Wild Card Series Preview By: Hank Indictor

One of my favorite times of the year is back! October Baseball! We've got some exciting matchups here for you, and I will discuss them individually for each round. So, to start, we have the Wild Card Series. All four series (2 in the AL, 2 in the NL) will be a best-of-three series, each very unpredictable. However, let's get right into the Meat and Potatoes and the First 4 MLB Series!

American League

Texas Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Rays

For the Rangers, it has been an exciting ride. They not only made their first postseason appearance since 2016, but in his first year as manager, Bruce Bochy transformed them from a 68-win team to a playoff contender. However, the season was not without its ups and downs. Despite a lineup that posted solid numbers during the season, injuries and a weak bullpen contributed to a second-half collapse, forcing them to settle for a Wild Card Spot. The big question will be whether or not they will be willing to overcome all of these in a short series. As for the Tampa Bay Rays, they experience their fair share of a roller coaster ride as well. This is a team that, despite winning 99 games, was unable to overcome the young and upstart Baltimore Orioles and, in addition, had to suffer through the Wander Franco scandal as well as Tommy John surgery to would-be Cy Young candidate Shane McClanahan. However, this is still a lineup that can still mash at any given moment. Randy Arozarena and Yandy Diaz are the keys to a lineup that is a consistent contender. Ultimately, I think the Rays will win this series in 3 games. Although the Rangers pitching has been serviceable despite the injuries to deadline acquisition Max Scherzer and big Free Agent signee Jacob deGrom, their late-season slide and bullpen woes scare me. After all, losing all of the momentum only takes one bad game in a short series. Not to mention, Tampa's experience in these games matters.

Toronto Blue Jays vs. Minnesota Twins

Here's a series with two teams that have a lot to prove. The Blue Jays overcame a mediocre start, and the memories of last year's Wild Card Series choke to get back to this stage, but they've been a frustrating team. On paper, this is a team with a strong lineup (Vladimir Guerrero and Bo Bichette) and an elite pitching staff, but they've had a lot of ups and downs and were never really a factor in the division race. It was their pitching that carried them to the postseason. Kevin Gausman was the ace of a staff that included Jose Berrios, Chris Bassitt, and Yusei Kikuchi, and all four of them made 31 starts. All 4 of them made 31 starts, and the Blue Jays were the only team with four starters to exceed that total! Can they finally make it past the Wild Card Round with this core? It's possible, but to say that it is put up or shut up time for them would be an understatement of the year, and given the free agency status of a slew of their team, it might be now or never for this team. As for the AL Central winner, it always feels like whoever wins that division takes it by default, and in this year's case, it was the Twins. The Twins are another interesting case. Their starting pitching has also been a key to their regular season success with a rotation featuring the likes of Pablo Lopez and Sonny Gray. And in case there's a close game, Jhoan Duran has been a safety blanket of sorts as their closer. The lineup, however, is boom or bust. Despite being homer-happy, they are very strikeout-prone, too, but Max Kepler and Royce Lewis are a few players to watch for. Carlos Correa could be a factor, too, as he is expected to recover from a foot injury, and we know what he's done in the past when with the Astros. And, of course, there's the elephant in the room: the 18-game playoff losing streak. Can the Twins shake it off? This series is another one that can go either way. However, I don't trust a homer-heavy lineup like Minnesota's come October. Blue Jays in 3

National League

Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Milwaukee Brewers

The Milwaukee Brewers are your NL Central Winners, but because this is the same league that features the Dodgers and Braves, they had no chance to get that bye for the Division Series. This team has a Moneyball A's-like feel as they are in the lower tier regarding payroll, and Milwaukee is seen as a small market. That said, since 2017, they've consistently fielded good teams year after year that have mostly been built on pitching. This year's squad is no different, as Corbin Burnes and Freddy Peralta continue to be horses. However, that depth is being tested because they will likely be without Brandon Woodruff for the remainder of the season due to a shoulder injury. And then another question is their lineup, which is middle of the pack. While it got a boost from trade deadline acquisitions such as Mark Canha and Carlos Santana, the only other guys you can rely on to give you some pop are Willy Adames, Christian Yelich, and William Contreras. Whereas with the Diamondbacks, this is a lineup that features Rookie of the Year Candidate Corbin Carroll in addition to other power hitters such as Christian Walker and Ketel Marte, all of whom would be the best hitters on the Brewers if you put either of them in that lineup. And the Diamondbacks have a nice pair of star pitchers in Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly. Their pen gives Milwaukee the edge as Joel Payamps, Abner Uribe, Hoby Milner, and Trevor Megill are all behind Devin Williams as strong options for a close series. And with Gallen and Kelly starting in games 2 and 3, I have Milwaukee winning a close one here.

Miami Marlins vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Although the Diamondbacks possess more of a power threat than the Marlins (except Jorge Soler) with their lineup, I'm not sure this is exactly who the Phillies were hoping to draw in their first-round matchup. After all, the Marlins were under .500 at the end of August but rode a hot month of September to reach the playoffs for the first time in a non-COVID-shortened season since 2003. And if you know the history of the Marlins, two of their three postseason appearances resulted in Cinderella World Series runs. Luis Arraez is the catalyst of a scrappy lineup as he became the first player in Major League History to win back-to-back batting crowns in the AL and NL (he was a Twin in 2022) and only the 3rd player in Major League history to win the Crown in both leagues. And though he was dealing with an ankle injury, he should be ready for Game 1. Their rotation isn't too shabby either, led by Jesus Luzardo and Braxton Garrett. And their bullpen? Very dangerous. Especially if the game becomes close, Tanner Scott has been a solid closer, and their lefties in Andrew Nardi, A.J. Puk, and Steven Okert can also give Phillies hitters agita. The Marlins aren't scared of the Phillies. The Phillies are more than a formidable foe. After all, these are the NL Champs that we are talking about. And having a home-field advantage will be more than huge for Philadelphia. If the Phillies' powerful lineup of Harper, Turner, Realmuto, Schwarber, and Castellanos can make some noise, this can be a short series. And let's remember their pitchers, too! Nonetheless, while Miami will create a scare, I have the Phillies winning this in 3.