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8 Predictions for the Second Half of the Season for the Portland Timbers

After a bye week, the Portland Timbers are getting ready to start what is essentially the second half of the season on Wednesday by traveling to San Jose and taking on the Earthquake. Here are eight predictions for the Portland Timbers that will happen by the end of the season.

By Abel Loza

May 18, 2024; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Portland Timbers forward Jonathan Rodriguez (14) celebrates after scoring a goal during the first half against Minnesota United at Allianz Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
May 18, 2024; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Portland Timbers forward Jonathan Rodriguez (14) celebrates after scoring a goal during the first half against Minnesota United at Allianz Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
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1. The Timbers Will Make the Playoffs.

Apr 13, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; The Portland Timbers army celebrate a second goal during the first half against LAFC at Providence Park. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 13, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; The Portland Timbers army celebrate a second goal during the first half against LAFC at Providence Park. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-USA TODAY Sports / Craig Strobeck-USA TODAY Sports

The Timbers have found a groove lately, and compounded with an advantageous home-heavy backend schedule, Portland will make the playoffs. This doesn't include the “Play-In” game MLS has manufactured, but the actual playoffs.  Portland will finish comfortably between the 4th and 7th seed as they compete for a home playoff series. While they currently sit in 10th place-- one spot back due to goal differential-- the Timbers have cooked up a way to get important points in tough road games. This, combined with a dangerous offense, will see them have the potential to make a deep playoff run.

How far they advance depends on how well the role players, such as Antony, Santi and David Ayala, play down the stretch.

2. Evander Will Be an MVP Finalist (If Healthy)

Portland Timbers v St Louis City SC
Portland Timbers v St Louis City SC / Bill Barrett/ISI Photos/GettyImages

With the Timbers making a late-season playoff push, the rest of the league and pundits will finally see how well Evander has been playing and vote him in the top three of league MVP voting. What will untimely keep him from winning is the team’s slow start and middle-of-the-table finish. His stats will compare to Diego Valeri’s 2017 MVP season when he fell short of 20 goals but had over 10 assists. Evander will finish behind Lionel Messi and Real Salt Lake’s Cristian Arango. 

This will be a double-edged sword as European teams will sniff around Portland, asking about Evander. Portland will hopefully do enough to keep him until the end of his contract.

3. Portland Will Not Win the Cascadia Cup

Oct 22, 2017; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Timbers defender Liam Ridgewell (24) raises the Cascadia Cup after Timbers defeated Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 at Providence Park. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 22, 2017; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Timbers defender Liam Ridgewell (24) raises the Cascadia Cup after Timbers defeated Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 at Providence Park. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports / Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports

Unfortunately, the Timbers' second half of the season will not be all roses and cotton candy. Portland will have an uphill battle to climb if they want to win the Cascadia Cup.  With two losses already to their Cascadian rivals, one to each team, and two trips to Seattle on the horizon, the Timbers face a tough road. However, the beauty of rivalry games lies in their unpredictability, leaving room for the unexpected and the thrilling.  This doesn't mean the end of the season for the Timbers. They have never won the Cascadia Cup AND reached the MLS Cup final in the same season. So, they didn't win the rivalry trophy in either 2015, 2018, or 2021, yet they were still able to reach the final



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