AUTHOR: Jordan Plompen
After a long and strenuous six month battle, the Major League Baseball regular season is officially over. From Shohei Ohtani’s full skill set finally being put on display to teams such as the Twins and Padres being eliminated from playoff contention after many had them winning their divisions, this season has had it all. After all, on Opening Day, you’d be lying if you said you believed the San Francisco Giants would win the NL West, let alone make the playoffs. Who would have seen the Seattle Mariners being this close to breaking their postseason curse in 2021? Certainly not me. In fact, my projected playoff bracket from opening day sure does look like a joke now:
Hey, at least I got half of the teams right, even if they aren’t in the correct bracket order. That’s baseball folks. While many teams are a lock to head to October on opening day due to playing in weak divisions, anything can happen, and that is why we all love the game. Although I will get into the exact playoff bracket that will be in play starting October 5th with the AL Wild Card Game, I’m here to give you my power rankings of the ten playoff teams, regardless of how they finished in the standings. While division winners can usually be seen as the better overall team, we have seen too many Wild Card teams win the World Series in recent memory to think that just because you win your division you will go farther in October. With the AL Wild Card game set to kick off the MLB playoffs tomorrow night, here is your 2021 playoff bracket:
How different will my power rankings be from the ten team gauntlet above? Let’s find out.
Power Rankings
Los Angeles Dodgers-
Despite finishing in second place in the NL West, the Dodgers put up yet another 100 win season and finished just a game back of the San Francisco Giants. No discredit to San Fran, but I have the Dodgers ranked as the top team heading into October for several different reasons. Simply put, the Dodgers will certainly have a “been there done that” mentality heading into the playoffs. They are a team that has not missed the playoffs since 2012, and they are coming off of their first World Series victory in over 30 years. The majority of the current roster are players from that 2020 championship team, but that still wasn’t enough for President of Baseball Ops Andrew Friedman. Just when it seemed as if the Padres were set to acquire Max Scherzer from the Nationals at the trade deadline, Friedman and the LA front office swooped in and acquired not only Scherzer, but Trea Turner as well. Along with the signing of future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols earlier this season, the Dodgers amount of playoff experience position by position is off the charts. With the only possible negatives on the Dodgers being the trustworthiness of closer Kenley Jansen in big spots after his October track record and the unknown status of MVP candidate Max Muncy, LA should have enough options in the bullpen and on the bench to turn to, should Jansen falter and Muncy be unavailable. While anything can happen in a win or go home Wild Card game, it is difficult to imagine an October where we don’t see the Dodgers make a push to appear in their second consecutive Fall Classic. But hey, stranger things have happened, and St. Louis has proven over the past month plus that they are no slouch. On paper, and based on previous playoff track records as well as performance this season, the Dodgers are the clear favorite to make it a second championship season in a row and have a parade in downtown Los Angeles.
Projected Playoff Roster-
Catchers- Will Smith, Austin Barnes
First Base- Albert Pujols
Second Base- Trea Turner
Shortstop- Corey Seager
Third Base- Justin Turner
Outfield- Mookie Betts, Cody Bellinger, AJ Pollock
Utility- Chris Taylor, Matt Beaty, Gavin Lux
Starting Pitchers- Max Scherzer, Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Julio Urias
Bullpen- Kenley Jansen, Blake Treinen, Joe Kelly, Corey Knebel, Phil Bickford, David
Price, Alex Vesia, Justin Bruihl, Tony Gonsolin
2. San Francisco Giants-
The Giants shocked the world this 2021 MLB season, finishing with at least 100 wins for the first time since 2003. Over the course of the season, it seemed that everyone excluding Giants fans were patiently waiting for the team to finally drop off and take their rightful place behind the Dodgers and Padres in the NL West. Now? Now the date is October 4th and the Giants finished the regular season with the best record in baseball and will play either the Dodgers or the Cardinals in the NLDS. With a so-called “veteran ladened” roster, many did not project much from San Francisco in 2021 due to them having the oldest roster in the sport. And yet, players such as Buster Posey, Brandon Crawford, Evan Longoria, Brandon Belt, and others each had better seasons than they have had in years, if not their best season, in 2021. The majority of the Giants pitching rotation are set to be free agents after the season, and with the seasons they were having, Farhan Zaidi could have easily traded them at the deadline and gotten a lot back. Instead, the Giants President of Baseball Ops decided to keep the likes of Kevin Gausman, Alex Wood, Anthony DeSclafani, and Johnny Cueto, and as of right now that decision has paid off mightily. While the backend of the Giants bullpen is a strong point, depending on when Jake McGee returns from the IL, the lesser known pieces will have a lot to prove this October. Manager Gabe Kapler has done a superb job with this Giants team so far in 2021, and is likely the top candidate for NL Manager of the Year after the playoffs have concluded. Can the magic in San Francisco continue through October? I personally wouldn’t bet against them. This Giants team has an eerily similar feel to the teams from 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016, and while they did not win the World Series in ‘16, they were pretty damn close. How will San Francisco perform in their first postseason of recent memory without playoff hero Madison Bumgarner? If their play this season is any indication, they are not a team to be taken lightly once the NLDS begins later this week.
