MLB Playoffs 2020: Updated Schedule, Top Highlights and Stats

The 2020 MLB season's unique 16-team playoffs has reached a familiar stage with the American and National League Championship Series.

And one of the remaining clubs is not like the others.

Although it's the fourth straight ALCS trip for the Houston Astros, they finished the regular season with a 29-31 record. Houston had the worst winning percentage of any team in the playoffs. Yet the Astros have a chance to reach the World Series if they can upset the Tampa Bay Rays in San Diego, California.

Conversely, the National League is set for a showdown between its two best teams—the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves. They'll square off in Arlington, Texas.

The NLCS will begin Monday, and Tampa opened the ALCS with a 2-1 victory Sunday night.

2020 MLB Playoffs Schedule

ALCS: Astros vs. Rays (TB leads series 1-0)

Game 1: Rays 2, Astros 1

Game 2: Monday, Oct. 12; 4:07 p.m. ET (TBS)

Game 3: Tuesday, Oct. 13; time TBD (TBS)

Game 4: Wednesday, Oct. 14, time TBD (TBS)

Game 5*: Thursday, Oct. 15; time TBD (TBS)

Game 6*: Friday, Oct. 16; time TBD (TBS)

Game 7*: Saturday, Oct. 17; time TBD (TBS)

NLCS: Braves vs. Dodgers

Game 1: Monday, Oct. 12; 8:08 p.m. ET (Fox)

Game 2: Tuesday, Oct. 13; time TBD (FS1)

Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 14, time and TV TBD

Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 15; time and TV TBD

Game 5*: Friday, Oct. 16; time and TV TBD

Game 6*: Saturday, Oct. 17; time and TV TBD

Game 7*: Sunday, Oct. 18; time and TV TBD

* - if necessary

Top Highlights, Stats

Given the small 60-game sample, all regular-season statistics demand an asterisk. Nevertheless, Astros shortstop Carlos Correa posted a career-worst .383 slugging percentage. His resurgence in the postseason has keyed Houston's rise.

Through the ALDS, Correa slashed .500/.625/1.100 with four homers and 12 RBIs. He drove in five runs during the ALDS-clinching win over the Oakland A's.

Houston is also hoping the bullpen can sustain its improvements. The relief corps is one of the Astros' biggest concerns but has allowed only seven earned runs in 27.2 postseason innings.

In a seven-game series with no days off, however, that recent strength will be tested.

Granted, the Rays might be better prepared in that discussion anyway. Tampa ended the season with an MLB-high 3.6 WAR from its relievers, according to FanGraphs. Left-hander Jose Alvarado is set to return in the ALCS after a long absence too.

On the offensive side, Tampa has a lineup full of power hitters that strike out often. So far in the playoffs, the Rays have belted 15 homers but whiffed 82 times—an average of 10.3 per game.

Nevertheless, the long ball sealed the Rays' place in the ALCS; Mike Brousseau launched a game-winning homer on Aroldis Chapman and the New York Yankees in Game 5 of the division series.

Speaking of mashers, welcome to the NLCS.

During the regular season, the Dodgers and Braves ranked first and second, respectively, with 118 and 103 homers. Both offenses had five players with 10-plus homers. For good measure, Atlanta led the MLB in total bases ahead of Los Angeles.

Atlanta catcher Travis d'Arnaud is currently the hottest hitter in the league. He smacked two doubles and two homers—including a pivotal three-run shot in Game 1—during a sweep of the Miami Marlins.

So far in the playoffs, though, pitching and defense is a bigger story.

Recent numbers favor Atlanta, but overall season performance leans toward Los Angeles. The rotation includes Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler and young stars Julio Urias and Dustin May. Buehler is slated to start the opening game.

It also helps to have Cody Bellinger robbing home runs, which he did against the San Diego Padres.

Los Angeles has allowed just 12 runs while notching a 5-0 record. Yet that tremendous effort is well behind the Braves, who have suddenly become a lockdown staff.

They've posted four shutouts in five games—all wins—yielding five total runs. Max Fried has pitched like an ace throughout 2020, but rookie Ian Anderson and Kyle Wright have provided a much-needed boost to an injury-plagued rotation.

If they continue pitching well to complement an incredibly deep bullpen, the Braves can dethrone the NL favorites. They'll counter Buehler with Fried in Game 1.

Granted, one major issue for Atlanta is not having a fourth reliable starter. Game 4 may be a bullpen day or a chance for unproven Bryse Wilson, so the Braves need to avoid short outings from two of Fried, Anderson and Wright early on.

Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR