The MLB’s penultimate playoff round is set to kick-off, with four teams in the hunt for two prized spots in the World Series.

In the American League, the Tampa Bay Rays and the Houston Astros will battle for a chance to claim a pennant. On the National League side of things, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves will square off.

Both of these matchups promise to hold plenty of intrigues. Let’s preview the series and make a prediction as to who will win.

American League: Tampa Bay Rays (1) vs. Houston Astros (6)

The top-seeded Tampa Bay Rays punched their ticket to the ALCS after a thrilling Game 5 victory against the New York Yankees. Their date in the clash for the pennant will be the Houston Astros, who finished the season with a losing record at 29-31 and have gotten hot and played off of their status as the heel of the playoffs in order to find themselves playing for yet another chance to go to the World Series.

The Rays are the better team, they have a better manager, and their pitching is far superior to the Astros’. The matchup on paper says that they should take the series. Not all teams have the luxury of a starting rotation with players as good as Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Charlie Morton along with a lineup full of hitters which mash opposite-handed pitching.

With that being said, don’t expect the Astros to lie down. George Springer, Alex Bregman, and Jose Altuve have shaken off a slow regular season to hit like the old versions of themselves so far in their playoff run. While they’ve gotten a breakout performance from Framber Valdez so far in the playoffs, I just don’t think that their pitching staff is deep enough to beat the Rays.

Prediction: Rays in 6

National League: Los Angeles Dodgers (1) vs. Atlanta Braves (2)

The clash of the National League’s two titans will take place in the NLCS as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves, neither of which have lost a playoff game yet, meet up with a ticket to the World Series on the line at Globe Life Park.

The Dodgers were the favorites heading into the playoffs and they remain the favorites after their electric offense bludgeoned past the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres. Mookie Betts is arguably baseball’s best player, and when he’s surrounded by hitters like Cody Bellinger and Will Smith, runs are guaranteed when facing this team.

While Atlanta’s pitching staff has been the story of the playoffs so far, having thrown 4 shutouts in 5 games against the Reds and Marlins, they haven’t seen anything like this Dodgers team yet. The Braves’ offense, led by MVP favorite Freddie Freeman, breakout catcher Travis d’Arnaud, and young sensation Ronald Acuna can go head-to-head with the Dodgers’, but I think the lack of experience in their starting rotation will be their downfall.

Prediction: Dodgers in 5

The post Predicting the MLB Championship Series Matchups appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After just 60 games of regular-season action in the shortened 2020 season, the expanded playoff bracket has been set and October baseball is just around the corner!

16 teams will take part in the three-game Wild Card Round of the playoffs, which has the potential to lead to tons of exciting action and maybe even a few upsets. Let’s predict each series!

American League

#1 Tampa Bay Rays vs. #8 Toronto Blue Jays

The top-seeded Tampa Bay Rays will do battle with the division rival Toronto Blue Jays in what should be an interesting series. While the Blue Jays are on the upswing and promise to be playoff threats for years to come with plenty of young talent, I expect the more experienced Rays to come out on top.

Prediction: Rays in 2

#4 Cleveland Indians vs. #5 New York Yankees

Few expected the Indians and Yankees to meet up in the first round of the playoffs after both teams were on the fringe playoff picture for much of the season, but these two AL rivals will do battle in a matchup of baseball’s best pitching staff against one of its best offenses. The old adage says that pitching wins championships, and I think Shane Bieber, Zach Plesac, and company will be enough to sneak past the Bronx Bombers.

Prediction: Indians in 3

#3 Minnesota Twins vs. #6 Houston Astros

The Astros might have made the World Series last season, but without ace pitchers Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole along with a floundering offense, they’re a shell of what they were last year. The Twins, on the other hand, have a dynamic offense bolstered by Nelson Cruz and Byron Buxton alongside new addition Josh Donaldson. They should take care of the ‘Stros.

Prediction: Twins in 3

#2 Oakland Athletics vs. #7 Chicago White Sox

The A’s got a tough draw despite facing the #7 seed, going up against one of baseball’s most exciting young teams in the White Sox. While they look like World Series contenders just a month ago, the Sox have fallen off in past weeks as their rotation’s warts have come to surface and its offense hasn’t looked quite as deadly. The A’s might not be flashy, but they’re the #2 seed for a reason and I think they’ll squeak out a tight win.

Prediction: Athletics in 3

National League

#1 Los Angeles Dodgers vs. #8 Milwaukee Brewers

The Dodgers are the team to beat heading into the 2020 Postseason, and for good reason. Corey Seager and Mookie Betts were MVP candidates after putting together huge offensive seasons for baseball’s best offense, and Clayton Kershaw put together a resurgent season alongside Walker Buehler. With no offense to Milwaukee, this shouldn’t be much of a contest.

Prediction: Dodgers in 2

#4 San Diego Padres vs. #5 St. Louis Cardinals

The Padres finished with the league’s second-best record but were forced into the playoffs as a #4 seed thanks to the Los Angeles Dodgers. While they didn’t look quite as good in the final two weeks of the season thanks largely to a cold streak by Fernando Tatis Jr., it’s hard to see the Cardinals getting past them despite their veteran savvy.

Prediction: Padres in 3

#3 Chicago Cubs vs. #6 Miami Marlins

The Marlins are finally back in the postseason 17 years after their last appearance, but few might believe that they could get past the NL Central winning Cubs and their fearsome collection of talent, including NL Cy Young candidate Yu Darvish. Miami was a great story this season, but they simply don’t have the talent to keep up with Chicago.

Prediction: Cubs in 2

#2 Atlanta Braves vs. #7 Cincinnati Reds

While the Braves might be the #2 seed in the playoffs, they have a truly difficult matchup ahead of them against the Reds. The Braves had one of baseball’s best offenses this season, but Cincinnati’s formidable 1-2 punch of Trevor Bauer and Luis Castillo has the potential to shut them down. Add Atlanta’s rotation troubles to the mix, and I think this series has the makings of an upset.

Prediction: Reds in 3

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With the shortened MLB season coming to a close after just over two months of action, the races to decide the Most Valuable Players and Cy Young Award winners in both leagues are finally wrapping up.

Despite the 60-game slate, there have been plenty of pitchers and position players who have stood out in what will undoubtedly be a season for the history books.

Let’s predict the winners of the league’s top awards!

AL Cy Young: Shane Bieber, Cleveland Indians

The easiest award to hand out will be the AL Cy Young Award, where one player laps the rest of the competition: Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Shane Bieber.