Projected Playoff Roster-
Catchers- Buster Posey, Curt Casali
First Base- LaMonte Wade Jr., Wilmer Flores
Second Base- Tommy La Stella, Donovan Solano
Shortstop- Brandon Crawford, Thairo Estrada
Third Base- Evan Longoria
Outfield- Mike Yastrzemski, Kris Bryant, Alex Dickerson, Austin Slater, Steven Duggar
Utility- Darin Ruf
Starting Pitchers- Kevin Gausman, Logan Webb, Anthony DeSclafani, Alex Wood
Bullpen- Tyler Rogers, Jake McGee, Johnny Cueto, Jarlin Garcia, Tony Watson, Zack
Littell
3. Milwaukee Brewers-
For the first time in franchise history, the Milwaukee Brewers have made the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season. After being a win away from the World Series in 2018, the Brewers lost the NL Wild Card game to the eventual World Champion Nationals in 2019, and followed that up by getting swept by the eventual World Champion Dodgers in the shortened 2020 season in the WC Series. Nevertheless, this 2021 Milwaukee team seems to have a different type of personality heading into October. With the majority of their core still intact, Brewers President of Baseball Ops David Stearns made sure to, yet again, make several under the radar moves that have panned out for the better. Milwaukee was relatively quiet during the offseason, but the signing of long time Cardinal Kolten Wong seemed to be the perfect fit. Bringing a mixture of his own personality and “Cardinal culture” to the division rival has worked out tremendously. Shortly after the season began, Stearns was quick to acquire Willy Adames from the Rays, which has arguably had an even larger impact on the team than Wong due to his electric energy that is sure to help Milwaukee in the playoffs. While the charisma these players both hold is unmeasurable, their skillset on the diamond cannot be overlooked either. While the Brewers lineup including Christian Yelich, Omar Narvaez, Lorenzo Cain, Avisail Garcia, along with Wong and Adames, has been stellar this season, the story in Milwaukee has undoubtedly been the pitching staff. From starting rotation to bullpen, the Brewers may very well have the most dangerous staff in the league, even with the injury to Devin Williams. With three Cy Young contenders atop the rotation in Woodruff, Burnes, and breakout flamethrower Freddy Peralta, and a rock solid bullpen including Hader, Suter, Ashby, and Boxberger, this is not a pitching staff that should be reckoned with. If Christian Yelich can round into MVP form early into this playoff run, the Brewers may just have the pieces to bring Milwaukee their first World Series Championship the same year the Bucks brought the city their second NBA Championship trophy.
Projected Playoff Roster-
Catchers- Omar Narvaez, Manny Pina
First Baseman- Daniel Vogelbach, Rowdy Tellez
Second Baseman- Kolten Wong, Jace Pederson
Shortstop- Willy Adames
Third Baseman- Eduardo Escobar, Luis Urias
Outfield- Christian Yelich, Avisail Garcia, Lorenzo Cain, Jackie Bradley Jr.
