MLB Playoffs 2024: Passan's World Series Prediction and Analysis

After six months and 162 games — including a bonus doubleheader on Monday with two playoff spots still on the line — Major League Baseball enters the postseason on Tuesday with no clear favorite to win the World Series .

For a sport always striving to achieve on-field parity despite financial inequality, the 2024 MLB season offered a near-perfect example of what baseball can achieve: a major-market postseason (Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and possibly the New York Mets) and small (Kansas City Royals and Milwaukee Brewers), with high (Philadelphia Phillies and Houston Astros) and low (Cleveland Guardians, Baltimore Orioles and Detroit Tigers) payrolls.

Expanding the MLB playoffs to 12 teams did nothing to eliminate the excitement of the regular season this year. This is also proven by the 90-win Texas Rangers' victory last season, which defeated the 84-win Arizona Diamondbacks for the World Series title, and in doing so also enriched the opportunities for teams that could not quite survive the rigors of a full season were so outstanding. In baseball, anyone can win a championship.

So this applies to every remaining team, listed in ascending order of regular season win percentage, including all three teams still fighting for the final NL playoff spots. Here's why your team can win the World Series – followed by my 2024 World Series prediction, where I predict which of the remaining teams will actually win it.

Regard: Doubleheader between Mets and Braves, starting Monday. at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN2