MLB: Who to Root For This Postseason if Your Team is Eliminated
With just two days left in the regular season, we thought it would be fun to take a look at the MLB playoff field and determine which postseason team you should be rooting for if your team is out of it.
The answer that jumps to mind is obviously the Chicago Cubs, who will likely capture the hearts of the people as soon as the playoffs start given their World Series drought that predates the sinking of the Titanic and just a couple of decades between that title, and the year electricity was discovered. 1908 was a long, long time ago and Cubs fans have become the lovable losers in the baseball world. They’ll have plenty of people cheering for them this October, but just in case the North Siders don’t strike your fancy, we’ll run through each playoff team to help you make an informed decision.
Right now the teams that we know will be in the postseason are all division winners, and we already know the playoff bracket in the National League save for which team will face the Cubs.
The Cubs will face the wild card winner in the NLDS, which right now will boil down to either the Mets, Giants or Cardinals, depending on how these last two games shake out. The other NLDS matchup will be the Los Angeles Dodgers taking on the Washington Nationals. As we enter play on Saturday the Nats would have home field advantage in this series and can clinch home field with either a win or a Dodger loss in the final two games.
Over in the American League your division winners are the Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians, with the Rangers owning home field advantage throughout the MLB playoffs. The wild card race is a bit more complicated with the Orioles taking a one game lead over the Blue Jays yesterday for the first wild card spot, the Detroit Tigers a half game back of the Jays and Seattle one game back of the second wild card spot. If needed, the Tigers will make up their game with Cleveland from earlier this week to get rid of that pesky half-game tag.
That is where we stand at the moment, so we’ll go through why you should root for each of the divisional winners, and then compile the wild card hopefuls all into one.
Chicago Cubs: 102-57, best in MLB
Last World Series: Defeated the Detroit Tigers in 1908
The Cubs provide a number of reasons to capture your rooting interests. Whether you’re a fan of curses being broken, a fun team that plays with a smile, Joe Maddon, or prospects, Chicago provides them all.
For years, the Cubs focused on rebuilding through the draft and acquiring talent to improve their minor league system, and that has been paying off in a big way. When the talent they had added was ready to make an impact at the big league level, Theo Epstein (the man that broke the Curse of the Bambino in Boston) started using the financial resources available to him to help supplement some of the team’s weak spots via free agency.
Prime examples of these additions over the past few few years have been Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo on the offensive side of things, and lefty Jon Lester via free agency. Bryant was drafted in 2013 with the second overall pick, one after Mark Appel went to Houston. This season Bryant ranks second in fWAR to Mike Trout, which, coupled with the fact that he is on the best team in baseball, should give him a good shot at the NL MVP.
Rizzo was acquired by the Cubs a year earlier in the Andrew Cashner trade with the Padres, and in his time with Chicago has become the leader of the team. The fact that he was willing to fight (he didn’t) Aroldis Chapman back when the Cubs were bad and Chapman was with the Reds, solidified that role for Rizzo.
Lester was arguably the biggest fish of his free agent class given his postseason pedigree, and the Cubs were able to lure him in with lots and lots of money.
The one downside in rooting for the Cubs is that they aren’t the underdogs, a role in which we have become accustomed to seeing them in. With the free agent spending and all of the media attention, it’s possible that some fans (ok, Cardinals fans) will look elsewhere with their rooting interests.
Cleveland Indians: 92-67
Last World Series: Defeated the Boston Braves in 1948
For a few years now fans have been awaiting the arrival of the Indians pitching staff, and for them to stay healthy for an entire season. While the health of the rotation was ultimately good enough to get them a playoff spot, Cleveland is now looking at a depleted rotation that has a lot of question marks as we enter October.
Corey Kluber is the lone man standing at this point in time, and even the headlines involving his name are centered around the coaching staff being “confident he will be ready” for the ALDS. If he were to be delayed until later in their series, the Indians would likely role with Trevor Bauer and Josh Tomlin in games one and two.
Danny Salazar could potentially be available out of the bullpen during the postseason, but his timetable is still very much up in the air. Whether that means available for the ALDS, or later, could play a big role in the team’s playoff fate.