Starting Pitchers- Brandon Woodruff, Corbin Burnes, Freddy Peralta, Eric Lauer
Bullpen- Josh Hader, Brent Suter, Aaron Ashby, Brad Boxberger, Daniel Norris, Hunter
Strickland, Adrian Houser, Brett Anderson
4. Tampa Bay Rays-
For the second consecutive season, both the AL East crown and the top playoff seed in the AL belong to the Tampa Bay Rays. Many people, including myself, mistakenly doubted the Rays during preseason projections yet again, and they proved us wrong as they always seem to. The Rays topped off their spectacular season with a near sweep of the Yankees in the Bronx, winning the first two games of the series, and finishing the regular season with 100 wins for the first time in franchise history. From the outside looking in, Tampa Bay was set to have significant holes on their roster coming into the 2021 season. After all, their offseason consisted of moves such as trading 2018 Cy Young winner Blake Snell to the Padres and letting Charlie Morton walk and be signed by the Braves. As if this wasn’t enough reason to doubt them, early in the season they traded Willy Adames to the Milwaukee Brewers, while several weeks later they lost ace Tyler Glasnow to Tommy John surgery. However, as I and many others like to put it, “the Rays are going to Ray”. What I mean by this statement is simply that manager Kevin Cash and the entire front office consistently find players that other teams may not see as much value in and put them in a position to succeed. From Ryan Yarbrough and Michael Wacha in the starting rotation, to Andrew Kittdrege and JP Feyereisen in the bullpen, there are an abundance of resources on their pitching staff, with the majority of them not being “household” names. The primary starting nine for the Rays on the offensive side is relatively similar to the pitching staff in that aspect, although the acquisition of DH Nelson Cruz may have changed that perspective. Nevertheless, the likes of Mike Zunino, Brandon Lowe, Joey Wendle, Austin Meadows, and others have had terrific offensive seasons and should continue to rake come Thursday. Oh, and don’t forget about rookie phenom Randy Arozarena and 20 year old shortstop Wander Franco, who have been absolute studs all season. The Tampa Bay Rays will unfortunately always, barring a move to another city, be a team that people will doubt year in and year out, despite the talent on the team and their success rate in recent years. However, this seems to be something the entire Rays organization takes in stride and uses as fuel to win, especially come October. Despite there being significantly more players that fall under the category of superstar on the other four AL rosters this postseason, don’t be shocked if Tampa Bay wins the pennant and is playing for a shot at their first WS title in franchise history.
Projected Playoff Roster-
Catchers- Mike Zunino, Francisco Mejia
First Baseman- Ji-Man Choi, Yandy Diaz
Second Baseman- Brandon Lowe
Shortstop- Wander Franco
Third Baseman- Joey Wendle
Outfielders- Austin Meadows, Randy Arozarena, Kevin Kiermaier, Manuel Margot, Brett
Phillips
Designated Hitter- Nelson Cruz
Starting Pitchers- Ryan Yarbrough, Shane McClanahan, Drew Rasmussen, Michael Wacha
Bullpen- Andrew Kittredge, Pete Fairbanks, Collin McHugh, JP Feyereisen, David
Robertson, Chris Mazza, Shane Baz, Luis Patino
5. Chicago White Sox-
After many years of rebuilding, the White Sox have finished in first place in the AL Central for the first time since 2008. Many of the young Chicago players got their first taste of postseason baseball in the WC series last season, but that was in front of cardboard cutouts. This October will be a test for this White Sox roster, as many view them as a legitimate World Series contender for several different reasons. Chicago built on an already solid pitching rotation by acquiring Lance Lynn last winter, and all he did was put himself in the AL Cy Young voting. With significant playoff experience, expect Lynn to be a huge help to the younger starting pitchers in Giolito, Rodon, and Cease. The Sox also sured up their bullpen by signing Liam Hendricks last winter and trading for Craig Kimbrel from their crosstown rivals at the deadline in July. While their pitching staff was already solid, these three veterans with playoff experience should pitch well for the team this October. As far as on the offensive side of the ball, the White Sox did not have much to change last offseason or at the deadline. While injuries to star outfielders Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert were not ideal early in the season, the likes of Jose Abreu, Yoan Moncada, Tim Anderson, and Yasmani Grandal were there to soften the blow. With the only major position player acquisition being second baseman Cesar Hernandez from the division rival Indians, Chicago improved what could have been viewed as the only glaring issue with this team after Nick Madrigal was ruled out for the remainder of the season due to injury. The White Sox are a team that is built to win now. These acquisitions, along with the hiring of Tony La Russa to be the new manager after not managing a major league game since winning it all in 2011, prove this point. This roster, to go along with La Russa’s postseason experience, could just be enough to get the White Sox their first World Series Championship since 2005. The most intriguing part of this Chicago team is the lack of position player experience in the playoffs. Aside from Yasmani Grandal, nearly every other starting position player on the roster had not played in a postseason game since the shortened season last year. While the talent is obviously there, teams such as the Rays, Astros, and Yankees have consistently been to the dance in October the past several seasons. This is Chicago’s chance to show the world what they can do in the playoffs despite not having the same experience as some other teams playing in the postseason.
