Kuzul

Improbable, a second chance, turnaround and a long time coming. Those four words and/or short phrases are apt descriptions for the four teams in play when the two American League Division Series begin on Thursday.

The Houston Astros have made an improbable run to the ALDS. They were 51-111 two seasons ago, 70-92 last season. Now, after an 86-76 season and a wild-card win over the New York Yankees on Tuesday, the Astros are in the ALDS for the first time ever (they were long members of the NL) and in the playoffs for the first time since 2005. 

They play the Kansas City Royals, who finished with the best record in the AL and now get a second chance at a World Series after coming up short in the final round last season against San Francisco.

In the other matchup, it’s the Texas Rangers, who posted four straight 90-win seasons from 2010-13, stumbled to a 67-win campaign last year and are back in the postseason mix thanks to a quick turnaround. 

Their opposition is the Toronto Blue Jays. Thursday has indeed been a long time coming. After two decades of Yankees-Red Sox hegemony, the Blue Jays topped the AL East and are in the playoffs for the first time since winning the World Series in 1993. 

Here is the TV schedule and live stream info for the ALDS openers. 

Preview

Texas Rangers at Toronto Blue Jays

Toronto might be one of the most feared teams in the playoffs, but it would be foolish to overlook the Rangers. While the Blue Jays finished tops in home runs, on-base percentage and OPS, the Rangers weren’t all that far off.

The Rangers’ near-capitulation to the Los Angeles Angels—in which they came close to losing the AL Central to Houston—obscures the fact that they rolled to a 14-7 finish over the final 21 games of the season. First-year manager Jeff Banister has done an excellent job of steering this team back to the postseason after a trying 2014. 

“Our teams are very similar,” Toronto manager John Gibbons said, per Neil Davidson of the Canadian Press, via CBC Sports. “Good offences. Balanced. They’ve got some pretty good team speed over there.” 

Texas does have some good runners, stealing 101 bases (the Blue Jays weren’t exactly slouches, swiping 88). Elvis Andrus and Delino DeShields each stole 25 bases, while Leonys Martin stole 14. Team speed can help, but it might not be enough in the face of Toronto’s awesome power.

Keeping Toronto’s offense tamped down is going to be a tough task for the Rangers staff. Barry Svrluga and Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post believe the long ball will be key to this series: 

No major league team hit more than the Blue Jays’ 232 homers this season, with Donaldson, Bautista and Encarnacion combining for 120 by themselves. Of the teams remaining in the playoffs, only Toronto allowed more homers than the Rangers’ 171. Texas closer Shawn Tolleson gave up nine bombs alone, more than any reliever left in the postseason.

Josh Donaldson put together an MVP-worthy campaign and is liable to hit one out at any given time. He’s cushioned in the lineup by all kinds of great players, like Edwin Encarnacion, Troy Tulowitzki and the home run factory that is Jose Bautista.

It’s perhaps a good thing Texas is trotting out Yovani Gallardo to start Game 1. He allowed just 15 home runs in 33 starts. He also went 2-0 in two starts against Toronto this year, allowing just six hits and no runs in 13.2 innings pitched. 

His counterpart on the mound is David Price, acquired by Toronto in a midseason trade with Detroit. Since joining the Blue Jays, the southpaw is 9-1 with a 2.30 ERA. However, he does sport a less-robust 4.50 career postseason ERA.

Price last pitched September 26, so while he should be extremely well rested, he could be out of rhythm. The Rangers can keep him off kilter with the speed and hope that the likes of Josh Hamilton, Prince Fielder and Adrian Beltre can provide an offensive spark.

Toronto’s lineup is a killer, though, so Gallardo will need to be at his best for the Rangers to win Game 1.

While Toronto looks eminently capable of blowing the Rangers away with its stellar offense, this series has all the makings of a tense, five-game affair.  

Houston Astros at Kansas City Royals

The Astros are young, plucky and probably not supposed to be here. But now that they are in the ALDS after beating the Yankees, they’re going to make the most of it. 

“Now we get to go to Kansas City. It’s going to be some grind-it-out baseball,” left fielder Colby Rasmus said, via Howie Rumberg of the Associated Press, via the Kansas City Star. “We have to come in there the way we came in [Tuesday]. It’s going to be fun.”

Houston is certainly a motley crew. There are the hard swingers in Evan Gattis and Rasmus, who don’t connect all that often but crush the ball when they do. Gattis has a great beard and doesn’t wear batting gloves, while Rasmus is garnering attention for his party-hardy attitude .

Carlos Correa is a phenomenal young shortstop and one of the players to watch this postseason. Here are some eye-popping numbers from the 21-year-old, via ESPN Stats & Info: 

Then there is Jose Altuve, a fantastic leadoff man with a .313 average this season and 38 stolen bases.

The Royals have again put together a great outfield, led by Lorenzo Cain, who posted a .307/.361/.477 slash line with 16 home runs, 72 RBI and 28 stolen bases. Outfielder and backup Jarrod Dyson threw in 26 steals of his own. Alex Gordon and Alex Rios are likely to man the corners in the playoffs. The pop in the lineup comes from Mike Moustakas, Kendrys Morales and Salvador Perez, who combined for 65 home runs.

It’s a fine collection of talent, and many of these guys on the roster are holdovers from last year. However, the tail end of the season saw the lineup get pretty dinged up, but manager Ned Yost insists they are fine now.

“Everybody feels good and everybody is ready to go,” Yost said, via ESPN.com’s Doug Padilla. “Everybody is dinged up this time of the year. After [Wednesday] there will be eight teams left, everybody has little dings and nicks, and you just play through them. We’re in pretty good shape. Lorenzo Cain feels much better and Morales is good.”

The projected pitching matchup is Houston’s Collin McHugh against Kansas City’s Yordano Ventura. Here’s how they stack up.

If the Royals can hold onto an advantage late, they can turn to Wade Davis to shut things down and preserve a win. The New York Times‘ Tyler Kepner has more on the blindingly good reliever: 

The Royals’ Wade Davis, a rare late-inning reliever with three dominant pitches (fastball, cutter, curveball), took over the closer’s role in September after Greg Holland’s elbow injury. Davis had a 0.94 E.R.A. this season after posting a 1.00 mark last year. He is the only pitcher in major league history to have two seasons of at least 65 appearances and an E.R.A. no higher than 1.00. 

Houston has its own stable of solid relievers, including Tony Sipp, Will Harris and closer Luke Gregerson. However, all three of them pitched against the Yankees on Tuesday and have put in a ton of work this season (60-plus appearances each). They could be vulnerable, or Houston might be forced to turn to the less-reliable Pat Neshek and Chad Qualls.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

After a long, grueling 162-game season, four MLB teams have earned the exclusive, highly sought-after rights to, well, another game of baseball.

The MLB’s Wild Card Games see two American League and two National League teams square off in one-game playoffs. It’s a pressure-packed way to begin the postseason and will certainly be a nerve-wracking experience for all involved.

