St. John’s baseball: MLB Playoffs schedule set as Johnnies set to shine

St. John’s baseball and basketball stars are ready to take over the 2020 Major League Baseball Playoffs.

The best case scenario came true for the St. John’s Red Storm as two former baseball player and one former basketball standout all made the 2020 MLB Playoffs.

Cody Stashak and the Minnesota Twins won the American League Central Division with a 36-24 record, one game better than the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indianas while Joe Panik and the Toronto Blue Jays were the last team to qualify for the postseason in the American League.

More from Storm The Paint

• St. John’s soccer star makes history in thrilling win against Harvard
• St. John’s basketball schedule complete as Big East reveals matchups
• St. John’s basketball adds to recruiting class with 4-star wing Jaiden Glover
• St. John’s basketball: Daniss Jenkins officially cleared to join Johnnies
• St. John’s basketball prepares for busy weekend of official visits

Toronto posted a 32-28 record, third place in the American League East, and fell just one game short of the New York Yankees for second place in the division and a Top-5 seed in the playoffs.

Amir Garrett and the Cincinnati Reds were the final team to reach the postseason of the teams that have former Johnnies and the Reds came in third in the National League Central with a 31-29 record and are the No. 7 seed in the league, and earned the top Wild Card spot.

Stashak, because of a stint on the Injured List, only pitched in 11 games this season and posted a 1-0 record with a 3.00 ERA.

The rookie right hander tossed 15 innings, allowing 11 hits, five runs, surrendering two home runs, issuing three walks, and striking out 17 batters, who hit .204 off him this season.

Panik, in his first season with the Blue Jays, struggled to find a rhythm but posted a .225 batting average in 120 at-bats, scoring 18 runs with 27 hits on the season.

ALSO READ: Three Red Storm stars primed to make MLB Playoffs

Of those hits, six were doubles and one left the ball park for a home run while Panik also drove in seven runs, walked 20 times, and had 27 strikeouts.

The World Series Champion also had a .340 on-base percentage and .300 slugging percentage and his major hot streak came early in September when he boosted his average from .196 on August 30 to .273 on September 8 but the cooled off as the regular season came to a close.

Amir Garrett was one of the best pitches in Major League Baseball for a portion of the season after making an appearance in 21 games with a 1-0 record and recording the first save of his MLB career in two save opportunities with a 2.45 ERA.

The former basketball standout pitched 18 and one-third innings, giving up just ten hits and five runs, four coming via the home run, and allowing seven walks but striking out 26 batters after they posted a .161 batting average against the right hander.

ALSO READ: St. John’s opts out of Preseason NIT amid COVID concerns

As Major League Baseball has finalized its 2020 Postseason schedule, the Wild Card Round, which is a best-of-three will begin on Tuesday afternoon.

Cody Stashak and the Minnesota Twins vs. Houston Astros: (All games at Target Field) 

Game 1 – Tuesday, September 29 at 2:00pm EST on ABC

Game 2 – Wednesday, September 30 at 1:00pm EST on ESPN2

Game 3- Thursday, October 1. TBA (*If Necessary*) 

Joe Panik and the Toronto Blue Jays vs. Tampa Bay Rays: (All games at Tropicana Field) 

Game 1 – Tuesday, September 29 at 5:00pm EST on TBS

Game 2 – Wednesday, September 30 at 4:00pm EST on TBS

Game 3- Thursday, October 1. TBA (*If Necessary*)

Amir Garrett and the Cincinnati Reds vs. Atlanta Braves: (All games at Truist Park) 

Game 1 – Wednesday, September 30 at 12:00pm EST on ESPN

Game 2- Thursday, October 1. TBA

Game 2- Friday, October 2. TBA (*If Necessary*)