The Tampa Bay Rays dropped Game 5 of the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday night, but not all news was bad for the franchise as one of their starting outfielders broke a Major League record in the process.

Randy Arozarena lined a fifth-inning single to left field off of Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw to score a run and break the all-time record for hits in a single Postseason.

The Cuban import, who has played in only 42 career regular-season games, has already compiled 27 hits during October this year, breaking the previous mark set by Giants infielder Pablo Sandoval in 2014.

Arozarena was named the ALCS MVP for his amazing performance in Tampa’s seven-game series against the Astros.

What’s even more remarkable is that Arozarena also broke the record for the number of home runs hit in a single Postseason on Saturday at 9, a record which was previously held by Nelson Cruz, Barry Bonds, and Carlos Beltran.

The young phenomenon, who has cemented his place as one of the game’s brightest young stars this October, will have his chance to build on that total in Game 6 on Tuesday as the Rays look to stay alive and force a winner-take-all Game 7 in the series.

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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

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After starting pitcher Mike Clevinger missed the Padres’ Wild Card Series matchup against the St. Louis Cardinals due to arm discomfort, he was cleared for action for the NL Division Series matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.

However, after pitching just one inning in Game 1 of the matchup, Clevinger was forced to leave early after experiencing even more arm troubles.

The Padres’ big trade deadline acquisition, who came over from the Cleveland Indians, was expected to anchor San Diego’s playoff rotation as they look to make a splash in the playoffs.

However, after exiting Game 1 early, it appears that Clevinger probably won’t be able to even return to pitch again in the playoffs.

Clevinger threw just 24 pitches in his team’s 5-1 loss in Game 1, walking three batters and striking out one. After he threw a 91 mph fastball and a 77 mph slider for the first two pitches in the second inning, coaches came and removed him from the game.

The team has not released a diagnosis for what exactly is troubling Clevinger’s pitching arm, but it was certainly enough to make the ace look completely out of whack on Tuesday.

The Padres will now look to other rotation options as they look to come back and win their NLDS series against their rivals after going down 1-0.

The post SP Mike Clevinger Leaves Injured in Padres’ Game 1 Loss appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Miami Marlins took a surprising Game 1 Wild Card Series victory over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Wednesday, but their win was not without a little bit of bad news.

Star outfielder Starling Marte, who was acquired in a trade-deadline deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks back in July, was struck on the hand with a pitch in the ninth inning of the game and has suffered a fracture of his left hand.

Marte, who went 2 for 4 with a double, a single, and a run in yesterday’s game, was plunked by Cubs reliever Dan Winkler with a 92 mile per hour fastball. He immediately exited the game after slamming his helmet on the ground in pain and frustration.

After the game, the team announced that he has suffered a non-displaced fifth metacarpal fracture in his left hand. While this injury would normally require time to be missed, there is reportedly some hope that Marte will be able to continue playing through the injury.

Marte, who batted .281 with 6 home runs and 27 RBI this season, is a crucial part of Miami’s lineup and is a necessary piece for the team if they want to advance past the Cubs and further into the playoffs.

Miami fans will hold their breath and hope that their center fielder is able to push through the pain.

The post Marlins OF Starling Marte Suffers Broken Left Hand in Game 1 Win vs. Cubs 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

The post MLB Wild Card Round Predictions appeared first on SportzBonanza.

In yet another twist to the upcoming MLB Postseason in an atypical season, this year, teams’ seeding in the playoffs will be more important than ever after the league agreed to make seeds the base for home-field advantage.

The agreement with the MLB Players’ Association, which includes an eight-team playoff for the first time in the league’s history, also stipulates that in any given matchup between teams, from the first round of the playoffs to the World Series, the team with the higher seed will bat last in a game.

As matchups throughout the playoffs could include a wild card team with a better record than a division qualifying team in the National League and American League stages, this could be important even before the World Series.

However, the World Series, which is set to be played at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas, will be the main part of the playoffs where this change will play a role.

