So while the MLB playoffs officially started on Friday…or Saturday…today is the first day where all four Division Series will be played on the same day. Your morning will kick off at 12:07, with the A's taking on the Tigers in game two of their ALDS matchup. Detroit won 3-1 last night. Three hours later, at 3:07, we'll see game one of the NLDS between the Nationals and Cardinals, which we'll have a series preview up for in probably about two hours. The third game on the slate is game one of the ALDS between the Orioles and Yankess at 6-07, which will have a series preview posted in maybe…five hours? Six hours? Sometime today. Finally, your late game of the evening starts at 9:37, and will be game two of the NLDS between the Reds and Giants. Cincinnati won game one last night 5-2.
Today's pitching matchups are…
-Tommy Milone vs Doug Fister in Detroit
-Gio Gonzalez vs Adam Wainwright in St Louis
-CC Sabathia vs Jason Hammel in Baltimore
-Bronson Arroyo vs Madison Bumgarner
On the surface, it looks like the A's and Giants are immediately in must-win situations after just one game, because of the presence of their opponents' aces. Justin Verlander is scheduled to start game five for the Tigers after their win last night, and if the A's fall down 2-0, the only way they'll be able to win the series is to beat Verlander on Thursday. As for the Giants, after Johnny Cueto was pulled from Saturday's start after only eight pitches, he's scheduled to start game three on Tuesday for the Reds. Losing to Cueto in game one and then having to face Mat Latos in game three is a much more palatable scenario than losing in what was essentially a bullpen game on Saturday where Latos logged four innings, and then having to face Cueto on Tuesday.
It definitely will be interesting to see what ends up happening today. This is really going to be a great day of baseball.
