Predicting the 2020 MLB Postseason and World Series
The 2020 MLB postseason will be unlike any other that we have seen. How will the playoffs shake out?
It seems only fitting that the 2020 MLB postseason could easily devolve into chaos – whether it’ll be underdogs squeaking out series wins, the Marlins (!) continuing their perfect postseason percentage, or the playoffs culminating in a completely unexpected World Series matchup.
The postseason kicks off on Tuesday (Sept. 29) with four games, followed by eight games each of the two days afterward. Matchups didn’t get fully decided until the final day of the season, with the St. Louis Cardinals clinching a spot and the San Francisco Giants missing the postseason entirely, among others.
Eight teams from each league qualified for October baseball, and the leagues will be split between two states due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The American League will play out their divisional and championship rounds between San Diego and Los Angeles in California, while the National League is isolated in Texas’ cities of Arlington and Houston. Three of the four cities’ teams made the playoffs but all will be playing in the opposite state, given they make the second round – the Texas Rangers were the only outlier, failing to qualify for the postseason. All Wild Card games will be played in the higher-seeded teams’ stadiums.
Everything begins on Tuesday, Sept. 29, with the Astros and Twins facing off in the first game of the postseason at 2 p.m. on ABC.
With that, let’s predict.
Wild Card Winners
Starting with the American League, on the west coast:
(1) Tampa Bay Rays vs. (8) Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto slides into its first postseason since 2016, but the American League-leading Rays loom in front of them to open the playoffs. The Rays put up 40 victories on the season, winning eight of their last 10 despite batting leader Yandy Diaz on the 10-day injured list. Toronto finished eight games back and struggled on the road. Tampa Bay in two games.
(4) Cleveland Indians vs. (5) New York Yankees
Cleveland won eight of their last 10 games while the Yankees stumbled, and possible MVP contender Jose Ramirez came alive and clinched the Indians’ playoff berth with a walk-off in the season’s final week. New York is no slouch at the plate or on the mound, but struggled against the Marlins in the season’s final series and were nearly swept, losing two out of three. Look for a lot of extra innings in this series…they’ll need it. Cleveland in three games.
(3) Minnesota Twins vs. (6) Houston Astros
Even as they drew the ire of most of the MLB’s fanbase in 2020, the Astros somehow managed to survive their final stretch and make the playoffs with a losing record. Less than a year removed from Game 7 of the 2019 World Series, Houston topped Washington in the World Series hangover category as the Nationals failed to make the playoffs at all, but that won’t last long.
Minnesota’s season-ending run placed them at .600 and they won 24 of their 31 home games, which gives the Twins the edge in the first two contests – Houston was terrible on the road in 2020, failing to hit double-digit wins away from home. Minnesota in two games.
(2) Oakland Athletics vs. (7) Chicago White Sox
Oakland quietly became the best team in the AL West while the South Siders struggled down the stretch, with the White Sox winning just two of their final 10 games. Chicago still has everything it needs to dig their way out of a seven-seed hole, though, with Luis Robert and Tim Anderson providing strength at the plate and Dallas Keuchel on the mound. It’ll be a grueling series for both teams, but Chicago finds their stride again and pulls off the series win. Chicago in three games.
Moving to the NL, let’s see who ends up playing in the Lone Star State:
(1) Los Angeles Dodgers vs. (8) Milwaukee Brewers
Los Angeles won their division with the best record in baseball, a winning percentage a full .05 points higher than the second-closest (Tampa Bay) and went on an 8-2 run during their final 10 games. Milwaukee, despite their power at the plate, won’t be any match for the Dodgers – who did nothing but benefit from the addition of Mookie Betts to their already star-studded lineup. Los Angeles in two games.
(4) San Diego Padres vs. (5) St. Louis Cardinals
The Padres have been a tear this season, and their streak of grand slams just one highlight in a host of them. St. Louis needed until the final day of the 2020 campaign, and for several other dominoes to fall their way, to just barely edge their way into the postseason. St. Louis hasn’t looked right less than a year after making it to the NLCS, and San Diego’s bats will prove too much for the Cardinals. San Diego in three games.
(3) Chicago Cubs vs. (6) Miami Marlins
Break out the 2003 comparisons, because it’ll be the higher-seeded Cubs against the just-barely-made-it Marlins. There won’t be an (unfairly maligned) Steve Bartman, nor any other fans, in the stands for this one, but the Cubs will ride their momentum of a two-win series against the White Sox into the postseason. The North Siders cooled off after a hot start to the season, but the struggling Kris Bryant came alive during the season-ending series with two homers in the final two games (including a grand slam). Don’t forget manager David Ross either, who has led the Cubbies to October in just his first season at the helm.
Miami has won the World Series both times the club made the postseason (1997 and 2003), but that perfect run will end in 2020. Chicago in two games.
(2) Atlanta Braves vs (7) Cincinnati Reds
Potential MVP Freddie Freeman has led the way for Atlanta, but he’s backed up by a stellar batting order that includes Ronald Acuna Jr., Dansby Swanson, and Marcell Ozuna. Atlanta dropped two of its last three against Boston, but look for them to be firing on all cylinders as they face the low-seeded Reds. Cincinnati is led by Trevor Bauer on the mound and Jesse Winker at the plate, but Atlanta has everything it needs to go deep into the postseason. Atlanta in two games.
