MLB Playoffs 2020: Updated Odds, Predictions for AL, NL Wild Card Series

Wednesday will be the most unique day in Major League Baseball playoff history.

Eight wild-card series will take place in staggered starts over a 10-hour span. 

The schedule could be replicated Thursday, but that is dependent on the four AL teams down one game in their respective series winning. 

Three of the four road teams in the AL will be looking to secure spots in the California postseason bubble, while the Tampa Bay Rays will attempt that feat on home soil. 

The NL schedule starts and ends with two of the league's top World Series contenders. The Los Angeles Dodgers are expected to have an easier time with the Milwaukee Brewers than the Atlanta Braves will with the Cincinnati Reds. 

Due to the unique nature of the schedule, the Dodgers could take the diamond for the first time with a few teams already locked into the AL divisional series.

Wednesday MLB Wild-Card Schedule

All Times ET; Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Game 1: Cincinnati (+120) at Atlanta (-138) (12:08 p.m., ESPN)

Game 2: Houston at Minnesota (1:08 p.m., ESPN2)

Game 1: Miami (+140) at Chicago Cubs (-165) (2:08 p.m., ABC)

Game 2: Chicago White Sox (+112) at Oakland (-134) (3:10 p.m., ESPN)

Game 2: Toronto (+123) at Tampa Bay (-143) (4:07 p.m., TBS)

Game 1: St. Louis (+145) at San Diego (-167) (5:08 p.m., ESPN2)

Game 2: New York Yankees (-132) at Cleveland (+114) (7:08 p.m., ESPN)

Game 1: Milwaukee (+210) at Los Angeles Dodgers (-250) (10:08 p.m., ESPN)

Predictions

Milwaukee at Los Angeles Dodgers (-250; bet $250 to win $100) and Team Runs (Over 4.5)

Ashley Landis/Associated Press

The Dodgers are the only favorites with a money line value over -200.

Although they provide the cheapest payout of the lot, the Dodgers could also be the safest pick on the eight-game slate. 

The Dodgers produced the best record in the majors and finished the regular season with just four losses after September 8.

Dave Roberts' team had the best power bats by far with 118 home runs. Atlanta was second with 103 long balls. 

The top seed in the NL tied with the Braves for the highest slugging percentage at .483 and ranked second in team OPS at .821. 

The Dodgers also produced the best team ERA at 3.02, which was 0.27 better than Cleveland in second. They also conceded the fewest earned runs and walks. 

Since the NL West champion was dominant in so many aspects of the game, it is expected to take care of the Brewers in two games. 

If you are looking for better value on the Dodgers, their team over-under of 4.5 runs carries a line of -117. 

In Walker Buehler's seven regular-season starts, the Dodgers averaged 5.6 runs per game, with 10 coming against Arizona in his last outing September 8. 

Even if Buehler goes four or five innings, the Dodgers have the depth in their pitching staff to keep Milwaukee's bats silent. 

All of the Dodgers' top relievers recorded an ERA under 4.00. Kenley Jansen, Jake McGee and Blake Treinen were among the hurlers with over 20 strikeouts. 

If the Dodgers continue to do what they did in the regular season, they should be able to handle whatever Milwaukee throws at them.

New York Yankees (-137) at Cleveland and Over 8

David Dermer/Associated Press

The Yankees bats erupted for 12 runs in Game 1 against Cleveland, and it could be a sign of things to come this postseason. 

Eight of the nine New York starters recorded a hit off Shane Bieber and the Indians relievers. Aaron Hicks did not have a base hit, but he walked twice and scored two runs. 

The bottom three batters in the Yankees order recorded the same number of hits as the entire Cleveland lineup. 

Gleyber Torres, Brett Gardner and Kyle Higashioka combined to go 8-for-14 with six RBI and five runs. 

New York's key across the entire order is to get to Carlos Carrasco early in counts, like it did with Bieber. 

In Game 1, DJ LeMahieu and Aaron Judge recorded a single and home run in the first four pitches. 

Seven of the scoring plays happened with three or fewer pitches in the at-bat, including three of the four home runs. 

If the Yankees remain dialed in on the first few pitches against Carrasco, they could achieve a similar level of success and record a high total of runs. 

Cleveland could contribute to the over if the top of its order responds better to Masahiro Tanaka than it did to Gerrit Cole. 

If the batters at the top of the order get on base, Josh Naylor may be the key for the Indians after he went 4-for-4 at the dish Tuesday.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from MLB.com and Baseball Reference.