Last week, Chronicle reporter Drew Zeman offered predictions as to how the teams playing in the wild card round in the MLB playoffs would fare; however, there were several surprises in this initial round, and the playoffs are still very much anyone’s game.

As the Rangers travel to Baltimore this week to face the Orioles, one thing is certain: the MLB playoffs are anything but predictable.

A Look at Last Week’s Predictions

In the wild card round, the Rangers started hitting and beat the Rays 4-0 and 7-1 to advance and face the Baltimore Orioles. The Rangers’ starting pitchers were outstanding, throwing a combined 13.2 innings and allowing only one run. The bullpen was even better, allowing no runs over 4.2 innings. So, despite the belief there was “a small chance” of the Rangers beating the Rays, the Texas team triumphed.

Another upset? When the Twins faced the Blue Jays at home after losing 18 straight playoff games, they managed to beat the Toronto team in game one. In game two, with their ace Sonny Gray on the mound, the Twins shut out the Blue Jays and won 2-0. This was the Twins first playoff series win since 2002, and they now have to face the defending champs, the Houston Astros.

The most surprising team in the wild card round was the Arizona Diamondbacks: they went into Milwaukee and beat the Brewers 6-3 and 5-2. The Diamondbacks fell behind early going down 3-0 in game one and 2-0 in game two. Arizona never gave up, though, and fought hard to win the series. They now go on to face the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Phillies played the Marlins in Philly and beat up on them winning 4-1 and 7-1. This victory was expected from the Phillies, and now they have to travel to Atlanta to face the Braves.

Rangers vs. Orioles

The first divisional series in the American League has the Texas Rangers facing the Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles surprised everyone this season, finishing 101-61. They had a decent go last year but failed to reach .500 the previous three years. The Orioles are averaging 4.98 runs per game in 2023, however, and are ranked seventh in MLB. The bullpen has been solid this year, making up for mediocre starting pitching earlier in the season.

The Rangers exploded on offense against the Rays, and the pitching staff was strong as well. If the Rangers keep hitting like that, the Orioles will have to chase their starters early and use a lot of their bullpen. The lack of energy in the Orioles’ bullpen will likely cause them to fall short and lose this series. 

Twins vs. Astros

The next American League series is the Minnesota Twins versus the Houston Astros. After their stunning sweep against the Blue Jays, the Twins will look to beat the defending champs, the Houston Astros. This Astros team is stacked, from their starting pitcher/lineup to their bullpen. Batters 1-9 can hit – no matter what – which is what makes them such a good team. The Astros will throw Justin Verlander, whom they acquired at the trade deadline from the New York Mets. Verlander had a 3.22 ERA in 162.1 innings as a 40-year-old, and has made 35 postseason appearances in which he has a 3.64 ERA in 207.2 innings.

The Twins have yet to name their starting pitcher for game one, but their lineup will most likely struggle against the experienced Verlander. The Astros have lots of playoff experience, which is why they should take care of the Twins and advance to the ALCS.

Phillies vs. Braves

The first pairing in the National league for the Division Series will match-up the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves. The Phillies impressed against the Marlins, but now must face the best team in the league.

The Atlanta Braves are led by NL MVP Ronald Acuna Jr., the first ever player to have a 40-home run and 70-stolen base season. He finished the year hitting .337 with 41 home runs, 106 RBIS, 73 stolen bases, and a 1.012 OPS, which is, by far, one of the best seasons ever.

The Braves also have studs such as first baseman Matt Olsen, who hit 54 home runs this year, third baseman Austin Riley, who hit 37 home runs, and of course second baseman Ozzie Albies, who hit .280 with 33 home runs. To be frank, these are just a few of their top players. Not to mention the Braves have a very solid rotation of Charlie Morton, Bryce Elder, and Spencer Strider, all of whom had sub 4 ERAS. Those are most likely the three guys who will start on the mound for the Braves against the Phillies.

If the Phillies want any chance to win, they will have to have outstanding offense, but the Braves should be able to outlast them and win this series.

Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks

The final NL divisional series is between the  Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks. The DBacks are coming off a shocking series win against the Brewers, and are now going into LA to try and take down the Dodgers.

The Dodgers will be able to start their ace, Clayton Kershaw, in game one, whereas Arizona will have the third pitcher in their rotation, Merrill Kelly, starting. With the day off on Sunday, the DBacks should be able to start Zac Gallen in game two, which will be very important in this series. The Dodgers will most likely take game one, and with Gallen on the mound, game two will be a tossup. The Dodgers are the better team and the match-up is not exactly close: they should be able to win the series 3-1 and advance.

Up Next

After the best-of-five divisional series will come the championship series for each league. The top two teams will face off in a best-of-seven series after which the winner goes on to the World Series. The Braves and Dodgers are the likely matchup for the NLCS, whereas the Astros will likely advance in the ALCS. The Rangers and Orioles series will be very good, but the Rangers are a better team just by a little bit and if they come out victorious, they will have to face the Astros.