The National League playoff picture was set Thursday afternoon when the Brewers were eliminated from the postseason after falling to the Reds. As a result, the Giants clinched the final NL playoff spot as the second wild card team and, as of right now, will be facing the Pittsburgh Pirates next Wednesday.
If the Giants don't alter their current pitching rotation, it looks as if Tim Hudson would be starting the Wild Card matchup next week, but it's likely San Francisco will try to get Madison Bumgarner in that spot. As for the Pirates, left-hander Jeff Locke is in line to start the game (if they don't win the division), but it's also expected they switch things up to get someone else in that spot, preferably Gerrit Cole.
The Giants missed the postseason last year, but are now back in it for the first time since winning the World Series in 2012. San Francisco has won the World Series in its past two postseason appearances (also in 2010). They'll have some different faces this year, especially on the mound, as they're without Matt Cain (injury) and Barry Zito (taking off from baseball). They'll be returning Bumgarner and Ryan Vogelsong to the hill and have added Hudson (via free agency) and Jake Peavy (trade with Boston).
"[Giants Manager] Bruce Bochy all but said Madison Bumgarner will start Wednesday's wild-card game," wrote John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle. "Bumgarner would be skipped from Sunday's regular-season finale against San Diego and face either the Pirates or Cardinals on seven days' rest. Tim Lincecum is an option for Sunday." Lincecum will remain in the bullpen for the postseason.
For Pittsburgh, their current rotation for the weekend series against the Reds is Vance Worley, Francisco Liriano and Gerrit Cole. They're still very much alive in the NL Central race and only trail the St. Louis Cardinals by one game. There are seemingly two scenarios: (1) if the Cardinals clinch the division prior to Sunday, they Pirates will likely scratch Cole's start that day and have him pitch on Wednesday, and (2) if there's a tiebreaker game for the division title on Monday, Jeff Locke will start for Pittsburgh, and Edinson Volquez would start on Wednesday.
The Pirates clinched the playoffs for the second year in a row after not making the postseason for 19 seasons. They've been playing strong all year, so they'll be a tough matchup for whoever they face in the first round. If they can snag the division from the Cardinals, then they won't have to worry about the one-game wild card playoff.