Since the All-Star Game provision was changed prior to the 2017 season, the team with the better record had home-field advantage in the World Series.

Now, though, if the #4 seed team in the NL has a better record than the #3 seed in the AL and the two teams meet in the Fall Classic, the American League team would play as the home team in Games 1, 2, 6, and 7.

This new provision adds a new foreign twist to what should be an interesting October for baseball fans.

The post Seeding to Determine Home-Field Advantage in MLB Playoffs appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Tampa Bay Rays defeated the New York Mets by an 8-5 final score on Wednesday night, clinching the franchise’s first AL East pennant since 2010 and only the third in the team’s history.

The Rays, who were considered along with the New York Yankees to be the two strongest teams in the division heading into the season, outlasted the big-budget Yankees to claim their spot on top of one of baseball’s toughest divisions.

In a typical Rays game, the team got an excellent starting outing from pitcher Tyler Glasnow, who struck out 8 batters and allowed only 2 runs in 6 innings of work.

Tampa was knotted in a 2-2 pitcher’s duel until the top of the sixth inning, when outfielder Randy Arozarena smacked a two-run homer off of Mets starter Michael Wacha. He hit two home runs on the night.

Rays veteran outfielder Kevin Kiermaier spoke to the importance of winning the division after the game, saying, “It feels great to win the division, no matter what division you’re in. But especially the American League East—it’s just a different animal.”

The Rays will be the #1 seed in the AL playoffs barring an improbable comeback by the Minnesota Twins or Chicago White Sox and are set to face the Toronto Blue Jays in the first round.

The post Rays Clinch First AL East Division Crown Since 2010 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Atlanta Braves demolished the Miami Marlins by an 11-1 score on Tuesday night, clinching their third consecutive National League East title in the process.

The Braves, who have led their division since August 17th without letting the Miami Marlins or Philadelphia Phillies catch them, will head to the playoffs for the third straight season as either the #2 or #3 seed on the NL side of the bracket.

Despite major problems with the team’s starting pitching and rotation depth, which has seen the Braves start an almost unbelievable 13 pitchers in only 55 games so far this season, the team has overcome the odds to push ahead and build on their streak of division crowns.

The Braves’ 11-1 victory on Tuesday night featured plenty of offense, a hallmark of the team’s season. NL home run leader Marcell Ozuna blasted two long balls, and Dansby Swanson, Ozzie Albies, and NL MVP candidate Freddie Freeman also hit homers.

Atlanta is second in Major League Baseball with 98 home runs on the season, trailing only the NL #1 seed Los Angeles Dodgers, a likely playoff foe for the Braves.

The team will now make a bid to finish out its 5 remaining games strong, as it could be the difference between the #2 and #3 playoff seed in the race between the Braves and Cubs.

The post Braves Clinch 3rd Consecutive NL East Title appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The San Diego Padres, who have arguably been the biggest breakout surprise of the 2020 MLB season, punched their ticket to the postseason for the first time in 14 years on Sunday.

San Diego stormed to a 7-4 extra-inning victory over the Seattle Mariners in a matinee at Petco Park to move their record to 34-20 on the season and mathematically clinch a spot in the playoffs.

The Padres, who played the game as the “road” team thanks to an earlier postponement of a matchup between the two teams, fought back after Seattle tied them in the bottom of the 10th inning with a 3-run 11th inning to clinch their major achievement.

In this season’s expanded playoff format, the 2nd place team in each division qualifies for the playoffs, which has allowed the Padres to have already clinched a spot in the postseason despite trailing the Los Angeles Dodgers by 4 games for first place in the NL West.

The last time the Padres made the playoffs in 2006, they won the NL West before being eliminated by the St. Louis Cardinals in the divisional round of the playoffs.

This year, on the backs of star players like Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado, San Diego will look to make a deep run and bring home the franchise’s first-ever World Series trophy.

The post San Diego Padres Clinch First Playoff Berth Since 2006 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Tampa Bay Rays dropped Game 5 of the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday night, but not all news was bad for the franchise as one of their starting outfielders broke a Major League record in the process.

