The 2025 Wild Card Series featured four matchups in a three-game series, and all but one of them went to the full three games. The Reds played the Dodgers, The Yankees played the Red Sox, the Tigers played the Guardians, and the Cubs played the Padres.
Reds vs Dodgers
The Cincinnati Reds, the sixth seed in the National League, faced off against the third seed and defending champions the Los Angeles Dodgers. This series was all Dodgers, as they won 10-5 in the first game and 8-4 in the second game, punching their ticket to play the Philadelphia Phillies in the Division Series.
Yankees vs Red Sox
The Pinnacle of Baseball rivalries; the Boston Red Sox vs the New York Yankees. These two teams have some of the best history facing each other in the sport, and they only added to it by a great wild card series. In Game 1, Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet outdueled Yankees Ace Max Fried to win game one 3-1. In Game 2, the Yankees offense outperformed the Red Sox thanks to a first-inning two-run homer, and the Yankees won 4-3. In a winner-take-all Game 3, Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler pitched eight scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts, winning 4-0. They move on to play the Toronto Blue Jays.
Tigers vs Guardians
Two more division rivals played in the Wild Card series, the Detroit Tigers and the Cleveland Guardians. Detroit put their Game 1 hopes on the shoulders of AL Cy Young favorite Tarik Skubal, and he delivered as the Tigers won 2-1. In Game 2, Cleveland’s offense came to play, and they easily bested the Tigers, winning 6-1 and forcing a pivotal Game 3. In Game 3, it was the Tigers’ turn to pile on some runs as a few big hits allowed them to win the game 6-3, and the series. They travel to play the Seattle Mariners.
Cubs vs Padres
The Chicago Cubs vs the San Diego Padres, two of the best offensive teams in the league meet in the Wild Card. Back-to-Back home runs by the Cubs vaulted their team to a 3-1 Game 1 victory. Game 2 was all Padres, as they threw a successful bullpen game to shutout the Cubs, while star Manny Machado had 2 RBIs in their 3-0 win. The Cubs won this game, despite an attempted 9th inning comeback by the Padres, and this 3-1 victory put them in the Division Series to face the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Division Series
The Division Series, which are best out of five, are the first true taste of playoff baseball as now the best teams in the league get to play. The teams that got a bye, the Phillies, Brewers, Blue Jays, and Mariners now get to play. And they certainly left their mark on the Division Series.
Phillies vs Dodgers
The two NL Powerhouses who have characterized the last few years of baseball, the Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Dodgers face off. In Game 1, a late-inning offensive surge by the Dodgers gave them a Game 1 victory, 5-3. In Game 2, the Dodgers Blake Snell had a dominant six-inning performance with 9 strikeouts, and they held off the Phillies in the late innings to win 4-3. With their backs to the wall, the Philly offense came in hot, scoring 8 runs to crush the Dodgers 8-2. And in a pitchers’ duel Game 4 that will be talked about for ages, the Dodgers won 2-1. This game went into extra innings, until a throwing error by Phillies reliever Orion Kerkering lost them the game and their season. The Dodgers go to the NLCS for the second straight year, looking to defend their title.
Brewers vs Cubs
The Cubs and Brewers, two NL Central rivals, clashed in an exciting series that went the full five games. The First two games were all Brewers, as their offense gave them 9-3 and 7-3 victories in the first two games of the series. Their two best players, Jackson Chourio and William Contreras shined in these two games. But in Game 3, a four-run first inning carried the Cubs to a 4-3 victory, forcing a Game 4. The Cubs continued playing good baseball under the stress of elimination as they shut out the Brewers, 6-0. In a winner-take-all Game 5, the Brewers and Cubs traded early homers, but the Brewers were able to pile on two more runs to defeat the Cubs 3-1, sending them to the NLCS to face the Dodgers.
Blue Jays vs Yankees
The best part of playoff baseball is seeing division rivals clash, and this series was no disappointment. In Game 1, the Blue Jays put up the most dominant victory yet in the Playoffs, winning 10-1. In Game 2, the Yankees figured they would be safe with their ace Max Fried on the mound, but the Blue Jays put up thirteen runs, winning 13-7. In both of these games, Vladimir Guerrero Jr plagued the Yankees pitching, as he helped power the Blue Jays to 23 runs in two games. In Game 3, Yankees superstar Aaron Judge had four RBIs and a home run to save their season and force a Game 4. The Blue Jays took down the Yankees in Game 4, winning 5-2. This dominant series victory puts the Blue Jays in the ALCS, and they are a big threat to whoever they play.
Tigers vs Mariners
This series was the most back-and-forth of all of them, characterized by the instant-classic Game 5. In Game 1, the Tigers beat the Mariners in an 11-inning thriller, 3-2. A huge late hit by star Julio Rodriguez would be the difference maker in Game 2, as the Mariners won 3-2. The Mariners won Game 3 8-4, powered by their stars Logan Gilbert and Cal Raleigh. The Tigers offense shined in Game 4, winning 9-3. Javier Baez led the charge with four RBIs. In Game 5, neither team was willing to give any ground. Great pitcher after great pitcher came up clutch for both teams, and they quickly found themselves in the longest game of the postseason. In the 15th inning, Jorge Polanco delivered the winning hit, and the Mariners won 3-2. They move on to face the Blue Jays in the ALCS, seeking their first World Series berth in franchise history.
The Championship matchups are Blue Jays vs Mariners and Dodgers vs Brewers. These games start on Sunday, October 12th and Monday, October 13th respectively.