Manager Terry Francona has been taking an interesting approach to how he uses players, particularly his arms in the bullpen, and specifically trade deadline acquisition Andrew Miller. The lefty can come on in the sixth, seventh, eighth or ninth, and is likely going to be available for multiple innings most of the nights he toes the rubber. How extreme Francona gets with his bullpen usage (will he use Miller in the fourth if the opposition is threatening?) could be most intriguing in Cleveland’s playoff run.
If you’re looking for an underdog story, or are a fan of thinking outside of the box, this may be the team for you. They will have a date with the Boston Red Sox in the ALDS.
Washington Nationals: 93-67
The Washington Nationals have never won a World Series title, while the Washington Senators (now the Minnesota Twins) won one in the city back in 1924, the same year that Hall of Famer Walter Johnson took home MVP honors for the season.
This year’s Washington ballclub looked poised to pose a threat to any that dared get in their way, but now they, like Cleveland, have questions surrounding their rotation, while also dealing with injuries to some key regulars in the field.
Daniel Murphy (MVP candidate), Stephen Strasburg (Cy Young candidate before injury) and All-Star Wilson Ramos are all either very questionable for their NLDS matchup wight he Dodgers, or are completely out in the case of Ramos, who tore his ACL last week.
The good news for the Nationals is that they have some depth to potentially overcome some of these injuries, and in true Nationals fashion, they would do so with flair. Bryce Harper is one of the best players in baseball and he plays like he’s having fun, which is very hard not to root for–especially if you’re rooting against one of his opponents.
Max Scherzer has always been looked at as the second fiddle in the rotation to Strasburg, and earlier in his career with Detroit to Justin Verlander. This MLB postseason he could put himself on the map to the general baseball fan.
The Nationals have some underdog to them if you count injuries and the fact that they’re not the Cubs, but we have also expected the Nats to be perennial postseason contenders for some time now, but for one reason or another they have underperformed. This year they have reached the playoffs by winning the NL East, and if they can make it to the NLCS could have some reinforcements coming to help them out.
Boston Red Sox: 93-67
Last World Series: Defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in 2013
The Red Sox have been winning World Series titles somewhat regularly since breaking the Curse of the Bambino back in 2004, also claiming titles in 2007 and 2013. It’s been a few years, so they’re basically due.
If you’re a fan of winning teams and lots of payroll, then the Sox may be for you. This year’s version is a bit more than the previous versions, however. David Ortiz has been going through his farewell tour all season, and is having one of the best seasons of his career. Ortiz has provided baseball with some great memories over the years, and if you like storybook endings, then seeing Ortiz finish with yet another World Series ring is likely something you’d be ok with.
On top of the Ortiz storyline are some of the most exciting young players in baseball. Mookie Betts leads the team in fWAR at 7.7, placing him second in the American League behind Mike Trout (9.3) and third in baseball with Kris Bryant (8.4) also ahead of him.
In case you’d tuned out for a few years, Dustin Pedroia is still playing baseball and is still pretty darn good. He’ll be in the field with Betts, Xander Bogaerts, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Andrew Benintendi a fair amount, all of whom are 24 or younger.
Of course they’ll be reliant upon their big offseason addition in David Price, who has struggled in postseason play throughout his career (and you’ll surely hear about it on national broadcasts), while Rick Porcello has rebounded to have the best season of his big league career. Heck, they may even rely on a knuckleballer if they can advance far enough to give Steven Wright time to recover from his shoulder injury. In his stead, the Sox may instead turn to young lefty Eduardo Rodriguez, who will either shut down the opposition or get shelled.
While it’s tough to root for the Red Sox if you’re outside of Massachusetts most years, there are enough storylines with this club that are worth putting some effort into cheering for.
Los Angeles Dodgers: 91-69
Last World Series: Defeated the Oakland A’s in 1988
Add the Dodgers to the list of clubs whose last title came before the World Wide Web. 1988 was a magical season for the Dodgers, who rode Kirk Gibson‘s historic home run in Game One of the Series to a 4-1 series win over Oakland.
