Early Predictions for 2014 MLB Playoff Teams, 25-Man Postseason Rosters

With two weeks left in the 2014 MLB season, it is time to look at some early predictions for the postseason rosters of all of the clubs that will be playing baseball in October.

That means that we have to go on record with our playoff picks.

There are only two surprises—to some, anyway.

First, the Oakland A’s will not make the postseason. They have only won three of their last 10 games and have played woeful baseball for the past two months. Any way you look at it, the A’s are rapidly losing their grip on the wild card after leading the AL West for much of the season’s first half.

Second, the Milwaukee Brewers made a nice run, but manager Ron Roenicke’s club simply doesn’t have enough to see this thing through. Going into action Sunday, the Brewers had lost 39 games since the beginning of July, and there doesn’t seem to be any way to stop the bleeding.

And please keep in mind that these are early predictions. Many things can change from now until the first game of the MLB postseason.

Through an examination of the strengths and weaknesses of each club, here are the early predictions for 2014 MLB playoff teams and their 25-man postseason rosters.

Baltimore Orioles

Michael Dwyer/Associated Press

Current Status: 89-60; 11.5-game lead in division 

Predicted Regular-Season Result: AL East Division champs; second-best record in AL

Predicted ALDS Matchup: Orioles vs. Royals

Projected Lineup

1. Nick Markakis, RF

2. Alejandro De Aza, LF

3. Adam Jones, CF

4. Nelson Cruz, DH/OF

5. Steve Pearce, 1B

6. J.J. Hardy, SS

7. Jimmy Paredes, 3B

8. Caleb Joseph, C

9. Jonathan Schoop, 2B

Projected Bench

Nick Hundley, C

Kelly Johnson, IF

Ryan Flaherty, IF

David Lough, OF

Projected Starting Rotation

1. Chris Tillman, RHP

2. Wei-Yin Chen, LHP

3. Bud Norris, RHP

4. Miguel Gonzalez, RHP

Projected Bullpen

CL Zach Britton, LHP

SU Darren O’Day, RHP

SU Andrew Miller, LHP

MID Tommy Hunter, RHP

MID Brad Brach, RHP

MID Ryan Webb, RHP

MID Brian Matusz, LHP

LR Kevin Gausman, RHP

Starting Lineup

The Baltimore Orioles have one of the best offenses in MLB.

With Nelson Cruz (.263/.332/.526, 39 HR, 102 RBI), Adam Jones (.285/.317/.466, 25 HR, 85 RBI) and Steve Pearce (.287/.364/.529, 17 HR, 24 2B) doing the heavy lifting, the club leads the American League in home runs with 193 and is second with a .422 slugging percentage. The Orioles also rank fifth in runs scored (647) and batting average (.257).

To be sure, this isn’t the same lineup that many thought would begin the postseason. But season-ending injuries to Manny Machado and Matt Wieters, along with the 25-game suspension handed down to Chris Davis for testing positive for Adderall, have changed everything.

Bench

Thanks to the aforementioned injuries and suspension, manager Buck Showalter’s bench is rather thin.

That isn’t to say it's without value, but having Jimmy Paredes and Steve Pearce come off the bench is a heck of a lot better than Kelly Johnson and David Lough. If any manager can make the most of the situation, however, it’s Showalter.

Starting Rotation

While Ubaldo Jimenez is going to get a spot start Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays, it isn’t because a full-time return to the rotation is on the horizon. Rather, Showalter said that “we feel like it disrupts our bullpen the least,” via MLB.com’s David Wilson.

With that out of the way, the early prediction is that Chris Tillman (12-5, 3.36 ERA), Wei-Yin Chen (15-4, 3.59 ERA) and Bud Norris (13-8, 3.74 ERA) are locks for the top spots. The fourth starter comes down to Kevin Gausman and Miguel Gonzalez.

Gonzalez gets nod because he edges Gausman in WHIP and strikeouts per nine innings. Oh, and he tossed seven innings of one-run ball in the 2012 ALDS against the New York Yankees.

Bullpen

Thankfully, one of the club’s strengths is the bullpen, because Showalter is going to want to go with eight relievers in the ALDS. Simply put, he needs to make sure that he has enough arms to make it through the round should one or more of his starters get hit early.

And if this season’s performance is any indication, the group is up to the task.

Led by Zach Britton, Darren O’Day and Andrew Miller, the unit ranks fourth in the AL with a 3.20 ERA and is sixth with a .232 batting average against, per splits over at ESPN.com. Flat out, these guys know what they’re doing.

And the bullpen gets even better with the addition of Kevin Gausman. Expect big things from this group.

