Sports Illustrated predicts Nationals over Yankees in annual baseball preview

Sports Illustrated thinks the Yankees will have a deep playoff run and win the pennant. The bad news is they have them losing to Washington in the World Series.

Although these predictions rarely come true, it’s nice to see that some experts expect the Yankees to outlast the Indians, Red Sox and Astros. The American League figures to be extremely competitive, and it is widely considered to be the stronger of the two leagues.

As for the Nats? It seems a bit far-fetched to expect a team that’s never won a playoff series to be able to beat the Yankees in a seven game set, but anything is possible. The Nationals have arguably the most dominant starter in Major League Baseball, Max Scherzer, who will be gunning for his third consecutive CY Young award. He and Stephen Strasburg are as good of a 1-2 punch as they come. An offense led by Bryce Harper and Daniel Murphy make them a virtual lock to win the weak NL East, but let’s see them win a playoff series before we crown them champions.

MLB and FOX will have a field day if this match up materializes. Arguably the three best power hitters in the game in one series, Harper playing against the team he grew up idolizing, and the two most powerful cities in the country. The Nationals have a phenomenal rotation, but the Yankees clearly have a better lineup and bullpen. It would make for a ton of power on power match ups, majestic home runs, and an embarrassment of star power.

We’ll get to see a possible preview of this match up, with the teams matching up for two games May 15th-16th in D.C. and again for two games in the Bronx June 12th-13th.

If this matchup does take place in seven months?

Yankees in Six.