Here’s Who Is Going to Win the World Series (Maybe)
Forcing baseball writers to make predictions isn’t particularly nice. People tend to remember the bad picks more than the good ones, and a lot of flukiness can reveal itself in a short stretch of games. Still, I’m a scamp, so I asked my colleagues for their postseason winners. Thirty-two writers from across our family of blogs answered the call. Many of them proved to be Astros and Dodgers believers but some went in less well-worn directions. Below are the results by league and round, as well as each writer’s complete forecast. Happy playoffs!
National League
Wild Card and Divisional Series
National League Wild Card
| Winner | Votes |
|---|---|
| Nationals | 21 |
| Brewers | 11 |
Braves vs. Cardinals Division Series
| Winner | Votes |
|---|---|
| Braves | 23 |
| Cardinals | 9 |
Dodgers vs. Wild Card Winner Division Series
| Winner | Votes |
|---|---|
| Dodgers | 21 |
| Nationals | 10 |
| Brewers | 1 |
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Championship Series
NL Championship Series Matchups
| Matchup | Votes |
|---|---|
| Dodgers vs. Braves | 17 |
| Braves vs. Nationals | 6 |
| Dodgers vs. Cardinals | 4 |
| Cardinals vs. Nationals | 4 |
| Cardinals vs. Brewers | 1 |
NL Championship Series Winner
| Winner | Votes |
|---|---|
| Dodgers | 19 |
| Nationals | 7 |
| Braves | 4 |
| Cardinals | 2 |
American League
Wild Card and Divisional Series
American League Wild Card
| Winner | Votes |
|---|---|
| Rays | 20 |
| Athletics | 12 |
Yankees vs. Twins Division Series
| Winner | Votes |
|---|---|
| Yankees | 21 |
| Twins | 11 |
Astros vs. Wild Card Winner Division Series
| Winner | Votes |
|---|---|
| Astros | 30 |
| Athletics | 1 |
| Rays | 1 |
Championship Series
AL Championship Series Matchups
| Matchup | Votes |
|---|---|
| Astros vs. Yankees | 20 |
| Astros vs. Twins | 10 |
| Yankees vs. Athletics | 1 |
| Twins vs. Rays | 1 |
AL Championship Series Winner
| Winner | Votes |
|---|---|
| Astros | 26 |
| Yankees | 5 |
| Rays | 1 |
World Series
World Series Matchups
| Matchup | Votes |
|---|---|
| Astros vs. Dodgers | 16 |
| Astros vs. Nationals | 7 |
| Dodgers vs. Yankees | 3 |
| Astros vs. Braves | 2 |
| Yankees vs. Cardinals | 1 |
| Astros vs. Cardinals | 1 |
| Yankees vs. Braves | 1 |
| Braves vs. Rays | 1 |
World Series Champion
| Winner | Votes |
|---|---|
| Astros | 15 |
| Dodgers | 8 |
| Nationals | 4 |
| Yankees | 3 |
| Cardinals | 1 |
| Braves | 1 |
Full Writer Predictions
FanGraphs 2019 Staff Playoff Predictions
| Writer | NL WC | AL WC | ATL/STL DS | LAD/WC DS | NYY/MIN DS | HOU/WC DS | NLCS | ALCS | World Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tony Wolfe | MIL | TBR | ATL | LAD | NYY | HOU | ATL | HOU | HOU |
| Justin Mason | WSN | OAK | ATL | WSN | NYY | HOU | ATL | HOU | HOU |
| Dylan Higgins | MIL | TBR | ATL | LAD | MIN | HOU | LAD | HOU | HOU |
| Shelly Verougstraete | MIL | OAK | ATL | LAD | NYY | HOU | LAD | HOU | HOU |
| Jake Mailhot | MIL | OAK | ATL | LAD | NYY | HOU | LAD | HOU | HOU |
| Josh Herzenberg | WSN | OAK | ATL | LAD | NYY | HOU | LAD | HOU | HOU |
| Dan Szymborski | WSN | TBR | ATL | LAD | NYY | HOU | LAD | HOU | HOU |
| Benjamin Pasinkoff | WSN | TBR | ATL | LAD | NYY | HOU | LAD | HOU | HOU |
| Shane Tourtellotte | MIL | OAK | ATL | LAD | MIN | HOU | LAD | HOU | LAD |
| Birchwood Brothers | WSN | TBR | ATL | LAD | MIN | HOU | LAD | HOU | LAD |
| Kiley McDaniel | MIL | TBR | ATL | LAD | NYY | HOU | LAD | HOU | LAD |
| Brendan Gawlowski | MIL | TBR | ATL | LAD | NYY | HOU | LAD | HOU | LAD |
| Ben Kaspick | WSN | TBR | ATL | LAD | NYY | HOU | LAD | HOU | LAD |
| Rachael McDaniel | WSN | TBR | ATL | LAD | NYY | HOU | LAD | HOU | LAD |
| David Laurila | WSN | TBR | ATL | WSN | MIN | HOU | WSN | HOU | HOU |
| Nick Dika | WSN | TBR | ATL | WSN | NYY | HOU | WSN | HOU | HOU |
| Devan Fink | WSN | OAK | ATL | WSN | NYY | HOU | WSN | HOU | WSN |
| Brad Johnson | WSN | OAK | ATL | WSN | MIN | HOU | WSN | HOU | WSN |
| Paul Sporer | WSN | TBR | ATL | WSN | MIN | TBR | ATL | TBR | ATL |
| Brice Russ | WSN | TBR | ATL | LAD | NYY | HOU | ATL | NYY | NYY |
| Dustin Nosler | WSN | OAK | ATL | LAD | NYY | HOU | LAD | NYY | LAD |
| Nick Pollack | WSN | OAK | ATL | LAD | NYY | HOU | LAD | NYY | NYY |
| Rian Watt | MIL | OAK | ATL | LAD | NYY | OAK | LAD | NYY | NYY |
| Eric Longenhagen | WSN | TBR | STL | WSN | MIN | HOU | STL | HOU | HOU |
| Craig Edwards | WSN | TBR | STL | LAD | MIN | HOU | LAD | HOU | HOU |
| Jay Jaffe | MIL | OAK | STL | LAD | NYY | HOU | LAD | HOU | HOU |
| Jeff Zimmerman | WSN | TBR | STL | LAD | NYY | HOU | LAD | HOU | HOU |
| Justin Klugh | MIL | TBR | STL | LAD | MIN | HOU | LAD | HOU | LAD |
| Meg Rowley | WSN | TBR | STL | WSN | MIN | HOU | WSN | HOU | HOU |
| Ben Clemens | WSN | TBR | STL | WSN | MIN | HOU | WSN | HOU | WSN |
| Jason Martinez | WSN | TBR | STL | WSN | NYY | HOU | WSN | HOU | WSN |
| Audrey Stark | MIL | OAK | STL | MIL | NYY | HOU | STL | NYY | STL |
Meg is the editor-in-chief of FanGraphs and the co-host of Effectively Wild. Prior to joining FanGraphs, her work appeared at Baseball Prospectus, Lookout Landing, and Just A Bit Outside. You can follow her on Bluesky @megrowler.fangraphs.com.
