NL Wild Card Game
Pittsburgh Pirates at San Diego Padres
Winner – San Diego Padres
The Padres will be hungry in their first playoff game since 2006. Their lineup will be too much for the Pirates to stop, and the Padres will move on to the NLDS for the first time since2006.
AL Wild Card Game
Detroit Tigers at Seattle Mariners
Winner – Seattle Mariners
This will be one hell of a game. David Price vs. Felix Hernandez will the duel all the way through, but the Tigers bullpen will let them down once again, and the Mariners will move on to the ALDS before a raucous crowd at Safeco Field.
National League Division Series
San Diego Padres vs. Washington Nationals
Winner – Washington Nationals
Two great pitching staffs will face off against each other in this series, but one will be just a little bit better than the other. The Nats will ride their dominant rotation of Scherzer, Strasburg, Zimmermann, Gonzale, and Fister to their first NLCS in franchise history.
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Winner – Los Angeles Dodgers
Clayton Kershaw will face his kryptonite once again, the St. Louis Cardinals, but this time he’ll get by his arch nemesis. The Dodgers will finally get a great playoff performance out of Kershaw, and they will finally get by the Cardinals and back to NLCS for the first time since 2013.
American League Divisional Series
Seattle Mariners vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Winner – Seattle Mariners
For the second year in a row the Angels will finish the year with the best record in the American League but will be an early exit in the playoffs. The Mariners will have too much pitching, and the Angels will not have enough. The Mariners will move on behind King Felix and Co.
Toronto Blue Jays vs. Chicago White Sox
Winner – Chicago White Sox
The White Sox will come out on top this time in a rematch of the 1993 ALCS. Chris Sale and Jeff Samardzija will be dominant, and Jose Abreu will become a postseason star. The White Sox will bring back memories of 2005 as they will move on to the ALCS.
National League Championship Series
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Washington Nationals
Winner – Washington Nationals
I can see this series going all seven. The pitching staff of the Washington Nationals once again will be too much. They’ll move on to their first World Series in franchise history.
American League Championship Series
Seattle Mariners vs. Chicago White Sox
Winner – Seattle Mariners
This will be another great series. Two great pitching staffs. Two great lineups. Two great bullpens. This series will go down to the wire, but in the end I think the Mariners will just edge out the White Sox. Felix Hernandez will lead Seattle to their first ever World Series appearance.
World Series
Seattle Mariners vs. Washington Nationals
Winner – Washington Nationals
For the first time since 1924, our nation’s capital will be home to a World Series champion. The Nationals will ride their top-notch pitching staff to their first ever World Series championship.
Follow Bobby on Twitter @RENorell_III
