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MLB Playoffs Picture

MLB Playoffs Picture: White Sox enter hunt

  • Manuel Gómez - East Coast Contributor & Podcast Director Manuel Gómez, East Coast Contributor & Podcast Director
  • September 19, 2022

Looking at the teams in the hunt for the 2022 MLB Playoff picture

The Chicago White Sox are coming. Since it was announced that manager Tony La Russa would be out indefinitely, the “Southsiders” have won 13 of 19 games under interim manager Miguel Cairo, inserting themselves into the MLB Playoffs picture.

Prior to that, the White Sox were underperforming. They were 63-65, in third place in the American League Central, and written off as under-performers in a winnable division.

On paper, the White Sox have one of the best teams in the league. They feature a rotation of perennial Cy Young candidates in Lucas Giolito, Dylan Cease and Lance Lynn. They trot out a lineup made up of hitters like former AL MVP José Abreu, Eloy Jiménez, and Luis Robert.

Yet, numerous questionable managerial decisions on behalf of La Russa held the team back. Fortunately, Cairo has sparked the South Side of Chicago, leaving team owners with a difficult decision to make.

With La Russa’s health improving, do they allow the Hall of Famer to return to his post? Or do they continue riding the hot hand?

For me, it’s a no brainer. The White Sox have responded well to Cairo. Let the 48-year-old Venezolano stay.

A Few Changes to the MLB Playoffs

The MLB playoffs start on Oct. 7.

To prepare for October and November baseball, here’s a comprehensive look at the MLB playoff picture. 

Here, you will see exactly which teams are in the postseason, including their seeding, and which teams on the outside looking in are in the hunt.

The pool of teams has been expanded from 10 to 12 (six teams in each league). Division leaders will determine the top three seeds. The bottom three seeds will go to teams with the next best record.

The top two division leaders will receive byes in the first round. The other teams will play in four best-of-three series (two in each league). 

The remaining division leader will enter the Wild Card Series and face the 6 seed. 

Each Wild Card Series will determine who faces the 1 and 2 seed in the Division Series

The MLB Postseason Picture

Here’s a look at the MLB Postseason bracket of the regular season ended today.

American League

  1. Houston Astros (96-51)
  2. New York Yankees (88-58)
  3. Cleveland Guardians (79-67)
  4. Toronto Blue Jays (83-64)
  5. Tampa Bay Rays (82-64)
  6. Seattle Mariners (80-65)

National League

  1. Los Angeles Dodgers (101-44)
  2. New York Mets (93-55)
  3. St. Louis Cardinals (87-61)
  4. Atlanta Braves (91-55)
  5. San Diego Padres (81-66)
  6. Philadelphia Phillies (80-66)

Still in the MLB Playoff Hunt

Baltimore Orioles (4 games behind a playoff spot). The Orioles have made one thing clear this season: they’re not going anywhere.

With 17 games left on the schedule, it will be a tough road to the playoffs for the O’s. Fortunately for the Orioles, the Tampa Bay Rays might have an even tougher schedule.

The chances are slim for Baltimore – 6.3 percent, according to Baseball Reference – but to quote the comedy Dumb and Dumber, “there’s a chance!”

Chicago White Sox (4 games behind a playoff spot). Under Miguel Cairo, the White Sox are 13-6 (.684 W-L%). That’s a near .200 point increase from their win percentage under Tony La Russa this season.

Their three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians this week will make or break Chicago’s chances at October baseball. For this reason, Cleveland at Chicago is my MUST-WATCH SERIES OF THE WEEK!

Milwaukee Brewers (2 games behind a playoff spot). If the Brewers are going to make the MLB Playoffs, they will have to do so as a Wild Card team.

Fortunately, of the 16 games Milwaukee has left, 12 are at home and 11 are against teams with a combined .423 win percentage. The Brew Crew has a decent shot at making run. Let’s see if they can do it.

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