It feels like just yesterday I was blogging about my MLB division predictions. Yet here we sit a week away from the MLB postseason. Here’s everything you need to know for what should be a crazy end of the season in the MLB.
Playoff Reminders
Playoff Format
- 12 Teams
- #1 & #2 Seeds From American League & National League Get Wild Card Series Byes.
- Wild Card Series High Seed Hosts Best 2/3 Series.
No More Game 163’s
With the addition of the extra wild card team in 2022, the MLB decided also to part ways with game 163s. It’s now based on a tiebreak system:
- Head To Head Record
- Intradivision Record
- Interdivision Record
- Last Half Of Intraleague Games
- Last Half Of Intraleague games +1
Three-way scenarios get a lot more tricky, but it goes off what the combined head-to-head records are between the teams. Long story short, this week could deliver fireworks.
Here’s a breakdown of what to watch for this week.
The Locks
The locks are categorized as teams that have nothing to play for since they “locked up” a playoff spot.
- Braves (NL East Champions + Home Field Advantage)
- Dodgers (NL West Champions + 1st Round Bye)
- Brewers (NL Central Champions + Locked Into #3 Seed)
- Phillies (#1 Wild Card)
- Twins (AL Central Champions + Locked Into #3 Seed)
- Orioles (AL East Champions + AL Home Field Advantage)
- Rays (#1 Wild Card)
Disclaimer: These are subject to change standings-wise
Teams Battling To The End
This category is for the teams who are battling this week for positioning/a playoff spot. TONS of teams play each other, making this an insane week for Baseball.
The NL Battle
With no battles happening in the NL divisions, all the focus is on who gets the #2 & #3 Wild Card Spots. 2 spots are available, with 4 teams in the mix. This is how it looks as of Sunday Night.
- #2 Wild Card: D-Backs (.5 Games Up On #3 Wild Card)
- #3 Wild Card: Cubs (1 Game Up On Marlins, .5 GB Of D-Backs)
- First Team Out: Marlins (1.5 GB Of D-Backs, 1 GB Of Cubs)
- Little To No Chance Team: Reds (2.5 GB Of #3 WC)
Yeah, Chaos. Now let’s break down each team’s finish to the regular season.
Diamondbacks: 7 Games Left
- 1 vs Yankees
- 3 vs White Sox
- 3 vs Astros
The D-Backs lost Monday Afternoon against the Yankees. They go to Chicago to face off in a series they should easily win…. then finish the year with the Astros coming to town… We will get to that later.
Cubs: 6 Games Left
- 3 vs Braves
- 3 vs Brewers
The Cubs face off against teams who don’t have much to play for. But at the end of the day baseball is baseball, and other than some extra rest from the starters, these series will not be easy. Will the Cubs blow it or get the job done?
Marlins: 6 Games Left
- 3 vs Mets
- 3 vs Pirates
The Marlins have the complete opposite of the Cubs schedule, facing off against two opponents who have been eliminated from playoff considerations for months. The Marlins easily have the best schedule out of the teams.
Reds: 6 Games Left Eliminated In My Eyes
6.8% chance to make the playoffs… not wasting my time on this team
My Prediction
This is a tough call. Something tells me the Cubs are going to be the odd team out, but I also have that gut feeling they will sweep the Brew Crew this weekend. I’m going with the Diamondbacks and the Marlins as the two teams to advance to the 2023 MLB Postseason.
The AL Battle
The AL is a clusterfuck right now. The Rangers just got done sweeping the Mariners, while the Astros shockingly got swept by the Royals. All of a sudden the Rangers hold a 2.5-game lead for the division, and the Astros + Mariners are battling with the Blue Jays for the available wild card spots. Here’s a breakdown of the craziness in the AL.
Starting With The Wild Card Race
- #2 Wild Card: Blue Jays (2 Games Up On Astros)
- #3 Wild Card: Astros (.5 Games Up On Mariners)
- First Team Out: Mariners (.5GB Of Astros, 3GB Of Blue Jays)
The fun part is the AL West teams battle each other this week leaving that series somewhat up for grabs. This is how it gets so crazy.
Blue Jays: 6 Games Left
- 3 vs Yankees
- 3 vs Rays
The Blue Jays have been hot recently and with all the AL West teams below battling it about with each other, all about guarantees they make the playoffs. There’s a chance they could drop to WC #3, but I think they will stay locked in @ #2.
Rangers: 7 Games Left
- 3 vs Angels
- 4 vs Mariners
This is how and why this race gets so crazy. After pulling off the sweep and getting blessed by the baseball gods with the Royals sweeping the Astros, the Rangers just need to handle business against the Angels and make the 4 game weekend series not as stressful while trying to clinch the division. The best part is they have the least stressful schedule of all the AL West teams.
Astros: 6 Games Left
- 3 vs Mariners
- 3 vs D-Backs
The Astros did the unthinkable and got swept by the Royals when it matters most. Get ready because the playoffs start with this series in Seattle. Can the defending champs get the job done this last week?
Mariners: 7 Games Left
- 3 vs Astros
- 4 vs Rangers
The Mariners just got swept by the Rangers in the most important series of the year, but no time to dwell as they have 7 games, at home with all the power in their hands. The division is theirs if they just don’t lose, and the wild card is basically on the line when the Astros come to town.
For The Record, This Is The AL West Heading Into the Last Week
- Rangers
- Astros (2.5GB)
- Mariners (3GB)
My Prediction
MAN WHAT A FUCKING WEEK OF BASEBALL THIS IS GOING TO BE! The Blue Jays are getting in, which leaves one wild card spot and the AL West Crown. I’m gonna ride with them not blowing the division which leaves us with the Wild Card Spot. The thing that scares me is if the Twins play the Astros in the first round. Because of that I’m gonna ride the Mariners, who will have all 7 games at home. Maybe the Rangers will choke and they fall into a wild card spot? Who knows, all I know is with all these teams playing each other, drama is bound to ensue.
Can The Twins End The Streak?
The biggest question left, is how far will the TWINKIES go? We all know about the 18-game playoff losing streak dating back to 2004. If there was ever a year to do it this is the year.
Is this the year the Twins take home the MLB crown?
Some people call me MarTy and some people call me Ryan. Wildcard when it comes to my writing. #FadeMe if I ever tweet out “locks”.