2015 MLB playoff matchups set
After 162 games, the 2015 Major League Baseball regular season has come to a close. After all the pennant races, we have the final 10 teams standing as we head into the postseason.
RELATED: 2015 MLB Playoff schedule and TV Guide
Here’s the MLB playoff picture:
American League
In the American League, the New York Yankees will host the Houston Astros in the Wild Card game at Yankee Stadium. New York has not been in the playoffs since 2012, when it was swept in the AL Championship Series by the Detroit Tigers. Houston has not seen the postseason since 2005, when it was in the National League and lost in the World Series to the Chicago White Sox.
The winner of that contest will face the Kansas City Royals, who earned home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a 95-67 record. The mark is Kansas City’s best since 1977, when George Brett led the club to 102 wins.
In the other American League series will be the Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers. Toronto is making its first postseason appearance since winning consecutive World Series in 1992 and 1993. The Blue Jays have been the best team in baseball since acquiring David Price at the trading deadline, giving them pitching to go with the trio of Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion.
Texas won its first AL West title since 2011, and its first postseason push since 2012. The Rangers reached the Fall Classic in both 2010 and 2011, only to lose both times. The Rangers came out of nowhere to win the West with an 88-74 record.
Next: Ranking The Best Hitter All-Time From Every MLB Franchise
National League
In the senior circuit, the Pittsburgh Pirates will play host in the Wild Card game for the third straight season. Pittsburgh beat the Cincinnati Reds in 2013 before losing to the San Francisco Giants in 2014. Pittsburgh enters the playoffs with the second-best record in baseball at 98-64 and plays the third-best team, the Chicago Cubs.
Chicago went 97-65 and is in the postseason for the first time since 2008. The Cubs were expected to be a team building toward the playoffs this year, but behind a gaggle of youngsters and the cool hand of manager Joe Maddon, the North Siders are in business. Whoever advances from this game will play the top team in baseball, the St. Louis Cardinals.
St. Louis lost Adam Wainwright for most of the season to a torn Achilles in April but still won 101 games. The Cardinals are the most complete team in the sport and will enjoy home-field advantage at Busch Stadium, where they have compiled a 55-26 record.
In the other series are the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are hosting the New York Mets. This is the third consecutive postseason berth for Los Angeles, which is hoping to get to the World Series for the first time since 1988. New York is much greener to the postseason, with the Mets showing up for the first time in a decade.
This series is going to provide tremendous pitching, including starters Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Matt Harvey, Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke.
Schedule
[table id=112 /]