Overview

If the starting pitching can live up to its end of the bargain, the Orioles will be just fine. After all, the loss of Davis isn’t so devastating since Pearce is having a better season anyway. The addition of Alejandro De Aza, which looks to be a master stroke by general manager Dan Duquette, also helps.

That said, if the rotation gets into trouble early and the bullpen ends up getting overworked in the first two games, all bets are off.

Detroit Tigers

Carlos Osorio/Associated Press

Current Status: 83-66; 1.5-game lead in division

Predicted Regular-Season Result: AL Wild Card

Projected Lineup

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B

2. Torii Hunter, RF

3. Miguel Cabrera, 1B

4. Victor Martinez, DH

5. J.D. Martinez, LF

6. Nick Castellanos, 3B

7. Alex Avila, C

8. Eugenio Suarez, SS (vs. LHP)

9. Rajai Davis, CF

Projected Bench

Bryan Holaday, C

Andrew Romine, SS (vs. RHP) 

Don Kelly, UT

Tyler Collins, OF

Ezequiel Carrera, OF

Projected Starting Rotation

1. Max Scherzer, RHP

2. David Price, LHP

3. Justin Verlander, RHP

4. Rick Porcello, RHP

Projected Bullpen

CL Joe Nathan, RHP

SU Joba Chamberlain, RHP

SU Joakim Soria, RHP

MID Al Albuquerque, RHP

MID Blaine Hardy, LHP

MID Phil Coke, LHP

LR Kyle Lobstein, LHP

Starting Lineup

Entering play Sunday, the Detroit Tigers offense ranked first in the AL in hits (1,422), doubles (299), batting average (.276), on-base plus slugging (.757) and total bases (2,199). Flat out, this is the best unit in the game.

Rightfully so, most of the accolades go toward Victor Martinez and Miguel Cabrera. But we can’t overlook how important Ian Kinsler has been at the top of the order and what J.D. Martinez has meant to the team.

If the offense doesn't live up to expectations, however, the Tigers are in deep trouble.

Bench

Given the dynamic nature of his offense, manager Brad Ausmus is in a position where he won’t have to rely on his bench too much. And that is a good thing, as there really isn’t much in the tank.

Andrew Romine could see some time against lefties given his .340/.365/.400 slash line against, per Baseball-Reference.com. And if Alex Avila ends up getting hurt, Bryan Holaday will see some action, but it stands to reason that Ausmus will ride the horses that got him here.

Starting Rotation

For all the tribulations the rotation went through this season, everything seems to be in order.

On the season, Max Scherzer and David Price are both pitching to sub-3.00 FIPs and eat innings. Meanwhile, Rick Porcello and Justin Verlander are more than capable as the No. 3 and No. 4 starters. It will be imperative for them to work as deep as possible in games should the team advance past the Wild Card Round.

Bullpen

Somewhat surprisingly, the back injury that Phil Coke suffered Wednesday evening will have a huge impact on how well the unit fares.

See, Coke had been quite good, posting a 2.53 ERA with a 1.352 WHIP in the season’s second half, per splits taken from Baseball-Reference.com. More importantly, he was getting better at stranding inherited runners. Granted, Blaine Hardy has taken over as the No. 1 lefty out of the bullpen, but if Coke is unavailable, Ausmus is going to have to get creative with matchups.

Either way, the onus falls on Joakim Soria, Joe Nathan, Joba Chamberlain and Hardy to carry the group. The early prediction here is that Kyle Lobstein will be used in long relief.

Overview

As we noted earlier, the key to any success for the Tigers is on offense. Sure, starting pitching is important, but if the lineup can’t put at least four or five runs on the board, the team is in trouble. Simply put, the bullpen hasn’t proved itself capable of delivering on a consistent basis.

Kansas City Royals

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

Current Status: 81-67; 1.5 game back in the division

Predicted Regular-Season Result: AL Central Division champs; third-best record in AL

Predicted ALDS Matchup: Royals vs. Orioles

Projected Lineup

1. Nori Aoki, RF

2. Omar Infante, 2B

3. Alex Gordon, LF

4. Salvador Perez, C

5. Eric Hosmer, 1B

6. Josh Willingham, DH

7. Mike Moustakas, 3B

8. Lorenzo Cain, CF

9. Alcides Escobar, SS

Projected Bench

Erik Kratz, C

Billy Butler, IF

Christian Colon, UT

Jarrod Dyson, OF

Projected Starting Rotation

1. James Shields, RHP

2. Danny Duffy, RHP

3. Jason Vargas, LHP

4. Yordano Ventura, RHP

Projected Bullpen

CL Greg Holland, RHP

SU Wade Davis, RHP

SU Kelvin Herrera, RHP

MID Aaron Crow, RHP

MID Brandon Finnegan, LHP

MID Jason Frasor, RHP

MID Scott Downs, LHP

LR Jeremy Guthrie, RHP

Starting Lineup

There isn’t much to get excited about when looking at the Kansas City Royals offense. The Royals rank last in the AL in home runs and in the bottom third in on-base percentage and slugging. True, they are fourth in batting average, but they don’t walk nearly enough to make those hits count.