Projected Playoff Roster-
Catchers- Yasmani Grandal, Zack Collins
First Baseman- Jose Abreu
Second Baseman- Cesar Hernandez
Shortstop- Tim Anderson
Third Baseman- Yoan Moncada
Outfielders- Eloy Jiminez, Luis Robert, Leury Garcia, Billy Hamilton, Adam Engel
Designated Hitter- Andrew Vaughn
Utility- Gavin Sheets
Starting Pitchers- Lance Lynn, Lucas Giolito, Carlos Rodon, Dylan Cease
Bullpen- Liam Hendricks, Craig Kimbrel, Michael Kopech, Garrett Crochet, Ryan Tepera,
Dallas Keuchel, Aaron Bummer, Reynaldo Lopez
6. Houston Astros-
The first full season with fans in the stands did not disappoint in terms of what it meant for the Houston Astros. From inflatable garbage cans thrown onto the field to the ensemble of boos at every road stadium, the remaining players from the 2017 scandal team got what was coming to them this year. While the only remaining players from that season were Altuve, Correa, Bregman, Gurriel, and Gonzalez, the fans were robbed of the opportunity to get things off of their chests’ during the pandemic shortened season, and it was fair to see why this was important. With that being said, what the Astros have done this season has been completely legit as far as we know and should have nothing to do with their cheating season. Houston has had one of the most lethal offenses in the game since making the playoffs after the rebuild for the first time in 2015, and this season it did not falter much, even with the loss of George Springer to Toronto. Yuli Gurriel ended the regular season as the AL batting champion, with age not seeming to be a factor in his game whatsoever. Aside from small injuries, Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, and Carlos Correa each had solid offensive seasons of their own, with Correa’s possibly being the most significant due to his impending free agency this winter. While the catching and centerfield positions are obviously the two most glaring holes on the offensive side of this roster, the corner outfield spots anchored by Michael Brantley and Kyle Tucker bring balance to a right handed heavy lineup. And let’s not forget about Yordan Alvarez, who is arguably the Astros best all around hitter with a lethal combination of contact and power at DH. Although McCullers Jr. and Valdez are solid options in the postseason, Houston’s starting staff can be viewed as problematic come Thursday. Greinke and Odorizzi each did not have their best seasons by any stretch of the imagination, and youngster Luis Garcia does not have much experience if he were to be used in this role. The bullpen got better with the acquisition of Kendall Graveman from the division rival Mariners at the deadline in July, but is certainly not the greatest bullpen in the dance this year. The Astros offense may just be deadly enough to carry them through the playoffs this October, as seen by Carlos Correa’s performance last year bringing them one win away from a rematch with the Dodgers. However due to concerns with their pitching staff, Houston may not have the same chip on their shoulder success as previously seen. If all goes right for the pitching staff, this could very well be the year that people begin to forget about the cheating scandal from 2017, although it will never be completely erased from memory.
