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2016 MLB Playoff Predictions: Wild Card, Divisional, Championship, and World Series

By Keith Rivas

Sep 24, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Josh Reddick (11) is met by catcher Yasmani Grandal (9) and first baseman Adrian Gonzalez (23) and third baseman Justin Turner (10) after hitting a grand slam home run in the seventh inning of the game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers won 14-1. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 24, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Josh Reddick (11) is met by catcher Yasmani Grandal (9) and first baseman Adrian Gonzalez (23) and third baseman Justin Turner (10) after hitting a grand slam home run in the seventh inning of the game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers won 14-1. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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NLDS – Dodgers vs. Nationals

Sep 23, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts looks on during the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 23, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts looks on during the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /

Now that the division title is in the bag, it’s going to be up to manager Dave Roberts to show if he can take Los Angeles to the next level.

Where the team struggled when Don Mattingly was at the helm happened to be with their bullpen. No matter how good of an outing Clayton Kershaw or another star would have, their bullpen couldn’t close.

Clashing with the Washington Nationals will show us from the first game if the Dodgers are truly capable of playing with post-season worthy teams.

Now, as Los Angeles enters the post-season a fourth consecutive NL West champion, the hope is that those down days are behind them.

While they did enough to earn respect in the regular season, any team will tell you that the playoffs are a whole different kind of monster.

Despite the Dodgers not having home field advantage in this series, I see the momentum swinging towards Los Angeles in an ugly, dogfight type of series.

Expect low scoring, but plenty of intensity.

Prediction:
GM 1 – Los Angeles 4, Washington 0
GM 2 – Los Angeles 2, Washington 3
GM 3 – Washington 4, Los Angeles 5
GM 4 – Washington 2, Los Angeles 4

Series: Los Angeles, 3-1

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