Elite Sports NY's 2016 MLB Postseason Preview & Predictions

With every MLB postseason spot solidified, paving way for some exciting matchups, it comes time for an exclusive look at the upcoming month.

By: Emmanuel Berbari & Christian Kouroupakis

It is that time of year again and, as die-hard baseball fans, we could not be happier. The MLB postseason is a beautiful form of art that only true fans can appreciate.

This year should prove to be no different. With some extremely intriguing matchups on tap, creating even more enticing hypothetical clashes in the later rounds, the 2016 playoffs can quite possibly turn into an October for the ages.

Every team has battled. 162 games, six months, countless taxing road trips, the highs, the lows, and the eventual middle ground. All of the potential breaking points of a marathon major league baseball season have not interfered with the respective paths of these teams from these cities:

Texas Rangers (95-67)
Cleveland Indians (94-67)
Boston Red Sox (93-69)
Toronto Blue Jays (89-73)
Baltimore Orioles (89-73)

Chicago Cubs (103-58)
Washington Nationals (95-67)
Los Angeles Dodgers (91-71)
New York Mets (87-75)
San Francisco Giants (87-75)

So many storylines highlight this dive into the heart of America’s National Pastime. Will the Cubs win their first championship since 1908? Will the Red Sox win it all in David Ortiz’s farewell season? Can the Indians make it two — yes, two — championships in one year for their city? Can the Texas Rangers or Washington Nationals win their first title, period? Will the Giants make it four straight even-yeared world championships?

A much-anticipated October baseball slate is about the get underway. So, without further adieu, let’s take a look at the postseason outlook straight from us here at Elite Sports NY.

AL Wild Card

Emmanuel – Based on recent history, home-field advantage does not mean much in a one-game, do-or-die, scenario. Rogers Centre is a whole new ballgame. The place will be absolutely rocking, and the second the tide turns in Toronto’s favor, the Orioles will be planning their flight back to Baltimore. Chris Tillman and Ubaldo Jimenez — the two potential Tuesday starters for Baltimore — possess ERAs of 5.44 and 4.48 in their respective careers against the Blue Jays. Those odds do not sound great.

Christian – Sorry, Baltimore, once the Toronto Blue Jays earn the slightest momentum, the hostile Rogers Centre will make you wish you never earned a spot in the postseason, to begin with. All kidding aside, Jimenez has surrendered five earned runs in seven innings (6.43 ERA) across two starts in Toronto this season while giving up four home runs in four total starts against the Jays (6-4 vs O’s at home in 2016). Tillman, the other potential starter, has given up 20 home runs in just 13 career starts at the Rogers Centre including a .313 opponents batting average and a 7.01 ERA. The staff as a whole has surrendered 5.4 runs per game against the Jays as the road team so, I’ll take the Jays’ offense and home field advantage over the O’s any day.

NL Wild Card

Emmanuel – This is not 2014, it is 2016, and baseball fans often fail to realize that. Sure, Madison Bumgarner has a terrific playoff track record, but the Giants are that classic case of a team limping into the playoffs, desperately hoping to strike gold. If you can pull up one stat that tells me Bumgarner is a better pitcher than Noah Syndergaard, I’ll take the Giants. Until then, give me the defending NL champs in front of 45,000 screaming fans in the Big Apple.

Christian – No, it’s not 2014. However, Bumgarner posted his best ERA (2.74) since 2013 while the All-Star managed to set a career high by maintaining 10 K’s per nine innings. Also, back on May 1, when Bumgarner faced Noah Syndergaard and a relatively healthy Mets’ lineup, he struck out seven across six innings of shutout work in Flushing. Thor, on the other hand, surrendered four earned runs in just 5.2 innings of work including a home run. Bumgarner has a career 0.62 ERA to coincide with a 4-0 record at Citi Field and back in 2014’s Wild Card game, he tossed a complete game shutout in Pittsburgh against a Pirates team that contained a much greater offensive threat than the Mets have to offer. Flushing may be buzzing on Wednesday night, but look no further than Mad Bum to shut them up.

NEXT: ALDS

ALDS – Cleveland Indians vs. Boston Red Sox

Emmanuel – The Boston Red Sox are by far the most well-rounded team in these AL playoffs. Not only can their pitching keep up with the Indians, but their lineup, which includes five regulars with 20 home runs or more, will completely put 2016’s biggest surprise to bed. Terry Francona’s Indians were a great story, but their season is destined to come to an end following a Game 4 at Fenway Park.

