MLB Playoffs ALCS & NLCS Predictions: Cleveland Guardians vs. New York Yankees & New York Mets vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

The four least-watched World Series all took place within the last four years.

So if you think the first Yankees-Dodgers World Series since 1981 or the second Yankees-Mets Subway Series clash of all marbles sounds good, imagine how good the matchup must sound for Major League Baseball managers and FOX need more shine. back to the baseball jewel event.

Now imagine how much Cleveland’s guards would enjoy tearing down those statues.

Rangers are the clear David in baseball’s final four that is filled with Goliath-like power.

Can they crash the World Series party by beating the Yankees in the AL Championship Series starting Sunday night? And can the Mets’ incredible run continue against the Dodgers in the NL Championship Series starting Monday night? Here’s a look at what to expect as the baseball semifinals get underway.

Yankees vs. Guardians

With the Astros finally eliminated, the Yankees have their clearest path to the World Series since the most recent title in 2009 (or, as any Yankees fan can tell you, the last 40 billion years). But even a pressure-free four-game ALDS win over the Royals underscored the Yankees’ imperfections. Aaron Judge was 2-for-13 as the unnamed players Giancarlo Stanton hit .198 and Carlos Rodon and Clarke Schmidt combined to give up six runs in just 8 1/3 innings in games two not started by Gerrit Cole. But the Yankees’ relievers allowed just one unearned run in 15 2/3 innings as Luke Weaver (three saves) settled into the closer’s role.

No one knows October’s top bullpens like the Guardians, but the team led by Emmanuel Clase posted a 3.24 ERA in a five-game ALDS series against the Tigers that featured Clase’s three-run homer. in a 3-0 loss in Game 2. Manager Stephen Vogt may have no choice but to rely heavily on the pitching he’s provided in 18 1/3 innings so far in the playoffs. If Cleveland can get more length from the starters, a limited lineup fueled by Steven Kwan and Lane Thomas — who combined to hit .425 in the ALDS — could mount an offensive bid. But in the end, a sober Judge and a great bullpen help the Yankees do their part to ensure a compelling World Series tie.

GUARANTEE: Yankees at 6

Dodgers vs. Mets

Let’s hear about the skill of the players on the teams who spent more than half a billion dollars in salary this season to paint themselves as small! To be fair, the Dodgers have been ravaged by injuries and almost every year they stumble into October’s randomness, so Max Muncy wasn’t entirely off base when he defiantly announced that “80 percent of the ****ing experts said we were going to lose” to the Padres in the NLDS. And the Dodgers likely would have lost the NLDS if their bullpen hadn’t thrown 16 scoreless innings in the last three games and without the two-out doubles of Enrique Hernandez and Teoscar Hernandez providing the only runs in the Game 5 win.

Then again, the top three hitters in the Dodgers’ order will have five MVPs after Shohei Ohtani takes home NL honors this season, so the little engine that can, this is not.

The Mets, on the other hand, were a legitimately bad team in the first two months and fell 11 games below .500 after being swept by the Dodgers in late May. But they went 67-40 the rest of the way and are now the hottest and happiest team in the world – one that’s running the wrong way. Francisco Lindor would be a worthy MVP in any other season, Brandon Nimmo and Mark Vientos have emerged as stars, and the Mets are getting length and efficiency this month from starters Sean Manaea, Jose Quintana, Luis Severino and Kodai Senga (2.92 ERA over 37 innings and starts seven). David Peterson has once again raised the bullpen that is starting to age in the back up and down next to Edwin Diaz.

The Mets have already overcome their demons in the Braves and Phillies. The Dodgers are next.

GUARANTEE: Mets at 6