1st Round/ Wild Card (Best of 3)
1. Rays vs 8. Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays started the season out deciding on where to play because the Canadian Health Department wanted no part in any sporting events due to COVID-19. The Rays came into the season as a dark horse. Fans knew the Rays were a playoff caliber team, but they didn’t know they were going to win the AL East. The Rays have a great rotation consisting of Tyler Glasnow, Charlie Morton and Blake Snell. The Jays on the other hand have a struggling rotation and bullpen relying on the lineup to carry the workload.
Prediction: I have the Rays in 2 for this series. The Rays are too much to handle and are the number one seed in the American League for a reason.
4. Yankees vs. 5. Indians
The Indians, who lost many players in the offseason including former Cy Young award winner Corey Kluber, wanted to regain a playoff spot after missing them abruptly last season. The Yankees are always the Yankees who make the playoffs every year eager to make a World Series run. The Indians have the favorite to win the Cy Young this season in Shane Bieber. Bieber secured the pitching Triple Crown the other night with having the lowest ERA, the most wins and most strikeouts for all pitchers in the MLB over the course of the shortened 60 -game season. The Yankees have been banged up all year with injuries and look to be turning the corner as far as health goes.
Prediction: I have the Yankees in 3 because I believe Shane Bieber can secure Cleveland at least 1 victory this series.
3. Twins vs 6. Astros
Everyone already knows how the Astros cheated in 2017 to give them a ring, but they didn’t know how this team still managed to make the playoffs despite injuries to Ryan Pressly, Roberto Osuna and Justin Verlander. Those three are some of the main pitching pieces for this team. The Twins, on the other hand, lived up to the expectations. After an off-season of acquiring Josh Donaldson and Kenta Maeda, the Twins are looking for their first World Series appearance since 1991.
Prediction: I have the Twins in 2, mainly because of the weak rotation and bullpen for Houston and the strong and powerful lineup of the Twins.
2. Athletics vs. White Sox
Fans knew the White Sox were moving in the right direction with prospects and free agency, but they didn’t know how quickly they’d be able to make a playoff push. The A’s are fresh off winning the AL west for the first time in 7 years. The A’s have a solid rotation consisting of veterans Mike Fiers and Sean Mannea along with rookie Jesus Luzardo. They have a stout bullpen with closer Liam Hendricks leading the way. The Sox have a great lineup consisting of veteran slugger Jose Abreu, Tim Anderson and young stud Luis Robert.
Prediction: I have the A’s in 3 games this series, mainly because of how these teams have very different play styles but very talented rosters.
1. Dodgers vs 8. Brewers
The Brewers snuck into the playoffs with some help from the Giants and Phillies losing their last 3 games of the regular season. Milwaukee doesn’t have a very talented team, but they played together and rallied in September to make the postseason. The Dodgers, who had very high expectations, lived up to them by being the only team this year to reach 40+ wins. The Dodgers, who acquired superstar Mookie Betts from the Red Sox, showed why this team is different from those in the past.
Cathedral Prep junior Bryce Kalie is a Dodgers fan looking forward to the postseason.
“I’m very excited to see the Dodgers back in the playoffs for another year,” Bryce said. “I think this team gives us the best shot at the World Series compared to any other Dodger team in the past. I’m excited to see what Mookie [Betts] can do for this team, and I hope to see L.A. back on top for the first time in 32 years.”
Prediction: The Dodgers will win this series in just 2 games.
4. Padres vs. 5. Cardinals
The Cardinals exceeded expectations from last postseason by making it all the way to the NLCS, upsetting the a Braves along the way. They picked up where they left off with a spectacular September to push them into the postseason. The Padres dominated the regular season by winning a total of 37 games. They didn’t win the division because the mighty Dodgers won 43 games. The Padres have a ton of young exciting talent like Fernando Tatis Jr and Jake Cronenworth. They have a stout pitching staff headlined by breakout ace Dinelson Lamet.
Prep senior Jonathan Zambroski said, “I think the Padres are going to have a deep run. They’ve got a high powered offense and pitching has been improving.”
Prediction: I have the Padres in 3 with St Louis giving them a heavy challenge.
3. Cubs vs 6. Marlins
The Marlins were not even expected to be here at the start of the season. Many experts had them being the worst team in the NL, but they strung many wins together with a solid group of young rookies and aging veterans. The Cubs, who missed last year’s playoffs despite being favored to make it, rebounded from that heartbreak last season after signing former Cubs player David Ross as their manager. It looks to be the right move after the Cubs clinched the NL Central Division easily this year. The Cubs are led by former MVP Kris Bryant and young electrifying shortstop Javier Baez along with veteran Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish.
