National League Wild Card Series predictions: Our experts make their picks

It will be hard for the National League Wild Card Series to compete with the excitement of the wild Braves /Mets play-in tournament otherwise known as Games 161 and 162. ( Our condolences to the Arizona Diamondbacks .) The matchups have been set, the teams are hopefully not too tired and the postseason is officially underway.

The New York Mets will head to Milwaukee to take on the Brewers , while the Atlanta Braves get the courtesy of playing a well-rested — and according to our experts, quite fearsome — San Diego Padres team.

Our crew weighs in on the two NL Wild Card Series below:

Note: Playoff seeding in brackets.

New York Mets (6) vs. Milwaukee Brewers (3)

. Mets Wild Card Series preview: Predictions, pitching matchups and more

Andy McCullough (New York): The Mets appear possessed by some sort of cosmic force that can neither be explained or contained. (Also, they hit the ball over the fence a fair amount.)

Will Sammon (Milwaukee): I like the Mets here, and don't hate their chances; it's just hard to pick the team that is essentially running on fumes. The Brewers are rested and boast one of baseball's best bullpens. Their athleticism and speed have overwhelmed the Mets in prior games.

Fabian Ardaya (New York): Grimace. That's why they'll win. On a serious note, the Brewers' ability to navigate this season without much consistent starting pitching is commendable. It's more difficult to accomplish in October. The Mets survived Monday's gauntlet while keeping their top two arms fresh in Luis Severino and Sean Manaea . Did they just drop a series in Milwaukee? Yeah, they did. But I'm going with a team that maybe has some carryover after Monday's early comeback win.

C. Trent Rosecrans (Milwaukee): The Brewers have been overlooked all season. The lineup is long and the team doesn't beat itself. I'm not sure I saw a better team in person this year.

Eno Sarris (New York): OMG! The magic continues.

Andrew Baggarly (New York): The Mets will not be a rested team when they arrive in America's Dairyland. But they will be arriving with all their competitive edges sharpened. And often, that's more important.

Jen McCaffrey (New York): It's hard to bet against them after that Game 161 win.

Keith Law (Milwaukee): The Brewers were one of the best run-prevention teams in baseball, maybe the best when you consider who's healthy and available right now. The Mets' lineup is also very right-handed, and they'll probably face only right-handed starters from Milwaukee.

Stephen J. Nesbitt (Milwaukee): No team can compete with the Mets on vibes right now. But I'm here to tell you the Brewers are better than you think. The lineup is not especially deep, but it has speed — Brice Turang had 50 steals this season, and four others had 20 — and decent power production from William Contreras , Willy Adames , Jackson Chourio and Rhys Hoskins . If they can get three runs per game, that might be enough. Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers are trustworthy atop the rotation, and the bullpen is one of the best in baseball, led by Trevor Megill , Jared Koenig and closer Devin Williams . The Mets have played incredibly well in the second half. But I think the ride stops here.

Sam Blum (New York): Francisco Lindor doesn't seem interested in letting his team lose. The Mets will also have their top three starters lined up in Milwaukee.

Chad Jennings (New York): For me, this is the biggest toss-up of the wild-card round. Neither team's rotation is especially inspiring, but the Mets have gotten a lot out of Sean Manaea and David Peterson , and the Brewers can lean heavily on their excellent bullpen (especially in a three-game series). It's basically a coin flip for me, and I'd probably trust the Brewers a little more over the long haul. But the Mets found their stride in the second half and they have the more dangerous lineup, so they're my pick to keep things going just a little longer.

Chandler Rome (New York): I like the song . There, I said it.

Zack Meisel (Milwaukee): America, meet Jackson Chourio.

Kaitlyn McGrath (Milwaukee): The Mets' most memorable moment this season may go down as Game 1 of Monday's doubleheader, because I don't see them pulling off the upset against the Brewers. Milwaukee has been steady from start to finish, despite a year where they could have been written off because of injuries. They've played well at home this season, and I think that trend will continue in the Wild Card Series.

David O'Brien (Milwaukee): The Mets' pitching is a bit shaky and the Brewers have a good vibe going.

Sahadev Sharma (Milwaukee): Great bullpen, balanced offense that can do a lot. Starting pitching does concern me.

Patrick Mooney (New York): This looks like a classic Brewers team that overachieves during the regular season and makes a quick October exit.

