Intriguing Matchups Possible For Baseball’s 2016 Playoffs

The two teams that met in the World Series last year are both long shots to even qualify for the playoffs come October, but there could still be some intriguing match ups in Major League Baseball’s 2016 postseason. The defending champions, the Kansas City Royals, are currently in third place in the American League central and chasing two other clubs for a Wild Card spot. Their World Series opponents in 2015 are in even worse shape over in the National League, where they trail Miami and Washington in the East division and two other teams in the Wild Card race.

The season-long favorite to win it all has been the Chicago Cubs, who boast the best record in the Major Leagues. Their most interesting opponent in the World Series would be the club who leads the A.L. central by six games, the Cleveland Indians.

By meeting in the fall classic, one of the two teams with the longest span since winning the World Series would put an end to that dubious streak. The Cubs last won it all in 1908, while the Indians last brought home the title in 1948.

In order to get that far the Indians might have to take on Boston, the team Cleveland manager Terry Francona was forced to leave just one year after leading the Red Sox to its first World Series title in over fifty years. That match up would also be an emotional one for Cleveland’s Mike Napoli, who previously helped the Red Sox win a World Series title.

Another highly anticipated A.L. series would feature the East leading Blue Jays against the West leading Rangers, the two teams who met in the league semi finals last October. Those games were marked by ill feelings which spilled over in to 2016, resulting in Texas infielder Roughned Odor’s suspension for slugging Toronto outfielder Jose Bautista after a slide into second base.

The team chasing Texas is Seattle, a team that could have two intriguing opponents should they win the A.L. pennant. Washington would provide an historical opponent, since the Mariners and Nationals are two of the few remaining clubs that have yet to reach the World Series.

Washington’s closest competitor in the N.L. East, the Marlins, would also serve as a noteworthy opponent for the Mariners in the fall classic. That match up would allow Miami’s future Hall of Fame outfielder Ichiro Suzuki to return to the city where he spent most of his career.

The Marlins of course would likely have to get past Washington, managed by Dusty Baker, before planning any trips to Seattle. Baker himself could have to face several of his old clubs, whether as a player or manager, in order to earn a pennant.

One of those former teams is Wild Card leading San Francisco, the club Baker led to his only pennant over a decade ago. He also reached the postseason with his next team, the Cubs, who currently have the best record in the entire sport. The West leading Dodgers would also be an emotional playoff foe for Baker, who spent the bulk of his playing career in Los Angeles.

Two of the game’s classic rivals could pose the most anticipated playoff round, assuming both St. Louis and Chicago end up qualifying. This rematch would give the Cardinals a chance to eliminate the front-running Cubs, who did the same thing to St. Louis last year.

Regardless of which ten teams reach the postseason, there are certain to be old rivalries renewed or new rivalries emerging.

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