Although the bubble plan doesn’t take effect until after the Wild Card round, the 2020 MLB postseason has arrived, and we are in store for a great one. In case you weren’t following the crazy finish to the regular season, here were the final seeding outcomes after Sunday’s games:

National League (starts 9/30)

No. 8 Milwaukee Brewers at No. 1 Los Angeles Dodgers

No. 7 Cincinnati Reds at No. 2 Atlanta Braves

No. 6 Miami Marlins at No. 3 Chicago Cubs

No. 5 St. Louis Cardinals at No. 4 San Diego Padres

American League (starts 9/29)

No. 8 Toronto Blue Jays at No. 1 Tampa Bay Rays

No. 7 Chicago White Sox at No. 2 Oakland Athletics

No. 6 Houston Astros at No. 3 Minnesota Twins

No. 5 New York Yankees at No. 4 Cleveland Indians

In the NL, there was a lot at stake for the Giants, Phillies, and Brewers which were all fighting for the eight seed in their final game on Sunday. Since both the Phillies (28-32) and Giants (29-31) lost, the Brewers (29-31) were able to attain the eight seed, even though they lost as well. The tiebreaker was decided to be whichever team had the best divisional record, so the Brewers 21-19 NL Central record bested the Giants 18-22 NL West record. In their heartbreaking 5-4 loss to the Padres yesterday, there were quite a few bad strike calls made by umpire Rob Drake, including this one that sent San Francisco home:

If the Phillies (21-19 NL East record) had won assuming both the Giants and Brewers lost, they would have made it to the postseason, but they were shut out by the number one seeded Rays over in the AL. They really weren’t all that deserving of the spot, though. They had to go 2-6 in their last eight games to make the playoffs… they went 1-7.

As for the AL, there were also a ton of wacky outcomes in the postseason seeding. The White Sox (35-25) were on top of the AL just about two weeks ago, and they ended up becoming a seven seed. They had a chance to move to the two spot yesterday with an Athletics loss, but things did not pan out. Since the Astros (29-31) were second in their division, they were able to secure the six seed because the seven and eight seeds were reserved for the two wild card teams. 

This postseason will come down to which pitching staff performs the best, and we will see some great outings. Only one first round matchup, Toronto vs. Tampa Bay, has faced each other in the regular season. That gives a huge advantage towards pitching, especially for the clubs with the best pitching overall. Every matchup, except maybe the Dodgers series, has serious potential to go all three games.

Here is a full schedule of the 2020 Postseason: https://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/news/mlb-playoff-schedule-2020-bracket/4vu0u66lqd4o1trqnyc507h2z

National League

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (43-17)

*World Series Odds: +350

**Projected 162 game record: 116-46 (Wow.)

Injuries: OF Mookie Betts (day-to-day), P Caleb Ferguson (***out)

Probable Starters; Game 1: Walker Buehler (3.44 ERA) 

Game 2: Clayton Kershaw (2.16 ERA)

^Game 3: TBD

2. Atlanta Braves (35-25)

World Series Odds: +1200

Projected 162 game record: 95-67

Injuries: OF Ronald Acuna Jr. (day-to-day), P Chris Martin (day-to-day)

Probable Starters; Game 1: Max Fried (2.25 ERA)

Game 2: TBD

Game 3: TBD

3. Chicago Cubs (34-26)

World Series Odds: +1600

Projected 162 game record: 92-70

Injuries: P Rowan Wick (10-day), P Tyler Chatwood (10-day)

Probable Starters; Game 1: Yu Darvish (2.01 ERA)

Game 2: TBD

Game 3: TBD

4. San Diego Padres (37-23) 

World Series Odds: +1000

Projected 162 game record: 100-62

Injuries: P Dinelson Lamet (day-to-day), P Mike Clevinger (day-to-day), RP Kirby Yates (out)

Probable Starters; Game 1: TBD

Game 2: TBD

Game 3: TBD

5. St. Louis Cardinals (30-28)

World Series Odds: +3330

Projected 162 game record: 84-78

Injuries: P Carlos Martinez (Likely out), P John Gant (10-day), P Dakota Hudson (out)

Probable Starters; Game 1: Kwang Hyun Kim (1.62 ERA, began season as closer)

Game 2: Adam Wainwright (3.15 ERA)

Game 3: Jack Flaherty (4.91 ERA) 

6. Miami Marlins (31-29)

World Series Odds: +3600

Projected 162 game record: 84-78

Injuries: P Jose Urena (day-to-day), OF Starling Marte (day-to-day), P Josh A. Smith (10-day) 

Probable Starters; Game 1: Sandy Alcantara (3.00 ERA)

