As you may have already heard by now, the Chicago Cubs are the odds-on favorite to win the World Series this season, and for good reason. Before they make that far, they have to face NL teams in the playoffs. For Cubs playoff tickets, see Ticket King. The Cubs stand at 89-49, and are on pace for baseball’s best record since the 2001 Seattle Mariners. But who are the Cubs biggest threats?
New York Mets– The Mets have the Cubs number. After disposing of them in four games in the 2015 NLCS, the Mets have turned right back around this season and went 5-2 against the Cubs this year. As long as that offense continues to produce, the Mets will make the postseason, and these Mets are the last team the Cubs want to see in October.
San Francisco Giants– It appeared for the entire first half, as well as early in the second half, that the Cubs and Giants were headed for a titanic showdown in the NLCS in October. An August fade by the Giants has changed all of that. Still, the Giants hold the first Wild Card spot, and if they can remember who they are, they are baseball’s most dangerous team in October.
St. Louis Cardinals– We’re not sure, but there is something about this Cardinals team that just smells of a late-September surge. They haven’t been very good all season, yet here they are, tied for the second Wild Card spot. We’re not sure they can hang with the Cubs in five or seven games though.
Washington Nationals– If you look at this from a rational perspective, this is the team most suited to take on the Cubs in a seven-game series. The Nationals have a strong balance of rotation and offense to match the Cubs right hook for right hook.
Cleveland Indians– The Indians are surging, are have the talent to play with anyone. That rotation, even though they are young and very inexperienced, have the ability to completely just shut down this mighty Cubs offense. Questions, do they believe they can?
Texas Rangers– This team is hanging in their without Prince Fielder. The Rangers are doing this with a total team effort, and may very well be headed for a World Series showdown with the Cubs. They can be the Cubs, but I don’t think they will.
