TOR vs TEX
Despite coming off of a walk off victory in the wild card game, the Jays wont be able to match up against Cole Hamels’ experience in the postseason. Game 2 will also be a showdown, but Darvish hasn’t been himself since 2014, while J.A. Happ has been consistent all year, and the Jays are a fastball hitting team. Texas needs to get the first two games to take a commanding lead, because after Hamels and Darvish, they have no other worthy starter to match up against Toronto’s Sanchez and Stroman; neither do they have a bullpen as good as the Jays’. Texas’ offense has kept them hot all year, but lack of pitching depth will get them sucked up in a Toronto Blue Jays hole.
3-1 Toronto
BOS vs CLE
By the numbers, both teams match up pretty evenly with pitching. Boston has a team ERA of 4.00 while Cleveland has a 3.84, the Indians have allowed 22 fewer runs, and Boston’s bullpen has allowed 10 fewer runs than Cleveland’s. However, despite the injuries to Salazar and Carrasco, the Indians have more pitching depth, especially in the bullpen, where this series might be decided. Because of Porcello’s experience playing against the Indians, and Bauer not pitching well the last couple months, the Red Sox should come out and take game 1, but Corey Kluber at Progressive Field will be hard to beat in game 2 despite Price going for the Sox. Game 3 might be where the series is decided as the Indians have absolutely crushed Buchholz this year scoring 10 runs off of him, but Tomlin for the Tribe has not shined since May, who will be pitching at Fenway Park against the best offense in the MLB. Overall, the biggest question is whether or not the Indians can keep on hitting through playoff pressure, as most of their hitters are having surprising breakout years and many analysts believe it will bring this Cleveland offense back down to Earth. If Cleveland can at least hang with the Sox in offensive categories, then it will be a five game series, if not Boston will take control.
3-2 Tribe
Don’t forget about the X-factor in Terry Francona who obviously knows the Sox well, and has taken this Cleveland team to unexpected heights without Michael Brantley and a healthy rotation.
ALCS
By the time the ALCS roles around, Francona says that Salazar will be ready to go. With that said, the Blue Jays may have allowed fewer runs than Cleveland this year, but the bullpen numbers are totally different as the Indians have out performed the Jays. And just like Cleveland against Boston, the Indians have more pitching depth. Yes, the Jays having hitters like Donaldson, Encarnacion and Bautista, who are game changers, but Rogers Centre has a big contribution to that. The Indians were 52-28 at home this season. Terry Francona knows the Blue Jays as well from his days as Sox manager. The Jays only shot would be to capture a victory in either of the first two games at Progressive Field going back home, but if not, Cleveland should find a way to keep hitting (assuming they did if they defeated Boston) and win at least one game in Canada.
4-2 Tribe
