Before the 2018 MLS season started, and long before the Sons of a Pitch podcast was conceived, Mike and Nick made their playoff predictions. They were mostly in agreement, and both bought into some pre-season hype. Nick was intrigued by RSL, Mike thought the Union would make that jump forward, and both believed the Galaxy would (somewhat) return to form. Now that we’re through about a quarter of the season, it’s time to revisit their picks:
Eastern Conference
| Predictions | Currently | |
| 1 | Toronto FC | Atlanta United |
| 2 | NYCFC | NYCFC |
| 3 | Atlanta United | New England |
| 4 | Chicago | Columbus |
| 5 | Orlando City | Orlando City |
| 6 | Red Bulls (Nick) / Union (Mike) | Red Bulls |
Western Conference
| Predictions | Currently | |
| 1 | Sporting KC | Sporting KC |
| 2 | Seattle | Vancouver |
| 3 | Real Salt Lake | LAFC |
| 4 | Portland | FC Dallas |
| 5 | Dallas (Nick) / Vancouver (Mike) | LA Galaxy |
| 6 | LA Galaxy | Real Salt Lake |
Are Toronto and Seattle too far down to make the post-season? Can LAFC beat the odds as an expansion team? Is Sporting KC still the best in the west? Please leave your comments below, and we’ll continue to track the playoff picture as the season progresses.