Bieber is third in baseball in innings pitched, first in ERA, first in strikeouts, and has compiled an outstanding 8-1 record to push the Indians to yet another playoff berth. At just 25 years old, you can bet that this won’t be the only time that Bieber will be in the race for a pitching prize like this.

Runners-up: Kenta Maeda (Twins), Dylan Bundy (Angels)

NL Cy Young: Yu Darvish, Chicago Cubs

The NL Cy Young Award might be the tightest awards race in all of baseball. While there are other deserving candidates, the ace of a Chicago Cubs team that has led them to first place in their division despite pre-season doubts in an enormous comeback season is my pick: Yu Darvish.

Darvish has returned to his prime form this season, posting a minuscule 2.22 ERA in 11 starts for the Cubs. He has maintained an excellent 88:13 strikeout to walk ratio and kept opposing batters from making hard contact. This will be a close vote, but the Japanese ace is my pick to dethrone Jacob deGrom, who also has a real shot at winning.

Runners-up: Jacob deGrom (Mets), Trevor Bauer (Reds)

AL Most Valuable Player: Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Indians

No one would have expected Jose Ramirez to be the leader in contention for the AL MVP at this point a month ago, but a blistering hot final stretch to the season has led the Dominican infielder to 2nd place in the Major Leagues in home runs (17) and the sixth-best wRC+ in the league (158) for an Indians’ offense he helped ignite. Not only that, but he’s been one of the best defensive third basemen in the Majors.

Ramirez might lose out to teammate Shane Bieber for the award, but I think his day-to-day contributions both offensively and defensively have made him even more important for his team than their ace pitcher.

Runners-up: Shane Bieber (Indians), Jose Abreu (White Sox)

NL Most Valuable Player: Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves

While Fernando Tatis Jr. looked to be running away with the NL MVP trophy just a few weeks ago, long-time superstar Freddie Freeman now looks to be the best pick for the league’s best player, which would give him his first MVP trophy.

Freeman has been the best offensive player in baseball (minimum 200 PA) according to wRC+ (185) and is posting an insane .457 on-base percentage along with 12 home runs and 51 RBI for baseball’s best offense, statistically. The Braves have overcome pitching struggles to win their division for a third straight season, and Freeman has been the straw that has stirred the drink for his team.

Runners-up: Fernando Tatis Jr. (Padres), Mookie Betts (Dodgers)

The post Predicting the MLB MVP and Cy Young Races appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak has forced nearly all of the world’s sporting leagues to be put on hold as governments and societies at large attempt to slow the spread of this global health pandemic.

Major League Baseball, whose Opening Day was scheduled for March 26th, was forced to postpone the beginning of its season after calling off all activities in mid-March.

In recent days, an audacious and unprecedented idea has been proposed by forces inside the league. This plan would have all thirty teams congregate in Arizona, undergo a “mini Spring Training,” and then switch to regular season action at the eleven baseball parks in the Phoenix metro area.

Despite the temptation to return to baseball as soon as possible, this plan presents a number of problems. From the brutal Arizona summer heat to logistical problems to the health risks associated with gathering so many athletes in one place, MLB’s Arizona plan is flawed and simply would not be a good plan of action.

Arizona has long been a late winter and early spring refuge for many teams, as its warm and dry climate allows for a great place to get prepared for the season. Ten Spring Training parks are located near Phoenix, and the regular season home of the Diamondbacks, Chase Field, would presumably be the parks where games would be held in this scenario.

However, this plan ignores one key problem: while late winter and early spring weather is nice, once the calendar turns to June, all bets are off. Average summer highs in Arizona regularly top 100 degrees, and only Chase Field features a roof and an air conditioning system. This brutal heat, which often persists into the night, would be a real health risk for players and umpires.

Even if the league planned to hold the games late at night in order to avoid brutal heat, the three-hour time difference between Arizona and the East Coast of the United States, where many teams are based, would make it exceedingly difficult for fans to follow the games on television.

In addition, with eleven parks only being enough for eleven games to be held simultaneously, it would be extremely difficult to maintain a normal competition rhythm in a sport in which teams are used to playing nearly every day.

Finally, let’s not ignore the real and persistent risk that the coronavirus still poses in the United States. Maricopa County, Arizona, where all eleven parks are hosted, currently has over 1,500 active cases of the virus. How could Major League Baseball expect to keep its players safe here in just a month’s time? Gathering so many athletes in such a small area, relatively speaking, could lead to an outbreak and potentially disastrous outcomes.

While temptation might lead us to want our sports to be back as soon as possible, the Arizona proposal suggested by Major League Baseball is simply not how the game should return.

The post MLB’s Arizona Proposal is the Wrong Way to Return to Baseball appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Baseball season is just around the corner, with the beginning of the MLB season just starting in April.

The National League is set to be a competition filled with powerhouse teams and star players. The Washington Nationals, the surprise winners of the league and the World Series last season, have a strong roster, but do they have one of the league’s top MVP candidates?

Let’s take a look at the top three NL MVP candidates for the 2020 season.

Christian Yelich, Brewers

The 2018 NL MVP finished in second place in a close vote for the 2019 award, coming in just behind Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger. He looks to be one of the favorites for this year’s award.

The outfielder batted .329 last season with 44 home runs and 97 RBI despite only playing in 130 games due to injury. Expect more big production from the California native, who just agreed to a 9-year, $215 million extension with his team, in 2020. A great eye at the plate and a power surge that coincided with his trade from the Marlins to Milwaukee has turned him into one of the top players in the league, and expect his production to continue in 2020.

Mookie Betts, Dodgers

The biggest trade of the 2019-20 MLB offseason sent perennial All-Star outfielder Mookie Betts from the Boston Red Sox to the Los Angeles Dodgers, establishing a new big star in the National League.

Betts and Yelich were named MVPs in the same season, with the Nashville native having won the award in the American League during his tenure in Boston. A move to Los Angeles places the talented outfielder in the middle of a stacked lineup, which should lead him to drive in even more runs than he has in previous seasons.

Expect Betts to compete for the hardware in his first year as a Dodger.

Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves

Acuña is one of the top young stars in baseball. The Braves center fielder was exceptional in 2019 at the ripe age of 21, finishing the year with 41 long balls and 37 stolen bases.

Expect the young Venezuelan talent to continue his rise in 2020 for a team that looks to contend for a World Series title. Acuña improved his plate discipline in the 2019 season, a development that led him to post a higher-than-expected .365 on-base percentage along with his power production.