In the AL, the New York Yankees play host to the Houston Astros. The winner of that game earns a five-game series against the Kansas City Royals.

Representing the NL, the Chicago Cubs—enjoying postseason play for the first time since 2008—will travel to PNC Park for a contest with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Here are the AL and NL Wild Card Game matchups, schedules, odds and predictions. The entire MLB postseason picture can be found at MLB.com. Odds courtesy of Odds Shark and updated as of Tuesday, Oct. 6, at 7 a.m. ET.

Previews

Houston Astros vs. New York Yankees

In a do-or-die scenario against a franchise that has been to the postseason a record 52 times, it helps to have what appears to be the superteam’s kryptonite.

Houston is set to send staff ace Dallas Keuchel (20-8, 2.48 ERA) to the mound Tuesday, per MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart. Dan Martin of the New York Post has the lowdown on Keuchel vs. the Yankees and manager Joe Girardi‘s response to the situation:

In two starts this season, Keuchel has held the Yankees scoreless in 16 innings. He pitched a shutout in Houston on June 25, striking out a dozen, and then tossed seven innings without giving up a run at The Stadium on Aug. 25.

Girardi‘s answer to this domination?

“I hope the third time’s the charm,” Girardi said. “He’s been good and he’s been tough on us. We like the guy going for us and it’s one game.”

That’s right: Both home and away, Keuchel has had the right stuff against New York. This is compounded by the fact the Yankees have limped their way to the postseason. They are 29-31 since Aug. 1 and losers of six of their last seven regular-season games. In their last 12 games, the Yanks have scored just 36 runs.

But hey, having the home crowd behind you helps, and Kuechel will be pitching on just three days’ rest after going six against Arizona on Oct. 2. The Yankees, assuming they aren’t too overwhelmed at the plate, might try to wear him out with long at-bats and get to the Astros bullpen, which is vulnerable other than the reliable Tony Sipp (1.99 ERA).

The Yankees have a number of veterans with plenty of postseason experience, including Alex Rodriguez, Carlos Beltran, Brian McCann and Brett Gardner. The lineup leans lefty against the southpaw Keuchel, but the Yanks might hope poise and experience will help them through. 

That said, New York is missing an injured Mark Teixeira and will be without the potential long-relief services of CC Sabathia, who will miss the playoffs after deciding to check himself into an alcohol rehabilitation center, per a statement on the team’s official website.

According to McTaggart, opposing Keuchel on the mound is Masahiro Tanaka (12-7, 3.51 ERA), who gave up six runs in five innings to Houston on June 27. He will have to be much better this time around. Keeping Houston from hitting the long ball could prove to be a difficult proposition in this game. Tanaka gave up 25 homers in 24 starts this year, Yankee Stadium is a dinger-friendly park, and the Astros love to mash.

Houston cranked out 230 home runs this season, just two fewer than league-leading Toronto. There are few places for a pitch over the middle of the plate to hide against this lineup, as six players hit more than 20 home runs, led by bare-handed Evan Gattis with 27. 

If the home runs don’t come through, Houston can swipe bases. Shortstop Carlos Correa, a very legitimate phenom, swiped 14 in 99 games, and there’s always the treat of Jose Altuve, who stole 38 bases this year and did a fine job of racking up opportunities with a .313 batting average.

If Tanaka can just get out of the first six innings relatively safely, the Yankees could be in good shape. The bullpen has been a strength this year, per Joe Lemire of USA Today:

New York boasts baseball’s best back-of-the-bullpen duo in Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances, who combined for 145 2/3 innings with 231 strikeouts and a 1.73 ERA. Justin Wilson typically pitches the seventh inning, and look for Adam Warren to be the long reliever if Tanaka gets in trouble in the middle innings. The Yankees’ bullpen set a major league record with 596 strikeouts, including a pair of 100-K seasons from Miller and Betances. The club went 66-3 when leading after six innings. 

However, I think the Astros will get to Tanaka, while Keuchel will put in another strong start on the mound. Look for the likes of Correa and Gattis to rise to the occasion and help power Houston to the American League Division Series, a feat many would probably have found inconceivable just a season ago.

Prediction: Houston wins 5-2

Chicago Cubs vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates won 98 games this season. The Cubs, 97. Unfortunately for these two talented squads, the current playoff system relegates them to the Wild Card Game since they both play in the NL Central, which featured a team with a better record than any in baseball this year, the St. Louis Cardinals (100-62).

As one might imagine, the difference in talent between these two teams is paper thin, making this a particularly devilish contest.

The Cubs have two absolute mashers in Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo—57 homers, 200 RBI between them this season—but outside of those two, nobody else in the projected lineup has much pop. As a team, the Cubs ranked 19th in slugging percentage. There is a good amount of speed in the order, with center fielder Dexter Fowler (20 stolen bases) up top and Rizzo, Bryant and Chris Coghlan all running well this year.

Pittsburgh has do-it-all superstar Andrew McCutchen, a five-tool player who posted an .889 OPS (on-base plus slugging), 29 homers, 93 RBI and 11 stolen bases. He’s cushioned in the lineup by the likes of Starling Marte, Gregory Polanco and Aramis Ramirez. 

While Ramirez has been adequate at third, it’s a shame the Pirates won’t have one of their better bats in third baseman Jung Ho Kang available. The rookie was hitting .287 with 15 home runs and 58 RBI before a hard slide from the Cubs’ Coghlan in a mid-September game left him with a knee fracture and prematurely ended his season.

The Pirates hitters will need to be at their best Wednesday, as they face arguably the league’s hottest pitcher down the stretch in Jake Arrieta. The 29-year-old won 22 games with a 1.77 ERA this season, much of that damage done late in the year. Since Aug. 1, Arrieta is 11-0 with an absurd 0.41 ERA and a .182 opponent on-base percentage, via Baseball-Reference.com. 

He’s one of the many reasons the Cubs have gone 42-18 in that span, including eight straight wins to close out the season.

His opposition on the mound is one Gerrit Cole, who went 19-8 this year with a 2.60 ERA. His numbers aren’t quite as eye-popping as Arrieta‘s, but dig deeper, and you find he might be the perfect guy for a one-off. 

“The Cubs lined up their ace for must-win Game 163, and so did the Pirates,” wrote Stephen J. Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “They won Cole’s last five starts of the regular season, all against playoff teams. Cole is 7-1 in nine career starts against the Cubs.”

Cole is also coming into the game well-rested, having last pitched Sept. 30.

This game will be particularly heartbreaking no matter the outcome. The Cubs’ World Series futility dates back more than a century, and they’ve generally not been a very good team. Prior to this three-year stretch of relative success, the Pirates were long a league doormat. From 1993-2012, the Pirates did not put together a single winning season. The last time they touched 98 wins was in 1991.

Chicago is the hotter team with the better ace, and they won the season series 11-8, but the team is young and could be considered a year ahead of schedule. Pittsburgh has been building to this. Wednesday marks its third straight NL Wild Card Game.

