With 10 teams now set for October, the 2016 MLB Playoffs are ready to get underway this week.
It’s that magical time of year again. The MLB playoffs are officially here, and all the action gets underway this week. The regular season came to a conclusion this past Sunday night, and 10 teams have a shot at making their way to the World Series. This field is interesting this year, so let’s take a look at this year’s playoff picture.
We’ll start in the American League, where the Wild Card game will feature the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles. Down the final two weeks of the season, these two held off the the likes of the Detroit Tigers, Seattle Mariners, and the Houston Astros. Everybody remembers last year’s playoffs, and the now-iconic bat flip from Jose Bautista. Well, he’ll get another shot to show off this year, as he and the Blue Jays will host Chris Davis and the Orioles on Tuesday night. The winner of that game will head to Texas to face the Rangers in the ALDS, which starts on Thursday night. Chris Tillman will start for Baltimore, and will go up against Toronto’s Marcus Stroman.
The other ALDS match is set, as the Boston Red Sox will travel to Cleveland to start that series. Twelve years ago, Terry Francona led Boston to their first World Series title in 86 years. Now twelve years later, he will face his former club and try to lead the Indians to their first title in 68 years. It’s a rematch of the 2007 American League Championship Series in which Boston overturned a 3-1 series deficit to punch their ticket for the fall classic. Rick Porcello will take the mound for Boston, as he faces Trevor Bauer. First pitch from Progressive Field in Cleveland is set for 7:00 P.M central, and will be broadcast on TBS and ESPN Radio. In fact, TBS will carry the Wild Card game as well.
Over in the National League, the Wild Card game will see the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets try to make their way to the NLDS. The Giants have won the World Series in each of the last three even-numbered years, and look to continue the trend this year. The Mets were in the World Series last year, and would love a return trip. However, the winner of this game won’t have it easy, as the Wild Card winner will have to head to Wrigley Field for an NLDS showdown with the ridiculously red-hot Chicago Cubs. Do we get a rematch of last year’s NLCS with the Cubs and Mets, or will San Francisco keep that streak alive for another even-numbered year? This will be an incredible pitching matchup, as Madison Bumgarner (15-9, 2.74 ERA in 2016) steps up for the Giants against Noah Syndergaard (14-9, 2.60 ERA in 2016).
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The other NLDS match will see the Los Angeles Dodgers face the Washington Nationals. Clayton Kershaw, who returned to the mound in September from a back injury, will get the start for the Dodgers against who is expected to be Max Scherzer from Washington. The Dodgers have won six division titles since Kershaw’s rookie year in 2008, but haven’t seen the World Series since the days of Orel Hershiser back in 1988. The Nationals are hoping for their first postseason series victory in club history, after NLDS defeats in 2012 and 2014. The last time Washington saw the NLCS was way back in 1981, as part of the now-defunct Montreal Expos. One big problem in this series is injuries. Both teams have been plagued by them this year, but the Nationals will be without ace Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper is dealing with neck issues. Regardless, both teams will be ready when FS1 airs the first pitch at 4:30 P.M Central from Nationals Park.
So the playoffs are set. As noted, TBS and FS1 will carry the majority of the TV broadcasts so you will have the best seat for all the actions in this year’s MLB Playoffs.