It’s finally here.
MLB’s 162-game regular season schedule can feel like a marathon at certain points — maybe even two marathons. However, 18 teams played their final contest of 2026 on Sunday. We’re now left with the best-of-the-best, all hoping to hoist a championship trophy by the end of October.
We’re also left with two straight days of wall-to-wall playoff baseball. The Wild Card round is awesome. Let’s break down the odds for each series on the DraftKings Sportsbook.
Opening Odds for the MLB Wild Card Series
2026 MLB Wild Card Series Previews & Predictions
Phillies (+105) at Braves (-125)
It is not an overstatement to suggest that the Braves need to win Game 1 of this series. Atlanta will have NL Cy Young candidate Chris Sale toeing the rubber on Tuesday, while Philadelphia has yet to name its starter, after having to burn Zack Wheeler for six innings and 97 pitches on Sunday in order to clinch a spot in the postseason. With that said, Jesus Luzardo has been activated from the IL and Cristopher Sanchez will surely be starting Game 2 on normal rest. It’s not like the club doesn’t have options. Meanwhile, the Braves’ pitching depth sort of falls off a cliff after Sale. Tyler Mahle will get the nod on Wednesday, who was acquired by Atlanta at the trade deadline, but only after the team was unable to loosen Jacob deGrom from the Rangers. Though, to his credit, Mahle has been incredible in his nine outings as a Brave, registering a 1.99 ERA over 54.1 innings.
White Sox (+125) at Astros (-145)
It’s a little surprising to see the Astros as sizable favorites in a playoff series, though it becomes less head-scratching when you start to dig into the club’s talent. Hunter Brown, who should be available to start Game 2, really started to look like himself again down the stretch of the regular season, pitching to a 2.45 ERA and a 1.68 FIP in his most recent six starts. Yordan Alvarez threatened the Triple Crown all year long, while Josh Hader was flirting with an sub 1.00 ERA at the back of Houston’s bullpen. This isn’t the deepest version of the Astros we’ve even seen, but the star power remains. Matchup also looms large. The White Sox are a fun story of a franchise that turned things around faster than anyone expected, yet that includes the front office that built this roster. There’s not enough pitching. Not even close. However, Chicago did lead the AL in runs over the final two weeks of the season (81). They could slug their way to the ALDS.
Red Sox (+140) at Yankees (-170)
It won’t shock you that this is the series that gets the primetime slot on Tuesday. It also shouldn’t shock you that the Yankees are heavy favorites, despite the uncertainty surrounding reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge (calf). Such is the blessing of having Cam Schlittler and his league-best 215 ERA+ take the mound in Game 1, with the promise of Gerrit Cole and Max Fried to follow. I mean, Carlos Rodon owns a 1.89 ERA since the All-Star break and he’s probably not going to sniff a start in this Wild Card round. That’s an unfathomable amount of depth, especially this late in the year. It helps New York’s case that the Red Sox are limping into the postseason. Boston is 7-10 in its last 17 contests, and since the beginning of September, the club ranks dead-last in batting average (.219) and 29th in wRC+ (81). It isn’t July anymore. The Sox might’ve peaked too early.
Cubs (+100) at Padres (-120)
Another National League series with tight odds. To me, the biggest “X factor” in Wild Card matchup is the presence of Nick Pivetta. The right-hander returned to the Padres’ rotation on September 7 after a lengthy IL stint that essentially cost Pivetta his entire 2026. However, he hasn’t missed a beat in shaking off the rust, pitching to a 1.45 ERA with a 9.00 K/BB ratio in his last four outings. He’ll start Game 2, following Michael King in Game 1. That duo gives San Diego something that has eluded Chicago all season long: Reliable starting pitching. The Cubs tried to acquire some veteran solutions at the deadline, but neither Kevin Gausman or Clay Holmes has been all that effective in the Windy City. Still, Chicago leads the league in virtually every important offensive category. It also easily leads MLB in defensive runs saved. If the Cubs can get even league-average pitching, they’ll be a tough out in the postseason.
