2016 MLB Playoff Predictions

Wild Card Round

AL: Toronto over Baltimore

NL: San Francisco over New York

Analysis: These games still are useless and my feelings haven’t changed since I ranted about these “playoff” games last year. That being said, I like the Blue Jays and Giants to advance. The American League game could become a slugfest as Toronto and Baltimore finished fifth and seventh in the American League respectively in runs scored and I’ll take the Blue Jays’ lineup in that case. Baltimore did surprise this year and Buck Showalter deserves serious consideration for the AL Manager of the Year. In the National League, it’s a marquee pitching matchup between Madison Bumgarner and Noah Syndergaard. Terry Collins may very well be the NL Manager of the Year for getting his team back to the postseason despite being decimated with injuries, but it’s hard to see Bumgarner’s October success coming to a halt tomorrow night at Citi Field considering the Mets lineup doesn’t strike fear into many opposing pitchers.

League Division Series

NL: Dodgers over Nationals in 5

        Cubs over Giants in 5

Analysis: Dodgers-Nationals is a tricky one. Both teams have struggled recently in the playoffs. I think this series goes the distance and I’ll take Clayton Kershaw to win two games in this series and officially exercise the playoff demons that some people still think exist after he won in New York last year with his team facing elimination.  The Cubs and Giants matchup has popcorn series written all over it if the Giants win the wild card game. The Giants have the starting pitching to silence the Cubs’ lineup and go toe-to-toe with the Cubs' starters in low-scoring games. However, Wrigley Field will be rocking with many anticipating this is the year the Cubs end their 108-year drought without a World Series title. The Giants having to use Bumgarner in the wild card game doesn’t help either. Cubs clinch it at Wrigley to head to the NLCS.

AL: Red Sox over Indians in 4

       Rangers over Blue Jays in 4

Analysis: Cleveland is without Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar’s role is unknown. That doesn’t bode well facing a Red Sox lineup that led the majors in runs scored. However, while Cleveland was second in the American League in runs, the Indians scored 101 runs fewer than the Red Sox did this season. Boston’s lineup is too strong for an undermanned Cleveland pitching rotation. There’s strong cases for Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts as the AL MVP and Boston starting pitcher Rick Porcello could take home the league’s Cy Young Award. Rangers-Blue Jays certainly could be fun in a rematch from last year’s ALDS that was won in five games by Toronto. Texas is a better team this year and avenges last year’s first-round exit.

League Championship Series

NLCS: Cubs over Dodgers in 5

ALCS: Red Sox over Rangers in 6

Analysis: Whoever wins that Cubs-Giants series is coming out of the National League. It’s hard to see either the Dodgers or Nationals beating one of those two teams in a best-of-seven playoff series. The Cubs have more starting pitching depth than the Dodgers and a better lineup so the Cubs' shaky bullpen probably won’t come into play much if this is indeed the NLCS matchup. The American League series would be more interesting and there’s an argument for Texas here if you believe Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish can turn in a stellar start or two. That said, Hamels struggled down the stretch and Darvish has made one career start in the postseason so I’m still not sure the Rangers could hold the Red Sox’ bats at bay.

World Series

World Series: Cubs over Red Sox in 7

Analysis: This should really be the World Series everyone is rooting for. Two big-market teams, with devout fan bases and several of baseball’s best players colliding on the sport’s biggest stage. It looked like we might get this matchup 13 years ago in 2003 when the Cubs and Red Sox both made it to the LCS, but then Steve Bartman and Aaron Boone became household names. With Theo Epstein assembling the roster, Boston ended its curse one year later in 2004 and has won the World Series twice more since. Now, Theo’s current team ends its own curse against his former team.