Philly Leader

The MLB Division Series is set to begin with four matchups scheduled for Saturday. The Tigers will face the Guardians at Progressive Field, followed by the Phillies hosting the Mets, the Royals visiting the Yankees, and finally, the Dodgers playing against the Padres at Dodger Stadium.

In the American League, experts predict that the Detroit Tigers will continue their unexpected success by defeating the Cleveland Guardians. Detroit recently swept the Astros in Houston during the AL Wild Card Series. "These two teams are not only from the same division but also built very similarly -- they rely on making contact, playing good defense and getting great relief pitching," said Jason Catania, supervising editor for breaking news. He added that José Ramírez could be a deciding factor for Cleveland.

Meanwhile, in another American League matchup, experts favor the New York Yankees over the Kansas City Royals. The Yankees boast a powerful lineup led by Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. Alan Rittner, editorial producer, noted that "the Yankees have an overwhelming edge in power -- but the Royals can match New York's frontline starting pitching."

In the National League, predictions lean towards a victory for the Philadelphia Phillies against their rivals, the New York Mets. Meghan Ward, an editorial producer, remarked that although "on paper, the Phillies seem to have the upper hand," she believes in "the Mets' scrappiness and never-say-die attitude."

Finally, experts anticipate that San Diego Padres will triumph over Los Angeles Dodgers despite LA's strong record and high-profile players like Shohei Ohtani. Andrew Werle from content operations expressed confidence in Ohtani's potential impact: "Ohtani has shown he rises to every occasion."

These expert opinions set an intriguing stage as fans look forward to seeing which teams advance further into this year's postseason.