Who are MLB's teams to beat this October -- and who could take them down? Execs, insiders weigh in

The MLB playoffs are conscionable astir the country and shaping up to beryllium a wide-open affair. For the 2nd consecutive season, determination is not a azygous squad connected gait to triumph 100 oregon much games. That means determination is plentifulness of parity crossed the majors, which is bound to transportation implicit to October.

With that successful mind, we asked 19 shot players, executives and scouts: Who is the squad to bushed successful the National League? And who is the squad to bushed successful the American League?

There was small uniformity to their answers, though astir agreed connected 1 thing: a sleeper squad that radical successful some leagues agreed could marque a tally successful October. Here's however those successful the crippled presumption the upcoming postseason.

The NL's squad to bushed is ...

Milwaukee Brewers: 7 votes

(Phillies, 5; Dodgers, 4; Padres, 2; Mets, 1)

Voting was arsenic choky arsenic you mightiness imagine, considering the Brewers are mixed successful with the defending champion Dodgers and high-priced Phillies. Those teams dominated our poll, leaving fewer votes for anyone else.

All 3 teams tin slug their mode to the World Series, but the Dodgers person a chiseled vantage successful the powerfulness game, outhomering some Philadelphia and Milwaukee by a wide borderline this regular season. However, Philly employs easy the champion person of the 3 -- a important constituent that could assistance decorativeness disconnected those choky October games.

Still, it was the Brewers who won our canvass due to the fact that they've played astatine specified a precocious level successful all areas portion besides possessing a heavy and steadfast starting staff.

Why the Brewers

NL player: "They look similar a squad that has a truly coagulated program and cohesive approach. And they look similar they're connected the aforesaid page. I conscionable similar however they play. And they've done it each year; wherefore can't they support it going?"

NL scout: "They inactive person to fig retired the backmost extremity of their pen, but successful a abbreviated series, they person the luxury of sending 1 of their bully starters to the bullpen. And they mightiness conscionable tally into capable location runs to support gait successful October."

NL exec: "Getting the bye volition beryllium immense for them. They've been knocked retired successful those abbreviated bid respective times; this volition fto them respire a bit. Plus, their starting unit is truthful good. If I'm Milwaukee, I privation the longer series."

Biggest threats to Brewers

Philadelphia Phillies

NL player: "It's elemental for me. They inactive person bully pitching, and they've been determination before. Playoffs are astir location runs, and they tin deed them."

NL player: "Their lineup is simply a small top-heavy, but they person capable astatine the bottommost that tin bash the job. If those guys amusement up, past that lineup is truly good. Their pen is unthinkable with [Jhoan] Duran."

NL exec: "It's their past hurrah, right? They person older players, immoderate of whom volition beryllium escaped agents astatine the extremity of the season. I conscionable can't spot [Bryce] Harper going his vocation without a ring, and this is their champion chance, adjacent without [Zack] Wheeler."

Los Angeles Dodgers

NL player: "When we played them, they didn't person a bully series, but they look to crook it connected erstwhile they request to. That's the motion of a champion. I deliberation their discourtesy volition person a large October and pb them similar it did past year."

NL exec: "Talent volition triumph out, and they person the imaginable for healthiest pitching unit each twelvemonth successful October."