Randy Arozarena lined a fifth-inning single to left field off of Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw to score a run and break the all-time record for hits in a single Postseason.

The Cuban import, who has played in only 42 career regular-season games, has already compiled 27 hits during October this year, breaking the previous mark set by Giants infielder Pablo Sandoval in 2014.

Arozarena was named the ALCS MVP for his amazing performance in Tampa’s seven-game series against the Astros.

What’s even more remarkable is that Arozarena also broke the record for the number of home runs hit in a single Postseason on Saturday at 9, a record which was previously held by Nelson Cruz, Barry Bonds, and Carlos Beltran.

The young phenomenon, who has cemented his place as one of the game’s brightest young stars this October, will have his chance to build on that total in Game 6 on Tuesday as the Rays look to stay alive and force a winner-take-all Game 7 in the series.

The post Randy Arozarena Breaks MLB Record for Hits in a Single Postseason 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 starting pitcher Mike Clevinger missed the Padres’ Wild Card Series matchup against the St. Louis Cardinals due to arm discomfort, he was cleared for action for the NL Division Series matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.

However, after pitching just one inning in Game 1 of the matchup, Clevinger was forced to leave early after experiencing even more arm troubles.

The Padres’ big trade deadline acquisition, who came over from the Cleveland Indians, was expected to anchor San Diego’s playoff rotation as they look to make a splash in the playoffs.

However, after exiting Game 1 early, it appears that Clevinger probably won’t be able to even return to pitch again in the playoffs.

Clevinger threw just 24 pitches in his team’s 5-1 loss in Game 1, walking three batters and striking out one. After he threw a 91 mph fastball and a 77 mph slider for the first two pitches in the second inning, coaches came and removed him from the game.

The team has not released a diagnosis for what exactly is troubling Clevinger’s pitching arm, but it was certainly enough to make the ace look completely out of whack on Tuesday.

The Padres will now look to other rotation options as they look to come back and win their NLDS series against their rivals after going down 1-0.

The post SP Mike Clevinger Leaves Injured in Padres’ Game 1 Loss appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Miami Marlins took a surprising Game 1 Wild Card Series victory over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Wednesday, but their win was not without a little bit of bad news.

Star outfielder Starling Marte, who was acquired in a trade-deadline deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks back in July, was struck on the hand with a pitch in the ninth inning of the game and has suffered a fracture of his left hand.

Marte, who went 2 for 4 with a double, a single, and a run in yesterday’s game, was plunked by Cubs reliever Dan Winkler with a 92 mile per hour fastball. He immediately exited the game after slamming his helmet on the ground in pain and frustration.

After the game, the team announced that he has suffered a non-displaced fifth metacarpal fracture in his left hand. While this injury would normally require time to be missed, there is reportedly some hope that Marte will be able to continue playing through the injury.

Marte, who batted .281 with 6 home runs and 27 RBI this season, is a crucial part of Miami’s lineup and is a necessary piece for the team if they want to advance past the Cubs and further into the playoffs.

Miami fans will hold their breath and hope that their center fielder is able to push through the pain.

The post Marlins OF Starling Marte Suffers Broken Left Hand in Game 1 Win vs. Cubs 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

The post MLB Wild Card Round Predictions appeared first on SportzBonanza.

In yet another twist to the upcoming MLB Postseason in an atypical season, this year, teams’ seeding in the playoffs will be more important than ever after the league agreed to make seeds the base for home-field advantage.

The agreement with the MLB Players’ Association, which includes an eight-team playoff for the first time in the league’s history, also stipulates that in any given matchup between teams, from the first round of the playoffs to the World Series, the team with the higher seed will bat last in a game.

As matchups throughout the playoffs could include a wild card team with a better record than a division qualifying team in the National League and American League stages, this could be important even before the World Series.

However, the World Series, which is set to be played at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas, will be the main part of the playoffs where this change will play a role.

