2020 Wild Playoff Predictions
The trade deadline arrived and teams are gearing up for the final run in the last month of baseball. In a shortened season that feels like it only started yesterday, the current 2020 season is locking in for the playoffs that follow in October. With the new playoff format shifting to 16 teams in each league, the race is on to see who will be punching their tickets to the postseason. There are a handful of teams who are obvious contenders to make a run in the playoffs; however, with the recent trend of the Nationals and controversial Astros winning their first titles, it would be nice to see other teams try to accomplish that feat. There are also some teams that have been surprising, as their fans had no expectation of them making the playoffs at all. It will be great to see a 'Cinderella story' or a franchise win their first World Series, let's should definitely look at some of the possible contenders to weigh their odds of doing so at the end of the playoffs.
The Brewers were particularly quiet at the end of the trade deadline yesterday and made only one move by acquiring David Phelps from the Phillies. They also released Brock Holt and let Logan Morrison elect free agency, which in turn demonstrates that they are losing fire power as far as hitting is concerned. It looks like the Brewers chances are hanging more by a thread of returning back to the playoffs after representing the National League Central over the past two seasons. Still, their playoff odds have not completely gone out the window with their current chances over fifty-percent. What plays more into their favor is who is left on their schedule and which teams they are matched up against. The hardest matchups are against the Cubs, Indians, and the makeup games against the Cardinals. The Brewers should be able to handle the Tigers, Royals, and challenge the Reds on a decent level. The key to returning to the playoffs is outplaying the Cardinals, who will be restless from making up the games they missed from the beginning of the season. Winning those games will be essential for building momentum into the playoffs, and possibly making a deep run trying to win their first World Series.
The Blue Jays have been demonstrating how well their farm system has developed and how competitive they can be in their division. They have also been hungry to return to the playoffs since their Wild Card berth in 2016. Currently holding the bottom seed in the playoff of the American League, the Blue Jays have the best tests ahead of them to see if they are ready for the playoffs and possibly gain a higher spot in the seeding. They have yet to play the Yankees all season, who are battered and bruised with injury and are not the same team they were from last year, and are relying on backup players. There is a total of ten games that have to be played between New York and Toronto and if the Blue Jays can win the majority of those games, they could possibly move ahead of the Yankees for second place. Other challenges the team has to face are the Phillies and the surprising Marlins who are current contenders. The rest of the teams the Blue Jays have to face are the Orioles, Red Sox, and Mets; which will not come easy but they can definitely outplay them. The Blue Jays have not lifted the World Series trophy since their last win in 1993, they also won the year before that. It would be great to see Vladimir Guerrero Jr, Bo Bichette, and Hyun-Jin Ryu become champions in the young service time, making this team a bigger threat for their age.
The Rockies are always considered a fringe contender, yet they always seem to lose their footing before the season comes to an end. The Rockies started hot within the first fifteen games of the season going 11-4, but they seemed to be brought back into reality with one game under .500 at 18-19. At a current spot in sixth and behind the Padres and Dodgers, the team will have to do everything possible to win as many games as they can in order to remain a contender for the playoffs. Easy matchups for the Rockies include the Giants, Angels, and Diamondbacks who sold everyone at the deadline on Monday. Harder matchups for the team includes seven games with the Dodgers, a series with the Padres, and two short games with the Athletics. The Rockies have only been to one World Series after winning the National League pennant in 2007. Unfortunately, the team was swept by the Boston Red Sox and have never been back since. The Rockies are another team that could make a 'Cinderella story'.
It is funny how things work into your favor after being under the weather for a few days, and the Marlins are no exception to this rule. A true Wild Card in this whole shortened season, this team was not even considered anywhere a part of the competition and has been winning games to remain relevant in the playoff picture. Playing well into their opponents, the Marlins have a decent series against the struggling Red Sox, Yankees, and title hungover Nationals that can be taken advantage of. Their major obstacles include the Braves, Rays, and the Phillies. The series with the Phillies will be a true difference maker on staying relevant in this playoff race, which happens to be makeup games and have yet to display the talent of the two teams playing each other this season. The Marlins won their last title in 2003 during their Wild Card that shocked the world. Will they shock the world again and win a third World Series title? Only time will tell.
This is a team that is a definite playoff contender and it could be highly possible that they represent the National League in the World Series. The Padres have broken the "unwritten" rules of baseball and have taken the pedal to the metal in competing into their competition. What is even far more impressive is that they are the team that indefinitely won the trade deadline by acquiring a great deal of talent without sacrificing too much of their farm system. The Padres added Mike Clevinger into their rotation, which can definitely separate them in their division and help them run away with it. They can easily handle the rest of their opponents and all eyes will be on them when they host the Dodgers for the last time of the season in the middle of September. They also have a road series in Oakland, which will test their versatility on who they can challenge from the American League. Like the Blue Jays, this team is young and full of youth; however the Padres have never won a World Series and this would be the team to do so by breaking all the rules.
A hot take that no one ever considers from the season prior is that had the Astros scandal surfaced before the postseason, the Rays would have beat them in the opening round of last season. The difference, the Astros represented the American League in the World Series…imagine if the Rays were the team instead of the Astros. No one likes to talk about the year prior, and that goes double for the Rays this season. A team that retooled even better than they were before last year, this team is firing on all cylinders and is sitting atop the American League with the best record. The Rays have also dominated their competition in their division, not losing a series since the beginning of August against the Orioles. Even more to their advantage, their schedule is not too difficult with the last month of baseball, with the Rays having the best chance of finishing the season winning 40-plus games. The Rays only had one trip to the World Series in 2008 and lost to the Phillies. Winning the franchise's first World Series title is everything this team needs to hold a strong presence in baseball, especially if it means saving the franchise from leaving the Tampa Bay area.
In an interesting match-up, the San Diego Padres and the Tampa Bay Rays would make a World Series to see which franchise is hungrier for their first title. Other teams that were not included on the list include a lethal Chicago White Sox team who just earned first place of the American League Central. With their crosstown rival also in first, an all Chicago World Series is more likely to happen than a Subway World Series featuring the city of New York. The Dodgers have been major favorites to win the title since the trade that brought the team Mookie Betts. They have not won a World Series title in 31-years when they beat the Oakland Athletics with the famous Kirk Gibson home run. Of all the teams that will make the playoffs, it will be a wild season to see who will be a part of the first 16-seeded playoffs of baseball, and hopefully it is one to remember.
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