PORT JEFF, NY – Greetings and happy Sunday to all! Let’s get right into it and talk some postseason baseball with the headline topics: MLB Divisional Round Reactions and Predictions
MLB Divisional Round Reactions
Yankees/Blue Jays
Despite the blowout in game one that saw Toronto post ten runs, I think this will be the best series of the divisional round. There’s a real case to be made that both of these teams could easily represent the AL in the World Series. After their midseason surge that saw them take the division from the Yankees, there hasn’t been much buzz about the Blue Jays. There’s no question how good this Toronto lineup is and they’re one of the few teams who don’t strikeout a lot at all. While there are questions about their starting pitching behind Kevin Gausman, they added Louis Varland and Seranthony Dominguez at the deadline to bolster the backend of the bullpen and it’s worked wonders. The Yankees finished the regular season strong and barely squeaked passed a very injured Red Sox team in the Wild Card round. I have no doubts about t their lineup, however the bullpen once again showed today it can’t be relied upon. With Fried on the mound today for game two I think they’ll even the series at 1. I really think these are the two best teams in the AL. I’ll take Toronto in five games in what should be an excellent ALDS matchup.
Cubs/Brewers
Another game one blowout. The Brewers have been an absolute wagon since the middle of May. They ended with the best record in baseball and I think they move past a Cubs team that doesn’t have enough pitching to slow down this offense. Brewers in 4
Dodgers/Phillies
Much like the Blue Jays Yankees series, I think most would agree these are the two best teams in the NL. This was the hinge game the Phillies absolutely had to have. Cristopher Sanchez pitched very well for 5.2 innings, and like we’ve seen countless times from these Phillies teams, their bullpen gave away the lead. What the Dodgers rolled out after Shohei Ohtani pitched 6 very good innings, was extremely impressive. They used Tyler Glasnow for multiple innings and then turned it over to Roki Sasaki, the Japanese star pitcher to close it out. The one flaw the Dodgers had all year, was that its bullpen had been an absolute disaster. It’s only one game and the Phillies are an excellent team, however, what LA may have figured out should frighten the entire league. Dodgers in 4
Tigers/Mariners
In typical Mariners fashion, they entered this series as a sizable favorite against a Detroit team that’s been very mediocre the second half of the year. The Tigers aren’t a good team right now. They beat the Guardians, who’s crazy run finally came to an end, but since June they’ve been one of the worst teams in baseball. However, we’ve seen so many times that the postseason has an incredible amount of variance, where all it takes is timely hitting and one dominant starter that can lead a team to a championship. The Mariners are now down 1-0 and have to face the best pitcher on earth in Tarik Skubal, who will almost certainly pitch twice in this series. The Mariners are the better team, but I can’t pick them to beat Skubal twice which they’ll almost certainly have to do. Tigers in 5
NLCS
Dodgers over Brewers.
The Brewers had an excellent regular season and they’re really a great story, but they have no chance against this Dodgers team. Dodgers in 5
ALCS
Blue Jays over Tigers
Not many would’ve predicted this being the ALCS in the beginning of the year. Having such a dominant starter like Skubal gives the Tigers a chance to win any series they’re in. Having said that, I’ll take Toronto to go to the World Series. Blue Jays in 6
World Series
Dodgers over Blue Jays
Not much analysis needed, the dodgers are so much better than every other team in baseball right now and it isn’t particularly close. Everything is coming together for them at the exact right time. Dodgers in 5