The Divisional Winners
(1) Tampa Bay Rays vs. (4) Cleveland Indians
Tampa Bay’s pitching will drive their efforts against Cleveland’s hitting, with standouts like Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell set to face off against the likes of Ramirez and Francisco Lindor. The Rays’ divisional title and playoff momentum will be what sets them apart, though. Tampa Bay in four games.
(3) Minnesota Twins vs. (7) Chicago White Sox
As mentioned previously, Chicago dropped down the pecking order late in the season despite a stacked lineup, and Minnesota claimed the divisional title. Minnesota’s pitching consists primarily of Kenta Maeda and the ageless Rich Hill, with Josh Donaldson, Nelson Cruz and others providing run support, but Chicago’s momentum and depth will carry over from their matchup against the Athletics. Chicago in five games.
(1) Los Angeles Dodgers vs. (4) San Diego Padres
This is the heavyweight matchup everyone’s waiting for in the playoffs. Los Angeles’ overall powerhouse against the hitting-driven San Diego machine will be a sight to behold, and expect high-scoring, extra-inning marathons that extend deep into the night. Mookie Betts and Cody Bellinger will go head-to-head with Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado as the teams try to outduel each other at the plate, but San Diego did drop half of their final 10 games.
The feel-good story ends just short of a championship series berth. Los Angeles in five games.
(2) Atlanta Braves vs. (3) Chicago Cubs
While the Cubs’ season-ending crosstown series against the White Sox worked out pretty well for the North Siders, facing the power-hitting Braves in the second round is another animal entirely. Both teams recorded similar records at home, away, and overall, and the series is bound to be an exciting one – for the Cubs, Ian Happ and Yu Darvish have come into their own on the mound and Kyle Hendricks is as strong as ever on the hill – and don’t forget Alec Mills, who threw a no-hitter in September. The Braves, though, carry their division-winning efforts through to the championship series. Atlanta in five games.
The League Championship Series
(1) Tampa Bay Rays vs. (7) Chicago White Sox
The home-run-hitting lineup of Chicago’s South Side will face off against the dominant pitching of Tampa Bay for a berth in the World Series, but the White Sox continue their underdog momentum. Dallas Keuchel’s ERA sits a tick below 2.00, many of the White Sox’ batters rank among the league leaders in respective categories and the team is bound to regroup in time for a World Series push.
Tampa Bay topped the American League in wins and overall performance, but Chicago’s depth is what will help the White Sox push through. Chicago in six games.
(1) Los Angeles Dodgers vs. (2) Atlanta Braves
Los Angeles recorded similar records both home and away (less than 10 losses in both categories) and dominated the MLB as a unit. The Braves, though, have a number of players ranking in league-leading categories and match up well against Los Angeles – I had a lot of confidence in the way Atlanta looked early on.
The Dodgers have made the playoffs every year since 2013, advanced to the World Series twice, and 2020 could very well be the year that they put a title-winning run together and Mookie Betts was simply the missing piece of that team. However, I just don’t trust the Dodgers in crunch time.
Atlanta will get hot right out of the playoff gate, and their lineup is bound to find their stride – while they’ll get through the first two rounds, it’s the NLCS where the order will finally gel. The power of Adam Duvall, Freddie Freeman and Ronald Acuna Jr., the infield prowess of Dansby Swanson and more – including my dark horse, a hidden clutch hitter in Nick Markakis – will all get the job done for Atlanta. Atlanta in seven games.
World Series
(AL7) Chicago White Sox vs. (NL2) Atlanta Braves
It’s a cliché pick to select both No. 1 seeds to advance all the way to the World Series and, as we’ve already seen with 2020, there’s a lot of abnormal things that have happened and very well could with the MLB. It’s very hard to pick against a Dodgers-Rays World Series, but it’s a weird year, weird season and the World Series is bound to follow that trend.
Chicago and Atlanta were among the best teams in their respective leagues, despite neither having the best record and Chicago not even winning its division, but their matchup in the Fall Classic should be entertaining. Chicago hasn’t won a title in 15 years; Atlanta in 25.
Max Fried and Ian Anderson lead the way for Atlanta on the mound – Fried’s quietly solid 7-0 record in 2020 only yielded 14 earned runs, while Anderson’s 3-2 record belies an under-2 ERA. Fried averaged almost one strikeout per inning and eight per nine frames, and Anderson managed to top that with 11.4 per nine innings. Swanson, Freeman and others provide offensive support with their bats.
The White Sox have standouts on the mound and at the plate. Giolito is averaging more than 12 strikeouts per nine innings and has a no-hitter to his name in 2020, and will more than likely win both of his starts for Chicago. Five White Sox batters have home run numbers in the double digits and Jose Abreu has driven in 60 runs, but the series will mark the first time the clubs have faced each other in 2020 and Chicago will fall just short.
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Atlanta wins the World Series in six games and secures their first title in 25 years. Freddie Freeman adds to his MVP candidacy with a World Series MVP award, including hitting his third grand slam of the season during the course of the series.