10 MLB Playoffs Predictions You Need to Know
It's the most wonderful time of year for baseball fans: the playoffs! The MLB Playoffs are always unpredictable, given that everything can change on a single pitch. So, as we gear up for the last few runs of the season, let’s take a look at some fun MLB playoffs predictions – just to see if we can guess what’s going to happen in October!
The Phillies (and their money) Stay Home
The Phillies were the undisputed winners of the MLB offseason last winter. They signed Bryce Harper to a mega-deal while also trading for J.T. Realmuto and Jean Segura. But all of the money they threw around didn’t end up paying off for them, at least not in 2019. Amid massive MLB playoffs predictions, the Phillies will fail to reach the playoffs, even as a Wild Card team. Some of the blame is on several injuries the Phillies suffered, but the lack of a competent bullpen is the far bigger culprit. Also, Harper didn’t exactly have the kind of season you’d expect from a guy on a $330 million contract.
Yankees Play at Full Strength
For the Yankees, the 2019 season has been defined by injuries. Starting the first week of the season, the Bronx Bombers have been hit by one injury after another. As soon as one key player gets back from the Injured List, another goes down. But the Yankees have a chance to enter the playoffs relatively healthy. Luis Severino and Dellin Betances could return after missing almost the entire regular season. And no one will be surprised to see CC Sabathia gut it out in his final season despite chronic knee issues. It may not be until October that we see the Yankees at anywhere close to full strength, which is a little scary.
Indians Emerge from AL Wild Card
It’s been a wild season for the Indians. They’ve struggled to score runs while also losing several key pitchers to injuries. But Cleveland’s young pitchers have stepped up and trading away Trevor Bauer to improve the offense seems to have paid off. Whether they end up facing the Oakland A’s or the Tampa Bay Rays in the Wild Card game, look for the Tribe to win and advance to the ALDS, where they will be a frightening opponent in a short series.
Nationals Lose Wild Card Game at Home
As is usually the case, the Washington Nationals will find a way to lose once they get to the playoffs. The Nationals will fall short of the rival Braves in the NL East, but they'll earn the top Wild Card spot. Of course, it won’t matter whether Washington faces the Cubs, Phillies, Brewers, or Mets, their playoff blues will continue and their season will end before the NLDS.
The Cardinals Go Home Early
The Cardinals are poised to snap their three-year playoff drought, which is a long time for them. But for whatever reason, St. Louis will feel out of place in the postseason. The Cardinals are lacking the proven ace that teams need to win in the postseason. Jack Flaherty and Dakota Hudson have been great this year, but they’ll falter in their first playoff experience. Meanwhile, Michael Wacha and Adam Wainwright have pitched more like back-end starters this year. That combination will force the Cardinals to bow out in the NLDS.
Minnesota’s Power Becomes Their Downfall
The Twins have taken baseball by surprise this season, in large part because of their immense power. They already have eight players with at least 20 home runs on the season, and another player or two could be added to that list when all is said and done. But selling out for power and hitting home runs isn’t always a great formula in October. The temperatures drop and the quality of pitching rises, and so the home runs don’t always come. Look for the Twins to suffer a power outage at the plate in the ALDS, leading to their demise in the postseason.
Dodgers Fall in NLCS
As the playoffs approach, the Dodgers are very much favorites to reach the World Series for the third year in a row. But the rest of the National League is slowly starting to catch up to Los Angeles. The Brewers pushed them to seven games in last year’s NLCS, and this year the Braves are poised to challenge them in the NLCS. Atlanta’s young roster got a taste of the postseason last year, and with veterans like Dallas Keuchel and Josh Donaldson added to this year’s team, look for the Braves to topple the Dodgers in the NLCS.
The Yankees and Astros Go the Distance in ALCS
This was a compelling seven-game series back in 2017, and we’d be lucky to get a repeat of it this season. The American League has some intriguing teams, but there’s no denying that the Yankees and Astros are the two best teams in baseball this year. An Astros vs Yankees ALCS is bound to be epic, and it will surely last seven games.
Astros Win It All
For the second time in three years, the Astros will lift the World Series trophy. They are undoubtedly the most complete team in baseball. The addition of Zack Greinke at the deadline made an already strong rotation even better. Houston’s lineup is one of the most potent in baseball, and unlike two years ago, the bullpen won’t be a liability.
Michael Brantley Wins World Series MVP
Someone from the Astros is going to win MVP honors, so why not Michael Brantley? He joined Houston over the offseason and has already become one of the team’s most important hitters. He struggled in the postseason during his time with the Indians, but Brantley his healthy and in the prime of his career, making him a great candidate to win World Series MVP.