Not that it matters, of course. After all, the offense isn’t tasked with the responsibility of carrying the club—that is on the pitching staff.

That said, Alex Gordon is in the MVP conversation with Mike Trout and Josh Donaldson. Lorenzo Cain is having a fine season, and Josh Willingham is doing exactly what he is asked to do—get on base and slug. And let’s not forget about the 137 stolen bases the Royals have collected as a team.

Bench

Like some of the other clubs in the AL, the Royals aren’t going to ask the bench players to do very much. Even Billy Butler will be hard-pressed to see playing time.

If anyone can have an impact from the bench, however, it is Jarrod Dyson. He has the type of speed that makes him dangerous late in games. Expect to see him pinch run on more than one occasion should the Royals make it to the ALCS.

Starting Rotation

Entering play Sunday, manager Ned Yost didn’t have a starter with an FIP below 3.60 or a strikeout-to-walk ratio above 4.00. It makes little difference, however, as the rotation has been as consistent as they come, ranking fourth in the AL with a 3.53 ERA, per ESPN.com.

At the top of the list, of course, is James Shields. In 31 starts, he is 14-7 with a 3.13 ERA and a 1.177 WHIP. He has been exactly what his club has needed this season.

A key for the rotation is how quickly Danny Duffy recovers from rotator cuff inflammation. As Andy McCullough from The Kansas City Star noted Saturday evening, however, he hopes to pitch Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox.

Bullpen

With Greg Holland, Wade Davis, Kelvin Herrera and Jason Frasor setting the tone, the bullpen is a force. Davis, in particular, has been dominant this season, posting a 0.70 ERA with a 0.808 WHIP and averaging an unreal 13.4 strikeouts every nine innings.

2014 first-round draft pick Brandon Finnegan (0.00 ERA, 3 G, 5 K, 3.2 IP) is a surprise addition here. The left-hander is doing too many good things to be left off the postseason roster. Scott Downs seems to have found new life with the Royals after pitching his way off the White Sox.

Overview

The Royals aren’t going to succeed because of the offense. Rather, they will advance because they can pitch and field. It will be on Yost to find the right matchups late in games.

If they can win the AL Central (as we are predicting), the Royals are primed for a deep run in the postseason. The final two weeks of the season are going to be intense.

Los Angeles Angels

Jae C. Hong/Associated Press

Current Status: 93-56; 10.0-game division lead

Predicted Regular-Season Result: AL West champions; best record in AL

Predicted ALDS Matchup: Angels vs. Mariners

Projected Lineup

1. Kole Calhoun, RF

2. Mike Trout, CF

3. Albert Pujols, 1B

4. Josh Hamilton, LF

5. Howie Kendrick, 2B

6. David Freese, 3B

7. Erick Aybar, SS

8. Chris Iannetta, C

9. C.J. Cron, DH

Projected Bench

Hank Conger, C

Gordon Beckham, IF

Efren Navarro, IF

Collin Cowgill, OF

Projected Starting Rotation

1. Matt Shoemaker, RHP

2. Jered Weaver, RHP

3. Hector Santiago, LHP

4. C.J. Wilson, LHP

Projected Bullpen

CL Huston Street, RHP

SU Joe Thatcher, LHP

SU Joe Smith, RHP

MID Fernando Salas, RHP

MID Mike Morin, RHP

MID Kevin Jepsen, RHP

MID Jason Grilli, RHP

LR Cory Rasmus, RHP

Starting Lineup

Like the Detroit Tigers, the Los Angeles Angels have a fantastic lineup. In fact, they either lead the AL or are in the top four in almost every important metric, including runs (728), hits (1,370), doubles (286), triples (30), home runs (143), on-base percentage (.327) and slugging (.413).

Don’t expect that to slow down when the playoffs start, especially with Mike Trout leading the charge from the second spot in the order and a rejuvenated Albert Pujols hitting behind him.

To be sure, we are operating under the assumption that Josh Hamilton will be available for the postseason. If he can’t go because of his injured shoulder, however, the impact on the lineup won’t be all that noticeable. After all, Howie Kendrick is slashing out at .500/.535/.800 with 13 RBI in the nine games Hamilton has missed, via game logs at Baseball-Reference.com.