The Pirates get to stave off heartbreak for at least one more game.

Prediction: Pittsburgh wins 3-2

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The 2015 MLB playoff picture is coming into focus, with the relevant squads and MLB as a whole just wrapping up their final series of the regular season. 

There are 10 spots for playoff teams in the MLB. Nine of those are already taken. The only unknown is the last American League wild-card spot. Houston is in the driver’s seat, closely followed by the Los Angeles Angels and Minnesota Twins (the New York Yankees have the other AL wild-card spot wrapped up). 

However, there are still home-field advantages to be decided up to the World Series—which belongs to the AL after its win in the Midsummer Classic—as well as a division crown. With only two days left in the regular season, it’s quite possible that some of these questions won’t be answered until the final inning rolls around.

There’s only so much baseball left before the postseason action rolls around. Here’s an updated look at the playoff picture, followed by some World Series futures odds courtesy of Odds Shark.

Friday Results and Implications

The Texas Rangers needed a win and nothing else to clinch the AL West, but instead fell to the Angels 2-1. This kept the Angels alive in the wild-card chase, and it took another clutch performance in a close game. Dating back to Sept. 1, the Angels are an astounding 10-2 in one-run contests. 

“We’re just trying to win games,” said Angels star outfielder Mike Trout, via ESPN.com’s Jean-Jacques Taylor. “We see what Houston’s doing. We can’t lose anymore. It’s that simple.”

Los Angeles can’t knock out Texas with a final-series sweep; the best they can do is prevail in the final two games and hope the Astros falter. That doesn’t look terribly likely though, with Houston beating Arizona 21-5 on Friday.

The ‘Stros should make the playoffs if they can just take care of Arizona, but it’s a shame that they find themselves in a precarious position after a mostly brilliant (and surprising) campaign. Grantland’s Jonah Keri recently diagnosed the team’s issues, which includes a faltering bullpen: 

Add in a bullpen slump, though, and that’ll do it. In September, Houston’s pen posted a 5.63 ERA, the worst mark in the majors over that span. In this case, the prevailing woes look more like bad luck than anything. For Astros relievers, the strikeout and walk rates remained virtually identical to their strong levels from earlier in the season. In fact, opponents also made contact less frequently and chased more pitches out of the zone than they did the rest of the year. But the Astros pen got hammered by terrible results on balls in play and a gigantic decline in strand rate.

Minnesota is still alive after a 3-1 loss to Kansas City, but its chances are slim with only two games left and meltdowns needed from both Houston and Los Angeles to sneak in. The best Minnesota can hope for is a one-game playoff, then postseason play.

The Royals win also kept them on pace with Toronto, which beat Tampa Bay 8-4, for overall home-field advantage in the AL. The Blue Jays can again thank the amazing Kevin Pillar for a big helping glove in this win, via the team’s official Twitter account: 

MLB.com’s Chad Thornburg has the lowdown on the likely locations of the Wild Card Games after Friday:

The locations of both Wild Card Games remain there for the taking, though they’re likely headed to Pittsburgh and New York. A Pirates win or a Cubs loss puts the NL Wild Card Game presented by Budweiser at PNC Park, and while the Yankees don’t yet know their opponent for the one-game playoff, any New York win or Houston loss would assure it’s held at Yankee Stadium.

Pittsburgh put itself in good position for a home wild-card effort with a 12-inning 6-4 win over Cincinnati on Friday. The Cubs, who are making their first trip to the postseason since 2008, beat Milwaukee 6-1. The fact that the Cubs are guaranteed postseason play with such a young core of talent is cause enough to celebrate. The fans, knowing chances for this franchise don’t come around very often, are taking the opportunity to heart.

One way to overcome a franchise-altering, curse-extending incident is to acknowledge it. Yes, this means bringing back Steve Bartman, per ESPN: 

As for Dodgers-Mets, the fellas from Chavez Ravine moved a half-game ahead of their eventual Big Apple foes in the home-field advantage race with a 6-2 win over San Diego on Friday. The Mets were idle on Friday due to heavy rain, so they still have three games to go against the Washington Nationals.  

Home-field advantage is particularly important in that series due to the intricacies of the starting pitching matchups. The Dodgers have the best 1-2 combo in baseball with Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw—or Kershaw then Greinke, depending on your personal feelings and which stats you ascribe the most importance to—but the rotation beyond that is a big question mark. 

As for the Mets, ace Matt Harvey will “probably” be available for just one start in the NLDS, per ESPN.com’s Adam Rubin, who then goes on to explain a potential Mets pitching rotation for the series assuming they clinch home-field:

“The educated speculation is that Jacob deGrom will start the opener, then Game 5, if necessary. That would work well, since it would give Noah Syndergaard a home start in Game 2, provided the Mets maintain home-field advantage. Steven Matz could get the fourth game.“

If the Mets don’t get home field, they could feel pressure to move Harvey up a game to combat tougher road conditions and battle either Greinke or Kershaw. Pitching matchups will be crucial to that series; just don’t expect anything to be set in stone until home-field is accounted for.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

After surviving two of the dullest days on the sports calendar, Major League Baseball returns Friday to save sports fans from a dearth of news and excitement, at least stateside.  

With MLB the only one of the Big Four American sports leagues in season in July—but on a small break after the All-Star Game—sports talk is difficult to come by on these long summer days. Sure, the NBA Summer League is in session, and the British Open began Thursday in Scotland, but other than that, there’s little to speak of at this juncture.

Even the ever-churning baseball rumor mill has turned quiet, but expect teams to have used the break to reassess, recalibrate and find out where they stand in anticipation of the looming trade deadline July 31.

Here’s a quick look at the latest chatter from around the league.

Mariners Reportedly In the Market for a Catcher

This one has been in the wind for a couple of days now, but the Seattle Mariners are reportedly looking to trade for a catcher, as Fox Sports’ Jon Morosi noted Wednesday via Twitter:

Morosi used the word “close” and even brought up a potential deal involving A.J. Pierzynski, who, at 38 years old, is having a resurgent year with the Atlanta Braves. Morosi did note, however, that the potential Pierzynski deal wasn’t related to the catcher rumor. 

However, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times wasn’t getting quite the same vibe from his sources and said as much Wednesday, just hours after Morosi‘s report:

The M’s are 41-48 on the year, fourth in the AL West and 7.5 games back of the division-leading Los Angeles Angels. Starting catcher Mike Zunino has been an absolute travesty at the plate this year, batting well below the Mendoza line at .160 with a .292 slugging percentage and 100 strikeouts in 81 games.

Jesus Sucre has also seen time at catcher, but he has been a complete non-entity at the plate. The Mariners are an AL team, but in terms of production, their lineup looks like it has a pitcher’s spot—and it’s worse in some cases, per the Outside Corner’s Liam McGuire (via FoxSports.com): “Just how bad have Mariners backstops been? The club’s collective catchers are batting .150. The Mets (.176), Reds(.174), Giants (.165) and Nationals (.160) pitching staffs (> 100+ plate appearances) all have better averages at the plate. That’s horrendous.”

