After MLB’s subject of 16 playoff groups was shortly narrowed to eight within the new wild-card sequence, the postseason is again to regular — type of.

The Division Sequence begins Monday, with the AL enjoying at impartial websites in Southern California. The NL will play at impartial websites in Texas beginning Tuesday. Each sequence, oddly sufficient, options precise divisional matchups, so these groups are aware of one another — even after a shortened, travel-limited 2020 season.

The No. 1 seed Los Angeles Dodgers are a powerhouse. The No. Four seed San Diego Padres, led by Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado, are maybe probably the most vivacious workforce baseball has seen in years. The 2 golf equipment already performed among the most entertaining video games of the 2020 season. Which star-studded NL West roster will prevail in October?

Schedule

Recreation 1: Tuesday, Oct. 6, (9:38 p.m. ET) (FS1)

Recreation 2: Wednesday, Oct. 7, (9:08 p.m. ET) (FS1)

Recreation 3: Thursday, Oct. 8, (9:08 p.m. ET) (MLB Community)

Recreation 4*: Friday, Oct. 9, (9:08 p.m. ET) (FS1)

Recreation 5*: Saturday, Oct. 10, (8:08 p.m. ET) (FS1)

The complete sequence shall be performed at Globe Life Subject in Arlington, Texas. Los Angeles would be the “house workforce” and bat final in Video games 1, 2 and 5.

Beforehand

The Dodgers had a successful document in opposition to all 9 groups they performed through the common season. That included a 6-Four mark in opposition to San Diego. The Dodgers gained two of three at Petco Park from Aug. 3-5. The groups cut up a four-game sequence at Dodger Stadium Aug. 10-13. Then, with the division title on the road, L.A. gained two of three once more in San Diego from Sept. 14-16.

This would be the first time the Padres and Dodgers have met within the postseason.

Can Mookie Betts lead the Dodgers previous the thrilling Padres and again towards the World Sequence? (Keith Birmingham/The Orange County Register through AP)

Why the Padres will win

Fueled by enjoyable: The Padres already irritated the Dodgers as soon as this season when Trent Grisham admired a house run “too lengthy” for his or her tastes. It appears inevitable they’ll do it once more, and that’s most likely for the most effective. That kind of disdain solely appears to gasoline a Padres workforce that’s hell-bent on having enjoyable and flipping bats. Fernando Tatis Jr. broke out the most important bat flip of all of them throughout a Recreation 2 rally in opposition to St. Louis. The Padres by no means trailed once more within the sequence. You do you, San Diego.

Globe Life Subject: There’s no true house benefit within the NLDS, however enjoying the sequence in Arlington could possibly be an edge for San Diego. The Texas Rangers new house solely yielded 63 house runs this season. That’s the fifth fewest in MLB. In the meantime, the Dodgers hit a league-best 118 house runs. The Padres really completed fourth, however have been 23 homers behind L.A. If the ballpark helps shut the facility hole, that’s an enormous win for San Diego.

Why the Dodgers will win

Story continues

A locked in Clayton Kershaw: Everybody is aware of Clayton Kershaw’s postseason historical past is spotty at greatest. There’s some nice. There’s some good. There’s some dangerous and a few completely heart-breaking, too. The model we noticed in opposition to Milwaukee in Recreation 2 was merely good and likewise clearly wholesome. These are promising indicators that might finally tip the scales for L.A. if he backs it up.

Exhausting lineup: The Padres come into Los Angeles with a short-handed pitching workers. Out of necessity, they wanted 9 pitchers to get by way of Recreation Three of the wild-card sequence. Although they mixed to pitch a shutout, that’s a troubling technique {that a} relentless Dodgers lineup might simply expose and finally use to put on San Diego down in a five-game sequence.

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