Projected Playoff Roster-
Catchers- Martin Maldanado, Jason Castro
First Baseman- Yuli Gurriel
Second Baseman- Jose Altuve
Shortstop- Carlos Correa
Third Baseman- Alex Bregman
Outfielders- Michael Brantley, Kyle Tucker, Jake Meyers, Chas McCormick
Designated Hitter- Yordan Alvarez
Utility- Marwin Gonzalez, Aledmys Diaz
Starting Pitchers- Lance McCullers Jr., Framber Valdez, Zack Greinke, Jake Odorizzi
Bullpen- Ryan Pressly, Brooks Raley, Ryne Stanek, Kendall Graveman, Christian Javier, Blake Taylor, Phil Maton, Luis Garcia
7. New York Yankees-
For the fifth consecutive season, the Yankees will have the shot to play October baseball and go for their 28th championship in franchise history. The Yankees made it to the ALCS two out of those four seasons, losing to the Astros in 2017 and 2019, and lost to the Red Sox and Rays in the ALDS in 2018 and 2020, respectively. Because of recent postseason history, the Yankees/Astros rivalry is well documented, and could very well be another ALCS matchup this season down the road. To get there, the Bronx Bombers will have to beat their deep seated rival in the Boston Red Sox in a winner take all Wild Card game, with the winner taking on the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS. This 2021 Yankees team is different from many others over the past few seasons, particularly for three specific reasons, with the first being their streakiness. When the Yankee offense was going good, it looked as if they couldn’t be stopped, especially after the acquisitions of Anthony Rizzo and Joey Gallo. However as seen once their 13 game win streak was snapped late this season, they can just as easily look like one of the worst offensive teams in the league when everything is going wrong. Obviously fans in New York would prefer the Yankees to be on one of their hot streaks once the playoffs begin, and the walk off single by Aaron Judge on Sunday to catapult them into October may have started just that. A second obvious change this season was Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton being on the field together for the majority of the games played by the Yankees. The two sluggers carried the Yankees on their backs in the second half of the season, and a big reason for Stanton’s success could have actually been that the front office allowed him to play the outfield a decent amount of the time. If both Judge and Stanton are hot in October, look out. Thirdly, and maybe most relevant when talking about their streakiness, was the down season by DJ LeMahieu after Yankees GM Brian Cashman resigned him to a six year contract after he had been such a good player during his first two seasons in pinstripes. Now coming out that LeMahieu has been diagnosed with a sports hernia, it is entirely possible that this was an injury he dealt with throughout the season. Nonetheless, players like Gleyber Torres, Gio Urshela, and Brett Gardner all played significantly better in the second half than in the first half, which helped the Yankees grab a Wild Card spot. Even with Zack Britton done for the season, New York still has a rock solid bullpen, with this arguably being the biggest strength on the roster. With the expectation that Gerrit Cole will indeed pitch to his capabilities this October, Corey Kluber returning to his postseason form from his days in Cleveland would be a solid one-two punch atop the Yankees rotation. Jameson Taillon has pitched well since returning from an ankle injury, although a small sample size, and will look to keep it rolling should New York make it past the WC game. While there is certainly no guarantee that the Yankees even make it past Tuesday night, a hot hitting top of the lineup revolving around Judge and Stanton can go a long way in determining how far they will make it in the chase for 28 this October.
Projected Playoff Roster-
Catchers- Gary Sanchez, Kyle Higashioka
First Baseman- Anthony Rizzo
Second Baseman- Gleyber Torres
Shortstop- Gio Urshela, Andrew Velasquez
Third Baseman- Rougned Odor
Outfielders- Aaron Judge, Joey Gallo, Brett Gardner
Designated Hitter- Giancarlo Stanton
Utility- Tyler Wade
Starting Pitchers- Gerrit Cole, Corey Kluber, Jameson Taillon, Jordan Montgomery
Bullpen- Aroldis Chapman, Chad Green, Jonathan Loaisiga, Lucas Luetge, Wandy Peralta, Michael King, Clay Holmes, Luis Severino, Nestor Cortes Jr.
