The four Wild Card Series wrapped up quickly after two-game sweeps, Rangers, Twins, Phillies, and Diamondbacks advanced to the Divisional Series. After a two-day break, the playoff action continues on Saturday, October 7, with the heavyweights from the regular season joining the Wild Card winners.
The new playoff pairs are Orioles vs. Rangers and Twins vs. Astros in the American League, while in the National League, the matchups are Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks and Braves vs. Phillies. Most betting apps already have odds for the upcoming games, so let's dive into the betting lines and make a few predictions.
American League Divisional Series Matchups
As the No. 1 seed, the Baltimore Orioles received a well-deserved first-round bye, but now face the Texas Rangers, a team that swept the favorite Rays in the Wild Card Series. The Orioles were also a surprise this season, by winning 101 games and making it to the playoffs after a 6 year break. Baltimore has a young roster with talented pitchers Kyle Bradish and Grayson Rodriguez and several solid hitters.
The Rangers are not lacking in the talent department but had an up-and-down season, and that is the main reason they found themselves in the Wild Card Series. The trade for Max Scherzer bolstered their playoff prospects if the three-time Cy Young winner is healthy to play. Scherzer has been out of the rotation since early September because of an injury. Bookmakers favor the Rangers with -105 odds to win the series, while the Orioles receive -115 odds to advance to the AL Finals.
The Twins had no problems with the Blue Jays in the Wild Card Series, and are scheduled to play the Houston Astros. Many see this as a one-sided series, with the Astros cruising to 3 wins. Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez are healthy, and Justin Verlander has improved the bullpen's potential.
Back in May, the Twins won four of six matchups against the Astros, but that was a different Houston team than the one that will take the field for the Division Series. However, Minnesota is not powerless, and if Sonny Gray gets into a pitching rhythm, there might be a 5 game series. The odds for the Twins winning the series are +136, while the favorite Astros get -160 odds.
National League Divisional Series Matchups
The Atlanta Braves were dominant this season, and playing their divisional rival Phillies only makes their job easier. Atlanta had historic numbers offensively, tying both the 1927 Yankees for the highest team wRC+, and the single-season team record with 307 home runs. The Phillies do not have equally impressive stats but tend to play solid baseball in October.
The Phillies lost 8 of 13 meetings against Atlanta this season, but if the series goes the stretch, Philadelphia might benefit from a home-field advantage in the final games, and they have played great at home so far. The best free betting sites offer -170 odds on Atlanta to win the series and allocate +145 odds for the Phillies.
The final matchup in the Divisional Round is between the divisional rivals Dodgers and Diamondbacks. It’s hard to imagine that an upstart as Arizona will pull off another win as an underdog, especially against a 100-win regular season team as the Dodgers.
The final 5 matchups between these teams all went the Dodgers way. Los Angeles has the talent and experience with Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman on the roster and should justify the high -205 odds to win the series. The Diamondbacks are again a longshot, this time with +175 odds.
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