The Dream Bracket gets underway TODAY
The first round of the MLB Dream Bracket presented by DraftKings is set to begin on Monday, followed by the remainder of the opening-round matchups playing out on Tuesday.
The competition features the greatest players in baseball history competing in a 32-team simulated tournament that features legendary rosters for each of the 30 MLB clubs, as well as a Negro League All-Star team and a team of current 25-and-Under Stars. Out of the Park Baseball -- a high-end baseball simulation software -- will produce the results, while MLB Network¡¯s Twitch channel and MLB.com will livestream simulations of select matchups. Fans can register on the DraftKings mobile app to compete in contests based on the simulations.
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Here's a closer look at all of the first-round matchups, as well as information on when and where to follow the results for each one:
MONDAY
Twins vs. Blue Jays
Results revealed on MLB.com at 10 a.m. ET
Winner will face winner of Red Sox-Rangers
This rematch of the 1991 American League Championship Series -- a series the Twins won before going on to win their most recent World Series title -- will include plenty of players from that showdown, as well as some other Hall of Famers and notable fan favorites. Right out of the gate, the Game 1 pitching matchup features a pair of Hall of Famers, with Roy Halladay squaring off against Walter Johnson.
Halladay will have his hands full against a Twins lineup that includes fellow Hall of Famers Rod Carew, Kirby Puckett, Harmon Killebrew, Goose Goslin and Joe Cronin, as well as 2009 AL MVP Joe Mauer. As for Johnson, who finished with 417 wins, 3,509 strikeouts and a 2.17 ERA while spending his entire 21-year career with the Washington Senators (who moved to Minnesota in 1961) from 1907-27, he'll face a Blue Jays lineup that leans heavily on more recent sluggers. Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar sits atop the lineup, while Edwin Encarnaci¨®n, Jos¨¦ Bautista, Carlos Delgado and Josh Donaldson will hold down the middle of the lineup.
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White Sox vs. Royals
Results revealed on MLB.com at 10 a.m. ET
Winner will face winner of Athletics-Rays
The White Sox, who have returned to the postseason just once since winning the 2005 World Series, will square off with the Royals, who have not played postseason baseball since winning the '15 Fall Classic. This is the only matchup on the AL side of the bracket that features a pair of divisional foes.
Chicago comes in with a rotation consisting exclusively of left-handers: Billy Pierce, Wilbur Wood, Chris Sale and Mark Buehrle. Offensively, the White Sox will rely on a pair of slugging first basemen in Frank Thomas and Paul Konerko, while the Royals will look toward some of the key contributors from that 2015 championship team in Alex Gordon, Salvador Perez and Lorenzo Cain, along with Hall of Famer George Brett.
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Athletics vs. Rays
Results revealed on MLB.com at 10 a.m. ET
Winner will face winner of White Sox-Royals
The Rays, who played their first season in 1998, are facing a bit of a disadvantage in this series against an Athletics franchise that dates back to 1901. Oakland will certainly lean on some of its history, with a rotation led by Hall of Famers Catfish Hunter and Lefty Grove, a bullpen anchored by Hall of Fame closer Dennis Eckersley, and an offense featuring Eddie Collins, Jimmie Foxx, Rickey Henderson and Reggie Jackson, among others.
Tampa Bay, meanwhile, does not have a single Hall of Famer on its roster. Still, the Rays will try to slow down that stacked Oakland lineup by turning to a rotation that includes a pair of Cy Young Award winners in David Price and Blake Snell. As for the offense, former All-Stars Evan Longoria, Fred McGriff and Carl Crawford will look to provide enough pop to pull the upset.
Orioles vs. Astros
Results revealed on MLB.com at 10 a.m. ET
Winner will face winner of Tigers-Angels
The Astros will bring one of the most balanced mixes of past and present into their first-round matchup against the Orioles. While the legendary Nolan Ryan takes the mound for Game 1, he'll be backed by an offense that features active stars Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa, George Springer and Jos¨¦ Altuve, as well as former greats Lance Berkman, Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio.
As for the Orioles, how about this Hall of Fame infield from right to left: Eddie Murray, Roberto Alomar, Cal Ripken Jr. and Brooks Robinson. Toss in another Hall of Famer in the outfield in Frank Robinson, as well as long-time fan favorite Adam Jones, and the O's figure to have one of the most formidable lineups.
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Red Sox vs. Rangers
Watch on Twitch/MLB.com at 11 a.m. ET; results revealed at 1 p.m. ET
Winner will face winner of Twins-Blue Jays
The Red Sox will roll out a rotation led by Pedro Martinez, Cy Young and Roger Clemens -- and, oh yeah, Babe Ruth will be ready to go in relief. That pitching staff seemingly wouldn't need much run support, but that is unlikely to be an issue considering Boston's roster also includes the likes of Ted Williams, Mookie Betts, David Ortiz, Jimmie Foxx, Wade Boggs and Carl Yastrzemski, among others.