McGuire also noted that Seattle traded away the one person who might’ve been able to save the position:

Now the team finally got some help when they traded a decent reliever in Yoervis Medina to the Chicago Cubs for veteran Welington Castillo. Castillo had regular experience as a decent starting catcher with the Cubs and was thought to provide some stability for the Mariners behind the plate.

His tenure with Seattle last six games as the Mariners traded him to the Diamondbacks in theMark Trumbo deal.

The kicker is Castillo has been dynamite for the Diamondbacks. In 25 games, he’s hit five home runs (three more than Trumbo) with 15 RBIs while batting .286 with a .368 OBP. The Mariners could sure use that kind of production.

Pierzynski may be old, but his offense is light-years beyond what the Mariners are currently getting from their backstop crop. Neither Zunino nor Sucre can claim to have hit with much consistency in their brief MLB careers—although Zunino did slug 22 home runs last year—so there cannot be much expectation of a second-half surge from this position.

With the team also suffering from poor seasons from the likes of Mark Trumbo, Logan Morrison and Robinson Cano, one has to wonder if the Mariners should even try to play buyer at the trade deadline.

The best thing for this team may be to wait to see if the rest of the squad picks up after the deadline and try to salvage the catcher position through a waiver-wire deal, or it could punt on the season and try to find a viable hitting catcher in the winter meetings.

Rangers Willing to Make a Deal 

Perhaps the Texas Rangers can save the Mariners, per MLBlogs.com’s T.R. Sullivan: “Clubs are looking for catching. The Rangers are open to moving Carlos Corporan and bringing up Tomas Telis.”

But it’s hard to find good help at catcher, as Carlos Corporan is also suffering through a very poor offensive season at 31 years old. 

Corporan is a career .218 hitter, so it’s doubtful the Mariners would be inquiring about his availability. It’s easy to see why the Rangers would like to clear up a roster spot for Tomas Telis. The 24-year-old catcher is hitting .291 with five home runs and 25 RBI in 70 games at Triple-A Round Rock this year, although his production at the plate has slowed in recent months, hitting just .242 in June and .273 thus far in July, per MiLB.com.

Corporan might be a suitable backup for a team looking to add depth at catcher, but he’s no answer to the Mariners’ woes. He’s also apparently not the only player the Rangers are shopping around, per Sullivan: “The Rangers have found there is some interest in left-handed pitcher Wandy Rodriguez, who starts on Monday against Colorado. Clubs have told the Rangers that Rodriguez could be a fallback option if they are unable to land a bigger name starting pitcher in a trade.”

Wandy Rodriguez, 36, has been solid if unspectacular this season, sporting a 6-4 record with a 4.07 ERA and a 4.14 fielding-independent pitching mark (FIP), per Baseball-Reference.com. There is always demand for a southpaw with even a halfway-decent resume. 

Rodriguez could end up going to a team that fails in the possible Cole Hamels sweepstakes. Hamels, also a lefty, has been the subject of rumor and speculation for some time now as a talented member of the moribund Philadelphia Phillies. 

The Los Angeles Dodgers could certainly use a player like Rodriguez. The Blue Crew has been without the services of lefty Hyun-jin Ryu all season due to an injury, and they should be willing to do anything and everything to maintain their control over the NL West.

Rodriguez doesn’t quite eat innings—84 innings pitched in 15 starts this year—but he would be a nice fix for a first-place team that has had to resort to “staff days,” throwing relievers out to start games. For a team with an already taxed bullpen and World Series aspirations, this isn’t a good sign. Rodriguez would likely be a Plan C for the Dodgers but an improvement over their current situation nonetheless.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

It turns out there is room for timers and clocks in baseball.

Cincinnati Reds third baseman Todd Frazier played the role of hometown hero with aplomb, crushing 15 home runs in the final round at the Great American Ball Park to beat out Los Angeles Dodgers rookie outfielder Joc Pederson‘s 14 dingers in a wildly entertaining derby that breathed new life into the auxiliary All-Star Weekend event. 

The 2015 Home Run Derby saw the debut of a new single-elimination format in which players were pitted against each other trying to hit the most home runs in timed rounds. Bonus time was awarded for hitting homers over 425 feet, which nearly everyone did and was in no way a problem. It was simply too much fun.

The new format essentially did away with the worst part of the previous 10-out format: hitters taking pitches—none of which were nearly as fast or as difficult as those encountered in a live game—until they saw a ripe, fat one heading straight down the middle. Even then, they wouldn’t always hit it out.

The players got to swing away like Joaquin Phoenix in the movie Signs, and fans everywhere reaped the benefits. This nugget from ESPN Stats & Info pointed out that the Derby was at least twice as awesome as last year:

Here’s a look at the results from the Home Run Derby

Highlights

Frazier, who hit all of one humble home run in last year’s Home Run Derby finals, put on a breathtaking performance this year.

After a slow start that saw him off the pace of Pederson‘s 14, he took his allotted timeout and then turned into a moonshot machine, tying Pederson just before his initial time expired. This set up a purportedly tense bonus-time round in which Frazier had 30 seconds to make sure he swatted another big fly.

With the crowd’s roar swelling, Frazier defused the tension and sent Great American Ball Park into ecstasy with one swing:

Frazier gave credit to the crowd for helping him power through the competition.

“Just hearing the crowd call my name, the adrenaline, those last minutes of each round really picked me up,” Frazier said, per USA Today‘s Steve Gardner. “I appreciate that a lot.”

With so much time and so many players putting in mighty swings in rapid succession, fatigue was certainly an issue. Frazier powered through, hitting a grand total of 39 home runs, the same amount as Pederson. He just did a better job of spreading his out.

Pederson may have come up just short, but the exciting young center fielder still put on quite a show of his own. Here’s a look at the 23-year-old’s 487-foot home run:

Pederson, with his athletic frame (6’1″, 215 lbs) and soft features, may not look the part of a home run hero, but he does carry the bat of one.

ESPN Insider’s Buster Olney has more: “Howie Kendrick notes that Pederson swings one of the biggest bats in baseball, 34 ounces and 34 inches, the sort of club that Alfonso Soriano and Rafael Furcal have swung but few others do. Ethier uses Pederson‘s bat in batting practice, but will use a lighter bat during games.”

Pederson was brilliant in his semifinal performance against Albert Pujols, who’s enjoying a resurgent year with the Los Angeles Angles. Pujols gave Pederson props after his scintillating display, per SB Nation:

The heavy lumber he’s towing certainly helps him hit balls harder and farther than just about anyone else in the majors. Hopefully, he’s invited back to the Home Run Derby with his penchant for hitting towering four-baggers.