Christian – Sorry, Terry, your revenge against your former team will not happen this season. You can thank both Danny Salazar (strained forearm) and Carlos Carrasco (fractured hand) for that. Heck, even Corey Kluber, who is 18-9 with a 3.14 ERA, had trouble with a tight quad. The bottom line is, with a rotation in absolute shambles facing a Red Sox offense that sits first in all of baseball in runs scored with a rotation that can unquestionably outduel Cleveland’s, this series shouldn’t be close. Boston takes the series by using their brooms.

ALDS – ALWC vs. Texas Rangers

Emmanuel – Let’s put it this way. A Rangers-Blue Jays rematch will be wildly entertaining. From the bat flips and hard feelings of the 2015 ALDS to the Odor-Bautista knuckle sandwich here in 2016, there is no love lost between these two. This year, the Blue Jays will get the last laugh, winning an epic five-game set behind a heroic series from Josh Donaldson. Bold prediction? The benches will clear at least once.

Christian – Get your popcorn ready for a heavy dose of entertaining baseball. Like Emmanuel mentioned, Game 3 of last year’s ALDS and the sucker punch brought to Bautista by Odor will bring some feistiness to this game, but it won’t change a damn thing as the Blue Jays will come out on top yet again in this back-and-forth series. Offensively, the two teams match up perfectly, as both teams own an identical OPS (.755), but Toronto’s staff, led by J.A. Happ and Aaron Sanchez, will be good enough to push the Jays to a 3-2 series win. Although two potent offenses steal the show, obviously the team with the better staff (Toronto) and bullpen (also Toronto) will come out as victors.

NEXT: NLDS

NLDS – Los Angeles Dodgers @ Washington Nationals

Emmanuel – If the Nationals had Stephen Strasburg (unlikely to pitch in NLDS), Wilson Ramos (out for season – torn ACL), and Daniel Murphy (nagging glute injury) at full force, their chances in a series against the Dodgers would skyrocket. They would not only be favorites in the NLDS but a threat to the entire National League. Well, reality is reality. Want another reality? LA has battled through a record number of player DL stints (28) this year en route to a fourth straight NL West title. They are not the glamorous pick, but the right pick. The Nats get bounced in the first round, again.

Christian – Unfortunately for Los Angeles, I see too many problems in their starting rotation, which has the highest ERA among NL playoff teams (3.95). Clayton Kershaw’s health raises a red flag and his poor performance in the playoffs (2-6, 4.59 ERA) doesn’t make me feel any better. Sure they managed to win through an injury-ridden season, but that doesn’t mean they have what it takes to surpass Max Scherzer and co. Plus, don’t forget the magic Daniel Murphy brought to the bright lights of the postseason a year ago. Sure, they are bit banged up and will not have Strasburg for the series, but they have enough talent to take this series with the Dodgers three games to one.

NLDS – NLWC @ Chicago Cubs

Emmanuel – For those who are immediately writing the Mets off in a potential clash with the Cubs, think again. Not only do the Mets own them — 5-2 in the regular season after a clean sweep in last year’s NLCS — but they consistently see success against two of their top starters. New York jacked seven home runs off Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester this year, and will inevitably see both at some point in the series. With that said, the firepower of Chicago will overrule the potent threat. The Metropolitans take them five games, but the Cubbies earn a bid to the championship series.

Christian – Facing the Giants, my projected Wild Card winner, the Cubs will have a fun National League Division series. To be honest, I see no flaws in this Chicago team. From the second most runs scored in the NL (first among NL playoff teams), slick fielding youngsters, dominant rotation (best ERA in MLB), to the best closer in the game, they have it all. It may be an even year, but don’t expect that to be the “black cat” for the 2016 Chicago Cubs. San Francisco drops the series 3-1.

NEXT: ALCS

ALCS

Emmanuel’s Pick – Red Sox (4) over Blue Jays (1)

Toronto may have the firepower on offense, helping them past the Orioles and Rangers, but the Red Sox have more. Toronto may have some pitching, but the Red Sox have way more. Overall, this has the makings of a lopsided seven-game series — should it happen. David Ortiz puts on a show in the ALCS, blasting four dingers in five games as Boston advances to the Fall Classic for the second time this decade.

