Right now, things are in full motion for the Major League Baseball season, and the playoffs will be here before you know it. While much of the focus has been on the race for the best record and division winners, don’t forget about the teams trying to grab Wild Card spots. In this piece, we have MLB Wild Card picks for the 2022 season, with one team hoping to end an embarrassing postseason drought.
As things stand, thousands of folks in the Pacific Northwest are asking themselves will the Seattle Mariners sneak into the playoffs? It has been 21 seasons since Seattle made it in, as the team has missed out on the post-regular season fun. However, it feels like the stars could be aligning for them this time around in this case.
As things stand, the Mariners hold one of the AL Wild Card spots with their 63-54 record. There has been a complete turnaround for the club, and the fanbase is excited about them potentially making it to the postseason. Not only that, they could potentially meet the NY Yankees in the Wild Card showdown and the Mariners just took two out of three games against New York in Seattle.
| MLB Wild Card |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mariners | -550 | -550 | -550 | -550 |
| Phillies | -475 | -475 | -475 | -475 |
| Padres | -400 | -400 | -400 | -400 |
| Cardinals | -550 | -550 | -550 | -550 |
The main thing for Seattle and its improved MLB Vegas betting odds has been that the club has rebuilt things with young talent. The No. 1 guy people look at is centre fielder Julio Rodriguez, who is one of the more electric young players in the game. Not only that, but the Mariners have made some major splashes out on the trade market too.
They added Jesse Winkler in the offseason and traded for Luis Castillo ahead of the deadline. This has Ms fans thinking of a return trip to the playoffs. Right now, Seattle has -550 odds to make the playoffs, which shows you just how confident the oddsmakers are. We agree with the, as we’re going with them. Agree? Check out our sportsbooks, which include the reliable Bovada reviews, to get a wager in.
Meanwhile, in the National League, the San Diego Padres will be fine for the playoffs, though the fanbase’s morale is certainly low following the news on star slugger Fernando Tatis Jr. The standout recently tested positive for PEDs and received an 80-game suspension. Tatis will be out for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs.
This is a major blow for the team, but remember that they also pulled off the blockbuster trade to land Juan Soto from the Washington Nationals ahead of the deadline. Soto is one of the best hitters in baseball, and he’ll surely help out with Tatis not being able to play until next season. Manny Machado is also a threat whenever he’s at the dish, and the pitching for the Padres is stellar.
They might not be able to win the NL West this year, though, as the Los Angeles Dodgers, who hold the top World Series betting odds, are a lock to win the division. No one will catch up to the Dodgers, but the Padres can still get into the playoffs with one of the Wild Card spots. Trust us when we say no one will want to face them in the Wild Card round.
With Yu Darvish having a great showcase this season, the pressure will be on for him to deliver, and we think he’ll be able to do just that. The Padres also have strong odds of taking home a Wild Card spot, as they’ve been set at -400. We like them on both sides of the ball, so we’re picking them to take home one of the three NL Wild Card spots.
Lastly, in the NL East, the Phillies should be postseason-bound too. This is something that no one was saying just a few months back, as the team made the tough but needed decision to part ways with former manager Joe Girardi after they started the year 22-29. This was simply inexcusable, and there was a major concern for the team’s future.
However, the Phillies are now 64-51 on the year, completely turning the season around for the better. Philadelphia is another team that no one will want to face once the playoffs arrive, especially with Bryce Harper expected to be fully healthy for things. Harper has been dealing with an injury, but he’s slowly but surely working his way back to action.
As we get closer and closer to September, the playoff buzz is going to keep growing. The Phillies hold -475 odds to grab an NL Wild Card spot, and it feels like it’d be a surprise if they don’t lock things in. We’re picking them to go to the playoffs.