The new format seems to be an inarguable win for the event and All-Star Weekend as a whole. Deadspin’s Kevin Draper even noted the weather conspired to ratchet up the competition:

Major League Baseball might have also gotten an assist from the weather. Worried about encountering late night thunderstorms, they shortened rounds from five minutes to four. The event was a bit longer than it should’ve been as it was, and extra time would have exacerbated that. (The distance home runs needed to be hit to achieve bonus time was also reduced from 475 feet to 425, meaning players pretty easily got it, but even so rounds were at least 30 seconds shorter than they otherwise would have been.) Some hitters were also noticeably fatigued near the end of their rounds, and it would’ve been worse if they were longer.

If there are tweaks to make, MLB might do well to keep the time limits the same as they were this year instead of reverting back to the original plan. This would be especially helpful if there were a player who didn’t take well to the format and was having a tough time hitting them out (although that certainly didn’t apply to anyone participating this year).

The distance-bonus rule seemed to be a rather easy target for hitters to reach. A happy medium might be found at 450 feet, lest 475 feet prove too much for all but Pederson, Frazier and (hopefully, someday) Giancarlo Stanton.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Much of the chatter in the MLB has died down as the winter chill has set in across the nation, with the majority of big-name free agents inked to lucrative contracts and a variety of blockbuster trades—including of course the high-risk, high-reward moves pulled off by the San Diego Padres—already stamped as done deals.

Of course, baseball organizations have a great many moving parts, whether it’s building a contender at the MLB level, bolstering the farm system for (hopefully) a future playoff run or finding the right balance among pitching, hitting, defense and speed. 

The latest rumors floating around the Web involve the futures of high-caliber players capable of turning downtrodden franchises into potential contenders or at the very least shoring up areas of weakness on the roster. 

Let’s break down the buzz surrounding three MLBers who could be looking at new homes in the 2015 season.

Troy Tulowitzki

No matter how well a baseball player plies his trade, there is always a chance that injuries derail their career and make them expendable. Such is the case with Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who was well on his way to putting together an MVP-caliber season in 2014 before a hip surgery cut his campaign short in July.

Tulo has missed a grand total of 222 games over the past three seasons, but that reportedly hasn’t stopped the New York Mets from taking an interest in him.

According to CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman, the two teams are still quite far apart in trade talks, and the New York Yankees have now made inquiries regarding Tulo. Heyman broke down where the teams might be coming to an impasse:

The sides have been discussing packages centered around top Mets pitching prospect Noah Syndergaard, but some have suggested that at least at some point the Rockies were also requesting Zack Wheeler be included in the package, though talks are fluid, so that may not be the case now. Just about every young Mets pitcher and player has been mentioned at some point, including right-hander Dillon Gee and shortstops Ruben Tejada and presumably Wilmer Flores, though those players are drawing limited interest and would be considered as perhaps third and/or fourth pieces in a potential deal.

With his injury history and age, Tulowitzki carries a significant risk, but it’s one the Mets should be willing to take considering the sorry state of their franchise over the past few seasons—although a second-place NL East finish in 2014 gives them hope going forward.

Should starting pitcher Matt Harvey recover well from his Tommy John surgery, the Mets could have two cornerstone players in the fold, although everyone at Citi Field would have a panic attack anytime one of these two players so much as took a scratch.

The Mets could desperately use help in the middle of the infield and would have made good candidates for Korean shortstop Jung-Ho Kang, but the Pittsburgh Pirates are the ones set to negotiate with the potential star slugger.

The Yankees could easily come to financial terms with Tulowitzki, and if there is any player up to the challenge of replacing Derek Jeter, one of the most beloved players in team history, it’s the Rockies’ four-time All-Star. MLB even sent out this interesting tweet regarding Tulowitzki‘s admiration for the legendary Yankee:

The Rockies would likely have trouble explaining this move to their fanbase and could be in for a long season considering the aggressive moves made by division rivals such as the Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers, not to mention the dynastic presence of the San Francisco Giants.

If they do trade Tulo, it’s quite possible they go for a full rebuild and ship off star outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, as the 29-year-old might not be worth holding onto for what could be a very lean period in the franchise’s history.

Dan Haren

The Los Angeles Dodgers have had an extremely busy offseason, including a frenzied few days that saw the team complete a number of notable trades. Swept up in the whirlwind of roster moves was starting pitcher Dan Haren, who found himself shipped across the country along with shortstop/second baseman Dee Gordon to the Miami Marlins in a seven-player deal. 

According to Heyman, this development doesn’t appear to sit well with Haren, who hopes for a return to the West Coast:

Prior to the trade, Haren made it abundantly clear that he wouldn’t be partial to playing away from his family.

“My signing with the Dodgers last year and my decision to exercise my player option were based on my desire to play in Southern California near my family,” he said, via email, per ESPNLosAngeles.com’s Mark Saxon. “I had other opportunities, but at this point in my career, I have no interest in playing in a city away from my family.”

The 34-year-old righty put together a solid season in 2014 for the NL West champion Dodgers, but a strong start and finish to the season disguise Haren’s implosion during the summer stretch.

It’s nice that Haren was able to pull things together after an awful July, but if he’s not happy in Florida, the Marlins might be better off without an aging, handle-with-care starter.

When Haren pitched for the Washington Nationals in 2013, he posted an ERA+ of 81, his worst mark since his rookie year, per Baseball-Reference.com. It’s quite possible scenery means more to Haren’s performance than it does some other players, so the Marlins might not have much to work with even if he does decide to play for them in 2015.

The Los Angeles Angels don’t figure likely to welcome Haren back with open arms considering he went 12-13 with a 4.33 ERA in his last season (2012) with the team.

The San Diego Padres could use a veteran on their pitching staff, and the Dodgers are paying his $10 million salary for 2015, per Spotrac, but it makes little sense to take on Haren when they have a number of intriguing young options for use the rotation, including Robbie Erlin and Odrisamer Despaigne.

That being said, Fox Sports’ Jon Paul Morosi passed along a salient point from a fan on Twitter regarding a potential Padres ploy:

The Marlins could bolster their team by adding a backup outfielder for Haren—with Carlos Quentin being one possible option, although he is an injury risk—but they won’t be in dire straits if Haren decides to forego another long season and retire.

James Shields

James Shields isn’t the top free-agent pitcher still out on the open market—that title belongs to Max Scherzer—but he appears set to ink quite a lucrative contract, according to The Boston Globe‘s Nick Cafardo: 

The final Shields numbers are expected to be close to the five years and $110 million remaining (if the option is picked up) on the Cole Hamels deal, according to one major league source who was privy to Shields’s demands. The Giants and Red Sox are in the picture, and the Yankees may be another suitor.

A deal with similar numbers to Cole Hamels would be quite a coup for Shields, as he has put up comparable numbers to the Phillies star but is three years older.

Still, the market forces are at play here, and with Scherzer reportedly looking for a whopping salary, Shields looks like a great value as a starting pitcher in comparison.

