**Postseason matchups beginning with Wild Card series on September 29 feature expanded benches and frequent late-inning substitutions, creating regular opportunities for pinch-hit at-bats in high-leverage spots.** Managers often deploy power-oriented reserves or platoon specialists against opposing relievers, particularly in extra innings or when trailing by one or two runs, which can produce home runs despite the overall pitching dominance typical of October baseball. Historical postseason pinch-hit homers remain uncommon, with only a handful across decades including a 2025 World Series grand slam, underscoring the event’s inherent unpredictability. The even-money trader consensus captures this balance between structural incentives for bench usage and the low base rate of long balls from non-starters across a compressed playoff schedule. Late scratches, weather delays, or extended series could shift probabilities by altering lineup construction or game length.