"Guide to the MLB Postseason"
The Kansas City Royals have made it to the postseason for the first time since their 2015 World Series win. The Detroit Tigers are also ending their playoff drought that began in the same year, while the Baltimore Orioles have an eight-game losing streak in the postseason since their 2014 series against Detroit.
This weekend, at least one of these three teams will be playing in the American League Division Series.
The baseball playoffs will begin on Tuesday with four wild-card games, two in the AL and two in the National League. These games will be played in a best-of-three round.
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The first game of the day will feature the sixth-seeded Tigers visiting the third-seeded Houston Astros, a team that is no stranger to the playoffs. The second game will see the fifth-seeded Royals facing off against the fourth-seeded Orioles, a talented team that is due for a breakout in the postseason.
In the National League, the third-seeded Milwaukee Brewers will host the sixth-seeded New York Mets, while the fourth-seeded Padres will take on the fifth-seeded Atlanta Braves in Southern California. The Padres have been the hottest team since the All-Star break, with a record of 43-20.
Both the Braves and the Mets secured their spots in the playoffs by splitting a doubleheader on Monday, leaving the defending NL champion Arizona Diamondbacks as the odd team out.
Four teams will have the first round off: The top-seeded Los Angeles Dodgers and second-seeded Philadelphia Phillies in the NL, and the top-seeded New York Yankees and second-seeded Cleveland Guardians in the AL.
Here is a look at the pairings:
Tigers (86-76) at Astros (88-73)
Detroit made some big moves at the trade deadline, but their season seemed to be going nowhere. However, a stunning 31-11 run, combined with the collapse of the Minnesota Twins, led to the Tigers ending their long playoff drought. They have a strong starting pitcher in Tarik Skubal, who is a contender for the AL Cy Young Award. Outfielder Riley Greene has been a standout player for the team, and manager A.J. Hinch has done a great job of utilizing his roster to find success.
The Astros are a seasoned postseason team, having made the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season. They have won the World Series twice in recent years and finished this regular season strong with 11 wins in 16 games. Their ace is left-hander Framber Valdez, and they have a powerful lineup featuring players like Yordan Alvarez, Jose Altuve, and Alex Bregman. The Astros have a 4-2 record against the Tigers this season.
The winner will face the Cleveland Guardians (92-69), who surprised many with their strong performance this season. They have a standout player in Jose Ramirez, but have struggled in the postseason in the past.
Royals (86-76) at Orioles (91-71)
Catcher Salvador Perez, who was MVP of the 2015 World Series, continues to be a top performer for the Royals. Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. has had an impressive season and is a contender for the AL MVP award. The Royals have not had a winning season since 2015, but the addition of pitcher Seth Lugo and the development of Cole Ragans have helped them make it to the playoffs.
The Orioles are looking to break their postseason losing streak and have a strong lineup featuring players like Gunnar Henderson, Anthony Santander, and Adley Rutschman. They have a top starter in Corbin Burnes, but have had to deal with injuries in their rotation. The Orioles have a 4-2 record against the Royals this season.
The winner will face the New York Yankees (94-68), a team with a potent offense led by Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. They have not won the World Series since 2009, but have made it to the AL Championship Series multiple times since then.
Mets (89-73) at Brewers (93-69)
The Mets secured their spot in the playoffs by splitting a doubleheader with the Braves on Monday. They have a strong starting rotation and a powerful lineup featuring players like Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso. The Brewers have made the playoffs in six of the past seven seasons and have a solid starting rotation and bullpen. They have been without their star player Christian Yelich since late July due to injury, but have still managed to have a successful season. The Brewers have won