Bench

The Angels have a deep bench, and manager Mike Scioscia uses it to his full advantage. Most notable here is Gordon Beckham, who was acquired at the August waiver deadline. After getting jettisoned by the Chicago White Sox, Beckham is slashing out at .267/.371/400 with seven RBI in 30 at-bats.

If Hamilton isn’t ready to go, expect Collin Cowgill to get the call in his stead and for Grant Green to be added to the postseason roster.

Starting Rotation

From all appearances, the rotation seems to be doing just fine. Looks can be deceiving, however.

Consider that going into action Sunday, the unit is putting up a 4.25 ERA with a 1.466 WHIP and is allowing a .279/.341/419 slash line in the month of September, per splits over at Baseball-Reference.com. That is not the mark of a World Series rotation.

True, winning masks a lot of deficiencies, and Matt Shoemaker has turned into the staff ace, but if the offense can’t put up solid numbers in the postseason, the Angels could be in trouble.

Bullpen

The Angels have a dynamite bullpen. Actually, that may be an understatement.

Consider: None of the top five relievers—Joe Smith, Jason Grilli, Fernando Salas, Kevin Jepsen and Mike Morin—have a WHIP over 1.100, and each is striking out at least 8.3 batters every nine innings. That is downright unfair.

The bullpen got a huge boost with the return of Joe Thatcher. True, he hadn’t pitched well prior to landing on the disabled list, compiling a 6.00 ERA and a 2.667 WHIP in eight appearances. That said, he makes the unit considerably better.

Overview

Perhaps Scioscia said it best when he noted that the clubhouse is “full of guys that are playing their hearts out,” via Jeff Fletcher from the Los Angeles Register.

That they are, and with the bullpen and offense firing on all cylinders, it is going to take a dramatic turn of events to prevent them from playing very well this postseason. And for all of the setbacks, general manager Jerry Dipoto has his club exactly where it wants to be heading into the playoffs—on a roll.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

Current Status: 85-64; 3.0-game division lead

Predicted Regular-Season Result: NL West champions; second-best record in NL

Predicted NLDS Matchup: Dodgers vs. Cardinals

Projected Lineup

1. Dee Gordon, 2B

2 Hanley Ramirez, SS

3. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B

4. Matt Kemp, RF

5. Carl Crawford, LF

6. Yasiel Puig, CF

7. Juan Uribe, 3B

8. A.J. Ellis, C

Projected Bench

Drew Butera, C

Justin Turner, IF

Miguel Rojas, IF

Scott Van Slyke, OF

Joc Pederson, OF

Projected Starting Rotation

1. Clayton Kershaw, LHP

2. Zack Greinke, RHP

3. Hyun-Jin Ryu, LHP

4. Dan Haren, RHP

Projected Bullpen

CL Kenley Jansen, RHP

SU J.P Howell, LHP

SU Brandon League, RHP

MID Jamey Wright, RHP

MID Brian Wilson, RHP

MID Paco Rodriguez, LHP

MID Chris Perez, RHP

LR Carlos Frias, RHP

Starting Lineup

The Los Angeles Dodgers have one of the deepest lineups in the game.

Look no further for proof than the fact that, with the exception of Andre Ethier and A.J. Ellis, every single player with at least 200 plate appearances has an OPS of at least .700. Each and every one of them.

Of special interest is Yasiel Puig. See, he was moved down in the batting order last week after going through a rough patch, but he's since been moved back up to the two-hole. If he is on point toward the top of the batting order, the opposition is in trouble.

Bench

You may have noticed that Andre Ethier is not on the postseason roster, but Joc Pederson is. Well, that’s because with the way Matt Kemp, Carl Crawford, Yasiel Puig and Scott Van Slyke have been playing recently, Pederson’s inclusion as a defensive replacement makes the most sense for manager Don Mattingly.

Another thing that will be interesting to watch unfold is how Mattingly uses Justin Turner (.326/.393/.449). He is having a very nice season at the plate. All things being equal, he should probably get the nod over Juan Uribe.

Starting Rotation

When Clayton Kershaw (18-3, 1.67 ERA), Zack Greinke (15-8, 2.64 ERA) and Hyun-Jin Ryu (14-7, 3.38 ERA) are your top three starters, you’re in pretty good shape. And if that is the way things unfold, the National League is in trouble.

Unfortunately, Ryu left Friday’s game with shoulder irritation in his pitching arm, and if he isn’t ready to go, the unit becomes considerably weaker. Not that his likely replacement, Carlos Frias, is a poor pitcher. Ryu is just that good.