Game 2: TBD

Game 3: TBD

7. Cincinnati Reds (31-29)

World Series Odds: +2400

Projected 162 game record: 84-78

Injuries: P Tyler Thornburg (out), P Jose De Leon (10-day)

Probable Starters; Game 1: Trevor Bauer (1.73 ERA)

Game 2: Luis Castillo (4-0 with a 1.26 ERA in four September starts)

Game 3: TBD

8. Milwaukee Brewers (29-31)

World Series Odds: +3800

Projected 162 game record: 78-84

Injuries: P Brett Anderson (day-to-day), P Corbin Burnes (10-day), OF Ben Gamel (10-day), C Manny Pina (Ruled out for first round)

Probable Starters; Game 1: TBD

Game 2: TBD

Game 3: TBD

American League

1. Tampa Bay Rays (40-20)

World Series Odds: +700

Projected 162 game record: 108-54

Injuries: OF Manuel Margot (day-to-day), OF Brett Phillips (day-to-day), OF Austin Meadows (10-day, could miss playoffs-oblique), 1B Ji-Man Choi (day-to-day), 3B Yandy Diaz (day-to-day), P Jalen Beeks (out), P Yonny Chirinos (out), P Jose Alvarado (24 days into 45-day, pitched sim game Monday)

Probable Starters; Game 1: Blake Snell (3.24 ERA)

Game 2: Tyler Glasnow (4.08 ERA)

Game 3: Charlie Mortin (4.74 ERA)

2. Oakland Athletics (36-24)

World Series Odds: +1000

Projected 162 game record: 97-65

Injuries: 3B Matt Chapman (out), P Burch Smith (10-day), P A.J. Puk (out)

Probable Starters; Game 1: Jesus Luzardo (4.12 ERA)

Game 2: Chris Bassitt (2.29 ERA)

Game 3: TBD

3. Minnesota Twins (36-24)

World Series Odds: +1000

Projected 162 game record: 97-65

Injuries: OF Byron Buxton (day-to-day), 3B Josh Donaldson (day-to-day), P Jake Odorizzi (10-day), OF Brent Rooker (out)

Probable Starters; Game 1: Kenta Maeda (2.70 ERA)

Game 2: Jose Berrios (4.00 ERA)

Game 3: Michael Pineda (3.38 ERA)

4. Cleveland Indians (35-25)

World Series Odds: +1000

Projected 162 game record: 95-67

Injuries: P Jefry Rodriguez (out)

Probable Starters; Game 1: Shane Bieber (1.63 ERA, led majors)

Game 2:  Carlos Carrasco (2.91 ERA)

Game 3: Zach Plesac (2.28 ERA)

5. New York Yankees (33-27)

World Series Odds: +750

Projected 162 game record: 89-73

Injuries: P James Paxton (45-day, could return toward end of postseason), P Ben Heller (out)

Probable Starters; Game 1: Gerrit Cole (2.84 ERA, 2.60 ERA in 2019 postseason)

Game 2: Masahiro Tanaka (3.56 ERA, 1.76 ERA in postseason career)

Game 3: TBD

6. Houston Astros (29-31)

World Series Odds: +2500

Projected 162 game record: 78-84

Injuries: P Justin Verlander (out), P Brad Peacock (likely out), P Chris Devenski (out), P Roberto Osuna (likely out) DH/OF Yordan Alvarez (out)

Probable Starters; Game 1: Zack Greinke (4.03 ERA, 5.73 ERA over his final seven outings)

Game 2: TBD

Game 3: TBD

7. Chicago White Sox (35-25)

World Series Odds: +1500

Projected 162 game record: 95-67

Injuries: OF Eloy Jimenez (day-to-day), INF/OF Leury Garcia (on last day of 45-day, could play postseason)

Probable Starters; Game 1: Lucas Giolito (3.48 ERA) 

Game 2: Dallas Keuchel (1.99 ERA)

Game 3: TBD

8. Toronto Blue Jays (32-28)

World Series Odds: +3800

Projected 162 game record: 86-76

Injuries: P Julian Merryweather (10-day), P Ken Giles (out), 1B/DH Rowdy Tellez (10-day), P Jordan Romano (10-day, had bullpen session Sunday)

Probable Starters; Game 1: Matt Shoemaker (4.71 ERA, likely to be followed by No. 1 prospect Nate Pearson)

Game 2: Hyun Jin Ryu (2.69 ERA)

Game 3: Taijuan Walker (2.70 ERA)

*All via FanDuel Sportsbook

**All based on current record

***out: out for season

^ All game 3’s if necessary 

Here’s what my, Collin Carofano’s, bracket is looking like:

Who do you think is going to win the World Series? Tell us your predictions by tagging us on Twitter or comment/quote tweet the article link that can be found @AnchorSportsNet on Twitter.

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