MLB PLAYOFF UPDATES: WHO'S HOT, WHO'S NOT?

 MLB PLAYOFF UPDATES: WHO'S HOT, WHO'S NOT?

    The MLB playoffs are through the first round, and it has certainly been living up to the standards. The Blue Jays, Rays, Cardinals, and Mets all fell short, with the Mariners, Guardians, Phillies and Padres moving on. Interestingly enough, only the Mets-Padres series went the full three games, and that third game was filled with drama and excitement. Now let's take a look at the Division Series to see how they stack up.

    ALDS (Astros 1, Mariners 0) - The Astros pulled off an impressive comeback victory against the Mariners to open the series at home, capped by a walk-off three-run-shot by Yordan Alvarez. The Mariners tagged projected Cy Young winner Justin Verlander for six runs in four innings, but the bullpen for the Astros picked up the slack, only allowing one run in five innings. The Mariners' bullpen was a shell of its regular-season dominant self, allowing five runs in four innings, including the three in the ninth. Looking forward, the Astros have the momentum in all aspects of the game. Should they win this evening, a 2-0 series lead heading into a two-game home stretch for the Mariners will be hard to overcome.  Game 3 - Saturday, 4:05pm EST on TBS

    ALDS (Yankees 1, Guardians 0) - Gerritt Cole shined in his postseason debut at Yankee Stadium, allowing one run over 6.1 innings, and eight strikeouts. The Yankees were able to get four runs off of Guardians starter Cal Quantrill over five innings, backed by two solo shots by Harrison Bader and Anthony Rizzo. Game 2 is scheduled for Friday, with Shane Bieber going for the Guardians and Nestor Cortes going for the Yanks. Shane Bieber was incredibly dominant in the Wild Card round against the Rays, so if he can find his locations early, he will help propel the Guardians to even the series. This Guardians team has almost no playoff experience, so look for them to bounce back easily heading into two games at home backed by a pretty rowdy Cleveland crowd. Game 2 - Friday, 1:07pm EST on TBS

    NLDS (Phillies 1, Braves 1) - Braves pitching shined against the Phillies on Wednesday, only allowing three hits and one walk, while striking out eight. The reigning champs were simply outplayed in game one, with a uncharacteristic bad start from Max Fried. Bouncing back from a crushing loss is certainly the mark of a championship-caliber team, which the Braves appear to be for the second year in a row. The series heads to Philadelphia for two games, started off by the Phil's dominant starter Aaron Nola. The Braves have yet to announce theirs, but the projected starter is rookie sensation Spencer Strider. This will almost certainly be a pitchers duel, with an extreme lack of offense. If the Braves take Game Three, a guaranteed Game 5 in Atlanta should they lose Game 4 is something to look forward to. Game 3 - 4:37pm EST on FS1

    NLDS (Padres 1, Dodgers 1) - This series has been everything we've dreamed of as baseball fans. A back-and-forth battle between these NL West rivals makes it feel like this series is still absolutely up for grabs. The Padres bullpen has been lights-out dating back to the Mets series, with over 30 consecutive scoreless innings, which is made all the more impressive considering the offenses they've faced. The Dodgers bullpen has been just as dominant, with only two runs allowed in this series so far. The series heads to San Diego for a pair of games on Friday and Saturday, with Tony Gonsolin and Tyler Anderson going for the Dodgers, and Blake Snell and Joe Musgrove going for the Padres. The Padres have the momentum on their side after a 5-3 nail biter win on Wednesday, riding a few unsuspecting hot bats in Jurickson Profar and Trent Grisham. I think the winner of this series will be determined on Friday. If the Padres can win two in a row against a team that has dominated them all season, a chance to clinch in front of the home crowd led by hometown hero Joe Musgrove, that will be all they need. Game 3 - 8:37pm EST on FS1