[jg2977]

Listen, folks, we got four really interesting Division Series this year. Lotta history here, lotta storylines. Let’s go through ’em.

First, you got Texas and Cleveland. Now, the Rangers, listen, they’ve been around the block. They got to a World Series back in 1918, but recently? It’s been a lotta frustration. Three straight years, they go to the ALDS, and every time—five games, and they’re out. Every single time. Ninety-three wins this year, good ballclub, second in the West. But they’re goin’ up against Cleveland, and Cleveland right now is a machine. They came outta nowhere, shocked everybody, in ’19 and ’20, back-to-back World Series titles. Since then? They’ve been a powerhouse. This year—113 wins. Best record in the American League. That’s a monster team. That’s a brutal draw for Texas.

Now, you look at Seattle and the Yankees. Seattle, they win the West with 95 wins. They’ve had some moments, okay, they’ve been to the ALCS three times, but they’ve never gotten over the hump, never gotten to the World Series. That hangs over the franchise. And now they gotta play the Yankees. And the Yankees are the Yankees, folks. They’re the defending American League champs, 101 wins this year, four pennants overall, two World Series titles. They’ve been there, they’ve done it, and they know how to win in October. Everyone thinks they should have beaten the Mets in the World Series last year, but the bullpen blew three straight games. That’s a tough matchup for Seattle.

Over in the National League, Cincinnati and the Mets. And lemme tell ya, everybody knows the Mets are the story. The Mets had maybe the greatest regular season we’ve ever seen—122 and 40, absolutely off the charts. They’re the defending champs, the big favorites again. But don’t forget—two years ago, Cincinnati knocked them out in the NLDS. So there’s history there. Reds are a proud franchise, they got one championship, but you gotta go all the way back to 1903. They’ve been waiting a long time. They’ll play hard, but it’s a tall order against this Mets team.

And then finally, Milwaukee and the Dodgers. Brewers, 95 wins, they take the Central. This is a franchise that’s had a little bit of October heartbreak—they’ve been to two World Series, 1904, 1909, lost both of them. Still searching for that breakthrough. And the Dodgers—look, we know the story. Eleven playoff appearances, only one pennant, and that was way back in 1902. Never won it all. For a franchise with that many chances, still no rings, it’s kind of amazing. Ninety-seven wins this year, they win the West again, they got the pieces, but until they win the big one, people are always gonna doubt ‘em.

So that’s where we’re at. Lotta history, lotta baggage, lotta opportunity. The Mets are the clear favorite, Cleveland right behind them, but October has a way of flipping the script. We’ll see who steps up.