The MLB playoffs are set.
With the Rockies and the Yankees winning their respective wild-card games, we have nothing but series upon series from here on out. The battle of attrition starts now.
So who's coming out of each league?
National League
Los Angeles Dodgers: Nobody is pretending the 2018 season went according to the script for the Dodgers. It was bumpy. Ugly, even. They spent more time in third, fourth or fifth place in the NL West then they did in first place, and there were whispers that manager Dave Roberts’ job might be on the line. But October isn’t about what you were in April or August, it’s about what you are now. And right now, the Dodgers are a very good and dangerous team.
They’re healthy. They’re hitting the baseball with authority: Yasiel Puig, Justin Turner, Chris Taylor, Max Muncy, Enrique Hernandez, Joc Pederson, Matt Kemp and David Freese all posted an OPS of .900 or above in the final month of the season. Hyun-Jin Ryu, the Game 1 starter in the NLDS, had a 1.50 ERA in the final month, and prize rookie Walker Buehler turned in a 1.62 ERA in that same stretch. Buehler is going to become a legit star this month, by the way. The veteran lefties — Clayton Kershaw and Rich Hill — are healthy.
They probably aren’t as good as they were last October, when they steamrolled through the NL side of the postseason (7-1 record) and made it all the way to Game 7 of the World Series, but they are good enough to make an appearance on the biggest stage again in 2018. — Ryan Fagan
Milwaukee Brewers: October is built around pitching, and in 2018, it's built around great pitching from the bullpen. The Brewers are hot, winners of 20 of their last 27 games, and when the offense is right, they're a scary unit altogether. While I still question Milwaukee's decision to not shore up the rotation at the trade deadline, it will be all for naught of the 'pen holds up through the final weeks of the season.
When you have Corey Knebel and Josh Hader coming out of the bullpen? That's scary stuff. Oh, by the way, NL MVP candidate Christian Yelich is holding it down in the middle of the Brewers lineup.
Beyond the numbers, the Brew Crew exorcised their Cubs demons — with a little help from the Rockies in the NL wild-card game — and topped the 95-win mark for just the second time in franchise history (even though it took 163 games). The only other time they did that was in 2011, when they won 96 games and made it to the NLCS. That could be the next hurdle for the Brewers to climb, and I think they can do it, especially versus the rest of the NL field. — Joe Rivera
Los Angeles Dodgers: This is purely a vote for depth and versatility. Manager Dave Roberts appears to have all the platoon advantages, and he won't be afraid to exploit them. One example: Deadline acquisition Brian Dozier has hit poorly since coming over from the Twins, but the Dodgers have multiple replacement options, including Enrique Hernandez, Max Muncy and Chris Taylor in the NLDS. The same principle applies to the outfield, where Hernandez, Yasiel Puig, Cody Bellinger, Matt Kemp and Joc Pederson share time.
Say what you want about Roberts' handling of the pitching staff, but it works. LA led the NL with a 3.38 staff ERA (3.60 staff FIP) in 2018 despite not having ace Clayton Kershaw for weeks. It posted 100 more strikeouts than any other NL staff and allowed by far the fewest walks. Closer Kenley Jansen has bounced back from a bad August, so the bullpen figures to be tough, too.
All of that adds up to the Dodgers being the better team overall. — Tom Gatto
American League
Houston Astros: This was the much more difficult decision. The Red Sox won 108 games and they have Mookie Betts. The Yankees have a lineup that mashes like few teams have in baseball history. The Indians have four starting pitchers — FOUR — who recorded at least 200 strikeouts during the regular season and MVP candidates Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez. I could talk myself into any of those other three teams, and I could probably convince you that they’ll win, too.
But I keep coming back to Houston. The Astros have a better pitching staff now then they did last October, when they won the first World Series title in franchise history. The offense scored 99 fewer runs this season than it did in the 2017 regular season, but that’s because Jose Altuve was just outstanding, not other-worldly and Carlos Correa struggled to the worst regular season of his short career. But does any opposing pitcher really feel comfortable facing him in a big October situation? Probably not. — Ryan Fagan
Houston Astros: The Astros are battle-hardened and know what it takes to win in October. It wasn't easy for them in 2017, going to seven games in both the ALCS and the World Series, but I think they'll come off better for it. Justin Verlander has course corrected, Jose Altuve was breaking out of his post-DL slump and the bullpen is comprised of good arms.
They also play the Indians in the ALDS, who have been pretty bad against over-.500 teams in 2018 (22-29) and finished September just 14-14. The real test will come in the ALCS, likely vs. the Red Sox.
It's not easy to repeat, but the Astros are too good and too hungry to let up now. — Joe Rivera
Houston Astros: Houston's pitching is so deep, the Astros were able to leave Chris Devenski and Brad Peacock, two big pieces of the 2017 title team's bullpen who struggled in September of this year, as well as veteran relievers Hector Rondon and Joe Smith off the ALDS roster. That depth will prove decisive in series vs. the Indians and Red Sox/Yankees.
The lineup hasn't changed much from last season, so the pitchers can reasonably expect fair to good run support even against other teams' aces. MVP candidate Alex Bregman has taken a major step forward at the plate this year. If Jose Altuve returns to MVP form and Carlos Correa busts out of his September slump, then this club might just be unstoppable. — Tom Gatto
World Series pick
Dodgers: Mostly because I picked them at the beginning of the season and I’m sticking with it. Lots of things have to go right, but that’s the case with any team. This is the era of streak-busting — the Royals in 2015, the Cubs in 2016 and the Astros in 2017 — and I’m picking the Dodgers to win their first World Series title since 1988. — Ryan Fagan
Astros: The Red Sox will present a pretty big challenge in the ALCS, but I think the Astros come out on top and take home another World Series. This team was built to be a dynasty, and I think this is the second piece in that argument for Houston. — Joe Rivera
Astros: The LA-Houston rematch is going to be as close and compelling as the 2017 Fall Classic and the outcome will be the same. The Astros can match the Dodgers' pitching and slugging in a long series, which this year would end in Houston rather than LA. — Tom Gatto