Prediction: I believe the Cubs will close this series out in 3 because you can’t underestimate the heart and fight of Miami.
2. Braves vs. 7. Reds
The Braves, who have clinched the NL East title each of the last 3 years, are looking to flip around their postseason success the past 2 years. After losing each of those years in the second round they are looking to get to the next step in a World Series title run. The Reds on the other hand won’t be an easy matchup with brilliant rotation consisting of NL Cy Young favorite Trevor Bauer, Luis Castillo, and veteran Sonny Gray. Their lineup isn’t anything short of spectacular with aging power hitters Nick Castelannos and Eugenio Suarez.
Prediction: I have the Reds in 3 and see the postseason failures continue for Atlanta.
ALDS (Best of 5)
1. Rays vs 4. Yankees
Prediction: I have the Yankees in a tough 5 games series with Tampa Bay. You can’t underestimate the Yankees. They are getting insanely hot at the right time. Their bullpens are about equal, as are the rotations. The lineups are both great, but I give the upper hand to New York. It’s very difficult to beat Tampa Bay but if it’s anybody to do it I got the Yankees. They have faced each other 8 times during the regular season and are very familiar with one another.
2. Athletics vs. 3. Twins
Prediction: I also have this series going 5 games as well and I believe this one will be even more exciting than Tampa Bay vs New York. The Twins and the Athletics are both heavily underrated in the world of baseball and have a lot of players who’ve blossomed to stardom with their current franchises. The lineup of the Twins will be too much to handle leaving the Twins advancing to the ALCS.
NLDS (Best of 5)
1. Dodgers vs. 4. Padres
Prediction: This is the series most baseball fans are looking forward to and hoping for. The Padres and the Dodgers in a NL West showdown. This series will be 5 games, I believe, based on how evenly matched they both are. Great lineups, rotations and bullpens along with excellent managers. I have the Dodgers winning the series in a close one ,but this definitely won’t be the last for San Diego who has a bright future for years to come.
7. Reds vs. 3. Cubs
Prediction: A great NL Central showdown for our last NLDS matchup between Cincinnati and Chicago. These teams are very familiar with each other after playing each other eight times this season. This series will go 4 games in favor of Cincinnati based on how hot they’ve been since the start of September. The Reds have overcame adversity this season while struggling midway through the 60 game season. I believe the rotation woes outside of Darvish will come to bite Chicago costing them another shot at the Commissioners Trophy.
ALCS (Best of 7)
(4) Yankees vs (3) Twins
Prediction: A great rematch is set between the Yankees and Twins. These two clubs have two of the most powerful lineups in baseball with solid pitching all around. It will be a home run derby in the 2020 ALCS with the series ending in 6 games. The Yankees will advance to the World Series for the first time in 11 years after a tough 2010’s decade resulting in a rare 0 World Series for the prestigious New York Yankees
NLCS (Best of 7)
1. Dodgers v. 7. Reds
Prediction: The Dodgers aren’t going to look at the past this time and will be able to overcome postseason nightmares for the past 10 years. It was heartbreak after heartbreak for the Dodgers each of the past 4 years with them losing to the eventual champions all 4 years. The Reds, after upsets against the Braves and Cubs, won’t be able to repeat that against the Dodgers with them being a whole different breed. I believe the Dodgers will close this one out in a mere 5 game, sending them back to the World Series.
World Series (Best of 7)
1. Dodgers vs. 4. Yankees
Both of these squads had different paths to a World Series title with the Yankees pulling off a few upsets while the Dodgers steamroll all their opponents in sight. This is a matchup us baseball fans dream of between Kershaw vs. Cole and the lineups consisting of Betts and Bellinger vs. Judge and LeMahieu.
Prediction: This is going to be an epic October Classic ending in 7 games going in Los Angeles’ favor. The Dodgers will finally capture the Commissioners Trophy after a 32-year long championship drought dating back to 1988 when the Dodgers upset the mighty Oakland A’s. Clayton Kershaw will finally get that World Series trophy to add to his slew of accolades. Mookie Betts will win World Series MVP, and the Yankees will have to wait yet another year to please the fans in the Bronx with a 28th World Series title.