ESPN.com Insider Jim Bowden (subscription required) gave the Giants the best odds of signing Shields and noted their tough offseason could motivate them to make a big offer:

The world champions have had a difficult offseason after losing third baseman Pablo Sandoval to the Boston Red Sox (for basically the same offer they made) and then falling short on their bids for free agents Jon Lester, Melky Cabrera andChase Headley. (They were able to retain reliever Sergio Romo, who signed for less to stay home.) However, they’re still hard at work, and Shields is atop their wish list. They would love to be able to slot him behind Madison Bumgarner and Matt Cain and ahead of Tim Hudson and Jake Peavy in their rotation. 

Indeed, Shields would be tough to deal with pitching on the heels of Madison Bumgarner and/or Matt Cain and would provide the Giants with a nice right-lefty balance in the rotation.

However, the Yankees are always a threat to snatch up premier talent, as are the Red Sox, and the New York club could be compelled to make a grand offer considering they aren’t ones to get comfortable with missing out on the postseason more often than once in a blue moon. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

With so many of the league’s top free agents signed to big contracts, MLB teams still looking to make an offseason splash will likely have to do so via trade.

The Los Angeles Dodgers set the bar fairly high with a frenzy of deals that netted them a sweet-looking double-play combo in Howie Kendrick and Jimmy Rollins, among other players. One might think that by mid-December, most teams are secure with their rosters and don’t see the need for much tinkering, but the rumor mill suggests otherwise.

Several notable names have found their way into the latest chatter from around the league. Here is a look at the buzz surrounding four players who just might be sporting new colors and crests in 2015.

Ryan Howard

The Philadelphia Phillies enjoyed a great deal of success over the past 11 seasons relying on the terrific trio of Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard.

However, the Phillies are breaking up the band after finishing last in the NL East in 2014 with a 73-89 record. As previously mentioned, they traded J-Roll to the Dodgers, and it appears the team wants to offload Howard as well, per Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe:

The Phillies are trying to get teams interested in Howard, and a team source indicated they are willing to pay a great majority of his contract to move him. Howard, who hit 23 home runs and knocked in 95 runs last season, is owed $60 million between 2015 and ’17, which includes a buyout. The Phillies are trying to sell him as a DH. The Rays and Orioles could have needs in that area.

Howard was once one of the most feared power hitters in the game, but a sharp decline in productivity, injuries and poor defensive play have seen the 35-year-old become more of a liability than an asset.

Indeed, there is no way the Phillies move Howard without eating a large chunk of his contract. A mid-30s slugger whose one remaining tool is a blunt instrument is a big risk for another team to assume, a risk Philadelphia is apparently aware it has to mitigate.

Neither the Baltimore Orioles nor Tampa Bay Rays have a predilection for large payrolls, so it’s possible they would still pass on Howard if Philadelphia can’t or won’t eat much of his contract.

If no team bites on Howard, it’s possible the Phillies could make Howard a ludicrously expensive platoon member at first base. 

“General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. indicated Tuesday that it was possible that Howard could be a platoon player if still with the team,” writes CSNPhilly.com’s Jim Salisbury.

Manager Ryne Sandberg was essentially mum on that possibility and said he hadn’t discussed it with Howard.

“No, just kind of waiting to see what plays out and what happens,” he said, according to Salisbury. “It’s hard to have some conversations when you don’t know what the roster is going to be.”

Barring a miraculous return to all-star form, platooning Howard doesn’t help this team move on into the next era, especially when prospects like Cody Asche and 21-year-old Maikel Franco could be future first baseman for the club.

Justin Upton

It appears the San Diego Padres aren’t done bringing some much needed brawn to their reedy lineup. Having already agreed to a deal for the Dodgers’ Matt Kemp, the Padres are reportedly looking to bring Justin Upton into the fold, according to Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal.

“It’s true — the Padres want Justin Upton in addition to Matt Kemp,” Rosenthal notes. “They’re also looking at other hitters, but one rival executive says the Pads are ‘all over’ Upton, confirming a report by Mark Bowman of MLB.com.”

Bringing in both Kemp and Upton would be a welcome infusion of runs for a team that finished dead last in scoring in 2014.

The 30-year-old Kemp—who finished in second in MVP voting in 2011 but has struggled with injuries and ineffective play over much of the last three seasons—came on strong in the latter half of the 2014 season, but the Dodgers had to do something to relieve the logjam in the outfield, and it’s likely his massive contract made him expendable.

Pairing Kemp and Upton in the outfield should sell tickets from behind the backstop out to the bleachers, but the fans in the latter seats might have a bone to pick with the defensive play from this potential duo.

Kemp finished last among innings-qualified outfielders in Ultimate Zone Rating in 2014, while Upton ranked 47th out of 55 outfielders over a three-year span from 2012 to 2014, per FanGraphs.com. The defensive play means the Padres would also need to hold onto their strong corps of starting pitchers.

According to Rosenthal, the Padres are reluctant to trade the likes of Ian Kennedy, Andrew Cashner or Tyson Ross.

While defense is a concern, Rosenthal also notes that bringing in Upton would likely clean the coffers, assuming the Padres aren’t able to dispense with some salary in a trade with the Atlanta Braves:

The additions of both outfielders would increase the Padres’ commitments next season to $71.525 million for 10 players, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts. Add the nine Pads eligible for arbitration, and the number would zoom past $100 million, according to projections by Matt Swarz of MLBTradeRumors.com.

Something would have to give – the Pads’ Opening Day payroll last season was a club record at $90.6 million. Perhaps the team could trade Kennedy, who projects to earn $10.3 million or closer Joaquin Benoit, who is under contract for $8 million.

The Padres aren’t deep enough at other positions to trade any bona fide major leaguers and remain competitive. If the reported interest in Upton does indeed mean San Diego is looking to contend rather soon, then it’s likely some of the organization’s top prospects would have to be involved in any trade.

Upton and Kemp would bring plenty of lumber to a run-starved team, but it likely won’t be enough for the Padres to scaffold all the way to the NL West penthouse. 

For the Braves, this could be a good bit of business if they do intend to rebuild. They already traded away Jason Heyward to the St. Louis Cardinals this offseason. If the team can land a mix of prospects and/or picks from the Padres, it could push the perennial NL East contender to a full-on rebuild, albeit with a solid foundation thanks to the swaps.

Ian Desmond and Jordan Zimmerman

The Washington Nationals are set up to be perennial contenders if they want to be. They finished with the best record in the National League in 2014 and have a solid corps of both young and proven talent that includes the likes of Bryce Harper, Stephen Strasburg and Jayson Werth.

However, two members of the team that played so well last season could be set to leave the nation’s capital, per Rosenthal:

The Nats indeed are open to moving Zimmermann and Desmond, perhaps even in the same deal. They recently engaged in multiple conversations about both players with the Mariners, according to major-league sources. One of the many ideas the Nats proposed was Zimmermann and Desmond for right-hander Taijuan Walker and shortstop Brad Miller, sources said.

