The Cubs have erupted for 18 runs in the last two games of this series after getting shut out in two straight games. However, in this game they face Kershaw, who was not sharp in his first two playoff starts this season, but was lights out in the Game 2 Dodgers’ win. L.A. has only totaled six runs in losing the last two games of this series and in the Game 2 win their only run came off a solo HR from Adrian Gonzalez. Kershaw has had an extra day of rest and while he could have gone in Game 5, L.A. Manager Dave Roberts did not start him because it was not an elimination game. Kershaw will have another great outing and lead the Dodgers to a win in a low scoring affair.

Maeda has not been sharp at all in his two playoff starts this season and now in this Game 5 faces a Cubs’ team that scored 10 runs in Game 4. L.A. will likely need a good outing from their rookie pitcher since their offense has only totaled 13 runs in the four games in this series. Lester should be fresh in this game, as he only had 77 pitches in the Game 1 win getting pulled in the 6th inning. In his last appearance facing the Dodgers in L.A. it was in late August where he went six inning and only allowed three hits and no earned runs, but he got no run support in the 1-0 Chicago loss. Maeda has struggled in the post-season while Lester has been solid and that will not change tonight. Lester will lead the Cubs to a win and they will take a 3-2 series lead.

Estrada got his first complete game in the Game 1 start, but still took the loss. In two regular season games facing the Indians he is 0-0 with an ERA of 3.75. The Blue Jays finally got on track on offense scoring five runs in the Game 4 win after totaling only three runs in the first three games of the series. The Indians have been winning in the series with their pitching, as they have only totaled nine runs in the four games. Estrada was on the hill last season in Game 5 of the ALCS and had a good outing in helping the Blue Jays stave off elimination in their series facing the eventual World Series winners Kansas City Royals. He will not be so fortunate tonight, as Miller will have a good start against a Blue Jays team that has never faced him and the Indians will win and advance to the Fall Classic.

While Hill was far from sharp in his first start of the playoffs he is a lefty and in the post-season the Cubs’ are only hitting .157 against lefties. Chicago had scored 14 combined runs in two playoff games before being dominated by Kershaw in the last game. The Dodgers have to feel good if they get a lead late, as reliever Kelly Jansen has 13 strikeouts in seven innings of work in the playoffs and he struck out four in two innings to get the save in Game 2. However, L.A. will not have the lead in this game facing Arrieta, as the last time he pitched at Dodgers Stadium he no hit them. In his last two starts he has gone 16 innings and not allowed a single earned run. Chicago will give Arrieta some run support tonight, he will not need much, and on the hill lead the Cubs to a win to take 2-1 series lead.

Even though the Indians have won eight in a row and the first two games of this series they are major road underdogs tonight. While Bauer was solid against the Blue Jays this season he is only 1-1 with a 6.27 ERA in four career games facing them and 1-1 with a 7.11 ERA in two career games at Toronto. He did not end the season well giving up a total of 30 earned runs in his last seven starts. The Blue Jays have only totaled one run in the first two games of this series, but in their last two home games they have combined to score 12 runs. Their bats will come alive tonight facing Bauer and Toronto will get back in this series with a win.

The Blue Jays and Indians face off in Game 1 of this ALCS where the winner of the series will head to the World Series. In the ALDS in their respective sweeps the Indians outscored the Red Sox 15-7 and the Blue Jays outscored the Rangers 22-10. Both teams are riding high and each has won six straight games. Also, both starting pitchers in this Game 1 had solid outings in the first games of the ALDS. Estrada won the first game in the ALDS on the road and in his last three starts on the road he has only given up one earned run. What makes that stat even more impressive is that those starts were against teams that had solid lineups in the Mariners, Rangers, and Red Sox. This game will be a pitcher’s duel, but at home the Indians will give Kluber some run support, he will not need much, and Cleveland will take a 1-0 series lead with a win in a low scoring affair.

Tough call in this one, as neither starter in this game had a solid outing in their first start of the series. On top of that neither starter has been solid in their last two outings overall. Washington has outscored the Dodgers 18-11 in the last three games of this series and while each pitcher may struggle the Nationals have the better lineup and that will be key in this game. This game will be close and not a pitcher’s duel and Washington will get the upper hand at the plate winning and advancing to the NLCS.

The Giants are back in this series and have Moore on the hill and he has given up only two earned runs in his last two starts, both of which were at home. The Giants had only totaled two runs in the first two games of the season before scoring six in last night’s game. San Francisco’ Buster Posey went 3 for 5 in last night’s game and in two of the three games in this series he has had multi-hit games. Lackey has been a solid playoff pitcher in his career, but the last time he faced the Giants in the post-season was in 2014 when he was with the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals took the loss in that game and the same thing will happen tonight with Lackey on the hill, as the Giants will get to him and their shaky bullpen will hold up, as San Francisco will win and send this series to a decisive Game 5 in the Windy City.

Great pitching match up in this game between reigning Cy Young winner Arrieta facing off against Bumgarner. Not only does Bumgarner have the lowest playoff ERA in MLB history, but the Giants have won his last four games against the Cubs when he has been on the hill. Arrieta was not sharp in his last start of the regular season and in five starts in September, which the Cubs were 2-3, he went 29 innings and gave up 15 earned runs. Pitching has been the key in this series, as the Cubs have only totaled six runs and the Giants have only totaled two runs. San Francisco has won six of their last seven home playoff games and with Bumgarner on the hill that trend will continue. The Giants will win this Game 3 and force a Game 4 in San Francisco.