Christian’s Pick – Red Sox (4) over Blue Jays (1)

There is a reason why the Boston Red Sox won the AL East and this series will prove that further. Their offense is better, the rotation is better, and they are the hotter team entering the postseason and coming off a sweep of the Cleveland Indians. Boston takes it in five and David Price, who has disappointed his new fans by being unable to live up to his $217-million contract, will shut out his former team while Ortiz takes home the ALCS MVP honors.

NEXT: NLCS

NLCS

Emmanuel’s Pick – Cubs (4) over Dodgers (3)

Two of the most historic NL franchises — the Cubs and Dodgers — turn in an NLCS for the ages. Two high-caliber pitching staffs, and two lineups capable of doing some serious damage. Los Angeles pulls ahead 3-1, but Chicago reverses its history of bad breaks. The Cubs come roaring back, with Kris Bryant cranking a walk-off three-run homer in Game 7 to send them to the World Series for the first time since 1945.

Christian’s Pick – Cubs (4) over Nationals (1)

Like last year’s World Series, Murphy’s postseason flare gets put out by the Cubs’ deadly 1-2-3 combo of on Lester, Hendricks, and Arrieta. Chicago will take a 3-0 lead, give up game four, but the back-end combo of Rondon and Chapman will punch their ticket to their first World Series in 71 years fueled by NLCS MVP, Kris Bryant.

NEXT: World Series

World Series

Emmanuel’s Pick – Cubs (4) over Red Sox (2)

Let’s be real here. This is the matchup everyone wants to see, and probably the most realistic at the same time. The storylines hovering over this Fall Classic would make it the most-watched World Series in MLB history. Everything from Big Papi’s final season to the Cubs’ quest for a broken curse (1908); Theo Epstein’s attempt to end a second World Series drought to the historic nature of the two ballparks (Wrigley Field and Fenway Park). Everything about this series would make the die-hard baseball fan go nuts. With that being said, this year, with this team, on this stage, the Chicago Cubs will have the edge. 108 years is long enough. Jake Arrieta will win games 2 and 6, not allowing a run over 14 innings of work to claim the World Series MVP.

Christian’s Pick – Red Sox (4) over Cubs (3)

Both these franchises have 261 years of existence between them and this year’s World Series will be a classic that will end with Boston hoisting the commissioner’s trophy for the ninth time. Why? They finished September with the best record (19-9) in baseball, will enter the Fall Classic having lost just once in the playoffs, and after seeing how dominant the red-hot Kansas City Royals and Mets were last year, that’s enough for me to crown them as champions. Having home field advantage with the emotion of David Ortiz’s desire for one more ring are added pluses. The breakout player of the year, Mookie Betts, will earn the MVP honors.

NEXT: ESNY Staff Picks

Elite Sports NY Staff Picks

Robby Sabo – Founder

Wild Card winners: Mets, Jays

ALDS/NLDS winners: Rangers, Indians, Mets, Nationals

ALCS/NLCS winners: Indians over Rangers, Nationals over Mets

World Series: Nationals over Indians (MVP – Trea Turner)

Jeremy Fialkow – Staff Writer

Wild Card winners: Mets, Orioles

ALDS/NLDS winners: Rangers, Red Sox, Mets, Nationals

ALCS/NLCS: Red Sox over Rangers, Mets over Nationals

World Series: Mets over Red Sox in 7

Gregg Cambareri – Editor

Wild Card winners: Giants, Blue Jays

ALDS/NLDS winners: Rangers, Red Sox, Cubs, Nationals

ALCS/NLCS: Red Sox over Rangers, Cubs over Nationals

World Series: Cubs over Red Sox

Chris Boccia – Staff Writer

Wild Card winners: Giants, Orioles

ALDS/NLDS winners: Rangers, Indians, Cubs, Dodgers

ALCS/NLCS winners: Indians over Rangers, Cubs over Dodgers

World Series: Cubs over Indians

Allison Case – Staff Writer

Wild Card winners: Mets, Blue Jays

ALDS/NLDS winners: Rangers, Indians, Cubs, Nationals

ALCS/NLCS winners: Indians over Rangers, Cubs over Nationals

World Series: Indians over Cubs

Matt O’Leary – Staff Writer

Wild Card winners: Mets, Blue Jays

ALDS/NLDS winners: Rangers, Red Sox, Cubs, Dodgers

ALCS/NLCS winners: Red Sox over Rangers, Cubs over Dodgers

World Series: Red Sox over Cubs

Jackson Heil – Staff Writer