Just a handful of games remain in the 2014 MLB season, and nearly every team knows its fate at this point. A few franchises are still holding out hope to make a late charge into the postseason, but the bubble has popped for others.
Strong starts for the Milwaukee Brewers and Atlanta Braves weren’t sustained, as both are on the outside looking in. Then there are the Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics, who are still in a dogfight for a wild-card spot.
On the other side, the playoff positioning can still be shaken up over the weekend. The Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals are hoping to clinch the NL Central, with the title still hanging in the balance.
Rather than delaying the process until it becomes official, here is the full schedule and predictions for the wild-card showdowns.
Wild Card Predictions
AL Wild Card: Oakland Athletics at Kansas City Royals
The Mariners are still holding out hope of making it into the final wild-card spot, but this matchup seems destined to happen.
Oakland has been scuffling ever since the trade deadline, but it wouldn’t be in this position without Jon Lester in the rotation. If these two teams square off, he will have to outduel another pitcher known for stepping up in the clutch.
James Shields has been phenomenal this season, going 14-8 with a 3.21 ERA and 180 strikeouts. Big Game James is always a consistent force on the mound for the Royals, as Dave Holtzman of Fox Sports Kansas City notes:
It’s not determined at this point that Shields or Lester will toe the rubber, but it would offer a must-watch game.
If Kansas City’s offense can produce a few runs at home, Shields has the ability to close the door. Thanks to bats like Alex Gordon and the speed of Lorenzo Cain, this team has what it takes to contend in the playoffs.
Prediction: Royals win, 4-2.
NL Wild Card: San Francisco Giants at Pittsburgh Pirates
Both of these teams are confirmed for the postseason, but the Pirates might not have to face a win-and-in situation. For now, we’ll assume that Pittsburgh and San Francisco will battle for the spot, with the Pirates getting home-field advantage.
Pittsburgh comes in to the contest as one of the hottest teams in baseball, having won 12 of the last 15 games, including two series wins over the Brewers and Braves. Manager Clint Hurdle spoke about the team’s resilience, per Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
I’ve been in situations where you can tell you just aren’t good enough. That thought never crossed my mind this year. The beauty of it is that, on paper, there probably are a lot of teams that look better than us. But I continue to remind these guys that we don’t play on paper. We get to go play on grass. That’s what we do well. We’re a good team. They like being on the team.
The Giants have postseason experience. Not just a few guys who have been in the playoffs, but leaders like Buster Posey and Bruce Bochy, who were part of the 2010 and 2012 World Series-winning teams.
But what the Pirates have is a hunger and one of the best position players in all of baseball. Since his return from a rib injury, Andrew McCutchen has been a catalyst for the team, as ESPN Stats & Info points out:
It will no doubt be a battle that stretches until the final innings, but expect the Pirates to secure a berth into the division series. Thanks to an explosive offense and one of the best recent records in baseball coming in, Pittsburgh will be too much for San Francisco.
Prediction: Pirates 6, Giants 4
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