Cleveland Advances to ALCS vs. Yankees; Mets & Dodgers to Meet in NLCS

(Screenshot from MLB.com)

And then there were four.

This afternoon, the Cleveland Guardians put an end to the Detroit Tigers' Cinderella story beating them in Game 5 of the ALDS 7-3 as Tigers ace Tarik Skubal was roughed up for five runs in the fifth inning including a grand slam by Guardians right fielder Lane Thomas. 

Cleveland advances to the ALCS against the New York Yankees who bested the Kansas City Royals in four games in their ALDS. The Yankees-Royals harkened back to their rivalry in the late 1970's and early 1980's when benches cleared in the deciding game after Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia slid hard into Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe. It wasn't quite Hal McRae taking out Willie Randolph in Game 2 of the 1977 ALCS, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Yankees and Royals meet in the post-season again in the not-too-distant future.

Game 1 of the ALCS commences Monday night at Yankee Stadium. 

Meanwhile, Game 1 of the NLCS between the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers commences tomorrow night at Dodger Stadium. The Mets dispensed with the Philadelphia Phillies in four games while the Dodgers defeated the Padres in five games. 

This leaves four possible World Series matchups.

New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

New York Yankees vs. New York Mets

Cleveland Guardians vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Cleveland Guardians vs. New York Mets

Let's take a brief look at each.

New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

The Yankees and Dodgers have faced off in the World Series 11 times - more than any other two teams. But if they do face off it will be the first time they have done so since 1981 when the Dodgers prevailed in six games. It was only the third time the Dodgers won the Fall Classic against the Bronx Bombers.

Obviously, this will be ratings gold for FOX. Aside from the history between the two franchises, this matchup will feature the two best players in the game today - Aaron Judge of the Yankees and the Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani. 

This World Series will be good for baseball.

New York Yankees vs. New York Mets

FOX will also be happy with this matchup as the world revolves around New York. 

This will be the second time the Yankees and Mets have faced off in the World Series with the Bronx Bombers blasting the Mets in five games in 2000. However, it will be the 14th time MLB has seen a Subway Series. While the Yankees and Dodgers have faced off in the World Series 11 times, 7 of those times the Dodgers were based in Brooklyn. The Yankees also faced the Giants in the World Series 6 times when they called the Polo Grounds home. 

In the present day, both teams are powerhouses with the Yankees featuring Aaron Judge and Juan Soto while the Mets feature Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor.

Cleveland Guardians vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

I think FOX will still be happy with this matchup as Cleveland has not won a World Series since 1948. So, there's a story to tell.

It would mark the first time these two franchises have faced each other in a World Series since 1920 when the Cleveland Indians bested the Brooklyn Robins 5-2 in a best of nine series (a format which lasted between 1919 and 1921). The 104-year gap between World Series would topple the 102-year gap when the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers faced each other in the 2018 World Series. 

While most of the hype would be centered on Ohtani, the matchup could become a showcase for Jose Ramirez who is probably the best player in MLB to have never won an MVP. 

Cleveland Guardians vs. New York Mets

This would mark the first ever World Series matchup between these two teams. 

The Mets have gone 38 years without a winning World Series, but the Guardians drought is exactly twice as long at 76 years. So, FOX will take this World Series over another Texas Rangers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks matchup any day of the week.

I think much of the focus would be on Francisco Lindor as he began his career in Cleveland spending his first six seasons with the Tribe before being traded to the Mets prior to the 2021 season. 

One other interesting fact. It would mark the first time both World Series team were led by first year managers with Stephen Vogt and Carlos Mendoza for the Guardians and Mets, respectively. 

Conclusion

I shall be watching from a distance.