MLB Playoff Takeaways: Wild Card Series

Photo by Brynn Anderson from The Associated Press

After a long, grueling MLB season, the playoff sprint has begun.

Four best of 3 series have come and gone in the span of three quick days, and the Divisional Series is set.

Here is what we learned from the Wild Card Series.

White Sox defeat Astros 2-0

Turns out, the worst playoff team to ever make the postseason is bad!

The Astros got into the playoffs for winning the AL West despite an 81-81 record, and were quickly dispatched by the White Sox with two blowout losses at home.

Their only saving grace this year was Yordan Alvarez, the likely AL MVP, and even he went 1-8 in the two games.

They realistically had no hope.

The White Sox, however, now have their second season since 1918 (!!!!!) with a playoff series win.

The other season?

The 2005 season, when they went on to win the World Series.

And again, they have The Pope on their side now…

Watch out…

Yankees defeat Red Sox 2-0

The Red Sox started the year absolutely atrociously.

Then, they had one of the best hot streaks I can remember in a long while as a baseball fan, going 32-5 over a 37 game stretch, and clawing their way back into the playoffs.

Then they cooled off again right before the postseason, faced the Yankees in New York much like last year, and were crushed twice, even without the Yankees having Aaron Judge.

But at least after the game, Wilson Contreras and Sonny Gray weren’t bad mouthing the organization and coaching staff, right?

Hey, they ended the year as they began it.

Atrocious vibes.

Padres defeat Cubs 2-0

If you read my “Why NL Teams Will & Won’t Win the World Series” post, you’ll know that what was likely going to sink the Cubs was their bad pitching staff.

Two games. Two losses. Outscored 12-1.

The only chance the Cubs had to make a title run was to have their good bats perform on the biggest stage, and they went quiet.

They never had a chance with that staff and that lack of production.

Braves defeat Phillies 2-1

The Phillies had great pitching all year. They just never had the hitting.

And that was clear this series against the Braves.

They scored two runs in game 1, and looked like they were going to be stifled in game 2 as well before back to back home runs from Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper to tie it and then a 10th inning home run from Alec Bohm saved their season.

And then in game 3, they faced Braves pitcher Ray Kerr who was making his first career postseason start as a 32 year old pitcher who used to work at movie theater not long ago. This was a great opportunity to get on him early and put the pressure on the Braves.

They couldn’t do it, and because of that, they were down 5-0 going into the 6th inning.

It was likely to be their doom, and sure enough, it was.