1. Philadelphia Phillies
Yes, on paper the Dodgers are a far more talented team than the Phillies are, even at their best in the 2024 season. However, let's consider what this team has accomplished in each of the past two seasons. First, it is important to note that both in the Championship series and in the World Series the past two years, the Phillies have come up just short. But on their route through the postseason ... they've been nearly unmatched.
What still makes this a team that can take down a more talented roster is the fact we have seen it each of the past two seasons. The Atlanta Braves were a dominant team in 2023 and a great team in 2022. Each year, they faced the Phillies in the Division Series as clear favorites, and there was zero question about who the best team -- on paper -- was.
Bryce Harper's iconic stare down of Orlando Arcia or the dugout erupting anytime anything remotely good happened represented just a bit of the energy that was brought for Philadelphia. The Phillies, in the early part of the postseaso,n have proven they can beat anyone. The swagger and "us vs. everyone" mentality is impossible to miss for Philly. If there is anyone with a less talented roster capable of catching L.A. off guard, it is a mentally tough Phillies team with a great top of the rotation and an offense carried by Bryce Harper. Especially at home.