Power-speed combinations like Acuña’s are rare in today’s game and don’t be surprised if his gaudy home run and stolen base totals lead him to compete for the MVP Award.

The post NL MVP Candidates to Keep an Eye on in 2020 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After last Sunday’s Super Bowl, it’s finally time for baseball season to take its turn in the spotlight of American sports. A surprising 2019 season led to the Washington Nationals being crowned World Series champions after storming from out of nowhere to take the title.

The Nationals didn’t make the playoffs in 2018 before winning it all in 2019, so it’s absolutely possible that another team could repeat this feat in the upcoming season.

Let’s take a look at some teams that are candidates to take a big step forward in 2020, and maybe even compete for a title.

Cincinnati Reds

The Reds missed out on the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season in 2019, but that could change after an offseason of upgrades has shifted the team’s roster.

The signings of free-agent outfielder Nicholas Castellanos and infielder Mike Moustakas, neither of which broke the proverbial bank, should give a team that has struggled offensively in recent seasons a big upgrade. Joey Votto and Eugenio Suarez are both entrenched as stars in the corner of the infield, and a solid rotation that was bolstered by a mid-season trade for righty Trevor Bauer could help the Reds take advantage of an NL Central that looks weak on paper.

Los Angeles Angels

It seems almost unbelievable that the Angels, despite having baseball’s best player in Mike Trout since 2012, have only managed to make the playoffs once in that stretch.

Going into 2020, the team has a new manager in Joe Maddon, and a new big-ticket acquisition in third baseman Anthony Rendon that could help the team get back into contention. Trout and Rendon will pair to form arguably baseball’s strongest 1-2 punch on offense, while a full season of healthy ball from Shohei Ohtani and a strengthened rotation might just be what the Angels have been looking for.

Chicago White Sox

The White Sox have a strong case to make as a playoff contender in 2020.
Why? A combination of youth and off-season signings and acquisitions could have the South Siders in the postseason for the first time since 2008.

Chicago has long had problems with starting pitching, and the off-season additions of Dallas Keuchel and Gio Gonzalez should help Lucas Giolito to make the Sox’s rotation at least average. Yoan Moncada and Eloy Jimenez are two of baseball’s biggest offensive talents, and they should be regular starters for the club this season. Add the signing of veteran slugger Edwin Encarnacion to the mix, and you might just be looking at this season’s biggest up-and-coming squad.

The post Three MLB Teams Which are Poised to Take a Big Step Forward in 2020 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The 2019 World Series is finally upon us, with Game 1 of the title clash between the Houston Astros and the Washington Nationals taking place on Tuesday night.

The Houston Astros, who finished with the top record in all of Major League Baseball this season, will hold home-field advantage in the series. They were widely expected to make the Fall Classic and were a popular pick to win the title throughout the season.

The Nationals, on the other hand, are a surprise in this position. After coming back to beat the Brewers in the NL Wild Card Game, they pulled off a shocking upset of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS before sweeping the overmatched Cardinals in the NLCS to earn their first-ever World Series berth.

Let’s take a look at the matchup to see who owns the edge.

Starting Rotation

The Astros and Nationals have arguably the two best starting pitching rotations in baseball. Each team has a formidable three-headed monster, with Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, and Zack Greinke representing Houston and Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Patrick Corbin representing Washington.

These are likely the only starters that we’ll see in the series, and this looks to be a doozy of a matchup. Cole might have been the best pitcher in baseball this season, with Verlander not far behind him. Greinke has struggled in the playoffs with Houston, but we still give the slightest of edges to Houston due to their playoff experience and their performance in a more difficult league for pitching.

Advantage: Houston Astros (slight)

Bullpen

The Astros had the better bullpen over the regular season, that much is for certain. They have a balanced group with Roberto Osuna at closer and a bevy of right and left-handed options that are solid, such as Wade Miley, Will Harris, and Hector Rondon. It isn’t a strength for the ‘Stros, but it isn’t a weakness either.

Nationals’ bullpen was the worst in baseball in the regular season, but it has been hot in the postseason. Daniel Hudson, their closer, has shut the door, allowing a grand total of zero runs in 5 appearances. The Nats have tried to compensate for this weakness by using their starting pitchers in relief appearances too, to mixed results.

The long-term numbers don’t lie. The Astros have an edge here.

Advantage: Houston Astros

Offense

The Houston Astros, quite simply, have the best offense in baseball. They have MVP-caliber players all over the diamond, with Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, George Springer, and Alex Bregman all being in the conversation as the best players at their respective positions in baseball. Their absurd .272/.352/.495 regular season team slash line is one of the best in the history of the game. They’ve been a little quieter in the playoffs, however.

The Nats might not have quite the offense that Houston does, but it’s quite good as well. Anthony Rendon might well be the NL MVP this season, and Juan Soto is arguably the best young hitter in baseball. They don’t quite have the lineup depth that Houston does, however, with question marks at positions like second base and center field.

Advantage: Houston Astros

Defense

This is a little easier to evaluate than the other categories thanks to the straightforward advanced metrics that are available.

Both teams have middle-of-the-pack defenses, with players like Victor Robles (Washington) and George Springer (Houston) as strengths and liabilities like Yuli Gurriel (Houston) and Adam Eaton (Nationals) making them pretty even here.

Advantage: Even

Final Prediction

The Nationals have made an incredible run to this point, and we don’t expect them to give up without a major fight. The Astros, however, are the better team from top-to-bottom on paper, and they hold a big offensive advantage. They are also working with home-field advantage, so it’s not easy to go against them. We’re taking them in 6 games to win their second title in the past three years.

Houston Astros in 6

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After a tense and exciting round of division series matchups, the 2019 MLB Championship Series have been set.

The Houston Astros took care of the upstart Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night in Game 5 of the ALDS, making them the last team to join the New York Yankees, Washington Nationals, and St. Louis Cardinals as the last four teams left standing this Major League Baseball season.

Now, it’s time to take a look at the ALCS and NLCS and decide who might win.

ALCS: Houston Astros vs. New York Yankees

The Astros and Yankees were the two best teams in the regular season in the American League, and they’ll now battle for a place in the World Series in what promises to be a highly entertaining ALCS.

The Yankees swept the Minnesota Twins handily, whereas the Astros had to beat the Wild Card winning Tampa Bay Rays in 5 games to earn their spot here.

