Now that you have received the American League and National League preview, it is time for my postseason and awards predictions for the 2019 season. I will start with the postseason and then finish with the award predictions. If you haven’t read the prior two parts, here is the NL Preview and here is the AL Preview.

Postseason

National League

1. Los Angeles Dodgers: 97-65
2. St. Louis Cardinals: 95-67
3. Philadelphia Phillies: 91-71

WC1. Atlanta Braves: 88-74

WC2. Milwaukee Brewers: 87-75

American League

1. New York Yankees: 105-57
2. Houston Astros: 100-62
3. Cleveland Indians: 93-69

WC1. Boston Red Sox: 103-59

WC2. Oakland Athletics: 90-72

Wild Card Games

NL Wild Card Game: Milwaukee Brewers over Atlanta Braves

When it comes to an elimination game, the Braves have the pitcher that you need for this spot, Mike Foltynewicz, who broke out last season as the team’s ace with 13 wins and a 2.85 ERA. Milwaukee does not have that. Sure, guys like Chase Anderson, Zach Davies, or Jhoulys Chacin are nice, but do you really want one of those guys on the mound or an established ace? I would take the established ace. However, Milwaukee’s bullpen is the X-factor here. If there starter cannot go deep into a game, the Brewers can rely on someone like Josh Hader to throw 4 or 5 innings out of the pen (I’m obviously exaggerating this point, but he can certainly be relied on for a long time). Their bats should also be a major help here as well.

AL Wild Card Game: Boston Red Sox over Oakland Athletics

I like Oakland, but do honestly think that one of their pitchers is going to outpitch Chris Sale? C’mon. Sale is the perfect guy for this kind of one-game playoff and he will be the X-factor for the Red Sox here.

League Division Series

American League

Boston Red Sox over New York Yankees, 3-1

So for the second year in a row, the Red Sox will beat the Yankees in the ALDS. Yes, the Yankees bats are scary, but when you look at the rotation that the Red Sox present with guys like Sale, David Price, Rick Porcello, and Nathan Eovaldi, it is going to be awfully hard for the Yankees to hit against that rotation especially with all the strikeout kings they have in there lineup. New York will get a game in this series, but Boston just has that one thing the Yankees don’t have, pitching.

Houston Astros over Cleveland Indians, 3-0

Like last year, Cleveland is not on the level of the Houston Astros. The Astros have a complete roster with talent in their lineup and talent in their rotation. I would say Cleveland has the better bullpen, but they have lost a couple key pieces in the ‘pen over the past two offseasons, so I have the Astros running away with the sweep for the second straight year.

National League

Los Angeles Dodgers over Milwaukee Brewers, 3-2

This should be a very fun series. LA and Milwaukee gave us an excellent NLCS last season, but when it comes to the Dodgers pitching and postseason experience, they have the edge over Milwaukee. Yes, the Brewers have a year of postseason experience under their belts, but at the end of the day, the Dodgers have the roster to make a deeper run than Milwaukee.

St. Louis Cardinals over Philadelphia Phillies, 3-1

My problem is that Philadelphia isn’t a very experienced team. St. Louis does have that experience and has a deeper lineup with depth unlike the Phillies who have some nice starters, but not enough depth on the bench and out in the bullpen.

League Championship Series

American League

Houston Astros over Boston Red Sox, 4-2

Houston gets there revenge from last years loss in the ALCS. I have this feeling that Houston has a fire in their guts this season after the way last year ended. Boston is good yes, but with Houston, you have a team that has more hunger than the Red Sox to win a title in my opinion.

National League

St. Louis Cardinals over Los Angeles Dodgers, 4-3

Yes, St. Louis will win the NL this year. Look at the Dodgers in the past postseasons. What has been their biggest problem? An inability to perform in a big game. St. Louis has the pitching that makes them scary in the postseason, while the Dodgers have Clayton Kershaw, who up until this point, hasn’t done anything in the postseason. Congrats Cardinals fans, you got a Cubs fan to give your team credit three times in this series.

World Series

Houston Astros over St. Louis Cardinals, 4-2

This should be a fun series. You have two old NL Central rivals who met in the NLCS back in 2004 and 2005. These two teams hate each other, especially after the Cardinals hacked the Astros database back in 2015. You know that Houston general manager Jeff Luhnow wants to destroy St. Louis at all costs, and that is what is going to happen. Sure the Cardinals will get two games in the series, but Houston has the players and the experience to win the World Series while St. Louis has a nice team, but not the experience to win unlike Houston.

Awards Predictions

I am not going to go into details with the awards, but basically I am just going to give my MVP, Cy Young, Manager of the Year, and Comeback Player of the Year predictions for both leagues. I will not do Silver Sluggers and Gold Gloves because that really is a toss-up when it comes to predicting those, and I am not going to pick Rookie of the Year because we don’t know who is going to get called up.

American League Award Winners

MVP: Aaron Judge (NY Yankees)

Cy Young: Chris Sale (Boston)

Manager of the Year: Aaron Boone (NY Yankees)

Comeback Player of the Year: David Price (Boston)

National League Award Winners

MVP: Justin Turner (LA Dodgers)

Cy Young: Aaron Nola (Philadelphia)

Manager of the Year: Gabe Kapler (Philadelphia)

Comeback Player of the Year: Kris Bryant (Chicago)

I hope you enjoyed my three-part preview of the upcoming MLB season, and I hope you enjoy what should be an exciting year of baseball.