CLMLB is back for another season and we are excited to see who will come out on top as league champions! For our first matchup on the bracket, we have a team that hasn't played since Season 2 and a team that needs to find a good rhythm and a playoff win.

Giants

Some forget that this team was one of the best in Season 2 when they went 6-4 and finished 2nd in the NL in runs scored. The Giants did not play in the shortened Season 3, so they hope to dust off their bats in the matchup against the Padres. The team has a 1-2 record in the postseason with their only win coming by a walkoff home run by their eventual Season 2 All-Star, Ryan Cross, in their Wild Card Series Tiebreaker game versus the Dodgers all the way back in Season 1. Historically, the Giants have had an above-average offense, but some might say that their pitching could be of concern. Based of their opponents' history, the Giants are favored to win this game. If they fail to win, the team must look inward to improve for the future.

Padres

They know they can be better and prove all the doubters that they belong with the best. But looking back at the first three seasons, the Padres are not even close to reaching that list. Since the start of Season 1, they have the lowest win percentage by any team (.308) in the NL and the second-lowest in the league behind the Yankees (.300). Their two playoffs appearances are nothing to write about either. First was in Season 1 for the NL Wild Card Series Tiebreaker game against the Rockies, where at one point, they trailed 16-3. Padres would lose, 16-8. Then, in the shortened Season 3, they were down 7-0 in the NLDS and fell to the Marlins, 7-2. Is this going to be the season where they turn the ship around? Well, if they do, they have to fix their pitching first, which has never been good since the beginning. They can have a scary offense at times, but only in small spirts. Only way for them is up. Win and they have something to build off of moving forward. Loss to the Giants would keep the losing ways of the franchise pile up even higher.

Keys to watch:

Giants offense

Padres getting key outs

Score Prediction: Giants 12, Padres 10