MLB Wild Card Round Playoff Predictions

 

MLB Wild Card Round Playoff Predictions

American League

Toronto Blue Jays Vs Tampa Bay Rays

This is going to be a good matchup to watch because these are division opponents who know each other well. The Rays came out of nowhere this year. There weren’t really any expectations on this team and yet, they managed to win their division and take the #1 spot in the American League. The Blue Jays started off the season very shaky, but found their identity and finally started getting the most out of their batting lineup. The pitching is a weak spot for them and that is the exact opposite problem for the Rays. Starting pitching is always a big deal when it comes to the postseason and I think that gives the Rays the edge in this matchup.

Rays over Blue Jays in 3 games

 

New York Yankees Vs Cleveland Indians

The Indians can thank their starting pitcher Shane Bieber for helping them get to the postseason because this dude has flat out dominated every single team he has faced this season. He is the obvious choice for the AL Cy Young this season considering he literally dominated in every single pitching category imaginable. Outside of Bieber though, the Indians are a pretty mediocre team and are going up against a stacked and healthy Yankees squad. The Yankees came into this season as the heavy favorite to win the Championship and things were rocky towards the middle of the season, but they were missing over half of their lineup due to injury. Now that the Yankees have their sluggers back they look to be back to their dominating ways and even though the Indians have solid starting pitching I don’t think any of the other starters besides Bieber will even have a shot at shutting down the Yankees batting lineup. The Yankees are weak when it comes to starting pitching, but if it becomes a slugfest the Yankees should win that matchup easily.

Yankees over Indians in 3 games

 

Houston Astros Vs Minnesota Twins

One of the most upsetting things about this season was that there were no fans in the stands to heckle the absolute shit out of the Astros, but they still struggled hard this season and were very lucky to even make the postseason. They were a very mediocre team overall and played like garbage for the most part, which is coincidental since they were known for banging trash cans over the last couple of seasons, but I digress. The Twins continued building off of what they started last season, with solid starting pitching and a reliable batting lineup they have plowed through each and every opponent and, should be a tough team for anyone they’re up against in the postseason. Since the Astros can’t cheat in this series it will be an uphill battle for them against the Twins who are a much better team in every way.

Twins over Astros in 2 games

 

Chicago White Sox Vs Oakland A’s

Out of every matchup in the Wild Card round, this is going to be the best one by far. The White Sox have finally put it all together with their batting lineup and the starting pitching has finally found some type of consistency. The White Sox have been a laughing stock for awhile now, but since they’ve sucked so bad, they’ve been able to draft some really good players who have finally shown their worth this season. The A’s have been one of the most solid teams from start to finish and it’s all because of the pitching. The batting lineup has helped a lot, but the pitching has definitely led the way, which will make for an excellent series between these teams. Long time baseball fans know though, that starting pitching is key when it comes to winning in the postseason and the A’s have the better lineup who have maintained their consistency from start to finish, which I think gives them the edge in this matchup.

A’s over White Sox in 3 games

 

National League

Milwaukee Brewers Vs Los Angeles Dodgers

Once again, the Dodgers are the most dominant team in the National League and maybe a shortened season can help them actually win a Championship this time around. The Dodgers are probably the most complete team in the entire league at this point and they are going to be tough to try and beat in a series. The starting pitching is strong, the bullpen can hold it down, the defense is stellar, and the batting lineup will be tough for any opponent to work around. The Brewers backed their way into the playoffs and are lucky to be here, but other than that they have no shot in this matchup!

Dodgers over Brewers in 2 games

 

St. Louis Cardinals Vs San Diego Padres

The Padres have been this season’s biggest surprise by far! Fernando Tatis has had an amazing season and has dominated behind the plate with clutch hitting, which in turn, has energized the rest of the batting lineup and the Padres batting order has been one of the strongest in the league. The pitching has also played a huge role as to why this team has played so well this season. The Cardinals have had a decent season, but nothing to get excited about. They were inconsistent for the most part and really just started to get hot at the right time. The Cardinals should make this an interesting matchup, but in the end the Padres are a much better team on offense and defense.

Padres over Cardinals in 3 games

 

Miami Marlins Vs Chicago Cubs

This is the first time the Marlins have made the playoffs since 2003 and I hope they enjoy it because I don’t think it’s going to last long. The Marlins aren’t a horrible team, but they also aren’t that good. They are inconsistent in every facet of the game because they are a young team and none of them have ever been in this position before. The Cubs had a solid regular season, they just didn’t stand out above any other teams in the National League in any way. The pitching was overall mediocre, the hitting wasn’t bad, and the defense is probably the best asset this team has to offer. Other than that, the Cubs aren’t that impressive. The Cubs should play well enough to get by in this round, but I don’t think they have what it takes to win a Championship.

Cubs over Marlins in 2 games

 

Cincinnati Reds Vs Atlanta Braves

The Reds have been another one of the more surprising teams this season. Their starting pitching has been one of the best in the league led by Sonny Gray, who has just dominated every team he has faced this season. The Braves were one of the best teams in the National League and will be a tough opponent to face in the postseason because they have a stacked batting lineup and very solid pitching. Injuries held them back at the beginning of the season, but even so, they were able to overcome and play through them until they got some of their injured players back in the lineup. The Reds should give the Braves a run for their money, but overall I think the Braves are a far superior team on every level and have been much more consistent on the offensive side of the ball.

Braves over Reds in 3 games