12 teams compete for the Commissioner’s Trophy. Graphic by Anna Gritzenbach.
After a frenzied race for playoff positioning, the MLB postseason is officially underway. As the Wild Card round begins, here is who the Collegian’s sports section believes will go home as champions.
CALEB DENORME | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | cdenorme@butler.edu
Cincinnati Reds vs. Cleveland Guardians in the World Series. Either team winning is a victory for Ohio… which is a victory for America.
DAVID JACOBS | MANAGING EDITOR | drjacobs@butler.edu
My baseball knowledge is low. They play too many games and the season overlaps with so many better sports that I never take the time to tune in. With that being said, give me the Milwaukee Brewers in support of my roommate, who will be anxiously watching just about every game of their race towards a pennant. As I write this, I find out that they have secured the one-seed and are locked up a franchise record for wins in a season, so even more of a reason to ride with The Brew Crew!
SAWYER GOLDWEIN | SPORTS EDITOR | sgoldwein@butler.edu
I almost always let personal bias get the best of me when we do our staff picks, choosing any Cleveland or Washington, D.C. team still in contention. With that in mind, I have yet to make a correct prediction in over two years on staff, so despite my love of “Guards Ball”, I am not choosing the Guardians. Instead, I will take MVP candidate Cal Raleigh and the Seattle Mariners. I will still hang on to an ounce of homerism, though, picking former Guardian Josh Naylor to win World Series MVP.
DOROTHY LAKSHMANAMURTHY | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | dlakshmanamurthy@butler.edu
Unfortunately, baseball is not my go-to sport. For that reason, I am picking the team I am rooting for based on the best stadium treats because good eats heighten any atmosphere. After doing my “extensive” research, I can tell you that the New York Yankees are taking the cake for me. The Yankees’ tiramisu dessert and hazelnut hot fudge sundae — both served in a mini baseball helmet — are not only adorable presentation-wise, but they look absolutely delicious. I can also tell you that the Toronto Blue Jays’ cotton candy french fries are not the vibe, and, from my perspective, that means they are not going far in the playoffs.
NHU-HAN BUI | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR | hbui@butler.edu
My attempts to get into baseball during the football and hockey offseason all fell short, so my knowledge about the sport remains limited to the fact that my hometown Reds are disappointing, which is a common trend in Cincinnati sports. Last year, I picked the Los Angeles Dodgers because of Shohei Ohtani’s amazing season and it worked, so this year I’ll be backing them again despite Cincy making the playoffs. They should be able to breeze past Cincinnati in the Wild Card, and while the Philadelphia Phillies and Brewers will be more of a challenge, I have no doubt they can pull out the wins against both. It’s a tossup as to who the Dodgers will face in the finals, but I believe they can complete the repeat.
MARIA CLARA KOLLER | STAFF REPORTER | mkollerfernandez@butler.edu
I would normally back the Yankees, as they are my favorite team, but this year I will pick someone else in hopes that I do not jinx them. Most of my baseball knowledge comes from Instagram or my friend Noah, so I decided to trust both of my sources for this year’s postseason. According to Noah, this year is going to be entertaining given the fact that there isn’t one powerhouse team. The Mariners and Blue Jays are going to make a deep run, while Cleveland is looking like a dark horse. I am ruling out the Dodgers because I do not like them and Milwaukee because I do not want to pick them. So this year I have the Blue Jays winning it all, mostly because Noah told me to.
OWEN PRISCOTT | STAFF REPORTER | opriscott@butler.edu
As a die-hard Yankees fan, I can not go against them. This is not without reason though! The Bronx Bombers are getting hot at the right time, and they have the best hitter in all of baseball in Aaron Judge. The team also arguably has the best one-two punch of starting pitching in baseball with Max Fried and Carlos Rodon. The American League (AL) is a tough league this year. The Blue Jays are scrappy and play small-ball extremely well, the Mariners are surging at the right time as well, and so are the Guardians. From the National League (NL), I think the Yankees are either going to be playing the Brewers or Phillies in the World Series. The Brewers have such a deep pitching staff and are probably the most clutch team in all of baseball. The Phillies have slugging and pitching to match that, and Kyle Schwarber is known for being a postseason performer at the top of their lineup.
ROCCO SANTORO | STAFF REPORTER | rsantoro@butler.edu
My World Series pick is none other than my favorite team, and the best team in baseball: the Milwaukee Brewers. After starting the season 0-4, the Brewers have bounced back thanks to Cy Young caliber pitching from Freddy Peralta, and clutch late-game hitting. The power of friendship in Milwaukee is real, as they are close to breaking their franchise record for most wins in a single season. With that, I have the Brewers defeating the Yankees in six games, and Andrew Vaughn winning World Series MVP because that would just be awesome.
