MLB Weekend Playoff Preview: AL And NL Divisional Series

Saturday

Game 2 Cubs at Cardinals

Home/Away/Season Record

Cardinals:  55-25 home record

Cubs: 48-33 road record

Cardinals won the season series 11-8

Pitching Matchup: Kyle Hendricks (8-7, 3.95 ERA) vs. Jaime Garcia (10-6, 2.43 ERA)

Hendricks has been average throughout the 2015, fitting the role of a third/fourth starter well. Garcia has been the most consistent starter on the Cardinals spectacular pitching staff.

Advantage: Cardinals

Hitting: The Cubs have some bigger bats in Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant, but the Cardinals have much more experience in the postseason and often have the right people get hot at the right time.

Advantage: Draw

Pick: Cardinals. The Cubs have a great road record and could take a fifth game in St. Louis, but the Cardinals edge in pitching tonight gives them the edge.

Game 2 Mets at Dodgers

Home/Away/Season Record

Dodgers: 55-26 home record

Mets: 41-40 road record

Mets won the season series 4-3

Pitching Matchup: Noah Syndergaard (9-7, 3.24 ERA) vs. Zach Greinke (19-3, 1.66 ERA)

Noah Syndergaard had an excellent rookie season, but Greinke had a season for the ages and will likely take home the NL CY Young award.

Advantage: Dodgers  

Hitting: The Dodgers offense has been inconsistent and injury prone this season, with Adrian Gonzalez being their only consistent hitter. The Mets offense did a complete 180 after acquiring Yoenis Cespedes and getting David Wright back from the DL. Since then the Mets have had a top 5 offense.

Advantage: Mets

Pick: Dodgers. The pitching of Zach Greinke is too good to bet against.  

Sunday

Game 3 Royals at Astros

Home/Away/Season Record

Astros: 53-28 home record

Royals: 44-37 road record

Astros won season series 4-2

Pitching Matchup: Edinson Volquez (13-9, 3.55 ERA) vs. Dallas Keuchel (20-8, 2.48 ERA)

Kuechel has gone 15-0 at home this season and is coming off an impressive shutout of the Yankees in his first playoff appearance. Volquez has been good for most of the year, but Houston is a much better team at home than on the road.

Advantage: Houston

Hitting: The Astros hit home runs and strikeout. Volquez is good at limiting home runs and is slightly above average when it comes to striking out hitters. Kansas City's offense is better this year than it was last year – a year which they represented the AL in the World Series – but Keuchel is just too good at home.

Advantage: Draw

Pick: Houston – in a low scoring game.

Games 3 Blue Jays at Rangers

Home/Away/Season Record

Rangers: 43-38 home record

Blue Jays: 40-41 road record

Blue Jays won the season series 5-2  

Pitching Matchup: Marco Estrada (13-8, 3.13 ERA) vs. Martin Perez (3-6, 4.46 ERA)

Estrada was one of the biggest surprises on the Blue Jays in 2015. Perez finished September off well, with three of his final four starts going at least 6 innings and allowing one or fewer runs. Still Estrada has a full body of work to support his cause, and has one of the best WHIPS and opponent batting averages in all the Majors.

Advantage: Blue Jays

Hitting:

Depending on how long Adrian Beltre is out for will really impact the Rangers. Even without Beltre the Rangers have three players with 80+ RBIs and 20+ home runs. The Jays have the best offense in the Majors this season, scoring in the flurries – evident by their league leading 29 games of 10 runs of more scored.

Advantage: Blue Jays

Pick: Blue Jays. The Blue Jays are the logically choice but the Rangers are as feisty a squad there is. The Rangers pitching – outside of Yovani Gallardo – have not been effect against the Jays big bats in 2015. 

Category : Betting Picks

Tag : alds , baseball betting , chicago cubs , Houston Astros , kansas city royals , los angeles dodgers , mlb playoffs , New York Mets , nlds , St. Louis Cardinals , Texas Rangers , Toronto Blue Jays

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