After an exciting divisional round series, we are down to four teams in the MLB postseason. In an entertaining playoff run so far, we have two matchups that should make for great television. Here is a preview of both the ALCS and the NLCS.
ALCS: Cleveland Guardians vs. Tampa Bay Rays
This matchup pits two of MLB’s best pitching teams against each other. Both the Cleveland Guardians and the Tampa Bay Rays have delivered some of the postseason’s best performances and stats. In fact, pitching is the only reason the Guardians are still in the playoffs. Guys like Gavin Williams, Parker Messick, and Cade Smith have delivered when it matters most. On the other side, Drew Rasmussen, Freddy Peralta, and Bryan Baker shut down the New York Yankees and made the divisional round look easy.
While both teams have the pitching to win the series, the Rays have the offensive stars that give them the edge. Guys like Junior Caminero and Jonathan Aranda have dominated this postseason. Caminero has three hits in 10 at-bats and has scored two runs. Meanwhile, Aranda has four hits, including a home run, in two at-bats. He has also scored two runs and driven in two. These two are the standout stars, but the rest of the Rays lineup has been sharp. The Guardians won’t be able to shut them down, and it will cost them the series.
NLCS: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Milwaukee Brewers
It is a rematch of last year’s NLCS, when the Los Angeles Dodgers swept the Milwaukee Brewers. But that will not be the case this time, because this isn’t the same Brewers team. They were the best team in MLB with 103 wins and have one of the biggest up-and-coming stars in Jacob Misiorowski. He is good enough for the Brewers to steal at least two games in this series. But the Dodgers’ pitching advantage comes from their depth. While they do not have someone as good as Misiorwoski, they have one of the deepest staffs in the MLB.
Couple that rotation depth with guys like Kike Hernandez and Andy Pages getting hot, and the Dodgers should win this series. They also have stars like Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman. Sure, Ohtani has struggled since the middle of September, but he’s the best player in the MLB and is good enough to win the series on his own. If he gets hot, the Brewers will struggle to get him out. The main goal for the Dodgers is to just win the games that Misiorwoski is not on the mound for. That should make them win what will be a long, grueling series.
