The 2024 MLB postseason is heating up with the Wild Card Series in the books. Eight teams remain after the Orioles , Braves , Brewers and Astros were eliminated during the first round. The ALDS and NLDS both start Saturday with Phillies vs.
Mets and Dodgers vs. Padres in the National League, and Yankees vs. Royals and Guardians vs.
Tigers in the American League. Each team comes with its own strengths and, for some more than others, its own weaknesses. As such, your CBS Sports MLB experts are here to predict how each of the best-of-five series will go.
We'll leave the playing to the athletes. We just get to do the judging. Guardians vs.
Tigers Anderson : The Tigers are a fun story, and they actually outscored the Guardians in their head-to-head meetings. The potential impact of two Tarik Skubal starts shouldn't be lost on anyone, either. I'm still going with the Guardians.
I think they have the better lineup and I think they have the better overall pitching staff (despite Skubal being the best individual starter). They're probably close to a wash in defense, too. Anything can happen in a short series, but factor in home-field advantage and it's Cleveland for me.
Pick: Guardians in 4 Axisa: I think this will be a low-scoring series given the two offenses (both are only so-so) and deep bullpens (both excellent), and, in the end, the Tigers will come out on top because Tarik Skubal will be able to start Game 5 on normal rest given all the off-days (three!) in the ALDS this year. .