Bullpen

If there is a weakness on the roster, it is the bullpen. See, after Kenley Jansen and J.P. Howell, there isn't a reliever with more than 15 appearances who has an FIP below 3.00 or a WHIP south of 1.300. That is not the collection of arms you want to head into October with.

One guy who could help the cause is Paco Rodriguez. He was recently activated after missing well over a month and is a solid left-hander. Rodriguez has all the talent in the world, but if he doesn’t pitch well, he could be left off the postseason roster, much like he was in 2013 after yielding a .308/.438/.731 slash line against last September, per splits at Baseball-Reference.com.

Overview        

The Dodgers appear poised to ride their lineup and starting rotation all of the way to the NLCS. They are that good—at the moment.

If the relief corps doesn’t step up and Ryu isn’t healthy, however, club’s chances in the postseason will look considerably different.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Matt Slocum/Associated Press

Current Status: 79-70; 3.5 games back in division

Predicted Regular-Season Result: NL Wild Card

Projected Lineup

1. Josh Harrison, 3B

2. Starlin Marte, LF

3. Andrew McCutchen, CF

4. Neil Walker, 2B

5. Russell Martin, C

6. Ike Davis, 1B

7. Gregory Polanco, RF (vs. RHP)

8. Jordy Mercer, SS

Projected Bench

Chris Stewart, C

Gaby Sanchez, 1B

Clint Barnes, IF

Jose Tabata, OF (vs. LHP)

Travis Snider, OF/PH

Projected Starting Rotation

1. Francisco Liriano, LHP

2. Gerrit Cole, RHP

3. Edinson Volquez, RHP

4. Vance Worley, RHP

Projected Bullpen

CL Mark Melancon, RHP

SU Tony Watson, LHP

SU Jeanmar Gomez, RHP

MID Justin Wilson, LHP

MID Jared Hughes, RHP

MID John Axford, RHP

MID John Holdzkom, RHP

LR Jeff Locke, LHP

Starting Lineup

The top of any batting order won’t get much better than Josh Harrison, Starlin Marte and Andrew McCutchen. Each of them has an OPS over .800 and a wealth of speed.

The Pittsburgh Pirates lineup is more than those three, however.

Neil Walker and Jordy Mercer form one of the best middle-infield tandems in MLB, and Russell Martin is not only a fine defensive backstop, but also one of the best hitting catchers in the National League.

All told, the Pirates rank in the top three in runs (628), hits (1,314), batting average (.259), OPS (.733) and total bases (2,037). There has been no containing them all season.

Bench

Manager Clint Hurdle has one of the deepest benches of any contending team.

Between Jose Tabata, Travis Snider and Gaby Sanchez, he has incredible flexibility late in games. Expect him to set his lineup based on pitching matchups and then make adjustments as the game wears on using his bench’s depth to his advantage.

Starting Rotation

Just looking at raw data, it would be easy to overlook how productive Hurdle’s rotation is.

On one hand, not one starter has an ERA below 3.00 or a WHIP south of 1.200. On the other, three of them—Vance Worley, Gerrit Cole and Francisco Liriano—have mid-3.00 FIPs and do a fine job of keeping the ball on the ground.

Liriano, in particular, has been lights-out lately, pitching to a 0.67 ERA with a .172 batting average against in 27.0 innings over his last four starts, per game logs at Baseball-Reference.com. If he can continue producing at such a high level, the unit will be in fine shape.

Bullpen

Two late-season arrivals figure prominently in the bullpen for the Pirates.

First is John Axford. Acquired from the Cleveland Indians in an August waiver trade, he has been excellent. In 10 outings, he has a 2.08 ERA, 2.20 FIP and is averaging 10.4 strikeouts every nine innings.

The other guy worth mentioning here is John Holdzkom. He has been almost unhittable since getting called up from Triple-A Indianapolis, posting a 0.00 ERA and a 0.400 WHIP in five appearances.

They join closer Mark Melancon and setup men Tony Watson and Jared Hughes as the guys who will be counted upon to get the big outs. Justin Wilson is another guy to watch, if only to see if he can get the ball over the plate.

Overview       

Much like the way the Kansas City Royals rely on their pitching staff, the Pirates rely on their offense. And if McCutchen and Co. can continue setting the tone, they will be able to make some noise, perhaps advancing to the NLCS. If not, Hurdle’s club will find it hard to stay competitive against the San Francisco Giants.

