EAST LANSING: After six months and 162 regular season games, playoff baseball is finally here with no clear-cut favorite to win it all. Seven teams have 90+ wins. Some teams have consistently been in the playoffs, like the Los Angeles Dodgers, Houston Astros, and the New York Yankees. There are also teams like the Kansas City Royals and the Detroit Tigers who ended eight-year-plus playoff droughts.
Detroit Tigers vs. Houston Astros
The Tigers head to Houston to play the Astros. The Tigers were sellers at the trade deadline, dealing star pitcher Jack Flaherty to the Dodgers, so it is crazy that they are even in the playoffs. The Tigers had a 17-8 record in September, and they needed all those wins and a collapse from the Minnesota Twins to get the final wild-card spot.
This wild card matchup sets up to have some great storylines. Tigers Manager A.J. Hinch returned to Houston, and the last time Hinch managed in the playoffs was in 2019 in the World Series with the Astros. Astros pitcher Justin Verlander is set to pitch against his former team, the Tigers.
The Tigers have been one of the hottest teams down the stretch because of their pitching. The Tigers have CY Young favorite Tarik Skubal pitching game one for them. I know the Tigers are on this run, but I think they received a hard draw playing the Astros in the wildcard because the Astros have dominated the AL in the past five or ten years, making it to four World Series in that span. The Astros also have playoff experience with Yordan Alveraz, Jose Altuve, Kyle Tucker, and Alex Bregman. The Tigers have little to no postseason experience, and they are 24 in the MLB for OPS. I don’t see a way where the Tigers win this series. I have the Astros winning two games to none.
Baltimore Orioles vs. Kansas City Royals
This matchup is between two teams that are heading in the right direction. Both of these teams have superstar shortstops, the Orioles Gunnar Henderson and the Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr.
These two teams haven’t played their best ball coming into the playoffs. With the Orioles going 33-33 after the All-Star game after starting 58-38 before the break. The Royals went 11-14 in September.
The key to this series is pitching. The Orioles have Corbin Burnes, who was the All-Star game starter this year, but the Royals have more depth in their rotation. The Royals have Cole Ragan, who was their ace of the staff this year, but they also have Seth Lugo, who was an All-Star this year, and Brady Singer and Michael Wacha, who also were solid this year. Both of these teams have good offense, but the Royals’ pitching staff is better, and that’s why I think the Royals win two games to one.
Milwaukee Brewers vs. New York Mets
If you told me at the beginning of the season that the Brewers would win or even make the playoffs, I would’ve called you crazy. The Brewers traded their ace, Corbin Burnes, manager Craig Counsell left for division rival Chicago Cubs, and they lost their All-Star Christian Yelich in August. But the Brewers found a way to overcome all of these obstacles because of their pitching staff. The Brewers have a team era of 3.65, which ranks fifth in baseball.
The Mets have had a crazy season also. The Mets started the season 24-33. Since June, the Mets have a record of 65-40. They made this crazy run because of their offense. The Mets rank ninth in baseball in OPS.
This series is strength against strength, but I believe the Brewers pitching comes on top with the Mets winning 2 games to one game.
San Diego Padres vs. Atlanta Braves
This series is the most interesting because both of these teams have MVP-caliber talent from each team. The Padres have an MLB best of 43-20 since the All-Star break. The Padres have one of the best rotations in baseball, with Dylan Cease, Joe Musgrove, and Yu Darvish lined up to pitch against the Braves.
The Braves have NL Cy Young favorites Chris Sale and Reynaldo Lopez. The Braves offense is solid too; they rank 12 in the baseball for OPS. I think the Padres offense is too good, and their rotation will overpower the Brave’s offense. The Padres win two games to one game.