I did MLB.com’s bracket and came out with the exact same as Nick Dika. It’s a shame I’m ineligible as a non-US resident. Nick, if you’re happy to sign up and take part, I’ll gladly accept half the winnings.
Non-US residents are ineligible?! I think I’ve got the same bracket as Nick Pollack, and that’s clearly the winner. I offer 50% of the $250k prize to anyone who will let me use their New York state address (since I registered as a New Yorker) when I win.
I believe you have to be a resident in the US or Canada-except-Quebec. Same for Beat the Streak.
Congrats to Audrey Stark, the One True Cardinals Fan on FanGraphs. Shame to Ben and Craig.
If Craig had picked St. Louis we’d all be in the comments talking about his constant Cardinals puff pieces.
If you’re telling me to pick which team is most likely to win the WS, it’s the Dodgers, hands down, because they’re almost certainly the best team in the NL and there’s more competition on the AL side. However, if you make me fill out a bracket, I’m probably picking the Astros.
I’m personally hoping for Oakland goes all the way and wins the world series, but the chances of that are pretty small.
Yanks gonna win it all. Unfortunately.
I have been following this game for a long, long time and it often feels like karma is the mystical force that determines the winner. The Royals come through in one of the rare chances they are going to get, the Cubs break the curse, the Astros win their first WS ever and last year when every ball bounced the Red Sox way. Using that very scientific method based on page upon page of computer printouts this year seems like it is the injury-riddled Yankees who fit the pair of glass spikes.
I really enjoy your take here because it captures something really fun about the uncertainty of baseball fandom. I’m a scientist by profession and empirical by nature. Yet, in my experience as a long time Yankees fan there have been years that feel like ‘our’ year and many many years that don’t. In my life I only remember two times where I felt like the Yankees would win it and they didn’t (2001 and 2003), and I can’t remember a single time where I felt like they wouldn’t win and did. I guess the closest I’ve come to a ‘surprise’ would be 1996. Now, the empiricist in me knows that this is just confirmation bias on my part. ….that said, this has felt like a Yankees year to me all year.
The “feeling thing” is interesting. I don’t “feel” my team (NYY) is going to win this year. But is that my left brain trying to trick my right brain (feelings) so I’ll be surprised and more joyous if they do?
I think it’s interesting….
If LA plays Washington in the LDS- it’s 11-10 pick for LA
if LA plays Milwaukee in the LDS- it’s 10-1 pick for LA
Nats get to play LA in only a best of 5. Huge advantage getting to play them in a shorter series than normal.
Is Audrey Stark just trying to be contrarian or something? While I can imagine the Brewers winning the WC game, I’m failing to see a good reason to pick the Brewers in the NLDS except for “anything can happen”
The Brewers beat the Dodgers, what, 40-45% of the time? That’s not too far from a coin flip. The Brewers lost Yelich, but Grandal is a beast, and they have some fantastic arms in the bullpen and a top-of-rotation guy in Woodruff. Those top-tier arms are gonna get as many innings as they can handle. Pomeranz, Hader, Gio, and Suter could really run roughshod over the Dodgers, considering five of their top six position players are lefties.
I wouldn’t pick the Brewers, but they are a very good team. It’s not as contrarian as “anything can happen.” I’d be more wary of Audrey’s Cardinals pick. I’m a Cards fan, but I think they are clearly the worst team in the playoffs, so that pick is kind of weird to me.
EDIT: Looks like it won’t matter, anyway. What a wildly wondrous thing baseball is.
I must say I am shocked more people liked Nationals over the Yankees. I personally feel like the Dodgers are much more heavily favored to come out of the NL than even the Astros out of the AL so expected a lot more Dodgers over everyone else in the finals. Maybe I’m just underestimating how well the Nationals have played in the 2nd half here.
Paul Sporer: Lover of Chaos.
it would have been cool if you included Jeff Sullivan’s votes, especially for the AL wildcard, you know, he would have picked Oakland, 🙂