ADDISON DUKUS | STAFF REPORTER | adukus@butler.edu
I do not follow the MLB consistently, but I will always root for any and all Detroit sports, whether they stink or they are phenomenal. So, of course, my pick must be the Detroit Tigers. Yes, they’ve been struggling recently, but with Tarik Skubal as well as a stacked outfield including Riley Greene, they have the capability to go far. If you forget about their little losing streak, the Tigers have done exceptionally well this season, and they most definitely have a chance to make it all the way.
CALEB BALL | STAFF REPORTER | cdball@butler.edu
My pick is completely biased and cherished with hope. Being from Maine, I have always loved the Boston Red Sox, and they have shown they belong in the conversation this year. The rotation has been shifted from what it was at the beginning of the year, but it was for the best. Walker Buehler was a big pickup but was dropped, and the team lost both Tanner Houck and Hunter Dobbins to injury. Lucas Giolito and Brayan Bello have stepped up and delivered a solid 1-2-3 punch beside Garrett Crochet. The toughest opponent they will most likely face is in the first round with the Yankees. The Red Sox dominated them in the regular season with a 9-4 record and a 5-2 record in the Bronx. In the NL, the Phillies have provided big bats and a solid rotation. I believe they have the most well-rounded team to power them to the World Series. Being an avid Philadelphia sports hater as a Boston sports fan, it would make me ecstatic with Boston taking the series 4-2.
JAMIE HEALY | STAFF REPORTER | jdhealy1@butler.edu
After an incredibly exciting regular season, it is finally time for the MLB postseason. As a Wisconsin sports fan, my heart wants me to believe the Brewers will win their first pennant since 1982 and then finally capture their first World Series. However, my head tells me that the Phillies are the class of the NL for a reason and will capture the pennant because of their great hitters like Schwarber and NL batting title winner Trea Turner. The AL is also stacked with great stories and teams alike. No story in the AL is better than the Mariners. Over the last month, the Mariners have risen to the top of the AL West for the first time in 24 years. Seattle has never been to the World Series before and I believe they will change that this year. Home Run Derby champion Raleigh will continue to hit home runs and the rest of the team will feed off of the rabid Seattle crowd. In the World Series, I will take the Phillies over the Mariners in a six game series. Bryce Harper finally gets his World Series and another title will be celebrated in the “City of Brotherly Love.”
JIA SKRUDLAND | MARKETING MANAGER | jskrudland@butler.edu
This may come as a surprise to some of my dearest friends and family that I watched a lone baseball game this season. Of course, that one game was the White Sox — who, by the way, are on the upswing, relatively speaking. Although I haven’t devoted much time to following America’s pastime this season, my loyalty to the game and the White Sox is too strong to be broken, so I’m going to go with the other Sox to win this year’s pennant. Fenway. The Green Monster. Crochet. Boston. Wally the Green Monster. Lobster. What a wicked combination for success if you ask me. However, if the Brewers and Red Sox are the last two teams playing in October, this newfound allegiance may be halted as there’s a Milwaukeean and Bostonian living with me under the same roof.
AIDEN CADDELL | STAFF REPORTER | acaddell@butler.edu
The Chicago Cubs have turned their team around – and quickly. After a firesale of the 2016 World Series winning core back in 2021, which sent fan favorites Kris Bryant to the Giants, Anthony Rizzo to the Yankees and Javier Baez to the Mets, the Cubs’ future looked uncertain. However, just four years later, the team’s championship window has been reborn with a new, young, power-hitting core. The returning piece in the Baez deal, Pete-Crow Armstrong has broken out in 2025, showcasing 30-homer power, 35-steal speed, and Gold Glove-level defense in the outfield. Now, four time all-star Kyle Tucker — a player who has experience in winning the World Series with his victory in 2022 with the Houston Astros — has also joined the Northside. Adding onto those two stars are four more players who eclipsed over 20 home runs on the year. The pitching staff is solid, too – highlighted by all-star Matthew Boyd and a potential NL Championship Series comeback for NL Rookie of the Year favorite Cade Horton. The Cubbies are back in the playoffs for the first time since the COVID-shortened 2020 season, and as a Cubs fan, I feel that the World Series trophy could come back to Wrigley Field this November.