San Francisco Giants

Jeff Chiu/Associated Press

Current Status: 82-67; 3.0 games back in division

Predicted Regular-Season Result: NL Wild Card

Predicted NLDS Matchup: Giants vs. Nationals

Projected Lineup

1. Angel Pagan, CF

2. Joe Panik, 2B

3. Buster Posey, C

4. Pablo Sandoval, 3B

5. Hunter Pence, RF

6. Gregor Blanco, LF

7. Travis Ishikawa, 1B

8. Brandon Crawford, SS

Projected Bench

Andrew Susac, C

Brandon Belt, IF

Joaquin Arias, IF

Juan Perez, OF

Mike Morse, OF/1B

Projected Starting Rotation

1. Madison Bumgarner, RHP

2. Tim Hudson, RHP

3. Ryan Vogelsong, RHP

4. Jake Peavy, RHP

Projected Bullpen

CL Santiago Casilla, RHP

SU Jean Machi, RHP

SU Javier Lopez, LHP

MID Jeremy Affeldt, LHP

MID Yusmeiro Petit, RHP

MID Sergio Romo, RHP

MID J.C. Gutierrez, RHP

LR Tim Lincecum, RHP

Starting Lineup

Per FanGraphs, Buster Posey has a .488/.511/.756 slash line with 12 RBI in September. In that same stretch, Gregor Blanco is slashing out at .385/.455/.590 and Brandon Crawford has driven in nine and has a 193 wRC+. There are others, like Pablo Sandoval, who are also playing at a high level.

Needless to say, the lineup is turning things on as the San Francisco Giants try to close the gap on the Los Angeles Dodgers. Even if they don’t catch the NL West leaders, however, this club is primed for a run to the NLCS.

Bench

With Mike Morse and Joaquin Arias on the bench, manager Bruce Bochy has some flexibility late in games. Morse has cooled off after an incredible start, but he still has a ton of power from the right side of the plate. Meanwhile, Arias has a .391/.440/.435 slash line in September, per those splits pulled from FanGraphs.

And let’s not forget that Brandon Belt and Juan Perez are capable defenders should Bochy need to do a double switch. All told, the Giants have multiple options off the bench.

Regarding Morse and Belt, Henry Schulman from the San Francisco Chronicle noted that each is on the doorstep of returning.

Starting Rotation

Led by Madison Bumgarner (18-9, 2.91 ERA) and Tim Hudson (9-11, 3.41 ERA), the rotation has a 3.70 ERA and a .252 batting average against. To be sure, those numbers aren’t dominant by any stretch, but they are certainly enough to sustain an extended run.

And Jake Peavy, who was acquired in advance of the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, is pitching very well as of late. Per game logs at Baseball-Reference.com, he is 5-1 over his last six starts with a 1.12 ERA and a .232 batting average against. He has provided a huge lift for the franchise.

Bullpen

The bullpen isn’t as dominant as it was when the Giants won the World Series in 2012, but they are still capable with Santiago Casilla and Jean Machi leading the way. Throw in a healthy dose of Jeremy Affeldt, Javier Lopez and Yusmeiro Petit, and all of the talent needed to succeed is already on the roster.

And in case you were wondering, Tim Lincecum is going to be in the bullpen when the postseason begins, according to Bruce Jenkins from the San Francisco Chronicle.

“The man has accomplished far too much when it matters,” Jenkins wrote, “and everyone in the clubhouse knows it.”

Overview

All told, the Giants are in fine shape.

The lineup is in rare form, the rotation has three starters that can lock an opponent down and the bullpen is well-balanced. If the Giants can make it past the Wild Card Round, they have a legitimate shot of playing for the right to participate in the World Series.

Seattle Mariners

Ted S. Warren/Associated Press

Current Status: 80-68; 12.5 games behind division leader

Predicted Regular-Season Result: AL Wild Card

Predicted ALDS Matchup: Mariners vs. Angels

Projected Lineup

1. Austin Jackson, CF

2. Dustin Ackley, LF

3. Robinson Can, 2B

4. Kendrys Morales, DH

5. Kyle Seager, 3B

6. Michael Saunders, RF

7. Mike Zunino, C

8. Logan Morrison, 1B

9. Brad Miller, SS

Projected Bench

Jesus Sucre, C

Justin Smoak, IF

Chris Taylor, IF

Chris Denorfia, OF

James Jones, OF

Projected Starting Rotation

1. Felix Hernandez, RHP

2. Hisashi Iwakuma, RHP

3. James Paxton, LHP

4. Chris Young, RHP

Projected Bullpen

CL Fernando Rodney, RHP

SU Charlie Furbush, LHP

SU Tom Wilhelmsen, RHP

MID Danny Farquhar, RHP

MID Dominic Leone, RHP

MID Joe Beimel, LHP

LR Roenis Elias, RHP

Starting Lineup

The Seattle Mariners have five guys—Brad Miller, Kyle Seager, Robinson Cano, Logan Morrison and James Jones—who have a wRC+ over 130 in the month of September, per FanGraphs. Simply put, the Mariners lineup has been on a tear recently.