Rosenthal also reported in his column that the Nationals had talks with the Boston Red Sox about Zimmerman.

Desmond and Zimmerman are in the last years of their contracts and set to make $11 million and $16.5 million in 2015, respectively, per Spotrac.

It appears the Nationals are willing to part with two players who have been solid contributors for much of their careers. Desmond’s average and on-base percentage took a notable dip last season, but he still hit 24 homers and notched 91 RBI while playing 151 games at shortstop, clearly no easy feat.

Zimmerman, who was an All-Star in both 2013 and 2014, had the best year of his career last season, going 14-8 with a 2.66 ERA. At 28 years old, he’s in his athletic prime and has pitched in 32 games in each of the last three seasons.

Considering the team won 96 games last season, it would likely be a frustrating development for Nationals fans if these players were traded for prospects. A bounce-back year from third baseman Ryan Zimmerman could put the Nats over the top, especially considering other NL contenders might be taking a step back. The Dodgers lost offensive firepower by trading Kemp, and the San Francisco Giants are without Pablo Sandoval now.

Of course, the Nationals could end up with nothing if one (or both) of those players decides to leave as a free agent at the end of next season.

This is a team the front office really should try to keep together. With a championship in reach and players like Ryan Zimmerman, Harper and (hopefully) Strasburg to carry them through lean years, the Nats would likely be better off holding onto both Zimmerman and Desmond in 2015 and taking their chances.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

New York Yankees fans aren’t looking to grow accustomed to the team missing out on the playoffs. The front office will have plenty of work to do this season to build a postseason contender, and they’ve apparently found a way to secure supporting talent for a reasonable price tag.

The Yankees have reached a one-year deal with outfielder Chris Young, per ESPN’s Buster Olney :

USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale also reports that Young will be incentivized to play well and hold down a spot in the everyday lineup:

Young is a nine-year pro who can play all three outfield positions. He started off the 2014 season playing for the New York Mets, but the team cut him loose after Young hit just .205 through 88 games. A move to Yankee Stadium did his bat some good, as the 31-year-old hit .282 with three home runs and 10 RBI in 23 games in pinstripes.

WFAN’s Sweeny Murti noted Young made a strong impression on the team during that month:

It will be tough to crack an outfield that features the lefty bats of Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury, but Young could turn out to be a fine utility option. There are concerns about the sustainability of his offensive production—Young sports a paltry .313 career on-base percentage—but his solid glove work should make him a viable contributor.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The San Francisco Giants will ride the momentum from a pennant-winning, walk-off home run into the 2014 World Series against the scrappy Kansas City Royals, a matchup of Wild Card teams that few would have predicted at the beginning of this year’s MLB playoffs.

First baseman/outfielder Travis Ishikawa’s ninth-inning, three-run homer in Game 5 of the NLCS against the St. Louis Cardinals sent the Giants to the final round just a day after the Royals completed a convincing sweep of the Baltimore Orioles in the ALCS. 

Both teams get a much-needed weekend break to rest up and prepare for what should be a scrappy, hard-fought series. For those who can’t afford to miss a minute of the Fall Classic, here is the schedule for Game 1, followed by some predictions on the outcome of the series.

World Series Prediction

At first glance, the Royals certainly appear to be the team of destiny here. Kansas City has rarely risen above mediocrity in the 29 years since it last won the World Series. The 2014 iteration of the Royals appear to be hellbent on erasing nearly three decades of futility. They’ve won all eight of their postseason contests, including four victories in extra innings.

It’s a team predicated on speed, defense, an airtight bullpen and a special blend of team chemistry that has engendered a sense of self-belief from the biggest star to the last man on the bench.

However, if we dial it back to the preseason and take a look at some expert predictions, it’s the Giants who may be the real underdog here. None of the 44 ESPN contributors listed here picked the Giants to win the pennant before the season began, per ESPN.com. The “nobody-believes-in-us” card is definitely part of San Francisco’s stacked deck. 

Royals manager Ned Yost acknowledged the similarities between both teams. “They’re a lot like us. They’re a team that scraps ballgames out. They’ve got great pitching, their bullpen’s dynamic. Their defense is very solid. It’s gonna be a good series,” he said, via MLB.com’s Dick Kaegel.

Kansas City’s outstanding defense should come up big once again in this series and back up a strong cadre of starting pitchers in James Shields, Jason Vargas, Yordano Ventura and Jeremy Guthrie.

The outfield is especially tough to play against. ALCS MVP Lorenzo Cain, Alex Gordon, Nori Aoki and specialist Jarrod Dyson are nightmare fuel for fly-ball hitters. NBC Sports’ Aaron Gleeman relays just how much better their play has been this season than the 29 other teams in the MLB:

The Giants starters may not have an otherworldly defense backing up, but they do have plenty of experience. NLCS MVP Madison Bumgarner has a career-postseason ERA of 2.67 in 67.1 innings pitched, per Baseball-Reference.com. Tim Hudson has playoff-pitching experience for both AL and NL squads, while Jake Peavy boasts a career 3.53 ERA over 13 seasons.

Bumgarner faltered a bit in Game 5 of the NLCS, giving up three runs in eight innings, and the Royals should be able to scrape out some early advantages in this series thanks to their defense and baserunning abilities, although Giants catcher Buster Posey could limit the damage here. Building on those (potential) advantages will be another story entirely.

Any group of cardiac kids needs to conjure up some instant offense. The Royals, who finished dead last in home runs in the regular season, have done that job exceedingly well in the postseason. They have eight round-trippers in as many games, with third baseman Mike Moustakas leading the way with four of his own.

The boom times could continue, as Giants starting pitchers gave up big hits quite often during the regular season. Bumgarner gave up 21 homers this season, while Ryan Vogelsong allowed 18, per ESPN.com. 

The Giants, on the other hand, have hit just five dingers in 10 games, with three of those coming in the pennant-clinching Game 5. Perhaps it’s the beginning of an upswing in power, but the star players one would expect to hit the big home runs—such as Posey and Pablo Sandoval—have come up short in the power department this postseason.

Both team’s bullpens have been absolutely stellar in the postseason, but the Giants have the advantage here. Kelvin Herrera and Greg Holland have 1.08 and 1.13 ERAs, respectively, for the Royals, but even those minuscule numbers pale in comparison to the Giants’ ability to turn games into six-inning contests.

Lefty reliever Jeremy Affeldt, Yusmeiro Petit and closer Santiago Casilla have combined to pitch 22 innings in the playoffs without giving up a single run. ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark noted Casilla‘s stuff has been especially nasty since September:

This should allow the Giants to call upon their large supporting cast to come up with big hits and steal a game or two late.

The Royals may not have quite as many chances to come up with big hits and steals in the late innings; quick starts will be the key to the series for the Royals. It’s tough to parse out the differences between these two scrappy teams, neither of whom hit the 90-win mark in the regular season.