This is a fascinating series with loads of star power and talent. The Astros arguably have baseball’s best starting pitching trio with the three-headed monster of Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, and Zack Greinke. In addition, they have one of the best offenses in the league, headlined by MVP candidate Alex Bregman and sparkplugs Jose Altuve and George Springer.

The Yankees, on the other hand, might not have the starting pitching strength of the Astros, but they do have an offense that produced the second-highest total of home runs ever in a single season (306). Their bullpen is also strong, with relievers like Aroldis Chapman and Adam Ottavino making things easier for their relatively average starting pitching.

This will, no doubt, be a fascinating series, but I think the Astros are just a little bit more well-rounded and they also have home-field advantage.

Prediction: Houston Astros in 6

NLCS: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Washington Nationals

If the ALCS matchup is a clash of titans, the NLCS is a matchup of two teams that few expected to be here.

The Nationals shocked the Dodgers in the NLDS and the Cardinals surprised many by taking down the Braves.

Washington, much like Houston, has a deadly pitching threesome with Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Patrick Corbin. They also have a lineup with big bats like Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto, but they definitely have a weakness, and it’s their mediocre bullpen.

St. Louis, on the other hand, is a team with no obvious weaknesses but no obvious big strengths. They do, however, play excellent team defense and have a lineup that has been hot recently. Both Paul Goldschmidt and Marcell Ozuna had a big series against Atlanta, and this team appears to be peaking at the right time.

Despite this, I like the Nationals to win this series in close fashion. I think that they are simply the more talented team, and that they have the pitching and offensive depth to move on to the World Series.

Prediction: Washington Nationals in 7

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The Major League Playoffs’ division series matchups are set, and it’s almost time to begin the most exciting times of the year for any fan of America’s pastime.

The Division Series kicks off this week with the following matchups:

• NL: Atlanta Braves vs. St. Louis Cardinals
• NL: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Washington Nationals
• AL: Houston Astros vs. Tampa Bay Rays
• AL: New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins

It’s time to take a deeper look at this series and make our picks for who will win.

Braves vs. Cardinals: Braves in 5

This series hinges on the health of Atlanta’s star players. First baseman Freddie Freeman and center fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. each missed games in the final week of the season due to elbow bone spurs and a groin strain, respectively, but are both set to go for the division series.

If they can stay healthy, we think the Braves’ dynamic offense with the two aforementioned players as well as Ozzie Albies and Josh Donaldson will back a pitching staff that has seen improvement from its bullpen in recent weeks to beat St. Louis. The NL’s best second half starter, Jack Flaherty, as well as Paul Goldschmidt and Paul DeJong, however, won’t make it easy. 

Dodgers vs. Nationals: Dodgers in 4

The Nationals have one of the league’s best 1-2-3 pitching tandems with Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Patrick Corbin, but we just don’t think it’s enough to handle LA’s big bats. The Dodgers’ lineup is insanely deep, and they should be able to inflict some damage on Nationals pitching.

Keep an eye on Hyun Jin Ryu and Clayton Kershaw, however. If these two lefty starters for LA can’t revert recent struggles, it’s possible that right-handed bats like Anthony Rendon and Ryan Zimmerman could lead the Nationals to an upset.

Astros vs. Rays: Astros in 3

Sorry, Tampa. The Rays experienced an emotional high after beating the Oakland A’s in the AL Wild Card Game, but we don’t think they’ll be much of a challenge for the Astros. The World Series favorite has arguably baseball’s best rotation and lineup.

Zack Greinke, Gerrit Cole, and Justin Verlander are on a mission, and big bats like Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez bring the thunder to put a scare into any pitching staff. The Rays might be able to sneak a win when Charlie Morton starts, but don’t expect them to get much more than that.

Yankees vs. Twins: Twins in 5

The Yankees might have a home-field advantage and the bigger name in this series, but don’t be surprised if the Twins pull the biggest upset in the first round and knock off the Bronx Bombers.

If the Yankees have an Achilles heel, it’s their mediocre starting pitching staff. The Twins’ powerful lineup could end up turning Yankee Stadium into batting practice and slugging their way past the Yankees in what could end up being one of the highest-scoring series in the history of playoff baseball.

The post 2019 MLB Division Series Predictions appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The 2019 MLB Trade Deadline has come and gone. July 31st, one of the most exciting days in baseball, was full of action this season as teams made moves at the last moment to try to improve their teams before the final stretch of the regular season and the playoffs.

Here’s a look at some of the winners and losers of this year’s trade deadline.

Winner: Houston Astros

The Astros emerged from Wednesday as the biggest winner in all of baseball at the deadline. The AL West leaders acquired All-Star starter Zack Greinke (owner of a 2.90 ERA and a 10-4 record) for a reasonable prospect load from the Arizona Diamondbacks. They’ll have Greinke, a likely future Hall of Famer, under control through the end of the 2021 season.

This move turns their rotation top three into baseball’s best and puts them in a commanding position to challenge for their second World Series crown over the past three seasons.

Winner: Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves look to be headed for their second consecutive NL East title, but they’re looking to do better than their first-round exit last season. Their bullpen had major issues, and general manager Alex Anthopolous set out to do something about it.

The Braves acquired three quality relievers in Shane Greene, Mark Melancon, and Chris Martin, in exchange for none of the team’s top ten prospects. Greene, the owner of a 1.18 ERA in 2019 and an All-Star, is the team’s likely closer from here on out, while Melancon and Martin provide quality righty set-up arms. They upgraded their weak spot without giving up any of their best prospects. That counts as a win for me.

Loser: New York Yankees

The Yankees own the American League’s best record, yet they did nothing at the Trade Deadline in order to improve their chances of winning the franchise’s first title since 2009. In fact, the only move they made was an insignificant trade for a minor league lefty.

Many fans expected the Bronx Bombers to upgrade their rotation and/or bullpen at the deadline, but general manager Brian Cashman stated that the team simply didn’t close to making any moves. It hurts the club even more now that their main competition for the AL pennant this season, the Houston Astros, acquired Zack Greinke.

Loser: Boston Red Sox

The defending World Series champions have had a thoroughly disappointing 2019 season, yet they still find themselves in the mix of the Wild Card race at the beginning of August. They find themselves 2.5 games behind the Rays and could easily find themselves back in the playoffs.

The Sox, however, have major flaws, and the team did nothing to address those issues by the end of the deadline. The bullpen has been the team’s main sore spot, and GM Dave Dombrowski seems to have opted to believe that the team’s existing options will be enough down the stretch. It’s not an opinion that many others share.

