We’re officially in the dog days of the 2021 MLB season, which means the Postseason is drawing near.
This also means it’s time to make some predictions.
We’ve had some surprises for sure. Nobody could have predicted that we’d be talking about the Mariners as a contender, nor that the Giants would have the best record in baseball. Then again, we’ve seen teams who have been quite disappointing. It would be hard to imagine in February that the Twins were going to be in last place and end up trading Jose Berrios.
We’ve got a long way to go, but here is how we see things shaking out as the season winds down.
AL East Winner: Rays
The Rays just keep trucking along, and doing so while flying under the radar completely. Strangely enough, even after trading away Blake Snell, Willy Adames, Diego Castillo, and Rich Hill, they still have the best record in the American League. Adding Nelson Cruz can only help the defending AL Champs, and the emergence of Wander Franco helps put them in position to win the AL East and potentially make a deep run into October
AL Central Winner: White Sox
The White Sox have proven that last year was no fluke. Their rotation boasts Lucas Giolito, Dallas Keuchel, and Lance Lynn. Their bullpen now is probably the best in baseball, with the additions of Craig Kimbrel and Ryan Tepera to go alongside Liam Hendriks. Luis Robert and Eloy Jimenez are both back, and no one seems to be posing a threat to them in the AL Central.
AL West Winner: A’s
Sure, the Astros are in first, but perhaps it’s Oakland’s time now. They won the West last year before being eliminated in the ALDS. The additions of Starling Marte, Andrew Chafin, Josh Harrison, and Yan Gomes have put them in a prime position to dethrone the Astros and re-capture the division crown. Not to mention, they’ve won five in a row and are now only two back of first!
AL Wild Card #1: Astros
Like it or not, the Astros are still an elite ballclub, with or without the trash cans. Justin Verlander’s injury caused some problems, but they’re still a force to be reckoned with, with Framber Valdez, Zack Greinke, and Cristian Javier in that rotation. Oh, and they lead the majors in runs scored.
AL Wild Card #2: Yankees
With the Red Sox slumping, the Yankees are in a perfect position to catch them. The lineup that was lacking left-handed production now features Anthony Rizzo and Joey Gallo. They’re on a roll now and have plenty of postseason experience to lean on.
NL East Winner: Braves
They may have lost Ronald Acuna Jr. for the season, but the additions made to shore up the outfield have done just that. The Mets are slumping, and now Atlanta is just one back of Philadelphia for first in the East. They’re also they only time with a plus run-differential.
NL Central Winner: Brewers
Once the Cardinals started to slide, Milwaukee got hot and took flight. Willy Adames has been the MVP of their season so far, and with a rotation featuring Brandon Woodruff and Corbin Burnes, there’s little reason to believe Milwaukee’s stranglehold on the Central will slip away anytime soon.
NL West Winner: Giants
The team that no one thought would be a contender this year just keeps on winning. They’ve proven they can beat the Dodgers and Padres. Kevin Gausman continues to have a Cy Young caliber season, and the addition of Kris Bryant shows that they want to win now.
NL Wild Card #1: Dodgers
Though the Giants have emerged, the defending champion Dodgers are still loaded and pose a huge threat to the rest of baseball. No one is going to want to face Max Scherzer in the do-or-die Wild Card game
NL Wild Card #2: Padres
Fernando Tatis Jr is likely to be back soon, which will put the Padres back at full strength and should give them the push they need to hold onto the second Wild Card spot.
What happens next?
The playoff picture will be set by October, and here is what we think will happen once the postseason begins.
Wild Card Round:
In the American League, the Yankees will finally overcome their recent playoff nemesis in the Astros. Gerrit Cole will shut down his former club to send the Yanks to an ALDS rematch with the division rival Rays.
In the NL, the Dodgers will knock out the Padres, as they did in last year’s NLDS. Mad-Max’s postseason reputation speaks for itself, and nobody wants to face him in a one-game playoff. The Dodgers title defense will continue
Division Series:
This time, the Yankees will get the better of the Rays, edging them out in five games. The White Sox will also get payback on Oakland after losing to them in the Wild Card Round last year. They’ll win that series in four games.
In the NL, the Giants magical season will continue. They’ll knock out the Dodgers in five and end their title defense, advancing to the NLCS for the first time since 2014. Braves vs. Brewers will be hard fought, but Milwaukee will ultimately overcome Atlanta, winning the series in five and denying the Braves their second straight NLCS appearance.
LCS:
The Yankees will reach their third ALCS in five years, but will run into a dangerous team in Tony LaRusssa’s White Sox. The Sox elite starting pitching will overcome the Bronx Bombers. They’ll win it in six and advance to the World Series for the first time since 2005
The Brewers and Giants will meet in a thrilling NLCS. The Brewers starters will prove to be a tough challenge, but the Giants and their incredible mixing and matching skills will prevail. San Francisco wins in seven.
World Series:
The series will be a tight one. Both teams have explosive offenses and strong pitching. But in the end, only one team can prevail. That team will be the White Sox. Tony LaRussa’s postseason experience will triumph over the young, upstart Giants, as the White Sox will win in five.
For more MLB coverage, click here.