The Royals have the home-field advantage, and that could truly be a difference-maker here. They did sweep the Giants during the regular season, but that’s immaterial at this point. There have been so many unlikely heroes, brave comebacks and clutch performances from both teams that it should come down to the team that makes fewer mistakes in the field—maybe.

It’s going to be a brutal series for fans emotionally invested in the outcome. Eventually, the fans of the royal-blue heroes will reach the promised land.

Prediction: Royals win in seven games

Stats courtesy of MLB.com unless otherwise noted.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The MLB playoffs have finally arrived after the annual 162-game gauntlet. Four of the 10 teams are in danger of only playing a 163rd game, with MLB’s expanded playoffs allowing for a high-stakes, one-game wild-card round.

For those that wish to clear their social schedule in October—and part of November—and devote their attention to America’s pastime, knowing the full playoff schedule in advance can be a huge benefit.

Here is a look at the complete playoff schedule, including information on television coverage and live streaming availability.

Live Stream Note: All games can be found online at MLB.TV for paid subscribers.

Preview

National League

The San Francisco Giants will play the Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League Wild Card Game. The winner of the one-game extravaganza, to be played Wednesday, October 1 at PNC Park, will go on to face the Washington Nationals.

Edinson Volquez has enjoyed a career revival on the banks of the Allegheny River and will take the mound against Madison Bumgarner, the undisputed ace of the Giants pitching staff.

It should be an excellent duel between pitchers. Volquez is on fire, posting a 1.08 ERA in the month of September. Bumgarner is actually a better pitcher away from San Francisco, posting a 2.22 ERA on the road and a .979 WHIP.

The Pirates indelible outfield trio of Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte and Josh Harrison should power them past their Bay Area foes.

Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette believes McCutchen, who hit 25 home runs, stole 18 bases and played Gold Glove-caliber defense, is deserving of his second consecutive NL MVP award. Cook specifically cited his ability to perform when not at full strength:

The most extraordinary part of McCutchen’s season is he hasn’t been healthy since his serious rib injury in early August. It seemed as if the season might be finished when he tore rib cartilage Aug. 3 in Arizona. McCutchen ended up on the 15-day disabled list but came off it the first day he was eligible and has been going hard since. Talk about leading by example. Talking about giving everything to the team. The injury would have finished most players for the season.

Trips to the nation’s capital won’t be pleasant for the victor, as the Nats have been one of the most consistent teams in the league this season. 

They got rare power production from the shortstop position in 2014. Ian Desmond busted through for 24 home runs and 91 RBI while playing at one of baseball’s toughest positions. First baseman Adam LaRoche had a fine year, as did Jayson Werth.

If Bryce Harper can flash some of the form that made him a tantalizing prospect at 19 years of age, the Nats will be a favorite to win it all. One way he’s looking to contribute may be on the basepaths, per Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post:

I talked to Jayson about some things on the bases and cleared my head up and really got pretty comfortable out there. It’s a lot better right now. I’m happy about it because we’re going to the postseason and I’m going to need to steal some bags and get that extra bag when I need to. I give a lot to Jayson for that.

The Los Angeles Dodgers will look to exact revenge against the St. Louis Cardinals, who bested the Boys in Blue in last year’s National League Championship Series. 

The Dodgers should have the edge in this one thanks to their starting pitching, so long as Hyun-jin Ryu is able to pitch to the best of his abilities. Ryu went 14-7 with a 3.38 ERA and is recovering from a sore shoulder. He made progress in a recent bullpen session.

“Everything worked pretty well,” Ryu said through an interpreter, per ESPNLosAngeles.com’s Mark Saxon. “It was a very positive result.” 

Combining the Korean star with Clayton Kershaw, the best pitcher on the planet, and former Cy Young Award-winner Zack Greinke gives the Dodgers a comfortable cushion of talent that should suppress runs and allow the likes of Adrian Gonzalez, Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig to put them over the top on offense. 

The Cardinals have a potent pitcher in Adam Wainwright to neutralize the Dodgers’ pitching threats. If he gets the nod opposite Kershaw, that contest could very well become a baseball staring contest—whichever pitcher blinks first, loses.

American League

One American League Division Series matchup is already set in stone, with the Detroit Tigers taking on the Baltimore Orioles.

The Tigers bested the Orioles in five out of their six regular-season meetings. The Motor City squad boasts one of the best one-two pitching combinations in the league in David Price and Max Scherzer. The Orioles will need to steal at least one of these games to have a chance in this one.

Luckily, Baltimore has plenty of power scattered throughout its lineup. Center fielder Adam Jones cranked out 29 home runs, and utility man Steve Pearce clubbed 21 dingers of his own.

But no Oriole struck more fear into opposing pitchers than Nelson Cruz, who racked up 40 home runs and 108 RBI on the season. His power will be key to the team’s success, especially with powerful first baseman Chris Davis out for at least the first eight games of the playoffs with a drug suspension, per Michael Kolligian of The Baltimore Sun.

The Los Angeles Angels will take on the winner of the Kansas City Royals-Oakland Athletics wild-card matchup.

It’s been a long, slow spiral into mediocrity for the A’s, who boasted one of the better run differentials in baseball history in the first half of the season and picked up a bevy of starting pitchers—Jon Lester, Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel—only to squander the talent and limp into the playoffs.

Still, if they can find a way to recapture their early-season magic, they have as good a chance as anyone to make it all the way to the World Series.

The Royals haven’t been to the playoffs in 29 years and will be plenty motivated to ensure that it isn’t just a brief postseason sojourn. All-Star outfielder Alex Gordon is happy to give fans something to cheer about after all these years and is excited to see the atmosphere at Kauffman Stadium.

“It will be nuts, absolutely nuts,” said Gordon, per USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale. “People have been waiting a long time for this day. Now, we’re giving them something to cheer about. Hopefully, this is just the beginning.”

The excitement for the team spilled over into football when the Kansas City Chiefs played the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football, per NFL on ESPN:

Gordon deserves a great deal of credit for the Royals’ resurgence after posting 19 home runs, 74 RBI and 34 doubles on the year.

The Angels finished with baseball’s best regular-season record at 98-64 and are likely favorites to win it all this year. Mike Trout put up an MVP-caliber season, notching 36 home runs, 111 RBI and a .939 OPS while playing killer defense.

They could also see a big boost from two injured players before the series. Pitcher Matt Shoemaker and outfielder Josh Hamilton are making progress in their respective recoveries, per Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times:

Matt Shoemaker said he “felt great” after a bullpen workout of 30-40 pitches on Sunday, the strongest indication yet that the Angels’ right-hander, who is recovering from a mild left rib-cage strain, will pitch in the American League division series.

And left fielder Josh Hamilton took a positive step toward returning from right rib-cage and chest injuries, swinging off a tee, hitting soft toss, throwing, running and tracking pitches from the batter’s box during Shoemaker’s bullpen session.

If these impact players can make a timely return to this Angels squad, they could very well set up a highly anticipated Freeway Series against the Dodgers—or defeat any team the NL dares to throw at them.

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com