With one round of playoffs in the books, only eight teams remain for a World Series championship. But this round has a little more juice, as we are about to see some of the best teams in MLB. The teams with the two best records in their leagues and a bye are about to square off against the wild-card series winners. It will be another test in the age-old question: is it better to have rest or be battle-tested in the playoffs? Here is a preview and prediction for the four series.
Chicago White Sox vs. Cleveland Guardians
Not since Rick “Wild Thing” Vaughn struck out Jack Parkman in Major League 2 has a Chicago White Sox/Cleveland Guardians playoff series had this much juice. It is a matchup between two young, up-and-coming teams in MLB. On one side, you have the Guardians, with a trio of tremendous rookies: Travis Bazzana, Chase DeLauter, and Parker Messick. On the other side, you have the best story in baseball in the White Sox. Led by young stars like Munetaka Murakami and Miguel Vargas just won their first playoff series since 2005.
This series is the perfect end to the season-long battle between these two clubs. If everything goes right, it should be the first of many tilts between these two franchises. However, the Guardians will take this round. While both sides can hit the ball, Cleveland has the clear advantage on the mound. Messick and Gavin Williams have been lights out this season, with both having an ERA+ over 105. The White Sox have serious questions on the mound and burned some of their best arms in their series against the Houston Astros.
Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
It is the moment that the Los Angeles Dodgers have been waiting for. After dominating the National League West and the rest of MLB, the Dodgers look to prove the hype is more than talk. They want to continue their dominance and become the first MLB team to win three straight World Series since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees. Their first obstacle is the Atlanta Braves. Coming off a hard-fought series victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, the Braves look to ride that high into one of the biggest upsets in years.
While the Braves field an impressive lineup with Ronald Acuna Jr., Matt Olson, and Michael Harris II, the Dodgers should have no trouble taking the series. At the end of the day, this matchup will come down to the starting pitching. Outside of Chris Sale and Tyler Mahle, the Braves do not have a starter they can trust. The Dodgers, on the other hand, have a deep starting rotation. Tarik Skubal alone would be enough to give them an advantage. But they also have Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Blake Snell. They should keep the Braves’ bats quiet.
New York Yankees vs. Tampa Bay Rays
It is a matchup that helped pave the way for “Moneyball” and the analytical revolution in the MLB. While both teams have embraced analytics, the factors that led to it are still there. On one side, you have the New York Yankees, who have the third-highest payroll in the MLB. Coming off a dominant series win over their arch-rival Boston Red Sox, they hope their bats can stay hot. On the other side, you have the small-market Tampa Bay Rays. They have overcome their small payroll and shocked everyone to take the AL East crown.
On paper, the Yankees have the starting-pitching advantage with Cam Schlittler and Max Fried, but the Rays have the pieces to overcome it. This season, Tampa Bay has done a great job in grinding out at-bats and making pitchers work. They can run up the Yankees’ starters’ pitch counts and get them out early. Then the Yankees will have to turn to their bullpen, which has been shaky this season. That’s when guys like Junior Caminero can strike. It’s a five-game series, but the Rays should be able to squeak it out.
San Diego Padres vs. Milwaukee Brewers
This series will help answer which type of team does better. Do you want to dominate all season, as the Milwaukee Brewers did? Win over 100 games and clinch the best record in the National League. Having a great pitching staff led by NL Cy Young Award favorite Jacob Misiorowski. Or does playoff success come from getting hot at the right time, like the San Diego Padres? They tied the Brewers for the best record in September and have been one of the league’s hottest teams since the trade deadline.
While the Brewers have the advantage in starting rotation, the Padres have more star power in their lineup, as well as one of the better bullpens in the MLB. The Padres will not need an offensive explosion as they did against the Chicago Cubs. All they need to do is grab the lead before the 7th inning and let their elite bullpen take it from there. While you rarely see MLB’s best team get knocked out before the championship series, this Padres team is built to pull it off.
