2024 World Series predictions

With the Wild Card series having concluded in the American League and just one game between the New York Mets and the Milwaukee Brewers remaining in the National League, the stage for the next round of playoff competition is nearly set.

With that being said, my World Series prediction is that the San Diego Padres will win in six games against the New York Yankees.

Yes, they were only able to sneak into the playoffs via the Wild Card. However, last year’s World Series matchup featured two teams that were also Wild Card survivors, the Texas Rangers and the Arizona Diamondbacks.

We have discovered that with the new playoff setup, the thing that matters most is which team gets hot at the right time. The Padres certainly have this going for them, as their 42-20 win-loss record in the second half of the season was the best mark in the season.

From top to bottom, the Padres possess a talented roster with few holes. They’ll have to defeat their division-rival Dodgers in the NLDS to advance, but I believe they have the roster construction to do so.

Here are my key factors for the Padres going forward:

Topheavy starting pitching rotation

The Padres roster is perhaps the most fearsome top four of any starting pitching staff in the playoffs. In the playoffs, you don’t really need a full five or six-man pitching staff, as the games are spaced out enough so that you can throw your ace pitchers basically whenever you desire.

Michael King dissected the Braves lineup in Game 1 of the Wild Card series, throwing seven shutout innings while allowing just five hits, walking zero batters, and striking out 12 batters.

After King, Joe Musgrove pitched Game 2 and threw three and two-thirds innings of one-run ball while striking out four batters, although he left early with an injury. His status should be monitored going forward, but Dylan Cease is a more than serviceable option to pitch in his stead.

On the season, Cease was able to win 14 games to the tune of a 3.47 ERA in a 33-start workload. He has dominant stuff, with his 100-mile-per-hour four-seamer and nasty breaking ball. He struck out 224 batters during the regular season.

Finally, Yu Darvish was able to return from the Restricted List to make the Padres’ playoff roster. In 16 starts, he pitched to the second-lowest ERA of any Padres starter at 3.31.

Balanced lineup

Although this team is known for its dominant pitching, it can certainly beat you with its bats. Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., Jurickson Profar and Jackson Merrill are the most potent bats in this complete lineup. The lowest OPS+ out of this group of hitters is 120, and all bashed over 20 home runs.

The complimentary pieces are nothing to scoff at, however. Earlier this year, three-time batting champion Luis Arraez went 141 plate appearances between strikeouts, the longest such streak since 2001. Catcher Kyle Higashioka, acquired as a throw-in piece in the offseason Juan Soto trade to be their backup, cranked a career-high 17 long balls.

Jake Cronenworth and Xander Bogaerts provide a serviceable right side of the infield. This lineup has a diverse skill set that is built for the postseason.

Super bullpen

At the trade deadline, the team made a concerted effort to sure up their bullpen. The deadline trio of Jason Adam, Tanner Scott and Bryan Hoeing has been basically unhittable.

Incumbents Robert Suarez and Adrian Morejon have been excellent. Jeremiah Estrada, Wandy Peralta and Yuki Matsui round it out. Every single member of this bullpen has an ERA lower than four, making this bullpen easily the best in the playoffs.

Come back to this article once the Padres pop the champagne.

Dominick Pizzelanti is a second-year dual majoring in broadcast journalism and Spanish. To contact him, email dqp5565@psu.edu.