Baseball Playoffs 2021 Wild Card

By David A. Avila

Imagine a world where winning more than 100 games doesn’t guarantee a division title or the comfort afforded. It happened to the Los Angeles Dodgers of course but the playoffs will go on.

San Francisco Giants managed to win the NL West with a record 107 wins, more than they ever accomplished before. The Dodgers finished one game back despite setting their own franchise record in a crazy race that wasn’t settled until the final day.

The Major League League playoffs begin with the New York Yankees visiting the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. It’s do or die in a one game firefight to establish which team moves on to the best-of-five game playoff series.

AL Wild Card Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET

NY Yank at Boston Red Sox

Boston surprised everyone with an offense that was more explosive than expected. But the team’s lack of pitching depth in the middle of the season was obvious. Even when ace pitcher Chris Sale returned from the injury list he was not enough. But the team’s hitting led by JD Martinez, Rafael Devers and Kike Hernandez did win a lot of games.

New York Yankees were the early pick to win it all, but the team never could establish any consistency. The Bronx Bombers were the streakiest of teams despite having one of the strongest bull pens in the American League. Even a 13-game win streak could not turn them around. But their talent is plentiful especially with the mighty tandem of Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton on their team.

The winner moves on against the Tampa Bay Rays in a best of five series.

NL Wild Card Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET

St. Louis Cardinals at Los Angeles Dodgers

St Louis Cardinals roared into the Wild Card spot behind a record 17-game winning streak in September. That streak allowed them to vault past the favored San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies behind solid pitching and team hitting. Ace pitcher Adam Wainwright may be in his 40s but you wouldn’t know it by his solid performance this year. They also have Gold Glove winners Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado at the corners.

Los Angeles Dodgers had their eight-year division win streak snapped despite winning 106 games, the most ever by a Dodger team since the 1890s. The team ended the regular season on a seven-game winning streak. It wasn’t enough. All year long the Dodgers suffered injuries to key players but their depth in pitching and with position players allowed them to maintain pace with the Giants. Ace pitcher Max Scherzer was picked up in a trade by the Dodgers when they lost Trevor Bauer. They also got Trea Turner who won the NL batting title. Is it enough?

The Wild Card winner moves on against the San Francisco Giants in a best of five series.

Editor’s note:

This publication was the only one to predict the Giants would be a playoff contender.

(Photo by Boston.com)