Don't sleep on the Rangers, though. Their lineup boasts its own share of sluggers in Ivan Rodriguez, Alex Rodriguez, Adri¨¢n Beltr¨¦, Rafael Palmeiro, Juan Gonzalez and Ruben Sierra. Plus, any rotation with Nolan Ryan, who threw two of his seven career no-hitters in a Rangers uniform, figures to have a shot in a best-of-seven series.
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Yankees vs. Mariners
Watch on Twitch/MLB.com at 11:30 a.m. ET; results revealed at 1 p.m. ET
Winner will face winner of Negro Leagues-Indians
The Mariners will look to avenge their heartbreaking loss in the 2001 ALCS in their first-round showdown with the Yankees. Seattle won 116 games during the '01 regular season, only to see its run come to an abrupt end at the hands of the Bronx Bombers. The Mariners lost that series in five games, and they remain the only franchise to never appear in a World Series.
That said, revenge certainly won't come easy against a franchise that has won 27 World Series championships. The Yankees' lineup is chock full of legends, including Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Derek Jeter and Yogi Berra -- to name a few. That pitching staff of Whitey Ford, Red Ruffing, Ron Guidry and Andy Pettitte, backed by relievers Goose Gossage and Mariano Rivera isn't too shabby either.
As for Seattle, Randy Johnson and F¨¦lix Hern¨¢ndez will be tasked with slowing down that formidable Yankees lineup. Alex Rodriguez, meanwhile, will hit for both teams in this matchup between two of A-Rod's former clubs.
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Negro League Stars vs. Indians
Watch on Twitch/MLB.com at noon ET; results revealed at 1 p.m. ET
Winner will face winner of Yankees-Mariners
Hall of Fame hurler Satchel Paige will try to slow down an Indians lineup that features Hall of Famers Jim Thome, Nap Lajoie and Tris Speaker, as well as more recent sluggers Manny Ramirez, Albert Belle and Travis Hafner.
Cleveland's rotation features a balanced one-two punch at the top, with Hall of Famer Bob Feller getting the call in Game 1, followed by two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber in Game 2. They will also have their hands full, however, dealing with a Negro Leagues lineup that includes Hall of Famers Cool Papa Bell, Buck Leonard, Pop Lloyd, Mule Suttles and Turkey Stearnes, among others.
Reds vs. Nationals
Watch on Twitch/MLB.com at 12:30 p.m. ET; results revealed at 1 p.m. ET
Winner will face winner of Pirates-D-backs
Not surprisingly, some key members of the Big Red Machine help form the foundation of the Reds' all-time roster. Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan and Pete Rose will be joined by Hall of Famers Frank Robinson and Barry Larkin, as well as current superstar Joey Votto.
While the Reds lean on the core that helped deliver back-to-back World Series titles in 1975-76, the Nationals will attempt to slow them down by turning to the duo that helped them win their first title in 2019 -- Stephen Strasburg and Max Scherzer. Those two will join fellow '19 champions Ryan Zimmerman, Anthony Rendon, Trea Turner, Juan Soto and Howie Kendrick, as well as former stars Bryce Harper, Larry Walker, Vladimir Guerrero and Andre Dawson, among others.
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TUESDAY
25U vs. Phillies
Results revealed on MLB.com at 12 p.m. ET
Winner will face winner of Cardinals-Rockies
The game's best young stars will unite to take on the Phillies in this first-round matchup. Though it's a roster that any current general manager would love to have in 2020, it'll be interesting to see how the game's brightest youngsters fare against the all-time roster from a storied franchise such as the Phillies.
For the 25-and-under team, Jack Flaherty, Walker Buehler and Mike Soroka will anchor the rotation, while Cody Bellinger, Pete Alonso, Rafael Devers and Ronald Acu?a Jr. will attempt to provide enough offense against the likes of Steve Carlton, Robin Roberts and Pete "Grover" Alexander. As for the Phillies' lineup, the infield features the trio that helped lead the club to the 2008 World Series -- Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins -- playing alongside Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt.
Cubs vs. Mets
Results revealed on MLB.com at 12 p.m. ET
Winner will face winner of Giants-Brewers
It's never a bad sign when you can slot in a reigning back-to-back Cy Young Award winner as the No. 3 starter -- but that's exactly what the Mets will be doing against the Cubs. Tom Seaver and Dwight Gooden will start the first two games before Jacob deGrom takes the hill against a Cubs squad that features current stars Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Javier B¨¢ez, alongside former greats Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, Ryne Sandberg, Hack Wilson, Andre Dawson and Sammy Sosa.
The Mets will look to keep pace with an infield that features New York legends David Wright and Keith Hernandez, as well as 2019 rookie sensation Pete Alonso.
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Braves vs. Marlins
Results revealed on MLB.com at 12 p.m. ET
Winner will face winner of Dodgers-Padres
This first-round divisional matchup may seem to be a bit of a mismatch on the surface, as the Braves have more than 100 extra seasons in their history to draw from. Atlanta's franchise dates all the way back to 1876, when the club began play as the Boston Red Stockings. The Marlins, meanwhile, played their first game in 1993.
