MLB Playoff Picture 2022: Hot Takes and Top Storylines for Saturday Schedule
Three teams with mighty postseason expectations suddenly find themselves one loss away from previously unthinkable exits.
The New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals and Toronto Blue Jays all face elimination Saturday in Game 2 of their respective wild-card-round matchups. Each team had championship aspirations but will now fight for their playoff lives.
Which of the three stands the best chance at rebounding following Friday's disappointment? What must happen for the other two to stave off being sent home far earlier than they and their fans had hoped?
These are the storylines to keep an eye on during Saturday's meetings.
Toronto Stands Best Chance of Rallying from Early Wild-Card Deficit
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Seattle roughed up Toronto ace Alek Manoah to the tune of three runs in the first inning Friday afternoon and never looked back, earning a Game 1 victory on the strength of pitcher Luis Castillo's brilliant performance on the mound.
The Blue Jays managed just seven hits and scored on none, a shockingly sub-par performance for a team that considers its bats as its strong point. The team got production from the players who needed to hit. George Springer, Bo Bichette and Matt Chapman all got on base, but the team was unable to produce any consistent offense to drive them home. That Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the team's most prominent slasher, was held hitless did not help.
Despite Manoah's struggles and the lack of scoring, the Blue Jays still stand the best chance of any team to shake off the early postseason fog and go on a run.
Guerrero is a dynamic hitter, and despite stats that have been down all season compared to last, he can still change any game with a single swing of the bat. If Springer, Bichette and Chapman can continue to get on base and create opportunities for runs, the team will be in the position it needs to be.
It is highly unlikely they run into another seemingly insurmountable pitching effort like the one they saw from Castillo (7.1 innings, six hits, five strikeouts). Robbie Ray takes the mound for Seattle Saturday, and his 3.71 ERA and 78 earned runs in 36 games should make the Blue Jays more comfortable that they can shake off the beatdown that was Game 1 and make their presence felt in this postseason.
deGrom Looks to Keep Mets Alive in Postseason, Enhance Free Agency Value in Game 2
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The Mets are in a position they had hoped to avoid this early in the playoffs as they turn to ace Jacob deGrom in hopes of keeping their postseason alive.
Friday's Game 1 was an utter disaster for a team that entered the season believing it had every tool necessary to become the first Mets squad since 1986 to bring a championship to New York. After a 7-1 shellacking against San Diego in the wild-card opener, the Mets are one loss away from a disappointing conclusion to one of the most promising seasons in franchise history.
Not all hope is lost, though.
Arguably the best pitcher in the business takes the mound in Game 2, and deGrom has the chance not only to keep the Mets alive in their pursuit of a world championship but also bolster his free-agency value.
He was always going to attract a big money offer from a team looking for that ace pitcher, even if concerns for his health were at the forefront. That offer has the potential to be even higher if he can take the mound Saturday and throw a beauty of a game that keeps the Mets in contention and reminds everyone else why many speak so fondly of him.
After a sub-par performance in the Braves series that led the Mets to fight for their playoff life in this wild-card round, pitching his way out of it and leading his team to a Game 2 win will only help his own cause this offseason. Even better performances deeper in the playoffs will enhance those offers significantly.
One thing is for sure: He will not be able to replicate his last five outings that saw him allow 23 hits in 28 innings of work, six HRs and an ERA of 4.50 and escape Saturday with a win.
Cardinals Bats Must Come Alive to Stave Off Elimination
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The St. Louis Cardinals entered the ninth inning of Friday's wild-card Game 1 against Philadelphia with a 2-0 lead, and what appeared to be a victory in hand. Then the wheels fell off and the Phillies drove in a historic six runs, the most in the ninth inning of a playoff game in MLB history, and won in come-from-behind fashion.
The Cardinals could have avoided a defeat had they both pulled pitcher Ryan Helsley sooner and amassed more hits. They struggled against ace Zack Wheeler, striking out four times and managing only two hits in 6.1 innings. They did not score against him.
That cannot happen Saturday. The Cardinals' bats must come alive if they want to avoid being swept at home against a team that waited until the end of the season to officially get in and end an 11-year playoff drought.
The Phillies have proved they can put up runs, even if they have to wait until the last minute to do it.
The Cardinals do, too, if the regular season is any indication. Paul Goldschmidt is in the conversation for NL MVP after recording 35 homers, 115 RBI and his best OPS since 2015 (.981). Albert Pujols wrapped up the final regular season of his career by hitting the second-most home runs in the majors since August.
The pieces are there for the Cardinals to improve upon their sluggish start to the postseason, and the team will rely on them to do just that or they will be staying in St. Louis earlier than expected, thanks to a gutsy Phillies team that is out to prove that all it needed was to get in before racking up upsets en route to a world title.
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