After eight days of Division Series games, we have arrived at the League Championship Series, and the top four seeds all advanced. Rest didn’t affect these teams much as they rode first-round byes through the round. The next round begins today, with the NLCS taking center stage before the ALCS kicks off tomorrow. It’s best-of-seven series the rest of the way.
Earlier this week, we’ve posted a few in-depth previews of the series:
Here’s a look at both of the matchups.
All times listed in Central Time.
AL Championship Series: (1) Tampa Bay Rays vs. (2) Cleveland Guardians
The two series went in opposite directions in the ALDS. The Rays finished the regular season leading the AL at 98-64, 4.5 games ahead of the 93-68 Yankees. While the Yankees came into the series after two blowouts of the Red Sox in the Wild Card round, that momentum was quickly squashed. The Rays never trailed in the ALDS and swept the Yankees 3-0 to advance. Meanwhile, the Guardians had to fight their way here. They lost their first two home games, forcing them into three straight elimination games. The Guardians survived, winning two in Chicago before taking Game 5 at home to advance. The Guardians are in the ALCS for the second time in three seasons, while the Rays are back for the first time since the shortened 2020 season.
Projected Pitching Matchups
This will be a series between a well-rested Rays team and a battle-tested Guardians team. The Rays are set up to deploy their rotation in whatever order they want, along with a fresh bullpen. Meanwhile, the Guardians had to deploy their top two starters twice against the White Sox, which means they likely won’t have Parker Messick until Game 2 and Gavin Williams until Game 3. Cade Smith, their closer, also pitched in all five games. The Rays dominated the season series between the two teams, taking five of six games including a sweep in Tampa Bay. I think it will be a similar situation in the ALDS, and will take the Rays in five games.
NL Championship Series: (1) Milwaukee Brewers vs. (2) Los Angeles Dodgers
On the NL side of the bracket, both the Brewers and Dodgers needed four games each to advance to the NLCS. The Brewers needed some time to get going, but comebacks in their first two games gave them a 2-0 lead, and a solid team performance in Game 4 sent them to the next round. For the Dodgers, they split their two home games, but their pitching staff held the Braves to two runs in Atlanta to advance. This sets up a rematch from last season between the Brewers and Dodgers, as well as their third NLCS meeting in the last nine seasons.
Projected Pitching Matchups
While the Brewers have been the best team in the regular season for two straight years, the four-game sweep by the Dodgers last year has been a giant blemish on their work. This team is hungry to prove that they can win in the big moments. However, the Dodgers have proven over and over again that they can win when it matters. Pitching will be on full display in this one as two of the best pitching staffs match up. I don’t think this one will go against the Brewers again. It was a 4-3 Brewers advantage in the regular season. I’ll take that same margin in the NLCS, with the Brewers winning in seven games.