The names that one typically associates with the Dodgers are not necessarily why they have clinched the NL West. After injuries ravaged their starting rotation, the team rallied together and played at an even higher clip. Clayton Kershaw is back and ready to give October another shot, while he’ll have a new partner in crime on the mound in a 36 year old that has rebuilt his career this season in Rich Hill, a rookie from Japan in Kenta Maeda, and likely the club’s top pitching prospect in Julio Urias, if his innings limit is within reason.
Kershaw has continued to improve in 2016, albeit in fewer innings. His 1.65 ERA is the lowest of his career, which is saying something since he has also posted ERAs of 1.77 and 1.83 (2014, 2013) en route to his second and third Cy Young awards. With a new cast around him and a seemingly focused Yasiel Puig, this year could be different than the others for Los Angeles.
Puig has certainly rubbed some people the wrong way (aside from Madison Bumgarner) , but since rejoining the Dodgers following his demotion earlier in the year, he appears to be a model citizen.
One under-the-radar player to watch out for in the postseason is Josh Reddick, who is set to become a free agent after the season after years off the big stage in Oakland. Reddick has the ability to get hot for weeks at a time, and he hasn’t been terribly hot since joining the Dodgers. With time running out to earn a big payday, this could be his chance to shine and add some zeroes to his next contract.
With the sheer number of injuries that the Dodges have had to overcome this season, it’s impressive that they have made it this far. It’s also really hard to root against Kershaw, who has been the best pitcher in the game for years now.
Add in the fact that we can all hold out hope that Vin Scully will come back to call World Series games if the Dodgers make it that far, and the Dodgers have a pretty good case for some applause, high payroll and all.
Texas Rangers: 95-65
The Rangers have never won a World Series title, but they made back-to-back appearances in 2010 and 2011. Following a heartbreaking ending to the 2012 regular season that saw them relegated to the wild card (first year of current two wild card system) after being swept by the A’s in Oakland, and year after year of injuries, the Rangers are making a strong case as the team to beat this October.
The main reason to root for the club is Adrian Beltre, who it seems has a new GIF made of him on social media every day. Whether he’s playing hot potato at the second base bag just a couple of days ago, or his routine of calling for pop flies that he is nowhere near, Beltre is a baseball treasure and has yet to earn his first ring.
If you like stories of redemption, reliever Matt Bush is right up your alley. The first overall pick in 2004 by the San Diego Padres, his career was derailed due to personal problems and he eventually served time for drunk driving in 2012. A converted shortstop, Bush is now a major part of the Ranger bullpen in his rookie year at the age of 30. He can throw heat and strikes out a batter per inning on average.
As a team, the Rangers did the classy thing by having a brief ginger ale celebration after clinching the AL West last week, so that Bush and fellow reliever Jeremy Jeffress were able to partake.
For some, the grit that Rougned Odor plays with will be a reason to root for the Rangers, while others may not like the fact that he clocked Jose Bautista earlier this season with a mean right. He’s a scrappy player that is absolutely crushing the ball this season, delivering 32 homers.
Texas has a nice mix of veterans and younger players that provides a nice array of worthy candidates to cheer on.
New York Mets: 86-74, +1.0
The Mets last World Series came in 1986 partially due to the infamous Bill Buckner play in Game Six. They made the Series last year, but ultimately fell to the Kansas City Royals. Their young pitching staff has been dealt injury after injury, leaving only Noah Syndergaard as the only one of their quartet left available this postseason.
If you like superheroes, the Mets have plenty of themed nicknames including Thor, Captain America and The Dark Knight. Yoenis Cespedes has the potential to provide a show each and every game, whether it’s with the lumber or in the field with his ridiculous arm. They’ll be underdogs if they get to face the Cubs, the team they eliminated from the MLB postseason a year ago.
San Francisco Giants: 85-75, second wild card
You don’t have to go back too far to find the last Giants World Series title. Or even the one before that. Or the one before that. The Giants have taken out a trademark on even year World Series championships, winning the last three even-year titles.
The Giants have a lot of very likable players on their squad, including Buster Posey, Brandon Crawford and the many faces of Hunter Pence.
