After a busy and exciting week of baseball, which included three series going the maximum three games and a slew of memorable performances, the Divisional round is set. While most of the attention will be rightfully placed on the victors, it is also important to bid a proper farewell to the four teams that had an early October exit. Making the playoffs was an accomplishment for some of them, while for others it could mark the end of an era. In any case, we present a small post-mortem for the Reds, Guardians, Padres, and Red Sox, with a look at how their offseason may play out.
Notable Free Agents: Zack Littell, Nick Martinez, Austin Hays (mutual option)
Had you told manager Terry Francona that the Reds would average nearly five runs over two games to start the Wild Card round, he probably would have liked his team’s chances to at least force a decisive Game 3. Instead, Cincinnati never really had a chance to upset the juggernaut Dodgers, especially as their vaunted starting pitchers faltered and the offense was twice unable to mount a serious late comeback, even as LA’s bullpen appeared hellbent on handing them the chance. Cincinnati’s quick exit was probably expected, but it was still a tough reminder of how this organization needs to vastly improve to be considered a true contender.
The haters said the Cincinnati Reds didn’t belong in the playoffs. And they were correct. Honestly great call by the haters. pic.twitter.com/jtbUELuL57
— John Boy (@OfficialJohnBoy) October 1, 2025
Having Francona on board helped stabilize the ship and should remain a boost for the near future, but it is also true that Cincinnati’s October cameo happened mostly because of an unexpected Mets collapse. The Reds still have the advantage of a young core and an extra year of seasoning for their rotation, but they remain a distant third in terms of talent in the NL Central. The lack of impact free agent in the Reds roster suggests that the team will keep a high floor heading into 2026, but an impact bat or two could work wonders to add a new dimension for the offense, especially in the power department.
Playoff foibles notwithstanding, Hunter Greene remains an enviable ace to have atop the rotation, while Nick Lodolo and Andrew Abbott are still young enough to think they can get even better. The same cannot be said for the enigmatic Elly De La Cruz, as he took a major step back in 2025, a year removed from his top-10 MVP finish. The uber-athletic shortstop will be a tender 24 by the start of next season, so there is still plenty of room to develop, but the Reds need to make sure he continues to get closer to his full potential. Should de la Cruz become a really good player instead of a franchise cornerstone, the next half-decade’s outlook could be quite different for this organization.
With the NL as a whole having a clear pecking order and the Central in particular being as tough as ever, the Reds will need to become more aggressive if they wish to climb up a notch. While youth is still on their side and they continue to develop solid hitters in the minors, they remain a prime candidate to land a difference-maker for their offense, even if it happens by trading away from their surplus of good starting pitchers. This season may have been a success in a vacuum, but there is a long road ahead.
Notable Free Agents: None
It is hard to gauge how this season will be remembered in Cleveland. On one hand, they literally completed the biggest divisional comeback in MLB history, coming back from a 15.5-game deficit to win the AL Central. On the other, they ultimately were eliminated by the very team they beat in the regular season, as a short series proved that the Tigers were probably the better team all along. A dominant Tarik Skubal was too much for the Guardians in Game 1, while a rare bullpen blow-up ended Cleveland’s season with a tough home defeat. The raucous crowds served as a reminder that the city is always eager to support the home team, even as the end result is always familiar.
The Cleveland Guardians coming all the way back from 15.5 games down, 0.4% chance of winning the division at the start of September, just to lose to the team they overtook for the division in the first round of the playoffs is why sports are stupid.
— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) October 2, 2025
Similar to their Ohio counterparts, the Guardians have a lot of things working in their favor to ensure a stable floor, albeit with a much smaller ceiling. Also, unlike the more unpredictable Cincinnati front office, it is almost guaranteed that Cleveland will not foray into free agency with a lot of money to throw around, leaving the roster to try and catch magic like they did in 2025. This modus operandi has usually been effective for Cleveland, but it never ceases to be uninspiring, especially as José Ramírez will probably start his decline sooner rather than later.
The emergence of Kyle Manzardo for the offense and Gavin Williams in the rotation should be considered highlights for this season, as they could become an even more important part of Cleveland before they price themselves out of town. At the same time, the likely loss of closer Emmanuel Clase could have a profound impact on the bullpen, especially as MLB’s investigation continues to drag on and many think that he will be barred from the game. Building a solid bullpen has been a constant for the Cleveland front office, but there is no way to recover from losing your best performer with nothing in return.
In the end, this was a team that made the playoffs despite a negative run differential, and ending the season as a wild-card loser sounds perfectly consistent with that. However, the Guardians had ridden a magical 20-7 September to this point, so there will be some disappointment in the end result. It doesn’t compare to the disappointment of knowing that the roster will remain mostly unchanged come next Opening Day, probably wasting another season in the Hall of Fame path of Ramirez.