The post The Winners and Losers of the 2019 MLB Trade Deadline appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The MLB’s penultimate playoff round is set to kick-off, with four teams in the hunt for two prized spots in the World Series.

In the American League, the Tampa Bay Rays and the Houston Astros will battle for a chance to claim a pennant. On the National League side of things, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves will square off.

Both of these matchups promise to hold plenty of intrigues. Let’s preview the series and make a prediction as to who will win.

American League: Tampa Bay Rays (1) vs. Houston Astros (6)

The top-seeded Tampa Bay Rays punched their ticket to the ALCS after a thrilling Game 5 victory against the New York Yankees. Their date in the clash for the pennant will be the Houston Astros, who finished the season with a losing record at 29-31 and have gotten hot and played off of their status as the heel of the playoffs in order to find themselves playing for yet another chance to go to the World Series.

The Rays are the better team, they have a better manager, and their pitching is far superior to the Astros’. The matchup on paper says that they should take the series. Not all teams have the luxury of a starting rotation with players as good as Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Charlie Morton along with a lineup full of hitters which mash opposite-handed pitching.

With that being said, don’t expect the Astros to lie down. George Springer, Alex Bregman, and Jose Altuve have shaken off a slow regular season to hit like the old versions of themselves so far in their playoff run. While they’ve gotten a breakout performance from Framber Valdez so far in the playoffs, I just don’t think that their pitching staff is deep enough to beat the Rays.

Prediction: Rays in 6

National League: Los Angeles Dodgers (1) vs. Atlanta Braves (2)

The clash of the National League’s two titans will take place in the NLCS as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves, neither of which have lost a playoff game yet, meet up with a ticket to the World Series on the line at Globe Life Park.

The Dodgers were the favorites heading into the playoffs and they remain the favorites after their electric offense bludgeoned past the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres. Mookie Betts is arguably baseball’s best player, and when he’s surrounded by hitters like Cody Bellinger and Will Smith, runs are guaranteed when facing this team.

While Atlanta’s pitching staff has been the story of the playoffs so far, having thrown 4 shutouts in 5 games against the Reds and Marlins, they haven’t seen anything like this Dodgers team yet. The Braves’ offense, led by MVP favorite Freddie Freeman, breakout catcher Travis d’Arnaud, and young sensation Ronald Acuna can go head-to-head with the Dodgers’, but I think the lack of experience in their starting rotation will be their downfall.

Prediction: Dodgers in 5

The post Predicting the MLB Championship Series Matchups appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After just 60 games of regular-season action in the shortened 2020 season, the expanded playoff bracket has been set and October baseball is just around the corner!

16 teams will take part in the three-game Wild Card Round of the playoffs, which has the potential to lead to tons of exciting action and maybe even a few upsets. Let’s predict each series!

American League

#1 Tampa Bay Rays vs. #8 Toronto Blue Jays

The top-seeded Tampa Bay Rays will do battle with the division rival Toronto Blue Jays in what should be an interesting series. While the Blue Jays are on the upswing and promise to be playoff threats for years to come with plenty of young talent, I expect the more experienced Rays to come out on top.

Prediction: Rays in 2

#4 Cleveland Indians vs. #5 New York Yankees

Few expected the Indians and Yankees to meet up in the first round of the playoffs after both teams were on the fringe playoff picture for much of the season, but these two AL rivals will do battle in a matchup of baseball’s best pitching staff against one of its best offenses. The old adage says that pitching wins championships, and I think Shane Bieber, Zach Plesac, and company will be enough to sneak past the Bronx Bombers.

Prediction: Indians in 3

#3 Minnesota Twins vs. #6 Houston Astros

The Astros might have made the World Series last season, but without ace pitchers Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole along with a floundering offense, they’re a shell of what they were last year. The Twins, on the other hand, have a dynamic offense bolstered by Nelson Cruz and Byron Buxton alongside new addition Josh Donaldson. They should take care of the ‘Stros.

Prediction: Twins in 3

#2 Oakland Athletics vs. #7 Chicago White Sox

The A’s got a tough draw despite facing the #7 seed, going up against one of baseball’s most exciting young teams in the White Sox. While they look like World Series contenders just a month ago, the Sox have fallen off in past weeks as their rotation’s warts have come to surface and its offense hasn’t looked quite as deadly. The A’s might not be flashy, but they’re the #2 seed for a reason and I think they’ll squeak out a tight win.

Prediction: Athletics in 3

National League

#1 Los Angeles Dodgers vs. #8 Milwaukee Brewers

The Dodgers are the team to beat heading into the 2020 Postseason, and for good reason. Corey Seager and Mookie Betts were MVP candidates after putting together huge offensive seasons for baseball’s best offense, and Clayton Kershaw put together a resurgent season alongside Walker Buehler. With no offense to Milwaukee, this shouldn’t be much of a contest.

Prediction: Dodgers in 2

#4 San Diego Padres vs. #5 St. Louis Cardinals

The Padres finished with the league’s second-best record but were forced into the playoffs as a #4 seed thanks to the Los Angeles Dodgers. While they didn’t look quite as good in the final two weeks of the season thanks largely to a cold streak by Fernando Tatis Jr., it’s hard to see the Cardinals getting past them despite their veteran savvy.

Prediction: Padres in 3

#3 Chicago Cubs vs. #6 Miami Marlins

The Marlins are finally back in the postseason 17 years after their last appearance, but few might believe that they could get past the NL Central winning Cubs and their fearsome collection of talent, including NL Cy Young candidate Yu Darvish. Miami was a great story this season, but they simply don’t have the talent to keep up with Chicago.

Prediction: Cubs in 2

#2 Atlanta Braves vs. #7 Cincinnati Reds

While the Braves might be the #2 seed in the playoffs, they have a truly difficult matchup ahead of them against the Reds. The Braves had one of baseball’s best offenses this season, but Cincinnati’s formidable 1-2 punch of Trevor Bauer and Luis Castillo has the potential to shut them down. Add Atlanta’s rotation troubles to the mix, and I think this series has the makings of an upset.

Prediction: Reds in 3

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With the shortened MLB season coming to a close after just over two months of action, the races to decide the Most Valuable Players and Cy Young Award winners in both leagues are finally wrapping up.

Despite the 60-game slate, there have been plenty of pitchers and position players who have stood out in what will undoubtedly be a season for the history books.

Let’s predict the winners of the league’s top awards!

