The MLB Wild Card Series have commenced, with The Athletic covering live. There is no clear frontrunner as the regular season wound up without a 100-game winning team for the first time since 2014. Nonetheless, any team could clinch the title, even though each one has conspicuous flaws. The Athletic’s experts propose some potential victors.
Andy McCullough is backing Houston due to their exceptional starting rotation and championship pedigree. Conversely, Will Sammon, Andrew Baggarly, Jen McCaffrey, Keith Law, Stephen J. Nesbitt, and Kaitlyn McGrath think that Philadelphia will be victorious, emphasizing their powerful lineup, substantial rotation, and their deep, skillful bullpen. Fabian Ardaya also supports Houston due to their historical performance. They have a tendency to prosper once they make the playoffs.
C. Trent Rosecrans and Sam Blum are placing their bets on Cleveland, with Rosecrans highlighting their propensity to avoid big mistakes and force errors from their competitors, and Blum spotlighting the prowess of their bullpen. Meanwhile, Eno Sarris and Sahadev Sharma foresee San Diego as the potential winners due to their robust starters, top-tier relievers, and an impressive lineup with power hitters. They also believe that San Diego has the most balanced team overall.
Baggarly, although tempted to favor San Diego, eventually backed Philadelphia due to the similarly dominant starting pitchers, a potent bullpen, and a star-studded lineup. Additionally, Philadelphia possibly has the best home-field advantage in Major League Baseball. Philadelphia’s experience and depth elevate them as favorites as stated by McCaffrey. Law draws attention to Philadelphia’s health and its top-tier hitters and pitchers capable of making a difference in a limited postseason schedule.
Nesbitt sees Philadelphia as the closest to a perfect team this postseason, commending their well-rounded lineup, rotation led by Cy Young candidate Zack Wheeler, and a top-notch bullpen. Philadelphia’s pitching staff has a legitimate ace, four-deep rotation, and an exceptional bullpen. Their lineup is versatile, with both speed and power. Manager Rob Thomson is a skilled veteran, enhancing their hopes. Brotherhood’s view stands with Philadelphia, as they appear to be the most balanced team without any glaring weaknesses.
Chandler Rome and Zack Meisel also predict San Diego will clinch the title, with Rome considering it the most comprehensive team in the sport and Meisel indicating their pitching strength and sufficient offense. McGrath and O’Brien also back Philadelphia, citing their dominant regular-season performance and Bryce Harper’s leadership as their winning factors. Patrick Mooney concurs, praising the star-studded roster that is tailored for the playoffs. Noah Furtado, however, favors Los Angeles due to the prowess of Shohei Ohtani.
