The Big Lead Major League Baseball Postseason Predictions: Believe in the Astros
By Kyle Koster
There’s only October. Dane Cook knew it. You know it.
The Major League Baseball Playoffs begin today and we have predictions. Here they are.
American League Wild Card Game
Koster: Twins over Yankees. Luis Severino and a stacked bullpen mean New York is a heavy favorite but Ervin Santana is no slouch himself. I’m banking on a first-inning outburst with big hits from Brian Dozier and Joe Mauer. The road team has the first shot to grab momentum and that’s precisely what happened back in 2015 when the Yankees hosted — and lost — the Wild Card game.
Lisk: Yankees over Twins.
Douglas: Yankees over Twins. Baseball is fixed and the Yankees need to move on for #ratings.
McIntyre: Yankees over Twins. Nobody outside of Minnesota is rooting for the Twins.
Glasspiegel: Twins over Yankees.
Shamburger: Yankees over Twins
Phillips: Yankees over Twins
American League Division Series
Koster: Indians over Twins in 4; Astros over Red Sox in 4. Neither series will be particular competitive as the front of Houston’s rotation dominates and the Indians score at will.
Lisk: Indians over Yankees in 5; Astros over Red Sox in 4.
Douglas: Indians over Yankees in 5; Astros over Red Sox in 5.
McIntyre: Yankees over Indians in 5; Red Sox over Astros in 4.
Glasspiegel: Indians over Twins in 4; Astros over Red Sox in 5.
Shamburger: Indians over Yankees in 4; Astros over Red Sox in 5.
Phillips: Indians over Yankees in 4; Astros over Red Sox in 5.
American League Championship Series
Koster: Indians over Astros in 5. Cleveland has owned Justin Verlander in recent years. That trend will continue on the big stage. Jose Ramirez will hit 9 extra-base hits during the series and further his legend.
Lisk: Astros over Indians in 6.
Douglas: Indians over Astros in 7.
McIntyre: Yankees over Red Sox in 7. A classic, of course!
Glasspiegel: Astros over Indians in 7.
Shamburger: Indians over Astros in 6
Phillips: Astros over Indians in 7.
National League Wild Card Game
Koster: Diamondbacks over Rockies. Arizona has the pitching edge with Zach Greinke going against Jon Gray. J.D. Martinez will hit two homers in a lopsided affair.
Lisk: Diamondbacks over Rockies.
Douglas: Rockies over Diamondbacks in 1.
McIntyre: Rockies over Diamondbacks.
Glasspiegel: Diamondbacks over Rockies.
Shamburger: Rockies over Diamondbacks.
Phillips: Rockies over Diamondbacks.
National League Division Series
Koster: Dodgers over Diamondbacks in 3; Cubs over Nationals in 5. Clayton Kershaw shakes some postseason demons as Los Angeles regains its midseason form. The Cubs flirt with disaster but win the final two games to send Washington home early yet again in October.
Lisk: Dodgers over Diamondbacks in 4; Nationals over Cubs in 5.
Douglas: Dodgers over Rockies in 4; Cubs over Nationals in 5.
McIntyre: Dodgers over Rockies in 5, Nationals over Cubs in 5. This might set up the perfect Final Four, because the Nationals have never won anything and the Cubs just did last year.
Glasspiegel: Dodgers over Diamondbacks in 4, Nationals over Cubs in 5.
Shamburger: Dodgers over Rockies in 5,
Phillips: Dodgers over Rockies in 4, Nationals over Cubs in 4.
National League Championship Series
Koster: Cubs over Dodgers in 6. Kershaw is once again mortal at a bad time. Addison Russell hits four homers in the series and John Lackey pitches like it’s 2002 again. A rematch is secured.
Lisk: Dodgers over Nationals in 6.
Douglas: Dodgers over Cubs in 4. Please.
McIntyre: Dodgers over Nationals in 5. Wait, is this who I want to win, or who I think will win? These are two very different things.
Glasspiegel: Nationals over Dodgers in 7.
Shamburger: Dodgers over Nationals in 6.
Phillips: Nationals over Dodgers in 7.
World Series
Koster: Indians over Cubs in 7. We are in for another epic Fall Classic. Cleveland will break its first World Series since 1948 but it won’t come easy. It will take a superhuman effort from the unhittable bullpen and a series-deciding clutch hit from Carlos Santana.
Lisk: Astros over Dodgers in 6.
Douglas: Indians over Dodgers in 6.
McIntyre: Dodgers over the Yankees in 7. I’ll be torn because I live in LA but have rooted for the Yankees all my life because I was born in NY.
Glasspiegel: Astros over Nationals in 6.
Shamburger: Indians over Dodgers in 5.
Phillips: Astros over Nationals in 7.