Former Cincinnati Reds pitcher Ryan Dempster, a co-host of MLB Network’s “Intentional Talk,” said ahead of the Reds’ series opener with the Pittsburgh Pirates that he predicts neither the Reds nor the New York Mets will earn the National League’s third wild-card spot.
Dempster expects the Arizona Diamondbacks to pass both teams and sneak into the playoffs. The D’backs trail the Reds and Mets by one game with six games remaining in the regular season.
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“The Diamondbacks (have the most difficult path but they) get there because it doesn’t make sense,” Dempster said during the show Sept. 23. “None of this makes sense. I can’t figure out why any of it is making sense but they trade away Josh Naylor, they trade away Eugenio Suarez, they lose their closer, they trade away Merrill Kelly. Guys are going down with injuries all over the place. And guess what? Here they are a game out. Now they’ve got to go against the Dodgers. They’ve got to face Ohtani, Snell and Yamamoto. So it doesn’t make sense, right? They’re probably going to get swept. No, they’ll probably win two of three somehow, maybe sweep the Dodgers. And they’re gonna get in. I’m gonna say that they’re gonna get to the playoffs, and it’s gonna be the most improbable thing. And Torey Lovullo should have serious, serious consideration for Manager of the Year if he takes these guys to the postseason. Because what an unbelievable accomplishment with everything they’ve been through. I’m gonna say the Diamondbacks.”
Diamondbacks players celebrate a walk-off win against the Giants.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ryan Dempster picks D’backs, not Reds or Mets, for third NL wild card