My Division Series Predictions
The Major League Baseball postseason is in full swing. We saw all four wild card rounds end in a sweep, with the Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers, Minnesota Twins, and Arizona Diamondbacks moving on. With the best-of-five division series coming up, here are my predictions and analysis for all the matchups.
Philadelphia Phillies vs. Atlanta Braves
In my opinion, this is the best matchup of the division series. These two division rivals faced off in the postseason last year, with the Phillies winning the series in four games. The Braves are coming off a one hundred four win season, with the Phillies winning ninety games. Atlanta is seen as the favorite, but don’t count out Philadelphia’s pesky offense and good pitching staff.
My prediction: Phillies defeat Braves in five games
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers earned a first-round bye for the second consecutive year and will face off against their divisional opponent Diamondbacks. Arizona hasn’t played in the division series since 2017, also facing the Dodgers that season. Los Angeles has the experience, but Arizona’s young and sneaky group could make this series interesting.
My prediction: Dodgers defeat Diamondbacks in four games
Texas Rangers vs. Baltimore Orioles
Both teams will be playing division series baseball for the first time in a while. The Rangers last made it this far in 2016, and the Orioles in 2014. Both teams took a huge leap this year after multiple recent losing seasons, with Baltimore claiming the American League’s best record. Despite Baltimore winning eleven more games this year, these teams are pretty evenly matched.
My prediction: Orioles defeat Rangers in five games
Minnesota Twins vs. Houston Astros
This series has an interesting story line. Carlos Correa, a former shortstop for Houston, will now face his former team as a member of the Twins. The Astros’ new shortstop, Jeremy Peña, was the World Series MVP last year. Besides Correa and Peña, both teams have good offenses and a stellar pitching staff. That being said, Houston definitely has more experience.
My prediction: Astros defeat Twins in four games
The division series can be unpredictable, but these are my predictions. We’ll see how it goes. Stay tuned for more blog posts about the MLB postseason!
An article that inspired me to write this blog: https://www.mlb.com/news/2023-playoff-predictions-from-mlb-experts