Since the All-Star Game provision was changed prior to the 2017 season, the team with the better record had home-field advantage in the World Series.

Now, though, if the #4 seed team in the NL has a better record than the #3 seed in the AL and the two teams meet in the Fall Classic, the American League team would play as the home team in Games 1, 2, 6, and 7.

This new provision adds a new foreign twist to what should be an interesting October for baseball fans.

The post Seeding to Determine Home-Field Advantage in MLB Playoffs appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Tampa Bay Rays defeated the New York Mets by an 8-5 final score on Wednesday night, clinching the franchise’s first AL East pennant since 2010 and only the third in the team’s history.

The Rays, who were considered along with the New York Yankees to be the two strongest teams in the division heading into the season, outlasted the big-budget Yankees to claim their spot on top of one of baseball’s toughest divisions.

In a typical Rays game, the team got an excellent starting outing from pitcher Tyler Glasnow, who struck out 8 batters and allowed only 2 runs in 6 innings of work.

Tampa was knotted in a 2-2 pitcher’s duel until the top of the sixth inning, when outfielder Randy Arozarena smacked a two-run homer off of Mets starter Michael Wacha. He hit two home runs on the night.

Rays veteran outfielder Kevin Kiermaier spoke to the importance of winning the division after the game, saying, “It feels great to win the division, no matter what division you’re in. But especially the American League East—it’s just a different animal.”

The Rays will be the #1 seed in the AL playoffs barring an improbable comeback by the Minnesota Twins or Chicago White Sox and are set to face the Toronto Blue Jays in the first round.

The post Rays Clinch First AL East Division Crown Since 2010 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Atlanta Braves demolished the Miami Marlins by an 11-1 score on Tuesday night, clinching their third consecutive National League East title in the process.

The Braves, who have led their division since August 17th without letting the Miami Marlins or Philadelphia Phillies catch them, will head to the playoffs for the third straight season as either the #2 or #3 seed on the NL side of the bracket.

Despite major problems with the team’s starting pitching and rotation depth, which has seen the Braves start an almost unbelievable 13 pitchers in only 55 games so far this season, the team has overcome the odds to push ahead and build on their streak of division crowns.

The Braves’ 11-1 victory on Tuesday night featured plenty of offense, a hallmark of the team’s season. NL home run leader Marcell Ozuna blasted two long balls, and Dansby Swanson, Ozzie Albies, and NL MVP candidate Freddie Freeman also hit homers.

Atlanta is second in Major League Baseball with 98 home runs on the season, trailing only the NL #1 seed Los Angeles Dodgers, a likely playoff foe for the Braves.

The team will now make a bid to finish out its 5 remaining games strong, as it could be the difference between the #2 and #3 playoff seed in the race between the Braves and Cubs.

The post Braves Clinch 3rd Consecutive NL East Title appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The San Diego Padres, who have arguably been the biggest breakout surprise of the 2020 MLB season, punched their ticket to the postseason for the first time in 14 years on Sunday.

San Diego stormed to a 7-4 extra-inning victory over the Seattle Mariners in a matinee at Petco Park to move their record to 34-20 on the season and mathematically clinch a spot in the playoffs.

The Padres, who played the game as the “road” team thanks to an earlier postponement of a matchup between the two teams, fought back after Seattle tied them in the bottom of the 10th inning with a 3-run 11th inning to clinch their major achievement.

In this season’s expanded playoff format, the 2nd place team in each division qualifies for the playoffs, which has allowed the Padres to have already clinched a spot in the postseason despite trailing the Los Angeles Dodgers by 4 games for first place in the NL West.

The last time the Padres made the playoffs in 2006, they won the NL West before being eliminated by the St. Louis Cardinals in the divisional round of the playoffs.

This year, on the backs of star players like Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado, San Diego will look to make a deep run and bring home the franchise’s first-ever World Series trophy.

The post San Diego Padres Clinch First Playoff Berth Since 2006 appeared first on SportzBonanza.