To be sure, there are weaknesses. Center fielder Austin Jackson has a .180/.196/.200 slash line this month, and catcher Mike Zunino has scored one run over his last 10 games, but they are outliers. The fact is that the offense is hitting the ball as a unit better than it has all season.

Bench

Infielder Chris Taylor and outfielder Chris Denorfia have struggled recently, but they still provide nice depth for their respective position groups. And having a guy like Justin Smoak available off the bench will help as manager Lloyd McClendon tries to outmaneuver the other dugout.

Starting Rotation

This is not an overstatement: Felix Hernandez is the best right-hander in baseball. Look no further for proof than his 14-5 record, 2.14 ERA, 2.58 FIP, 0.918 WHIP and 225 strikeouts.

Hisashi Iwakuma is also having a great season, posting a 14-7 record with a 3.11 ERA and a 1.012 WHIP over the course of 25 starts.

With the stellar efforts of James Paxton, who is 6-2 with a 1.83 ERA and a 1.085 WHIP in 10 starts, the Mariners have three pitchers who are capable of taking over any game they start. Throw Chris Young into the equation, and the Mariners have a very deep rotation.

This is the one group that cannot underperform in the postseason. If rotation falters, the club is in real trouble.

Bullpen

McClendon’s bullpen is so dominant that someone who is having a fine season had to be left off the postseason roster, and Yoervis Medina (4-3, 2.34 ERA, 1.240 WHIP) is the guy.

For as well as he has pitched, however, that’s what happens when names like Fernando Rodney, Dominic Leone, Tom Wilhelmsen, Joe Beimel and Danny Farquhar are available. On the season, the unit leads MLB with a 2.40 ERA and a .216 batting average against, per ESPN.com.

Overview

The Mariners are another club that is heading into the postseason with some momentum. Each unit is contributing, and the team is playing fantastic baseball right now. The Wild Card Round awaits, but with Hernandez likely to get the call, getting a victory and advancing to the ALDS shouldn’t be an issue.

St. Louis Cardinals

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

Current Status: 83-67; 3.5-game lead in division

Predicted Regular-Season Result: NL Central Champions, third-best record in NL

Predicted NLDS Matchup: Cardinals vs. Dodgers

Projected Lineup

1. Matt Carpenter, 3B

2. Jon Jay, CF

3. Matt Holliday, LF

4. Matt Adams, 1B

5. Jhonny Peralta, SS

6. Yadier Molina, C

7. Oscar Taveras, RF

8. Kolten Wong, 2B

Projected Bench

A.J. Pierzynski, C

Mark Ellis, IF

Daniel Descalso, UT

Peter Bourjos, OF

Randal Grichuk, OF

Projected Starting Rotation

1. Adam Wainwright, RHP

2. Lance Lynn, RHP

3. John Lackey, RHP

4. Michael Wacha, RHP

Projected Bullpen

CL Trevor Rosenthal, RHP

SU Pat Neshek, RHP

SU Carlos Martinez, RHP

MID Seth Maness, RHP

MID Randy Choate, LHP

MID Sam Freeman, LHP

MID Tyler Lyons, LHP

LR Shelby Miller, RHP

Starting Lineup

Overall, the St. Louis Cardinals lead the NL in strikeouts and are ninth with 574 runs scored. That doesn’t tell the whole story heading into the playoffs.

Matt Holliday is slashing out at .302/.400/.465 in September, per FanGraphs. Center fielder Peter Bourjos is also hitting the ball well, putting up a .375/.423/.500 slash line this month, while Jon Jay has a .457 on-base percentage in his last 11 games.

The Cardinals seem to be ramping up offensively at the right time.

Bench

Manager Mike Matheny has some options. He could substitute Bourjos or Randal Grichuk into the starting lineup at any time given how well they have been performing recently. He could also hold on to each in advance of a high-leverage situation late in the game.

One player to keep an eye on is A.J. Pierzynski. He will need to get some playing time down the stretch in order to get him ready to contribute should he be called upon in October.

Starting Rotation

With Adam Wainwright leading the way, the rotation is easily the strength of the ballclub. In 30 starts heading into action Sunday, Waino has a 2.56 ERA, 2.95 FIP and a 1.047 WHIP. He’s been fantastic.

Right behind him are Michael Wacha and Lance Lynn. Wacha has only started 17 games, but he is pitching to a 3.14 ERA and is striking out 8.2 batters every nine innings.

Meanwhile, Lynn is 15-9 with a 2.73 ERA and a 3.15 FIP. And if John Lackey can find a way to come through with a couple of quality starts in the postseason, the Cardinals are in great shape.

