American League
Mike Ehrmann.
The Rangers had their chance to win the West and get a bye into the Divisional Round.
The Rangers made a big move by acquiring Max Scherzer at the trade deadline.
The Rays have a solid lineup that makes contact, a better pitching rotation, and a strong bullpen.
They could be poised to make a run this postseason as they also have playoff experience.
The Rangers finished poorly and come into the series with their pitching staff in shambles.
This one will be over quickly.
The happiest group that the Houston Astros won the West is the Minnesota Twins.
The Twins have lost 18 straight playoff games dating back to 2004.
The Twins won the pathetic American League Central with a record of 87-75.
The Twins finished the season strong, posting a record of 18-9 in September.
With the struggles of the Western Division teams, the Blue Jays were positioned.
themselves perfectly to snag the final spot in the playoffs.
The Blue Jays, on paper, are the better team, but their lineup inconsistencies have been problematic.
The Jays have not been playing well as of late and need to turn things around quickly.
These two teams are playing to be cannon fodder for the reigning World Champion Astros.
The Twins losing streak will end.
The Blue Jays are the only team they would have a chance against, as they are evenly matched.
With the home field edge, the Twins will win the series on a walk-off in Game 3.
National League
Megan Briggs.
Back in the postseason, they are hoping for another magical October.
The Marlins are the surprise team in the playoffs.
The Marlins went on a shocking run to win the World Series that season.
The pitching matchups favor the Marlins, as Aaron Nola has struggled against Miami.
The Marlins played well down the stretch to steal a playoff spot and ended up with the fifth seed.
The Brewers finished strong, pulling away from the Cubs.
They also took pleasure in beating the Cubs to end the season, ending their rival’s playoff hopes.
They also could be a team that gels and goes full throttle for a long run this season.
This one looks like a sweep.
