ALCS AND NLCS Predictions

Dude…

What started with 14 teams is now down to 4. The ALDS and NLDS are officially over. This was a WILD part of the playoffs. Only 1 team out of the top 4 seeds who earned a first round bye, made it to the next round. The Top 4 teams in the MLB went a combined 4 for 13 in wins. The only top seed moving on is Houston, who beat a stingy Twins team. The Orioles looked like they were going to make a deep playoff run, but lost to the much more experienced Texas Rangers. The Atlanta Braves were able to win one game, but lost to the Phillies 3-1 in the series. Finally, the Dbacks splashed into their own pool after sweeping the LA Dodgers. With 3 of the top 4 seeds gone, no one predicted these matchups. The Dudes have been dialed in and are ready to bring you our ALCS and NLCS series predictions!!!

PC’S Predictions

Postseason Prediction Record (5-3)

Houston Astros vs. Texas Rangers: This matchup is about to be fantastic. The Cheaters of 2017 are trying to become the first since 1977 when the Yankees did it. The Astros look tough, with Jose Altuve, Yordan Alverez, and Kyle Tucker at the dish. With the almighty Justin Verlander leading the pitching rotation and their DEEP bullpen. This team has a legit shot at going back to back. However, they will have to face their AL West opponents in the Texas Rangers. The Rangers have a loaded baseball team as well. Adolis Garcia, Corey Seagar, and Marcus Semien are big names that have come up big for the Rangers. Josh Jung has stepped up in big moments and DELIVERED! This team’s offense is super hot right now. If this Rangers pitching rotation and bullpen can help slow down the heavy hitting Astros club then I think the Rangers could really run away with this one. This best of 7 series is against two squads that have seen each other all year. The Astros nipped the Rangers out of the first round bye in the last week of the season. Now it comes down to this. I personally think the Rangers are just too hot for the Astros to handle. The Rangers pitching staff have started to figure things out again and the hitters are catching fire. I have the Rangers moving on to the World Series in 6 games.

Philadelphia Phillies vs. Arizona Diamondbacks: This series is about to be electric. Especially when they’re at Citizens Bank Area in Philly. The Phillies ended their season last year in the NLCS and they are trying to redeem themselves by facing off against a team who hasn’t been to the playoffs before this year since 2017. The Phillies have their man Bryce Harper leading this home run hitting squad. We also can’t forget Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos who had massive home runs to push them past the Braves. Their pitching staff has been lock down, and their closer, Criag Kimbrel, has been lights out as well. This team is an all around juggernaut that found their groove late in the season. The Diamondbacks were not predicted by anyone to be in this position. This young team reminds me of the teams of old. Get guys on base with the next man up mentality. Corbin Carroll has proven to be this club's next star. Evan Longoria seems like he’s 50 by now but is playing like he’s in his prime back on the Rays. Ketel Marte and Christian Walker came up big in a close out game against the Dodgers. Their closer, Paul Sewald has been lights out in the 9th for the boys from AZ. This matchup has fireworks written all over it. The only difference is their experience level. Arizona is new to being good and the Phillies have been here before. I think that experience level is going to shoot the Phillies right into the World Series in 5 games. However, we’ve seen the Diamondbacks do the unthinkable before, don’t be surprised if they upset another powerhouse once again.

How6rd’s Predictions

Postseason Prediction Record (2-2)

Rangers vs Astros

For the first time ever the two baseball teams in Texas go head-to-head in the postseason and what should be a matchup with nothing less than filled with fireworks in the ALCS. The Rangers hadn’t been in the postseason since 2016 let alone the ALCS since 2011, but this offense has looked completely explosive most of the regular season and especially so in the postseason as the bats of Corey Seager and Adolis Garcia have propelled them over many others historically. As for the Astros, whether or not you have hatred toward them for 2017, still have proved that no matter the format they’ve been resilient and tough to overcome reaching the ALCS for the 7th year in a row with a deep roster and arguably the best bullpen in the league. The Astros dominated the Rangers in the regular season winning 9 out of the 13 times they faced each other leading to their AL West crown achievement on game 162, but the Rangers have a good postseason rotation and with their starters having more experience than most teams it could be to their advantage. Yet, I believe the Astros showed a lot of improvement from their late-season struggles in the ALDS, and if this is the team everyone expected to see in early 2023 then it’s going to have to be the Rangers’ best effort all season to pull this one off.

Astros advance in 6 games

Diamondbacks vs Phillies

Last year’s NLCS winners make a return just one season later facing a young yet talented squad in the Diamondbacks who not many truly saw making it this far. The Phillies got off to a very slow start at the beginning of the regular season with a lot of players who were expected to make the team better or be one of the best in the league completely going cold the first few months, but once Trea Turner found his rhythm the NL East felt like it was for the taking as they proved why nearly making it look easy against the 104-win Braves outside of a choke in game 2. As for the Diamondbacks, their pitching is way deeper than I thought and no way in hell did I see each starting pitcher for the Dodgers get lit up as bad as they did, so no matter the result of this series they should definitely feel proud of where they are with so many years ahead for both their pitching and position players. This is a series that could shock all of us again with Arizona and be a competitive one going possibly to 7 games or be perfect for the hosting Philadelphia Phillies to keep their hot streak going. I’m going to go with the latter and have faith in the Phillies lineup including the hottest postseason bat of the modern era in Bryce Harper to overpower a team heavily relying on their bullpen.

Phillies advance in 5 games

Stelting’s Predictions

Postseason Predictions Record (2-2)

Rangers Vs Houston

What an absolutely wild ALCS matchup. These two teams have been through ups and downs this whole season and truly have a goal to not only make the WS but win it. The Astros are trying to go back to back while the Rangers are trying to win their first title. These two teams are very similar in how they operate. Good offense, solid defense, good starting pitching and at some moments, a good bullpen. The Rangers are a wagon on offense and have the upper hand slightly when it comes to consistency. But the Astros have been in this situation before and are prepared for the battle. The real turning point will be how the bullpens perform. Whoever wins that battle will go to the World Series. Prediction- Rangers win in 6: I think if the Rangers do what they did with their bullpen through the playoffs they will win the series. Leclerc is a machine and if the Rangers get the ball to him every moment they can. Their hitters can get them the runs, the bullpen will have to be the ones to get them the win, as in every MLB game.

NLCS Predictions

Phillies vs Arizona

As much as many people will hammer the Phillies because of their electric series win against the best team in baseball, the D-Backs are a dark horse WS winner. Their pitching is better than excepted and their hitters are not missing, whatsoever. The game is balanced between these teams and the D-Backs play a faster game than any other team. Fan wise the Phillies have a great environment but the D-Backs really have nothing to lose. They have young talent and great pitching. The Phillies should be worried about what this team will come in with because the Phillies expectations now are WS or bust. Predictions- Arizona win in 7: I know, I picked the dark horse. But the D-Backs impressed me more than the Phillies. They find multiple ways to win than the Phillies. They also have a fantastic bullpen to shut down big hitters like Harper and Stott. It’ll be a tough battle for both teams but the D-Backs can absolutely outpace the Phillies in a 7 game series.