If they can get their offense to perform just enough and figure out their second half bullpen woes, the Giants have the starting pitching to carry them through the postseason. They’re your team if you like dynasties.
St. Louis Cardinals: 84-76, one back of San Francisco
The Cardinals last World Series came in 2011 against the Rangers, but for them to make the MLB postseason this year it will take some gutty performances. There are a number of combinations of wins and losses that vault the Cardinals to October baseball, but winning their next two against the Pittsburgh Pirates is the best route. All it takes is one win and a Giant loss to tie the two clubs, with St. Louis matching the other outcome with either a win or a loss. That would set up a tiebreaker game to be held in St. Louis.
If that’s the route this thing goes, they’ll have won over some fans that have yet to see any other teams play.
The Cardinals have a stellar rookie pitcher in Alex Reyes who could become a star early in his career this postseason. Reyes pumps gas, but can be wild at times. To this point his lack of control has yet to be a big deterrent to his success as he holds a 1.57 ERA across 46 big league innings. If you like the movie Major League and ever wondered what would have happened if Ricky Vaughn had stayed in the rotation, give the Red Birds a try.
Over in the American League, the standings are a little more convoluted with more teams in play.
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Baltimore Orioles: 88-72, +1.0
Their last World Series title came in 1983, or the year after Millennials first began ruining the Earth.
The Orioles were everyone’s favorite pick to finish last in the AL East, but for one reason or another, they find themselves in control of their own destiny.
If there is one thing that the current version of the Orioles does, it’s hit dingers. They lead baseball with 247 on the season, which is 27 more than the second place Cardinals.
Slugger Mark Trumbo leads all of baseball with 46 homers this season, while his teammate Chris Davis has 38. They are both also prone to strikeout.
The O’s don’t have the best starting rotation, but what they do have is the best reliever in baseball this year in Zach Britton, who has shut the door on 47 games and holds a 0.55 ERA. If you like your baseball to be extreme, Baltimore has you covered.
Toronto Blue Jays: 87-73, second wild card
The Blue Jays last won the World Series in 1993, the second of back-to-back championships. They won the ’93 title on a walk-off shot from Joe Carter, that you will undoubtedly see the replay of if Toronto makes postseason play.
This version of the Jays has a lot of flair, as evidenced by last year’s “bat flip incident” and the pure number of characters on their squad. Josh Donaldson has had some choice words for his opponents at times, but generally just wears his emotions on his sleeve. He’s also one of the top position players in baseball.
This is potentially the final chance to see Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion in Blue Jays’ uniforms, but that could change if Toronto is able to claim their first title in over two decades.
Detroit Tigers: 86-73, 0.5 games back of second wild card
The Tigers won the 1984 World Series title by defeating the San Diego Padres. The Tigers made a run in 2012, but were ultimately defeated at the hands of the Giants after a long layoff took them out of their winning ways.
Detroit still has their sluggers in Miguel Cabrera, who hasn’t won a title since his days with the Florida Marlins over a decade ago, and Victor Martinez, but also has some new blood in the lineup in Justin Upton and J.D. Martinez.
Sticking with the something old and something new trend, Justin Verlander has regained his old form in 2016 while rookie Michael Fulmer, the likely AL Rookie of the Year award recipient, has been a solid number two.
If you want something familiar with a little bit of a twist, the Tigers should garner some support.
Next: A Look at the Cubs First World Series Team
Seattle Mariners: 86-74, one game back of second wild card
The Mariners have never won a World Series title and haven’t made the MLB postseason since their historic 116 win 2001 season.
The rooting interest in this one doesn’t even have to be a full-fledged “I want the Mariners to win it all,” but instead could just be “I’d like to see Felix Hernandez pitch in the postseason.”
The Mariners always seem to fall apart come September, but this year they have hung around. It would certainly be nice to see the team at least break their playoff drought, if not make some noise when they got in. If they were able to claim one of the two wild card spots, they hold a 6-1 record on the season against the Orioles, went 3-3 against the Jays and if everything went really haywire, had a 3-4 record facing Detroit. Winning the wild card game would set them up for an ALDS matchup with a familiar opponent in divisional rival Texas.