Still, the Marlins have a pair of World Series-winning rosters to pick from -- and plenty of pop. Their lineup will feature the likes of Miguel Cabrera, Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich and Hanley Ramirez, while the rotation is anchored by Jos¨¦ Fern¨¢ndez, Josh Beckett and Dontrelle Willis. Despite Miami's limited history, the Braves' star-studded rotation of Greg Maddux, Warren Spahn, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz still figures to have its hands full.
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Dodgers vs. Padres
Results revealed on MLB.com at 12 p.m. ET
Winner will face winner of Braves-Marlins
The Dodgers figure to be a tough matchup for anyone, given their sensational starting rotation of Sandy Koufax, Clayton Kershaw, Don Drysdale and Orel Hershiser. If opposing teams somehow break through against any of those guys, Los Angeles still has Fernando Valenzuela, Don Newcombe and Eric Gagne waiting in the bullpen. Run support doesn't figure to be an issue either, with an offense led by Duke Snider, Jackie Robinson, Pee Wee Reese and Cody Bellinger.
San Diego, meanwhile, will turn to a pair of Cy Young winners in Jake Peavy and Randy Jones atop its rotation, but its true strength will be in the bullpen. The Padres will have the benefit of calling on Goose Gossage, Rollie Fingers, Trevor Hoffman, Kirby Yates or Heath Bell at key moments. As for the offense, San Diego will lean heavily on the Hall of Fame trio of Tony Gwynn, Ozzie Smith and Dave Winfield.
Pirates vs. D-backs
Watch on Twitch/MLB.com at 3 p.m. ET; results revealed at 5 p.m. ET
Winner will face winner of Reds-Nationals
This first-round matchup will pit one of baseball's oldest franchises (the Pirates debuted in 1882) against a club that played its first game in 1998. Yet despite having more than 100 fewer seasons to select from, the D-backs will present a challenging matchup for anyone. After all, Arizona will feature Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling atop its rotation -- the same one-two punch that led the D-backs to a World Series title in just their fourth season in 2001.
Arizona will once again be relying heavily on its starting rotation against a Pirates starting lineup that features Hall of Famers Roberto Clemente, Honus Wagner and Willie Stargell. In fact, Pittsburgh's roster is so stacked that Ralph Kiner -- a Hall of Famer who won seven consecutive home run titles from 1946-52 -- will be coming off the bench.
Tigers vs. Angels
Watch on Twitch/MLB.com at 3:30 p.m. ET; results revealed at 5 p.m. ET
Winner will face winner of Orioles-Astros
The Angels are yet to win a postseason series with superstar Mike Trout, but the three-time MVP will look to lead the Halos to a victory in this matchup against the Tigers. Trout will be joined by a bunch of players from the 2002 World Series championship team -- including Tim Salmon, Troy Glaus and Garret Anderson -- as well as the only player in Cooperstown wearing an Angels cap, Vladimir Guerrero. Nolan Ryan will be the club's ace, but he's the only Hall of Famer on the pitching staff.
That could be an issue against a Tigers lineup that features seven Hall of Famers (Hank Greenberg, Al Kaline, Ty Cobb, Charlie Gehringer, Alan Trammell, Harry Heilmann and George Kell), and a likely future Hall of Famer in Miguel Cabrera. The rotation is also in pretty good shape with Hall of Famer Jack Morris joined by a pair of pitchers currently on a path toward joining him in Cooperstown someday -- Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer.
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Cardinals vs. Rockies
Watch on Twitch/MLB.com at 4 p.m. ET; results revealed at 5 p.m. ET
Winner will face winner of 25U-Phillies
Similar to the above matchup, the Cardinals debuted in 1882 -- a full 111 years before the Rockies played their first game. So while St. Louis relies on Hall of Famers Bob Gibson and Dizzy Dean atop its rotation, Colorado will turn to more recent stars like Ubaldo Jim¨¦nez, German M¨¢rquez and Jon Gray.
That said, the Rockies certainly have plenty of firepower offensively, with Todd Helton, Larry Walker, Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story set to lead the charge against the Cardinals' stacked rotation. St. Louis' offense isn't too shabby either, with Stan Musial, Rogers Hornsby, Albert Pujols, Ozzie Smith and Jim Edmonds among those set to take their swings.
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Giants vs. Brewers
Watch on Twitch/MLB.com at 4:30 p.m. ET; results revealed at 5 p.m. ET
Winner will face winner of Cubs-Mets
Madison Bumgarner, whose 0.25 ERA in 36 World Series innings is the best in the history of the Fall Classic, is the No. 4 starter on the Giants' all-time team. That should tell you all you need to know about a rotation that also features a trio of Hall of Famers in Christy Mathewson, Juan Marichal and Carl Hubbell. The Giants' offense isn't lacking either, with Willie Mays, Willie McCovey and the father-son duo of Bobby and Barry Bonds set to lead the way.
While the Brewers may not have the same Hall of Fame-caliber rotation (their lone pitcher in Cooperstown is reliever Rollie Fingers), they have a solid core offensively. Hall of Famers Ted Simmons, Paul Molitor and Robin Yount will be joined by more recent superstars in Prince Fielder, Christian Yelich and Ryan Braun.
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