Notable Free Agents: Ramón Laureano (club option), Luis Arraez, Michael King, Dylan Cease, Ryan O’Hearn, Robert Suarez (opt-out)
In terms of a pure competitive cycle timeline, no wild card loss could prove more damaging than the one suffered by the Padres. Despite the team’s recent financial struggles, it became clear that 2025 was a clear all-in season for the front office, including the aggressive trade for closer Mason Miller at the deadline. However, when a late-season push was not enough to overcome the Dodgers in the NL West, a road series was the only thing the team could achieve towards October, where they simply ran into a better team.
If one thing is concerning about how 2025 played out for the Padres, it is that they lost a lot of their flair. This was evident in the team’s lack of power throughout the season, as only Fernando Tatis Jr. Jr. and Manny Machado surpassed the 20-homer mark. While a solid rotation and an excellent bullpen did most of the heavy lifting, the lack of offensive weapons was evident in the playoffs, as the Padres were only able to score five runs through three games, and were eliminated despite only allowing six. While Tatis in particular is young enough to think that he can be the focal point for years to come, the same cannot be said for the likes of Machado and Xander Bogaerts, while fellow youngster Jackson Merrill suffered through an injury-plagued sophomore slump that put a halt to the sky-high expectations of his debut season.
The San Diego Padres when facing elimination from the “Cubs” pic.twitter.com/rPRsErJBF0
— Edot (@EdotHxncho) October 2, 2025
Moreover, the Padres are about to face a significant exodus of players through free agency, including a couple of their key deadline veteran additions, a hitting savant, two solid starting pitchers, and the likely opt-out of their all-world closer. While top exec AJ Preller has been known to maximize his team’s competitive window, this could prove the ultimate test of his wits and creativity. In a division that includes a clear top dog in the Dodgers and two teams on the rise over at San Francisco and Arizona, the Padres will face a tough offseason.
With home attendance numbers still at a top level, it is clear that fans in San Diego are still hopeful that this team will someday get over the hump. However, in many ways, this season as a whole probably was proof that the Padres remain stuck in 2024’s NLDS, when they had a once-in-a-lifetime chance to rewrite history, only to flounder and get to this point, where that elusive championship looks as far away as it ever did.
Notable Free Agents: Lucas Giolito (mutual option), Trevor Story (opt-out), Alex Bregman (opt-out)
Despite all the early chaos stemming from the Rafael Devers saga and eventual trade, there are many reasons to consider 2025 a success for the Boston Red Sox. Offseason acquisition Garrett Crochet became the best or second-best pitcher in the AL, rookie Roman Anthony emerged at age 21 and signed a long-term extension with the franchise, Alex Bregman was a solid addition via free agency, Trevor Story played 157 games of above-average production, and the team had its first playoff appearance since 2021. However, some of that luster may be wiped off by how the season ended.
Boston will carry the ignominy of being the only team eliminated after winning Game 1 of its series, and plenty of questions will surround the franchise, especially after squandering several chances in game 2. It is not hyperbole to say that a more aggressive approach on the basepaths could have yielded a different result, or that manager Alex Cora could have shown more urgency with his bullpen, but all that’s left now is what-ifs around the eventual loss. Game 3 was a lost cause from the get-go, as Yankee rookie Cam Schlittler was on a mission to deliver one of the best postseason starts of all time, and Boston could only watch as he delivered the improbable feat.
Cam Schlittler threw 107 pitches tonight
96 were some type of fastball (FF, SI, FC)
61 of them were in the strike zone
64 of them were 98+ MPH
11 of them were 100+MPHDared the Red Sox to hit him and they couldn't do it. That’s a grown man start.
pic.twitter.com/ImrQ14NAGT— James Schiano (@James_Schiano) October 3, 2025
Outside of this sad goodbye, it is important to remember that the Red Sox are in a very good spot going forward, especially if they decide to flex their financial muscles during the offseason. Having Crochet and Brayan Bello atop the rotation gives Boston a solid base, similar to their offense if Anthony continues to ascend and the likes of Jarren Duran and Ceddanne Rafaela remain solid major leaguers. The likely opt-outs of Story and Bregman could be problematic, as it is unlikely that both return, but the front office will probably take its team to at least make a nice offer and try to sell the team’s competitive standpoint as a bonus for these veterans or other free agents who could see the Sox as an intriguing option.
While the AL East should remain tough for the foreseeable future, Boston has the talent and resources to stay afloat, especially if this year serves as a building block towards bigger and better things. Despite carrying a payroll north of $200 million, it was good for only 11th in baseball. Seeing their division foes face each other in the next round will be a tough pill to swallow, but it could also become the motivating factor towards returning to the ways of how the franchise operated earlier this century.