The Red Sox have their backs against the wall in this series after losing the first two games in Cleveland. They have the highest scoring offense in the Majors, but in the first two games of this series they have only totaled four runs all of which came in Game 1. Buchholz did not have any success against the Indians this season, but his two starts facing them came before June and he has been solid as of late. He will be facing a Cleveland lineup that has totaled 11 runs in this series and 27 in their five game winning streak. Tomlin has been pitching great lately and that will continue in this Game 3 in Boston. He will have a good outing, the Indians’ lineup will get to Buchholz, and Cleveland will win sweeping the series and advance to the ALCS.

The Dodgers have had the number of the Nationals this season and they are the road betting favorite in Game 2 today. Not only did the Dodgers win Game 1 to take home field advantage in the series, but they have to have a lot of confidence knowing they won even when their Ace Kershaw was not at hos best. Hill has not pitched against the Nationals since the 2009 season. Roark’s only career start against the Dodgers was this season and the game was in L.A. and the Nats were struggling in the midst of a seven game losing streak. He will have a good outing today and get help from the lineup, as Washington win win to even the series.

The Dodgers did not finish the season well and they were five games under .500 on the road this season, but they have their Ace in Kershaw on the mound. He has struggled in the post-season in his career, but did have a great outing in his lone one facing the Nationals this season. Scherzer was not sharp in his last outing and in his last four starts of the season, all Washington wins, he lasted 24 innings and gave up 12 earned runs. The L.A. lineup only totaled four runs in getting swept in their last season series. While Kershaw has not been the dominating pitcher in the playoffs that were are used to seeing in the regular season that will change in this game. He will have a great outing and lead the Dodgers to a win in Game 1 of this series.

Even though the Red Sox did not finish the season well they enter Game 1 as the betting favorite even on the road. They do have 22-game winner Porcello on the hill, but the potent Boston lineup struggled ending the season only scoring 17 runs in their last six games. On the other side of the coin in their last three games the Indians totaled 16 runs. Bauer really pitched poorly in the month of September, but was decent in his last outing in the beginning of this month. The difference in this game will be the Cleveland offense, as they will get to Porcello and the Indians will take the first game of this series.

What a pitching match up in the NL Wild Card game in the Big Apple between a couple of Aces. Bumgarner has been lights out in the post-season in his career and he will be backed by a lineup that has been solid as of late, as the Giants have scored 26 runs in their last four games. While the Mets lineup had their issues on the season they did combine to score 27 runs in their four game winning streak before only scoring two in their last game. Bumgarner will outduel Syndergaard and San Francisco will get the win on the road and advance to the NLDS.

Well, it all comes down to one game to see who will advance to the ALDS. The Orioles were under .500 on the road for the season, but they did take two of three games facing the Blue Jays in Toronto in the 2nd to last series of the season. Baltimore had success this season facing the Blue Jays with Tillman on the hill and while Toronto has a solid lineup they only totaled 11 runs in their last five games. Stroman did not get a decision in his six starts in September and in that span only had one outing where he gave up less than two earned runs. The Orioles will get to him in this Wild Card match up and even on the road they will win this game and advance in the playoffs.

The Padres pitching has been shelled in their three game losing streak giving up a total of 23 runs. However, Clemens takes the mound today and he has been lights out in his last three starts going 2-0 with an ERA of only 0.57. The Diamondbacks have totaled 14 runs in winning the first two games of this series. All of the earned runs that Koch has given up this season have been on the road. The Padres have lost five of their last seven games facing the Diamondbacks in Arizona, but Clemens will have another good outing today and San Diego will win ending their disappointing season on a high note and out of last place in the division.

The Indians are already in the playoffs, but they still have a lot to play for. They will face the Boston Red Sox in the ALDS, but the venue has not been set, as Cleveland trails Boston by ½ game in the standings. They have had the Royals’ number in the last several games facing them and tonight face Volquez, who was 0-1 with a less than stellar ERA of 7.77 in five September starts. The Indians’ offense has been struggling a little as of late in losing four of their last six games, but they scored seven last night against the Royals and may surpass that run total tonight facing a struggling Volquez. Cleveland will win this game and keep pressure on the Red Sox in the chase for home field advantage in the ALDS.

The Yankees are eliminated from the playoffs, but they still have motivation in keeping their AL East rival Baltimore out of the post-season. In the Yankees four-game winning streak they have outscored their opponents 23-13. Pineda has not gotten a decision this month despite pitching very well and he has been hurt by a lack of run support. The Baltimore pitching has been great as of late, as in their five wins in their last six games they have given up a total of only seven runs. The last time these teams met in New York the Yankees won two of three games where they scored 27 runs. The Yankees will give Pineda some support at the plate tonight and New York will take the first game of this series.

The Pirates have made the playoffs the last two seasons, but this season they will not and look to finish strong to, at least, finish at .500 or better. The Cubs have won 14 of their 18 games facing the Pirates this season and even though they have nothing to play for six of eight position players were in the lineup last night. However, they did use 19 players in the game so some key cogs to the potent lineup will likely get some rest tonight. The Cubs have scored 22 runs in taking two of three games in this series and look them to get it done at the plate against facing Nova, who has been less than stellar in his last two starts. The Cubs will win this game and in the process win the series.

This game is a match up of a couple of teams heading in different directions as the regular season draws to a close. The Rays have only totaled 14 runs in their five game losing streak and six came in yesterday’s loss. On the other side of the coin in Chicago’s four game win streak they have combined to score 31 runs. That is not good for Snell since he has not been sharp on the road this season and in his last three starts away from Tampa Bay he has given up 11 earned runs in only nine innings. Gonzalez has not pitched well in his last couple of outings, but he will be aided by the White Sox lineup that has been getting it done at the plate as of late and they will be the difference with Chicago taking this game.