One thing they do that could take down the Astros: The Rays were swept by the Astros at home from Sept. Yandy Diaz does get on base and Randy Arozarena has been a doubles machine - and we all remember his heroics in the 2020 postseason - but you have to wonder where the firepower will come from. David Peralta hasn't homered since he was acquired at the trade deadline.

Brandon Lowe, a 39-homer slugger last season, is out for the season with a back injury. Wander Franco failed to ignite while battling injuries in his sophomore season. Only Cleveland hit fewer home runs among the playoff teams as the lineup simply lacks any star power. What could send them home before you finish reading this: They fail to score runs. Note: World Series and matchup odds come from Doolittle's formula using power ratings as the basis for 10,000 simulations to determine the most likely outcomes. MLB experts Bradford Doolittle, Alden Gonzalez and David Schoenfield get you ready for it all with everything from odds for every matchup and a predicted date of each team's last game to the best- and worst-case scenario for all 12 World Series hopefuls. Will the favored Los Angeles Dodgers rule the National League or will the repeat-minded Braves make another deep run? Can anyone in the American League keep the New York Yankees and Houston Astros from squaring off in the ALCS? And which teams are most likely to see their runs end this weekend? 5, it will be a very short October stay for some - and quite possibly the latest championship celebration in MLB history for the last squad standing.

With an extra round to begin the postseason and the possibility that this year's Fall Classic extends to a Game 7 on Nov.

The 2022 MLB playoffs are here - and for the first time there are 12 teams battling for World Series glory.

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