2024 MLB League Championship Series Predictions

What a postseason it’s been so far – and there’s still so much baseball to play.

After exciting Game 5 in the National League and the American League Division Series, the matchups for the League Championship Series have been officially set. The Dodgers host the Mets to open the NLCS on Sunday (8:15 p.m. ET on FOX), while the Guardians visit the Yankees in Game 1 of the ALCS on Monday (7:38 p.m. ET on TBS).

That’s why we asked a number of MLB.com experts to weigh in and give their predictions on how the League Championship Series rounds will unfold. Check out their picks for each series below.

Mets (No. 6 seed) vs. Dodgers (No. 1 seed)

The pick: Mets (26 of 45 votes, 58%)

The Mets knocked off two of the National League’s three division winners to make it to the NLCS and now have their sights set on the Dodgers. New York stunned Milwaukee with Pete Alonso’s three-run go-ahead home run in the ninth inning of Game 3 of the Wild Card Series and secured a date with the division rival Phillies in the NLDS. A 95-win Philadelphia team was no problem for the Mets, who eliminated their rivals in four games thanks to Francisco Lindor’s grand slam in the series-clinching win.

“As magical as this Mets run has been, I fear their relatively small circle of trust in the bullpen will catch up with them here. Admittedly, the Dodgers have some serious questions about their starting team, but their lineup has so much firepower and this will be the series where Shohei Ohtani really makes his mark in October.” – Anthony Castrovince, senior national reporter

Series predictions
Mets (6 games): 17 votes
Dodgers (6 games): 14 votes
Mets (5 games): 5 votes
Dodgers (7 games): 4 votes
Mets (7 games): 4 votes
Dodgers (5 games): 1 vote

Who will be named NLCS MVP?
Francisco Lindor (NYM): 15 votes
Shohei Ohtani (LAD): 8 votes
Mookie Betts (LAD): 6 votes
Brandon Nimmo (NYM): 4 votes
Teoscar Hernández (LAD): 3 votes
Mark Vientos (NYM): 3 votes
Pete Alonso (NYM): 2 votes
Edwin Díaz (NYM): 1 vote
Jack Flaherty (LAD): 1 vote
Freddie Freeman (LAD): 1 vote
Tyrone Taylor (NYM): 1 vote

Our voters like Lindor earning the NLCS Most Valuable Player award, with a third of the 45 voters in the poll naming the Mets shortstop. It would be another big moment in an outstanding season for Lindor, who hit a huge home run against the Braves in the doubleheader to close the regular season and another against the Phillies in NLDS Game 4.

“Shohei Ohtani will almost certainly take home the NL MVP award, but Francisco Lindor will lead New York to the NL pennant,” said Brian McGrath, senior editor of content operations. Still, ten other players (five Dodgers and five Mets) received at least one vote, with Ohtani receiving the most votes of all LA players.

Guardians (No. 2 seed) vs. Yankees (No. 1 seed)

The Pick: Yankees (33 of 45 votes, 73%)

It took the Yankees four games – four very close games – to knock out the Royals in the ALDS, with no contest decided by more than two runs. New York may not be able to rely on close wins against a Guardians team that finished third in the MLB with a record of 26-19 (.578) in one-run games thanks to Emmanuel Clase and an elite group of relievers.

“The Yankees have the edge in terms of star power and a stronger rotation, but the Guardians’ best bats woke up towards the end of the ALDS. That and a bullpen that looks as elite as ever should give Cleveland a leg up in what will likely be a trying series.” – Casey Drottar, editorial producer

Series predictions
Yankees (5 games): 15 votes
Yankees (6 games): 11 votes
Yankees (7 games): 7 votes
Guardians (7 games): 8 votes
Guardians (6 games): 3 votes
Guardians (5 games): 1 vote

Who will be named ALCS MVP?
Juan Soto (NYY): 11 votes
Aaron Judge (NYY): 10 votes
Steven Kwan (CLE): 5 votes
José Ramírez (CLE): 5 votes
Gerrit Cole (NYY): 3 votes
Giancarlo Stanton (NYY): 3 votes
Gleyber Torres (NYY): 2 votes
Luke Weaver (NYY): 2 votes
Jazz Chisholm Jr. (NYY): 1 vote
Emmanuel Clase (CLE): 1 vote
Alex Verdugo (NYY): 1 vote
Austin Wells (NYY): 1 vote

Our voters were pretty torn between two of the Yankees’ star hitters, with Soto receiving just one more vote than Judge when it came to winning ALCS MVP. Soto has already been a revelation for the Yankees in his first season with New York – but now it’s his time to shine when it matters most. As social media editorial director Zac Vierra put it, “This will be the series where Juan Soto earns his pinstripes.” Even if Soto doesn’t compete, Judge, Stanton or the six other Yankees in our poll could get MVP votes get the job done – if Ramírez, Kwan and the Guardians don’t beat them to it.