As we tick closer and closer to the month of October, the Major League Baseball playoff picture starts to solidify. The Cleveland Indians, Houston Astros, and Washington Nationals have all won their respective divisions, and the LA Dodgers have clinched a playoff spot and are soon to wrap up their division as well. With some things still up in the air, I will speculate the final standings and make some early playoff predictions. Here is what you can expect out of this year’s October baseball through the first round.
American League Wild Card Round
Minnesota Twins vs New York Yankees
Many have seen this matchup coming, and I think it’s an easy one. The Yankees have been in the thick of a division race with the Red Sox, and could still win it. The Twins have been playing well behind Cleveland since the All-Star break, and will make it into the playoffs by default. The Yankees have a better lineup, and can send out Severson to pitch that game. The Yankees will definitely win this one, and go to the ALDS.
National League Wild Card Round
Colorado Rockies vs Arizona Diamondbacks
Had the Diamondbacks been placed in almost any other division, they would probably be heading for a division crown. However, they play behind the Dodgers. But that isn’t to say that the Diamondbacks are a shoe in to even make it out of the wild card game. They will face a lethal lineup that consists of Charlie Blackmon, Nolan Arenado, and Trevor Story. However, the Rockies don’t have an ace they can rely on to pitch around a similarly stacked Diamondbacks lineup. Arizona can turn to Zack Greinke to take care of the Rockies, and that will make the difference in this game.
American League Division Series
New York Yankees vs Cleveland Indians
The Yankees have enough to get past the Twins, but the Indians are another story. The Twins have a quality rotation, anchored by Cy Young candidate Corey Kluber, a fantastic bullpen, and a very strong lineup. Cleveland is a team built for postseason play. The Yankees, on the other hand, are in the middle of a rebuild, but are ahead of schedule. Aaron Judge has struggled mightily in the second half, and I see no way the Yankees have a chance without his offense.
Boston Red Sox vs Houston Astros
Home field is still yet to be decided here, but the matchup will most likely happen. These are two teams that have shaky pitching staffs, with aces that have struggled at times in the second half. Houston’s offense, however, has not struggled, and have scored more runs than any team in baseball. The Red Sox, though, have displayed timely scoring, winning 15 extra-inning games, which is a franchise record. Boston’s staff has also shown a little more consistency down the stretch. I’ll take the Red Sox in a tough five-game series.
National League Division Series
Arizona Diamondbacks vs Los Angeles Dodgers
At one time, the Dodgers were the hottest team in all of baseball, then they hit a 10-game losing skid. Despite that, they still maintain a commanding lead over the Diamondbacks and will head into the postseason with one of baseball’s best rosters. While Arizona has Paul Goldschmidt, Jake Lamb, and J.D. Martinez in their lineup, the Dodgers can counter with Cody Bellinger, Corey Seager, Justin Turner, and Yasiel Puig. In the rotation, the Diamondbacks have a nice one-two punch with Zack Greinke and Robbie Rey, plus some support with Zack Godley and Taijuan Walker. However, LA has the top candidate for the National League Cy Young winner in Clayton Kershaw, but unless Yu Darvish regains his form, the rotation is thin with the Dodgers. Los Angeles should be able to win this, but an upset is definitely possible.
Chicago Cubs vs Washington Nationals
The Chicago Cubs have struggled after ending the 108-year World Series drought on the North Side of Chicago. From pitching issues to inconsistency at the plate, the Cubs have had problems at every position. At the end of the day, this is an extremely talented roster, but they will face an equally talented roster in the Washington Nationals. The Nats and Cubs each have one of the game’s best young players, Kris Bryant (Cubs) and Bryce Harper (Nationals). The difference here will be pitching, and the Nationals just pitch better than the Cubs. Expect the Nats to take the series.