MLB Playoffs Open Thread: Dodgers at Nationals, Indians at Red Sox, Rangers at Blue Jays

Los Angeles Dodgers at Washington Nationals (Dodgers leads 1-0)

Time/Place: 1 p.m. ET, Nationals Park
TV: FS1
Pitching Matchup: LHP Rich Hill (2.12 ERA, 0.997 WHIP, 110.1 IP in 20 GS with Dodgers and Athletics) vs RHP Tanner Roark (2.83 ERA, 1.171 WHIP, 210 IP in 33 GS)

Outlook

Oh yes, Rich Hill. The first half phenom that nearly every contending team clamored to acquire at the trade deadline. Somehow, he's been even better in Los Angeles than he was in Oakland. Perhaps the league switch did him good. Since the trade, he has an ERA of 1.83 and a WHIP of 0.79. In fact, nearly every statistic has improved except HR/9 (up to 0.5 from 0.2) and K/9 (down from 10.7 to 10.2).

Hitters to fear are Wilson Ramos, Daniel Murphy, and Jayson Werth (combined .327 BA, 24 HR vs lefties this season) from Washington and Corey Seager (.308 BA, 26 HR this season) and Adrian Gonzalez (.285 BA, 18 HR, 90 RBI this season) from Los Angeles

Prediction

Roark outlasts Hill for the W in a pretty good pitcher's duel.

(Yes, I reused the preview from yesterday. Don’t judge.)

Cleveland Indians at Boston Red Sox (Indians lead 2-0)

Time/Place: 4 p.m. ET, Fenway Park
TV: TBS
Pitching Matchup: RHP Josh Tomlin (4.40 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 174 IP in 30 G, 29 GS) vs RHP Clay Buchholz (4.78 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 139.1 IP in 37 G, 21 GS)

Outlook

Two semi-decent pitchers are going at it, and just like always, whoever pitches better will likely emerge victorious. Hitters to fear are Jackie Bradley Jr. (3 for 7, 1 HR career vs Tomlin) and Dustin Pedroia (.294 BA in 17 AB career vs Tomlin) from Boston and Jason Kipnis and Carlos Santana (8 for 16, 2 HR, 8 RBI combined career vs Buchholz) from Cleveland.

Prediction

I really want Buchholz to do well and pull off a win for the Red Sox, but that will depend on his offense. He’ll need run support to win this game. Let’s see what happens.

Texas Rangers at Toronto Blue Jays (Blue Jays lead 2-0)

Time/Place: 7:30 p.m. ET, Rogers Centre
TV: TBS
Pitching Matchup: RHP Colby Lewis (3.71 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 116.1 IP in 19 GS) vs RHP Aaron Sanchez (3.00 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 192 IP in 30 GS)

Outlook

Apparently Colby Lewis’ nickname is “Cobra.” In order for him to live up to that nickname, he’ll have to beat Aaron Sanchez, who didn’t allow an earned run in the 2015 postseason in 7.1 innings as a reliever. Hitters to fear are Michael Saunders (.364 BA, 2 HR in 22 AB career vs Lewis) and Justin Smoak (.333 BA, 1 HR in 21 AB career vs Lewis) from Toronto and Carlos Beltran (4 for 8, HR career vs Sanchez) and Rougned Odor (3 for 8 career vs Sanchez) from Texas.

Prediction

Go Rangers but I think Toronto is going to complete the sweep.

Who are you rooting for?