astros | Braves | Astros |
| Robyn Davidson | Yankees | Dodgers | Yankees |
| Steven Goldman | Astros | Dodgers | Astros |
| Kate Preusser | Astros | Dodgers | Dodgers |
| Jenn Smith | Yankees | Dodgers | Dodgers |
| Jason Takefman | Astros | Nationals | Nationals |
| Forest Stulting | Astros | Dodgers | Astros |
| Keanan Lamb | Astros | Nationals | Astros |
| Jeff Wiser | Yankees | Dodgers | Yankees |
| Sean O’Rourke | Yankees | Dodgers | Dodgers |
| Darius Austin | Rays | Dodgers | Dodgers |
| Nathan Graham | Astros | Braves | Astros |
| Samuel Hale | Astros | Dodgers | Dodgers |
| Ben Spanier | Yankees | Dodgers | Yankees |
| Matt Winkelman | Astros | Dodgers | Dodgers |
| Craig Brown | Astros | Braves | Astros |
| Bret Sayre | Astros | Dodgers | Astros |
| Colby Wilson | Astros | Braves | Astros |
| Holly M. Wendt | Astros | Dodgers | Dodgers |
| Zach Crizer | Astros | Nationals | Astros |
| Andrew Salzman | Astros | Dodgers | Astros |
| Austin Yamada | Astros | Dodgers | Dodgers |
| Craig Goldstein | Astros | Dodgers | Astros |
| Scott Delp | Rays | Cardinals | Cardinals |
| Kevin Jebens | Astros | Braves | Astros |
| Krystal Languell | Astros | Braves | Astros |
| Tim McCullough | Astros | Dodgers | Astros |
| Zack Moser | Astros | Nationals | Astros |
| Robert Au | Athletics | Dodgers | Athletics |
| Kazuto Yamazaki | Astros | Dodgers | Dodgers |
| Joe Reed | Astros | Dodgers | Astros |
| Gerald Schifman | Astros | Dodgers | Astros |
| Jon Hegglund | Astros | Nationals | Astros |
| Spring Marie Cullen | Yankees | Braves | Yankees |
| Jeff Euston | Astros | Nationals | Astros |
| Ginny Searle | Astros | Dodgers | Dodgers |
| Marc Webster | Astros | Dodgers | Dodgers |
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