Bullpen

The bullpen figures to be the group that will decide how well the Cardinals fare in the playoffs.

If Carlos Martinez, Pat Neshek, Trevor Rosenthal and Seth Maness can control each of their outings, the results will be great. If, however, they can’t find the strike zone—which has been a problem all season for the bullpen—the time the Cardinals spend in the postseason could be cut short.

Overview

It has been a nice run for the Cardinals, coming back in the NL Central to overtake the Milwaukee Brewers. It will be on the pitching staff to ensure that the team can make it past the NLDS.

True, the offense has been playing better, but the Cardinals aren’t built to get into a slugfest with the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are built to keep games close and win late.

Washington Nationals

Nick Wass/Associated Press

Current Status: 85-63; 10.5-game lead in division

Predicted Regular-Season Result: NL East Champions, best record in NL

Predicted NLDS Matchup: Nationals vs. Giants

Projected Lineup

1. Denard Span, CF

2. Anthony Rendon, 3B

3. Jayson Werth, RF

4. Adam LaRoche, 1B

5. Ian Desmond, SS

6. Bryce Harper, LF

7. Asdrubal Cabrera, 2B

8. Wilson Ramos, C

Projected Bench

Jose Lobaton, C

Danny Espinosa, IF

Kevin Frandsen, IF

Ryan Zimmerman, UT

Nate Schierholtz, OF

Michael Taylor, OF

Projected Starting Rotation

1. Stephen Strasburg, RHP

2. Jordan Zimmermann, RHP

3. Gio Gonzalez, LHP

4. Doug Fister, RHP

Projected Bullpen

CL Drew Storen, RHP

SU Matt Thornton, LHP

SU Tyler Clippard, RHP

MID Rafael Soriano, RHP

MID Aaron Barrett, RHP

MID Blake Treinen, RHP

LR Tanner Roark, RHP

Starting Lineup

With Adam LaRoche, Anthony Rendon and Jayson Werth leading the way, the Washington Nationals have one of the best lineups in the NL. They are second in runs scored (633), third in home runs (142) and fifth in both on-base percentage (.320) and on-base plus slugging (.714).

Frankly, with the addition of Asdrubal Cabrera, there isn’t a position that has below-average splits. And if Bryce Harper can find a way to pull it all together in October, there is nothing holding the Nationals back.

Bench

With the lineup as productive as it is, the bench will be used sparingly. That said, there is good speed and some relatively decent situational hitters who can be inserted into the game in high-leverage situation.

It must be noted that Ryan Zimmerman is still on the disabled list, but he could be ready to go for the postseason and has a rehab plan in place, per The Washington Post's James Wagner. Zimmerman would be a huge boost psychologically for the club. Oh, and he’s a darn good player too.

Starting Rotation

There are so many positive things going on in the Nationals rotation.

Between Jordan Zimmermann (11-5, 2.93 ERA) and Stephen Strasburg (11-11, 3.46 ERA), the rotation has balance and is full of pitchers capable of taking every game into the seventh inning. Gio Gonzalez gets the nod over Tanner Roark because he has better peripherals in the month of September, per FanGraphs.

And let’s not overlook Doug Fister, who is pitching to a 2.29 ERA over his last eight starts, per Baseball-Reference.com. If he pitches to his capabilities, the Nationals could have a clear path to the NLCS.

Bullpen

MASNSports.com’s David Huzzard has some interesting thoughts on the bullpen situation.

"

With how Jerry Blevins has pitched recently, it is hard to see him making the postseason roster. The same can be said of Rafael Soriano, and even though Ross Detwiler has looked good in recent outings, they have been few and far between, with manager Matt Williams seemingly avoiding him at all costs.

"

While his observations on Blevins and Detwiler are on point, it is hard to see Williams keeping Soriano off the postseason roster.

Regardless of what happens with Soriano, Drew Storen, Tyler Clippard and Matt Thornton are more than capable of locking down the late innings on their own. With the starting rotation eating so many innings this season, the bullpen will be well-rested going into the playoffs.

Overview                       

The Nationals are a complete club. The only thing that will stop them from advancing to the NLCS is a breakdown on multiple levels.

Expect Williams to define each player’s role early on so that when the postseason starts, everyone knows exactly what he is responsible for. That is especially important if Zimmerman is back by then.

Unless otherwise noted, all traditional, team and historical statistics are courtesy of Baseball-Reference and are accurate as of game time Sunday, Sept. 14. Standings are accurate as of game time Monday, Sept. 15. Transaction, injury and game information are courtesy of MLB.com. 

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