The first day of the 2024 Major League Baseball divisional playoffs started slow but ended with excitement.
The Guardians had an easy win in their game, but the rest of the day’s matches were thrilling and full of action. We did well with our predictions yesterday, so let’s keep that momentum going!
Today’s games feature some interesting matchups.
Phillies vs. Mets: A Battle on the Mound
At 4:08 p.m. ET, the Phillies face off against the Mets with Luis Severino pitching for New York and Cristopher Sánchez for Philadelphia. Some thought Aaron Nola might start for the Phillies, but Sánchez’s impressive home record made him a strong choice. His 2.21 ERA at home speaks volumes compared to his road performance.
Severino recently struggled in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series, allowing four runs over six innings. His recent form hasn’t been great either, with ERAs over five in his last several starts.
Fans might think this game is more than just about pitchers; it’s about who can hold their nerve late in the game.
The play: Phillies to lead after five innings (-105). The Phillies have seen Severino twice recently and managed to score six times off him across those games. Meanwhile, Sánchez allowed just one run in seven innings when he faced the Mets at home.
Dodgers vs. Padres: Evening Showdown
Later at 8:03 p.m., Yu Darvish takes on Jack Flaherty as San Diego visits Los Angeles. Darvish has been solid since returning from injury but has struggled with giving up home runs lately—five out of seven runs came via homers in recent outings.
Flaherty’s time with the Dodgers has been mixed; he finished his last three starts with a high ERA of 6.43 over 14 innings. The Padres scored three runs against him in their last meeting and will look to capitalize again quickly.
The play: Shohei Ohtani over 2.5 hits + runs + RBI (-115). Ohtani is always a threat, especially against right-handed pitchers like Darvish who have been prone to giving up homers recently.
Ohtani is not only known for hitting long balls but also for stealing bases—he had an impressive number of stolen bases during regular season games which makes him a constant scoring threat every time he’s on base.
The play: Padres over 3.5 runs (-125). Their offense is hot right now and they could get to Flaherty quickly just like they did against Yoshinobu Yamamoto earlier this series.
What do you think? Will these predictions hold true or are there surprises waiting?
