If you’re looking at your calendar right now in January 2026 and wondering why everything feels so quiet, it’s because the dust has finally settled on one of the most chaotic postseasons in recent memory. We just watched the Los Angeles Dodgers pull off a back-to-back feat that most experts said was impossible in the current parity era. Honestly, the 2025 playoffs felt less like a baseball tournament and more like a war of attrition.
The question of who is in the playoffs MLB for the 2025 cycle was answered by a mix of the usual suspects and a few "how did they get here?" stories that kept us up way too late in October. We saw the Toronto Blue Jays finally turn that "young core" potential into a pennant, even if they fell just a few innings short of a ring.
It was a year of extra-inning heartbreaks and bullpen meltdowns.
The National League: A Dodgers Dynasty?
The NL bracket was top-heavy. The Milwaukee Brewers actually finished the regular season with the best record in the league, snagging that coveted No. 1 seed and home-field advantage. They were led by a pitching staff that seemed to never miss a spot. But the playoffs are a different beast.
The Philadelphia Phillies took the No. 2 seed after another dominant summer at Citizens Bank Park. However, the story of the National League was always going to be the Dodgers. Despite being the No. 3 seed, they steamrolled through the Wild Card round, sweeping the Cincinnati Reds in two games.
The Chicago Cubs also made a massive splash, returning to October for the first time in a full season since 2018. They knocked out the San Diego Padres in a gritty three-game Wild Card series that basically turned Wrigleyville into a 72-hour street festival.
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By the time the NLCS rolled around, it was the Dodgers and the Brewers. People expected a seven-game classic. Instead, the Dodgers reminded everyone why they spend the way they do, sweeping Milwaukee 4-0. It was clinical. It was boring for neutrals. It was terrifying for everyone else.
The American League: North of the Border Dominance
Over in the AL, things were way more erratic. The Toronto Blue Jays locked up the No. 1 seed with 94 wins, but it wasn't easy. They actually tied with the New York Yankees in record, but Toronto took the tiebreaker, forcing the Pinstripes into a Wild Card battle.
The Seattle Mariners finally looked like the powerhouse everyone’s been waiting for, winning the AL West and taking the No. 2 seed. Then you had the Cleveland Guardians, who scrapped their way to the AL Central title.
The Wild Card round was a bloodbath:
- The Detroit Tigers shocked Cleveland, winning the series 2-1.
- The New York Yankees survived a scare from the Boston Red Sox, winning their series 2-1 after a tense Game 3.
The ALCS was where things got weird. The Blue Jays and Mariners went the full seven games. Every single person in Canada seemed to be holding their breath during Game 7. Toronto eventually took it 4-3, punch-counterpunching their way to the World Series.
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What Happened in the World Series?
It’s hard to overstate how good this series was. You had the Dodgers vs. Blue Jays. West Coast vs. The North.
Game 3 went 18 innings. Think about that. That's two full games of baseball played in a single night. The Dodgers eventually won that marathon 6-5. Toronto fought back, actually leading the series 3-2 at one point. But back in Los Angeles for the final games, the Dodgers' depth was just too much.
In Game 7, it took 11 innings to decide it. Yoshinobu Yamamoto induced a game-ending double play to secure a 5-4 win. The Dodgers became the first team in 25 years to win back-to-back World Series titles. It was the franchise's ninth championship.
Looking Ahead: The 2026 Landscape
So, who is in the playoffs MLB for the upcoming 2026 season? Well, nobody yet. We are currently in the heart of the offseason.
Spring Training is just around the corner, with games scheduled to start in late February 2026. If you're looking at the projections from FanGraphs or PECOTA, they're already high on the Mariners and Blue Jays to repeat their success. The Dodgers are, naturally, the favorites to do the "three-peat," which hasn't happened since the Yankees dynasty of the late 90s.
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Keep an eye on the Baltimore Orioles and Atlanta Braves. Both teams had "down" years by their standards in 2025, but the talent hasn't gone anywhere. They’ll be the ones trying to crash the party this time around.
If you're planning your 2026 travel around the postseason, remember the format stays the same. Six teams from each league. Three division winners, three wild cards. The top two division winners get the bye.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
Now that the 2025 postseason is in the history books, here is what you should be doing to prep for the 2026 run:
- Check the Spring Training Schedule: Games start Feb 20-21. It's the best time to see the prospects who will be the Wild Card heroes in October.
- Monitor the 40-Man Rosters: Trade season isn't over. One big move in the AL East could completely shift who the "experts" think will be in the playoffs this year.
- Update Your Subscriptions: If you're cutting the cord, make sure you have a plan for the local RSNs (Regional Sports Networks) before Opening Day in March.
The road to the 2026 playoffs starts now. It’s a long 162-game grind, but as we saw with the Tigers and Cubs last year, any team can find themselves in the hunt if they catch fire at the right time.