AL Cy Young: Shane Bieber, Cleveland Indians

The easiest award to hand out will be the AL Cy Young Award, where one player laps the rest of the competition: Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Shane Bieber.

Bieber is third in baseball in innings pitched, first in ERA, first in strikeouts, and has compiled an outstanding 8-1 record to push the Indians to yet another playoff berth. At just 25 years old, you can bet that this won’t be the only time that Bieber will be in the race for a pitching prize like this.

Runners-up: Kenta Maeda (Twins), Dylan Bundy (Angels)

NL Cy Young: Yu Darvish, Chicago Cubs

The NL Cy Young Award might be the tightest awards race in all of baseball. While there are other deserving candidates, the ace of a Chicago Cubs team that has led them to first place in their division despite pre-season doubts in an enormous comeback season is my pick: Yu Darvish.

Darvish has returned to his prime form this season, posting a minuscule 2.22 ERA in 11 starts for the Cubs. He has maintained an excellent 88:13 strikeout to walk ratio and kept opposing batters from making hard contact. This will be a close vote, but the Japanese ace is my pick to dethrone Jacob deGrom, who also has a real shot at winning.

Runners-up: Jacob deGrom (Mets), Trevor Bauer (Reds)

AL Most Valuable Player: Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Indians

No one would have expected Jose Ramirez to be the leader in contention for the AL MVP at this point a month ago, but a blistering hot final stretch to the season has led the Dominican infielder to 2nd place in the Major Leagues in home runs (17) and the sixth-best wRC+ in the league (158) for an Indians’ offense he helped ignite. Not only that, but he’s been one of the best defensive third basemen in the Majors.

Ramirez might lose out to teammate Shane Bieber for the award, but I think his day-to-day contributions both offensively and defensively have made him even more important for his team than their ace pitcher.

Runners-up: Shane Bieber (Indians), Jose Abreu (White Sox)

NL Most Valuable Player: Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves

While Fernando Tatis Jr. looked to be running away with the NL MVP trophy just a few weeks ago, long-time superstar Freddie Freeman now looks to be the best pick for the league’s best player, which would give him his first MVP trophy.

Freeman has been the best offensive player in baseball (minimum 200 PA) according to wRC+ (185) and is posting an insane .457 on-base percentage along with 12 home runs and 51 RBI for baseball’s best offense, statistically. The Braves have overcome pitching struggles to win their division for a third straight season, and Freeman has been the straw that has stirred the drink for his team.

Runners-up: Fernando Tatis Jr. (Padres), Mookie Betts (Dodgers)

The post Predicting the MLB MVP and Cy Young Races appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak has forced nearly all of the world’s sporting leagues to be put on hold as governments and societies at large attempt to slow the spread of this global health pandemic.

Major League Baseball, whose Opening Day was scheduled for March 26th, was forced to postpone the beginning of its season after calling off all activities in mid-March.

In recent days, an audacious and unprecedented idea has been proposed by forces inside the league. This plan would have all thirty teams congregate in Arizona, undergo a “mini Spring Training,” and then switch to regular season action at the eleven baseball parks in the Phoenix metro area.

Despite the temptation to return to baseball as soon as possible, this plan presents a number of problems. From the brutal Arizona summer heat to logistical problems to the health risks associated with gathering so many athletes in one place, MLB’s Arizona plan is flawed and simply would not be a good plan of action.

Arizona has long been a late winter and early spring refuge for many teams, as its warm and dry climate allows for a great place to get prepared for the season. Ten Spring Training parks are located near Phoenix, and the regular season home of the Diamondbacks, Chase Field, would presumably be the parks where games would be held in this scenario.

However, this plan ignores one key problem: while late winter and early spring weather is nice, once the calendar turns to June, all bets are off. Average summer highs in Arizona regularly top 100 degrees, and only Chase Field features a roof and an air conditioning system. This brutal heat, which often persists into the night, would be a real health risk for players and umpires.

Even if the league planned to hold the games late at night in order to avoid brutal heat, the three-hour time difference between Arizona and the East Coast of the United States, where many teams are based, would make it exceedingly difficult for fans to follow the games on television.

In addition, with eleven parks only being enough for eleven games to be held simultaneously, it would be extremely difficult to maintain a normal competition rhythm in a sport in which teams are used to playing nearly every day.

Finally, let’s not ignore the real and persistent risk that the coronavirus still poses in the United States. Maricopa County, Arizona, where all eleven parks are hosted, currently has over 1,500 active cases of the virus. How could Major League Baseball expect to keep its players safe here in just a month’s time? Gathering so many athletes in such a small area, relatively speaking, could lead to an outbreak and potentially disastrous outcomes.

While temptation might lead us to want our sports to be back as soon as possible, the Arizona proposal suggested by Major League Baseball is simply not how the game should return.

The post MLB’s Arizona Proposal is the Wrong Way to Return to Baseball appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Baseball season is just around the corner, with the beginning of the MLB season just starting in April.

The National League is set to be a competition filled with powerhouse teams and star players. The Washington Nationals, the surprise winners of the league and the World Series last season, have a strong roster, but do they have one of the league’s top MVP candidates?

Let’s take a look at the top three NL MVP candidates for the 2020 season.

Christian Yelich, Brewers

The 2018 NL MVP finished in second place in a close vote for the 2019 award, coming in just behind Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger. He looks to be one of the favorites for this year’s award.

The outfielder batted .329 last season with 44 home runs and 97 RBI despite only playing in 130 games due to injury. Expect more big production from the California native, who just agreed to a 9-year, $215 million extension with his team, in 2020. A great eye at the plate and a power surge that coincided with his trade from the Marlins to Milwaukee has turned him into one of the top players in the league, and expect his production to continue in 2020.

Mookie Betts, Dodgers

The biggest trade of the 2019-20 MLB offseason sent perennial All-Star outfielder Mookie Betts from the Boston Red Sox to the Los Angeles Dodgers, establishing a new big star in the National League.

Betts and Yelich were named MVPs in the same season, with the Nashville native having won the award in the American League during his tenure in Boston. A move to Los Angeles places the talented outfielder in the middle of a stacked lineup, which should lead him to drive in even more runs than he has in previous seasons.

Expect Betts to compete for the hardware in his first year as a Dodger.

Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves

Acuña is one of the top young stars in baseball. The Braves center fielder was exceptional in 2019 at the ripe age of 21, finishing the year with 41 long balls and 37 stolen bases.

Expect the young Venezuelan talent to continue his rise in 2020 for a team that looks to contend for a World Series title. Acuña improved his plate discipline in the 2019 season, a development that led him to post a higher-than-expected .365 on-base percentage along with his power production.

