October baseball is here. Which means only one thing - the quest for the World Series trophy. 12 of Major League Baseball's best teams face off to see who will raise the Commissioner's Trophy, and who will get sent home. Here's a breakdown of what we can expect
Seattle Mariners vs Toronto Blue Jays
The Mariners clinch their first playoff birth since 2001, and face the Blue Jays who have one of MLB's most exciting lineups. The Mariners lineup is a little shaky, but Toronto's pitching at times has been questionable. Keep an eye on Seattle's rookie phenom, Julio Rodriguez, as well as Toronto's ace starting pitcher Alek Manoah.
Tampa Bay Rays vs Cleveland Guardians
Cleveland exhibited dominance of the AL central this season and is backed by quality pitching and an explosive bat in MVP-caliber player Jose Ramirez. Tampa Bay snuck into the playoffs after cooling down a bit towards the end of the season. They lack the star-power on paper, but still manage to win without the payroll or big names.
American League Division SeriesNew York Yankees vs Winner of CLE/TB
The Bronx Bombers have MVP-favorite Aaron Judge and a first round bye, but they're going to need help from their pitching staff which at times has been a question mark. We've seen them score runs in bunches, but also at times they've struggled. What version of the Yankees will we see this series?
Houston Astros vs Winner of SEA/TOR
The Astros are one of baseball's most talented teams. A pitching staff lead by AL Cy Young front runner Justin Verlander, and a lineup with speed and power, the Astros are poised to make a return trip to the World Series.
New York Mets vs San Diego Padres
The Mets had one of the more disappointing ends to the season. With a double digit division lead, they lost a series to the Atlanta Braves, thus dropping the division and ending up in the Wild Card. They still have an elite pitching staff featuring Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom, and their lineup is talented. They face a Padres team who by all accounts underachieved this season. The Padres do have a talented pitching rotation, and the late season surge of the recently-acquired Juan Soto will surely help against the Amazin's.
Philadelphia Phillies vs St Louis Cardinals
Down and out for much of the season, the Phillies finished strong and snapped their 11 year playoff drought. They face a Cardinals team who overcame an early divisional deficit but held onto the lead and never looked back. With a veteran core and MVP candidate in Paul Goldschmidt, the Phillies have their work cut out for them.
National League Division SeriesLos Angeles Dodgers vs Winner of SD/NYM
The Dodgers have three MVP-caliber players at the top of the lineup, and one of baseball's best pitching rotations. They are favorites to make it to the World Series, so whoever plays them certainly has their work cutout for them.
Atlanta Braves vs Winner of STL/PHI
The Braves are looking to be the first team to win back-to-back World Series since the 2000 Yankees. With the ever-so-dangerous Ronald Acuña Jr in their lineup, and Cy Young candidate Max Fried, the Braves look to repeat last years success.
