MLB Playoff Predictions
With the field now being set, it is time to predict who could win the World Series
It was a season to remember in baseball this year. A dominant pitcher hit 46 home runs and stole 25 bases with close to an 1,000 OPS, a team is playing in the Wild Card game after winning 106 games and missing out on a division title by one game, and the final two teams to get into the playoffs were decided on the last day of the season.
A catcher who had never hit over 27 home runs in his career hit 48 home runs to tie a 22-year-old for the MLB Home Run title. The probable NL MVP is 22 years old and walked 144 times with only 90 strikeouts at the plate all season long, the second straight season this player has led the MLB in OBP, all before the age of 23. The only other player to ever lead the league in OBP for two straight years before 23 was Ted Williams.
The last time a pitcher hit 46 home runs with 25 stolen bases was never, and the last time a catcher won the Home Run Title was Johnny Bench in 1972. With so much unprecedented greatness happening in the game of baseball right now, it is hard to keep track of all of it and understand how mind-boggling this all is.
Regardless of all of the great individual performances, it is time for the league’s best to go head to head in the playoffs. Before the season started I predicted a San Diego Padres Vs. Chicago White Sox World Series and obviously the Padres did not hold up their end of the bargain, becoming one of the most disappointing teams in recent memory since they were projected to win 97 games by most websites and only ended up winning 79 games. Now it is time for “Baller Sports Dialogue’s” MLB Playoff predictions.
American League Wild Card Game:
New York Yankees Vs. Boston Red Sox
Although I want the Red Sox to win, I think pitching is so important in these games, which is why the Yankees will win with Gerrit Cole pitching 6+ innings to lead the Yankees to a W. Aaron Judge or Giancarlo Stanton will hit a home run to give the team some run support too.
Result: Yankees win
National League Wild Card Game:
St. Louis Cardinals Vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
As much as I want an upset to occur since the Cardinals willed themselves into the playoffs after winning 17 straight games in the month of September, the Dodgers are just too talented and have the NL Cy Young winner on the mound who will not be denied.
This will be a pitcher’s duel as Adam Wainwright is bound to pitch fantastic, but I think a Trea Turner RBI Triple will win the Dodgers the game 2-1.
Result: Dodgers win
American League Division Series:
New York Yankees Vs. Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays owned the Yankees in most of the head-to-head matchups all year long. Even though the Yankees have better players, the Rays epitomize what it means to be a team and they have the best coaching and player development staff in the American League.
Gerrit Cole can’t pitch every game and since he won’t be able to pitch in the first two games of this series, I expect the Rays to jump out to a 2-0 series lead and capitalize on the Yankees weak starting pitching. I do think that the Yankees will win the next two games and make it close, but I have the Rays winning in 5 games.
Result: Rays win series 3-2
Chicago White Sox Vs. Houston Astros
I think that the Astros are a very talented team, but the White Sox have better pitching and a better bullpen which should decide this series. Their lineup isn’t that far from being as good as the Astros either.
The White Sox are just more talented than the Astros everywhere. The only advantage the Astros have is playoff experience, which is a big advantage. That will take this series 4 games, but the White Sox will take care of business in a Game 4 at home.
Result: White Sox win series 3-1
National League Division Series:
Los Angeles Dodgers Vs. San Francisco Giants
This will be a hard-fought division rivalry series between a 106 win team and a 107 win team and it could honestly go both ways. I keep looking at the logistics and on paper, the Dodgers are 100 times better than the Giants. However, that has always been the case and this Giants team can’t seem to lose games.
I do think in a playoff series with this much on the line, the better team always wins and the Dodgers are just so good and talented that they should be able to win this series in 4 games.
Result: Dodgers Win series 3-1
Atlanta Braves Vs. Milwaukee Brewers
This is going to be the least-watched series and the ratings will prove it. Arguably the weakest playoff team in all of baseball is facing a team with no offense and just dominant pitching. I love dominant pitching, but casual fans want to see the long ball and they won’t be getting much of that in this one-way series.
Ronald Acuña’s injury early in the season cost the Braves any chance at competing. Their pitching is okay and Austin Riley and Freddie Freeman have been great in the lineup. However, good luck beating the Brewers pitching. Atlanta could take a game, but I really think that they will be swept.
Result: Brewers win series 3-0
American League Championship Series
Chicago White Sox Vs. Tampa Bay Rays
If this matchup happens, it will be a very hard one to predict. I think the White Sox have a serious shot at winning the World Series, but Tampa Bay just looked so good down the stretch of the season that I think they could find a way to win this series and get back to the World Series.
However, I am going to stick to my preseason World Series selection the White Sox, who will win this series in 6 games in a big upset due to their high-powered offense and elite bullpen.
Result: White Sox win series 4-2.
National League Championship Series:
Los Angeles Dodgers Vs. Milwaukee Brewers
This will be a fantastic series but we shouldn’t overthink this. The Brewers don’t have nearly enough of an offense to beat the Dodgers.
The Dodgers can also hang with Milwaukee’s pitching staff even if Clayton Kershaw is out for the rest of the season. The Dodgers would win this series in 5 or 6 games.
Result: Dodgers win series 4-2
World Series:
Los Angeles Dodgers Vs. Chicago White Sox
Even though this won’t be the expected World Series and the Dodgers won’t get their rematch in the Rays, the White Sox are going to be tougher to beat than Tampa Bay last year. The White Sox are going to jump out to leads in the first two games and hold on to them with their bullpen to stun the Dodgers and be up 2-0 in the series.
The Dodgers will then proceed to figure things out, win the next 2 games to tie the series up before Chicago wins games 5 and 6 to win the World Series! Chicago will have a World Series champion again, but it won’t be the Cubs this time.
Result: White Sox win the World Series 4-2 over the Dodgers
And there it is. I am going to stick with my preseason World Series prediction, the Chicago White Sox, who could shock everyone and beat the reigning World Champs. Let’s see how these picks age over the postseason!