Power-speed combinations like Acuña’s are rare in today’s game and don’t be surprised if his gaudy home run and stolen base totals lead him to compete for the MVP Award.

The post NL MVP Candidates to Keep an Eye on in 2020 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After last Sunday’s Super Bowl, it’s finally time for baseball season to take its turn in the spotlight of American sports. A surprising 2019 season led to the Washington Nationals being crowned World Series champions after storming from out of nowhere to take the title.

The Nationals didn’t make the playoffs in 2018 before winning it all in 2019, so it’s absolutely possible that another team could repeat this feat in the upcoming season.

Let’s take a look at some teams that are candidates to take a big step forward in 2020, and maybe even compete for a title.

Cincinnati Reds

The Reds missed out on the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season in 2019, but that could change after an offseason of upgrades has shifted the team’s roster.

The signings of free-agent outfielder Nicholas Castellanos and infielder Mike Moustakas, neither of which broke the proverbial bank, should give a team that has struggled offensively in recent seasons a big upgrade. Joey Votto and Eugenio Suarez are both entrenched as stars in the corner of the infield, and a solid rotation that was bolstered by a mid-season trade for righty Trevor Bauer could help the Reds take advantage of an NL Central that looks weak on paper.

Los Angeles Angels

It seems almost unbelievable that the Angels, despite having baseball’s best player in Mike Trout since 2012, have only managed to make the playoffs once in that stretch.

Going into 2020, the team has a new manager in Joe Maddon, and a new big-ticket acquisition in third baseman Anthony Rendon that could help the team get back into contention. Trout and Rendon will pair to form arguably baseball’s strongest 1-2 punch on offense, while a full season of healthy ball from Shohei Ohtani and a strengthened rotation might just be what the Angels have been looking for.

Chicago White Sox

The White Sox have a strong case to make as a playoff contender in 2020.
Why? A combination of youth and off-season signings and acquisitions could have the South Siders in the postseason for the first time since 2008.

Chicago has long had problems with starting pitching, and the off-season additions of Dallas Keuchel and Gio Gonzalez should help Lucas Giolito to make the Sox’s rotation at least average. Yoan Moncada and Eloy Jimenez are two of baseball’s biggest offensive talents, and they should be regular starters for the club this season. Add the signing of veteran slugger Edwin Encarnacion to the mix, and you might just be looking at this season’s biggest up-and-coming squad.

The post Three MLB Teams Which are Poised to Take a Big Step Forward in 2020 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The 2019 World Series is finally upon us, with Game 1 of the title clash between the Houston Astros and the Washington Nationals taking place on Tuesday night.

The Houston Astros, who finished with the top record in all of Major League Baseball this season, will hold home-field advantage in the series. They were widely expected to make the Fall Classic and were a popular pick to win the title throughout the season.

The Nationals, on the other hand, are a surprise in this position. After coming back to beat the Brewers in the NL Wild Card Game, they pulled off a shocking upset of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS before sweeping the overmatched Cardinals in the NLCS to earn their first-ever World Series berth.

Let’s take a look at the matchup to see who owns the edge.

Starting Rotation

The Astros and Nationals have arguably the two best starting pitching rotations in baseball. Each team has a formidable three-headed monster, with Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, and Zack Greinke representing Houston and Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Patrick Corbin representing Washington.

These are likely the only starters that we’ll see in the series, and this looks to be a doozy of a matchup. Cole might have been the best pitcher in baseball this season, with Verlander not far behind him. Greinke has struggled in the playoffs with Houston, but we still give the slightest of edges to Houston due to their playoff experience and their performance in a more difficult league for pitching.

Advantage: Houston Astros (slight)

Bullpen

The Astros had the better bullpen over the regular season, that much is for certain. They have a balanced group with Roberto Osuna at closer and a bevy of right and left-handed options that are solid, such as Wade Miley, Will Harris, and Hector Rondon. It isn’t a strength for the ‘Stros, but it isn’t a weakness either.

Nationals’ bullpen was the worst in baseball in the regular season, but it has been hot in the postseason. Daniel Hudson, their closer, has shut the door, allowing a grand total of zero runs in 5 appearances. The Nats have tried to compensate for this weakness by using their starting pitchers in relief appearances too, to mixed results.

The long-term numbers don’t lie. The Astros have an edge here.

Advantage: Houston Astros

Offense

The Houston Astros, quite simply, have the best offense in baseball. They have MVP-caliber players all over the diamond, with Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, George Springer, and Alex Bregman all being in the conversation as the best players at their respective positions in baseball. Their absurd .272/.352/.495 regular season team slash line is one of the best in the history of the game. They’ve been a little quieter in the playoffs, however.

The Nats might not have quite the offense that Houston does, but it’s quite good as well. Anthony Rendon might well be the NL MVP this season, and Juan Soto is arguably the best young hitter in baseball. They don’t quite have the lineup depth that Houston does, however, with question marks at positions like second base and center field.

Advantage: Houston Astros

Defense

This is a little easier to evaluate than the other categories thanks to the straightforward advanced metrics that are available.

Both teams have middle-of-the-pack defenses, with players like Victor Robles (Washington) and George Springer (Houston) as strengths and liabilities like Yuli Gurriel (Houston) and Adam Eaton (Nationals) making them pretty even here.

Advantage: Even

Final Prediction

The Nationals have made an incredible run to this point, and we don’t expect them to give up without a major fight. The Astros, however, are the better team from top-to-bottom on paper, and they hold a big offensive advantage. They are also working with home-field advantage, so it’s not easy to go against them. We’re taking them in 6 games to win their second title in the past three years.

Houston Astros in 6

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After a tense and exciting round of division series matchups, the 2019 MLB Championship Series have been set.

The Houston Astros took care of the upstart Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night in Game 5 of the ALDS, making them the last team to join the New York Yankees, Washington Nationals, and St. Louis Cardinals as the last four teams left standing this Major League Baseball season.

Now, it’s time to take a look at the ALCS and NLCS and decide who might win.

ALCS: Houston Astros vs. New York Yankees

The Astros and Yankees were the two best teams in the regular season in the American League, and they’ll now battle for a place in the World Series in what promises to be a highly entertaining ALCS.

The Yankees swept the Minnesota Twins handily, whereas the Astros had to beat the Wild Card winning Tampa Bay Rays in 5 games to earn their spot here.