8. Atlanta Braves-
Although the New York Mets occupied first place in the NL East for the majority of the season, it was overtaken by the Braves later on in the second half, and Atlanta never looked back. Though the Phillies were at certain points only two to three games behind the Braves for sole possession of the division, they were never quite able to catch them. The NL East was projected early in the season to be the most competitive division, and even though the teams’ records were not the best in the league, this was more so due to teams beating up on each other than the teams being bad, at least in the beginning. After Freddie Freeman got off to a slow start during much of the first half, his return to MVP form was a key reason for the turnaround in Atlanta. The consistent play of Ozzie Albies, Dansby Swanson, and Austin Riley pushed the Braves along as Freeman struggled, and their successes continued down the stretch, as all three had arguably their best seasons so far. Even with the success of the Braves infield, anyone would have been hard pressed to see them winning the division for several different reasons. For legal and off the field issues, the Braves were suddenly without their everyday left fielder in Marcell Ozuna early on in the season. To make matters worse, Ronald Acuna Jr. was ruled out for the season just before the all-star game after tearing his ACL in a game in Miami. Around this same time, it was announced that starting pitcher Mike Soroka reinjured his achilles while rehabbing, and he was then ruled out for the season as well. For a team to lose three players of whom the front office believed to be huge parts of their success and still win the division is almost unheard of. Despite this, Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos saw the window of opportunity in Atlanta as now, considering they had not missed the playoffs since 2017, and made trades to fix the holes left behind. Due to the loss of two starting outfielders during the season, Anthopoulos honed in on acquiring impactful outfield depth and succeeded, acquiring Adam Duvall, Jorge Soler, Joc Pederson, and Eddie Rosario. Talk about a revamped outfield. Each of the four have made significant marks on the team and have been big reasons for their success since the trade deadline. With a top of the rotation including Max Fried, Charlie Morton, and Ian Anderson, Soroka would have been an obvious help but they should be formidable down the stretch in October. Although the bullpen is not as deep as it has been during recent seasons, the acquisition of Richard Rodriguez to go along with Smith, Jackson, and Martin at the back end is nothing to scoff at. The Braves may have had one of the toughest divisional gauntlets to get to October, but don’t let that fool you into thinking they’ll go down without a fight. Atlanta was a win away from the World Series last season in the NLCS against the Dodgers, and the majority of that team is still there. Could this be the last postseason that we see Freddie Freeman in a Braves uniform due to his impending free agency? We’ll soon find out. Regardless, it is inevitable that Freeman will give it his all on the field this October, looking to get his first World Series title in a likely hall of fame career.
Projected Playoff Roster-
Catchers- Travis d’Arnaud, William Contreras
First Baseman- Freddie Freeman
Second Baseman- Ozzie Albies
Shortstop- Dansby Swanson
Third Baseman- Austin Riley
Outfielders- Adam Duvall, Jorge Soler, Joc Pederson, Eddie Rosario, Guillermo Heredia
Utility- Ehire Adrianza, Orlando Arcia
Starting Pitchers- Max Fried, Charlie Morton, Ian Anderson, Drew Smyly
Bullpen- Will Smith, Luke Jackson, Tyler Matzek, Chris Martin, Richard Rodriguez, AJ
Minter, Jacob Webb, Huascar Ynoa
9. Boston Red Sox-
Much like the San Francisco Giants unexpected run, the Boston Red Sox making the playoffs was a prediction that not many people had entering the 2021 MLB season. Boston finished in last place in the AL East in the shortened 2020 season, and it did not seem as if a turnaround would happen this quickly. However, the return of Alex Cora as manager was a move that may have had more success than even Red Sox CEO Chaim Bloom would have thought. Remember, Cora was suspended during the 2020 season due to his involvement in the Astros cheating scandal when he was the bench coach in Houston. And although the 2019 season was not the best for Boston either, Cora led the Red Sox to their fourth World Series Championship since 2000 in 2018. Regardless of how you feel about Cora, it is obvious that his relationship with the players and managing style is a huge reason for their success. Although he cannot be the entire reason behind this, Rafael Devers, JD Martinez, Nate Eovaldi, and many other Red Sox superstars have bounced back since Cora was rehired after having miserable 2020 seasons. Boston spent much of the season in first place in the AL East after giving it up to Tampa Bay later on in the second half. Their success this year largely had to do with the consistent play from guys such as Devers, Martinez, Bogaerts, Verdugo, and Eovaldi. The signings of Kike Hernandez and Hunter Renfroe last offseason worked out tremendously, as they are each arguably having the best seasons of their careers. Although questioned at the time, the acquisition of Kyle Schwarber to play first base regularly has also worked out, as he looks more comfortable there than he ever has in the outfield. The pitching staff for the Red Sox has been the most important issue. Nate Eovaldi and Nick Pivetta have struggled in the second half compared to their first half numbers out of the rotation, while Matt Barnes and Hirokazu Sawamura have had worse second halves out of the bullpen as well. Even though they can have the chance to turn that around come October, pitching is always a key to winning championships. However, the likes of Nick Pivetta, Tanner Houck, and Adam Ottovino have had solid seasons, and the return of Chris Sale should have a positive impact. If he is on, Sale is obviously one of the toughest pitchers in the game to face. A combination of continued offensive firepower to go along with pitchers getting hot at the right time could most certainly lead to the Red Sox’ first World Championship since 2018. With Boston set to host the Yankees at Fenway Park Tuesday night, the crowd is sure to be rocking.
