October is just around the corner. Hence, October baseball is coming soon. Several teams have been eliminated, but there are several teams that are still fighting hard for a playoff berth. Meanwhile, 6 teams already clinched a spot in the postseason. For these teams, what could be the most interesting things in the postseason?
First of all, the Dodgers already won more than 100 games again this season. There’s no doubt that the Dodgers secured a spot in the playoffs. By far this season, the Dodgers have an OPS of .783, which ranks first among 30 MLB teams. Additionally, the team has a 2.83 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP, both are the best among 30 MLB teams. The Dodgers won the 2020 World Series and they are surely one of the most experienced teams for October baseball. However, there are still some concerns. In particular, Tony Gonsolin and Blake Treinen are currently on the IL. Gonsolin has a great season, posting a 2.10 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP in 128.1 innings. Treinen’s ERA was only 1.99 over 72.1 innings last season, but he only tossed 5 innings for the Dodgers so far in 2022. It will be worth watching whether these two pitchers would be able to come back in October.
In addition, in the NL East, the New York Mets are back to the postseason for the first time since 2016. The Mets have a .744 OPS, 6th among 30 MLB teams. Moreover, they own a 3.56 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. With Cy Young award winners Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom, the Mets will be a tough opponent to face in the postseason. At the same time, the defending World Series champions are also back to the postseason. The Atlanta Braves began the 2022 season with 23 wins and 27 losses, but the team gradually heats up. By far, the Braves pitchers post a 3.47 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. Moreover, the Braves batters have a .760 OPS, second best among 30 MLB teams. Nonetheless, Ozzie Albies is out of the regular season, it’s worth watching when he will be able to return in the postseason. Furthermore, Ian Anderson was solid last postseason. However, he doesn’t have a good 2022 season and was optioned to the minors. Nonetheless, Kyle Wright and Spencer Strider have been pitching excellently during the regular season. Can they continue pitching well in the postseason?
Furthermore, the Astros are back to the postseason again. The team has clinched a spot in the postseason for 6 straight seasons. This season, the Astros batters have a .740 OPS. In the meantime, their pitching staff is outstanding with a 2.92 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP, both are the best in the AL. Justin Verlander surely has a great season after coming back from Tommy John surgery. He now has a 1.82 ERA and a 0.84 WHIP. His experience in the postseason is definitely a great asset.
In the AL East, the Yankees also have clinched a postseason spot for 6 consecutive seasons. The Bronx Bombers already crushed 241 home runs, the most among 30 MLB teams. Aaron Judge now leads the majors with 60 home runs. It will surely be entertaining to see whether he will keep crushing baseballs in October. At the same time, the team’s ERA is 3.36, ranking 3rd in the majors. Nestor Cortes has a great 2022 season with a 2.56 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP in 27 starts. He was just activated from IL in early September and with him, it’s certainly great news for the Yankees pitching depth. In the Yankees rotation, he’s the only player with an ERA below 3. However, Cortes has never pitched in the postseason.
Finally, the Guardians just clinched the AL Central and it’s the first time for the team to clinch the division title since 2018. By far, the Guardians pitchers post a 3.52 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP during the regular season. Nevertheless, hitting might be a concern. The Guardians’ OPS is only .698 now and they only have 122 home runs, second fewest among 30 MLB teams.
These teams celebrated for clinching a spot in the postseason. Now, for them, the key thing to think about is how to set up the postseason roster. Which batters should be added to the postseason roster? Moreover, a fifth starter is not necessary in the postseason, should a team add more relievers?
No comments:
Post a Comment