The 2024 MLB playoffs start this upcoming Tuesday. There is one game left in the season, so there is a chance the playoff standings can change. Right now the playoffs are set just besides the national league wild card. If the league were to end today the Padres, Mets, Braves, and Brewers will be in the wild card. The only change that could happen is the Diamondbacks taking a spot over the Mets.
In the American league wild card games we got the Astros and Royals and the Tigers and Orioles. I got the Astros taking the Royals in round one. I just don’t think the Royals will have enough offense to compete with the Astros or the experience. Besides, Bobby Witt I’m not the biggest fan of this Royals offense. While the starting pitching is not bad with Ragans, Singer, and Lugo having a breakout year, I don’t think their bullpen will be good enough. Bullpen starts to become incredibly important in the postseason and the Astros have a much more dominant bullpen. I like the Tigers and the Orioles matchup. The Tigers have been on absolute fire as of late and look pretty unstoppable. With that said I still think the Orioles take the series. The Orioles are just too good, and I think this could be their year. The Orioles have had a ton of injuries to deal with, especially on the pitching side. I think this Orioles offense will carry through Detroit.
Next in the national league we have the Mets and Brewers and the Braves and Padres. I think the closest series in the wild card will be the Mets and Brewers. I believe this series will go to three games, but with the Mets finishing on top. The Mets surprised a lot of people this year, their offense took a big jump in the second half with Vientos and Lindor having big offensive seasons. The main reason I pick the Mets is because of health, Yelich being the best bat in this weaker offense and Woodruff also being out in the rotation hurts them too much to get past the Mets. Now we have the Braves and Padres. I’m not exactly sure what happened to the Braves this season, it seems that a lot of their superstars have had down years. They have also dealt with some big injuries to Acuna, Strider, Lopez, and Riley. With that being said I pick the Padres, they are more healthy and just the better team. I know Sale has had a Cy Young type season and the Braves have won without Acuna before, but this Braves team just seems off to me.
Moving on the American league divisional series. The Astros would be taking on the Guardians and the Orioles would be taking on the Yankees. I think the Guardians take this series to me. This is one of the more complete teams in all of baseball. The rotation is good, the bullpen is good, they contact, power, and defense. They have also stayed pretty healthy and I don’t see Houston moving past the divisional. Next we have the Orioles and the Yankees. The only problem with the Yankees is their depth. They don’t have much protection in the lineup besides Judge and Soto. For that reason I’m taking the Orioles. They are a more complete team in my opinion, they have dealt with more injuries but I like their lineup more than the Yankees. This could go either way; they are pretty close since the Yankees do have the pitching advantage.
Next we would have the Mets taking on the Phillies and the Padres taking on the Dodgers in the national league divisional. I’m taking the Phillies here. I think they are the best team in baseball right now, and they are extremely healthy. I don’t really see the Mets having a chance. Next I think the Padres pull off the upset and beat the Dodgers. The Dodgers are known for having great regular seasons and then blowing it in the playoffs. Their starting pitching rotation are bangged up and they are missing a lot of their top guys. I could easily see an upset with the Padres taking the series.
Now in the Championship series we have the Guardians taking on the Orioles in the American league and we have the Phillies taking on the Padres in the national league. With this matchup I have to go with the healthier team, the Guardians. The Orioles have too many pitchers out right now who are too important to this team. Braddish and Bautista both being out will help lead Cleveland to the World Series. With the Phillies and Padres I would say they are both pretty healthy. I like the Phillies in this matchup. Their pitching is much better than the Padres, and bats are better too.
In the World Series it will be Guardians and the Phillies. These teams right now seem to be the most complete, but also the most healthy. I like the Phillies going all the way this year. I think Bryce Harper will put up numbers this postseason and either win postseason MVP or World Series MVP. The Phillies are too good not to win this year, they have elite players all around. I also like Schwarber having some big time homeruns, he has had playoff success in the past too. The Guardians are a good team too, just a little inexperienced and not as talented.
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