2022 MLB Playoff Predictions
After a rapid trade deadline, the entire American League playoff picture has become a bloodbath. Let’s predict how the playoff picture could turn out.
1st Seed: Houston Astros
Even before the trade deadline, this team has been on a tear, being able to overlap the struggling New York Yankees and having a comfortable 4.5 game lead over them as well. Newly acquired sluggers Trey Mancini and Christian Vazquez, from the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox respectfully, have already found slots into the lineup with Houston regulars like Alex Bregman, Jose Altuve, Michael Brantley, and Yordan Alvarez. However, pitching remains their strong suit, as a 39-year-old Justin Verlander leads their pitching staff with Jose Urquidy, Framber Valdez, Lance McCullers Jr., and Luis Garcia. Verlander himself is having a spectacular season, with a 15-3 record, a 1.95 ERA, and 138 Strikeouts coming from missing an entire season due to Tommy John surgery. Look out for this team come October, as they might come away with the Commissioner’s Trophy
2nd Seed: New York Yankees
Things have not gone well in the Bronx since their tear through baseball in June, as the Yankees have lost their last 24 of 36 games coming into the middle of August. Since the injury of set-up man Michael King, the Yankees bullpen has been in a state of flux, blowing leads and games a plenty. To add to the woes, the injury big has seemed to envelope the Yankees once more, as slugger Giancarlo Stanton and primary closer Clay Holmes are some notable names on the Injured List watching the team struggle. Even worse, new deadline acquisitions haven’t been working in general manager Brian Cashman’s favor, as Frankie Montas and Lou Trivino, both acquired from the Oakland Athletics, both look out of form and unfit for the Bronx. Montas, after his most recent start against the Blue Jays, now has given up 4+ Runs in 3 of his possible 5 Yankee starts. This team can come back, but it will be an interesting run to see going forward.
3rd Seed: Cleveland Guardians
It’s a race in the AL Central, with the Cleveland Guardians and the Minnesota Twins fighting it out for the division championship. I personally have the Guardians barely winning by around 3-4 games due to their underrated pitching rotation. A rotation that includes former Cy Young candidate Shane Bieber, young arms in starter Tristan McKenzie and closer Emmanuel Clase, and good veterans like Aaron Civale, Zach Plesac, and Cal Quantrill. Also, carried by the batting presence of MVP candidate Jose Rameirez and Amed Rosario, lays a strong and contract-driven batting core with Andres Gimenez, Owen Miller, rookie sensation Steven Kwan, Myles Straw, and Josh Naylor as well. If this team can push themselves into a deep run, they might be able to make it to the ALCS or even the World Series if they keep up their great play of defense.
4th Seed (Wild Card #1): Seattle Mariners
It’s finally time that Seattle makes the playoffs, and with this team, they could go far. After giving away their #1, #3, #5, and #12 prospects to acquire former Cincinnati Reds pitcher Luis Castillo, combined with last year's AL Cy Young winner Robbie Ray and a career year from Logan Gilbert, the Mariners have turned their season around and have bounced back to get the first of three wild cards. Their offense helps their dominating top-three, as first baseman Ty France is having his best season yet, batting .290 with 15 home runs and 61 RBI, leading almost all of first baseman in batting average and OPS. Reinforcements came in with a deal for Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suarez from the Reds over the summer, and they have fit right into Seattle’s plan and helped them burst on the scene. The icing on the top is rookie sensation Julio Rodriguez, who is hitting .267 with 19 homeruns and have batted in 62 runs over 103 games, who has catapulted this team into a media sensation. This team, like Cleveland, has the potential to go far and nab a contender away from the title.
5th Seed (Wild Card #2): Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays, after having a mediocre start to the 2022 season and firing former manager Charlie Montoyo, have finally risen to the hype that they received throughout the offseason with their acquisitions of all-star third baseman Matt Chapman from the Oakland Athletics, resigning pitcher Jose Berrios from the Minnesota Twins, and pitcher Kevin Gausman signed in free agency from the San Francisco Giants. Led by Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, George Springer, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr., this team has the slugging upside of very few teams in MLB history, as they could turn around a game in one inning. Their pitching staff isn’t enough to laugh at however, with Alek Manoah, Yusei Kikuchi, and Mitch White backing up the two names mentioned earlier. To reestablish themselves in the AL East, they’ve been on a surge to now have only a 7.0 game deficit in the division, and with the Yankees struggling, it wouldn’t be surprising if Toronto and New York switch places in a month from now.
6th Seed (Wild Card #3): Minnesota Twins
Even though the Rays have this spot currently, I see the Twins come through and snatch this spot due to their trade deadline acquisitions and their offseason moves. Trading for all-star reliever Jorge Lopez from Baltimore helps their bullpen woes and recently signed Carlos Correa from Houston helps their hitting core with Gio Urshela and Gary Sanchez from New York, as well as Byron Buxton help solidify the Twins as sturdy unit with decent pitching system. For them, getting back to the playoffs if essential due to how many free agents they have over the next 2 years, as well as how important it is to solidify Minnesota back into a great playoff contender.