This is a fascinating series with loads of star power and talent. The Astros arguably have baseball’s best starting pitching trio with the three-headed monster of Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, and Zack Greinke. In addition, they have one of the best offenses in the league, headlined by MVP candidate Alex Bregman and sparkplugs Jose Altuve and George Springer.

The Yankees, on the other hand, might not have the starting pitching strength of the Astros, but they do have an offense that produced the second-highest total of home runs ever in a single season (306). Their bullpen is also strong, with relievers like Aroldis Chapman and Adam Ottavino making things easier for their relatively average starting pitching.

This will, no doubt, be a fascinating series, but I think the Astros are just a little bit more well-rounded and they also have home-field advantage.

Prediction: Houston Astros in 6

NLCS: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Washington Nationals

If the ALCS matchup is a clash of titans, the NLCS is a matchup of two teams that few expected to be here.

The Nationals shocked the Dodgers in the NLDS and the Cardinals surprised many by taking down the Braves.

Washington, much like Houston, has a deadly pitching threesome with Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Patrick Corbin. They also have a lineup with big bats like Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto, but they definitely have a weakness, and it’s their mediocre bullpen.

St. Louis, on the other hand, is a team with no obvious weaknesses but no obvious big strengths. They do, however, play excellent team defense and have a lineup that has been hot recently. Both Paul Goldschmidt and Marcell Ozuna had a big series against Atlanta, and this team appears to be peaking at the right time.

Despite this, I like the Nationals to win this series in close fashion. I think that they are simply the more talented team, and that they have the pitching and offensive depth to move on to the World Series.

Prediction: Washington Nationals in 7

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The Major League Playoffs’ division series matchups are set, and it’s almost time to begin the most exciting times of the year for any fan of America’s pastime.

The Division Series kicks off this week with the following matchups:

• NL: Atlanta Braves vs. St. Louis Cardinals
• NL: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Washington Nationals
• AL: Houston Astros vs. Tampa Bay Rays
• AL: New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins

It’s time to take a deeper look at this series and make our picks for who will win.

Braves vs. Cardinals: Braves in 5

This series hinges on the health of Atlanta’s star players. First baseman Freddie Freeman and center fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. each missed games in the final week of the season due to elbow bone spurs and a groin strain, respectively, but are both set to go for the division series.

If they can stay healthy, we think the Braves’ dynamic offense with the two aforementioned players as well as Ozzie Albies and Josh Donaldson will back a pitching staff that has seen improvement from its bullpen in recent weeks to beat St. Louis. The NL’s best second half starter, Jack Flaherty, as well as Paul Goldschmidt and Paul DeJong, however, won’t make it easy. 

Dodgers vs. Nationals: Dodgers in 4

The Nationals have one of the league’s best 1-2-3 pitching tandems with Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Patrick Corbin, but we just don’t think it’s enough to handle LA’s big bats. The Dodgers’ lineup is insanely deep, and they should be able to inflict some damage on Nationals pitching.

Keep an eye on Hyun Jin Ryu and Clayton Kershaw, however. If these two lefty starters for LA can’t revert recent struggles, it’s possible that right-handed bats like Anthony Rendon and Ryan Zimmerman could lead the Nationals to an upset.

Astros vs. Rays: Astros in 3

Sorry, Tampa. The Rays experienced an emotional high after beating the Oakland A’s in the AL Wild Card Game, but we don’t think they’ll be much of a challenge for the Astros. The World Series favorite has arguably baseball’s best rotation and lineup.

Zack Greinke, Gerrit Cole, and Justin Verlander are on a mission, and big bats like Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez bring the thunder to put a scare into any pitching staff. The Rays might be able to sneak a win when Charlie Morton starts, but don’t expect them to get much more than that.

Yankees vs. Twins: Twins in 5

The Yankees might have a home-field advantage and the bigger name in this series, but don’t be surprised if the Twins pull the biggest upset in the first round and knock off the Bronx Bombers.

If the Yankees have an Achilles heel, it’s their mediocre starting pitching staff. The Twins’ powerful lineup could end up turning Yankee Stadium into batting practice and slugging their way past the Yankees in what could end up being one of the highest-scoring series in the history of playoff baseball.

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The 2019 MLB Trade Deadline has come and gone. July 31st, one of the most exciting days in baseball, was full of action this season as teams made moves at the last moment to try to improve their teams before the final stretch of the regular season and the playoffs.

Here’s a look at some of the winners and losers of this year’s trade deadline.

Winner: Houston Astros

The Astros emerged from Wednesday as the biggest winner in all of baseball at the deadline. The AL West leaders acquired All-Star starter Zack Greinke (owner of a 2.90 ERA and a 10-4 record) for a reasonable prospect load from the Arizona Diamondbacks. They’ll have Greinke, a likely future Hall of Famer, under control through the end of the 2021 season.

This move turns their rotation top three into baseball’s best and puts them in a commanding position to challenge for their second World Series crown over the past three seasons.

Winner: Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves look to be headed for their second consecutive NL East title, but they’re looking to do better than their first-round exit last season. Their bullpen had major issues, and general manager Alex Anthopolous set out to do something about it.

The Braves acquired three quality relievers in Shane Greene, Mark Melancon, and Chris Martin, in exchange for none of the team’s top ten prospects. Greene, the owner of a 1.18 ERA in 2019 and an All-Star, is the team’s likely closer from here on out, while Melancon and Martin provide quality righty set-up arms. They upgraded their weak spot without giving up any of their best prospects. That counts as a win for me.

Loser: New York Yankees

The Yankees own the American League’s best record, yet they did nothing at the Trade Deadline in order to improve their chances of winning the franchise’s first title since 2009. In fact, the only move they made was an insignificant trade for a minor league lefty.

Many fans expected the Bronx Bombers to upgrade their rotation and/or bullpen at the deadline, but general manager Brian Cashman stated that the team simply didn’t close to making any moves. It hurts the club even more now that their main competition for the AL pennant this season, the Houston Astros, acquired Zack Greinke.

Loser: Boston Red Sox

The defending World Series champions have had a thoroughly disappointing 2019 season, yet they still find themselves in the mix of the Wild Card race at the beginning of August. They find themselves 2.5 games behind the Rays and could easily find themselves back in the playoffs.

The Sox, however, have major flaws, and the team did nothing to address those issues by the end of the deadline. The bullpen has been the team’s main sore spot, and GM Dave Dombrowski seems to have opted to believe that the team’s existing options will be enough down the stretch. It’s not an opinion that many others share.

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