MLB Playoffs 2020: Updated Championship Series, Bracket, Schedule, Predictions

The Atlanta Braves and Tampa Bay Rays have chances to close out their respective League Championship Series on Friday.

Game 5 of the NLCS presents Atlanta with its first opportunity to claim a berth in the World Series, while Tampa Bay is on its third chance to do so. 

The Houston Astros fended off elimination in ALCS Games 4 and 5, but to finish off the improbable comeback, they must beat two of Tampa Bay's top pitchers, Blake Snell and Charlie Morton.

Atlanta will not go back to its top arms until Game 6, which is a strategy employed by the other three LCS participants. 

Although the NL East champion would prefer to have Max Fried or Ian Anderson back on the hill, it may not worry too much about who is on the mound since it has received standout showings from all parts of its roster. 

MLB Playoff Brackets

ALCS: Tampa Bay leads Houston, 3-2.

NLCS: Atlanta leads Los Angeles Dodgers, 3-1.

LCS Schedule

Friday, October 16

ALCS Game 6: Houston vs. Tampa Bay (6:07 p.m. ET, TBS)

NLCS Game 5: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta (9:08 p.m., FS1)

Saturday, October 17

NLCS Game 6 (if necessary): Atlanta vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (4:38 p.m. ET, FS1)

ALCS Game 7 (if necessary): Houston vs. Tampa Bay (8:37 p.m. ET, TBS)

Sunday, October 18

NLCS Game 7 (if necessary): Atlanta vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (8:15 p.m. ET, Fox)

Predictions

Tampa Bay over Houston in 6

Jae C. Hong/Associated Press

Tampa Bay has to win one of its next two games to land its second World Series berth in franchise history after its appearance in 2008. 

Snell and Morton held the Astros to a single earned run in 10 innings. Houston managed three runs against Tampa in Games 1 and 2. 

If Snell performs well on full rest in Game 6, the Rays could save Morton and throw the two of them along with Tyler Glasnow in the first three games of the World Series. The southpaw has a 2-1 playoff record and conceded a single earned run in both of his victorious starts. 

Tampa Bay earned its last four postseason wins by scoring five runs or fewer, so it may only need to get to Framber Valdez once or twice. The Rays are comfortable with following that formula to win since it took 10 of its September victories by scoring five runs or fewer. 

If Snell remains on top of the Houston order and the Rays eke out a few runs against Valdez or an Astros bullpen that used seven hurlers in Game 5, the ALCS could end Friday. 

Atlanta over Los Angeles Dodgers in 5

Atlanta proved in Game 4 that it can overcome a crushing defeat. 

The Braves posted 10 runs one day after allowing 15 to the Dodgers in the first three innings. 

In the last 15 innings, the Dodgers scored two runs, which is one more than the total gained in the opening 15 frames of the series. 

If the Los Angeles bats can't wake up again in Game 5, the NL's No. 1 seed could be on the way out of the playoff bubble. 

The Braves silenced Mookie Betts, who is 2-of-14 in the NLCS, and contained the threats of Max Muncy and Will Smith, who are a combined 5-of-28. 

If the Atlanta pitching staff can keep the Dodgers at bay Friday, it can allow Fried and Anderson to get a few more days of rest before the World Series, where there are two days off built into the schedule. 

Atlanta's top hitters have been more consistent than Los Angeles' top bats. Ozzie Albies, Freddie Freeman and Marcell Ozuna have combined for 20 hits, and seven other players have multiple base knocks. 

If Atlanta remains hot at the dish, it could cause starter Dustin May some trouble and force the Dodgers to exhaust their bullpen in an attempt to stay alive in the series. 

However, May is the only Los Angeles pitcher who threw more than an inning in the NLCS that has not given up a run in four games.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference.