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October is finally here, which means there's more than just ghosts and goblins to entertain. It's now finally time for the MLB Playoffs. The postseason begins this Tuesday with the Tampa Bay Rays against the Texas Rangers in the AL Wild Card Series at 3:08 p.m. ET on ABC.
Tampa Bay Rays
When the Rays began their 2023 season, they were the best team in baseball for well over the first month of the season. They won their first 13 games and finished the month of April with a 23-6 record. Yet, through injuries galore throughout their talented pitching staff that extended to some of the bullpen, and even the dismissal of their best player, Wander Franco, the Rays won 99 games and finished second in the AL East.
Texas Rangers
The Rangers didn't necessarily have the easiest road to October either. They were in a long and intense battle with last year's World Series Champions and constant playoff residents, the Houston Astros. An early-season loss of the, when healthy, best pitcher in baseball, Jacob deGrom, may not have been surprising to most, but it was still unsettling for the Rangers. Through grit and grind, thanks mostly to a high-powered offense, the Rangers made it to the playoffs, finishing 90-72, the same as their AL West rivals. However, a tiebreaker based on their season series, which the Astros won 9-4, kept the Rangers from a division title and bye, forcing them to play in the Wild Card series. The Rangers held the division lead 159 days to the Astros 24.
Rays, Rangers Bold Predictions
Now that we know how both teams got here, let's get into some bold predictions for the Wild Card Series.
4. Randy Arozarena makes his return to October baseball
When the weather begins to cool and the leaves start to fall, that's when some players become the best version of themselves on the field. Randy Arozarena plays best when October rolls around. However, it could just be high-pressure situations in which he excels, like the World Baseball Classic, where he once again became a star in this year's event.
In 31 postseason games played, Arozarena is hitting .333 with 35 hits, 11 homers, 17 RBIs, and 23 runs scored, according to StatMuse. Although he is coming off a quad injury, he did play the final weekend of the regular season. So, hopefully, we're all treated to the best version of Arozarena as postseason play begins. Well, unless you're a Rangers fan.
3. Rangers' Jordan Montgomery goes seven innings in Game 1
It's been well-documented that the Rangers have the worst bullpen out of any team in this year's playoffs. So, with that being said, their starting pitching will be crucial to their success, hoping they can go deep in ball games. The Game 1 probable starter is Jordan Montgomery, who has been a windfall for the Rangers after making a trade for him from the St. Louis Cardinals at the deadline.
In the midst of Nathan Eovaldi and Max Scherzer's injuries, Montgomery has been the standstill in the starting rotation that the Rangers needed to get into the postseason. He'll give the Rangers seven strong innings, with hope and prayer that the bullpen can salvage the rest.
2. Game 2 of AL Wild Card Series goes to extra innings
What will be most exciting about this matchup is not just the probable pitching matchup of the Rays' Zach Eflin against the Rangers' Nathan Eovaldi, but also the lineups going up against one another.
We all know what the Rangers can do with Corey Seager and Marcus Semien, along with other guys like Adolis Garcia and Josh Jung. But the Rays have some firepower of their own, and have, overall, a more diverse group of hitters in their lineup. Thank goodness this isn't the old format of one-and-done, but Game 2 is do-or-die. Look for this Game 2 to be amped up with some runs being scored, especially late.
1. Rays sweep the Rangers in AL Wild Card Series
As strong as the Rangers lineup is, hitting .263 and slugging .452, the Rays outduel them with their own prolific lineup and better pitching. Pitching, after all, is the name of the game in the playoffs, especially the bullpen. And the Rangers have the worst. The Rays move onto the ALDS.