Projected Playoff Roster-
Catchers- Christian Vasquez, Kevin Plawecki
First Baseman- Kyle Schwarber, Bobby Dalbec
Second Baseman- Jose Iglesias, Christian Arroyo
Shortstop- Xander Bogearts
Third Baseman- Rafael Devers
Outfielders- Alex Verdugo, Kike Hernandez, Hunter Renfroe
Designated Hitter- JD Martinez
Starting Pitchers- Nate Eovaldi, Chris Sale, Nick Pivetta, Tanner Houck
Bullpen- Matt Barnes, Adam Ottovino, Ryan Brazier, Hirokazu Sawamura, Garrett
Richards, Martin Perez, Eduardo Rodriguez, Austin Davis, Garrett Whitlock
9. St. Louis Cardinals-
After underperforming for the majority of the season, the Cardinals finally started to turn it on once the second half started. While St. Louis played significantly better after the Mid-Summer Classic concluded, a 17 game winning streak in September all but locked up a postseason spot for the Red Birds, as both Cincinnati and San Diego were unable to keep up during that torrid stretch. Going back to last offseason, the Cardinals made a huge splash, acquiring superstar Nolan Arenado from the Rockies, and for this reason, many had the Cardinals projected to at least be fighting for a playoff spot. Arenado’s success, along with resurgent seasons from Adam Wainwright and Paul Goldschmidt, were key factors to the success of St. Louis this season. Waino has easily cemented himself into the NL Cy Young conversation in his age 40 season, and Goldy has done the same in the NL MVP conversation. Tyler O’Neil has proven to be an outstanding power source, as he has by far surpassed his previous home run total. With an outfield consisting of O’Neil, Harrison Bader, and rookie sensation Dylan Carlson, the Cardinals had a better offense than most people realized. Although Paul DeJong and Yadier Molina didn’t have their best seasons at the plate, they were also not terrible and were relatively masked due to their teammates having solid years. Similarly to the Red Sox, the Cardinals pitching staff is a significant worry coming into the NL WC game on Wednesday. After Adam Wainwright, Lester has been good since being acquired from the deadline, but Mikolas and Hudson were injured for most of the season, and JA Happ has not pitched well. The bullpen received help internally, as usual started Jack Flaherty has joined the back end of the game due to injuries not letting him be stretched out. Gallegos, Reyes, and Miller, three of the top relievers in St. Louis, have not had good second halves. If the duo of Arenado and Goldschmidt can perform at their highest level, along with Tyler O’Neil continuing to rake, the Cardinals offense could be in better shape than expected against whoever the Dodgers throw out there in the WC game on Wednesday. Something Cardinals fans have witnessed over the years is this: Wainwright and Molina being one of the best pitching/catching batteries of all time. If they can somehow push the Red Birds past the Dodgers in the WC game and the rest of the St. Louis pitching staff can be at least average, the Cardinals may end up going farther in this postseason than many people are expecting.
Projected Playoff Roster-
Catchers- Yadier Molina, Andrew Knizner
First Baseman- Paul Goldschmidt
Second Baseman- Tommy Edman
Shortstop- Paul DeJong, Edmundo Sosa
Third Baseman- Nolan Arenado
Outfielders- Tyler O’Neil, Harrison Bader, Dylan Carlson, Lars Nootbaar
Utility- Matt Carpenter, Jose Rondon
Starting Pitchers- Adam Wainwright, Jon Lester, Miles Mikolas, JA Happ
Bullpen- Giovanny Gallegos, Alex Reyes, Andrew Miller, Dakota Hudson, Luis Garcia, Genesis Cabrera, Kwang Hyun Kim, Jack Flaherty
With the bracket officially set, the AL Wild Card Game on Tuesday night will start this postseason off with a bang as the New York Yankees head to Fenway Park to take on their division rival, the Boston Red Sox. Once the first pitch of the 2021 postseason is thrown, anything can happen. If you are a fan of a team that has punched their ticket into October, you should be in for a wild ride. If the team you root for did not make the postseason this time around, sit back and enjoy. There are sure to be great games and great series’ leading up to the Fall Classic, and the final series never disappoints. Make your predictions ladies and gentleman, and may the best team win. October baseball is finally upon us.
SPORTS ARE OUR UNIVERSE
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