Starting on Tuesday, October 1 MLB Playoffs kicked off with the 8-team Wild Card Series. Whether it was the hometown Baltimore Orioles or the feel-good story of the Detroit Tigers, everyone had someone to root for.
American League: Detroit Tigers vs. Houston Astros
Following the surge of their improbable late season run, the Detroit Tigers snuck into the 6-seed of the American League Wild Card. However, not many were batting any eyes towards them beating the Houston Astros in the first round. Turns out, they should’ve been.
Detroit kicked off the playoffs strong by taking Game 1 in Houston by a final score of 3-1, with starting pitcher Tarik Skubal tossing 6 scoreless innings. 3 runs in the 2nd inning was all Detroit needed to silence Houston. After just 3 hours of playoff baseball, Houston’s 7 straight years of playing in the ALCS was in jeopardy.
With more eyes on them, the young Detroit team went out for Game 2 and fell behind 2-1 in the 8th inning. However, a bases clearing double from Andy Ibanez sent Detroit to the ALDS, and officially knocked out Houston with a 5-2 final.
American League: Kansas City Royals vs. Baltimore Orioles
Perhaps one of the more shocking outcomes, the Kansas City Royals knocked out the Baltimore Orioles on the road to advance to the ALDS and continue Baltimore’s playoff losing streak.
Game 1 was a pitching battle between Corbin Burnes for Baltimore and Cole Ragans for Kansas City. With both teams ending the game with only 5 hits, a Bobby Witt Jr. single for the Royals was the only run needed to take the first matchup. Game 2 came and went just as quickly, with another low scoring pitching battle ending 2-1 with the Royals punching their ticket to the next round.
The biggest story out of this round is undoubtedly the way the Orioles have exited their last two postseasons in such defeated fashion, not winning a single playoff game since 2014. This young team seemed so promising during the regular season, but once again fail to step up in the biggest moments. Prospects like Jackson Holliday and Coby Mayo will adapt to the game and are sure to be an asset in the coming season.
National League: Atlanta Braves vs. San Diego Padres
The series with the least expectations going in, the Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres was simply a series of pure grit. Both renowned teams this decade that have made a name for themselves in postseason moments, fans were just ready for another great series. After the unprecedented doubleheader on Monday, September 30, between the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves, the seeding led Atlanta to Slam Diego.
Game 1 saw the powerhouse bats of the Atlanta Braves completely shut down, scoring no runs on 7 hits, while San Diego struck early, holding a 3-0 lead from the 2nd inning onward. Game 2 had higher stakes, as the Padres now had a chance to set up a meeting with division rival Los Angeles Dodgers with a win.
One inning was all it took for the Padres to sneak into the NLDS. All 5 runs in San Diego’s 5-4 win came in the 2nd inning, holding off Atlanta’s 3 unanswered runs. The Braves have now lost 3 consecutive playoff series, while the Padres look dangerous going into the next round.
National League: New York Mets vs. Milwaukee Brewers
The curveball series of the bunch, the New York Mets started the season 0-5 and were the 3rd worst team in the league after April wrapped up. However, a stellar July-September led them to a doubleheader clinch against the Atlanta Braves on Monday, September 30, in Game 161. The Milwaukee Brewers faced no competition in the NL Central, with only the Chicago Cubs posing any postseason threat in the last 2 months of the season.
In Game 1, it seemed as though the Mets’ Cinderella run would continue, as a 5th run 5th inning surged the Mets to an 8-4 win in Milwaukee. For the first time since 2015, the Mets were vying for a playoff series win. However, the young Brewers team struck back with a late 2-run homerun in the 8th inning and took Game 2 by a score of 5-3.
The only series to require a winner-take-all game, the Brewers and Mets dealt pitch after pitch, becoming just the 4th game in MLB history to be scoreless through 6 innings in a winner-take-all matchup. However, back-to-back home runs from the Brewers gave them a 2-0 lead and pushed the Mets to their final 2 outs. At the plate? Impending free agent Pete Alonso. Alonso crushed a 3-run homerun, and after a Starling Marte insurance run, the Mets took the series by a score of 4-2.
The Stage is Set
So, who’s next? The Tigers will go on to face fellow AL Central foe Cleveland Guardians and try to make their first ALCS since 2013, while the Royals will face the New York Yankees, a team who is favored to win it all.
In the NL, the Padres got their matchup against division rival Los Angeles Dodgers, trying to make it back to the NLCS after they missed out last season. The Mets will travel to Philadelphia to face the Phillies and their intimidating crowd, hoping to capitalize on whatever magic they’ve picked up.
All Divisional Series Game 1’s will be on Saturday, October 5, and the Championship Series will start on Sunday, October 13. October baseball is here, so get ready for a fun ride!