MLB 2020 Wild Card Round Preview and Predictions

            Here are My MLB 2020 Wild Card Round Preview and Predictions 

            AL Wild Card Round                        Best 2 out of 3  

            [8] Toronto Blue Jays at [1] Tampa Bay Rays 

            Thoughts: This is the 1st ever playoff meeting between these two teams. The Rays have been the best team in the American League this year. The Blue Jays are playing good baseball enterting the playoffs are they are 6-2 in their last 8 games. The Rays strength is their pitching as they have an era of 3.56 which is 3rd in baseball. The Blue Jays are 12th in baseball in batting average at .255. Good pitching always shuts down good hitting in the playoffs. The Rays made the playoffs last year while the Blue Jays make their 1st postseason appearance since 2016.   

           

            Prediction: Rays sweep series 2-0 

            [5] New York Yankees at [4] Cleveland Indians 

 

            Thoughts: This is the 5th all-time playoff meeting between these two teams. Both teams have split postseason wins each winning 2 series with the Yankees winning the ALDS meeting in 2017. The Yankees are 14th in baseball in batting average at .255 while the Indians are 2nd in baseball in pitching with an 3.02 era. The Yankees have been inconsistent this year. They entered the playoffs losing 6 out of their last 8 games. The Indians are hot right not entering the playoffs. They have won 9 of their last 11 games to clinch 2nd place in the AL Central.  

               Prediction: Indians sweep series 2-0 

               [6] Houston Astros at [3] Minnesota Twins 

               Thoughts: This is the 1st ever playoff meeting between these 2 teams. The Twins went 16-8 in September to clinch the AL Central. The Astros are not the same team as they were from 2017-19. Justin Verlander missed the enter season this year along with their closer Roberto Osuna. This series will go 3 because the Astros will probably start Lance McCullers Jr going in Game 2. The Twins are the better team this time around and if they want to win a playoff series this is the one.  

 

                Prediction: Twins win series 2-1 

                [7] Chicago White Sox at [2] Oakland Athletics 

 

                Thoughts: This is the 1st ever playoff series meeting between these 2 teams. The Athletics have lost their last 5 playoff series so the pressure is on them. They have not won a playoff series since 2006. This is the 1st playoff appearance for the White Sox since 2008. Neither team is playing at their best right now. The Athletics are 3-5 in their last 8 games while the White Sox are 3-9 in their last 12 games. This is gonna be a close series between these two teams. 

               Prediction: Athletics win series 2-1  

               NL Wild Card Round                     Best 2 out of 3 

               [8] Milwaukee Brewers at [1] Los Angeles Dodgers 

               Thoughts: This is nothing like the NLCS meeting between these two teams in 2018. This is a mis-match. The Dodgers have been the best team in baseball all year while the Brewers backed into the playoffs. The Dodgers are the better team by a mile and both games in this series will not be close.  

               Prediction: Dodgers sweep series 2-0 

 

               [5] St.Louis Cardinals at [4] San Diego Padres 

       

               Thoughts: This is the 3rd all-time meeting between these 2 teams. The Cardinals are 9-1 all-time in the playoffs against the Padres. The Padres have been great all year and they are fun to watch, but don't overlook the Cardinals. The Cardinals overcame COVID-19 as their entire team got it early in the season. The Padres are the favorites while the Cardinals are the underdogs. The Cardinals embrace the underdog role as their history shows it. 

                Upset: Cardinals win series 2-1 

                [6] Miami Marlins at [3] Chicago Cubs 

 

                Thoughts: This will not be another World Series run for the Marlins. This is the 1st playoff meeting between these 2 teams since the 2003 NLCS. The Marlins in 1997 and 2003 had a positive run differential entering the playoffs. The Marlins entering the playoffs this year with a negative run differential. The Cubs have won just 1 playoff series since winning the World Series in 2016.  

                  Prediction: Cubs win series 2-1  

                 [7] Cincinnati Reds at [2] Atlanta Braves 

 

                 Thoughts: This is the 1st playoff series meeting since 1995. This will be a Wild Card Round upset. The Braves enter the playoff losing 3 out their last 4 games. They have scored just 3 runs in the last 2 games. The Reds are 7th in baseball in pitching with an 3.84 era. I don't care how good the Braves offense is because they were good last year. They do have a good bullpen this year, but their starting pitching is a weakness. The Braves have not won a playoff series since 2001 and I don't expect them to now. I got a feeling the Reds will sweep this series.

                 Upset: Reds sweep series 2-0 

                 Overview: I see only 2 upsets in the Wild Card round in the Cardinals and Reds in the National League. I see all 4 top seeds winning their series. The Padres are a young team in the playoffs and the Braves always choke in the playoffs. The Astros-Twins and Brewers-Dodgers series are mismatches in this round. The Athletics and Cubs have pressure on them to win their playoff series.