The 2015 MLB Playoffs get underway on Tuesday night and wrap up on Wednesday. It’s the beginning of a wild October ride; one the Astros, Yankees, Cubs and Pirates will all hope to stick around and join. Only two teams can move on to the next round, though, so let’s take a look at both matchups and see which teams are likely to stay alive in the chase for the 2015 World Series.
Houston Astros @ New York Yankees
The upstart Astros weren’t supposed to be in this situation. On one hand they were supposed to have their division wrapped up and this should have been an all-or-nothing position the hated Texas Rangers would be in. On the other hand, Houston maybe wasn’t supposed to be in the MLB playoff picture at all. But they are here, and now Dallas Keuchel will lead the Astros into Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night, trying to spin the ball the way he does at home (where he hasn’t lost yet). Doing that on the road against the heavy bats of the Yanks is beyond easier said than done, of course, which is why there is speculation the Astros will be one and done tonight.
Then again, what the Astros have still might be better than New York, even though they’re on the road. Masahiro Tanaka is supposed to be an elite arm that guides New York’s suspect offense through the fire, but he’s fading fast down the stretch and now may be under too much pressure with too much on the lines. If Tanaka can’t keep things together, this could very well be a battle of the bats in what otherwise would come off as a pitcher’s duel. Of course, with anything close to a pitcher’s duel going down in home run central (Yankee Stadium), this game grows increasingly more difficult to call.
The kicker here is Keuchel. He’s not great on three day’s rest and he’s even worse on the road. Make that road game at Yankee Stadium and it’s tough to love him and the Astros to move on.
Pick: Yankees 4, Astros 3
Chicago Cubs @ Pittsburgh Pirates
Thought the first MLB wild card playoff game was tough to call? Try Jake Arrieta versus Gerrit Cole on for size. Both of these MLB playoff games could easily be pitcher’s duels, but this one yields fewer chances and monster smashes and the quality of pitching should be at a higher level from top to bottom, as well. Oddly enough, this game is easier to call.
The reality is this: there should be even less scoring in Wednesday’s game. Elite pitching can rule the playoffs and while it sometimes does not (here’s to looking at you, Kershaw), it feels like it just might in this showdown. This is really all about Arrieta, who has won three of four games against these Pirates and carries the stronger odds to come through in the clutch. Cole has wins under his belt and an ERA below 3.0 on the year and he’s also had success against a good Cubs offense that tends to K a ton. He’s also at home.
However, there isn’t much to hate about Arrieta here, and with such an evenly matched showdown, he has to get the slightest of nods.
Pick: Cubs 2, Pirates 1
Think these games go down differently? Tell us in the comments below!