Katie Woo (Milwaukee): It's hard to beat athleticism, and the Brewers are one of the most athletic teams in baseball.

Atlanta Braves (5) vs. San Diego Padres (4)

. Braves Wild Card Series preview: Predictions, pitching matchups and more

Andy McCullough (San Diego): Anything is possible, but the Braves appear to be at a significant disadvantage after 18 exhausting innings on Monday. San Diego might be the most complete team in the field.

Will Sammon (San Diego): How much do the Braves have left? The Padres built one of the game's best bullpens. They also have the star power that tends to show up in October. Sure, it's a wide-open year, but the Padres should be on the shortlist for World Series favorite.

Fabian Ardaya (San Diego): There hasn't been a better team in the sport since the All-Star break, and there might not be a team that appears more uniquely built for October. Their lineup makes contact. Their starting pitching is deep enough. Their bullpen is electric. Their stars have October experience.

C. Trent Rosecrans (San Diego): The Padres are the team nobody wants to play right now and Atlanta has been pushed to the brink.

Eno Sarris (San Diego): The Braves' arms will be so taxed by how the end of the season went down and the Padres probably have the best pitching staff in the postseason.

Andrew Baggarly (San Diego): The Padres have been getting players back from the injured list. The Braves, not so much. And if Chris Sale is unavailable, it's hard to imagine the Braves surviving a best-of-3 on the road.

Jen McCaffrey (San Diego): The Braves barely made it into the postseason and the Padres have been on a mission for most of the season.

Keith Law (San Diego): Atlanta limped into the postseason with their two best players on the IL, then used their No. 3 and 4 starters in Monday's doubleheader. The Padres are the stronger team anyway, but they come into this in much better shape than Atlanta.

Stephen J. Nesbitt (San Diego): The exhausted Braves pitching staff will be without Chris Sale for the Wild Card Series. They still have a couple mashers and mighty Max Fried , but, man, I just don't see it.

They're so shorthanded. The Friars are fully stocked, rolling out Dylan Cease , Michael King and Joe Musgrove in the rotation and adding Yu Darvish to a bullpen that has three closers at the back end. Even without Ha-Seong Kim , this Padres lineup will chip away at what's left of the Braves pitching staff until it cracks.

Sam Blum (San Diego): A doubleheader, cross-country flight and Chris Sale injury will make this too tough a task for Atlanta.

Chad Jennings (San Diego): Their infield defense isn't ideal, but the Padres otherwise have one of the most complete teams in the postseason. Their lineup is deep with power in the middle, and no National League pitching staff had a better ERA in the second half. The Padres' rotation has four legit starters, and even if one of them stumbles, the bullpen was strengthened at the trade deadline so that it can go seven or eight arms deep whenever necessary. It took all the Braves had to reach this point, but the Padres have more to give, and they're going to keep going.

Chandler Rome (San Diego): Since the All-Star break, the Padres have played like the most complete team in baseball. The Braves are down their Cy Young front-runner and have to be depleted after Monday. Atlanta's struggles to score runs will be magnified by a Padres pitching staff that will be a force throughout October.

Zack Meisel (San Diego): After that doubleheader chaos, the Braves barely have time for a nap before the wild-card round, let alone a chance to regroup (or get their ace back).

Kaitlyn McGrath (San Diego): The Padres went 43-20 since the All-Star break and I don't see their momentum letting up just because the calendar flipped to October. The Braves, meanwhile, had to scramble to win the back half of a doubleheader on Monday just to get into the postseason. The Padres have the edge and I think they'll take advantage.

David O'Brien (San Diego): Because they're healthier than the Braves if Chris Sale is out, and will have a huge, energized crowd behind them.

Sahadev Sharma (San Diego): They're healthier and better. Doesn't feel close right now.

Patrick Mooney (San Diego): Because they didn't play a doubleheader on Monday.

Katie Woo (San Diego): Well, besides the fact they aren't fresh off a doubleheader and cross-country travel ... The Padres don't scare easy. They found their identity in the second half. They have slug in Manny Machado , National League Rookie of the Year frontrunner Jackson Merrill and (checks notes) Jurickson Profar . Manager Mike Shildt has extensive postseason experience. The Padres are fun to watch — and dangerously underrated.